Kabbalistic Meditation

B"H

Let your mind travel back a minute ago, an hour ago, a month ago ...

Until you reach a level where you are trying to imagine 

an infinity ago. 

Then do the same with the future.

I forgot who the author of this meditation was but it may have been from "Sefer Yetzirah - Book of Creation".

AWARENESS

There are things happening all around us all day. Things that keep our attention from being internalized. Things that keep us from becoming aware of what is going on around us. Because there is so much stimuli we tend to block it out and by doing so we block out the stimuli that can actually benefit us the stimuli that keeps us informed of what the Creator wants from, us what nature wants from us. Every moment in which we find ourselves has been designed specifically for us, individually, so why not take advantage of it and start to realyze what that moment is coming to teach us.

How do we become aware? By becoming observers. We must learn to Observe what is going on around us in a way that it does not affect us unless we choose for it to do so. You can become an observer by simply closing your eyes wherever you are and training yourself to experience the sensation of the five senses without reacting. 

From: CREATION MEDITATION

http://thinktov.blogspot.com/

First steps into Jewish Meditation

B"H

On his blog, Shmuel Gavriel Tornek is teaching the first steps into Jewish meditation. His system is more based on the Chabad ideology. However, I have noticed that he also picked many explanations from Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan.

http://www.thinktov.blogspot.com/

The IDRA RABBAH CAVE between Safed and Meron

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About ten days ago I participated in a "Meditation Seminary" organized by Chabad (Lubavitch). The location of the three - day course was the hostel "Ascent" in Safed.  Rabbi Shmuel Gavriel Tornek taught us some basic practices about Jewish meditation.

We didn't only spent our classes indoors but also went on two trips: One to the "IDRA RABBAH CAVE" where we meditated over a prayer. Our second trip took us to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to Meron. 

It is said that the IDRA RABBAH was discovered by the medieval Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, 1534 - 1572. According to him, already Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, his son, Rabbi Elazar, as well as further Talmudic Rabbis had meditated in this cave.

The roof of the "Idra Rabbah Cave". As soon as you enter, you will see the original roof !

A list of those Talmudic Rabbis who used to meditate / pray in the cave.

Our meditation group in front of the entrance to the cave. 

Center: Chabad Rabbi Eli Naiditch.

Our group meditating with Rabbi Tornek.

I still have no idea whose graves can be found inside the cave.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Jewish Meditation with Chabad

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There are different approaches in Jewish meditation. Breslov, for instance, has a different system than Chabad, as Breslov is meditating on G - d's names or even objects. Chabad, however, prefers meditating on Torah concepts.

I am still in Safed. One more day, as our Ascent programme added an additional free day for the meditation programme participants. The weather is really boiling hot but I am enjoying myself with a friend. We are having more classes, Ask the Rabbi with water melon, beer and ice - cream.
Further this evening, we are going to have a barbecue.

This morning we learnt a special approach to prayer. As we all know it is of extreme importance building up a connection to G - d and reach a way of Devekut (concentration) or even a union. In order to reach all this, we ma study a Torah concept first in order to clear our thoughts and only afterwards go over into prayer.

I think that this is a nice way of getting into the mood and reaching a level of concentration. Nevertheless, the question is how much time we are able to invest in prayer. I know that we shouldn't consider this question but somehow we always o. At least at different times during the week when we are busy.

Rabbi Shmuel Gavriel Tornik gave us some meditation insights at our seminar in Safed:

http://www.creation-meditation.com/articles_list.aspx?cat=כתבות&sub=119

Jewish Meditation, Part 1

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When Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan wrote his book on "Jewish Meditation", the entire subject may have not yet been as popular as today. In our days, thousands of Jews are on the search for a more spiritual meaning in life. As I once learnt, every Jew has her / his own soul root. Thus many Jews are more interested in mystical subjects than others who rather prefer studying Halachot or Mussar. Each of us has a very different approach to Judaism including his individual task in life.


Meditation is already mentioned in the Talmud (Masechet Berachot) where it says that we should meditate before we actually pray. Getting into a certain mood and thus rid of our disturbing thoughts during prayer.


However, meditation is not meditation; meaning a Jew should practise JEWISH meditation and no strange variety of idol - worship meditation of other religions. The thing with Jewish meditation is that we have to learn it first and just do not sit down and run right into it.

From the book "Jewish Meditation" of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan:


One of the first steps in meditation is learning how not to take our thoughts for granted. A simple exercise will demonstrate how difficult it is to control your thoughts.


This is the exercise: STOP THINKING !


Try to blank your mind for a few minutes and not think of anything at all. Sound easy ?


How long did you succeed in stopping your thoughts ?
A few seconds ? It is extremely difficult to turn off thought.


There is another way in which you can try to control your mind. Close your eyes and you will probably see flashes and lights. Give yourself a few moments to relax, and these flashing lights will subside and develop into a series of kaleidoscopic images in the mind's eye.


Now, with your eyes closed try to control these images. Try to depict the letter A in your mind's eye. Without any further practise, it is impossible to hold on to this image. This technique can be perfected only through extensive training.