The Unconscious Mind...the Emuna Mind

I'd like to think that how I view myself and how I respond to life is coming from a conscious place, and that I am fairly in control. However, I am learning that the conscious mind is only a small part of our greater mind. In fact, our unconscious throws a lot more weight in terms of our thoughts and feelings than we realize.

Ah, yes, the unconscious mind. This was the cornerstone of Sigmund's Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Formed in our childhood, this 'dark' side of the mind harbors a lot of repressed emotions and memories, negativity, and things we are simply not aware of. And people will unknowingly act on that negativity or the positivity that resides there.

And this could explain why a seemingly well-adjusted guy has trouble maintaining a job or has difficulty staying in a healthy relationships. If in his unconscious, he really believes he is a loser and unworthy of love, this is what he will keep attracting in to his life. The unconscious mind will be expressed!!

Now what? If I've had a lot of hard knocks in life, all these negative experiences are probably swimming in my unconscious mind, waiting to explode, or worse is actually bringing more negative experiences into my sphere.  C'mon there was my emotionally abusive father, difficult incidences at school, and yo, there's constant negative messages about Blacks in the news, in the movies, there's  misinformation about Jews, there's a lot of crap out there!!

I don't know about y'all, but I find this horrifying!!!

Ok, there are websites that go on and on about this, and they're all quite fascinating. And some suggest meditation and positive affirmations to re-program our unconscious mind. And that's all great. One website had the fascinating perspective that positive affirmations don't truly remove the painful feelings and might just be a lame whitewashing attempt over true pain. Interesting point!!

Well, in Jewish Breslov Chassidic thought, hitbodedut is stressed big time. Hitbodedut is basically talking to G-d.  It's taught that in order to change ourselves, we must imagine the change and we must express this desire in words OUT LOUD.

The world was created with Ten Sayings. Hashem 'spoke' and the world was formed.
We, too, can create with our speech. But it begins in the mind.

The Jews were in Egypt for 210 years. That means they were enslaved for decades upon decades. They had surely adopted a slave mentality. Low self-esteem, depression, misery might have been as common as their daily staple. Yet, there was a glimmer of hope. In their minds, they believed that G-d/ Hashem would save them through a Deliverer. (Remember the Ten Commandments movie. I don't think Moses looked anything like Charlton Heston, but I do love that film!)

And because they believed, this truth became manifest. Not only that, but on the night of their great exodus from Egypt, G-d commanded them to do a sacrifice, a korban Pesach. They were to slaughter the sheep, the god of their enemy. Why was this celebratory act done while they were still in Egypt, still in the mire of that 'dark' place?? I heard a beautiful vort explaining that before a person can actually be free, they have to first imagine themselves free in their mind.

I call this the Emuna Mind.

The Emuna Mind connects to the good that G-d wants to give us. And the Emuna Mind needs speech to exist. G-d doesn't want to see people enslaved, languishing in ghettos with low self-esteem. He doesn't want genocide. He doesn't want the oppression of spirit. When we look around the natural world, we can see how much G-d loves Life, Health, Kindness and Abundance. It's all over the natural world, and it's all over the Torah.

The negativity in our unconscious is most likely going to take us away from that life, love and abundance. I don't need to analyze my unconscious to know that. My unconscious is my Egypt, where my enslaved mind hides. I know 'cuz  I've had hard knocks!! And so have you.

Jews are commanded to remember the Exodus from Egypt every day. Egypt is a difficult place to leave. Most of the people chose to stay and did not leave with Moses. And once in the desert, even the brave that left often thought of returning to the familiar comfort of enslavement.

G-d took us out of Egypt. And He does so every day.
But He is looking for our desire to leave.

By speaking honestly to G-d, learning about the good He wants for us, imagining that good manifesting in our lives, and expressing that through our speech, we can revolutionize every cell in our minds, in our bodies and every cell in the whole world to create our Exodus from Egypt.

G-d bless!!

Check it out:
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-difference-between-the-unconscious-and-the-subconscious.htm

http://www.lifetrainings.com/Your-unconscious-mind-is-running-you-life.html

Truth: Warped Thinking of Islam

G-d bless

Truth: Warped Thinking of Islam

G-d have mercy!

Choose Life

The terrorist group Hamas has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel for years.

What is Hamas?? Does Hamas represent the majority Arab population??

We know that Hamas and other terrorist groups generate fear and terror into not just the Jewish nation but also their own people.

I recently saw a video where Hamas crashed a Palistinian wedding party b/c music was playing. They beat up the groom and caused so much havoc. And I ask myself... Do the Arab people really support this??? Are the Saudi Arabians, the Jordanians, the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Iranians and the host of other peoples that make up the Arab world really glad that the rule of terror is the rule of the land?? Is this their Islam in action??

That a bride and groom couldn't even rejoice their personal union and victory with friends???

I hear people say, that the Arab is a "wild ass" of a man. Well, I hear people say that all Black people come from Ham and are cursed. Is this the reality??? Isn't there a free choice to be a better person or are we all cursed and stuck?? These are words taken from our holy Tanach/Bible and twisted by low-self esteem kind of folks to keep others down.

If we insist on focusing on the Arabs as a wild ass, then we are making this our reality with all its consequences. We are sending a spiritual energy into every crevices of reality to make this idea become true. For us and for them.

R. Nachman writes that when we are beset by judgment, the way to mitigate judgment is by judging oneself. Then there is no need for the Heavenly Court to judge us b/c the job is already being done. No one is perfect. This crazy world has a lot of challenges. As Jews we have to make a living, raise our children, pay taxes, improve on our character traits, full fill the commandments (it's not just 10 either!) and be a light unto the nations. Yes, we took on this responsibility. It ain't easy being a Jew.

 But we have to push more. Because people need each other. And people need to be built up. Not broken down. And certainly not killed physically or spiritually.

If in the recesses of our mind or in the inner chambers of our homes, we lose sight of our position and role and belittle the Arab nation or Blacks, or ANY OTHER GROUP, then we are not full filling our roles. Because just like we have holy sparks, every single one of these groups also have holy sparks to elevate and to celebrate.

Every single one. Every one wants to live.

I saw a picture of an Arab woman dressing her little son into a terrorist outfit. Is this sane??? What mother sincerely wants to send her children out to war to possibly die??? It goes against a natural human instinct. So why do it??

I'll ask another question. Why would an abused child grow up to become an alcoholic and continually poison his /her body???

I believe there is a deep deep deep level of low self-esteem going on here. Why else would people gravitate towards death?? They have nothing to live for?

Now, in this current war with Hamas, Israel cannot afford to put down her weapons and send therapists into Gaza to mend old emotional wounds. That would be ridiculous. The evil Hamas that chokes up life for Jews and for Arabs must be eradicated and eliminated once and for all. B/c anything that wants to kill life is essentially un-G-dly.

"Choose life!" This is what the Torah tells us.
A plan needs to be implemented within ourselves to
1. see the Arab peoples for who they really are: a holy nation created by G-d.
2. and to make an outreach to teach them the Noahide Laws. Y'see, the whole world doesn't need to be Jewish. But to believe in our Creator and to live happy and moral lives, yes!!! Who doesn't want this??

G-d is loving and kind. If Hamas believed that would they really be killing people??? What kind of G-d do they believe in?? G-d wants us to choose life for ourselves and for others. Who doesn't want that?? G-d wants us to be joyous in His world. The world was created so He can give us good.

This is where the Seven Noahide Laws come in.

Now perhaps the mighty nations in the Arab world will insist that they have their own religion, Islam and say, 'thanks but no thanks.' They know more of the Koran than I.

Does it encourage life?? Is there love?? Is there mercy?? Is there kindness??? Is there comfort?? Is there forgiveness?? Is there repentance?? Is there respect for life?? For the lives of all the people that God has created?? Does it encourage growth in one's character?? Does it tie the Arab people to the rest of the world as a family?? Is there joy?? Is there space for others to thrive?? Is it inclusive?? Does one feel safe?? Is there justice as opposed to cruelty?

I believe that today we need more Noahide communities across the globe. Because it will then link more people to the kind of G-d that we, Jews have:  a loving, kind, merciful, and powerful G-d.  The Laws are there to ensure a moral society. Because when there is morality, there is life.

The good Arab peoples need to rebel against Hamas and other terrorist groups. These groups only want death. This is their slogan. "We love death more than the Jews love life." Death for themselves and everyone.

Every single being knows that it is wrong. And yet these killers are also coloring a horrible picture of the Arab nations as a whole. That the good Arab peoples would allow them this evil is wrong.

It is known that the Arab world stems from Ishmael, the son of our forefather Avraham. Avraham's attribute was kindness. For the Arab nations to allow terrorism to rule is an affront to their forefather's legacy! They are much higher than this! Why are they choosing a degraded position as the haters of Jews and the breeders of terrorists??

Yitzack was chosen to continue the line of the Jewish people. Yes. And The Holy Land was promised to the Jewish people. Because the Jews have a specific function. But it does not negate the holiness and the special ness of Ishmael.

When Avraham and Sarah spent years unable to concieve, Sarah suggested that Avraham build the Jewish nation through Hagar. So Avraham married Hagar, and Ishmael was born. However, the Jewish line would continue only from the offspring of Sarah. Hagar was sent away, but in his love, Avraham prayed for Ishamel his son, and God promised to make him a great nation.

A GREAT nation. Not the 'Jewish' nation. A great OTHER nation.

In fact, when Sarah Imenu passes away, who does Avraham go to marry?? He re-marries Hagar! There is a deep connection.  And he remains involved in Ishamael's life. And we see a transformation in both Hagar and Ishmael.  Firstly, our Sages teach us that Ishmael repents. Secondly, we learn that Hagar changes her name to Ketura because her deeds have changed and improved. Ketura means the sweet smelling incense that comes from the offering in the Beit Hamikdash/The Holy Temple. When Hagar changed herself, it is like she killed her old self to become this higher being. It is like she killed the coarser side of herself/the 'wild ass'/ the Hamas.

Her role was not to be the mother of the Jewish nation. Her role was to be the mother of the mighty Arab nation. Her role was to be Avraham's wife at a certain point in history. Her role was to rise from her old identity, from her old habits, from her old ways of thinking, from her old religion and to become spiritually higher and spiritually stronger. To become more connected to Avraham and essentially to God.

Starting over is not simple. It is very humbling. And it takes tremendous work and patience. But both Ketura and Ishmael has the strength and the resolve to take that step and to turn their lives around. By doing so, they have infused this gift and power into their descendants, making it possible for today's Arab people to do the same!!

This is the direction that we need to go, where Ketura and Ishamel connect to Avraham and his line of descendants in a positive and loving way. But this requires changing ourselves. It requires the Jews viewing Arabs as a  righteous people. It requires the Arab people removing this terrorism from their hearts and attaching to Truth. What a powerful connection: The children of Avraham making space for one another and choosing life!

 G-d bless!

Junks or Jewels...

So, it's like food....

Is having a healthy sexual life bland and tasteless??

Just like healthy eating brings vitality, power, and strength to the body, so will a healthy
sexual life...

Healthy is what gives life.

Unhealthy is what takes away life; like the junks

like porn, like masturbation, like sex outside of marriage, like spilling seed, like insensivity towards
ones spouse,

In every nook and corner, you'll read how it is good and helpful to release tension by pleasuring oneself, exploring oneself or what have you. This is what everyone says.

But the Torah says otherwise.

Hey, why you trying to control my life???

Is G-d trying to control your life? That's the great fear. But actually, far from it. In His love, G-d provides advice so that we can CHOOSE the jewels and stay far away from the junks that lead to spiritual nail fungus, diabetes, and cancer...

Get the picture?

And. well, golly do Jews have sex?? Do Noahides??

Listen, G-d doesn't tell a person not to eat b/c it's part of our makeup. We need to eat. And He's not telling us not to have sex. The Torah actually stresses the importance of marriage. In Genesis (2:18 ) it's written ,"it is not good that man be alone." When men and women are unmarried, they are more prone to fall into nasty habits like masturbation and spilling seed.  The seeds implanted in wo/man have a divine source, like everything in the world.

And is not meant to be thrown away for fleeting pleasure.

So, then what?? Are we doomed to hush our flaming passions into the somber chambers of a religious institution and watch forlornly as all our sexuality and spirit are squeezed out of us,  turning us into bland and dull-eyed monks??

Wouldn't you like to think so?

But if the question is never asked of what we SHOULD be doing, then yes, it will seem like it.

Just like how healthy eating at first seems like a cruel death for our taste buds!!

But it's not really death is it?? It's actually life. 

And it can taste good.

First, we need a healthy dose of curiousity to hear what G-d has to say about sexuality in the Torah....

G-d bless!!!

Africa Can and Will have a Brighter Future

G-d bless!

check it out:
http://www.jhasol.org/JHAaboutus/about_jewish_heart_for_africa/about_us.html

Azamra...Africa!!!