The Way of the Kabbalist
Michael Berman, UK
Michael Berman BA, MPhil, PhD (Alternative Medicines) is an English Language teacher, writer, and a Core Shamanic Counsellor. Publications include A Multiple Intelligences Road to an ELT Classroom and The Power of Metaphor for Crown House Publishing, and The Nature of Shamanism for Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Further books due to be published in 2008 include Divination and the Shamanic Story by Cambridge Scholars Publishing and a resource book on Storytelling. Michael has been involved in TESOL for thirty five years and has given presentations at Conferences in more than twenty countries. www.Thestoryteller.co.uk
Menu
Background
Activity
Story A: The Window
Story B: Loss of Memory
Conclusion
Bibliography
PS. A new book by Michael
‘In seeking Wisdom, the first stage is silence, the second listening, the third remembrance, the fourth practising, the fifth teaching’ - Rabbi Solomon ibn Gabirol, 11th century.
The purpose of this article is to show how the model outlined above can be applied in the classroom, in particular for language teaching, by making use of storytelling.
The first question to address, however, is what "kabbalah" is as there seems to be a great deal of confusion about the term. "Kabbalah" in the Hebrew religious vocabulary simply means non-individual, non-experiential religious truth, which is received by tradition (Dan, 2006, p.3). There is a belief, however, that a secret tradition apart from the scriptures was received by Moses on Mount Sinai directly from God, and that it has been transmitted, mainly in oral form, from generation to generation up to the present. And, to make matters even more confusing, more recently the term ‘has been used as a synonym for mysticism and magic, and for spirituality in general’ (Dan, 2006, p.6). In particular, The Centre for the Study of Kabbala, founded by Philip S. Berg in California in the 1970s, has been in the news a lot due to Madonna being one of its members. However, perhaps the best way to describe the Kabbala is as a theosophy - the knowledge of God and God’s world received by direct mystical insight (see Meyer, 1970).
The title page of Berg’s book The Power of the Kabbalah, first published in 2001, claims that it contains ‘the secrets of the universe and the meaning of our lives.’ And this gives a clear indication of what to expect from it – nothing more than a simplistic quick-fix recipe designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible so as to ensure the highest possible number of sales.
From a scholarly-historical perspective, ‘The Book Bahir that appeared in the twelfth century has been designated as ‘the earliest work of the Kabbalah … based on its presentation of three major concepts that are not found in any earlier Jewish source’ (Dan, 2006, p.21). The three concepts are the description of the divine world as consisting of ten powers (the sefirot), the identification of one of the ten powers as feminine (known by the name shekhinah), thus introducing gender dualism into the image of the divine realms, and the description of the divine world as a tree (ilan).
The Sefirot has been described as a ten-dimensional curtain between the two worlds and it corresponds to the gateway between the two worlds that the shaman has to cross each time he / she journeys into non-ordinary reality. ‘Keter, the top dimension, represents the brightest realm of Light, closest to the Endless World, whereas Malchut, located at the bottom, denotes the darkest dimension, in other words our physical universe. It has been said of the Kabbalah that it shows us how to remove the layers of cloth one strip at a time and in this way it brings the Light into our lives (see Berg, 2003, p.71). The ten Sefirot are also referred to as "paths" and this aspect of the Kabbalah has worked its way into the modern world as the practice of guided visualization or pathworking – the making of journeys in the imagination.
As for the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, it has been described as a ladder to climb the Godhead and is a system of relationships among mystic symbols that can be used to open up access to the hidden reaches of the mind. It is also regarded by many spiritual groups as the foundation stone of the western esoteric tradition (see Leonard, 2007).
It has been suggested that by showing individuals how to connect directly to the infinite, boundless Light of Creation, the study of the Kabbalah places the jobs of the traditional gatekeepers to heaven, the rabbis, at risk, and this could well be why its practice has traditionally been discouraged (see Berg, 2003, p.250). Unfortunately it is not possible to provide anything more than a brief introduction to the Kabbalah here. However, the book by Dan, quoted from above, is recommended as a starting-point for those who would like to find out more.
As for Rabbi Solomon ben Judah ibn Gabirol, whose writings the opening quotation was taken from, he was a philosopher, a poet, a Kabbalist, a prolific writer and a mystic. He was born in the eleventh Century at Malaga (1021) and educated at Saragossa. Orphaned early, he spent much of his life contending with mediocre rivals and critics jealous of his scholarship. It is said, in a legend, that he was killed by a Mohammedan who was jealous of his great talents and that the murderer buried him under a fig tree, in the former’s garden; the tree bore so much fruit, of such extraordinary sweetness, that the king, informed of the phenomena, made the proprietor of the garden come before him, and being pressed by questions, the murderer ended by avowing his crime and expiated it with his life (Meyer, 1970, p.1).
Though undoubtedly a fascinating story that adds to our interest in Gabirol as a person, it has to be pointed out that in reality it is likely to be nothing more than ‘the product of introspective Jewish brooding on allegedly ceaseless victimization by a gentile environment’ (Loewe,1989, p.23).
Gabirol's religious poetry is filled with a mystic awe of God, and much of it has been incorporated into the Judaic liturgy. His great philosophical work, The Well of Life, showing the influence of Neo-Platonism, exercised a great influence on Christian thought. The book is an attempt to explain the universality of matter, man's purpose in life, and the communion of man's soul with the spiritual sources that created it (taken from The Columbia Encyclopaedia, Sixth Edition 2006 [accessed 3/5/06]).
Now for how Rabbi Solomon ibn Gabirol’s model can be applied in the classroom, and it is hoped that as you read this article, together with the notes and stories that follow, the words of Gabirol himself will be born in mind: ‘Who weighs the words which he hears will understand the hidden meaning’ (taken from Choice of Pearls, XVIII Moral Instruction)
Split the class into two groups. Give half the learners Story A and the other half Story B. Pair up the A students with the B students and ask them to read their respective stories to each other (this comprises the first two stages of the model). They should then work out together what the two stories have in common - they both show "disabilities" in a positive light. After that, invite the learners to practise their English by teaching each other about how they have used so-called disabilities to produce positive results in their own lives. If they are unable to think of personal examples, they can talk about someone they know or have read about instead. While this is taking place, circulate to make notes on the language the students employ for the purpose, which can then be examined with the class as a whole.
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band – he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything? It didn't seem fair.
At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought, and only that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help.
Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing. Now there was only silence - deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall!
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
Hua Tzu of the state of Sung suffered from a loss of memory in his middle years. Whatever he took in the morning was forgotten b y the evening and whatever he gave in the evening was forgotten by the morning. On the road he would forget to move ahead and indoors he would forget to sit down. Here and now, he has forgotten then and later he will not remember the here and now.
He consulted an astrologer, but divination provided no answer. Then he sought the help of a medium, but prayer could not control the problem either. Finally he visited a doctor, but once again the treatment brought no relief.
In the state of Lu there was a Confucian scholar who claimed that he could cure the disease, and Hua Tzu’s wife paid him half their estate to do it. "No sign or omen," said the Confucian, "can solve this. No prayer can preserve him and no medicine will work. I must try to transform his mind, alter his way of thinking, and then there may be hope." The scholar stripped Hua Tzu, and the naked man demanded clothes. The scholar starved Hua Tzu, and he demanded food. He locked Hua Tzu in a dark room, and he demanded light.
"This illness can be cured," the Confucian advised Hua Tzu’s son. "But my remedy is a secret handed down for generations, a secret that has never been revealed to anyone outside our family. I must ask you to dismiss all your father’s attendants so that he can live alone with me for seven days." The son agreed.
Nobody knows what methods the scholar used, but Hua Tzu’s ailment of many years miraculously cleared up. When Hua Tzu realized that he was cured, he went into a tremendous rage. He chastised his wife, punished his son, and drove off the Confucian with weapons. People seized Hua Tzu and asked him
the reason for his strange behaviour.
"In my forgetfulness I was a free man, unaware if heaven and earth even existed or not," said Hua Tzu. "But now I remember all that has passed, all that remains or has perished, all that was gained or lost, all that brought sorrow or joy, all that was loved or hated – the ten thousand problems that have plagued my life. And I fear that these same things will disturb my mind no less in times to come. Where shall I find another moment’s peace? That’s the reason why."
And now as a conclusion to this article, it seems only fitting to leave the last word to the great man himself:
There are four types of men in this world: 1. The man who knows, and knows that he knows; he is wise, so consult him. 2. The man who knows, but doesn't know that he knows; help him not forget what he knows. 3. The man who knows not, and knows that he knows not; teach him. 4. Finally, there is the man who knows not but pretends that he knows; he is a fool, so avoid him - Rabbi Solomon ibn Gabirol.
Berg, Y. (2003) The Power of the Kabbalah, London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Cohen, A. (1925) Solomon Ibn Gabirol’s Choice of Pearls, New York: Bloch Publishing Company, Inc.
Dan, J. (2006) Kabbalah: A very short Introduction, New York: Oxford University Press.
Leonard, T. (2007) ‘Why not Kabbalah?’ In New View Spring 2007
Loewe, R., (1989) Ibn Gabirol, London: Peter Halban Publishers Ltd.
Meyer, I. (1970) Qabbalah: The Philosophical Writings of Solomon Ben Yehudah Ibn
Gabirol, London: Stuart & Watkins (first published in Philadelphia 1888).
Roberts, M. (1979) Chinese Fairy Tales & Fantasies, New York: Pantheon Books.
Title: Soul Loss and the Shamanic Story
Binding: Hardback Author: Michael Berman
Date of Publication: 2008-02-01
UK: ?34.99 / US: $69.99
Stories have traditionally been classified as epics, myths, sagas, legends, folk tales, fairy tales, parables or fables. However, the definitions of the terms have a tendency to overlap, making it difficult to classify and categorize material. For this reason, a case can be made for the introduction of a new genre, termed the shamanic story - a story that has either been based on or inspired by a shamanic journey (a numinous experience in non-ordinary reality) or one that contains a number of the elements typical of such a journey. Other characteristics include the way in which the stories all tend to contain embedded texts (often the account of the shamanic journey itself), how the number of actors is clearly limited as one would expect in subjective accounts of what can be regarded as inner journeys, and how the stories tend to be used for healing purposes. Within this new genre, it is proposed that there exists a sub-genre - shamanic stories that deal specifically with soul loss, and examples are presented and analysed to support this hypothesis. Stories from various cultures and periods of time can be identified which deal with a concept of soul loss that is essentially shamanic. By means of textual analysis it can be shown they all share certain attributes in common, the identification of which forms the conclusion of the work. The differences between indigenous and neo-shamanism are also considered, and their different approaches to dealing with soul loss.
The book can now be ordered from www.c-s-p.org
Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the English for Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
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