 |
|
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Astrologer's Notes:
Ask Carrin Martin,
Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Martin Lass,
Astrologer
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Erin Sullivan,
Astrologer
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Stellar Scopes
Daija de Mornay
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
The Weekly Horoscope
By Care
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
The BUT Doctor
Healing America's Real Crack Problem One Person at a Time
by Eddie Conner
Avant-Gardening:
Insights by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
Breaking Free:
Anne Brewer
Choices: The Art of Conscious Creation:
by Teri Harris Saa
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Memos From The
First Tabugian
Art Rosengarten, Ph.D.
The Path of Wisdom and Love
Dr. John Demartini,
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care
Feng Shui:
Wind & Water:
Carole J. Hyder
In Practice:
How to Create a Successful Holistic Practice- from Start to Success
by Shaun Brown,
CMT, BA BeWell Publications
Spirit in Work
by John Livesay,
Author
The Business of Tarot
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Soulforest:
Tarot and Spirituality
Rachel Pollack,
Tarot Grand Master
Gateway to Tarot:
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Bonnie Cehovet's
Tarot Interviews
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Crystals, Gemstones & Minerals by Kristi of MoonCave
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Other
Novel Moments
Opinion - Editorial
Interviews:
Watch for Upcoming Announcements
Healing & Alternative
Health:
"The Ancient Way of Chinese Medicine"
by Kevin O'Neil
Flower Essences
by Donna Cunningham
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Tools for Heartful Living
by Jackie Woods,
Healer & Spiritual Teacher,
Adawehi Institute
Conscious Breathing
for Health and Self Transformation
by Dennis Lewis
The Directory
The Book Nook
Archives:
Past Issues
General Information:
Editorial Submission
Information:
Articles
Columns
Editorial Opinions
"Opinion - Editorial"
General Content
Event Calendars
Graphics & Photos
Editorial Deadlines
Advertising Promotion:
Advertising
Information &
Opportunities
About
The Meta Arts
Magazine
Contact Us
Legal Notices
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creating Bridges: Spirituality & Philosophy:
Kabbalah: "Letters from Heaven:"
Spiritual Guidance from the Hebrew Alphabet
Lamed
Higher Purpose
To learn a lesson of lamed
Teach what is in your heart
And walk very slowly
by Avigayil Landsman
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dedication
Rabbi Jonathan Kligler has been a dynamic force in my life for fourteen years. He was a beacon of light during the darkest times in my life, holding out the possibility for resolutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. He has always encouraged me to be the best I can with deep love and belief in my abilities. Back in 1992 when I first considered becoming an adult bat mitzvah, Jonathan loaned me his copy of "The Book of Letters," by Lawrence Kushner that launched my love affair with the Hebrew aleph-beit.
This was a seed planted in my soul that has flowered into the love of my life, Letters from Heaven. I think he saw my talents before I was aware of them. He recognized my teaching abilities and understood my shyness and gently encouraged me to present div'rai Torah (words of Torah, lectures). I dedicate this month's teaching to Jonathan because he is a man of great heart who loves to learn and to teach. For Jonathan, life is a continual lesson in opening to love. One look into this man's sparkling eyes and you will know what I mean. Jonathan's life has had many twists and turns that resonate with the energy of lamed-finding one's higher purpose. He had other professions before becoming a rabbi. At one point in his life, he heard that "still, small voice" that told him this was what he had to do. It was not an easy transition for him, but he followed his deepest intuition, combining his comedic, musical and dance talents, and his progressive politics with his reverence for the many facets of Judaism.
In September you'll find him under a huge tent in front of 2,000 people, singing soulful melodies of the Jewish new year and offering profoundly deep spiritual sermons that bring them to tears and by late winter you will have to hold your belly from laughing as he performs in a brilliantly funny Purim Shpeil. Add to that, the rousing musical performances with the likes of Kim and Reggie Harris and you'll understand why the Woodstock Jewish Congregation has been dubbed a "cool shul." My Woodstock chevra (holy community) are deeply fortunate and grateful to have this funny, gifted, caring, wise, loving, inspirational man as our spiritual leader.
The Path of Lamed
The sound of lamed is "l,"as in "love." Lamed is made by attaching a vav to the top left of chaf. It is the only letter of the twenty-two letters of the aleph-beit that has an ascender, a line that rises above the writing line. This unique feature indicates lamed's special message of taking the lessons gleaned through triumphing over adversity (chaf) and connecting to God (vav) in order to rise to one's higher purpose in life. Often the path to self-knowledge is circuitous and confusing, however, there are others who come into the world knowing just where they belong. I don't know too many people who fall into this elite category, but I am sure they exist. Anyway, challenging stories of self-awareness make for the best in cinema and provide therapists with plenty of clients.
Spelling it out
In The "Letters of Rabbi Akiva," the spelling of the letter lamed: lamed, mem, dalet stands for the phrase: lev maivin da'at. This phrase means "a heart that understands knowledge." Da'at, Hebrew for knowledge is known as the eleventh sephira(as in George Martin was the fifth Beatle because even though he wasn't seen, his presence was influential) in the Tree of Life that mediates between chochmah and binah, wisdom and understanding respectively. Da'at also mediates between keter, the crown and tiferet: heart, compassion. Da'at is the place of knowing that resides somewhere between the unknowable cosmic wisdom and the wisdom of the heart.
Quoth the Snake, "Hey man, can you relate?"
In the story of Adam and Eve, nachash, snake in Hebrew, convinces them to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge: Da'at. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil brings awareness of Cause and Effect. What we learn from this is that hidden within the tree of Life is knowledge. (Thanks goes to Rachel Pollack's brilliant, new book, The Kabbalah Tree for helping me to develop this insight) The Bible says that Adam "knew" his wife, meaning that he had sexual relations with her. We can then discern that da'at is knowledge of relatedness. It isn't a knowledge as in you know basic mathematics or you know someone because you met them once at a party. Da'at is a knowledge that involves experience. However, without understanding and wisdom, knowledge can be scary. What do you do with it?
The fruit of knowledge is the productivity of our life since fruit, especially many seeded fruit symbolizes fecundity. Both Adam and Eve and the snake are described as being aroomim. This Hebrew word can mean either naked or clever (cunning), depending what vowel is used. Because the Torah was written without vowels, we can switch aroomim to aromim. We can read that Adam and Eve were cunning and the snake naked, for example. We could also read that Adam, Eve and the snake were all naked or that they were all cunning. Once Adam and Eve eat of the Tree of Knowledge, their passion for each other is aroused because they become aware of the fact that they are naked. Perhaps the snake is naked in his full disclosure of his passion. He's obviously eaten of the fruit and wants to share the wealth.
The story of the Garden of Eden is a metaphor of developmental psychology as well as the development of consciousness. Young children are not self-conscious about their bodies because they have no awareness of their nakedness. They also have no understanding of how their needs are met(cause and effect). Once adolescence hits, however, those hormones let them know all the implications of nakedness and cunning! Is there any other population more cunning than an aroused teen? The fruit they eat, the apple or perhaps pomegranate represents fertility. Until they eat, and "know" their nakedness, they cannot know fertility, in other words, they can't reproduce. The "punishment" for this "sin" is mortality.
Prior to the fruit fest, Adam and Eve were immortal beings. But, as my son, Philip so aptly pointed out; their immortality would have ended the story. Sure they didn't die, but they weren't going to have anyone to come after them, either, to spice things up. After all, what good is fruit without some nuts? God, who loves stories, especially complicated, dramatic ones, had to lure these boring, static characters into some kind of intrigue. The pain of childbirth speaks of the pain of birthing anything, whether it be a baby or a song, or a relationship. Adam's toil speaks of the necessity of work. No pain, no gain. I've never heard of any truly great work of art that just came out of nowhere. The power of "Guernica" did not just get plopped down on canvas after a Sunday picnic and I know of no deeply connected couple that didn't have an argument here and there.
The success of a truly meaningful relationship, whether it is with God, one's creative works or one's life partner depends on hard work. As Thich Nhat Hanh says, "Understanding is the very foundation of love." And it takes great effort to understand. After all, it is written, "before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." I don't understand how the need to make an effort in life got transformed into sin and punishment. It's really a matter of accepting cause and effect. This awareness shouldn't come as such a big surprise, but somehow this punishment has been taken quite literally and the snake gets the biggest bum rap in history.
Let's have a little more fun with words using gematria, numerology. The numerical equivalent of the word nachash, snake, is the same as the word Meshiach, meaning Enlightened One! Furthermore, nachash also means omen or diviner. Rereading this story with this information turns snake's reputation around 180 degrees: The enlightened one was cunning and encouraged Adam and Eve to experience their naked passion so that they would gain immortality through their offspring. Adam and Eve spoke with the diviner who was possessed with essential vitality, the very stuff that initiates life. They would become immortal not through their merit alone but through the accomplishments of the generations that followed, embracing the concept of hemshech la'asot, the continuation of creation. In the Garden, life was self-perpetuating, but Adam and Eve came to understand that they, having been made in God's image, had to continue the work that God began. As it is written, "The reward of a mitzvah (good deed) is… another mitzvah."
The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden was a necessary developmental milestone in human consciousness. It demanded embracing the core of life-vitality and passion and heralding responsibility for one's sustenance through engaging in the process. Such is the experience of life in its complete, complex whole.
The path to one's higher purpose is one of the heart, lev a word beginning with lamed. Each letter of the word lev is important because lamed is the last letter of the Torah and beit is the first letter of the Torah. The letters individually act as prepositions, meaning in and to, respectively. When you put each letter in front of the tetragrammaton, yud-hey-vav-hey, you spell the words, to me, to her, to him and to her; in me, in her, in him, in her, meaning that one approaches the Torah with heart and enters into oneself through the heart. Lev is at the core of Jewish life as it is to learn and teach, lomed. The value of teaching and learning is held so high, that lamed ascends beyond the writing line! It's soaring towards heaven. Your heart is yearning to soar towards heaven. Lamed represents your higher purpose and you've traveled a long way, over many a twisting road to get to where you want to be. Your heart has always been pointed in this direction, it's just been wending here and there, rather than going in a straight, static, uninteresting line.
As we have said, lamed's teaching is to fulfill our higher purpose. I think of some of my friends' paths, none of which have followed a straight line. They curve away from what their original intent is and meander through many life choices, sometimes coming back to the original spark they felt but denied in their youths and sometimes veering further and further away, never returning to their essential nature. Lamed is telling us to respect God's calling. Our choices, especially early in life, are affected by lack of confidence, authority figures dissuading us from pursuing something deemed "impractical," or simply a lack of funds for the education or materials. Because of our early hurts, our difficulties or conflicts to reach our original goals, we may leave our calling for a time, but through successfully confronting these adversities, we eventually find our true path that points to God This twisting path to one's higher self is heard in "Lech L'cha," the name of a parasha (Torah section) meaning "Go forth!" or alternately, "Go to yourself!" Both words begin with the letter lamed, deepening the meaning of this enigmatic phrase. Lech L'cha is what God says to Abraham, ordering him to leave the comfort of his familiar homeland in search of a new land and a new belief system. Going to yourself is finding out who you are on the inside, behind the mask.
Lamed is the first letter in the words for: teach, learn and heart. This brings to mind my father's saying that knowledge itself is worth nothing unless you apply it to your life. When one teaches and learns fully, involving the heart one will find one's higher purpose. This extra height shows how much Hebrews have always revered learning and teaching. How do we know this is true of lamed? Because lamed is the only letter that has an ascender. This letter is reaching up to the higher source for instruction. After all, an appellation for God is "Rabbaynu Shel Ha Olam", "Teacher of the World." I believe that it is difficult to look deeply into our souls for the answer to the question: Am I doing this only for my self-interests or for the good of all?
These questions are not easily answered. The slow unfolding of our lives reveals the hidden truth. This is the quality of following one's higher purpose. Just as the lamed's connecting rod, a vav stretches the furthest, so we must stretch beyond our comfort zone to find our true path. We must understand that our true path is not necessarily one we'd pick for ourselves. Many spiritual paths take us out of the mainstream luxuries. It is with strong conviction to accept this emet, this truth. It is harsh, because it is not what we want, but what we are called to do in this life. I have to admit that I am partial to lamed. Its energy resonates most closely with me because my life is defined by my passion for learning and teaching to connect with others' hearts. For me, this is the only way to live. My life has not gone in a straight line. I am blessed with many powerful teaching and learning opportunities that feed my soul in ways I never thought possible.
The slow, long road home
There is one more word to remember that starts with lamed. L'at, slow. We cannot be too anxious to find our higher purpose. It is often a very slow process and the many twists in the road that make us go slowly are all important. Lamed reminds me of the Beatles song, "The Long and Winding Road."
The long and winding road, that leads to your door... Don't leave me standing here. Help me find the way.
Perhaps the song was originally directed to an estranged lover, as most popular songs are, but I hear it as a plea to God for direction. When you need direction in your life, look to Lamed's long and winding road that opens the door to your higher purpose.
The threat of snakebite can certainly hurry you on your path. The sudden movement of a striking snake speaks of a spiritual "quickening." In Numbers 21, we find our kvetchy Hebrews walking in the desert, newly freed and complaining that there's nothing good to eat beyond the same old manna that has only one taste. They have forgotten to be grateful for the freedom from harsh slavery. Now that things are lacking a striking dynamic, they bemoan their lot. So it is with our complacency. We've met a recent challenge, things are moving along at an even pace and we start to freak out. Where's the excitement of adventure? As we read the Torah, we find that God doesn't like complaining. He's done everything He could to help his kids and nothing satisfies them for long, so he sends poisonous snakes to bite and kill them. "that oughta liven things up a bit," God says. Moses, the sweet, parental character that he is, prays to God for help. He can't stand idly by and watch the kids getting bitten and dying. God tells Moses to make a snake and put it on a pole. Remember that the Hebrew word for snake is nachash and that its gematria, or numerological value is the same as Meshiach, which means enlightened one. Hmmmm… this is getting interesting, isn't it? Nechoshet, copper, is linked to the word nachash, snake, so Moses makes a copper snake, puts it on a pole and when the bitten Hebrews look up at the snake, they are cured because they have moved their consciousness away from their external suffering (snake bite) and focused their attention in prayer (looking heavenward). This story speaks of our need for moving away from the mundane aspects of life to our higher purpose. Darting snake strikes at the heart of our apathy, sparking energy to move our consciousness to new heights.
The Image
The derivation of lamed is an ox goad, some sort of switch to shock the strong, but oft times sluggish ox. As we have just read above, a snakebite provides humans with the necessary motivation to get movin' along our proverbial path. Here we see how the lamed reminds us of a snake. The snake reaches its target through an intense release of coiled energy. The resemblance is striking, isn't it! I've taken the liberty of interpreting the phrase "lech lecha" as "strike out on your own" because I am a hopeless punster.
Lamed in a reading
The energy of lamed focuses our attention on finding our higher purpose in life through heartfelt teaching and learning. Are you doing what you feel you were born to do? Each of us has our work to do in this lifetime; part of our job is finding out what it is and then pursuing it. Finding it can take a lifetime in itself, so if you are frustrated by the amount of time you have spent trying to figure it out, remember that lamed also speaks of going slowly. Engage with the process of life. The heart speaks the truth and will lead the way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Avigayil Landsman,
Torah Scholar, Calligrapher, Lecturer, Teacher & Creator of the "Letters From Heaven" Deck
|
 |
Avigayil has been a serious student of Torah for the last ten years and has written many d'vrai Torah(Torah lectures). She is the creator of Letters from Heaven, a Jewish divination system that incorporates the mystical meanings of the Hebrew letters, her chiddushim (new insights into Torah) and their application to the challenges of daily life. Her LFH readings offer seekers of all persuasions spiritual direction in finding one's authentic voice.
Avigayil is a multi-media artist who is best-known for the beaded breastplate that adorns the Woodstock Jewish Congregation's Torah. She creates personalized ketubot, beeswax Shabbat candles, shiviti plaques and other judaica as well as secular art in Sculpey, paint, and shadow boxes that combine disparate objects such as feathers, beads and wood.
Her Judaica (beeswax Shabbat and havdallah candles, havdallah spice boxes, shiviti plaques) and calligraphy cards are available for purchase at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation's judaica shop, Miriam's Well and her home. She also does private commissions.
Avigayil has taught enrichment classes in calligraphy for the Woodstock Jewish Congregation's Hebrew school. She prepares children and adults for becoming Bat/bar-mitzvah with humor and deep wisdom that come from her own unique way of living through the lessons of Torah. She has also given workshops and lectures on the spiritual meaning of the Hebrew letters and Letters from Heaven at Omega and Mount St. Alphonsus.
"Avigayil Landsman's interpretations of the Hebrew letters are original, witty, steeped in scholarship, and above all a genuine opening to our own spiritual wisdom." Rachel Pollack, creator of Shining Tribe Tarot Deck
www.rachelpollack.com
Avigayil is available for art commissions and LFH readings in person or on the phone. She may be contacted by e-mail at:
Avigayil1@earthlink.net
Website:
www.jewish-wisdom
-and-art.4t.com
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory! |
|
|
|
|
