AH Guest Writer : What’s Kabbalah All About ? Part .3


Guest Article By : Beverly Nadler CH CMT

My Spiritual Journey and Discovery of Kabbalah
I came upon Kabbalah after years of studying psychology, philosophy, Hermetic Philosophy, metaphysics, spiritual teachings of the East, teachings of Western mystics (Rudolph Steiner, Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, New Thought (Science of Mind, Unity) and so called “New Age” teachings. (I don’t even want to tell you how much money I spent!

To say my passion to “know” and “understand” was costly, is a vast understatement. However, I know that all my time, effort and money was a valuable investment. As a trainer and author whose subject matter includes Spiritual and Mental Law and techniques for reprogramming the subconscious mind, I need to learn from many sources and viewpoints, so that I can clarify, integrate and correlate many diverse, and often conflicting, teachings. I also must be able to discern true teachings from false dogma. My teaching is my “mission” and requires that I simplify complex profound principles and make them practical for people (myself included) so they can create a better life for themselves and their families.

I was fortunate that my first serious personal growth/spiritual study was Concept Therapy in the late 1960s. (I had dabbled in psychology and philosophy since childhood and enjoyed reading classic motivational books like “Think and Grow Rich”, “The Magic of Believing” and “The Power of Positive Thinking.”) I consider Concept-Therapy the foundation for everything I learned thereafter.

It introduced me to principles of physics, metaphysics and quantum physics and is one of the most comprehensive trainings on the spiritual, mental and physical laws of the Universe. (Hmmm…I wonder if the Founder of Concept-Therapy, Dr. Thurman Fleet, was influenced by Kabbalah?)

In the late 1980s I read “something” (don’t recall what) that hit a resonant chord within me and I decided to investigate Kabbalah. Much to my surprise a Centre was near my home, which was in Queens, New York, at the time. To my even greater surprise, I discovered that much of what I had been learning and teaching was part of the mystical teachings of Judiasm, my own heritage. I soon embraced the teachings, although I am not a Kabbalist. Being a Kabbalist is a full-time job, a life-long mission and commitment that requires far greater knowledge and study than I, and even devoted students of Kabbalah, can devote.

Remarkable Experience at My Mother’s Funeral
In 1990, Rabbi Philip Berg officiated at my mother’s funeral (this was before he was known as “the Rav”). In the last year of her life, my mother attended services at the Kabbalah Centre with me, one of my daughters, her two sons (my brothers) and her sister (my aunt). Kabbalah gave her a tremendous sense of peace. However, her illness was far beyond Divine Intervention, and she peacefully departed on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year).

I remember well when I told Rabbi Berg that I wanted to speak at her funeral. I was not aware at the time that it was against orthodox Jewish law for a woman to speak at a funeral (don’t ask me why – knowledge of Jewish rituals and laws are not my area of expertise).

I then proceeded to inform Rabbi Berg what I wanted him to say about my mother. He listened politely for about 30 seconds and then said, in his booming authoritative voice: “Do you want me to say what YOU want me to say OR do you want me to say what your MOTHER wants to tell me to say?” Needless to say, I shut my mouth.

At the funeral, I was stunned when I heard Rabbi Berg’s dedication to my mother’s memory. Not only did he say everything I wanted him to say, but he said much more, including words and phrases that sounded exactly like my mother and what she would have wanted him to say about her.

As the Rabbi spoke, I felt something “nudge” me to look up to the sky, and there I “saw” an image of my mother, smiling, blowing kisses and telling me “I’m fine”. To say the least, sad as I was, Rabbi Berg’s words — which convinced me he had communicated with my mother — and my vision of her, made this a remarkable day for me.

Kabbalah on TV’s 20/20
In June 2005, 20/20 presented its viewers with a large segment on Kabbalah, most of which was about the Kabbalah Center. While there were dissenters, including Orthodox rabbis and Kabbalists, most of the program was extremely favorable. One man who was interviewed — a non-Jewish Texas attorney and former FBI agent — was filmed participating with other joyous revelers at a thrilling Kabbalah celebration in Israel. When interviewed privately, he said he wasn’t sure exactly “why and how “ Kabbalah worked, he only knows that it does! His life has taken some positive and remarkable turns since he began to study Kabbalah.

When the Bergs were questioned about dissatisfied former Kabbalah Centre members who complained that the Centre sells too many products (including water blessed by the Rav), and charges too much for their classes, books and products, they disagreed that they over-charge and pointed out that every religion, church and temple is supported by their congregation. And while Kabbalah doesn’t consider itself “a religion”, it still needs and expects the support of the people who benefit from the teachings.

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