How to Be Spiritual

I think the above comment is very clever and thoughtful. You'll find him wherever truthful purposeful desire resides, whether it be with good people or with the warmth of the sun. Reply

I like the idea to be with Him here down on earth, because here is a lot of good potential to fulfill His obligation for a goodly earth. And I think that this potential can even become more stronger, when I find someone who shares that life with me, because love is such a powerful light. I mean, can you imagine yourself that a woman has to stay alone, because of being what she is? I am just myself and need to be seen and accepted as I am. Reply

"The purpose is here now" ~ The purpose is the same as ever. Reply

Someone said that choosing one or the other is being judgemental.
No.
Choosing to be with Gd where Gd IS is preferable to trying to be "with GD" where Gd is NOT.

It is EASY to sit alone and meditate and feel the power that this bestows, and to imagine that this is what it means to be close to Gd.

And I may NEED to do this sometimes. It is a great restorative to sit alone with our own soul, especially when we know that each of us has a "godly soul"--a spark of the Divine within, so to speak. So it is permissible, because it is necessary, just as sleep is a necessary restorative.

But we cannot spend our physical universe time asleep. We best spend our lifetime doing more than hiding from other people.

Life is with people. We were sent into the physical universe to uplift it in some small way, not to try to avoid it.

We say a blessing before we eat, and we uplift the food.

We look for the Divine within every person we meet, and we uplift that person. Reply

For some of us once found we walk with the Creator through a huge open road
For others we are aware of being accompanied along the dark lanes we choose
To know that every choice is summed up beforehand delineates the Light & dark
To experience to be alive to have loved to have lost to have won to have failed
But of all of the many graces we have been given -
To share & care is the high speed route that The Creator requires in this world now. Reply

Where is GOD? Simply said, GOD is between our ears, the only place he can be. We are living in the world of physical being and the 5 senses and possibly hallucinations brought on by chemical or electrical reactions (Google: "Koren helmet") in the wonderful organ called the brain GOD has given us. On this plane of existence no one can really know GOD. We only can know his intentions and actions (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto).

Just be in the moment and GOD will appear, simple as that. But if our brains are too busy there is no room for GOD. Just as GOD vacated space for physical creation to take place we have to vacate some space to see GOD's hand (so to speak) in our lives. Reply

I think His name YHVH 'I was, I am, I will be' is the correct balance of perspective needed to encounter Him through our experience. Ii is not just the now in which we experience God, sometimes the most profound revelations are looking back, sometimes our hope and dreams bring us closer. If the 'I am' is now, then it is not enough to be consumed with the present. We must have a healthy balance between the now, past and present. So yes meet with him now, but also be able to maintain a space and distance from this moment in order to also engage with Him beyond the moment. Reply

You need both!! Tzvi, I sense you are making a subtle distinction between Eastern ways and Judaism. You are caught in the "Diabolical" swamp of Duality here! Both are needed! Sometimes one must leave "Home" to experience and receive something "New". Once that is obtained then you return from whence you came and Know "It" for the first time. You return because as Hillel says: "Do not forsake the Lower for the Higher"...that also implies "Do not forsake the Higher for the Lower"! An equilibrium between both experiences is desperately needed today!! Reply

Brilliantly explained as always Thank you again
The Light of The Creator permeates all that is .Seen and unseen
It is an amazing comfort to understand Yet it can be so difficult to fully grasp when it
seems that all is lost. Fear not. It is simply another lesson in our souls journey Reply

We are each Yula and Harriet This is not a competition or a judgement of anyone. The "Yula" in each of us needs to bring us to the "Harriet" in each of us. i.e. meditation and contemplation needs to bring us to action, to giving.
But is the mundane world really in such a need of resuscitation? If it is recreated at every moment, and G-d fills the World, then isn't it really just our humility that is lacking? I love the idea of going through my day and just looking for ways to reveal G-dliness - it is amazing - I like the idea that it is ALL HIS - we can give our problems to Him-He owns them, not us. see article "Punishments or Gifts" on chabad.org - really excellent ! Reply

old question There is the age old argument that Abraham was closer to G-d than Noah. I do not accept the comparison/judgement. Noah was a tzaddik/ monotheist that G-d spoke to ,to save the world. Abraham was a tzaddik that actively spread the monotheism of Hashem.

Harriet and Yula both have strengths and weaknesses.

Yula and Harriet are equidistant from G-d. So are you; so am i . It's a level playing field. We are all on it. In Torah, G-d is seen to favour Moses. Well, there is a little bit of Moses in each one of us. We are the chosen people. I don't think G-d chose us and then started making a list of who is closer. So, who are we to do it ? You have asked a trick question.

My post is open to debate. Debate, not argument. Debate is positive/healthy; arguments only have destruction/losers.

I read somewhere that R. Akiva had 24,000 students. They all died in a short time span because they were jealous and judgmental of each other. Akiva told his next class, "Love your fellow man" Or else. Reply

Thanks, Laiv - well said. I just want to say I really appreciate what Laiv said. Especially mentioning patience and compassion - I appreciate the reminder at the start of my day to be patient and show compassion- very good. Thank you ! And it fits in so well with this week of Hod - Humility - cause isn't that what we are talking about - being G-dly is putting ourselves aside and just giving in whatever way we can. Like the schoolteacher. Reply

how to be spiritual well, to me, G-d is everywhere. we are all part of G-d's world, each gifted in some way to contribute. I have to believe G-d works with each of us in different ways, so - for one to feel inferior for their minimal capabilities, or to be judged as not 'spiritual' enough is not what Chabbad teaches, at least that's what's preached, obviously not practiced. we are all an integral part of this beautiful world. maybe an individual is not capable to teach, BUT i know for a fact that a simple person can be a light to even the most 'enlightened' person. Reply

Relativity In our post-modern, relativistic times, judgments such as the one that I asked readers to make here are very un-pc. But especially today, this is a call we're going to have to make: Is our purpose here the spiritual elevation of our own souls, or the transformation and spiritual elevation of the mundane world in which we live?

Why is the decision so crucial? Because the mundane world is in desperate need of a resuscitation of spirit. If all the spiritually inclined souls will abandon it, how will that spirit ever return? Reply

Who of you are investors? Yula and Harriet are in their respective world. But G-d on which side is? Our G-d is very human, more than a simple human: He is an investor. In Yula's world He hasn't invested and in Harriet's He has done it. To me the obvious question is: Does G-d care for the investors? Does G-d care for the investments themselves?
All I can think of is that if you are an investor better protect your assets. Get a Mezuzah or wear a Tefillin or get the advice of a good Rabbi on how to protect fortunes. Reply

Who is close to G-D? Are we all being spiritually connected here? Posting comments, sharing our opinions, growing as one spiritually with one G-d or are we here because we were brought here physically? Who is close to G-d? We are all close to G-d physically mentally and spiritually Reply

Being Spiritual. I believe the later rather than the former is correct. God made the earth out of love and imbeded his essence in every bit of it. And he has left us alone. Inspite of the fact that he has given us the manual of life on earth i.e. The Bible. he keeps communicating with us through his spirit and his servants the prophets and teachers. Therefore, whoever must be holy must invest in mankind, Gods greatest investment. e.g. Harriet. Reply

Can a human make this call? Some of them volunteer. Others have no choice. Though few will ever realize that still, small voice. Reply