Quote of the Week 74 - From Rabbi Jesus

The followers said to Jesus, “Tell us how our end will be.”
Jesus said, “Have you discovered the beginning, then, so that you are seeking the end? For where the beginning is, the end will be. Fortunate is one who stands at the beginning: That one will know the end and will not taste death."

From The Gospel of Thomas, The Hidden Sayings of Jesus, Translated by Marvin Meyer

Shechinah: Rise of the Feminine

Shechinah: Rise of the Feminine
Or, Eve and the Serpent Revisited
By Steven J. Gold

One continuing criticism of traditional Judaism has been the dominance of male images and authority throughout its many varied aspects. Of course, over the past several decades, there have been significant inroads moving towards a more egalitarian approach, with a growing recognition of Bat Mitzvah, women rabbis, cantors and teachers, and changes in liturgy to reflect female involvement and energy. Even within certain sectors of mystical Judaism, there is a growing recognition of the lop-sided male domination of the past and an anticipation of an upcoming rising of the Female aspect.

Eastern spiritual traditions, such as Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, have generally been more balanced in depicting the essential equilibrium between masculine and feminine energies and depictions, such as the Yin-Yang of Taoism, and the depictions of both male and female energies in the gods and goddesses prevalent in Hinduism and Buddhism. Judaism includes portrayals of some significant feminine figures, such as the Matriarchs, Tamar, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth and Esther, but they are relatively few and far between. “El Shaddai” is a designation of The One contained in the Torah whose meaning includes the aspect of balanced nurturance, providing the right amount of energy to create and sustain life as we know it. It shares the same root as the Hebrew word for breasts, signifying the feminine nature to this suckling nurturance. The noun, “Torah” itself is feminine in gender, and has a curiously close phonetic relation to “Tara”, a designation of the Divine Feminine in both Hinduism and Buddhism. On the spiritual/mystic side of things, there is the extraordinary Song of Songs, an erotic, ecstatic, poetic celebration of the Divine Feminine shunned by traditionalists and embraced by mystics; the concept of the glorious Sabbath Queen; and references, without much elucidation or elaboration, to the Shechinah, the aspect of the Divine Feminine.

So what about this Shechinah, the female aspect of the Divine, meant to dwell among us mortals to provide guidance and inspiration, as is related to have occurred during the existence of the Ark of the Covenant? Let us begin at the beginning, with the infamous incident concerning an apple, a snake, and the first woman.

The traditional theology in both Judaism and Christianity portrays the incident involving the serpent in the Garden of Eden as humankind’s first sin and accompanying fall from grace, for which we have been suffering and seeking salvation ever since. However, viewing this incident and subsequent events in the Bible through the eyes of yogic and Jewish mysticism can yield a very different interpretation, and cast a much different light on our infamous “snake in the grass”.

The motif of encountering in some form or fashion a snake, serpent or dragon can be found in myth and lore transcending time, place and culture, as it is a powerful archetypal figure that resonates deep within. The biblical Hebrew term for this serpent in the Book of Genesis is “nachash”. This is a reference to that same power known in yoga as kundalini/serpent power. Both mystical yoga and Judaism warn against trifling with such a power without proper preparation and great caution, as it is the most subtle, but greatest, power of all manifestation, from which the rest of manifest life emanates. The snake was left to slither at the lowest level of earthly life because it represents the primordial power that animates all of life, including life at it lowest forms.

“Kundalini” and “Schechinah” both contain within their meanings the idea of a “dwelling” or “abode” for this feminine aspect of Divinity. And they both function to assist with individual spiritual development and as a medium to commune with The One. Mystical Judaism informs us that it was this “Shechinah” power that dwelled in the Ark of the Covenant, with whom Moses and the High Priests after him communed; the same power depicted in the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, which so graphically portrayed its ability to annihilate forces of evil. The connection between this “Shechinah” aspect and the snake aspect is illustrated by the fact that the Hebrew consonants for “Shechinah” are phonetically similar to the Hebrew consonants for the snake, “nachash”, reversed.

The true function performed by the serpent in the Garden of Eden was to act as an agent of The One to complete the task of bringing manifest life as we know it into being, by causing primordial, prototypical, androgynous Man/Woman to be propelled out of the Garden into the life of manifestation and duality, retaining both the “good” knowledge to remember that all emanates from The One, and the “evil” inclination to forget that and become lost in a sense of separation, the primary root of all evil.

Skipping ahead to the Book of Exodus, we find the figure of Pharaoh representing the ultimate expression of the worldly power of the evil “dark” side of kundalini gone astray. Pharaoh represents the height of a sense of separation, deified as the Be-All-and-End-All god on earth, represented by none other than the same serpent embodied in his headdress. Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh was to illustrate, not only to Pharaoh, but to the people he had come to liberate, that this ultimate of earthly power of manifestation was not to be deified, but rather to be used as our support to praise and do the work of The One from which it emanated. This power was embodied for Moses not as an ornate headdress as with Pharaoh, but rather served as a simple staff/walking stick, broken off from the Tree of Life, depicting it as a tool useful for his ability to function in the world. By no coincidence, the Hebrew word for the snake that emanated from Moses’ staff is none other than “nachash” the same term designated for the snake in the Garden of Eden. “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” It is indeed tricky to take the snake by the tail, as Moses did, and convert it back into a walking stick, but that is what is necessary to achieve the mastery of life which leads to the ability to become the perfect humble servant to the Originator of Life. And thus, to master life is the same as to master service. True mastery does not lead to an arrogant display of triumphant majesty, as with Pharaoh, but rather to an acknowledgement of an Awesomeness beyond earthly comprehension, and thus to humble service, as with Moses. And to this, we owe a great debt of gratitude to the Shechinah, the Divine Mother, without whom Nothing would be the only possibility.


Bio

Steven J. Gold is author of the book, Yoga and Judaism (sub-titled Om Shalom: Explorations of a Jewish Yogi) available at http:/stores.lulu.com/yajc, and at major online retailers. Author’s blog: http://yajcenter.blogspot.com.

Quote of the Week 73 - Studs Terkel

The Great Depression. I was about 17 years old. Hoover was still president. People had been living high off the hog. And then, boom, comes the Crash. It was so sudden. Guys jumped out of windows. They didn’t know what to do. The wise men ran around, and then they cried out after Roosevelt for the government to help them out. Regulation. They asked for it. They cried for it. The wise men were lost, just as they are today. The free market fell on its fanny. We learned nothing. It’s exactly the same today.
The lessons of the Great Depression? Don’t blame yourself. Turn to others. Take part in the community. The big boys are not that bright.
Hope dies last—“La esperanza meure ultima.” Without hope, you can’t make it. And so long as we have that hope, we’ll be okay. Once you become active helping others, you feel alive. You don’t feel, “It’s my fault.” You become a different person. And others are changed, too.

--Studs Terkel, shortly before his death this October at age 96, as quoted by Alex Kotlowitz in an article in the January/February 2009 AARP magazine

A Mystical Perspective on the Biblical Serpent

[Following is an article created for Oracle 20/20 magazine, submitted with the title "A Mystical Perspective on the Biblical Serpent" published in their September 2008 issue under the title created by their editors: "The Power of the Serpent: A Mystical Perspective"]

The traditional theology in both Judaism and Christianity portrays the incident involving the serpent in the Garden of Eden as humankind’s first sin and accompanying fall from grace, for which we have been suffering and seeking salvation ever since. However, viewing this incident and subsequent events in the Bible through the eyes of yogic and Jewish mysticism can yield a very different interpretation, and cast a much different light on our infamous “snake in the grass”.

The motif of encountering in some form or fashion a snake, serpent or dragon can be found in myth and lore transcending time, place and culture, as it is a powerful archetypal figure that resonates deep within. The biblical Hebrew term for this serpent in the Book of Genesis is “nachash”. There is no question in my mind that it is a reference to that same power known in yoga as kundalini/serpent power. Both mystical yoga and Judaism warn against trifling with such a power without proper preparation and great caution, as it is the most subtle, but greatest, power of all manifestation, from which the rest of manifest life emanates. The snake was left to slither at the lowest level of earthly life because it is the primordial power that animates all of life, including life at it lowest forms.

The kundalini is also described in yoga as the feminine aspect of The One dwelling within all manifestation, by which all manifestation is made possible, and through which one can spiritually develop and use as a tool to commune with The One. There is thus also no doubt in my mind that what is called “kundalini” in yoga is the same as what is called “Shechinah” in Judaism, the feminine presence of The One dwelling amidst manifest life. Mystical Judaism informs us that it was this “Shechinah” power that dwelled in the Ark of the Covenant, with whom Moses and the High Priests after him communed; the same power depicted in the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, which so graphically portrayed its ability to annihilate forces of evil. The connection between this “Shechinah” aspect and the snake aspect is illustrated by the fact that the Hebrew consonants for “Shechinah” are phonetically similar to the Hebrew consonants for the snake, “nachash”, reversed.

The true function performed by the serpent in the Garden of Eden was to act as an agent of The One to complete the task of bringing manifest life as we know it into being, by causing primordial, prototypical, androgynous Man/Woman to be propelled out of the Garden into the life of manifestation and duality as we know it, retaining both the “good” knowledge to remember that all emanates from The One, and the “evil” inclination to forget that and become lost in a sense of separation, the primary root of all evil.

Skipping ahead to the Book of Exodus, we find the figure of Pharaoh representing the ultimate expression of the worldly power of the evil “dark” side of kundalini gone astray. Pharaoh represents the height of a sense of separation, deified as the Be-All-and-End-All, represented by none other than the same serpent embodied in his headdress. Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh was to illustrate, not only to Pharoah, but to the people he had come to liberate, that this ultimate of earthly power of manifestation was not to be deified, but rather to be used as our support to praise and do the work of The One from which it emanated. This power was embodied for Moses not as an ornate headdress as with Pharoah, but rather served as a simple staff/walking stick, depicting it as a tool useful for his ability to function in the world. By no coincidence, the Hebrew word for the snake that emanated from Moses’ staff is none other than “nachash” the same term designated for the snake in the Garden of Eden. “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” It is indeed tricky to take the snake by the tail, as Moses did, and convert it back into a walking stick, but that is what is necessary to achieve the mastery of life which leads to the ability to become the perfect humble servant to the Originator of life. And thus, to master life is the same as to master service. True mastery does not lead to an arrogant display of triumphant majesty, as with Pharaoh, but rather to an acknowledgement of an Awesomeness beyond earthly comprehension, and thus to humble service and gratitude, as with Moses.

Healing Meditation: Ruach El Shaddai - Breath of Balance

HEALING MEDITATION: RUACH EL SHADDAI - BREATH OF BALANCE
 
The Theory

As is usually the case, there are many layers of meaning to these biblical Hebrew terms, “Ruach El Shaddai,” but for the purpose of this practice, “Breath of Balance” is a simple and appropriate English translation. Comparable to the five layers of a being described in yoga, there are five levels of the soul enumerated in Jewish teachings, with “ruach” being that level one removed from the grossest level, nefesh. However, it is also the word utilized in Genesis designating the spirit/wind that hovered over the face of the deep at the beginning of creation. It is considered that when God breathed life into the nostrils of inanimate man, God was exhaling this “ruach”, breath, life force, comparable to the second layer in the yoga system, called “prana”. In yoga, “pranayama” is often translated as “breathing exercises”, because it is maintained that the essential life force of prana rides with the breath, and through breathing practices, one is also regulating the flow of this more subtle life force. The practice of Ruach El Shaddai/Breath of Balance incorporates and builds upon basic yogic breathing/pranayama practices, so “breath” is an appropriate term, although one should keep in mind that it incorporates the concept of prana/life force/spirit.

While God the Creator is designated in Genesis as “Elohim”, at other points in the Torah, “Shaddai” is one of a few other significant designations of a particular quality/function of God that is very interesting. A common conception to “Shaddai” is that it expresses a quality to the Creator whereby just the right amount of energy in form, quality and quantity was utilized in order to bring about the multitude of the forms of creation. Associated with this is the idea of moderating energy to the extent of “that which suffices” to bring about the desired result; not too much, not too little, just right. There is a further elaboration to this quality that it applies not only to the initial creative function, but in keeping with the idea that “God is a Verb”, it also applies to the ongoing Divine function that continues to create and sustain the universe in just the right proportions. These two functions just described correspond with the designations in yoga as God the Creator, Brahma and God the Sustainer/Maintainer, Vishnu. While it may not be as explicitly recognized as such in the Jewish tradition, the Torah is replete with stories depicting the third aspect in yoga of God the Destroyer/Dissolver, Shiva. Perhaps God as Judge is close. It is clear in the Torah that creation is not static, but dynamic, and that old forms constantly need to be dismantled to give way to new forms. While Justice may serve at times to maintain the statu quo, it also serves at times to help advance change.

Another interesting aspect to the term “Shaddai” is that it shares the same root as the term for “breast” and thus carries with it the connotation of perfect nurturance, obviously also associated with breasts and female energy. When I somewhat creatively translate “Shaddai” as “balance”, it is meant to incorporate the ideas that this quality of Shaddai contains these aspects of perfect nurturing that provides and maintains balance (that which suffices), but it is a dynamic, not a static, balance.

It is this “Breath of Balance” and the three associated functions described above that we are seeking to invoke in our healing sessions to restore balance where there is imbalance, in keeping with the kabalistic conception that our goal is to ascend the middle balanced pillar on the Tree of Life. We are not “doing” the healing, we are merely invoking the Divine healing powers that exist to assist our subjects through the agency of our focused intent. Our intervention and manipulation is thus minimal, as is the possibility for any mistakes, as we are invoking energies beyond us that work in perfect harmony and balance. We systematically invoke first the cleansing Dissolver aspect, to rid our subjects of the negative “dirty energy” and obstructions that are causing their imbalance; second, we invoke the rejuvenationg Creator aspect to restore regenerative nurturing energy to heal our subjects; and last, we invoke the stabilizing Sustainer/Maintainer aspect to circulate, assimilate and maintain the renewed energy in our subjects.

The magic and effectiveness of this healing lies in the words, “focus”, “invoke” and “intent”. We have been imbued with these gifts of being able to use our mind as an instrument of our individual consciousness connected to universal consciousness, to focus our attention and intent, and invoke powers that lie beyond our mortal limitations.

Any kind of healing can be addressed, whether it be physical, mental or a combination. Positive qualities (virtues) can be nurtured while their negative opposites (vices) can be minimized. There is no need for the subject to be present or in close proximity or even aware of your efforts, although it may magnify the effect if the subject is made aware and thus can open up receptivity on their part, even to the extent of participating at the same time, if not the same place. While there may be a benefit to physical proximity and coordination of time (the healing session occurring at the same time that the subject is aware and receptive to it, and even following along in participation), we are working at a level where proximity and simultaneity and cooperation are not essential, although helpful. Time and space are receding and being transcended, and after all, the subject is present with us all of the time on the planet earth.

* * *

The Practice

1. Preliminary stage. This can be performed lying down or sitting up, with the head, neck and trunk in a straight line. Begin with normal yoga breathing and relaxation, using diaphragmatic breathing and breathing only through the nostrils. For those familiar, this can be followed by normal yoga meditation or Jewish Yoga meditation if in the seated posture.

2. Focus on the subject of the healing. After the preliminary stage has been established, bring the attention to the subject of the healing. It is advisable to always begin with oneself as the first subject, as there is usually some need to heal some aspect of oneself, and after healing oneself, you will be better equipped to focus your healing efforts on other subjects. Proceed with the following steps in a complete sequential set for each chosen subject. In other words, do all of the steps in sequence for a selected subject, then begin the process over again for the next subject. It is recommended to end the session with the planet earth as the subject, as there is always need to assist our planet as a whole to heal and attain dynamic balance. The focus on the subject can be narrowed to a specific ailment or group of ailments, or just to the general energy level of the subject. There is no need for the subject to be present or in close proximity or even aware of your efforts, although it may be helpful if the subject is made aware and thus can open up receptivity on their part. We are working at a level where proximity, cooperation, participation, receptivity is helpful, but not essential, as time and space recede and are transcended, and after all, the subject is present with us all of the time on the planet earth.

3. First, focus on exhalation for elimination of “dirty” energy causing imbalance. Once the subject and any specific condition or group of conditions is in focus, focus attention first on the exhalation, regarding the inhalation, which automatically occurs, as just a reloading and preparation for the next exhalation. With each exhalation, visualize all forms of “dirty energy” (negative energy/vibrations, influences, obstructions, depletions, congestions, weaknesses, stresses) that are the cause of the imbalance in the subject being released and flowing out of the subject. Being invoked by your intent and channeled by your exhalation, visualize the Great Force of Destruction/Disintegration/Dissolution removing all of this “dirty energy” in a gentle manner which will not be harmful or shocking to the subject, and dissolving it in the vastness of the cosmos, which is capable of absorbing and recycling everything. If it is helpful, visualize a great Fire or Sun either suspended in the air, on the ground, on a sacrificial altar, or whatever image feels comfortable to you, and visualize that your exhalation is assisting to channel all of this dirty energy out of the subject and into that Fire or Sun for dissolution. Retain the focus with each exhalation simultaneously on the subject, any specified ailments, and the dirty energy flowing out of the subject and being dissolved. Continue this focus on exhalation/elimination/dissolution until you feel it is sufficient for now.

4. Next, focus on inhalation for introduction of healing energy to aid in the restoration of balance. Keeping the subject and specific condition in focus, now shift the focus to the inhalation, regarding the exhalation, which automatically occurs, as just a reloading and preparation for the next inhalation. With each inhalation, visualize all forms of “healing energy” (regeneration, rejuvenation, positive energy/good vibrations, nurturance, health, relaxation) that can relieve and cure the distressed condition and restore balance flowing into the subject. Being invoked by your intent and guided by your inhalation, visualize the infinite resource of the Great Force of Creation/Nurturance providing exactly the precise form, quality and quantity of healing energy needed to effectuate the healing process in a gentle manner which will not be harmful or shocking to the subject. If it is helpful, as before, visualize a great inexhaustible Fire or Sun from which is emanating this healing energy in the needed form, quality and quantity, which your inhalation is assisting to channel to the subject for their benefit. Retain the focus with each inhalation simultaneously on the subject, any specified ailments, and the healing energy flowing into the subject to restore balance. Continue this focus on inhalation/rejuvenation/nurturance until you feel it is sufficient for now.

5. Next, focus equally on inhalation and exhalation as an agency of stabilizing the newly introduced healing energy. Now shift the focus to the subject as a self-enclosed entity. Focus equally on inhalation and exhalation which is creating a cycle/circuit of flowing energy within the subject. Being invoked by your intent and guided by your focus on this cycle of inhalation and exhalation, visualize the Great Force of Sustaining/Maintaining providing exactly what is needed to seal off the channels through which the dirty energy was earlier eliminated and through which the healing energy was earlier introduced, circulating the newly acquired healing energy throughout the subject in a gentle manner which is not harmful or shocking. It will effectuate the greatest benefit for the subject by acting to stabilize this new healing energy and allowing it to be properly assimilated. Continue this focus equally on a circuit of inhalation and exhalation until you feel it is sufficient for now. The healing session for this subject is now complete.

6. Continue with the next subject, repeating steps 2 through 5, and concluding with the planet earth as the final subject. Meditation can then continue, or the session can be brought to an end in the same gentle manner you would bring any meditation session to an end.

Om Shalom.

Jewish Yoga Meditation

Quote of the Week 72 - Enough

The book’s title comes from a poem Kurt Vonnegut once wrote about a party he and fellow author Joseph Heller attended on Shelter Island in the Hamptons, New York’s playground for the rich and famous.
Vonnegut recalled telling Heller that their host, a billionaire hedge fund manager, had made more money in a day than Heller had in the whole history of his novel Catch-22.
"Well," Heller said, "I’ve got something he can never have."
"What," Vonnegut asked, "might that be?"
"The knowledge that I’ve got enough," Heller replied.

--James Pressley, Bloomberg News, in his book review of Enough, True Measures of Money, Business and Life, by John C. Bogle, founder of Vanguard Mutual Fund Group

Fresh Air Fund

The Fresh Air Fund has requested that I post their information, so here it is. You can find out more at http://freshair.smnr.us/.