New Life 1288 – Urban Expansion Vs. Nature Conservation
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel
Humanity and nature can live in peace side by side if we make sure not to harm nature in everything that we do. We need to let nature be the way it is without any intervention or any artificial forms that we may create. The basic principle should be that man needs to think about nature first and not about himself. For example, we must not take garbage out of our home and just throw it out.
The problem begins with the fact that man is an egoist and doesn’t look ahead or consider the impact of his actions. Just as animals don’t destroy nature, we too need to pay greater attention to the protection of nature. [274335] From KabTV’s “New Life 1288 – Urban Expansion Vs. Nature Conservation,” 20/11/20
One of my students asked me, as a Kabbalist, what is gratitude according to the wisdom of Kabbalah? Kabbalah is a serious wisdom, and so when it discusses gratitude, it means spiritual gratitude. What, then, is spiritual gratitude?
Spiritual gratitude first and foremost relates to a person with a desire and goal to attain spirituality. Such a person has no knowledge of what spirituality is, but feels an inner need, and eventually starts studying the wisdom of Kabbalah.
In the wisdom of Kabbalah, we learn that the purpose of creation is for all people to discover the harmony and bliss of connecting between the force of creation—reception—and its opposite spiritual force—bestowal. What does this mean?
On the way to discovering this sublime connection, we need to reveal how we are under the ego’s control, and that the ego is an evil and destructive force. Why is the ego evil and destructive? It is because it pits people up against each other, devours nature, our environment, and eventually, it also destroys itself, because it makes us want to enjoy things that provide short-term satisfaction, but which are ultimately bad for us in the long term. The revelation of the human ego as an evil and destructive force is called the “recognition of evil” in the wisdom of Kabbalah. “Kabbalah” in Hebrew means “reception,” and through this wisdom, we discover how we exist in a negative form of reception, where we want to receive and pull to ourselves, and that we do not ultimately benefit from trying to do so.
However, opposite this negative force of reception is a positive force of good, the force of bestowal. The force of bestowal can balance the receiving force, and then between these two forces we can exist in harmony by connecting between the positive and negative poles of reality.
The combination of these two forces is at the basis of everything we create, because specifically by the correct combination between these two poles of reality, we can discover how to live error-free and fix all the problems that emanate from relating to reality solely from its negative egoistic side.
By unconsciously letting the human ego drive our considerations and actions, we let the steamroller of evolution flatten us by delving deeper and deeper into seemingly irresolvable problems on personal, social, economic, ecological and global scales. The ego, without its balancing and regulating connection to the force of bestowal, stands behind every problem we experience in life.
We thus need to learn how to work with our ego in order to know how to balance it with its opposite positive force. When we succeed to invite the positive force into our lives, even in the tiniest amount, against the inborn negative force, we become grateful for having been given the negative force as our nature. In other words, by connecting to the positive force of bestowal above the negative egoistic force, we discover that the negative force is in fact a good force if we can use it as an impetus to increase our positive connection above it.
Balancing both positive and negative force is what King David describes in Psalms when he says, “You have saved my soul.” That is, before we receive the positive force, we only exist in the negative force, and we end up feeling terrible in that state. Then, after quite an extended period of time, we reach the state where we also receive the positive force, and when we do, we feel grateful. The gratitude we feel at that point is spiritual.
Based on “Spiritual Gratitude | New Life with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman | 1139,” February 4, 2020. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Watch the full talk here » [27:19]
There will be no more big innovations in humanity. The era of great discoveries is behind us.
The next major innovation will take place solely through self-transformation, i.e., by working on ourselves to transform our egoistic selves—where we want to benefit ourselves alone—to altruistic ones—where we wish to benefit others.
This egoistic-to-altruistic transformation of ourselves will be at the basis of innovation as we head into the future. On the contrary, if we fail to make such a transformation, then no matter what we do, human society will stagnate.
“Where Is the Business World Headed? | New Life 1255.” Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
New Life 450 – The Phenomenon Of Emigrants From Israel, Part 2
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel
If we emigrate from the land, hatred will come that will bring us back here again and will compel us to build the spiritual Israel. The problem today in Israel is that the environment doesn’t provide us with any support. The young feel that the environment is coarse and is not connected to their soul; they struggle constantly. The cost of living, security problems, uncertainty for the future, and poor education means they don’t see a future for themselves.
In order for people to feel connected to this nation and return, Israel has to build a unique force based on love and mutual responsibility. In order to stop the emigration, a new general, social education is required. From KabTV’s “New Life 450 – The Phenomenon Of Emigrants From Israel, Part 2,” 11/11/14
In order to get rid of negative thinking and all the problems and crises that stem from it, we have to be connected to the fundamental thought that exists before and beyond all of our thoughts—the thought that governs nature on all of its levels: still, vegetative, animate and human.
How can we gain access to that exalted all-encompassing thought?
It is by a correct form of connection among us.
In our current state, we emanate negative thoughts and influences by hosting an egoistic intention upon all of our desires. This egoistic intention is expressed as myriad “viruses” of exploiting others for profit, status and control.
The more we think and act according to an egoistic modus operandi, the more we spread these viruses to others, and as a result, more and more negative phenomena abound in our world.
Our egoism infects society, becomes mutated in society, and then returns back to us with much greater strength. Soon, we all agonizingly endure contaminated living conditions where our egoistic connections intensify to become increasingly negative and hateful.
Today, we experience various mutations of hatred, cutthroat competitiveness, envy, lust, pride, control, and an ever-increasing compulsion to exploit anyone and anything if it serves our personal fulfillment.
The problem with such an abundance of negative thoughts is that our goals of becoming more fulfilled elude us more and more, and we find that neither do we nor others truly enjoy ourselves under such circumstances.
Our egos develop in order for us to reach a conclusion that if we continue trying to personally benefit at the expense of others, then nobody wins, and we will find ourselves becoming more and more helpless.
How, then, can we change our negative ways of thinking and spark a different positive form of development?
We should seeks ways to transform such a system according to the principle, “Don’t do to others what you hate,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, by positively connecting to each other, and investing in creating a society that supports, encourages and uplifts its members to think and act positively above egoistic drives, then we will positively transform our thinking. By valuing and respecting examples of doing good to the world and to others, then thoughts of how to positively affect others would start spreading among society, replacing the negative thoughts that stem from valuing and respecting individualistic and materialistic goals.
The “viruses” we spread to each other would then become positive ones. Thoughts we pass to each other are considered viruses because they penetrate us without our awareness. It is as if we guide other people by focusing good intentions upon them, and these intentions serve to positively influence them. We then make the world a better and healthier place.
We each host a certain spark of the universe, and we have an opportunity to take responsibility for this spark and operate it by creating a society that encourages and supports harmonious human connections.
By focusing on the fulfillment of others, their happiness and fulfillment will become your own.
We cannot detach from society, so in order to make the best of our connection, we need to see our own happiness in helping and guiding others to achieve happiness.
By aiming to love others without regard for ourselves, we will come to understand that this is self-love.
We can overcome fear by establishing positive connection to each other above all the phenomena that we are afraid of.
Positive connection is one where mutual support, encouragement, kindness, understanding, care and love prevail over all differences, problems and fears.
We would then generate a balanced and peaceful atmosphere that would make our every interaction positive and fulfilling.
New Life 1287 – The Challenge Of Distance Learning
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe
Distance learning puts teachers under a lot of pressure to cover the material while it is hard for students due to the many distractions. Teachers and administrators need to ask themselves how to make studies seem more important in the eyes of children. Parents need to see their children’s studies as very important and also take part in them by, for example, depicting the teachers as kings and queens. Cell phone companies should disconnect phones during school hours.
We need to arrange the education system differently so that teachers and students will work together, integrating and sharing in mutuality and connection. The study has to be done in a group and should include many exercises and activities so that the students will remain focused. Competitions can be held in which the kids are divided into two groups in order to encourage and motivate them.
We need to take problems from daily life, from the family, and from what happens in the country, things that the kids are familiar with, and work on them as part of the study material. The social aspect is important to students as well so we need to establish the right communication between them during the lesson. We have an opportunity today to really change the outdated education system and to participate in the building of man. [273655] From KabTV’s “New Life 1287 – The Challenge Of Distance Learning,” 11/6/20
New Life 449 – The Phenomenon Of Emigrants From Israel, Part 1
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel
The people of Israel are a group of people who are associated with our ancestor Abraham in Babylon on the basis of kindness, connection, and love. They were a group of strangers who interacted with love in order to go Yashar-El (straight to) the upper force. The land of Israel is a spiritual place to which people who have a desire for connection with others and with a higher power are drawn. People who abandon the importance of being connected together with others in the land of Israel emigrate from the land.
The people of Israel must live in the land of Israel, but in order to do this they have to return to living in connection and love. If we were “like one person with one heart, ”they would feel that in this land there is a force that belongs to them. If a spiritual revolution doesn’t happen in the land of Israel, the entire Zionist enterprise will fade away. From KabTV’s “New Life 449 – The Phenomenon Of Emigrants From Israel, Part 1,” 11/11/14
New Life 1286 – Family Care For An Elderly Parent
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel
Adult children of aging parents need to come together to share the care with time, energy, and money. It is impossible to determine how to equally share care for aging parents since we don’t have any way of measuring diverse contributions. Each child has their own unique situation that cannot be accurately compared with the siblings’ contexts.
According to the wisdom of Kabbalah and an integral perspective, children must put their differences aside and meet once a month or twice a year to divide up the duties associated with caring for their aging parents in a purposeful, businesslike manner, without emotion. The wellbeing of the parents should be the focus. Each child gives what they can, whether it’s time to take the parents to medical appointments, money to pay for services in the home, or emotional warmth and care. Each one pays back the parents as though paying back the Creator since the Creator arranges our parents for us. [273219] From KabTV’s “New Life 1286 – Family Care For An Elderly Parent,”10/30/20
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