Taming the inner Beast

These days, technological developments occur frequently, but every so often it becomes evident that many of these new innovations are not unique or exclusive events. It appears that new ideas, arrived at independently, often emerge in the market simultaneously. Since the advent of the Internet this global phenomenon is immediately noticeable. It’s as if wisdom[1] and understanding facilitate knowledge in experts who are ready to receive, interpret and convey their insights simultaneously. Many would say that competition explains this, however when truly novel ideas present in this way, it is more difficult to pinpoint the reasons for their synchronized emergence.

This observation parallels teachings of Kabbalah and Chasidus. These teachings go much further than scientific psychology by connecting 'mind' to its Divine source where, an analogy is used to describe the spritual world starting at the loftiest point of 4 ascending spiritual realms; the tip of the first letter Yud (י) in G-d’s four letter name Y’H’V’H (י׳ה׳ו׳ה). This is the point of the ‘Seminal Flash’, the point from which Supernal Wisdom (Intense Spiritual Light) comes into finite existence - this is the initial point of creation where 'something is created out of nothing'[2]. G-d ‘constricts’ this Intense Spiritual Light in its descent to the lowest spiritual realm (in which we live), concealing its' intensity so that we are not obliterated by it.

These 4 universal realms are also home to corresponding levels of the soul and its’ fifth level, which also equates to the high point of the Yud (י), but here it is an analogy for the soul’s direct point of connection to the Essence of G-d[3]. In this instance the point of the seminal flash is ths source of wisdom (light) that, by a form of constriction transcends each level of the soul. Those with 'ready souls' are able to reveal this deeply concealed and constricted Light, which if unimpeded by their intellectual and emotional attribute’s (vessels), enable perfect wisdom to come to 'mind' (thought).

The Lights' physical or intellectual manifestation is then a repeat (in the ‘image of man’) of the Seminal Flash: ‘A Thought’, the seminal flash that emerges in the brain, triggers neurons to fire and memory associations to be made. Those captured by the ‘Light’, emanating from the attribute of Wisdom in the depth of their soul, connect it to all their real world faculties to form practical outcomes through speech and action. This chain of events is a continuous process related to creation and re-creation of the spiritual and physical over-which The L-rd (י׳ה׳ו׳ה) G-d (א׳ל׳ה׳י׳ם) prevails.

Chasidus teaches that increasing acts of kindness and charity causes Supernal Wisdom to be dispensed more freely. We all want to be better people, but we can only accomplish this by, what is known in Kabbalah as ‘circumcising the heart’; applying higher intellect to nullify the effects of constrictions' outer (evil) shell and those 'knee jerk' emotional reactions, which tend to govern our emotional core. Pre-emptive thoughts, centered on kindness, followed by speech and action allow this circumcision to be accomplished by countering our tendancy to be harsh or judgmental (the unilateral attributes of might and judgment). Not by stopping what we do or being who we are, but by understanding from where thought emerges and by considering G-d's role in each thought, before speaking and acting. Known as 'putting the Aleph (א) before everything’, this way we get to refine our world in ‘infinite’ ways to make it the place that we all want it to be.

Finally there is an important consideration: The name G-d (א׳ל׳ה׳י׳ם) is associated with Judgment; the Supernal form, the form that constricts His Intense Spiritual Light, dispensing it by an act of Kindness toward man to aid our emergence as the people, as the world His Light reflects. The reciprocal for Judgment in our world is ‘Darkness’ dispensed as the constricted shell (remnant) of the Light it conceals. Most people who live through the path of judgment invite darkness as their prevailing context for life. They struggle with their heart of ‘stone’ unable to distinguish the vessel (shell) from the Light. In the absence of prevailing kindness, the 'shell' together with its’ higher darker powers are strengthened to envelop and trap the soul. In this state, evil aspects prevail over good because Judgment (the evil aspect) is invited by 'choice' to prevail.

Taming the inner Beast requires a conscious effort, but is really quite simple because wisdom (Light) is born into the world through continuous acts of charity and prevailing acts of kindness resulting in pre-emptive enhancements to your emotional responses. That’s not to say ‘kindness’ in the absence of ‘judgment’, rather ‘kindness’ before ‘judgment’ regardless of one's emotional state.

Bottom Line: “Be kind and be wise” and read Torah with a renewed perspective.

To understand how your energy travels in your soul click the 'Sefirot' link on the righ margin - then follow the paths leading to and from the attributes of Judgment and Kindness.

[1] Zohar Vayera 116b – 117a[2] http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=9/25/2006
[3] http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=9/25/2006