Hubble on Earth

In 1996 the most advanced space telescope, Hubble, was pointed in the direction of an empty point in space for ten days. What scientists discovered in this empty space were 3,000 galaxies, each one full of billions of stars. In 2004 the experiment was carried out again. In another empty space were found 10,000 galaxies, in what was to be called the "Ultra Deep Field," the farthest away man has ever seen.

What I wonder would happen if we pointed our inner telescope in the direction of the most insignificant experience in our lives? If we looked at one tiny act at a specific time on one day, one small movement chosen fromm the millions of experiences we have in a lifetime? Maybe we would discover something no less surprising than Hubble's discovery. One tiny experience, when examined with profound inner sight can reveal a whole universe in which the essence of life, the essence of our lives, was clearly imprinted on it.

Royal Calm

You're country fears being invaded by Nazi Germany. The nation is waiting to hear from you, the King of England, George VI. What message do you have for them at this critical hour? Blood, sweat and tears, not yet, it is time to "Keep Calm and Carry On." However if you tell everyone that they need to be calm you are likely to arouse unnecessary anxiety. What do you do? In fact the British government on the eve of World War 11 in the end decided to freeze the idea to make a public appeal to the nation for calm, on behalf of the King. The poster which had been prepared for the campaign never saw the light of day. In the 1990's the original poster was found and has since become a best seller. Today for the "paltry" sum of 16 pounds you can buy the "Royal Call for Calm" poster. The dilemma is no less relevant today.

How would you have felt if some months before the economic meltdown the heads of the economy would have called for calm? Would you have calmly rushed to the bank to remove all your savings? Now that economic meltdown has become part of our daily vocabulary, and countries face the possibility of financial collapse it might be a good idea to Keep Calm and Carry On.

The soul is here, the soul is there.

The soul cannot be seen. Or as a famous French pathologist once put it: I have examined hundreds of dead bodies and never once have I seen a soul. End of story? Well, we learn that the soul departs from the body after death, so he was probably looking in the wrong place.

I am very rarely conscious that it exists, being too busy and caught up in this world. My body, like the centre of gravity, keeps me firmly on the ground. But every now and then I get a glimpse of where it could be hiding. Not long ago we had a guest at our table who some years before had almost drowned and in the process had a near death experience. While her body was falling to the bottom, "something" experienced an endless consciousness. The body losing its vice like grip on things had no choice but to give way to something else as it sank to the bottom. This experience entirely changed her life.

In Rabbi Ashlag's allegory of the soul and the body, the soul is kept under lock and key in a cellar for many years, being allowed out now and then, under close guard, to get a bit of light. Why should one have to lock it up in a dank and dark cellar? So that when it is ready to come into the light it will not get fried in the heat, like many people who after winning millions of dollars on the lottery find their lives falling apart, being unable to cope with so much light in one go.

So what can I do, as my body stays firmly in control of life? Go look for a near- death experience? I don't think so. Go find a nice dank and dark cellar in the neighborhood to live in for twenty years? I don't think so. Near-death sounds a bit too risky, so how about a death experience. As David Hawkins says, the only time we actually experience death is when our ego "dies." The Torah similarly encourages us "to kill' ourselves in our spiritual practice. In other words make a conscious effort to reduce the body's vice-like grip on the soul. And that sounds better? Maybe, and I have one very practical solution.

Have you heard the story of the wise man from Alexandria? Well one day he was walking through the market place and suddenly one of the street vendors showered him with the vilest expletives imaginable. The wise man burst out in uncontrollable laughter. All the standers by were totally amazed at his response and when he eventually recovered they asked him how he could possibly laugh after being insulted in such a way. He calmly replied that he pays people to insult him and this man had done it for free.

Paying someone to insult you may be a little less dramatic than a near-death experience and a bit more expensive, but it is one, though rather painful way at times, to encourage the body to release its grip on the soul.

Can Social Collapse Be Prevented?

How often do we hear today about the imminent collapse of social structures in the western world? How often are we told that the once solid foundations of basic trust and solidarity are cracking at the seams? Often, and although they are sometimes attempts by politicians to grab the media limelight, it is no secret that at the same time that icebergs are melting in Antarctica and our financial system is suffering from a meltdown that social structures which once provided a sense of belonging, security and trust are found severely lacking.

As it is budgetary considerations, and the accompanying cuts in social services dampen even more the possibility for social change. Now is "obviously" not the right time for social experiments, but for more efficient use of our diminishing social and economic resources. However I think now is exactly the right time, what is there to wait for?

I want you to imagine a "special" room, which could be in a kindergarten, school, hospital, bank, factory or home. This alternative environment is created to enable all experience a sense of peace and quiet, simple joy and well-being.

A good room to "collapse" into you might say. And why not, because it is a "safe" space where we can relax, look within ourselves and feel and touch our inner strength.

We have a weekly study group in our house in which we study Spiritual Jewish Texts. The learning takes place in this special safe environment, a supportive place where we can listen to our inner voices and feel a new respect for ourselves and others.

I don't feel the same in other places and other groups, where the focus is more outer-oriented and lacking depth. I know I have to function in that outer world but how much time and energy do I need to devote to it?

We all take part in numerous groups of one kind or another. If you already take part in a group which celebrates a sacred safe space, good for you. If not, try introducing in just one group once a week a time to listen to music, to be silent together for a few minutes, a time to share those important moments of the week and a time for some sort of activity which takes you out of the routine and mundane.

And what about the imminent social collapse? Well, that we can talk about after we have experienced being in our special, safe space, our sacred space.