We are pleased to offer Eye to the Infinite, a Torah Guide to Jewish Meditations for Divine Awareness, in a weekly serialized form.
Eye to the Infinite – A Torah Guide to Jewish Meditations to Increase Divine Awareness. Copyright © 2013 by Aharon Rubin – serialized on the Mystical Paths blog with permission.
The soul has four distinct levels of awareness: [1]
1. Prophetic awareness: awareness of and communion with the spiritual realms;
2. Intellectual awareness: soul awareness through the medium of pure intellect;
3. Intuitive or emotional awareness: an intuitive, emotional level of soul awareness, without the input of the intellect;
4. Physical awareness: the soul’s consciousness of being, existing apart from the rest of the world, gained through the interaction of the five physical senses with the world.
These four levels are mirrored in four levels of human experience: aspiration, thought, speech and action, which relate to specific Divine manifestations or “worlds,” the soul encounters in its journey of incarnation from its emanation in G-d until its arrival at its physical abode (see fig. 1).
The source of all aspiration, will and distinctive ambition is the soul’s thirst for its Divine origin; the natural, subconscious desire to reattach to G-d, to experience the prophetic state, to re-attain the perfection of the Al-mighty, even the uniquely human faculty of craving,[2] are all a result of the soul’s essence, the “AYiN”, the “nothingness” of self[3] longing to be reunited with its Source, the Ultimate AYiN.[4] Literally “Nothingness”, AYiN is the primary level of G-d’s revelation vis-à-vis His creation: it is the ultimate self-sacrifice, the removal of self (see Chapter 2). Consequently, anything less than the purely altruistic Divine, anything remotely physical or egoistic, will not and cannot truly satisfy this need.
As the highest manifestation of personal expression, it is specifically in this will and determination that constitutes the drive of mankind, that G-d can be most intensely experienced – consciously so if that will is in harmony with its Source. Through meditation and mindful action, this longing experience can be drawn into the physical awareness of self, the ultimate abode of the Shechinoh (Divine Presence), creating a singularly sublime state of spiritual unity and congruence, a state called שלום SHoLOM (peace). [5]
The second level of human expression – thought, based on a combination of intellect and emotion – is the first language of the soul. Basic thought-patterns, or archetypal imagery, reflect the common source of the soul, while their myriad subtle permutations, a tongue of tones and nuances, echo the infinite spectrum of Divinity as it metamorphoses and incarnates. Thought is the penultimate vibration to the soul’s source; it is here that the soul’s individuality, source and purpose can be expressed and appreciated. [6]
Sound, speech[7] and various forms of energy vibration relate to the angelic sphere, angels being the articulation of G‑dly thought.[8] Speech in this sphere has the spiritual effect and finality of action vis-à-vis thought. Physical action is the tangible manifestation of this energy vibration, presenting the material world as we know it. These four categories correspond to four spiritual worlds,[9] key levels in Divine energy. They are: the G-dly, the Soul realm, the Angelic sphere and the material world, otherwise known as the worlds of Emanation, Creation [ex nihilo], Formation and Action, in Hebrew, Atsiluth, Brioh, Yetsiroh and Assiyoh.
The correlation between human expression and levels in spiritual energy can be observed in what is known as the law of sympathetic resonance. This law states that objects attuned to the same frequency will automatically transfer their vibration from one to the other.[10] Thought can interact with thought, speech “energy” with speech energy. On the metaphysical level, this takes on dramatic overtones. Everyone is constantly interacting with cosmic levels resonant to their own spiritual vibrations.[11] Everyone is affected by the spiritual energy that resonates with his own,[12] and every act creates resonance in the spheres peculiar to the spiritual frequency of that act. This has vital consequences in the practice of Torah, the performance of the Mitsvos, and Jewish meditation.
[1] Zohar, Vol. II, 262b. See though three categories in Zohar, Vol. I, 99b, 161a. These four categories correspond to four distinct levels of soul, namely, ‘chayoh’, ‘neshomoh’, ‘ruach’ and ‘nefesh’, respectively, ‘Life’, ‘Soul’, Breath’ and ‘Spirit’ [see diagram below]. These levels of soul correspond to the four worlds enumerated in fig. 1.
1. | Chayoh | Life | Transcendental Soul |
2. | Neshomoh | Soul | Intellectual Soul |
3. | Ruach | Breath | Emotional Soul |
4. | Nefesh | Spirit | Physical Soul |
[2] This is as opposed to the animalistic drive. The spiritual drive was finally recognised as a behavioural force by early 20th century pioneers in psychology but needs to be appreciated as a tremendous catalyst towards a holistic, personal advancement at a core level, a key aspect of the psyche, driving thought, emotion, speech and action. See though note 51.
[3] See Job 26:7 “תולה ארץ על בלימה” - He “suspends” the world on “the absence of anything.” This is the “AYiN” (nothingness) - the absence of anything the mind can grasp, the nihilo of creation.
[4] Carl Jung quoted Psalms 41:2 - “As the hart longs for brooks of water, so my soul longs for you, O G-d” - as the real and only reason for addictions. (See Alcoholics Anonymous p.26, and G-d Of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction by Rabbi Shais Taub - Ktav Publishing, pp. 13-19 for a facsimile of Jung’s letter.)
[5] See Chapter 8. The word שלום (Sholom) is related to שלם (sholaym) perfect and שלוה (shalvoh) serenity. As such, sholom suggests a status-quo, where one party accepts the rule of the other, rather than the modern notation of peace.
[6] כשם שאין פרצופותיהן דומין זה לזה כך אין דעתן שווין זה לזה – Just as people’s faces differ, so do their thought-patterns (Bamidbor Rabboh 21:2. See also Sanhedrin 38a).
[7] Talmud Shabbos 58b implies that speech and matter are connected.
[8] Psalms 103:20-21. See also Chagigoh 14a: “Every word that G-d utters creates an angel”. This includes not only words ‘said’ by G-d but also ‘G-dly words’ uttered by man (bearing in mind that man with his G-dly soul acts as an extension of G-d). Words create and interact with angels. This is an important concept. Hence we find that whereas G-d hears all thought, angels only hear speech; therefore, speaking aloud, or praying verbally, interacts with the angelic realm, creating spiritual entities or angelic spiritual energies. Shemoneh Esreh is thus said quietly because it interacts with the pure G-dly Realm (Atsiluth), whereas the rest of prayer ought to be said audibly. See Zohar Vol. II, 210b.
[9] See Sha’ar HaQedushah (Gates of Holiness) Gate 3; Nefesh HaChaim, Gate 1.
[10] “If you pluck the low E-string on a guitar, you’ll see the high E-string vibrate along with it, thrumming as if it had been plucked by a phantom finger. This happens because the specific vibration rate of the high E (660 Hz) is an even multiple of the E two octaves lower (165 Hz). The same thing happens if you place a tuning fork next to a piano and strike the key for A above middle C; the tuning fork will vibrate too. This is called resonance, a word that literally means ‘sounds again.’ When the vibrations of two different phenomena have a similar shape or frequency, we say “they resonate with each other.’” (Code to Joy by George Pratt.)
Scientists are now saying that the entire universe is based on this law of resonance, an idea expressed in the Zohar over two thousand years ago. This law underscores the importance of praying, or performing any spiritual exercise, together with other people. The spiritual effect of any activity is exponentially increased in a quorum of ten, or even in a group of three (Ohr HaChaim Deut. 33:2).
[11] See also Talmud Bavli, Krisus 6a, and Shnei Luchos HaBris (Meseches Rosh HaShonoh ad loc.) quoting RaMaQ HaQodosh. As we shall see later, a person’s soul spans many, many spheres and levels, so the cause and effects of actions, etc, are not localised and are much, much more expansive than one might realise.
[12] Some people may actually be aware of this. However, as we shall see later, awareness does not presume focus. Those who wish to develop spiritually must aspire to the highest vibration, always aiming to be in harmony with the soul’s Source; anything less is a travesty of the soul’s true nature and calling. Hence, the Torah warns against psychic or mediumistic practices. These seemingly innocent practices are the antithesis of true spiritual growth, focusing on the person’s ‘energies’, thus leading in the opposite direction to coming close to HaShem, the True Name.
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