• March 29, 2024
  • 19 5784, Adar II
  • פרשת צו

`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword

`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword

Approaching the Tree of Life through the Garden of the Mind, in preparation for Tu B’Shvat and Spring. A medidation workshop with Rabbi Avraham Chira

January 9, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 1
Class description

Shalom and Welcome, Our new semester begins with a Tu’b’Shvat meditation, a gaze into the structure of the worlds and ourselves that we call the Tree of Life. We will look at a few sources from our Sages and masters of Kabbalah and meditation, and learn some tools for approaching the Revolving Sword of Fire that guards the Tree. Each week of this semester we hope to progress in our practice of meditation, utilizing different approaches to this ‘ultimate duel’, or if you will, this ‘psychic swashbuckling’ which is the most challenging, and hence, rewarding in our efforts to come close to Hashem. Each student is encouraged to take notes about his own experience, and to share, if necessary, that experience with others, for every person is a ‘path’ to the Tree. Join us tonight for what promises to be an eye and mind opener to the world we have heard of, and perhaps dreamed of. Alwalys, in Torah, Avraham Chira

January 16, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 2
Class description

Welcome. Tonight we will continue our exploration of the ‘Revolving Sword’ with further insight into the Zohar’s teachings concerning approaching ‘The Tree’, and we will discuss some of the reasons why this wisdom has been ‘lost’ and ‘found’ and why its revelation has been forbidden for so long, and how we, as the last generation, have inherited this tradition, and to what ends. We will discuss perhaps what happens when this wisdom gets into the wrong hands, and the consequences, and how we must prepare ourselves to receive this wisdom without danger to ourselves or others. Look forward to seeing all of your there, tonight. Avraham Chira

January 23, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 3
Class description

Welcome. This week we will discuss the relationship between God’s names, the sefirot of the tree of life, the practice of chanting the names, and how the vibrations of these names releases energy ‘back’ into heaven through the restoration of the shechinah, the worlds, and our invidividual souls. With God’s help we will also practice some meditations designed to unify our lower and higher selves. A pad and pen is recommended, as we will learn one exercise that is unique to each person, and yet universally applicable. (Anyone who does not have a Jewish name should look deeply into getting one. This exercise will help for doing so.} Look forward to seeing all of you. Avraham

January 30, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 4
Class description

Welcome. Tomorrow night we will begin the old path that is very new in judaism, the path of meditation using speech itself as a transcendental tool. We will follow a set of guidelines called ‘An interview with the king. It is a path and a tool for all people, at all levels of divine service. A pad and pencil are recommended. We will use techniques we have learned combined with what may be called spontaneous speech, but it is only spontaneous after much preparation. Look forward to seeing all of you there. Avraham Chira

February 6, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 5
Class description

Building on last week’s class, we will continue the path of personal prophecy, learning to establish a true spiritual posture before Hashem, stripping away our false selves using words, and addressing our needs before the Creator. This week, we need paper and pen, but also a question. The question is our main tool, for creating a vessel. The light to fill that vessel will be the answer to the question. It may be something large or small in your life. Meditation will help us to clarify what.our most important question is today. It is also a very useful tool to make a list of the things we are not. This will help us to begin removing the false selves, our attachments, that block our hearing of the true Highter Soul. Blessings to all of you Avraham

February 13, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 6
Class description

Welcome. Tonight we will continue our approach to the Tree, and the Revolving Sword, the oscillating of the mind that prevents us from approaching the Tree that enables us to hear the answers to our questions, great or small. Following the meditative practice of the previous weeks, we will continue our ‘interview with the king,’ and place our question or request before the throne. We must be ready with our question, or be ready to hear what our question should be, as known above. If we have time, we will introduce exercises designed to both stretch our plain of vision, and also expand our field of hearing. Look forward to seeing all of you there. Also we should have paper and pen available. Avraham

February 20, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 7
Class description

Welcome. Tomorrow night we will continue with the path we have been describing for the past several weeks, focusing on the stages of checking and affirmation. We will discuss the power of affirmations in general, with an eye on King David, whose Tehilim is replete with affirmations. We will discuss their power, legitimacy and dangers connected to this practice. We will also attempt to create our own affirmations as part of this process. Look forward to seeing all of you. Avraham Chira

February 27, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 8
Class description

Welcome. Tonight we will look at one of the most important works on Kabbalistic Meditation, the Fourth Section of Sha’arei Kedusha of Rebbe Chaim Vital. We will learn about the power of thought and how the wise use thought and prayer to cause change in the world. The Rav will also explain to us the secrets of intention when engaging in various activities, including eating, drinking, and intercourse. There is also discussion about the power of thought to do evil, as well, and the difference between the impact of thought versus action in the physical/ spiritual realms. This class is essential for expanding our understanding of ourselves in relation to meditation and intention in the performance of Torah and Mitzvot. Look forward to seeing all of you. Avraham

March 6, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 9
Class description

Shalom to all. Tonight we will consider the connection between making a blessing, freeing a soul from reincarnation, ritual slaughter and making a living (parnassa) Rabbi Nachman will explain to us the interconnections between these ideas, and through our understanding of meditation and the meditative state, we will attempt to follow this path of blessing. We will use as our text, Torah 37 of Likutei Moharan, with some interesting stories from our generation that will hopefully illuminate our faith and strengthen our attachment to the holy path that has been given to us. Look forward to seeing all of you there. Avraham Chira

March 13, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 10
Class description

Shalom. Tonight, I thought of looking in the Zohar on Purim. Reaching for the Tikunim, I opened to Tikun 21, and there was a drasha on Purim. The Zohar opens the story of the Megila with a comparision to Yom Kipur, and expands the story as a reflection of Am Yisrael with Hashem, when we are close and when far, when we are allowed to enter before the King, as Esther did. This recalls approaching the Sword; as Achashverosh must lay his scepter onto a subject to give them permission to enter before him, and not be exposed to the forces of death, so too the deepest places in meditation must be passed to ‘enter the garden’. With incredible ease, Rabbi Shimon weaves the Purim – Zohar according to the highest levels of the sephirot, as well, and finally offers a prophecy for Geula. Look forward to it, Avraham Chira

March 20, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 11
Class description

Shalom, tonight we will begin to look at the Kavanot of pesach according to the Arizal with an eye on the general meditations related to the main mitzvot of Pesach. The Rav will take us into the movements of the partzufim and sefirot for these mitzvot and their relationship to Redemption and Tikun Olam. Look forward to seeing all of you. Always, Avraham

March 27, 2014 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
`Meditation Workshop: Approaching the Tree of Life and the Revolving Sword: Lesson 12
Class description

Welcome. Tonight, for our final class we will review a series of meditation techniques that help us to approach the revolving sword. We learn that by using the mind in certain ways, it becomes quiet, still and focused; *(ie; the still small voice). If any of you have a piece of holy music that helps open the heart, have that ready, as we will also look at the secret of the connection between music and prophecy, according to the Tanach and Rebbe Haim Vital. Our goal is to meditate with the techniques we have learned. Hope everyone can be there, as doing such meditations ‘live’ connects us no matter where we are. Avraham Chira

Rabbi Avraham Shira received smicha from Rabbi Benayahu Shmueli, Rosh Yeshivat HaMekubalim, Nahar Shalom, in Jerusalem. He has been a student and teacher in the Yeshiva since 1993. Since 1996 he has taught for twelve years at the Berot Bat Ayin Seminary, specializing in Likutei Moharan, and conducting workshops in meditation, and spiritual creative writing. He has also received a Masters Degree in Clinical Sociology & Family Therapy from the University of North Texas, Neve Yerushalayim Campus. Rabbi Shira has published a novel and translates a newsletter for Nahar Shalom. He lives with his wife, Elisheva and their five children in Bat Ayin, Gush Etzion.