In the News (from BBC News): “US-based scientists found that the last four pandemics all occurred after La Nina events, which bring cool waters to the surface of the eastern Pacific.

“Nevertheless, the last four pandemics – the Spanish Flu that began in 1918, the Asian Flu of 1957, the Hong Kong Flu of 1958 and the swine flu of 2009 – were all preceded by periods of La Nina conditions. What pandemics have in common is that they all feature novel strains of the virus to which people have not developed immunity.

“The link to La Nina events is not clear. But recent research has shown that some wild birds’ patterns of flights and stopovers during migrations, or moulting times, differ between El Nino and La Nina years.

“‘Now we can look at viral gene flow in a number of birds, pigs, and people – and we might be able to get something more statistically robust, to get a better sense of the mechanisms.”’

My Comment: We have entered a new phase of the revelation of the world to us, the revelation of the world as a single whole, and this obliges us to become the same. For this reason, we will constantly discover greater connection between all parts of the world.

If we started to unite, we would change ourselves, and in our new property of integrality, we would discover the world as integral. Otherwise, “everyone judges according to their flaws,” and we, not seeing the world as unified, relate to it incorrectly, not like to an analog system, but like to a discrete one and thus, feel the discrepancy between it and us like a crisis. This is a more dangerous “pandemic.”
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Question: Romania has been shaken by collisions for a week now. In Bucharest they are becoming quite brutal. Our friends there are very worried. Overall, how should we view the suffering that the world experiences?

Answer: We must only disseminate materials about unity. And there are several rules in this regard:

– We do not mix with anyone;
– We are not “for” or “against”;
– As educators, we relate to people very considerately and unsophisticated.

That is how we approach the situation, according to the principle, “Love will cover all sins.” It is necessary to reach consensus, conciliation, unity. This does not mean that everyone calms down and goes home, since in that case we would be against the protestors. No, we are for change. However, in all of history, methods like this have never brought about anything good.

We have live examples before our eyes: Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries. For example, what was the use of the spontaneous disorders in London? This approach does not bring anything good to anyone. And Egypt has become immersed in devastation and is left with nothing. So, disorders won’t help.

That is why we have to release explanatory brochures with materials about mutual guarantee, including our advice: communication, round tables, and integral upbringing.

But first of all, we must concisely describe the current situation: Why is this happening?

And in doing so we do not speak out against the government or anyone else. We are talking about a natural process, a regular phase of our evolution where the world is becoming global and interconnected.

So what should we do? We have to adapt to the new conditions. After all, there is no other way to go. The integral network is already expressing itself. It’s simply that previously we adapted instinctively, whereas now we must reach harmony with the changed world consciously, with our own awareness. This is our new level of development.

Next, we have to explain how to do this: by means of integral upbringing, with the help of a good environment, which will convince every person of the need to unite with others.

Romania is a pretty homogenous country. It is not home to different cultures living side by side—it’s not America or the united Europe, so there it’s easier to talk about unity. This approach will appease the people, will revitalize the country, and will give people work. People will rise in their consciousness and will understand what is happening. They will see for themselves that this is good for them, their children, their country, and people.

As a whole, we are only inviting everyone to unite, and no more than that. There are no hidden “fees,” dirty tricks, or attempts to make money off of someone. On the contrary, let them do everything themselves. Let them organize the learning process and build an environment according to the laws of nature, while collaborating with psychologists.

This is what we have to offer, especially considering that there are many countries standing at the threshold of the same kind of strife.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/22/12, “Introduction to the Study of Ten Sefirot”

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Nature demands equivalence of form from us, balance. Nature is round” and we must build human society in the same round form as well. It will bring benefit to everyone and will lead us to a good state that is comfortable and balanced in all areas.

If we are united, nature will cooperate with us in everything: education, culture, every day life, home life and family, ecology, our relation to nature and its response to us, and in general in all of our activities. Only by correctly uniting integrally will we be rescued from nature’s disasters in the first stage, and then later, be successful in the second stage when completely new perspectives will open before us.

In this way we will, at least, escape the general, global crisis that we are experiencing today. This crisis was created as a result of our oppositeness to nature, which is an integral system. And this was revealed only in the last one hundred years.

Until then, there wasn’t a global crisis: humanity was developing and prospering. Only in this last stage, we see that nature, as it were, envelops us from all directions. In other words, nature shows itself as an integral network and we are not able to demonstrate this same unity. In this way, humanity is being revealed as opposed to nature, opposite from nature. And we feel our oppositeness as a crisis. This is exactly the problem.

Accordingly, the solution is to attain balance with nature. Our program of integral education is intended precisely for this. After all, in any event, nature will win. It is clear that in comparison to it we are weak, small, and nothing. We see this from the disintegrating of all of our systems that we no longer can cope with, for example, rising unemployment in the Western world.

Question: We can imagine the unemployed person who knows that it is unlikely that he will find a new job because there are many like him. No one prepared him for this kind of situation and he is apparently disappointed with life. In addition to this he doesn’t know what to do with all his free time because no one ever taught him this.

Answer: Actually the so-called free time is the most productive hours, during which he creates a man of himself.

Let’s begin with all of humanity sitting at the desk to learn. Man doesn’t know where to place himself. He is used to working according to the schedule of a working day. So everything will stay that way. We will arrange the order of day and we will commit to implementing it. It is only that now we are speaking about introductory courses whose length are a few hours a day. In this way, we don’t disrupt the established framework and don’t try to change the model that the person is used to. No, we only tell the person that he is receiving a “stipend” or “allowance” (not unemployment compensation), and in parallel to this, he works part-time or doesn’t work at all if his main work is the study.

We must pass a course like this. How long will it take—a few months or years? It doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that from now on, it will be our main task and it has to be treated as a job in every respect. Man learned to behave according to a certain framework, and so he now also needs to come to learn, similar to elderly people who happily go to various courses at the university. In this atmosphere, a person feels that he is being renewed, like in childhood.

Today we can talk about this without hesitation. Until recently the media didn’t take the crisis seriously, and two years ago they even announced that it had ended. And today there is no shortage of disaster forecasts. Thus if we talk about retraining courses, of a continuing education program, then it will be accepted.

Then everyone is accepted to this “university,” with all its familiar characteristics, including examinations. People will be busy during the day, obligations are imposed on them, and they have nowhere to run to since success depends on the study. In this way we need to raise the people.

By the way, the curriculum of the integral education program will include general education subject: history, geography, household financial management and others, and the most important psychology, the science of man.
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From “Lessons About a New World” #1, 12/27/11

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Opinion: (Michael Khazin, an economist, from newizv.ru): “Neither the U.S. nor the EU can cope with the crisis. The U.S. are more tenacious than the EU not least because they have a stronger currency. The EU has already partially used its ability to print currency; they printed money in December, equivalent to one trillion USD. In addition, the EU has chosen a strategy that the American economist and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz called suicide. And Stiglitz is a highly insightful person.

“The fact is that rather than supporting the demand, the EU starts tightening its belt. That is, it supports the banking system, but people have to tighten their belts. De facto thus the demand weakens even more. As a consequence, most likely, the European economy will start to collapse this year, and quite quickly. This may be partly glossed over by inflation, and recession will not be expressed so obviously. Even different statistical tricks may be used to understate inflation and represent growth, but the essence will not change.

“The Americans still have reserves. I think that they will hold out until summer and then begin the recession, following the simple logic, and that will allow Obama to be re-elected. Although this recession will be expressed only by inflation by the end of the year, yet they will still be at zero balance. However, we need to keep in mind that in contrast to Europe, the U.S. aggressively supports the demand.

“Obama has increased the budget deficit by more than one trillion USD a year, and this whole trillion went to support the demand, unlike Europe, where the same amount went to the banks. In this sense, if it were not for the increase of the budget deficit, the U.S. economy might have already fallen by 8-10% over the last 2-2.5 years.

“Here is the picture of the world: As long as the U.S. will support the demand, they will hold on, balancing at zero. Once the resources are exhausted, they will begin to fall. It will happen, most likely, a little later than in Europe.”

My Comment: Khazin is right, although we have always made mistakes in dates: The world was late all the time, finding new tricks not to manifest the crisis. I would push everything one half to one year forward. Besides, politicians have a game in store called the “international situation.”
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Question: Let’s suppose that I am used to working 8-9 hours a day and I get paid for overtime. My thoughts constantly revolved around my job, pride in my professional achievements, and my income. That was my world. I spent very little time at home. I was really with the family only on weekends and holidays. And then suddenly I was fired and deprived of all the routine that was in my life.

Answer: They revoked it because there is no more money left in the world. In other words, the whole world needs to let out the air from “the inflated balloon” and descend to the level of basic needs.

Let’s say we need to take care of 5 essential things: shelter, food, warmth, safety, and health. This is our mission, to supply this for everyone. There are many in Europe who saved all their lives for their retirement and were sure that in their old age they could live like everyone else, and in the end they barely find money for food and medicines.

So we need to show a person that he will receive a real bonus in return for his participation in the program of integral education that the society offers him. For example, society sends you to work for a three-hour shift and to five hours of classes at the university, and someone else is sent to the university for all eight hours.

As a result, we fill man’s day without touching the framework that he already had. He feels that he is occupied exactly like before. It is good for him to continue in the same vein. It doesn’t matter that the kind of tasks are different or that his many dreams and plans dissipated, he nonetheless sees that the same thing is happening all over the world. The troubles of the many are in themselves a partial consolation especially since he sees also no other options exist.

Accordingly, study and learning become an essential condition for providing his basic needs.

Question: A person who loses his job, doesn’t just lose the income. He loses his identity, his self-esteem, his social position, and friends. He is left isolated from society and feels as though “demons” have burst out of the bottle, opening inner doors within him that previously he didn’t even know existed.

Answer: To avoid this, we advise him to make an honorable living like others. But also, the moment he comes to study the integral education, he will immediately begin to understand his personal situation and the situation of the whole world, and this understanding will become a kind of prop for him.

Now man understands where he is and why everything is happening especially in this way. The education gives him a new vision, a new approach to the world. He becomes a real man (Adam – human/man) in the full sense of the word, educated and oriented toward what is happening. He is not detached from society, he maintains relationships with others, he participates in various activities, and ultimately thrives in society.

After all, a person who loses his job wants to understand himself, to restore himself. He lost his way and wants to clarify what is happening to him. When he sees that it is a part of the developmental process that operates on everyone, and not just him, that will already bring him some relief. Thus our materials need to provide a person with friendly and tender support, which will help lighten his spirits.
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From “Lessons About A New World” #1 12/1/11

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Opinion: (Andrew Burns, World Bank Manager of Global Macroeconomics from BBC News) “The World Bank has warned developing countries they need to be prepared for shocks as global economic growth slows.

“The organisation has slashed its growth forecasts, and is now predicting a 0.3% contraction for the eurozone in 2012.

“’Escalation of the crisis would spare no-one,” the report’s author warned.

Referring to the eurozone crisis and its potential to impact growth in rich and poor countries, Andrew Burns said:

“’Developed and developing-country growth rates could fall by as much or more than in 2008/09.’

“’The importance of contingency planning cannot be stressed enough…’

“The World Bank’s Global Economics Prospects report says that slower growth is already visible in global trade and commodity prices.

“It said that declining commodity prices were better news for the developing world, although food security for the poorest countries was still a major concern…

“’Developing countries need to evaluate their vulnerabilities and prepare for further shocks, while there is still time,’ said World Bank chief economist Justin Yifu Lin.”

My Comment: Wouldn’t it be better if they would bend their heads and look for new recipes for salvation. Kabbalah is offering.
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Opinion: (Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister) “But speaking in a deeper, longer-term sense, we must admit that the current problems have nothing to do with market volatility. By and large, what the world is facing today is a systemic crisis, a tectonic process of global transformation….

“It should be said that the current global imbalances are on such a large scale that they cannot be dealt with within the framework of the existing system. It is true that market fluctuations can be overcome. Most countries have set out a range of tactical measures to respond to the acute manifestations of the crisis, with varying degrees of success. It is a visible manifestation of our transition to a new cultural, economic, technological and geopolitical era. The world is entering a period of turbulence, which will be prolonged and painful. We should not be under any illusions.”

My Comment: After diagnoses that we hear from everyone, there are no suggestions about the remedy, and the disease is advancing. We need to reach out to the leaders with our proposals. Although they sound a bit distant from reality, the same reality will finally force the leaders to review their opinions, and the sooner this takes places, the better it is for the world.
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In the whole world there are calls for social justice. We, on our part, should explain to people that it is impossible to enforce social justice artificially. A standard division of resources, like they do in social security, won’t help. For example, it is impossible to compare a millionaire who receives a thousand dollars for the third child with a poor family that receives one thousand dollars for the third child. Is this justice?

As Baal HaSulam explains, the measure of truth doesn’t allow us to attain justice. If you divide things equally among everyone, there will be no equality. So how can we solve this problem?

In order to do that, we need to be as one family. In the family there isn’t equality, but everyone receives his share because we treat everyone with love. When I love everyone, I can help one at the expense of another. Thus I operate according to the principle of mutual guarantee, and so I operate fairly. There is simply no other way.

This is what we have to gradually convey to people. After all, today society is more sensitive than ever to inequality, including sectors that not long ago were very far from that. In every country there are plenty of reasons for dissatisfaction, and the only way to succeed is to educate people about unity. According to the level of connection, people will come to social agreement about how to divide the resources, thanks to their sympathy for the sufferings of others.

Can you demand cheap housing for yourself when others have nothing to eat? After all, we have a common “pie,” which isn’t enough to supply all the demands. So if we don’t unite people into one family, we won’t reach anything.

Then we will be able to explain that the current evil is actually for the better: It enables us to correct ourselves and to advance towards the good. After all, thanks to mutual cooperation we will change and will start to share the resources the same way it is done in the family. Then we won’t need to turn to the government, which will not help with its imaginary crumbs anyway. There is only one solution: unity of the people.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/17/12, “The Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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In the News (from Reuters): “President Barack Obama formally notified Congress on Thursday that he plans a $1.2 trillion increase in the U.S. debt limit prompting Republicans to level election-year charges that deficits are out of control.

“Obama said ‘further borrowing is required to meet existing commitments.’

“The proposed increase would push the debt ceiling to $16.394 trillion.

The move by the Democratic president, who is seeking re-election in November, gives Congress 15 days to vote on a resolution of disapproval under terms of budget control legislation passed last year.

“‘The President’s runaway borrowing threatens the foundation of our economy and the financial future of every hardworking American,’ said Senator Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee.

“‘It brings our nation closer to what the chairs of his own fiscal commission called “the most predictable economic crisis in its history.”’”

Comment: A rabbit is unable to get away when hypnotized by a boa’s eyes. It understands this but tries not to think, desiring to be mesmerized and not hearing about the future, denying the possibility of changing its behavior.
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Opinion: (Mario Monti, Italian Prime Minister): “‘Italy, in order to develop economically and socially, needs Europe, and Europe to be stronger needs Italy,’ Monti said in a speech in the northern city of Reggio Emilia at a ceremony honoring the Italian flag.

“‘No European country is so strong to think it can go forward alone in facing the great global economies,’ he added. ‘It’s time for everyone to do their homework. No one can think they can do less than the others.’”

Comment: Do you have to be on the verge of bankruptcy to talk like that? Isn’t it possible in advance?
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