Life Beyond the River: Guidance for our Times

Written by Rabbi Michael Ozair


LIFE BEYOND THE RIVER Commentary & Guidance for Our Times Copyright 2004 – R. Michael Ozair

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move ourselves inrepparttar opposite direction."

Albert Einstein

Introduction While there continues to be enough violence and insanity in our post election world right now to warrantrepparttar 122225 urgent need for any shift in consciousness that we can gather, there are no hints of this shift in consciousness inrepparttar 122226 newspapers or political front.

Humanity is in a vigorous phase of global challenge. The acceleration of time andrepparttar 122227 increased energy frequency onrepparttar 122228 planet are creating volatile change and rapid transformation, for others, it is being experienced as near psychological meltdown. Pressurized change in a short period of time is usually confusing and chaotic. When energy shifts, our perception of reality shifts. When our reality shifts, our relationships are tested and our circumstances can be shaken torepparttar 122229 core. And yet, some of us are nevertheless attempting to keep awake, or at least make everyday life somewhat manageable.

It is during these times that we recall whatrepparttar 122230 Kabbalah calls "Life Beyondrepparttar 122231 River".

Life Beyondrepparttar 122232 River

The classical Kabbalistic text,repparttar 122233 Zohar, teaches that in order to create a meaningful world, G-d ran a "River" through reality, "separating" His Divine presence from physical existence. This River acts as a Veil and it isrepparttar 122234 source of all concealment and confusion. Our world is therefore referred to as an "alma d’piruda," a "world of estrangement." (Zohar 1, 22A).

The "River” or “Veil of Separation" runs through three areas of existence: olam, shanah and nefesh, meaning time, space and consciousness. The River runs through every moment and every thing. Each fragment of physical reality has its spiritual counterpart, but it is separated, or obscured, byrepparttar 122235 River.

In spite ofrepparttar 122236 separation, a person is still grantedrepparttar 122237 power and vision to stand before these veils of separation and gaze beyondrepparttar 122238 River, torepparttar 122239 Source of all Life, receptive torepparttar 122240 breathtaking scope of a Divine Reality.

How is this done whenrepparttar 122241 Veil of Separation is still there? Sarmad, a 17th century Jewish mystic from India, explains, "The Light of Life, which isrepparttar 122242 essence of G-d, lies dormant inrepparttar 122243 mineral world, lies in a dream-state inrepparttar 122244 vegetable world, is awakened inrepparttar 122245 animal world, and comes to full consciousness in man." This “Light of Life” is what we call nitzotz HaShem, a “spark ofrepparttar 122246 Divine” which exists within each human. It enables us to have a direct connection to Source, beyondrepparttar 122247 River. Once we can make a direct connection, we need not fearrepparttar 122248 turbulence of our times.

The Zohar comments, "Your ancestors had always lived beyondrepparttar 122249 river...and I took your father Avraham from beyondrepparttar 122250 river..." (Joshua 24:2) as meaning “The children of Avraham, Ivrim (Hebrews), are those who have crossed over. They have vivid memories of life beyondrepparttar 122251 River.”

In spite ofrepparttar 122252 ability to make our direct connection to Source, beyondrepparttar 122253 River, many of us tend to still turn away and settle into life on this side ofrepparttar 122254 River/Veil, thereby creating an all pervading sense ofrepparttar 122255 triviality of everyday existence. This is because it is easy to forget when one is challenged. The “side-effect” of being a spiritual being in a human body is that since we have descended torepparttar 122256 physical realm of existence which containsrepparttar 122257 furthest and densest frequencies inrepparttar 122258 universe, it will take deliberate efforts on our part to return ourselves to our true soul nature.

The Quest Always Begins with Our Quest-ions

Many of us are beginning with justrepparttar 122259 questions:

What can we do to help? How can we personally contribute torepparttar 122260 creation of a world founded in love, not based in fear? What is my purpose? Why am I here? Why are all these things happening to me?

If we do not know, we may feel an unidentified sense of frustration or urgency. "But be assured", Reb Nachman of Breslov teaches, "that if you are asking these questions, you are already part ofrepparttar 122261 solution". You are being guided. The nature of your contribution will be made known to you in divine timing.

The real problem is for those who are not asking these questions, who have buried themselves in self defeat, anger, victimization and often, a desire for revenge.

For those of us who want to "remember", it is important to discern between thoughts and attitudes that create inner peace and those that perpetuate inner conflict. We must be careful to choose behaviors and actions that create life, not destroy life. Since our inner realty creates our outer reality, our contribution begins and continues in our minds and hearts, when freed from anxiety.

Once this is done,repparttar 122262 game and our purpose in it becomes more interesting.

Our Purpose

Many people today are finding that their purpose is to serve as pillars to holdrepparttar 122263 space of peace in this cosmic moment in Earth history. If you are one of these pillars, do not underestimaterepparttar 122264 importance of your assignment. Love can only manifest onrepparttar 122265 Planet through our attentive embodiment of peace and light. May HaShem bless you in your efforts. Continue to carry out your mission with diligence wherever you are posted and appreciate yourself for volunteering for this assignment. You have chosen to be in this world, at this time in history for a reason.

Other people are being given more action-oriented assignments. You are being asked to serve humanity by orchestrating or facilitating specific projects. Several people in our fellowship worked very hard onrepparttar 122266 recent elections. Your efforts have not been wasted, but rather applauded and blessed byrepparttar 122267 realms above, in spite ofrepparttar 122268 outcome.

Piscean Age Still Grasping Tight

Remember, that it may take time for many to adjust to Aquarian Consciousness. Many still cling torepparttar 122269 Piscean Age energy. Pisces,repparttar 122270 age we have been in for 2000 years (and are exiting), is symbolized byrepparttar 122271 Fish. Fish are animals that swim in schools. When one fish decides to shift directions, each and every fish inrepparttar 122272 school turns simultaneously. It isrepparttar 122273 epitome of conformity, or "herd mentality". Nothing is questioned. The mob rules.

Native American Spirituality

Written by John Cali


Native American Spirituality John Cali

A member of our Chief Joseph discussion group recently wrote me asking if Joseph would talk about Native American spirituality in one of our newsletters. Here’s her letter:

“Hi John,

“I have no clue as to whether this would be an appropriate topic for a future newsletter, but I thought I would share this thought with you anyway.

“I have read a fair amount, but I know I am very ignorant with respect to Native American spirituality. So perhaps sometime Chief Joseph and you could share some ofrepparttar unique aspects of Native American spirituality.”

My response:

“Thanks for your posting, and for your suggestion about Native American spirituality. It's an excellent suggestion. Joseph and I don't usually make a distinction between spirituality, as a general concept, and spirituality as practiced by any particular group of people. Whether that group be Native American or any other people.

“Butrepparttar 122224 Native Americans certainly did have spiritual values many humans today have lost sight of--respect for our Mother Earth, respect for animals, respect for one another, respect forrepparttar 122225 sovereignty of each individual.

“I don't know as there's anything unique about these Native American spiritual values. They're really human values. And it would behoove all of us to pay more attention to them, and to what's really important to all of us on this beautiful blessed planet of ours.”

And Joseph’s response:

Chief Joseph

What you might call Native American spirituality is not essentially different from most other forms of human spirituality. It is not unique in its essence. It may, however, be unique in its practice.

Basically, Native American spirituality is simply a reverence for life, a respect forrepparttar 122226 divine spark in all life, in all beings. In that way it is pure, as contrasted withrepparttar 122227 dogma, theology, and laws which often drag other forms of spirituality away from their roots, if you will.

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