Kabbalistic Healing and its Relevance to Modern Life
by Jodi Shuli Prinzivalli, ND, PhD

The past few decades have seen the renewal of interest in the healing world and the spiritual path, with more and more people seeking ways to make their lives more meaningful. Yet the old-fashioned spiritual paths involving either asceticism or religious dogma are no longer appealing to those of us living in the modern day world. We need a spirituality that is both meaningful and practical, that is an enhancement of the life we are living rather than a renunciation of it. This is a time when practical mysticism is at its greatest relevance. Yet equally important, we need a foundational teaching that is rooted in age-old, tried and true tradition that has survived the test of time and proven itself as something more sustainable than a new-age fad or glamorous but short-lived teaching.

This is where the tradition of Kabbalah becomes most significant. Kabbalistic healing is rooted in the tradition of the sages, while remaining a living organic art and science that can be applied to the changing times. The origins of Kabbalah are surrounded in the mystique of every great tradition, but the work of the Kabbalists of Safed in the 1500's brought the essence of it into outer form and practical spiritual discipline. Its relevance today remains because it deals with the world of archetypes and root-cause metaphor rather than the outer manifestation. We therefore have a teaching whose emphasis is on the pre-creational cause of suffering and well being, providing skills to bring about meaningful change and body/mind wellness.

The current controversy in Kabbalistic circles is whether the time has come for the general population to be brought into these teachings. In ages past, the great masters taught that only married Jewish men over forty were of the capacity to receive these teachings and use them wisely. But a great and widely renowned Kabbalist, Issac Luria, stated almost 500 years ago that the time had come for this science to be brought out to the public and that the world was of sufficient maturity for these teachings to be given to everyone. Though the debate continues, it suffices to say that these are powerful concepts, but concepts which are vital to the world in which we now live, especially in light of the recent and continuing tragedies here and around the world. The time has come that we risk more if we do not study the teachings of the sages such as Kabbalah or other spiritual disciplines that go beyond the rigidity of traditional religion. The time has come for us all to understand the workings of the unseen world in a way that is practical and that helps make real change in the way we live in the third millennium.

All of that said, I wish to share with you two primary concepts of Kabbalah, concepts that mark places where Kabbalah might be different from other modalities, specifically in the way that healing is taught and held in this tradition. The first is the concept of embodiment.  The Kabbalists believe, contrary to many healing arts and sciences, that healing cannot be given to or done to or made to happen by the healer. Energy is never willfully or intentionally moved, changed, pushed in or pulled out. The will of the healer is considered not only irrelevant but often a hindrance to the healing force. The skill of the healer lies therefore in a completely different arena than with most energetic and traditional medicine techniques. The skill lies in the complete absence of the self, absence of ideas about healing, about what should happen, even through clairvoyant vision or high sense perception. The skill involves becoming a completely empty vessel so that the Divine Intelligence can find its place. And ironically, the more skilled the healer, the more difficult this becomes, since we need to unlearn old patterns.  

This concept of absence of self to allow the Divine healing (or 'tikkun') to emerge is rooted in an ancient teaching about creation, called the tzimtzum. The Kabbalists teach that in the beginning, God was all pervasive and all encompassing. In order for something new to be created, S/He had to withdraw itself back in order to create a space for something 'other' to exist. This withdrawal of Self was called the tzimtzum and was the pre-creational act that allowed for all of existence to be brought into being. The tzim tzum is a profound teaching about relationship. We are taught here that we must withdraw ourselves, with our all-encompassing egos and needs, in order to allow another to exist. To be in relationship, we must let go of some of the psychic space that we tend to fill with our own ideas, needs, wants, and make room for the reality of the other who may be very different.  The tzimtzum shows us that just by the very nature of pulling back and making enough space, the other is more fulfilled. Therefore, in Kabbalistic healing we learn more and more how to pull ourselves back, empty the psychic space so that the other can find the Divine Intelligence and healing, the unique tikkun that is needed specifically for them, without our interference. We create the structure or the vessel in this type of healing. It is similar to the creation of a glass. We create a glass so that the water can be held and fulfill its purpose. But we are the glass, NOT the water. The water is given a place to fulfill itself through our embodiment as a Kabbalist and our "healee" is then able to drink because of the creation of the vessel. Over time, a Kabbalistic healing will teach the other how to hold or embody for themselves and the energetic model is also part of the work.

The second beautiful concept related to embodiment is a teaching from Jason Shulman, founder of Integrated Kabbalistic Healing and a beloved teacher of the Kabbalistic community. He works with the Kabbalistic concept that as the healer, we cleave to a particular quality. In other words, we do not try to "give it" to the other. We just become it. And in the becoming of it, we provide a model for the other in a way that allows them to take at whatever rate they can absorb without causing damage. Most "healing" gone awry is the result of a willful imposition by the healer on to the other, believing that they know what is needed or right for the other. In the ultimate exemplification of the Hippocratic oath, Kabbalists simply embody a quality and allow it to seep out and percolate into the environment in non-intrusive ways. For example, have you ever walked into a room and felt immediately there was "negativity" or "bad vibes?" A Kabbalist will merely look around and search for what quality is missing in this environment, and then cleave to it themselves, embody it themselves, become it themselves. If the environment is chaotic and frantic, the Kabbalist embodies grounded, laser-like quietude, without "doing" anything to anyone, without processing any emotion, without psychologizing, without negotiating, but simply by becoming the thing that is necessary.

One of the many exquisite and beautiful aspects of Kabbalah is that the "healer" receives a healing as strongly as the "healee." There is, in fact, no difference between the two. All Kabbalistic healing should be mutually uplifting and energizing. This is one of the many differentiating qualities of a Divine healing. There is no loss of energy, no depletion, only nourishment and fulfillment for all involved.

Ultimately, the meticulous map of the unseen world that is provided by the Kabbalistic teachings has the potential to teach us about the deepest sources of physical, psychological, and spiritual healing, not just for those of Jewish ancestry but for all who seek relief from suffering. Yet the Jewish culture has seen the departure of many great and beautiful souls who have lost a connection to anything of relevance to their lives from their own tradition. The Kabbalah provides a return path home that brings new meaning, depth and spiritual light to a world filled with suffering, since within these teachings are the resources for every possible human struggle. And in this most amazing and difficult time in human history, we need all the help we can get to find the nourishment and support required to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Dr. Prinzivalli's web site is listed on the JewishLink's "Links" page..