4/14/2017 ReProgrammingourSubconscious:2ContemporaryKabbalists

ReProgrammingourSubconscious:2
ThePowerofCreativeVisualization
ByDovBerPinson

Howdowe"transform"oursubconscious?Howdowecircumventourlogical,linearleftbrain,andgodeeperin
ordertoaffectamoresustainableevolutionofourconsciousness?

AsstatedinPart1,repetitivebehaviorisoneway,ashabitbecomessecondnature.Music,rhythm,chantor
repetitivesoundandvibrationprovideanotheravenuetotheseatofthesubconscious.Andanother,highly
effectivewayisthroughimagery.

IntheWestwetendtofocusonthewordandonanintellectual,analyticapproachtoselftransformationyet
muchofwhoweareisinformednotbytheword,butbytheimage.TheKabbaliststeachthatredemption
beginswithredeemingourimagination,ourpowertodreamandcreateholyimagery.

RabbiTzadokofLublincallstheearlyperiodofJewishHistory,fromAbrahamuntilthedestructionofthe
SecondTemple,theactionperiod.Thisperiodwascharacterizedbythebringingofphysicalofferingsasaway
oftransformingourselvesandabsolvingmisdeeds.

AftertheTempleperioduntiltoday,ourmainmodalityhasbeenprayerandstudyi.e.text,speechand
words.

ThecomingRedemption,however,isconnectedwiththegarmentof
Thecoming
thoughtimageandimagination. Redemption...is
connectedwiththe
Exileisthealienationofthepowerofdimayon/imagination.TheSeforno garmentofthought...
writesthatfantasyalienated,egocenteredorfalseimaginationis
thenachash,thesnake.AdamandChava/Evewereseducedintoactingcontrarytowhattheyunderstoodto
berightortrue,becausetheyfellintothequicksandoffantasyandfalseimagination.Theywereluredbythe
snakespromisetobe"likeGd"andbegangeneratinggrandioseandarrogantvisionsofthemselves.

TheKabbaliststeachthatthewordforsnake,nachash,hasthesamegematriaornumericequivalentasthe
wordfortheMessiah/Mashiach.Thisisahintthattheultimateredemptionofimaginationrequiresthe
transformationofthenachashintotheMashiachturningfalsefantasyintoholydimayonorimagination.

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4/14/2017 ReProgrammingourSubconscious:2ContemporaryKabbalists

TheKuzariteachesthatthedefinitionofachasidisapersonthathascompletecontrolovertheirmind.This
includes,amongotherthings,thepowertovisualizeeventsoroccurrencesclearlyforexample,theGivingof
theTorahortheHolyTemple(Kuzari,Maamar3,Ot5).Atzadik,saysRabbiYechezkelLevenstein,is
someonewhohastheabilitytovisualizeholythingsinhismindasvividlyasiftheyarereal(SichasMusar,26).

Youmayhaveanegative,subconsciousimageofwhoyouareorwhatyourabilitiesmaybe,thatconvinces
youthatyouareincapableoflivinginafunctionalandfulfillingmanner.Thisimagemayholdswayoveryour
psycheeventhough,onaconsciouslevel,youmayindeedknowthatyouarecapableofactualizingyour
HigherSelf.Suchanegativeselfimagecanbeaddressedusingvarioustechniquesofvisualizationand
rectifiedimagination.

Ifyoulearntouseyourchushhatziyuryoursenseofimagination
Selftransformationis
consciouslyandcreatively,youcanaccessandaffectyourselfand moreeffectivewhenyou
psychemoredeeplyanddirectlythanconventionalstudy.Self canvividlyvisualizeyour
transformationismoreeffectivewhenyoucanvividlyvisualizeyourgoal. goal.

CreativeVisualizationasTaughtbytheSages

RabbiEliyahubenMosheDiVidas,thegreatSixteenthCenturymoralistandkabbalist,writesinhiswork
ReishisChochmahthatduringthedailyprayersweshouldimagineourselvesinTheGardenofEden
surroundedbytheluminoussoulsofTzaddikimorrighteouspeople.(ShaarhaKedushah,Chapter4).For
example,onemightimagineoneselfprayinginthepresenceofAbraham,Moshe,Miriam,Chana,RabbiAkiva
ortheBaalShemTov,envelopedandintoxicatedbythebeautyofParadise.

RebElimelechofLizensksuggestedaverydeeppracticewhereonevisualizesoneselfprayingintheHoly
Temple(NoamElimelech,LechLecha,p.19).Thisvisualizationseemstohavebeenpracticedforhundredsof
yearspriortoRebElimelech,andtherearesourcesforthispracticeinbothChassidicandnonChassidictexts.
(YesodShoreshhaAvodah,SharhaKorban,p.82).

ThepointofthisvisualizationisforonetoexperienceoneselfstandingintheTemple,orevenintheinnermost
chamberoftheHolyofHoliesthemostsacredofspaces.Thisvisualizationisevendeeperthanimagining
yourselfbeingsurroundedbyTzadikim,forhereyouaretheTzadiktheholiestpersonintheworld.

Indeed,withinourdeepestinnerpoint,withinoursoulroot,weareallTzadikim.Weareactuallyinaconstant
stateofunitywiththeOhrEinSof,theInfiniteLight.

RabbiChaimVitalwritesthatapersonshould"turnhisattentionawayfromallphysicalityandconjureupan
imageofhimselfascendingintotheupper(orinner)worlds",andthat"heshouldhaveanintentiontoreceivethe
lightfromthesourceofhissoul,fromwhencehissoulcomes"(ShaareiKedusha,3:5).

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RabbiAbrahamAbulafiaspeaksabouttheperfectselfandtheimperfectself.Inreality,weareboth.Thereis
apartofusthatisalwaysworkingtowardsperfection,andthereisapartofusthatisalready,timelessly
perfect.Thereforeweneedtolearn,asRabbiKalonimusKalmishofPeasetznateaches,toimagineourselves
asatrueTzadikandbegintolivefromthatplaceofperfection(TzavvZiruz,24,p.340)Or,astheRebbe
ShmuelofLubavitchteaches,dosoforaleast15minutesaday.

Insimpleterms,justasyouusedtoimaginesinandshortcoming,now
...resetthose
youcanattempttoresetthoseunconsciouslyingrainedpatternsofyour unconsciouslyingrained
imaginationbyvisualizinggoodnessandfullyactualizedpotential. patterns...byvisualizing
goodness...
[From//IYYUN.com]

BYDOVBERPINSON

RabbiDovBerPinson,RoshKollelofIYYUN,isaworldrenownedscholar,kabbalist,andspiritual
teacher.Throughhisbooksandlectureshehastouchedthelivesoftensofthousands,and
servesasamentortomanyacrosstheglobe.Hehasauthoredover30books,manyofwhich
havebeentranslatedintomultiplelanguages.

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thatyoucomplywithChabad.org's copyrightpolicy .

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