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Global Economic Crisis: Is It Over Yet?

Headlines proclaim optimism for the end of the economic crisis. Is it really over? It won’t be until we realize its cause is deeper than economic factors, and we learn how to operate in a global, integral system

The world watches Wall Street and world financial markets nervously as they pin their hopes, dreams, and sense of security on recovery to 2007 levels. After plummeting 54% to a decade low in March of this year, markets have continued with volatile rises and falls. Each bit of optimistic news, “Corporate earnings higher than anticipated,” “Bullish calls from prominent analysts,” and “the US Federal Reserve pronounces the end of the recession might be on the horizon,” spurs a rise. Optimism and hope lift the markets, much like a hot air balloon when the air is warmed. But are these rises filled with anything more than hot air?

Is It Over Yet?

It would seem that there is denial on Wall Street. The optimistic headlines generated by self-interested parties seem to be ignoring other economic news, like the 9.5% unemployment rate in the US, which doesn’t capture the magnitude of joblessness. The uncounted include many who have stopped looking altogether, and 1 in 6 Americans who want full-time employment, but are settling for part-time work. The US Labor Department’s broader measure pegs unemployment at a much higher rate nearing 24% in Oregon. 7.2 million Americans have lost their jobs since the start of the recession and 15 million Europeans are out of work. So far this year, 1.5 million homes have received foreclosure notices or have been seized by banks. Bank failures in the US have reached 77 in 2009. Not all headlines or economists are pointing to recovery as, “Global Deflation Pandemic is Brewing” reports. (Wall Street Journal 7/24/09) In fact, by many counts the crisis is far from over.

What Caused The Crisis?

The US federal government recently appointed a panel of experts to find out just what caused the economic crisis. It would be easy to point to the likes of Goldman Sachs executives who seemingly grabbed the billions handed to them by the government’s bail out efforts and slipped them into their own pockets. Just how did they manage to make the surprising earnings, which they assert justifies compensation levels rivaling 2007 highs, if not at the expense of taxpayers? Or is the crisis due to the financial products pedaled, whose complexity defied regulation? Or are the regulatory systems, which failed to safeguard us, to blame?

The Real Cause

None of them are the cause. Our economy, our world economy, is a reflection of our natural desire to get more and more. All of us together created the global economy. We collectively created the global economics of hoped-for-perpetual-growth to fuel our ever growing desire for more. As soon as we get what we want, with a brief pause of momentary gratification, we move on to wanting something else.

This is according to Nature, Kabbalah explains. We are merely acting according to Nature’s force of receiving. But now we see there is a problem with this. Oh yes, we are in the midst of a crisis, and in spite of Wall Street’s grasping at straws for recovery, most of us pretty well see we’ve already broken the camel’s back. And there is no way back to the era of super-growth-consumption economics. The crisis is impacting virtually everyone and everything on the planet.

The Message The Crisis Brings

Indeed, there is a big problem. We’ve successfully grown with this force of Nature, the receiving force, and it has caused us to realize we are all interconnected. This is precisely the purpose of the crisis. Really this is it. The global financial crisis is illuminating our interconnected nature. It is shining brightly and powerfully, like a spotlight, to make sure we can’t miss it. The message in bright lights reads: We are globally financially and economically interdependent, linked, and inexorably entwined—the whole world and everyone in it, including you.

And the message doesn’t stop here. This is just the glaringly obvious part. Our interconnection is even deeper, more encompassing than the global economy, finances, or the internet. The writing of the rest of the message is a bit dimmer, we are just beginning to see it.

It reads: We are an interconnected humanity on all levels. We are beginning to see that the world is a single, integral system. We are beginning to realize and feel it as more than mere words. We need to recognize that just like the financial crisis is allowing us to see this global interconnection on the economic level, all other crises besieging the world are aiming to help us appreciate our complete human interconnection and interdependency. For indeed that is their purpose.

We Are All In This Together

This seems very deep. But in reality, it is also very simple. We are all in everything together. All of our actions impact everything else on the planet. And conversely, the entire world influences each of us.

Having recognized that we are a globally integral system, we need to learn the way this system of interconnection works, how it operates, so we can thrive in it. It is a law of Nature, and like Newton studying the apple’s fall, we need to examine and explore the properties of this law.

So, we take another look at its component, the force of receiving. The development of the force of receiving, we noted, is what led to this financial crisis. This immense preoccupation of always wanting more for ourselves allowed us to develop a blind eye toward how this taking for ourselves affects any and everyone else. This actually shines some insight onto another component of the law of Nature, the force of giving. And we see we’ve overgrown one side—receiving, at the expense of the other—giving.

Our Interconnection Is Not In Balance

These forces are not in balance. It is the imbalance that is causing the crisis, not Wall Street. It is the imbalance in each of us, and as we recognize that we are all interconnected, we realize that our individual aspirations for having more impacts everyone else with whom we are interconnected. The crisis is revealing both the interconnection between all of humanity and the imbalance in the interconnection. The crisis is aiming to reveal to us that no individual will prosper unless the whole world prospers.

Real Solution: Learning to Balance Our Interconnected Nature

As we realize our completely interconnected state of humanity, and become educated through the wisdom of Kabbalah about the forces of Nature—receiving and giving—we can naturally understand the optimal role of each member of humanity within these forces, and we will achieve real prosperity and perfection. Both the cause and solution to the crises lies within each of us, separately and collectively. What we all need to end the crises, is to stop pointing fingers at others, and to start looking within and see our crucial role in fixing it, by adjusting our attitude to the world with the giving and receiving forces of Nature. Not only will this end the crises, but it will bring us to abundance, prosperity, and real fulfillment.

The Key to Change (of Heart)

The world demands change, politicians promise it. But, what is the change we really need? It is a change of heart to operate in accordance with Nature in a state of wholeness. Kabbalah holds the key to connecting to abundance and prosperity

The popularity of slogan, dictum, motto, and maxim as a form of persuasive argument has long been a part of political campaigns in order to gain favorable reaction from the public. It is not surprising that today, as the global crisis escalates, public enthusiasm is immense for politicians around the globe chanting the dictum of change. Everyone agrees that we need change; so, what is the problem?

What is the Change We Need?

At first glance, it appears to be a problem of nuance. However, when we analyze the political argument for the change we need, we discover that the argument itself is defective. According to Aristotle, a potentially persuasive argument, where the premise gives no rational grounds for accepting the conclusion, is defective. These defective forms of argument are called fallacies, in this case, the fallacy of circular argument, as the premise for change presumes too much. It simply begs the question: What is the change we need?
Crisis: The Revelation of the Connection Between Us
All of the methods that we are applying to the current crisis view change as something we can do on our own. However, today, for the first time in history, the current state of the world is not simply a crisis; it is a revelation of the connection between us. This connection is being revealed in the economy, trade, and in all social and political relationships. And grim news from the World Bank: A stimulus won’t save us—we are fresh out of money to jump start the global economy.

Correcting the Connection: The Way to Abundance and Prosperity

The Kabbalists see this as the starting point for humanity’s correction and the end of all of our misfortunes. The current crisis shows us how connected we are. Therefore, the means of solving the problem is correcting our connection, meaning that we should not just build the proper economic model; in this global world, we should make heart to heart connections. The science of Kabbalah, which is becoming more widely recognized in recent years, is the key to the solution.
All of the great Kabbalists throughout history, from Abraham to Yehuda Ashlag, dreamed of our time, when all humanity could discover the wonders that they had. They searched and found the answers to the very questions humanity is now asking. What is the structure of reality? What forces govern the world? How can a person affect his or her own fate and that of humanity? They wrote about what they discovered in their books, describing a single system that incorporates all people and paves the way to a future of abundance and prosperity.
The Book of Zohar, written approximately 2,000 years ago, says that toward the end of the 20th century humanity will reach its maximum imbalance with Nature. The book says that at that time, humanity will need the method of survival and of fulfillment. Then, says The Book of Zohar, the time will come to disclose Kabbalah to all humankind, as a method for reaching similarity to Nature.

Our generation stands at the threshold of a dramatic change of heart. Just as all other parts of nature exist harmoniously, we can consciously and willingly rise to a new level of harmonious connection. The science of Kabbalah, the same knowledge that was passed on from Abraham through all the generations, is precisely a method for correcting our connection. It explains the system of laws that enable us to operate in accordance with Nature in a state of wholeness. The Kabbalists have given us the key, which, if used correctly, will allow us to change our heart and reality instantaneously.

Nature’s Students

The result of our collective discontent is an increasing tendency to ask: What is the purpose of my life? Kabbalah is a spiritual science that reaches out from its ancient roots to answer this very current and pressing demand. Students explore this science online, at the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Learning Center

Why Study Kabbalah?

In the decades leading up to the first part of the 21st century, society became increasingly dissatisfied with what life has to offer. The wars, revolutions, and social movements of the 20th century have left us wondering: What is next? Is this all there is?

Particularly in developed countries, people are overwhelmed by unshakable feelings of emptiness and despair. This sense of deep unrest has grown to a peak in our generation. Like never before this generation suffers. It suffers from depression and anxiety, an unstable economy, an unprecedented breakdown in the family structure, impending environmental catastrophe, and a general lack of motivation and sense of apathy for the future.

The result of our collective discontent is an increasing tendency to ask: What is the purpose of my life? Kabbalah is a spiritual science that reaches out from its ancient roots to answer this very current and pressing demand.

What Does Kabbalah Answer?

Kabbalah answers that basic demand for the answer to the purpose of life. It shows us the limits of our perception and introduces us to true reality. In the past only a handful of philosophers, holy men, and scientists asked about the laws of Nature, the meaning of life, and the perception of reality. Now this demand is commonplace.

Throughout human history we have functioned on autopilot, moving from desire to desire like puppets on a string. We have developed our cultures, civilizations, and technologies through the all encompassing desire for pleasure that is called the human ego.

In our times we can no longer be satisfied with our basic animal and human desires. The compelling drive of our egoistic development seems to have worn itself out. There seems to be nowhere else to go. We want more; we need more. In our times we have awakened the desire for spirituality.

Kabbalah fulfills the desire for spirituality and illustrates the true laws of Nature, beyond our limited perception, and shows how to live according to those laws. We can see through our own experience how different human nature is from the rest of Nature. Every other species on the planet only takes as much from nature as it absolutely needs: nothing more and nothing less. Human egoism knows no bounds to how much it will take from others and from nature. This egoism is the sole reason for all of the destruction we see in the world.

Once humanity lived in balance with Nature, but through the increasing development of our egoistic desire we evolved to a point of total imbalance with the natural system. The understanding of our connection to this system has been lost in the mists of history. While we cannot devolve into prehistoric desires, we can look to the future and find the way into balance from our fully evolved perspective. None of us wants to go back to the Stone Age, but we do want to live in harmony with each other and with Nature. Kabbalah teaches us how we can use our development to equalize with the natural system within our modern society. Nature operates on the principle of love and giving. In order for humanity to come to balance with the system, we need not give up our technologies; we need to learn to give.

Humanity is beginning to wake up to its own nature. We know we can no longer function according to our egoism. We know that there must be a change or our entire race will face dire consequences. Collectively we have no idea where to turn with our demand for change and for answers to our questions. More people than ever are asking why they live, and it is precisely this time and this demand that Kabbalah was meant to answer.

How to Find Answers Through Kabbalah

The Bnei Baruch Learning Center is a platform that answers the question of the meaning of life, the nature of reality, and the method to transform human egoism, thereby assuring humanity a bountiful future. The Learning Center’s interactive classes start with very basic principles of Kabbalah and progress to the technical aspects of the structure of reality. These classes show how to connect with the laws of Nature and how to implement these laws in our daily lives for the benefit of all of humanity.

The Learning Center offers anextensive program of live Kabbalah instruction on both an American and European schedule with live translation into Spanish. Experienced teachers interact and instruct in real time and are able to answer individual student questions. All of the materials, authentic Kabbalistic texts, and instruction are offered free of charge. Lessons are broadcast live, twice weekly, and are archived to accommodate every student’s schedule. Students are free to be as involved as they have the desire and ability to be.

The Learning Center also provides students an online forum to post questions and share their impressions with instructors and fellow students. These forums are monitored by trained moderators who answer questions and offer personal guidance. Students benefit from reading each other’s questions, interacting with each other, and sharing mutual encouragement.
Kabbalah is a discipline that must be practiced in a specific way to gain its intended benefits. Kabbalah is best studied in a group, with teachers, and authentic texts. The Learning Center is a real environment for the study of Kabbalah, which provides all the necessary tools and allows a student to practice and experiment with what they are learning. The Learning Center gives students the support and environment to experience and practice what Kabbalah teaches.

Through interaction during the live lessons and student forum, students create a sense of community that goes beyond what one might feel in other learning environments. Through the Learning Center environment the force of Nature is evoked on students and they begin to experience the change they desire. Not only does learning Kabbalah fulfill the desire for the answer to the meaning of life, in a correct learning environment students will find themselves becoming more equivalent to the laws of Nature. Every aspect of students’ lives gains greater clarity and they begin to perceive true reality. In the words of a Learning Center alumnus, “It is truly life changing.”

Your Ticket to a New World

A first person account: Finding Bnei Baruch’s Online Kabbalah Learning Center, “I liken the course to the beginning of a journey to a magnificent new world, to a free ticket onboard an express train!”

It was August 2008. I did not know what Kabbalah was nor did I have any idea why the word intrigued me as it did. In regards to Kabbalah, I was pretty much a blank slate. There was something that I did know, however. I sensed that there was a hidden message in the word “Kabbalah.” The feeling came from the very depth of my heart, from a small, tiny point.

“I Wanted to Know How Exactly you Use this Wisdom”

I started to read more. I devoured a few issues of the newspaper Kabbalah Today. Then, I turned my hunger toward the website Kabbalah.info. There, I found an immense amount of information in the form of articles, books, videos and animations.

But as most of my friends will tell you, I am not easily impressed or satisfied. I wanted more. I wanted to know how exactly is it that you use this wisdom, what makes it so special, and why should I be reading about it and not doing something more productive (or fun) with my time. The website said that Kabbalah was a practical wisdom that will help me attain spirituality. “Ok,” I said to myself, “I want to attain spirituality.” Who doesn’t, right? All of us, consciously or not, yearn for connection with the spiritual. I later learned that connecting to the spiritual is actually the purpose of our lives. This is why so many people today are dissatisfied and question the meaning and purpose of their lives.

“I Realized that I Wasn’t Alone. There Were Many People with the Same Questions About Life”

So, back to my question: How? Where do I start? Then, I noticed a link to a free, live and interactive course starting September 2008. I signed up immediately and began reading preparation materials provided in advance of the course start date. At the first lesson, I realized that I wasn’t alone. There were many people with the same questions about life. It was a very international group with people joining the twice-weekly lessons from places as remote as Japan, Australia, Argentina and Iraq. There were business people, students, lawyers, housewives, professors, scientists, retirees, and more, ordinary people from all walks of life.

“They Had Answers”

The lessons were presented by two teachers. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was happy to see that they were regular, normal people, like you and me. What did set them apart was that they were able to provide answers to questions which had been floating in my head unanswered for years. They had answers to questions like: “What is the meaning of my life?” “Who am I?” “What is going on in the world?” You get the picture. Normal people with answers. So far, so good! I continued on and finished the course.

“It’s Hard to Describe What the Course Has Done for Me”

It is now August 2009. It is hard to describe what the course has done for me. What I can say is this: Remember that little point in my heart, which I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the one that led me to Kabbalah? Well, the course helped me understand what the point was. The course described the process by which this point grows and connects to other similar points. Once it reaches full development, it becomes the mechanism by which we can perceive a completely different world. This world is the spiritual world with which we crave to connect. Without connecting to the spiritual, we do not attain the purpose of our lives. Therefore, I liken the course which I signed up for last year to the beginning of a journey to a magnificent new world, to a free ticket onboard an express train!

I have some great news for you, dear reader. There is another train departing September 2009. Consider this your official invitation. See you in the new world.

The Way Passed the End

The Doomsday Vault, a seed bank for world use, reflects both our worst case fears of global destruction and the means to prevent it. It exemplifies uniting in order to satisfy the need to care for all

The end. People contemplate “the end” all the time. They wait for their work week to end, they anticipate the end of a cold winter, they dream of the end of twelve years of schooling. Ah, graduation. How nice to reach the end. The end of the perfect book, that satisfied feeling one gets when it feels just right. And there are the scary and sad endings in life: death, divorce, disaster. Ah, disaster, this one, when it’s on a large and national or global scale, is often played to the hilt. Consider for a moment, the amount of time movies and media often give to doomsday scenarios. There seems to be a fascination with “the end.”

The Doomsday Vault

Discovery Magazine’s top 100 science stories of 2008 include, “Doomsday Vault Opens.” It is a kind of Noah’s Ark for the protection of seed types from around the world. “The End!” we think. The word, “Doomsday,” catches our attention, stops us in our tracks, and makes us think.
The ark—rather, the vault, is built on the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. It’s built to protect the seeds in case of natural disasters including pestilence, asteroids and even human induced calamities such as nuclear attack.

The idea of a safety deposit box for seeds is not new. Nations have had their own seed banks in the past and will continue with their reserves, but this structure, which is designed for “world use” in case of catastrophic circumstances, reflects a kind of unification, one that considers the whole world and not just its segmented parts, drawn as political, geographic boundaries. It’s this kind of whole world protectionism that is a clear indicator of our interdependency and it is this state of understanding that paves a way for us in our own personal diffusion, where we extend our miniature focus to include the care of all. This state is a kind of end, a shift in focus. It is a predetermined goal that existed in the original thought of creation, and it is completely good and benevolent despite our current perceptions to the contrary.

The End of the Paradigm of the World Broken into Pieces

Here now, we discuss the end of an old paradigm, where the world is broken into pieces, often working against itself, and instead, we usher in the beginning of cohesion, the same kind seen in nature among bees working together in their hives, or in geese flying together in their “V” formation.

The unified thinking that is exemplified by the construction of The Doomsday Vault is a small glimpse into the unity that the wisdom of Kabbalah teaches. Somehow, many of us know inside that if we are to survive, we must think in terms of “the whole.” And yet, there’s a strange paradox where we feel that we exist in isolation, very much alone, struggling in a system we can’t understand.

A Way of Unity

To study Kabbalah is to study The Way to Yourself, but by paradox, this is a way of unity. Today, we see its beginnings being realized not only in the trade of goods, but in the rapid trade of information through the internet. Beyond information and goods though, we are also sharing emotions, tightening the bonds that exist with one another. Even though we might be at opposite ends of the globe, we feel the virtual connection. Many of us feel the responsibility, the needs that exist around our planet, a suffering planet.

We realize that our safety and security is completely dependent upon the success and balance of the whole of humanity. The butterfly effect ripples around us even if we can’t see it.
Kabbalah teaches that true unity must be built upon the deepest law within all of nature, the most sublime and the most powerful force of all: the law of bestowal. It is a reciprocally beneficent natural law that replaces the egoistic black hole that sucks everything unto itself and is never satisfied. The ego is a tyrant whose calculations are completely for itself without regard to wholeness. It’s the ego gone wild that is hurting us, but it is also the ego’s mistakes that will teach us, if we pay attention and learn.

The proof of the ego’s destructiveness is in the pudding and that pudding today is tasteless. It’s the impasse that society has reached, the dead end that The Book of Zohar spoke of a long time ago. Here it is written, that at the end of the 20th century, humanity will start asking about the meaning of life, and that the answer to this question, hidden in the ancient science of Kabbalah, can only be revealed in our time, precisely because of these challenging circumstances.

Kabbalah Provides Real Answers

Kabbalah addresses these questions in a way that is timeless, expansive and yet personal because the nature of all perception is based inside of an individual. Within the individual can be found the system and unity of all the souls, together as one. Kabbalah is available for anyone who sincerely wishes to explore the answers to their questions. It provides real answers from within you, where you wait for the answers you are seeking. When you find the answers yourself, you know that there truly is a way passed the end.

What Is Kabbalah

Kabbalah has been clouded in confusion, legend, myth and misrepresentation because authentic Kabbalah has been hidden for thousands of years... until today

There has been a lot of confusion, legend, myth and misinterpretation surrounding the true nature of Kabbalah because it has been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years. And it is called the hidden science for a number of reasons.

Why the Confusion?

1. In the past Kabbalah was taught to only a few worthy, highly developed people from each generation who already possessed certain inner qualities not developed in humanity as a whole until recently. And these inner qualities allowed them to understand and use it correctly. In the first place it was purposely hidden by the Kabbalists themselves.

2. All Kabbalistic books are written in a way that uses words that seem to talk about people and things, but in fact, not a single word in any Kabbalistic book is talking about the physical world. And if you don’t learn how to read these books from a Kabbalist in the authentic teaching lineage, you simply can’t understand them. It doesn’t matter how bright you are. All you are going to end up with is a product of your imagination and nothing else.

3.Kabbalah reveals the purpose and nature of this system we call life and unless a person has a powerfully real reason to ask this question, they can’t hear the answer, even if it is shouted at them. But today, many people all over the world are seeking out Kabbalah.

Kabbalah is Not...

So let’s clear up the misunderstanding. Let’s look at what Kabbalah is not. What Is Kabbalah? It is not and has nothing to do with:

religion, magic, mysticism, witchcraft, divination, cults, healing, meditation, self-help, philosophy, theory, parapsychology, ESP, telepathy, clairvoyance, new age, psycho kinesis, superstition, dream interpretation, phrenology, tarot cards, mantras, yoga, red strings, holy water, blessings, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism, or any “ism,” past life regressions, holistic medicine, numerology, faith healing, aromatherapy, secret societies, reiki, hypnosis, channeling, transmutation, astrology, astral travel or projection, lucid dreaming, spiritualism, communicating with the dead, out of body experiences, magnetism, voodoo, freemasonry, theosophy, reflexology, UFO’s, creationism, fanaticism, or any other belief.

Many of the above mentioned, however, have borrowed and misinterpreted the principles of Kabbalah over the years.

Kabbalah Is...

So now, what is it really? Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag defines Kabbalah this way:

The wisdom is no more and no less than a sequence of roots, which hang down by way of cause and effect, in fixed, determined rules, weaving into a single, exalted goal described as:

“the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world.”

Which means that there is an Upper Force and then there are governing forces that descend from this Upper Force and bring about our existence, meaning this world.

The Governing Force of Nature

We are familiar with physical forces, such as gravity, electromagnetism, and even the power of thought. But there are forces of a much higher order that act while still remaining hidden to us. Just like we know the effects of electricity, but we can’t see it and we don’t know exactly what it is. The ultimate, comprehensive force, the Creator, is the sum of all the world’s forces and the highest level in the line of higher governing forces.

This Upper Force gave birth to 5 spiritual worlds and a barrier separating them from our world. The science of Kabbalah doesn’t study our world and the people in it, the way traditional science does. It investigates everything that exists beyond that barrier. There is nothing other than the force that descends from above in accordance with these laws. And the laws, as Ashlag writes, are fixed. They are absolute and they are everywhere. And ultimately they are all directed so that we can reveal the governing force of Nature while we still exist in this world.

Michael Laitman’s Personal Blog Laitman.com

The Main Lesson To Learn From The Crisis Is That We Are All A Part of Nature

A question I received: Today’s economy, and life in general, seem very chaotic. Things are difficult to regulate, control, and predict. What should people do in this situation?

My answer: Firstly, we should learn from this situation. The crisis and the uncertain state of the world should help us see that we are developing according to certain laws, irrespective of our will. Moreover, we do not know what these laws are.

It would be nice if we could predict things in some way, but all our attempts to predict and change anything do not produce good results. However, if we learned the laws of nature, we would gain strength and wisdom.

Question cont’d: So what are we to do about the situation?

My answer: All of people’s attempts to fix things have not yielded any positive results. This fact should help people see that all of their mistakes have been programmed by Nature in order to teach them something. This is Nature’s way of helping people to advance.

Question cont’d: Isn’t this fatalism?

My answer: Nature encompasses everything, even all of people’s instincts, behaviors motives, and actions. The basis of all human problems is that we single ourselves out from nature.
Nature’s goal is to teach man that he should not stand out or try to separate from Nature. People have to realize that we are all part of Nature, that we are “built into it,” so to say.

Man’s task in Nature is to integrate all of Nature using his power, control, and desire. In other words, we need to bring the entire system into harmony and balance. Nature pushes man forward and teaches him lessons in the process. A person may feel bad at times, or he may be scared; and all of this is intended for him to understand that right now, all of Nature is disjointed, contradictory, and prone to crisis for just one reason: because human beings are breaching the natural balance.

Man must do everything he can in order to collect all of Nature’s parts into one, and thus to bring them to harmony. This is something that depends on every person.

Perceiving The World From Beginning To End

A question I received: When people hear that I study Kabbalah, they ask: “What’s in it for you?” I respond that I attain the meaning of life, feel its taste. “What is the meaning of life?” they ask, wishing to hear a brief answer. How should I respond?

My answer: Because I study Kabbalah, the world becomes transparent for me. Through it, I see the controlling forces, the system that operates our world. Because of this, I perceive our world throughout, from its beginning to its very end.

I attain the meaning of my life and of life in general, and I see myself in it, from the root of my soul in the common bundle of all the souls, to the end goal, which I must attain. All of this occurs in an endless, eternal process, the perception of which is thanks to the science of Kabbalah. It reveals Nature and the Creator to me, and I reveal, attain and control the Nature of all the worlds.

Tell people that they can learn how to use life in the best possible manner and obtain the highest benefit from every passing minute! This is the truth!

But what people need today is to be enlightened, educated about the global world we are now living in, and about the fact that all of our suffering is caused by a faulty global connection among us.

Discover Kabbalah

Free, Live, Interactive Internet Courses Based in Authentic Kabbalah Reveal Kabbalah’s intended purpose and use, who you are and your life’s true purpose.

Kabbalah provides a deep understanding of nature, the world, and ourselves. It’s an experience that will change how you perceive your reality.

Discover

• What Kabbalah really is
• The nature of the force and law that shapes our lives, how to connect with it, and its practical implementation
• How you can correct yourself and help correct the world by studying the wisdom of Kabbalah
• How to study from authentic Kabbalistic texts and sense the unique illumination

Courses

• The Learning Center provides a step by step program for those interested in learning more about this wisdom
• Study live twice a week, or at your convenience by downloading archived lessons
• Interactive live lessons: students’ questions are answered by proficient instructors during the broadcast

Materials

• All course materials are free to download (text, video and audio)

Additional Learning Center Offerings

• Student Forum – an online “study hall” where lesson related questions can be asked and are answered by instructors
• Opportunities to study with Bnei Baruch’s founder, the world’s foremost Kabbalist Rav Michael Laitman, PhD
• Invitations to special events to meet with fellow students, families and instructors, from around the world, to experience the practical application of the study

About the Bnei Baruch Learning Center

In 1991, Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, established Bnei Baruch for studying, teaching, and disseminating authentic Kabbalah. Bnei Baruch (Sons of Baruch) is named
in memory of his mentor, Kabbalist Rav Baruch Ashlag, son and successor of Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag, Baal HaSulam, (Owner of the Ladder) author of The Sulam
Commentary on the Book of the Zohar.

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Looking Back at the Future

Economic Perspectives from Two 20th Century Visionaries John Maynard Keynes & Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) by Seth Bogner

The current Global Economic Crisis has affected virtually every country. No corner of the world that has been left untouched by the most severe recession in 80 years. Most nations have reacted to the Crisis by following the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes, reputably the foremost economist of the 20thCentury. Keynes believed that government intervention and spending is the best way out of a financial crisis. His theories were the basis of the strategies employed by both the US and UK in response to the Great Depression. Many economists, central bankers and pundits frequently cite Keynesian economics when discussing the various economic stimulus programs enacted globally to attempt to combat the Crisis.

Vision of Global Economic Health

Would Keynes, if he were alive, believe that we would have found ourselves in a quandary similar to the Great Depression all over again? probably not. Keynes envisioned a vastly different picture of global economic health for our generation. In 1930 in his rarely discussed article, “Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren” Keynes predicted an end or evolution of capitalism. In fact, he foresaw this as a highly desirable eventuality.

Keynes anticipated that by now all the world’s economic problems would be solved. Goods and services would be produced at a level to sustain all of humanity and the means to distribute them to all would end the struggle for subsistence. He predicted that improvements in productivity due to technological advancements would increase and together with the accumulation of capital, would solve the world’s economic problems. Keynes observed, “We shall be able to rid ourselves of many of the pseudo-moral principles which have hag-ridden us for two-hundred years, by which we have exalted some of the most distasteful of human qualities into the position of the highest virtues. … therefore, to return to some of the most sure and certain principles of religion and traditional virtue –that avarice is vice, that the exaction of usury is a misdemeanour, and the love of money is detestable, that those walk most truly in the paths of virtue and sane wisdom who take least thought for the morrow. We shall once more value ends above means and prefer the good to the useful.”

While the most renowned economist of the 20th Century was promoting his vision of economic and social possibilities for his grandchildren, the most highly recognized Kabbalist of the 20th Century, Yehuda Ashlag (widely known as Baal HaSulam) was sharing his forward looking world view, which was remarkably similar to those of Keynes. Although contemporaries, Keynes (1883 – 1946) and Ashlag (1884 – 1954) probably never met. Ashlag’s theories were rooted in the Wisdom of Kabbalah. If Ashlag were alive today he would probably have told us that the reason for the Crisis was man’s unwillingness to recognize we operate in a global interdependent system, mankind will only renounce its economic system when the system brings more suffering for society than pleasure. His views were based on one of Kabbalah’s central tenants, if humanity does not work together to correct our egotistical nature and start acting in concert with nature we would bring blows upon mankind of biblical proportions. According to him we could avert the impending suffering by educating people about our inherent nature and providing society with an alternative path.

An Evolved Economic Reality

The current Economic Crisis is sending us a message that the capitalism, of our time, must adapt or become extinct, both Keynes and Ashlag foresaw this eventuality 80 years ago. They predicted that the hubris that has been celebrated in our generation will give birth to a new economic reality where capitalism will evolve into a new system. In Keynes’ words, “The critical difference will be realized when this condition [freedom from concern about basic survival needs] has become so general that the nature of one’s duty to one’s neighbour is changed. For it will remain reasonable to be economically purposive for others after it has ceased to be reasonable for oneself.” Keynes trusted in the inherent generosity and morality of mankind. Unfortunately, mankind has not lived up to his expectations.

Given the accuracy of their vision, perhaps it is time for us to listen to their views on the next stage of socioeconomic development. Their views are remarkably similar: both agree that people must reach a state where concern for other members of the society outweighs concern for self-promotion and they also agree that this transition will not be easy. In fact, Keynes saw this as “the greatest change which has ever occurred in the material environment of life for human beings in the aggregate.” For Ashlag, it represents nothing less than the transformation of human nature from egoism to altruism. In “The Last Generation” Ashlag observed that “our planet is rich enough to provide for all of us, so why this tragic war for life which has been clouding our lives for generations? Let us divide the work and its produce equally among ourselves and end all the troubles.”

I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony

Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable – Leonard Bernstein

Music expresses a wide range of emotions, feelings and ideas with varying rhythms, melodies, instruments and vocalizations. Historically, music has highlighted our celebrations with joyful passion; has intimately professed our romantic love in ballads or dejectedly bemoaned its lack; has stalwartly sent troops marching to war and bugled them into battle; music has added pomp to the circumstances requiring such grandeur; and has lamented the loss of loved ones in dirges. Music is capable of conveying deep and complex emotions that are understood and felt by the listeners.

True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time– George Gershwin

Throughout the ages and across cultures, composers have created music as an expression of inner feelings and ideas. Their compositions necessarily are a reflection of all aspects of their culture, including social and economic frameworks, climate, and availability of technology. Not surprisingly with the widely recognized globalization of the world, which is fraught with financial, economic, social, familial, psychological, and ecological problems, today’s music most often expresses disillusionment, pain, suffering, and desires for what seems missing: love, sex, money …. It isn’t just the lyrics that convey the unhappy and dissatisfied messages, the intense beat and discordant, cacophonous instrumentation share the sentiments. Humans are literally singing and shouting their desire to receive, and to receive more and more and more. It is only natural that music resonates these sincere growing and unfilled needs and desires of humanity.

We have been Focusing Entirely on the Desire to Receive

In fact, it is a law of Nature, a force that acts upon us. The desire to receive is what runs the human world. But this is only half of the equation. The world really runs on two desires: to receive and to give. “They determine not only our behavior, but the whole of reality – everything we think, see, feel, taste, or touch. … We receive our life energy from the desire to give, and we are formed by the desire to receive. However, since we learned that we could change our surroundings to suit our desires, we have been focusing entirely on the desire to receive. We have become ignorant of the fact that we receive energy and life not from the desire to receive, but from the desire to give.” (Bail Yourself Out)

Humanity is discovering that our natural growing desire to receive remains unsatisfied, unfilled, unquenched. We are realizing that our exclusive focus on our ever growing desire to receive material things and fulfillment from others leaves us feeling more starkly vacant and empty. As this song asks, “Will I always feel this way, so empty, so estranged?” (Ray LaMontagne)

The Answer Lies in the Desire to Give

The answer lies in the second part of the equation of these forces of Nature, the desire to give. “The interplay between the two desires eludes us because it is the very basis of our makeup, and therefore resides at a level deeper even than our consciousness. But once we understand how these desires interact with each other to create life, we can put this information into practice and discover how to benefit from doing so.” (Bail Yourself Out)

Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life– Ludwig van Beethoven

Music also provides a key to understanding the interaction of these forces of Nature. It can help us see our lack of balance with Nature and a clue as to how to attain the balance. Music’s current almost exclusive expression of wanting to receive helps us see our singular focus on one of the forces and shows us how distant we are from the other force, the desire to give. We are out of balance. We are not in harmony. “Classical music with strong internal harmony helps because it contains harmony born out of unity between opposites. It is precisely when these opposites unite that they create harmony which corrects…” (Laitman.com) Classical music with its intricate, extensive and multi-layered internal harmony exhibits the fitting together and joining of contrasted elements in balance. This musical example of balance and harmony can help us to achieve the same qualities for humankind..

Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart– Pablo Casals

Music is a universal language and this far reaching quality makes it well suited to be used as tool to help us emerge from the world crisis resultant from the singular focus on receiving. The desires expressed in lack can be supplanted by music that espouses unity and balance between giving and receiving. Musicians who experience unity and the interaction and connection of these two forces can convey this balance in their compositions both through lyrics and melodies. “Music can help us express a whole new side of reality … the impact of such music on the listener will be unmatched, precisely because it expresses our life force!” (Bail Yourself Out)

A Better World for Our Children

With the world in crisis, parents everywhere fear for their children’s future. Yet, if we rise to the challenge, we can set them on the path to a future far brighter than any we ever dreamed of

As I sit at my computer, the neighborhood rings with the laughter of children playing tag. It brings back memories of my childhood, and I can’t help but wonder what the future has in store for them.

Mankind has always invested superhuman efforts to assure that the next generation will have an easier, more fulfilling life. For many parents today, this dream may forever remain a fantasy. Economic uncertainty, environmental collapse, and violence promise to be the legacy we will leave our children. A Rasmussen Poll in January found that only 47% of American parents believe their children will be better off than they are.

This gloomy outlook should be a clarion call to action for people everywhere. But if we are to have any hope of finding lasting solutions, we must first retrace the developments that led to the problems we face today.

Did Someone Press “Fast Forward?”

Mankind’s needs were simple once: If there was adequate food, shelter and security from predators, life was good. But time marched on, and the necessities were no longer enough. People wanted more from life, and so the relentless quest for new pleasures began. By the time we reached the 20th century, everything had accelerated, as if someone pressed “fast forward.” We went from horses to trains to jets; from telegraphs to phones to the Internet. With each generation, the luxuries of the parents became the necessities of the children.

This continuous escalation of selfindulgence has finally caught up with us, bringing our world to the brink of collapse. Our culture of excess reached its culmination with ego-maniacs like Bernard Madoff, who swindled investors of $50 billion. And while it’s easy to put the blame on the likes of Madoff, the reality is that we all bear a share of the guilt, even if our excesses are on a much smaller scale.

If we are honest, we’ll see that success in our society is defined as more money, fame or power, no matter what the cost to others. So what can we expect for our future if these are the values that we promote?

If egoism is the root of our problems, then the solution is to transform our values to altruism and sharing. But how? After all, mankind has prospered with a “Me first!” mentality for thousands of years. Yet, in today’s globalized society, where everything that happens on one side of the world has an almost immediate impact on the other side, “Me first!” no longer works. In the words of Britain’s PM, Gordon Brown, “In this global age, we need solutions that can no longer be defined in terms of us and them, but can be achieved only together – as us with them.”

New Problems Call for New Solutions

We can’t buy our way out of the current crisis with taxpayer dollars or consume our way out through increased shopping. We have to approach life from a new perspective, taking advantage of three powerful tools.

• Education

People today are lost and confused, wondering: Why is this happening? What should we do? But we are resourceful, and if we understand the problem, we will perform miracles to solve it. This is why a public education campaign about the globalization of our economies, the interdependence of all people, and the benefits of cooperation could guide us to the solutions.

Our best hope for the future lies in educating our children. NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently classified education as “our greatest national shame.” And he’s right: we are not providing our children with the knowledge they need to succeed in the new global era. If we offer them an education about the natural laws that govern interconnected systems, they will be prepared to easily navigate the stormy seas that are so baffling to us.

• Media

Most of our behavioral patterns come directly from TV and the Internet. As long as news, entertainment and sports glorify the pursuit of wealth and a “win at any cost” mentality, we will see greed and exploitation dominate our society. If, however, we insist that these venues reflect the values of compassion, we will turn today’s destructive media force to our advantage.

And in fact, the tide is already starting to shift. A recent series of ads bears titles such as, “In an Absolut World, Currency will be Replaced with Acts of Kindness.” CNN’s series on economic survival features stories about people who find happiness through the renewal of family connections, sharing with others, and a simpler lifestyle. We just need to give things a push!

• The Power of Society

The most powerful instrument for change, however, is us. Throughout history, social change has been driven by the people. The 14th century Renaissance is just one example of a cultural movement that led to exponential advances in all areas. And today, the desire for change among the American people was so strong that it swept an unlikely candidate into the highest office.

This is the force we can harness to make the changes in today’s society. But how can we transform our approach to life from egoism to altruism when all we know is “taking care of #1”? Actually, our children can show us the way! When a child decides to become a doctor, he “plays” doctor, even though he has no idea what he is doing. Only when the child becomes a doctor will he know what it really means, but each of his imagined notions along the way is a necessary preparation.

So to begin with, we can “fake it until we make it.” Our first “altruistic” efforts will be purely egoistic: done to escape the crisis. Over time, however, an amazing transformation will occur: our simulated joy in altruism will give way to the real thing, providing real relief from the crisis.

Arne Duncan, the new Education Secretary, commented, “We have to continue to think differently and do everything we can to put our students ... on the path to pursuing the American dream.” Let’s pressure our government to use part of the $150 billion education stimulus to create a new American dream, one that values activities that benefit all and frowns upon personal success at the expense of others. Let’s use the power of our collective will to show politicians and businesses that we are no longer buying into a consumer oriented society. Let’s encourage media to promote values of generosity and sharing, while shunning egoistic glorification of individuals. In this way, we will leave a lasting legacy to our children, and they will have the wisdom to know how to use it.

The Last Superman

The world is desperately looking for heroes, people who will lead us out of the crises that are pummeling us. Can President Obama rise to the occasion and defeat the villains of greed and egoism?

Recently, it was rumored that Barack Obama was tempted to enter the bidding for a rare edition of the first-ever Superman comic. The rumors began to settle when it was announced that the American President would not be participating in the auction (and besides, he’s a Spiderman, not a Superman, fan). And finally, all the talk came to a halt when the comic was sold to someone else for $325,000 (almost the yearly salary for Mr. Obama).

Still, the fact that the rumors started is much more than a coincidence. Superman is a clear symbol of the American Dream; he is the ultimate cowboy, the redeeming angel of a new era. Despite the decades that have passed since he was last seen flying above Metropolis, and the steady stream of heroes that have flooded the world ever since, there is no doubt that the blue knight in the red cape is still number one.

It’s no wonder that people are associating Obama with Superman, as if asking the two to join forces and defeat the escalating crisis. Obama’s sweeping inaugural speech before Congress was a perfect testimony to this. It was a classic Superman speech.

Superman, as we all know, always “emerges stronger than before” after a crisis. He always comes out on top and gains the upper hand even when all seems lost. He saves the world from complete catastrophe at the very last moment, and gets a big round of applause in the process.

Can Superman Still Prevail?

The only problem is that Obama is trying to be Superman in a post-Superman era, an era where there is no place for mythological superheroes, shrouded in an aura of heroic loneliness. Obama, like the rest of the world leaders, has to understand that none of the old methods will help him solve this crisis because reality has changed. It’s not just that the rules of the game have changed; we are playing a completely new game.

Until recently, we have lived in an individualistic world, where the planet was ruled by omnipotent financial opportunists and brilliant, cunning ego giants. Now, however, the situation has changed completely. It’s as if an invisible giant fisherman has caught humanity inside one global net and left it hanging, lost and perplexed. The fat sharks on Wall Street have suddenly found themselves tossed into the same boat as the smallest of the “small fry” in Istanbul, all gasping for air in unison.

In this new era, the collapse of the financial system is clearly showing us that an attitude of using others, or even just caring for yourself alone, is a vengeful, double-edged sword. Our ambition, also known as the ego, has ceased being a loyal friend that helps us get ahead and has become a dangerous enemy. And now, the big question is: who will save the world from itself?

New Heroes for a New Age

There is no doubt that we are in dire need of new heroes. To find them, we must rearrange our entire value system and change the formula for prosperity from the one that says: “success comes from using others,” to the opposite, “success comes from mutual concern.” Or, in the words of the British prime minister Gordon Brown to labor activists in Bristol, “Our task must be nothing less than to rebuild a financial system where it has failed and then to create an economy where banks are no longer serving themselves but serving the public.”

Our new, interconnected, interrelated world demands new superheroes, who will understand that the true enemy is found within. A true hero will be someone who knows how to conquer his own evil inclination, his own greed and self-centered way of thinking. The leaders of tomorrow will be people or nations who know they have to encourage mutual support and strengthen the connections between people, and who are able to see others as heroes, too.

The new superheroes will communicate the laws of integration and unification, necessary for our existence, to the next generations. They will teach people to see themselves and others as organs in one body, existing inside one nature, as one universal Superman. And just like in a body, mutual care for the benefit of the whole generates harmony and life, whereas caring for the self alone results in cancer. The new Superman will help us all understand that this also applies to our single, unified body of humanity, and once we understand this, we will regain life in the systems that are now gasping for air.

Could Obama be that Superman? Only time will tell. He is off to a promising start. He shows a great desire to change the world for the better, and has a personality that embodies a unique mixture of countries and people. The only question is whether he will be wise enough to set the right example for the other world leaders to follow. Otherwise, he may find himself carved into the pages of history as the last egoistic Superman.

I Thought I Was Retired, But I Am Now Unemployed

Like so many people, my carefully crafted retirement plans are in shatters. Now it is time to move past the “blame game” and find our own solutions

I retired in late 2006 with a conservative financial plan in place that would last through the lives of my wife and myself and still leave a little something for the kids. My financial planner and I choose an appropriate asset allocation model and we needed only 5% returns to be in good shape. My wife and I planned on working or volunteering, because we wanted to and not because we had to. After many years in corporate America, this seemed like a great position to be in as we faced our “golden years.”

I am still in a little bit of shock over everything that has happened in the financial markets over the past year. On the one hand, events unfolded in the blink of an eye, and on the other, it was a death by a thousand cuts. My retirement plans were solid and in place, but now they are gone. Disappeared. Vanished. Dead. They will not be revived and I am left with the shock, disbelief despair and anger of trying to figure out what to do next.

Searching for Answers

What I want to know is: Who is responsible for all this? I played by the rules. I put my money in secure investments. I didn’t gamble on housing or any of the other get rich schemes out there. Perhaps I was too willing to accept the advice of financial planners with all of their asset allocation models and long-term investment theories. History always repeats itself, the market runs in cycles, you cannot time the market, and so, in the end, you buy and hold investments, trusting the theory that what comes down will eventually rise even higher. But I don’t think this will be so this time. The mess we are in right now feels very different. No one is talking about rebounding to past highs. All of the talk is about whether we can avoid the dire straits of a total system collapse.

There is probably much blame to go around. For years, while I was still a part of corporate America, I was incensed at the salaries, bonuses, perks and power being given to our CEO and to all CEOs. CEOs in the USA average 450 times the pay of the average worker, CEOs in the next highest ranking country average 22 times the average worker’s pay. It’s not too hard to see that something was terribly wrong, but times were booming, money was being made, stock prices were climbing, so who cared? Of course now we find out that most of these profits were just shell games and the people who could, manipulated their way to huge paydays. The foxes raided the hen houses, and they have all gotten away.

I need to get back to work. I need to earn money comparable to my former salary, but it won’t be easy. My age and experience work against me, not for me. The job market is terrible, and we just hit 23 straight months of net job losses. There is no end in sight, but still, I conduct my daily job searches, try to stay positive, and pray I do not lose everything I have worked so hard to acquire.

A Way Forward

I am an optimistic person, but it is clear to me that all of the rules have changed. I have no confidence in the economic stimulus plans, although I am a supporter of this President. I do not see how we can buy our way out of this mess. It is like we are trying to pay off the judge in order to avoid going to jail, but the judge is harsh and does not accept bribes. Something tells me that we must accept our sentence and learn from all this. I don’t claim to know what our lesson or lessons might be, but I feel certain that our lives have to change, as do our desires. “He who dies with the most toys wins” was a funny bumper sticker, but it is funny no more. I think it is time to end this era of greed, selfishness and overconsumption. It is time to focus on needs and not wants, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to think about how our actions affect the other guy, and not just about “what is in it for me.”

There are so many of us in this predicament. It is as if we are stranded on an island and there is no one coming to our rescue – certainly not the government! Perhaps therein lie our opportunities. Those of us with firsthand experience on how the old rules no longer apply can begin to create the new rules. We can find strength by looking to each other. Our unique bond will then expand into a feeling of being truly connected, and this connection will feel so good and right that we’ll begin to desire more of it. As we nurture this connection, we’ll begin to realize what our world could look like if we took care of each other instead of taking care of only ourselves.

Why not put this into action? It has been talked about often, but never implemented. What do we have to lose?

Clouds in my Coffee

Nature is filled with examples of endlessly repeating patterns, where the whole is built on the balanced interaction of the parts. For generations, man has only looked at his “parts” – individuals. Now, maybe it is time to consider the whole – humanity

I feel another downhill day coming, and I dread going into work. Will I get a sudden escort out this morning like poor Erika? Our manager, Phil, wouldn’t want us to steal or damage anything, especially staff morale – as if there were any left! I’ve known Phil for 30 years; what’s happened to him? To the whole world?

At least we still have some creature comforts, most notably – a gourmet cup of java to give me some courage. Watching that drop of cream in the coffee, the pattern of swirls within swirls, I can’t help thinking back to that 1972 Carly Simon song, “I had some dreams; they were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee…”

Clouds in coffee… swirls within swirls… patterns, unfolding within themselves, over and over, like variations on a theme. Isn’t this the way all of Nature is? Fern leaves, coastlines, clouds – each is composed of a geometric shape that’s repeated at a smaller and smaller scale, each shape nested within its larger counterpart. Isn’t there something to be learned at this time from this property that is so pervasive in Nature? Perhaps the world’s problems and solutions are hidden within these unique, yet universal, patterns. And perhaps we could unlock this universal secret if only we had a master key, the “fractal”!

Patterns of Life

This term, referring to all these pervasive self-similarities, was coined by Benoit Mandelbrot, due to the common element in the recurring patterns – their fractional dimension. The math behind a fractal is a simple repeating formula, yet it can produce awesomely beautiful visuals. Looking into them, one senses a deep, almost frightening, power – a two-way ebb and flow, as though looking into the eyes of Infinity itself.

There really is a dynamic transcending the still image. As pointed out by Robert Shaw, a pioneer in the science of “Chaos,” there’s actual communication reflected up and down the orders of magnitude between the inner and outer patterns. But for us, the consequences are a lot more serious than pretty pictures.

A most important example is our complex heartbeat and circulatory flow. The complexity actually keeps us alive. Because all the components work together in perfect harmony, communicating as though in mutual love, coronary interactions operate smoothly on every scale. Natural fluctuations at any level are corrected by the system as a whole. However, if this “love” breaks down and a part of the system selfishly pulls itself too far away for too long, something ominous begins to happen. The beat pattern grows smoother, at first glance seemingly a sign of stability; that is, until it smoothes down to a simple sine wave, and finally - the straight line of cardiac arrest.

The fractal’s universality makes the above a fundamental law of nature, ruling all systems: mineral, vegetable, animal, and human. But only at the human level is there the freedom to follow a dysfunctional policy of “every man for himself.” Sweet as it may first appear to gifted predators, beneath the surface the system begins an accelerating decay, until the nightmare finally comes out of the woodwork as Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”

It’s a bit like an enormous pocket watch over wound to the point of no return. Though it may still be beautiful, gold and shiny on the surface, a look at the inner mechanism will reveal a flaming explosion of snapping teeth and mainspring, leading to the grand finale – the freezing of gears, grinding to a halt. So it is with our business models: systematic doom seals the fate of even the most “successful” individuals along with the rest of the human mechanism. It’s just a question of “who by fire and who by ice.”

Hope for the Future

Humanity’s evolution into a global economy through ever-growing and entwining infrastructures has given it a worldwide heartbeat and circulation
Murphy’s Law has already started to go berserk before our very eyes, yet we continue to proceed mindlessly against Nature, like lemmings treading toward a cliff’s edge. No force can turn the situation around other than every person’s individual, free choice to see others as the greater part of himself, rather than isolated prey to feed upon. Do we not yet realize that the pattern in each of our personal fractals is actually made of all of us?

The clouds in my coffee dissipate on a hopeful note – a song the Youngbloods provided five years before Carly Simon, “Come on people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together; try to love one another right now.” And when we look into the eyes of Infinity, maybe we’ll be met by an infinite fractal smile. Wouldn’t that be something!

Despite the odds, my cup of java has once again kept its promise to encourage. What message will your favorite brew be giving you?

How Can We Stop Medicine from Being a Business?

A letter sent to us by physician Dr. Angelov of Boston, Massachusetts USA:

What is Wrong with Modern Medical Insurance?

35% of the stimulus package intended to jumpstart the US economy is going to the medical industry, because it is one of the hardest-hit by the financial crisis. Insurance rates have gone up, but people’s incomes certainly haven’t, so many can no longer afford doctor visits or medication. It’s even worse with the unemployed, who have lost health insurance entirely.

The government is trying to salvage the situation, but unfortunately, it’s using the same measures that caused the medical industry to go into crisis in the first place: allocating funds to people’s egos. But our egos are what caused the crisis! How so?

People’s egos, their desire to make more and more money, have become more important than healthy relationships between doctors and patients. Modern medicine is run by the profit principle: It’s not about how effective it is at helping the sick, but about how much profit it brings to everyone involved.

Doctors make money from their patient’s illnesses and medical procedures, and thus have little motivation to cure them, and patients, in turn, look for opportunities to sue the doctors for malpractice. There is no trust between them since the entire modern medical insurance revolves around money, rather than care for the patients and their health.

The Medical Industry was Not Always this Way

In ancient China, 4000 years ago, every morning a healer would pass by every house in the village. A vase was placed by the entrance to every house, containing a coin for the healer, signifying that everyone in that house was healthy. If the vase was empty, this meant that someone in the house was sick. The healer would enter and treat the sick person to the best of his ability; and the herbs, needles and other medical supplies were paid for by the coin that hadn’t been put inside the vase. In his free time, the healer would also go to people’s houses to make sure their diets and lifestyles were healthy.

Back then, health insurance was completely opposite to what it is today. People paid to help keep others healthy, and the person who was ill did not have to pay.

Could this Ever Work Today?

Clearly, we have to stop medicine from being a business. Today, doctors’ salaries depend on the number of sick patients they have, the number of medical procedures they perform, and whether the hospitals are filled with sick patients. The system is built so doctors profit by keeping the patients sick for as long as possible! However, shouldn’t their first and foremost concern be for the patients to be healthy?

Yet, can we really go back to the “good Samaritan” system of ancient times? No, we can’t, because back then, people’s egos were much smaller than today. In addition, the problem is global, not local. Under these circumstances, the only way to create a healthy medical system is by creating a global solution that will address the egos of today’s people.

If society as a whole will pay for health, rather than illness, doctors will have incentive to prevent ailments from occurring in the first place. Then people’s health will improve and health care expenses will decrease.

Money should be removed from the doctor-patient relationship. A doctor should receive administrative, not monetary, punishment for mistakes he makes, and a patient should not be able to demand monetary compensation through the courts. Instead, the only kind of compensation he should receive is treatment.

In Latin, “doctor” means “teacher.” So, a doctor is someone who should teach people how to live without getting sick! How different is this definition from our present, egoistic medical system!?

Women Where Are You?

Throughout history, women have been the force maintaining harmony in the home and family. Now it is time to use our wisdom to bring that same balance to our world, the global village

The world is be faced with many unprecedented challenges, including financial instability worldwide, a record food shortage, and an escalating trend of violence in many countries. Under these circumstances, the world’s greatest hope at this time is its women: their inherent ability to nurture and heal, to be wise and compassionate, and to take necessary action when the times call for it.

Women’s voices are being heard today more than ever before, with a record number of women in office and leadership positions. We have Hillary Clinton in the USA, Angela Merkel in Germany, Tarja Halonen in Finland, Vaira Vike-Freiberg in Latvia, Cristina Kirshner in Argentina, Pratibha Patil in India, Gloria Macapagal in the Philippines,Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia, Yulia Tymoshenko in the Ukraine, and many more. But this is not enough. We cannot leave the work to the leading women, because a true change has to begin from the bottom up (as proven by Obama’s presidential campaign).

If Not Me, Then Who?

As 2009 takes us deeper into the global financial crisis, each and every one of us should ask herself: what am I doing about the world’s situation? What contribution am I making to amend the financial crisis or the escalating violence? Why don’t I make myself heard and help lead the world to safer ground?

So, what exactly should we do? The way to a better world starts at the level of recognition, a recognition that the current situation requires us to adopt relationships of compassion and consideration for all people in our small global village. Thus, we must first make the change within, in our hearts.

Once we do this, we can begin to educate the people around us about these new attitudes. Women today have great influence over the media – we are editors, writers, TV show hosts, teachers, and radio talk show hosts, and we can promote the compassionate approach the world now needs through all these channels. And at the very least, every woman can influence her boyfriend, husband, friends and neighbors.

Some of us may feel held back because we are as confused by the present global fiasco as the next person. But ask yourself this: Who else can begin and power this spiritual transformation if not the women of the world? The global nature of our problems demonstrates that we are becoming one global family, and just like in a regular family, women have the greatest power to change things for the better.

A World in Harmony

It is time to bring our innate abilities out into the greater world – to use your strength, wisdom and understanding to help the whole world be properly arranged in the new, globalized reality. Think of it this way: how many men are capable of maintaining a successful career while smoothly running a household, taking care of their children, and naturally setting the tone for the proper functioning of the whole family?

The answer is clear. What our “global home” lacks is a woman’s touch, a woman’s influence from within. Only then will our global family regain safety and stability.

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Navigating Through the Financial Storm

It has been more than a year since the financial tornado first struck America and consequently the whole world. Is the worst already over, or - as Obama warned on December 6th - is the worst still to come?

To See with the Soul

“Seeing is believing,” or is it? Science now tells us what Kabbalah has been saying for centuries: there is far more to perception than what meets the eye

The American Education System: “F” is for Failing

The way we educate our children has a fundamental problem - it is detached from reality. What they really need is “a school for life” - real tools for real life

The Little Prince Explains the Financial Crisis

In a time of global crisis, there is a lot we can learn from the simple wisdom of The Little Prince

What Lies Ahead: Conflict or a Peaceful Transition?

Recent events indicate that people’s anger and discontent may erupt at any moment and in any place in the world. It’s good to know that there is an alternative to violent conflict

The International Kabbalah Congress: A Celebration of Unity

Over the past five years, the International Kabbalah Congress has established itself as one of the world's most culturally diverse and awe-inspiring gatherings. This year, however, the Congress will be simply off the charts

When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do - Worship a Horse!

Social opinion is, in fact, such a powerful tool for change that it can make us do anything.

Recent Study: Having a Goal in Life is Good for You

A new Japanese study has found that people who have something to live for have a lower risk of dying than those who do not. Finding a purpose in life may even override the risk of a stroke due to stress, researchers say. The only thing the researchers could not find, however, is the reason for the difference.

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Download PDF Edition
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Mankind’s Growing Hunger

The current food crisis has been declared a ‘silent tsunami’ in recent headlines. Kabbalah explains the root of the problem, and shows us how to avert this growing threat

Kabbalah: User Manual

What’s it All About?

The Gatekeeper

Who is the guard standing at the entrance to the spiritual world who decides who shall enter and who shall not? A journey following Kafka, Baal Hasulam, two parables, and one gate

Ask the Kabbalist

Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman answers questions on his weekly live TV show, “Ask the Kabbalist” and on his personal blog - www.laitman.com

Global Warming—So What!?

With the abundant information available to the mass public today, everyone knows about global warming and climate change. But as it turns out, knowing and caring do not always go hand in hand

Our Planet Is Only as Big as a House!

“And that is how I made another crucial discovery: Our entire planet is only as big as a house!” (Antoine de Saint Exupéry, The Little Prince)

From Racial Rifts to Spiritual Harmony

Why were we all created different? So far, this seems to have brought us nothing but schisms. Kabbalah explains how to put the pieces together

The Allegory of the Lost Friends in the Desert

Through this captivating allegory, Baal HaSulam expresses his profound desire to show what Kabbalah can give to humanity, and why it is hard for humanity to see this gift

The Story of Cogwheels

This is a story about all of us—about children and parents, about where we came from, how we got here, and how we will return Home—to a place called “The Single Soul”

Sneak-a-Peek: Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life

All of reality is a single, unchanging thought of bestowal and giving. Kabbalists refer to this thought by the name, “The Thought of Creation.” They say that its essence is the Creator’s will to be good to His creations.

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Generation I

In our generation—generation "I"—every person is unique. But the true art is knowing how to be unique

From Generation I—to Generation We

Kabbalah suggests that the best way to get from Generation I, where we all feel alienated and hostile, to Generation We, where we feel connected and safe

For centuries, the story of Adam and Eve has captured the imagination of children and adults alike. It's time to know the true meaning of the story, who that cunning little snake was, and of course, how all this relates to the fact that 50% of American couples today are getting divorced

The Untold Story of: a Consumer Nation

Stuff. It fills our closets, our garages, and our lives. We gauge success in life by the stuff we own, and spend incredible amounts of time shopping for it. A new documentary, The Story of Stuff, shows how our entire lives have been taken over by “stuff.” And the wisdom of Kabbalah shows what we can do about it

Obesity: A Lack of Spiritual Food?

Everyone today is counting their calories—but the obesity problem only keeps growing. Kabbalah explains that this epidemic is yet another symptom that the modern human being is not getting his “spiritual food”

Kabbalah: User Manual

What’s it All About?

Sneak-a-Peek @ the book Path of Kabbalah

The dramatic story of the exodus from Egypt is much more than a milestone on the Hebrew calendar. According to Kabbalah, it describes the liberation from egoism, and the whole of humanity is about to experience it

We Are All in Deep (Drinking) Water

According to the latest research, we can start thinking of our water faucets, and even store bought bottled water, as an all-purpose pharmacy. Whether it's anti-depressants or antibiotics, prescription or over the counter—if others are taking it, so are you

Laitman.com

Laitman.com—read a Kabbalist's personal impressions of the spiritual world, his take on current events, ask whatever you like, and much, much more. Here's a sample...

Transplanting our Attitudes

People who have received organ transplants often say that they suddenly have different preferences, behavior, and manners. A person may suddenly develop an interest in the arts, and a person who once had a fear of heights may become an avid mountain-climber.

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Editor’s Note

More Real than Reality TV, More Connected than the Internet

Anything but Survival

The game show, Survivor, is an excellent example of how not to behave in order to survive in our world. But are we—people of the world, stranded on planet Earth—really that different from the contestants on Survivor?

To Be or Not to Be?

Death is one of the most unsettling, yet fascinating, phenomena we all face. At one point or another, it touches the lives of each of us, forcing us to ask profound, seemingly unanswerable questions.

Facebook—What’s All the Fuss?

The Obsession with Facebook expresses a deep rooted desire within each of us—to feel connected with everyone. But does the largest virtual community really deliver the new and improved social world we seek?

Tom, Jerry and Our Children

Today, even Tom can’t help us teach good values to our children. Not to mention Jerry…

Extras - Why Does Love Always Hurt?

Love always hurts us, because in our world, love is based on the needs of the ego. Whether we are aware of it or not, our love always comes with the calculation: “Is it worthwhile for me or not?”

“Light”—the Kabbalistic Meaning

The word "Light" brings all kinds of positive associations to mind. But in Kabbalah, Light is higher than anything we can imagine—it is, in fact, a quality of the Creator Himself

Living the Spiritual Dream World

We all begin our lives perceiving and living in this corporeal world, until one day we discover a unique desire for something new and different, mostly called “spirituality.”

Kabbalah: User Manual

What’s it All About?

Although we often feel like isolated individuals and see a world of schisms, Kabbalists say that we are all interconnected and interdependent.

Rediscovering Our Unity

An excerpt from the book Kabbalah Revealed

Extras - Our World Is an Illusion—See for Yourself

As much as Kabbalists may tell us that our world is an illusion, we won’t believe them. And we won’t even agree with modern science when it says the same thing.