The Course in Jewish healing                    September  2011

A quick tour through The Four Worlds of Jewish Mysticism

The World of Action-Earth

The World of Formation-Water

The World of Creation-Fire

The World of Emanation-Air

Understanding Healing
Healing derives from within, not from others or outside sources. Your physician, your psychotherapist cannot really know what you feel inside; only you know. That is why you must become responsible for your own healing. Health care professionals can only inform and guide you, but you must make the ultimate choices as to how your healing will proceed. You have to work at your own pace, at your own level, rather than having anyone tell you what you should be doing or where you should be. Healing takes place in life, not in a health care professional's office. Your own daily life experiences are your best teachers, only if you pay attention to what each momentary occurrence is trying to tell you.
Psychoneuroimmunology
Jewish healing can assist in the effectiveness of professional medical or psychological treatment. Many doctors today recognize the efficacy of alternative medicine, the combination of holistic therapies combined with standard medical or psychological procedures.
From "A Framework for Jewish Healing" the notion of psychoneuroimmunology, a relatively new field of medicine that claims the mind provides numerous healing benefits for the body, may have become evident. Spirituality begins in the mind through the power of the imagination and from there filters its way deep into the spiritual dimension. Spirit can be compared to the operating system of your computer; it's responsible for running all the software. Like the computer, we too are programmed to function physically, emotionally and mentally; if there are glitches in our software, some of the programs may not run so well.
Stress
One of the principal causes of human software malfunction is stress. A certain amount of stress is beneficial; it keeps us on our toes. But an over abundance causes the "fight or flight" response to kick in and places many bodily functions in overdrive. Chemical changes occur that create imbalances in our psycho-physical makeup which lays the groundwork for illness. Jewish healing attempts to bring spirit into our lives to untie the knots that bind us.

Disclaimer: this web site does not presume to offer medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as treatment for any physical or psychological disorder without the consent of a physician, psychologist or psychotherapist. This site should not be a substitute for proper medical and psychological care. You can use the resources here to complement professional intervention. In the event you use any of the information on this web site, the author or web master does not assume any responsibility for your actions. The intent of this web site is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for personal growth and healing.

The Four Worlds of Jewish Mysticism
The Zohar, the authoritative text of Jewish mysticism teaches the concept of universes or worlds which contains the fundamentals of Jewish healing. These worlds, which are nothing more than shades of energy that span the boundaries between heaven and earth, have been understood by ancient civilizations since the dawn of mankind. The Jewish worlds were limited to four--other cultures ascribe other numbers--and these correspond to the ancient natural elements of earth, water, fire and air. In Judaism they are the Worlds of Assiah (action), Beriah (formation), Yetsirah (creation) and Atzilut (emanation). These four also relate to the yod, heh, vav, heh; God's ineffable name.
Each session of our healing journey will take us through each of the four worlds. The element of earth relates to the body and its sensations; water pertains to every facet of our emotions and relationships. Fire is the energy of the mind, like those electrical impulses that go whizzing around inside our brain; and air, with its delicate, vaporous characteristics brings to mind our spiritual nature.
Our definition of health assumes that each of the four elements needs to be in balance with one another. Either excess or a deficiency of any one of the four contains the cause of illness. In other words, a disease state is an imbalance of the body/mind continuum, otherwise known as the four worlds.

Our Goal For September 2001 
Opening the self                       UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Opening the self is a process that begins in silence as we spend time observing and exploring our breathing, the sensations and feelings in our bodies, the thoughts and images in our minds. The answer to any of life's problems, whether global as the threat of war, or as personal as coping with the loss of a loved one, begins with such awareness.
Awakening to our life means to dig beneath the layers of pain to find hidden treasures. These treasures are an openness of heart, an ability to feel. We can become unafraid of expressing pain or sadness, or of showing uncertainty. The richness of our lives is the ability to trust ourselves, to share our particular wisdom and insight.
The task of exploration is strenuous; it calls for patience, courage and perseverance. As pioneers of the mind, we go wholeheartedly into the unknown. As we sit and explore who we are, we find that nothing separate, solid or static exists. Who we are is revealed as a changing process of body/mind. In this acknowledgment we become the love, the light, of which the universe is made.

A Journey Through Four Worlds
This month we continue work on the Four Worlds. It is not necessary to start at the beginning; you could start
anywhere that's most comfortable, doing any one or all of the exercises in each World.
When working on any of the Worlds, it is important to try to keep your body as relaxed as possible and
breathe deeply. It could also be helpful to keep your eyes closed. We suggest you print out these pages to
work from. Some people prefer to record the exercises on a tape recorder, so your own voice provides the
necessary guidance. Healing work takes place on all levels concurrently. Remember God is the healer; we are his
partners in the process. It is our own responsibility to do the necessary work.
 

Earth [top of page]                                The World of Assiyah                                                     The Body
This exercise and those to follow in future months are designed to bring renewed awareness to the body. In
the process of growing up we lost much of the sensitivity of our bodies. As infants we relied heavily of
physical sensations, like wet, hungry or uncomfortable. The years of intellectual education has brought our
focus into our minds--we learned to think matters through--while leaving the sensations of the body behind.
The body is our source of spiritual and healing wisdom. Getting in touch with our bodies brings up clues to
what's gone wrong, physically or emotionally. Our emotions, for example, are actually feelings--sensations
we experience somewhere in our bodies. Spiritually our bodies live in the present moment where we are
most capable of encountering God, our source of healing energy.

     - Being aware of your body means having your attention fully in your body so that mind and body
     become united.
     - Being aware of your body quiets your mind and reawakens your senses. As you become more and
     more aware, your self-confidence grows.
     - With greater awareness of the body, you can learn to take more responsibility for your own well
     being.

for September
Contacting your body wisdom
1. Lie down on a rug or firm bed and get comfortable. Begin by taking several slow, deep breaths.
2. When you feel ready, imagine yourself standing on a beautiful garden somewhere upon the Earth. Feel your feet firmly on the ground, and let the weight of your body be balanced on both feet.
3. Nearby you see a cabin and a sign on the door reads "The Wise Healer". Open the door and walk in to a room laden with ancient texts to meet the wise healer.
4. This is someone who knows all about you--the one who represents your body wisdom. This person has to all the information concerning your state of health and what is necessary for its improvement.
5. Sit down in the chair across from the healer and ask both general and specific questions about yourself. Allow yourself to be passively receptive to what comes through, without demanding answers. Your answers may be communicated with words or images or muscular sensations or feeling states. Just be receptive and attentive to the messages.
6. Having received the messages you need, sit in silence with the healer for a few minutes in deep communion and recognition.
7. When you are ready to take leave, thank the healer for the wisdom offered and the understanding received.
8. As you leave, retrace your steps back to the garden from where you came, feeling your body integrating the new found knowledge with every step you take.
9. As you return to your waking state of consciousness, get up and walk about. And dance the discoveries you have made.

Brachah for healing the body: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe who heals all flesh and acts wondrously.

Water [top of page]                                             The World of Beriah                                     Emotions
Water is one of the purifying forces in Jewish literature. Notice the Torah passages that relate to purification by water (The Flood, The Parting of the Sea and the ritual of mikveh).  Water element issues relate to relationships, sexuality, reproductive or urinary disorders. If you have concerns in any of these areas, it could be helpful to concentrate your healing efforts in this direction.

Self esteem. Positive self esteem is our deepest psychological need. Self esteem is the experience of being competent to deal with the challenges of life and of being deserving of happiness.  Negative beliefs about yourself  trigger negative feelings. If what you believe about yourself  is in conflict with reality, you are bound to react with painful emotions. Poor self esteem are mind patterns that we have learned in growing up, but it is possible to exchange old, useless ideas with ones that are more in touch with reality. These are a few examples of beliefs that you may have learned from your childhood.
 

How does your belief system injure your self esteem? Make up a similar list of your own beliefs.

Learning more about yourself is an important step in the process of healing. Through deep personal introspection, you can begin to recognize behavior patterns in your life that may be inappropriate which may prevent you from living your life fully. You can discover areas in your life that needs change? It may be helpful to keep a journal of your responses to these questions and those that will appear in future months.
 
 
 

for September
Letting Go
To enjoy a healthy emotional life, it is important to let go of the deep hurts that you have been holding on to from the past. In order to be free and have peace of mind, we have to learn to release the anger resentment or bitterness that we may feel toward someone who has deeply hurt us or the guilt we may feel about a past mistake.
It is not always easy to let go of past hurts. They beome quite familiar to us and we may have built our identity around these feelings. Unfortunately, we are the losers. We have emotionally handcuffed ourselves to the hurt, dragging it around with us where ever we go. How do we let go? Here is one exercise that can assist you in the process.

1. Imagine a long tunnel that represents your life. Experience this as a safe and healing tunnel. Experience yourself as courageous and truly ready to let go and be free. Notice that the tunnel starts from the present time and goes all the way back to when your were born. Close your eyes and view the tunnel of your life
2. In your imagination take a step back into this tunnel, a step that represents the last five years of your life. In this recent past are there any people including yourself, toward whom you hold resentment, anger, bitterness, or guilt? Close your eyes and identify the people, deceased or alive, if there are any.
3. If there is more than one person, start with one and picture himor her in the healing tunnel with you. Gently begin to relate and communicate your thoughts and feelings to this person. Tell him or her why you felt hurt. Share as fully and honestly as you can. Close your eyes and begin yur communication. Let it last as long as necesary to achieve a thorough understanding.
4. Now listen as this person communicates back to you. Allow yourself to fully listen and hear their truth. Take a deep breath and for a few moments consider both truths, his or hers and yours. Close your eyes and listen carefully to the other person.
5. Gently begin to let go of the burden of your resentment toward this person or yourself. Feel your inner strength and courage. Take a deep breath and, in what ever way feels good to you, release this stuck emotional energy. As you release this bitterness or anger you are holding, notice how freeing it is, and how light it makes you feel. Close your eyes and experience the release.
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each person from the last five years of your life toward whom you harbor unresolved negative feelings.
7. Go back through your life tunnel at five-year intervals and repeat steps 2 through 6.
8. If you did this exercise wholeheartedly, you are likely to feel lighter and emotionally open. Spend some time with this feeling before you move on. Allow yourself the gift of savoring a tender moment with yourself. To complete this experience, imagine your body bathed in white healing light.

Review these questions again and note which answers create some negative feeling in your body. The ones that create the sensation are probably the ones that need to be changed. You can make the changes by sitting with the feeling a few minutes, breathing deeply and repeat the difficult questions as often as you feel necessary. In time the negative feelings will subside and the belief will no longer have hold on you.

Brachah for healing the emotions: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe who gives strength to the weary.

Fire [top of page]                                 The World of Yetzirah                                                    Thought
Fire is one of the purifying and transforming forces in Jewish literature. Notice the Torah passages that relate to purification by fire (The Sacrificial system and the burnt offerings). Fire element issues relate to power, control, powerlessness, the digestive system... If you have concerns in any of these areas, it could be helpful to concentrate your healing efforts in this direction.
Light is a very effective means to heal physical ailments. Before you begin, there are two preparatory aspects you need to keep in mind. The first is to activate your source of  healing power and the second is to is to determine what your ailment actually feels like. This doesn't have to be a clear mental decision, a vague impression will do fine. Create a relaxed atmosphere for yourself before beginning any visualization whether for relief from mental or physical ailments.

Find your source of healing energy. God is the Jewish source of healing energy, but it's difficult, if not impossible, to visualize an inexpressible, transcendent God. We could however devise a symbolic image to serve our purposes. Images such as a brilliant light, a laser beam, a golden shimmering ball, a fully lit menorah or even a wise old counselor, could work well. It is important as a first step to design an image of healing energy that feels right to you.

for September
We look to God as the source of everything we need: our wisdom, our food, our livelihood and our healing...everything. Being created in the image of God, it is actually ourselves who is responsible for supplying these basic needs, including healing. We must find the tools we need and learn how to utilize them effectively and then we can properly thank the living God for the blessings we have received. The following exercise, like so many of the ones we have already done, is just one of many that you can find from many different sources: books, audio and video tapes, classes, conferences, etc. It is really up to each one of us to research and locate what works best, then we can reclaim the old adage that "all healing is self-healing".

Releasing judgment
The following exercise gets us to look at the ways in which we have internalized judgment.We use this visualization to release years of miseducation and misunderstanding. We have been taught that to grow we must continually have our shortcomings pointed out to us, and not necessarily in the most loving way. How many of us have endured ridicule and mockery during our years in the educational process?

1. Sit or lie down, relax your body as much as possible , and and start to notice the flow of your breath.

2. As you breathe through your body, you may come to a place that feels tight or tense or painful. It could represent a blockage, a holding of energy. It may be in the tightness of your jaw, in the hunch of your shoulders or in the pit of your stomach.

3. Breathe into that tight place, feel the flow of your breath opening that space and allowing an image of a judgmental figure to appear in you mind. This figure may be someone you know and whose judgments you have experienced or it may be a mythological figure representing the judge. Let this judge to appear before you and allow yourself to feel the pain of being judged. Listen to the many judgments you have heard throughout your life.

4. Now see those images slip away with your outgoing breath. With each exhalation allow those images to be released from your body/mind.

5. Continue by becoming aware of the ways in which you internalized the judge. See, feel and hear the judgments you have made on yourself. See, feel and hear the judgments you have made on other people. Is there a difference? Become aware of your internal judge and allow it to escape from your body/mind each time you exhale.

6. All the thoughts of "You should have known better", "You could have done more", "You shouldn't have done that"--allow all these kinds of thoughts and the feelings that accompany them to come into your consciousness. Bring to the surface all the ideas that you weren't good enough because of who you are, how you live, what you believe. Experience how all these judgments have limited you, have harmed you, and begin to allow those thoughts to escape with each out breath.

7. Go deeper into your experience of judgment and allow the figure of judgment be erased and its voice silenced.  Let the pain of judgment be released more and more with each exhalation. Now forgive yourself for believing those judgments and behaving in a judgmental way. Forgive yourself and forgive anyone else who you need to forgive.

8. Go back and focus on your breathing. Breathe through each part of your body and pay particular attention to the place where you were holding judgment before you let it release. Direct a loving feeling into that place and into your whole body/mind. Send warmth an compassion to yourself and to all people. Know that if the judge returns again you have the power to release it again.

Brachah for healing through the mind: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe who gives the heart
understanding to distinguish between day and night.

Air [top of page]                            The World of Atzilut                                                    Spirit
1. Faith is the essential requirement to actualize the healing work that you have done so far. At times it is
more meaningful to have faith that your connection to spirit can effect your healing, more than the healing
work itself. It's not often easy, particularly at times at times of unsettling news, to believe in the awesome
healing possibilities of God, but it can start in small ways. We can start with trust, a quality a little more
down-to-earth. Consider some of the ways we put trust in our everyday affairs--depositing money in the
bank or buying food that's fresh from the market. Once you compile such a list, consider what it would take
to put trust in God's healing abilities. Belief in God's fervent desire to bestow good on mankind is probably
the most effective healing tool of all.

2. Another means to invoke the healing powers of the spiritual dimension is to recite healing psalms. The
celebrated Hasidic master, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) isolated ten particular psalms as
healing psalms. These songs, better known as Tikkun HaKlali, the complete remedy, are considered to
have special power for healing the body, mind and spirit.
The following is the one hundred and fiftieth psalm, the tenth and last psalm of the complete remedy. The suggested method to
extract the most value from psalms is to read one daily for a month, and during each successive reading
attempt to find new and personal meaning in the words and the verses.

           Psalm 150for September
1. Praise God. Praise the Almighty in His Sanctuary; praise God in the firmament of His might.
2. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness.
3.  Praise Him with the blowing of the shofar; praise Him with lyre and harp.
4.  Praise Him with drum and dance. Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5. Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Praise Him with clanging cymbals.
6. Let every soul praise God. Praise God.

3. Take on the Mitzvah of tz'dakah in your life. Tz'dakah is generally taken to mean giving money to charity.
The word actually is translated as righteousness, not charity. It suggests that we give something or be of
service to others, not necessarily money. For your healing welfare, try to find a project where you can give
to others. It might include visiting the sick regularly, visiting the elderly and the shut-ins, teaching a skill to
someone less accomplished than yourself, listening intensely to anyone who has a burdensome story to
tell. There are unlimited possibilities for giving tz'dakah; if you can't find any, than just give money.

Brachah for healing of spirit: My God, the soul you have placed in me is pure. You created it, You fashioned it, You breathed
it into me, You safeguard it within me, and eventually You will take it from me, and restore it to me in Time to Come. As long
as the soul is within me, I gratefully thank you, HASHEM, my God and the God of my forefathers, Master of all works, Lord of
all souls. Blessed are You, Lord our God, who restores souls to the dead.

Remember healing is an on-going process of taking care of yourself. Have patience, courage and fortitude
and you will prevail. You can start the Course in Jewish Healing at any time. If you have not read,
Groundwork for Jewish Healing, or any of the previous issues of this series, we suggest emailing us for a copy before
you begin the work. The back issues contain material which provide background material to this months Journey Through Four Worlds