During the Kriyashakti seminar I attended last year, at one point the discussion turned to the topic of tithing. I remember our instructor telling us that we should tithe regularly, meaning once a month. However, he also added that tithing in advance doesn't work. For example, if one regularly tithes P100/month, tithing P1,200 all at once to represent the whole year's tithe will not work. He was speaking from experience because one time he gave an amount that was 6 months' worth of tithe, so that he wouldn't have to do it every month. After all, he was going to tithe the amount anyway, so might as well give it all in one go. For the first 2 months he was okay, but after that period, a lot of misfortune started appearing in his life again.
Since he was speaking from experience, then there is something to what he was saying. Acknowledging a fact is not the same as understanding it, though, so it did not stop me from wondering why. After all, a tenth is a tenth, so 10% of one's monthly income given every month for a whole year is still the same as 10% of the total yearly income given in one go, so why does the timing matter? I had to set that question aside for a long time before I got the glimmerings of an answer.
A possible answer begins to show itself if we look at the way karma works. Aside from the basic "good" and "bad" karma, there are many other subdivisions of karma as well. There is national karma, family karma, prosperity karma, health karma, etc. It's a very complicated subject, but suffice it to say that before incarnating, the soul is shown how one's accumulated good and bad karma from previous lives will determine the parents, the nationality, one's station in life and all other important life events of one's upcoming corporeal existence.
The soul then forgets all of this upon incarnating in a physical body, in order to allow the lessons of life to proceed unhampered by any mental burdens. Once those karmic situations come up, a person's choices will determine if one has learned the lesson and therefore revokes the karma that brought about the situation in the first place or will necessitate the repeat of a similar situation sometime in the future. Master Choa's book Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul discusses this in more detail. Since a soul's lifeplan has been laid out before incarnation, this explains why people have deja vu. The person happens to remember part of it again as the situation is encountered.
I will not go into any more detail on this subject because, as I said, it's very complicated. But I wanted to show that the good and bad karma for one's lifestream does not manifest all at once. Different situations are spaced out along certain intervals so that the individual has the chance to make the choices and learn the appropriate lessons. How is it all managed, then?
First, let us take a look around us. What do you notice about the world around you? It's governed by cycles. Summer gives way to fall, fall gives in to winter, and as spring comes, the melting ice and snow is transformed to water and rain that nourishes the land, and the leaves that fell last autumn fertilize the soil to give it new life. The Earth spins a certain number of times a day, completes a revolution around the sun once a year, the moon circles the Earth and goes through certain lunar phases every month. Even our bodies follow cycles as well. Childhood gives way to the fires of adolescence, then the enthusiasm of adulthood, the mellowing of middle age, and the golden days of retirement, the quiescence of old age until our bodies complete their eventual return to the earth it came from.
Since everything in nature is governed by cycles, then going by the principle of "as above, so below; as below, so above" it stands to reason that the manifestation of good and bad karma follows certain cycles as well. It is like when one is watching a movie on DVD. You experience the whole movie as one continuous, seamless whole, but once you get to the menu, you find out there are different scenes divided into chapters. Just consult any competent astrologer who can forecast whether a certain time period is favorable or unfavorable for the person concerned, depending on the particular astrological cycle being entered. This is why there is the expression of "beginning a new chapter in one's life" and "closing the chapter."
There are big cycles and there are small cycles. Some of the best astrologers can predict the death date of a person, while others can determine the most fortuitous times to gamble and thus make a killing at the casino (supposedly, some of the best feng shui experts in Hong Kong do this).
However, there is an esoteric saying that while the stars may impel, they do not compel. One always has the free will to choose those courses of action that will break negative cycles and generate good ones. This is where tithing, service, inner reflection and character development come in. These are the tools that one can use to shape one's future and destiny, instead of being allowed to be thrown hither and thither by one's astrological cycles.
It is my theory that it is because of these cycles that the timing of one's tithe matters. A really big tithe, representing one year's worth of normal tithe, all given within a certain cycle will influence that cycle the most, but once the next cycle starts, there is not as much energy left over. So it is better to apportion one's tithe over the course of several cycles, to get control of each of them.
For most people, their cycles revolve around the months of the Gregorian calendar (and one's salary disbursement usually follows that cycle as well). Other, more knowledgeable people may choose to follow their astrological cycle, but unless one has access to an astrologer (or is one), this may be hard to follow. There are other esoteric cycles that even fewer people may know about. But whatever cycle one follows, the best principle would be to tithe at the beginning of the cycle, so that one is all set to control and influence the rest of the cycle.
So far, I have not yet encountered any other esoteric work that specifically discusses tithing and the law of cycles, so this is just a working theory. But by far, it is the best explanation I can come up with regarding the experience of my Kriyashakti instructor. In any case, if one regularly does tithing anyway, then it wouldn't hurt to modify the timing of one's tithe.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Exploring Kabbalah
When I attended my first Basic Pranic Healing seminar back in July 2008, I bought the book Origins of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga. It's a very interesting and eye-opening book, and every pranic healer should have a copy or have read it at least once. My interest to study and explore kabbalah was sparked after reading that book.
When I first started, my understanding of kabbalah was quite limited. I've read snippets here and there, but nothing that would qualify me as knowledgeable. All I knew then was that it came from the Jewish tradition and that it was some sort of magical system. I've read about the Golem of Prague, a story so famous that there was (or still is) a postage stamp in that city that features the golem. This only reinforced my idea that kabbalah was the "magic of the Jews." And for you Dungeons & Dragons fans out there, the word golem is a Hebrew word that essentially means "amorphous." Jewish folklore is even richer than the narratives that can be found in the Bible.
So what is this seemingly indecipherable body of knowledge? What is it that has drawn the fascination of occultists for the past several centuries? Kabbalah is hard to explain in such a short article. In truth, one must live it to really start to understand it. Even now with all the material I've read, I'm still just scratching the surface, but I will try to give as clear a picture as possible based on what I've managed to find out so far. Though I may not be the foremost expert on kabbalah, hopefully my experiences will help others have an easier time doing their own research. Although we are really luckier today because there is so much material on kabbalah and the floodgates of information about this field of study has opened up. In days of yore, kabbalists were tight-lipped about their knowledge, and frequently, anyone who released kabbalistic teachings without permission was killed. This contributed to the sparse information about it during Medieval times up until the early 20th century, and consequently led to a lot of misunderstanding about what it is.
The situation is further complicated in that other philosophies started integrating certain kabbalistic teachings. In the 15th century, there was a desire to interpret Christian doctrine even more mystically than the Christian mystics, and so the Christian Cabala was born. Then, during the 18th and 19th centuries, a lot of occult literature started to include concepts from the kabbalah such as the Tree of Life and the sephira. This is often called the Hermetic Kabbalah. One can see this particularly in the material of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Yet for all the material available on the subject, I could not find a clear way to make use of kabbalah, let alone make heads or tails out of it.
One book I read even mentioned that one needs to learn the Hebrew alphabet itself, (just the alphabet, although learning the language would help, since it would make gematria easier). This was an important suggestion, though I didn't realize it then, but more on this later. But for the meantime, this again left me scratching my head, because where was I going to find a teacher that could help navigate this morass of information? A lot of the kabbalah books I was reading presented material that was couched in metaphors, symbolisms and other stuff that could not be easily decoded or verified.
At this point, I luckily managed to purchase one of Master Choa's books, The Spiritual Essence of Man, which deals with the Tree of Life extensively and has very good material about kabbalistic teachings. The book helped lay the groundwork for a more focused search for information. In any case, when searching for information, Divine Guidance is really necessary. One will also realize that the right information or material will be made available when the time is right (which means one is able to understand and handle the information or one is entitled to it).
Like any tradition or body of knowledge, to gain a better understanding of it one must eventually go to the source. A lot can get lost in translation or misinterpretation, especially when the writer is not from the original tradition being written about. In the case of kabbalah, we are not talking about any one person as the source, but a whole culture. Moreover, there are many kabbalistic schools of thought. So I turned my search to actual Hebrew sources. Further research led me to realize that there are also two aspects to the study of kabbalah. Both are interwoven, because they use the same sources and knowledge, but the difference is in the application.
The first aspect is what is called Kabbalah iyunit, or "contemplative Kabbalah". Here, the aspirant seeks to know God and explain the nature of existence through intellectual study and meditation. In this way, kabbalah is the esoteric counterpart of the Judaic religion. Aside from the Torah, kabbalists also count the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation), said to be written by Abraham, and the Sefer Ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor) as major references. Because of the heavy emphasis on scripture and the use of the Hebrew alphabet (the Alef Bet), most if not all kabbalists were also rabbis.
The idea of an esoteric tradition behind an established religion is not confined to Judaism. In the Islamic tradition, we have the Sufis, where we have the whirling dervishes. A lot of Sufis are also imams (clerics). With the Christian tradition, we have the Gnostics.
The second aspect to the study of kabbalah is the Kabbalah ma'asit or "practical Kabbalah." It is this aspect of kabbalah that is usually referred to among the books and stories of magic written outside the context of traditional Hebrew belief. Anything that directly affects the material plane is usually categorized under the practical kabbalah. The making of a golem or crafting of amulets and charms for varying purposes (very popular in Jewish culture) are examples of this. It is this aspect that has mostly gained the notice of occultists.
In the hermetic tradition, the kabbalah usually takes the form of ceremonial magic. It typically involves elaborate preparations in terms of incese and other occult material. The only exception would be Franz Bardon's system, in his book The Key to the True Quabbalah, which is closer to the Hebrew method. In the Hebrew tradition, practical kabbalah is effected through the use of the many different Names of God. This is why practical kabbalists were called Ba'al Shem Tov (Masters of the Good Name). Practical kabbalists also use the Hebrew alphabet and gematria in their work. Why the emphasis on the Hebrew alphabet? According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the Lord used the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order to create the universe. Therefore anyone who mastered the use of these letters had a very powerful key to influencing reality.
How come then that not everyone who knows the Hebrew language can do works of wonder? Well, there is a special way to using the letters and the Names of God that activates the energies locked within them. But the key to this is not easily found, and is a very closely guarded secret among kabbalists, and that's the dilemma that faces a lot of would-be practitioners.
Furthermore, there were heavy injunctions against using the Names of God "in vain," meaning for base reasons. Also, the divine energies being emitted by the letters and the Names was so strong that only a tzadik (righteous person) with a pure purpose could safely use them. There seems to be a basis on this because I have heard stories about people who attempted to use the kabbalah who went insane. This has not deterred people from pursuing this path, though.
In Jewish society, practical kabbalists were often called upon to perform exorcisms, do healing, or create amulets or talismans of protection for the home or person. It is strikingly similar to the duties an arbularyo (medicine man) would do in a typical Philippine community. For all that, the status of the practical kabbalist was quite controversial, because the rabbis were divided on whether it was allowable or not. It is further confusing in that some aspects of practical kabbalah were considered acceptable (such as crafting amulets) while others were considered taboo (such as uttering the Names of God in a kabbalistic manner). Some kabbalistic schools of thought even believe that until the Temple stands again, no one should use the practical kabbalah.
Usually, it depends on the particular community what is considered acceptable to them or not, although many took advantage of the the amulets and charms, with the rabbis who publicly denounce them just turning a blind eye to the practice (if not making use of it themselves). In actuality, it most likely wasn't a matter of one practicing contemplative kabbalah or practical kabbalah but rather to what extent one is incorporating either aspect into one's practice.
If you want to get a better idea of the role that practical kabbalah played in Jewish society, I would suggest you read Jewish Magic and Superstition by Joshua Trachtenberg. It's available for free online at the Sacred Texts website. You may also visit this website about practical kabbalah.
As I gained more ground in studying kabbalah, my research received a boost when I started reading the different books from the Kabbalah Centre. "Wait," you may ask. "The same organization that Ashton Kutcher and Madonna are members of?" Yes, it's the same one. But don't let the names of all those celebrities who are members throw you off. The Kabbalah Centre offers a lot of gems about kabbalah, and they de-mystified it such that even a total beginner can get a grasp of it. The Kabbalah Centre was founded in the early 1920s in order to spread the teachings of kabbalah to the world, and we are all the better for it.
So, how did the material from the Kabbalah Centre contribute to my understanding of kabbalah? One clue is in the word itself. Although "kabbalah" is one of the most often used transliterations, it is more accurately spelled as "Qabalah" or QBLH and the meaning is "to receive." Most attribute "receiving" to the fact that kabbalah was primarily an oral tradition, therefore one would receive the teachings directly from teacher to student. But once you read the different books, there is another level of meaning to it.
Let us ask the question, what does it mean to receive? According to the law of polarity, there is both a negative and a positive polarity. The Light of the Creator is the positive polarity that always flows and imparts. We, residing in vessels, are in the negative polarity and in the mode of receiving (take note that positive and negative in esoteric usage does not always refer to "good" or "bad"). It is this Light passing from the Creator and through our souls that gives life to our bodies.
Now, in kabbalistic belief, there are two ways that people are using this Light. One is the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone, which results in darkness, pain and a heavy karmic debt, while the other is the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, which results in a lot of Light in one's life, eventually leading to a completion of one's tikkun (correction).
It works this way due to the law of flow. One cannot keep on inhaling without exhaling, and one cannot keep eating without ever defecating. This is why the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone remains in the negative state and causes all manner of pain and suffering, not only for oneself, but also the world. When one gets into the consciousness of the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one has just transformed the negative state back into positive and one is in tune with Creation. We have the free will to choose our actions and have to deal with either the consequences or rewards of our choices. Until one has totally transformed into the consciousness of Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one constantly has to work at one's tikkun, through several lifetimes if necessary (yes, reincarnation is part of kabbalistic belief; it's called Gilgul Neshamot or Reincarnation of Souls). The concept of tikkun, as used in kabbalah, is similar to the concept that we incarnate in this physical plane in order to work off our negative karma.
The study of kabbalah then is a study of how to achieve harmony with Creation, which is not limited to harmony with nature, but with all of Creation, which includes our fellow human beings. The knowledge of kabbalah gives one the tools to understand how everything works (in both the physical and non-physical realms), thus the enlightened individual gains the keys to positively influence Creation, as is our destiny as co-Creators. Yehuda Berg in his books describes kabbalah as Technology for the Soul, and it's a very apt description. Looked at in this light, kabbalah is simply a way of life and a spiritual path not unlike the practices of yoga, Buddhism and other esoteric disciplines.
So in its essence, kabbalah is very similar in its purpose as Arhatic Yoga, which is why I found it easy to cross-reference the two disciplines. Studying kabbalah has certainly enriched my spiritual life, and made me appreciate the value of Arhatic Yoga even more. In the end, kabbalah is more than just a magical system, but literally a path to God.
Even so, kabbalah has still managed to subtly exert its influence in ordinary things that we take for granted. For instance, I already mentioned how the word golem has found its way into the D&D system. Also, in Star Trek remember that Vulcan hand sign that Spock makes when he says, "Live long and prosper"? Make that hand sign on both your hands, then put your hands side by side. That's a kabbalistic blessing position! Gene Roddenberry must have known something about kabbalah. The atbash, a form of letter substitution, was an early form of cryptography and certainly had an influence in the development of that discipline.
However way one looks at it, kabbalah is definitely a field worth studying, and it's a good complement to whatever spiritual path one is following.
When I first started, my understanding of kabbalah was quite limited. I've read snippets here and there, but nothing that would qualify me as knowledgeable. All I knew then was that it came from the Jewish tradition and that it was some sort of magical system. I've read about the Golem of Prague, a story so famous that there was (or still is) a postage stamp in that city that features the golem. This only reinforced my idea that kabbalah was the "magic of the Jews." And for you Dungeons & Dragons fans out there, the word golem is a Hebrew word that essentially means "amorphous." Jewish folklore is even richer than the narratives that can be found in the Bible.
So what is this seemingly indecipherable body of knowledge? What is it that has drawn the fascination of occultists for the past several centuries? Kabbalah is hard to explain in such a short article. In truth, one must live it to really start to understand it. Even now with all the material I've read, I'm still just scratching the surface, but I will try to give as clear a picture as possible based on what I've managed to find out so far. Though I may not be the foremost expert on kabbalah, hopefully my experiences will help others have an easier time doing their own research. Although we are really luckier today because there is so much material on kabbalah and the floodgates of information about this field of study has opened up. In days of yore, kabbalists were tight-lipped about their knowledge, and frequently, anyone who released kabbalistic teachings without permission was killed. This contributed to the sparse information about it during Medieval times up until the early 20th century, and consequently led to a lot of misunderstanding about what it is.
The situation is further complicated in that other philosophies started integrating certain kabbalistic teachings. In the 15th century, there was a desire to interpret Christian doctrine even more mystically than the Christian mystics, and so the Christian Cabala was born. Then, during the 18th and 19th centuries, a lot of occult literature started to include concepts from the kabbalah such as the Tree of Life and the sephira. This is often called the Hermetic Kabbalah. One can see this particularly in the material of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Yet for all the material available on the subject, I could not find a clear way to make use of kabbalah, let alone make heads or tails out of it.
One book I read even mentioned that one needs to learn the Hebrew alphabet itself, (just the alphabet, although learning the language would help, since it would make gematria easier). This was an important suggestion, though I didn't realize it then, but more on this later. But for the meantime, this again left me scratching my head, because where was I going to find a teacher that could help navigate this morass of information? A lot of the kabbalah books I was reading presented material that was couched in metaphors, symbolisms and other stuff that could not be easily decoded or verified.
At this point, I luckily managed to purchase one of Master Choa's books, The Spiritual Essence of Man, which deals with the Tree of Life extensively and has very good material about kabbalistic teachings. The book helped lay the groundwork for a more focused search for information. In any case, when searching for information, Divine Guidance is really necessary. One will also realize that the right information or material will be made available when the time is right (which means one is able to understand and handle the information or one is entitled to it).
Like any tradition or body of knowledge, to gain a better understanding of it one must eventually go to the source. A lot can get lost in translation or misinterpretation, especially when the writer is not from the original tradition being written about. In the case of kabbalah, we are not talking about any one person as the source, but a whole culture. Moreover, there are many kabbalistic schools of thought. So I turned my search to actual Hebrew sources. Further research led me to realize that there are also two aspects to the study of kabbalah. Both are interwoven, because they use the same sources and knowledge, but the difference is in the application.
The first aspect is what is called Kabbalah iyunit, or "contemplative Kabbalah". Here, the aspirant seeks to know God and explain the nature of existence through intellectual study and meditation. In this way, kabbalah is the esoteric counterpart of the Judaic religion. Aside from the Torah, kabbalists also count the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation), said to be written by Abraham, and the Sefer Ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor) as major references. Because of the heavy emphasis on scripture and the use of the Hebrew alphabet (the Alef Bet), most if not all kabbalists were also rabbis.
The idea of an esoteric tradition behind an established religion is not confined to Judaism. In the Islamic tradition, we have the Sufis, where we have the whirling dervishes. A lot of Sufis are also imams (clerics). With the Christian tradition, we have the Gnostics.
The second aspect to the study of kabbalah is the Kabbalah ma'asit or "practical Kabbalah." It is this aspect of kabbalah that is usually referred to among the books and stories of magic written outside the context of traditional Hebrew belief. Anything that directly affects the material plane is usually categorized under the practical kabbalah. The making of a golem or crafting of amulets and charms for varying purposes (very popular in Jewish culture) are examples of this. It is this aspect that has mostly gained the notice of occultists.
In the hermetic tradition, the kabbalah usually takes the form of ceremonial magic. It typically involves elaborate preparations in terms of incese and other occult material. The only exception would be Franz Bardon's system, in his book The Key to the True Quabbalah, which is closer to the Hebrew method. In the Hebrew tradition, practical kabbalah is effected through the use of the many different Names of God. This is why practical kabbalists were called Ba'al Shem Tov (Masters of the Good Name). Practical kabbalists also use the Hebrew alphabet and gematria in their work. Why the emphasis on the Hebrew alphabet? According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the Lord used the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order to create the universe. Therefore anyone who mastered the use of these letters had a very powerful key to influencing reality.
How come then that not everyone who knows the Hebrew language can do works of wonder? Well, there is a special way to using the letters and the Names of God that activates the energies locked within them. But the key to this is not easily found, and is a very closely guarded secret among kabbalists, and that's the dilemma that faces a lot of would-be practitioners.
Furthermore, there were heavy injunctions against using the Names of God "in vain," meaning for base reasons. Also, the divine energies being emitted by the letters and the Names was so strong that only a tzadik (righteous person) with a pure purpose could safely use them. There seems to be a basis on this because I have heard stories about people who attempted to use the kabbalah who went insane. This has not deterred people from pursuing this path, though.
In Jewish society, practical kabbalists were often called upon to perform exorcisms, do healing, or create amulets or talismans of protection for the home or person. It is strikingly similar to the duties an arbularyo (medicine man) would do in a typical Philippine community. For all that, the status of the practical kabbalist was quite controversial, because the rabbis were divided on whether it was allowable or not. It is further confusing in that some aspects of practical kabbalah were considered acceptable (such as crafting amulets) while others were considered taboo (such as uttering the Names of God in a kabbalistic manner). Some kabbalistic schools of thought even believe that until the Temple stands again, no one should use the practical kabbalah.
Usually, it depends on the particular community what is considered acceptable to them or not, although many took advantage of the the amulets and charms, with the rabbis who publicly denounce them just turning a blind eye to the practice (if not making use of it themselves). In actuality, it most likely wasn't a matter of one practicing contemplative kabbalah or practical kabbalah but rather to what extent one is incorporating either aspect into one's practice.
If you want to get a better idea of the role that practical kabbalah played in Jewish society, I would suggest you read Jewish Magic and Superstition by Joshua Trachtenberg. It's available for free online at the Sacred Texts website. You may also visit this website about practical kabbalah.
As I gained more ground in studying kabbalah, my research received a boost when I started reading the different books from the Kabbalah Centre. "Wait," you may ask. "The same organization that Ashton Kutcher and Madonna are members of?" Yes, it's the same one. But don't let the names of all those celebrities who are members throw you off. The Kabbalah Centre offers a lot of gems about kabbalah, and they de-mystified it such that even a total beginner can get a grasp of it. The Kabbalah Centre was founded in the early 1920s in order to spread the teachings of kabbalah to the world, and we are all the better for it.
So, how did the material from the Kabbalah Centre contribute to my understanding of kabbalah? One clue is in the word itself. Although "kabbalah" is one of the most often used transliterations, it is more accurately spelled as "Qabalah" or QBLH and the meaning is "to receive." Most attribute "receiving" to the fact that kabbalah was primarily an oral tradition, therefore one would receive the teachings directly from teacher to student. But once you read the different books, there is another level of meaning to it.
Let us ask the question, what does it mean to receive? According to the law of polarity, there is both a negative and a positive polarity. The Light of the Creator is the positive polarity that always flows and imparts. We, residing in vessels, are in the negative polarity and in the mode of receiving (take note that positive and negative in esoteric usage does not always refer to "good" or "bad"). It is this Light passing from the Creator and through our souls that gives life to our bodies.
Now, in kabbalistic belief, there are two ways that people are using this Light. One is the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone, which results in darkness, pain and a heavy karmic debt, while the other is the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, which results in a lot of Light in one's life, eventually leading to a completion of one's tikkun (correction).
It works this way due to the law of flow. One cannot keep on inhaling without exhaling, and one cannot keep eating without ever defecating. This is why the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone remains in the negative state and causes all manner of pain and suffering, not only for oneself, but also the world. When one gets into the consciousness of the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one has just transformed the negative state back into positive and one is in tune with Creation. We have the free will to choose our actions and have to deal with either the consequences or rewards of our choices. Until one has totally transformed into the consciousness of Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one constantly has to work at one's tikkun, through several lifetimes if necessary (yes, reincarnation is part of kabbalistic belief; it's called Gilgul Neshamot or Reincarnation of Souls). The concept of tikkun, as used in kabbalah, is similar to the concept that we incarnate in this physical plane in order to work off our negative karma.
The study of kabbalah then is a study of how to achieve harmony with Creation, which is not limited to harmony with nature, but with all of Creation, which includes our fellow human beings. The knowledge of kabbalah gives one the tools to understand how everything works (in both the physical and non-physical realms), thus the enlightened individual gains the keys to positively influence Creation, as is our destiny as co-Creators. Yehuda Berg in his books describes kabbalah as Technology for the Soul, and it's a very apt description. Looked at in this light, kabbalah is simply a way of life and a spiritual path not unlike the practices of yoga, Buddhism and other esoteric disciplines.
So in its essence, kabbalah is very similar in its purpose as Arhatic Yoga, which is why I found it easy to cross-reference the two disciplines. Studying kabbalah has certainly enriched my spiritual life, and made me appreciate the value of Arhatic Yoga even more. In the end, kabbalah is more than just a magical system, but literally a path to God.
Even so, kabbalah has still managed to subtly exert its influence in ordinary things that we take for granted. For instance, I already mentioned how the word golem has found its way into the D&D system. Also, in Star Trek remember that Vulcan hand sign that Spock makes when he says, "Live long and prosper"? Make that hand sign on both your hands, then put your hands side by side. That's a kabbalistic blessing position! Gene Roddenberry must have known something about kabbalah. The atbash, a form of letter substitution, was an early form of cryptography and certainly had an influence in the development of that discipline.
However way one looks at it, kabbalah is definitely a field worth studying, and it's a good complement to whatever spiritual path one is following.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Messages of Light: A Visit to the Bukid Kabataan Center
Note: This article also appears at the official Facebook page of the Pranic Healing Philippines Organizing Team.
Last Sunday (April 18), I went with a few pranic healers to the Bukid Kabataan Center in Trece Martires City in Cavite, a province to the south and southwest of Metro Manila. It was formerly run by Caritas, but was eventually turned over to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Our visit was facilitated by Sister Mary John, one of the nuns of the Good Shepherd congregation and an active member of the pranic healing community.
The center gives shelter to street children and gives them basic education (up to Grade 6) along with other therapeutic activities. Through the efforts of the center's directress, Sister Lilia (who is also a pranic healer, by the way), the center also houses an organic farm that makes the center self-sustaining in terms of food and provides income to the neighboring farmers.
The basic agenda of our visit was to do a pranic healing orientation for the children, employees and other lay people in the community, do blessings for the farm, and provide free healing for the attendees. After a short snack break and some brief introductions, the orientation started. We were happy to see that some of the attendees who had experienced or studied pranic healing before but were not able to practice it brought guests to the orientation, and later on experienced the healing energy. Since majority of the attendees were not so good with English, the facilitator had to speak in Filipino. Not quite as easy a feat as one might think, since we were more used to expressing ourselves in English. In any case, everyone was attentive and receptive, including the children.
Following a short explanation, we also did the Meditation on Twin Hearts, and after a very informative question and answer followed by the blessings, we broke for a sumptuous lunch prepared by the sisters. After a short rest after lunch, it was time for the healing. Our facilitator explained what we were going to do and after everyone was ready, the mass healing began. When the mass healing was done, individual patients approached us for more specific healing concerns.
It was quite revealing, because some of the kids who asked for healing had many issues before they were brought to the center and although they did not express it, their anger could still be felt, so much so that Sister Mary John had to rest after a while because she was getting overwhelmed with the repressed emotions being radiated. Some of the children staying at the center used to be street children, while some of the other children were either abandoned or abused which is why they were brought to the center for sheltering (the center works closely with the DSWD on this). But it was still heartening that the kids were inspired to ask for healing.
Despite the long day, we didn't feel that tired at all. It was also a different experience for me, because it was the first time I was part of an orientation group. It's also a different feeling when you are doing healing on someone who so desperately needs it and wants it. In the end, I was glad that I was able to find a venue of expression for concrete service.
As we were heading back to Manila, we were all discussing about how it would be nice if all pranic healing graduates were given the chance to practice their healing skills on people other than family or friends. It would hone their skills and also give them confidence in what they learned. I think the graduates who forgot what they studied did so simply because they did not get an opportunity to use these skills repeatedly. So the hope is that all this will change if "medical missions" can be regularly scheduled with heavy participation from the graduates. It should be on a weekend so that even career people have a chance to participate. After all, the pranic healing community is not only formed from the employees of the Foundation or a small group of healers, but all the people who have been touched by Master Choa's teachings.
When I got home, I remembered what Master Choa was talking about in one of his books. As a person progresses on the spiritual path, more is expected of that person. Meaning, one does not stop to admire one's big chakras, rather they should be used to be of service to others. As Master Choa put it, of what use is a supertanker if it doesn't carry any cargo?
Remembering the happy faces of the kids and the other attendees, it certainly makes it worthwhile to give of oneself and realize the value of service. I used to view this type of service with some trepidation, because of the uncertainty of reception and the doubts about my ability to deliver. But if our experience at the Bukid Kabataan Center is any indication, it's a portent of better things to come, and I look forward to doing all of this again, this time along with other graduates.
Last Sunday (April 18), I went with a few pranic healers to the Bukid Kabataan Center in Trece Martires City in Cavite, a province to the south and southwest of Metro Manila. It was formerly run by Caritas, but was eventually turned over to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Our visit was facilitated by Sister Mary John, one of the nuns of the Good Shepherd congregation and an active member of the pranic healing community.
The center gives shelter to street children and gives them basic education (up to Grade 6) along with other therapeutic activities. Through the efforts of the center's directress, Sister Lilia (who is also a pranic healer, by the way), the center also houses an organic farm that makes the center self-sustaining in terms of food and provides income to the neighboring farmers.
The basic agenda of our visit was to do a pranic healing orientation for the children, employees and other lay people in the community, do blessings for the farm, and provide free healing for the attendees. After a short snack break and some brief introductions, the orientation started. We were happy to see that some of the attendees who had experienced or studied pranic healing before but were not able to practice it brought guests to the orientation, and later on experienced the healing energy. Since majority of the attendees were not so good with English, the facilitator had to speak in Filipino. Not quite as easy a feat as one might think, since we were more used to expressing ourselves in English. In any case, everyone was attentive and receptive, including the children.
Following a short explanation, we also did the Meditation on Twin Hearts, and after a very informative question and answer followed by the blessings, we broke for a sumptuous lunch prepared by the sisters. After a short rest after lunch, it was time for the healing. Our facilitator explained what we were going to do and after everyone was ready, the mass healing began. When the mass healing was done, individual patients approached us for more specific healing concerns.
It was quite revealing, because some of the kids who asked for healing had many issues before they were brought to the center and although they did not express it, their anger could still be felt, so much so that Sister Mary John had to rest after a while because she was getting overwhelmed with the repressed emotions being radiated. Some of the children staying at the center used to be street children, while some of the other children were either abandoned or abused which is why they were brought to the center for sheltering (the center works closely with the DSWD on this). But it was still heartening that the kids were inspired to ask for healing.
Despite the long day, we didn't feel that tired at all. It was also a different experience for me, because it was the first time I was part of an orientation group. It's also a different feeling when you are doing healing on someone who so desperately needs it and wants it. In the end, I was glad that I was able to find a venue of expression for concrete service.
As we were heading back to Manila, we were all discussing about how it would be nice if all pranic healing graduates were given the chance to practice their healing skills on people other than family or friends. It would hone their skills and also give them confidence in what they learned. I think the graduates who forgot what they studied did so simply because they did not get an opportunity to use these skills repeatedly. So the hope is that all this will change if "medical missions" can be regularly scheduled with heavy participation from the graduates. It should be on a weekend so that even career people have a chance to participate. After all, the pranic healing community is not only formed from the employees of the Foundation or a small group of healers, but all the people who have been touched by Master Choa's teachings.
When I got home, I remembered what Master Choa was talking about in one of his books. As a person progresses on the spiritual path, more is expected of that person. Meaning, one does not stop to admire one's big chakras, rather they should be used to be of service to others. As Master Choa put it, of what use is a supertanker if it doesn't carry any cargo?
Remembering the happy faces of the kids and the other attendees, it certainly makes it worthwhile to give of oneself and realize the value of service. I used to view this type of service with some trepidation, because of the uncertainty of reception and the doubts about my ability to deliver. But if our experience at the Bukid Kabataan Center is any indication, it's a portent of better things to come, and I look forward to doing all of this again, this time along with other graduates.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Everyday Sacred Geometry
One of the nice by-products of getting into pranic healing, especially once one reaches Arhatic Yoga practice, is that it opens the door to different esoteric topics and subjects. Majority of people are either not aware of these subjects or have been conditioned to reject them as unacceptable due to a myriad of reasons.
For pranic healers, the important thing to consider about these different topics is that while some of them were not explicitly discussed in the different courses, pranic healing covers enough material that it gives the student a sturdy foundation that one can use as a springboard to explore these different esoteric disciplines. By being exposed to this whole new vista of knowledge, there are graduates who come up with great new ideas or unique applications of these ancient teachings in a practical manner.
Right now I'd like to tackle a couple of items that were products of this particular creativity that I referred to earlier: the FOL-TOL sticker and the Golden Prana sticker. These stickers are products by Atma Creations, a company put up by one of the Arhatic Yoga practitioners in the Philippines in order to offer different homeopathic products such as soaps, essential oils, sprays, etc. Their Himalayan Salt Soap is a bestseller, by the way (but this is another topic).
What makes the stickers so special is that they use an ancient wisdom called sacred geometry in order to produce beneficial effects to those who use them. And the great thing is, one doesn't need to be versed in sacred geometry. Just post the stickers where needed, and they work accordingly. The design comes not only in sticker form but also in the form of coasters, keychains and more.
According to the handout given along with the FOL-TOL:
"The FOL-TOL stickers/keychains/coasters/trivets of Atma Creations have been enhanced using Pranic Healing techniques. The sticker can be placed on most physically clean and dry surfaces. The user can be creative in the use of the FOL-TOL. It can be used to cleanse, energize, and enhance the therapeutic properties of the substances in containers such as drinking glasses, pitchers, fruit bowls, and containers of the following: lotion, soap and cleansing sprays. It can also be put on faucets, refrigerators, stoves, wallets, door frames, cars, etc. If the sticker is to be placed on the body, discernment is advised, especially on length of time. The FOL-TOL is not meant to replace allopathic medicine or Pranic Healing. It is meant to complement these healing modalities."
So, what makes the FOL-TOL so special? The design is the Flower of Life (FOL) and superimposed over it is the kabbalistic Tree of Life (TOL). Each particular symbol already carries its own type of energy, but if you combine the two, then you get a potent symbol. There are other references that deal with the Flower of Life and Tree of Life, so I will not dwell on them here. But an excellent book would be Drunvalo Melchizedek's The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life (Vol. 1 & 2), so I highly recommend that. For the Tree of Life, Master Choa's book Spiritual Essence of Man discusses the Tree of Life extensively, and most books dealing with the kabbalah will touch on the Tree of Life at some point.
This is what the FOL-TOL sticker looks like:
Now I'd like to touch on the other item that I would like to discuss, which is the Golden Prana sticker. Basically, the design was made using the Golden Mean as a guide. According to Wikipedia, "In mathematics and the arts, two quantities are in the golden ratio if the ratio of the sum of the quantities to the larger quantity is equal to (=) the ratio of the larger quantity to the smaller one. The golden ratio is an irrational mathematical constant, approximately 1.6180339887." But even more than that, in his book Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age, Gregg Braden writes that the Golden Mean has the frequency of love energy, therefore it has the power to effect tremendous changes. I suggest you read Gregg Braden's book for a more thorough discussion on this subject. His discussion of love energy gives new insight on the Meditation on Twin Hearts.
Here's the Golden Prana sticker:
The Golden Prana sticker has properties similar to the FOL-TOL, but what is really amazing is what happens when you combine the two. A member of our study group discovered this.
Based on our experiments, the combination goes a long way in reducing EMF emissions on cellphones, microwave ovens and pretty much any device that emits harmful radiation. It's a great cost-effective way to reduce electro-magnetic smog in one's environment while promoting healing at the same time.
Here's what the two stickers look like when combined (the lower two stickers in the image are the plain Golden Prana stickers for comparison):
And one more thing, during Typhoon Ondoy, as the flood waters were rising I happened to put two FOL-TOL coasters in my pants pockets, one on the left and one on the right. I noticed that I didn't easily get tired and I never got too cold even though we spent the whole night on the roof of our neighbor's house in driving rain and wind.
These two particular designs have a lot of promise, so much so that a lot of other pranic healers are finding creative uses for them, and it's exciting how all these experiments are coming out. Another member of our study group went to the MCKS Arhatic Yoga Ashram in India last December and all the participants, who were of different nationalities, were quite taken with these stickers, particularly the Golden Prana one. Those who know how to scan or have clairvoyant ability can try to compare the energies of these designs.
At the moment, Atma Creations doesn't have an official website, but inquiries and orders can be placed by contacting +63 917 791-9761 (mobile) or +63 2 721-6729 (landline).
For pranic healers, the important thing to consider about these different topics is that while some of them were not explicitly discussed in the different courses, pranic healing covers enough material that it gives the student a sturdy foundation that one can use as a springboard to explore these different esoteric disciplines. By being exposed to this whole new vista of knowledge, there are graduates who come up with great new ideas or unique applications of these ancient teachings in a practical manner.
Right now I'd like to tackle a couple of items that were products of this particular creativity that I referred to earlier: the FOL-TOL sticker and the Golden Prana sticker. These stickers are products by Atma Creations, a company put up by one of the Arhatic Yoga practitioners in the Philippines in order to offer different homeopathic products such as soaps, essential oils, sprays, etc. Their Himalayan Salt Soap is a bestseller, by the way (but this is another topic).
What makes the stickers so special is that they use an ancient wisdom called sacred geometry in order to produce beneficial effects to those who use them. And the great thing is, one doesn't need to be versed in sacred geometry. Just post the stickers where needed, and they work accordingly. The design comes not only in sticker form but also in the form of coasters, keychains and more.
According to the handout given along with the FOL-TOL:
"The FOL-TOL stickers/keychains/coasters/trivets of Atma Creations have been enhanced using Pranic Healing techniques. The sticker can be placed on most physically clean and dry surfaces. The user can be creative in the use of the FOL-TOL. It can be used to cleanse, energize, and enhance the therapeutic properties of the substances in containers such as drinking glasses, pitchers, fruit bowls, and containers of the following: lotion, soap and cleansing sprays. It can also be put on faucets, refrigerators, stoves, wallets, door frames, cars, etc. If the sticker is to be placed on the body, discernment is advised, especially on length of time. The FOL-TOL is not meant to replace allopathic medicine or Pranic Healing. It is meant to complement these healing modalities."
So, what makes the FOL-TOL so special? The design is the Flower of Life (FOL) and superimposed over it is the kabbalistic Tree of Life (TOL). Each particular symbol already carries its own type of energy, but if you combine the two, then you get a potent symbol. There are other references that deal with the Flower of Life and Tree of Life, so I will not dwell on them here. But an excellent book would be Drunvalo Melchizedek's The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life (Vol. 1 & 2), so I highly recommend that. For the Tree of Life, Master Choa's book Spiritual Essence of Man discusses the Tree of Life extensively, and most books dealing with the kabbalah will touch on the Tree of Life at some point.
This is what the FOL-TOL sticker looks like:
Now I'd like to touch on the other item that I would like to discuss, which is the Golden Prana sticker. Basically, the design was made using the Golden Mean as a guide. According to Wikipedia, "In mathematics and the arts, two quantities are in the golden ratio if the ratio of the sum of the quantities to the larger quantity is equal to (=) the ratio of the larger quantity to the smaller one. The golden ratio is an irrational mathematical constant, approximately 1.6180339887." But even more than that, in his book Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age, Gregg Braden writes that the Golden Mean has the frequency of love energy, therefore it has the power to effect tremendous changes. I suggest you read Gregg Braden's book for a more thorough discussion on this subject. His discussion of love energy gives new insight on the Meditation on Twin Hearts.Here's the Golden Prana sticker:
The Golden Prana sticker has properties similar to the FOL-TOL, but what is really amazing is what happens when you combine the two. A member of our study group discovered this.Based on our experiments, the combination goes a long way in reducing EMF emissions on cellphones, microwave ovens and pretty much any device that emits harmful radiation. It's a great cost-effective way to reduce electro-magnetic smog in one's environment while promoting healing at the same time.
Here's what the two stickers look like when combined (the lower two stickers in the image are the plain Golden Prana stickers for comparison):
And one more thing, during Typhoon Ondoy, as the flood waters were rising I happened to put two FOL-TOL coasters in my pants pockets, one on the left and one on the right. I noticed that I didn't easily get tired and I never got too cold even though we spent the whole night on the roof of our neighbor's house in driving rain and wind.These two particular designs have a lot of promise, so much so that a lot of other pranic healers are finding creative uses for them, and it's exciting how all these experiments are coming out. Another member of our study group went to the MCKS Arhatic Yoga Ashram in India last December and all the participants, who were of different nationalities, were quite taken with these stickers, particularly the Golden Prana one. Those who know how to scan or have clairvoyant ability can try to compare the energies of these designs.
At the moment, Atma Creations doesn't have an official website, but inquiries and orders can be placed by contacting +63 917 791-9761 (mobile) or +63 2 721-6729 (landline).
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
A Closer Look at Tithing
I think we all know what tithing is. It's in the Bible, and at some point we've heard it from our parents or our parish priest. Of course, for students of esoteric spirituality, one can actually be more scientific in how they do tithing. This is discussed in detail at the GMCKS Kriyashakti course, by the way.
Before I embarked on the esoteric path, all I knew about tithing was that it's the good thing to do. It wasn't enough for me to do it regularly, though. And then I got into pranic healing and I learned that not only does tithing earn good karma for oneself, it's also one of the tools that helps mitigate one's negative karma (the other being service). A few days ago I came out with a post about taking control of one's life that deals with this topic specifically.
So now I started tithing more regularly, and took it more seriously after hearing the testimonials of people who experienced a change in their lives after tithing regularly. Yet for all that, I'm still trying to puzzle out exactly how tithing works. I know that tithing = good things happening, but how exactly it enacts that process, that's what I've always been thinking about. How does giving money translate into lessening one's negative karma? How is it that we can seemingly "buy off" negative karma the way we repay a loan at the bank? It boggles the mind to think that something as physical as money can counteract something as intangible as negative karma.
Among all the esoteric works I've managed to read so far, the kabbalistic belief comes closest to explaining tithing. It has something to do with our physical reality representing one-tenth of the total reality. According to the kabbalah, there are ten dimensions of reality, represented by the ten sefirot. This is why we tithe 10% (i.e. one-tenth of our income), because this lowest dimension is the realm of the Adversary. Therefore, giving up 10% cuts out the force of the Adversary from our income and our lives.
It makes sense, but for me, there is still something more that is missing. And then yesterday, I learned from my manghihilot (Filipino-style masseur) that before Holy Week, he was held up at knife point and lost his cellphone as well as his earnings for the day. It was a big blow for him, because beyond the monetary loss, all his customers' contact information was in his cellphone, and he had no way to tell most of them that he had lost his phone. And then it struck me, the thing about negative karma coming into fruitition is that it involves the concept of loss. When one gets sick, it involves a loss of good health, loss of comfort and loss of money (to pay for the medicine and hospital bills). When we fight with someone, we lose peace of mind and harmony.
Negative karma finds physical expression and representation somehow, either materially, financially or in terms of ill health. Therefore my theory is that in tithing one is able to substitute the loss that was supposed to be brought about by negative karma with a voluntary giving up of a portion of one's income for the benefit of others. Viewed in this way, it still does not violate the concept that all karma needs to be repaid. Because it is a voluntary "loss" or sacrifice, the effort is more productive in that one's tithe is supposed to result in something good for others, therefore preventing involuntary and painful loss on one's part while still balancing out the negative deed that one did before. The act of making it voluntary signals that one has taken responsibility for one's past misdeeds, thus setting the forces of mercy and compassion in motion.
Going back to the case of my manghihilot, perhaps if he had tithed regularly from way back, then perhaps there would have been no need to lose his cellphone and day's earnings, because the equivalent amount would have been covered by his tithing over the years. Additionally, he would have preserved his contact list so that his income level would not have been affected at all. Of course, I would like to add that it is not about the exact amount at all, but rather what the offering means for oneself (take a look at Mark 12:41-44, about the widow's offering). This is why a tithe is "a tenth" of one's income instead of a set amount, so that rich or poor, 10% is still 10%.
The theory makes sense and I'm glad that finally there is a workable explanation for one of the questions that has been on my mind for some time. I hope I can come across a piece of esoteric work that would eventually verify this theory.
Before I embarked on the esoteric path, all I knew about tithing was that it's the good thing to do. It wasn't enough for me to do it regularly, though. And then I got into pranic healing and I learned that not only does tithing earn good karma for oneself, it's also one of the tools that helps mitigate one's negative karma (the other being service). A few days ago I came out with a post about taking control of one's life that deals with this topic specifically.
So now I started tithing more regularly, and took it more seriously after hearing the testimonials of people who experienced a change in their lives after tithing regularly. Yet for all that, I'm still trying to puzzle out exactly how tithing works. I know that tithing = good things happening, but how exactly it enacts that process, that's what I've always been thinking about. How does giving money translate into lessening one's negative karma? How is it that we can seemingly "buy off" negative karma the way we repay a loan at the bank? It boggles the mind to think that something as physical as money can counteract something as intangible as negative karma.
Among all the esoteric works I've managed to read so far, the kabbalistic belief comes closest to explaining tithing. It has something to do with our physical reality representing one-tenth of the total reality. According to the kabbalah, there are ten dimensions of reality, represented by the ten sefirot. This is why we tithe 10% (i.e. one-tenth of our income), because this lowest dimension is the realm of the Adversary. Therefore, giving up 10% cuts out the force of the Adversary from our income and our lives.
It makes sense, but for me, there is still something more that is missing. And then yesterday, I learned from my manghihilot (Filipino-style masseur) that before Holy Week, he was held up at knife point and lost his cellphone as well as his earnings for the day. It was a big blow for him, because beyond the monetary loss, all his customers' contact information was in his cellphone, and he had no way to tell most of them that he had lost his phone. And then it struck me, the thing about negative karma coming into fruitition is that it involves the concept of loss. When one gets sick, it involves a loss of good health, loss of comfort and loss of money (to pay for the medicine and hospital bills). When we fight with someone, we lose peace of mind and harmony.
Negative karma finds physical expression and representation somehow, either materially, financially or in terms of ill health. Therefore my theory is that in tithing one is able to substitute the loss that was supposed to be brought about by negative karma with a voluntary giving up of a portion of one's income for the benefit of others. Viewed in this way, it still does not violate the concept that all karma needs to be repaid. Because it is a voluntary "loss" or sacrifice, the effort is more productive in that one's tithe is supposed to result in something good for others, therefore preventing involuntary and painful loss on one's part while still balancing out the negative deed that one did before. The act of making it voluntary signals that one has taken responsibility for one's past misdeeds, thus setting the forces of mercy and compassion in motion.
Going back to the case of my manghihilot, perhaps if he had tithed regularly from way back, then perhaps there would have been no need to lose his cellphone and day's earnings, because the equivalent amount would have been covered by his tithing over the years. Additionally, he would have preserved his contact list so that his income level would not have been affected at all. Of course, I would like to add that it is not about the exact amount at all, but rather what the offering means for oneself (take a look at Mark 12:41-44, about the widow's offering). This is why a tithe is "a tenth" of one's income instead of a set amount, so that rich or poor, 10% is still 10%.
The theory makes sense and I'm glad that finally there is a workable explanation for one of the questions that has been on my mind for some time. I hope I can come across a piece of esoteric work that would eventually verify this theory.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Taking Control of One's Life
I think perhaps that the concept of karma is one of the most misunderstood of esoteric laws. After all, the ageless wisdom does teach that everything that happens to us right now, our station in life, the people we meet, the way our day goes, are all effects of prior causes either from this present life or from our previous ones, i.e. it's our karma.
At this point, one may either feel a certain desperate helplessness at being tossed about by the waves of effects coming into one's life, or a sort of rebellious anger at the way things are going. Or one may be oscillating between these two states. Unfortunately, staying in these states makes one miss out on opportunities to turn things around. After all, karma is also called the Law of Cause and Effect, and while many people recognize bad karma, many also forget that there is good karma as well. So while there may be little that one can do about the effects coming into fruitition right now, one can still put into action good causes today that will bear fruit as good karma later on.
The issue can get more complicated with all the dire predictions about 2012 and other possible disasters. The fear generated by this knowledge can hammer one into inaction and a "there's nothing we can do about it" attitude, which is a mistake, since the future is always malleable.
What can one do then, in order to create these good causes so that the negative effects, if not neutralized, will at least be mitigated? The simplest formula is given by the Bible, which is basically tithing and good works. There is also of course proper conduct and character development (do unto others what you would have them do unto to you). One should also reflect on one's past actions and learn one's lessons. This can only happen if one accepts responsibility for everything that happens in one's life, both good and bad.
Another way that one can make use of the Law of Cause and Effect is that of giving what one wants to receive. What you give out comes back to you in full measure, with interest, and this concept can be used positively as well as negatively. Need more money? Then help people who need money. Want to always have food? Then share food to the hungry. This way, one can shape the specific effects that come back. This is useful if one is targetting a specific result, as opposed to tithing which is more general. But it would still be good to combine the two methods, because one never knows when one may need the good karma to deal with a situation that wasn't anticipated. If one will look closely, this is also another use of the Law of Attraction.
This is an important point to consider, since a lot of people are so taken nowadays with the Law of Attraction, popularized by The Secret and dealing almost exclusively with attracting prosperity. Many forget that there are other esoteric laws, and they are all intertwined. Thus to get the most out of them, one needs to have a basic understanding of all these esoteric laws. One other thing that people should take note of is that karma supersedes anything one might be doing to attract prosperity. Good karma is the way not only to lasting prosperity but to an overall good life as well.
Later on, one may notice that after doing so much tithing and service, either there is no improvement or some bad things still do happen. Although karma is difficult to quantify, the question is, how much negative karma have we really accumulated from our present life and our past lives? Perhaps one is still paying off all that negative karma before one's life can start to turn for the better. And if bad things still do happen, take note that in that form they may have already been mitigated (instead of having a hand amputated, you just suffer a nasty cut in the kitchen, for example).
One of the favorite metaphors of kabbalists is that of the tree, and particularly of seeds. If you look at the seed of the tree, you are looking at the entire potential of a tree, even though it has not manifested yet. If there is anything wrong with the seed, it will show itself as some sort of malady once it grows into a tree. This is what happens when we plant negative seeds and they manifest as pain, sickness or bad luck in our life. Consequently, if you cure the sickness at the seed level, then you also cure the entire tree. Whereas if you only tried to take care of the branch, the sickness is still there because you are only treating the symptoms and did not get to the "root of the matter."
Let's look at it in another way. Say you are getting recurring headaches, so you take a painkiller so it goes away. Then it turns into a migraine and you look for even more powerful painkillers. Finally your whole life revolves around how to "cope with" your migraine. If one does not do inner reflection, it just spirals downward from there. What if the cause of the recurring headaches and the migraine is your punishing work schedule and high stress? Without addressing this "seed", even if one is able to control the migraines one might soon have to deal high blood pressure, and further on even a heart attack. This is why inner reflection and asking for help from God is important, so that one is granted the wisdom to find the seed and correct it.
How does this apply then to the worldview, on what one can do to mitigate all the negative things happening in the world right now? The solution, after taking care of one's self, is to help raise the consciousness of other people. All the pain, injustice and atrocities we see around us are all effects of negative choices by a lot of people, from the people in power to the lowly janitor. Greed, envy, denial of the existence of anything other than the physical, these all contribute to the darkness around us. You may catch the thief, but if the conditions that cause people to steal are still there, more thieves will still come out of the woodwork. So you can either concentrate on catching thieves, or you can remove the conditions that create thieves in the first place. This is what it means to be a teacher and helping bring Light to other people. Of course, this only goes up to a certain point, because it will be the people affected who will have to make the decision to change. The teacher can only show the door, it is up to the person to go through it.
It's really a challenge to accept. Now there is no excuse to shout "Why me?!" because by one's past actions, it is indeed you! YOU created what happened to you today, sometime in the past. Nothing happens arbitrarily, no matter if it seems that way. But it would be an equal mistake to stop there, because one can still define and shape one's future. Again, taking responsibility and admitting one's mistake is key. Everything that we are right now, everything that is happening to us, is the sum of all our previous choices, either in this life or the last.
One of the worst places to be is to be in denial about all of this, because how can one fix something when one is not even aware that something is wrong? Again, nothing happens by chance. Even a stubbed toe or forgetting the keys in the car after locking it all have prior causes. The trick is to discern what those causes are. It's a very complicated subject, but it will be well worth one's while to at least exert an effort to understanding it.
At this point, one may either feel a certain desperate helplessness at being tossed about by the waves of effects coming into one's life, or a sort of rebellious anger at the way things are going. Or one may be oscillating between these two states. Unfortunately, staying in these states makes one miss out on opportunities to turn things around. After all, karma is also called the Law of Cause and Effect, and while many people recognize bad karma, many also forget that there is good karma as well. So while there may be little that one can do about the effects coming into fruitition right now, one can still put into action good causes today that will bear fruit as good karma later on.
The issue can get more complicated with all the dire predictions about 2012 and other possible disasters. The fear generated by this knowledge can hammer one into inaction and a "there's nothing we can do about it" attitude, which is a mistake, since the future is always malleable.
What can one do then, in order to create these good causes so that the negative effects, if not neutralized, will at least be mitigated? The simplest formula is given by the Bible, which is basically tithing and good works. There is also of course proper conduct and character development (do unto others what you would have them do unto to you). One should also reflect on one's past actions and learn one's lessons. This can only happen if one accepts responsibility for everything that happens in one's life, both good and bad.
Another way that one can make use of the Law of Cause and Effect is that of giving what one wants to receive. What you give out comes back to you in full measure, with interest, and this concept can be used positively as well as negatively. Need more money? Then help people who need money. Want to always have food? Then share food to the hungry. This way, one can shape the specific effects that come back. This is useful if one is targetting a specific result, as opposed to tithing which is more general. But it would still be good to combine the two methods, because one never knows when one may need the good karma to deal with a situation that wasn't anticipated. If one will look closely, this is also another use of the Law of Attraction.
This is an important point to consider, since a lot of people are so taken nowadays with the Law of Attraction, popularized by The Secret and dealing almost exclusively with attracting prosperity. Many forget that there are other esoteric laws, and they are all intertwined. Thus to get the most out of them, one needs to have a basic understanding of all these esoteric laws. One other thing that people should take note of is that karma supersedes anything one might be doing to attract prosperity. Good karma is the way not only to lasting prosperity but to an overall good life as well.
Later on, one may notice that after doing so much tithing and service, either there is no improvement or some bad things still do happen. Although karma is difficult to quantify, the question is, how much negative karma have we really accumulated from our present life and our past lives? Perhaps one is still paying off all that negative karma before one's life can start to turn for the better. And if bad things still do happen, take note that in that form they may have already been mitigated (instead of having a hand amputated, you just suffer a nasty cut in the kitchen, for example).
One of the favorite metaphors of kabbalists is that of the tree, and particularly of seeds. If you look at the seed of the tree, you are looking at the entire potential of a tree, even though it has not manifested yet. If there is anything wrong with the seed, it will show itself as some sort of malady once it grows into a tree. This is what happens when we plant negative seeds and they manifest as pain, sickness or bad luck in our life. Consequently, if you cure the sickness at the seed level, then you also cure the entire tree. Whereas if you only tried to take care of the branch, the sickness is still there because you are only treating the symptoms and did not get to the "root of the matter."
Let's look at it in another way. Say you are getting recurring headaches, so you take a painkiller so it goes away. Then it turns into a migraine and you look for even more powerful painkillers. Finally your whole life revolves around how to "cope with" your migraine. If one does not do inner reflection, it just spirals downward from there. What if the cause of the recurring headaches and the migraine is your punishing work schedule and high stress? Without addressing this "seed", even if one is able to control the migraines one might soon have to deal high blood pressure, and further on even a heart attack. This is why inner reflection and asking for help from God is important, so that one is granted the wisdom to find the seed and correct it.
How does this apply then to the worldview, on what one can do to mitigate all the negative things happening in the world right now? The solution, after taking care of one's self, is to help raise the consciousness of other people. All the pain, injustice and atrocities we see around us are all effects of negative choices by a lot of people, from the people in power to the lowly janitor. Greed, envy, denial of the existence of anything other than the physical, these all contribute to the darkness around us. You may catch the thief, but if the conditions that cause people to steal are still there, more thieves will still come out of the woodwork. So you can either concentrate on catching thieves, or you can remove the conditions that create thieves in the first place. This is what it means to be a teacher and helping bring Light to other people. Of course, this only goes up to a certain point, because it will be the people affected who will have to make the decision to change. The teacher can only show the door, it is up to the person to go through it.
It's really a challenge to accept. Now there is no excuse to shout "Why me?!" because by one's past actions, it is indeed you! YOU created what happened to you today, sometime in the past. Nothing happens arbitrarily, no matter if it seems that way. But it would be an equal mistake to stop there, because one can still define and shape one's future. Again, taking responsibility and admitting one's mistake is key. Everything that we are right now, everything that is happening to us, is the sum of all our previous choices, either in this life or the last.
One of the worst places to be is to be in denial about all of this, because how can one fix something when one is not even aware that something is wrong? Again, nothing happens by chance. Even a stubbed toe or forgetting the keys in the car after locking it all have prior causes. The trick is to discern what those causes are. It's a very complicated subject, but it will be well worth one's while to at least exert an effort to understanding it.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
New Horizons
It's funny how your whole life and everything you know can change in the blink of an eye. When my wife and I woke up on the morning of September 26, 2009, we were making plans for going out in the afternoon despite the rain. It was, for all intents and purposes, just like any normal day for us (though a wet one at that) and we were all going through our normal routine. It was the height of Typhoon Ondoy (international name Ketsana) and we had no inkling at all that we were going to spend the evening huddled on top of the roof of our neighbor's house with most of our belongings going under water.
We used to live in Provident Village in Marikina, one of the hardest hit places in Metro Manila during Typhoon Ondoy. At its highest level, the water reached up to the waist at the 2nd floor, though we were relatively lucky considering we were in the higher parts of the village. Some houses were totally submerged. By the grace of God, all of us in the house survived: me, my wife, my elder sister, my aging parents, my aunt and our house help, including our dogs and cat, though all my mom's lovebirds and my sister's fishes didn't make it.
After the waters receded the next day, some of our relatives came to take us out of the disaster area. It was like a scene out of the TV series "Jericho" with lines of refugees streaming out on the streets, a logjam of cars and debris with soldiers and disaster response teams all over the place. I used to only watch this on the news. It's certainly a different feeling when you ARE the news.
For a few days we holed up at the house of one of my cousins before moving to the house of one of my uncles while we decided what to do. We finally found a house to rent while we picked up the pieces of our life left in the aftermath of the typhoon and cleaned up what remained of our former life. One thing was for sure, we weren't moving back to the old house.
Everything seemed surreal, as we maintained a hectic pace cleaning up and then looking for a new house, and then followed by the preparations for moving in to the new house. Most of everything we owned, everything we knew and were used to doing was thrown into total disarray. It was certainly an emphatic lesson on letting go of attachments. Looking back, as we were in danger of drowning the thought of having accumulated all sorts of things over the decades and having stored them in the house looked ridiculous, since we all had to abandon them in a heartbeat.
Another lesson I learned is that without us neighbors helping each other, we wouldn't have all made it out alive. It's striking that people you barely said "Hi" to would be the very people you'd be relying on to save your life, or vice versa. Sometimes it takes a disaster to bring out the sense of oneness in everyone.
Finally, last March 20 we moved to our new house in the Alabang area. It's technically my brother's house, since he was the one who funded the purchase and decided where we were going to move to. But at least it's a place where we can stay for the longer term. Things started to settle down and I even got the urge to restart this blog.
When I was in college, I always wondered how it would feel to live in the Alabang area, in one of the area's exclusive subdivisions, because I had classmates from this area. After Ondoy though, I viewed the move with some trepidation because the Alabang area was not as high as I preferred (unlike the house we were renting, which was in the Lagro area, a few hundred feet above sea level). But the move happened anyway, and as usual there is a reason for everything. At least I was able to fulfill my curiosity about living here.
In one sense it feels like we got transported to a different world. Different ways of doing things, different treatment. It's here that I found out just how much of a double started there is in the Philippines. For example, if you go to your typical bank, there are usually long lines yet not all the teller booths are occupied. Here in the immediate area, not only are there no lines, all the teller booths are occupied. It's obvious that the clientele of the area do not like waiting.
Of course, this cuts both ways. Just from Alabang Town Center, once the taxis find out your destination is one of the exclusive subdivisions here, they automatically have a fixed rate of at least P200, when it would only cost you about a third of that amount if they used the taxi meter.
There are certainly a lot of adjustments, and the lesson is still about letting go of attachments, since the distance and change of living expenses has forced me to re-think my usual activities again. And of course, in this idyllic setting of quiet streets and refreshing breezes, there is the danger of becoming complacent about the true state of the world right now (there's news of a major earthquake at the rate of about twice a week now). So it's something that I need to be constantly cognizant of.
In any case, I'm quite happy and grateful that this has turned out the way it has. Just by being in this area, we are constantly bathed in prosperity energy and I found out that generally, the house has good feng shui. It's not perfect, but whatever bad feng shui there is was easily remedied by the corrective measures I learned in the Pranic Feng Shui seminarI recently attended.
As the title of this post implies, some new horizons have opened up for me, and it's turning out to be one heck of a ride.
We used to live in Provident Village in Marikina, one of the hardest hit places in Metro Manila during Typhoon Ondoy. At its highest level, the water reached up to the waist at the 2nd floor, though we were relatively lucky considering we were in the higher parts of the village. Some houses were totally submerged. By the grace of God, all of us in the house survived: me, my wife, my elder sister, my aging parents, my aunt and our house help, including our dogs and cat, though all my mom's lovebirds and my sister's fishes didn't make it.
After the waters receded the next day, some of our relatives came to take us out of the disaster area. It was like a scene out of the TV series "Jericho" with lines of refugees streaming out on the streets, a logjam of cars and debris with soldiers and disaster response teams all over the place. I used to only watch this on the news. It's certainly a different feeling when you ARE the news.
For a few days we holed up at the house of one of my cousins before moving to the house of one of my uncles while we decided what to do. We finally found a house to rent while we picked up the pieces of our life left in the aftermath of the typhoon and cleaned up what remained of our former life. One thing was for sure, we weren't moving back to the old house.
Everything seemed surreal, as we maintained a hectic pace cleaning up and then looking for a new house, and then followed by the preparations for moving in to the new house. Most of everything we owned, everything we knew and were used to doing was thrown into total disarray. It was certainly an emphatic lesson on letting go of attachments. Looking back, as we were in danger of drowning the thought of having accumulated all sorts of things over the decades and having stored them in the house looked ridiculous, since we all had to abandon them in a heartbeat.
Another lesson I learned is that without us neighbors helping each other, we wouldn't have all made it out alive. It's striking that people you barely said "Hi" to would be the very people you'd be relying on to save your life, or vice versa. Sometimes it takes a disaster to bring out the sense of oneness in everyone.
Finally, last March 20 we moved to our new house in the Alabang area. It's technically my brother's house, since he was the one who funded the purchase and decided where we were going to move to. But at least it's a place where we can stay for the longer term. Things started to settle down and I even got the urge to restart this blog.
When I was in college, I always wondered how it would feel to live in the Alabang area, in one of the area's exclusive subdivisions, because I had classmates from this area. After Ondoy though, I viewed the move with some trepidation because the Alabang area was not as high as I preferred (unlike the house we were renting, which was in the Lagro area, a few hundred feet above sea level). But the move happened anyway, and as usual there is a reason for everything. At least I was able to fulfill my curiosity about living here.
In one sense it feels like we got transported to a different world. Different ways of doing things, different treatment. It's here that I found out just how much of a double started there is in the Philippines. For example, if you go to your typical bank, there are usually long lines yet not all the teller booths are occupied. Here in the immediate area, not only are there no lines, all the teller booths are occupied. It's obvious that the clientele of the area do not like waiting.
Of course, this cuts both ways. Just from Alabang Town Center, once the taxis find out your destination is one of the exclusive subdivisions here, they automatically have a fixed rate of at least P200, when it would only cost you about a third of that amount if they used the taxi meter.
There are certainly a lot of adjustments, and the lesson is still about letting go of attachments, since the distance and change of living expenses has forced me to re-think my usual activities again. And of course, in this idyllic setting of quiet streets and refreshing breezes, there is the danger of becoming complacent about the true state of the world right now (there's news of a major earthquake at the rate of about twice a week now). So it's something that I need to be constantly cognizant of.
In any case, I'm quite happy and grateful that this has turned out the way it has. Just by being in this area, we are constantly bathed in prosperity energy and I found out that generally, the house has good feng shui. It's not perfect, but whatever bad feng shui there is was easily remedied by the corrective measures I learned in the Pranic Feng Shui seminarI recently attended.
As the title of this post implies, some new horizons have opened up for me, and it's turning out to be one heck of a ride.
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