“Meditation, Judaism, and Self-Mastery”
Let’s reclaim our spiritual heritage!
02-21-2021
We will continue to explore the idea that God “remembers the love of the Patriarchs, and brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for His name’s sake, with love” as expressed in the Amidah.
We will also discuss how to deal with problems encountered when meditating, such as inability to concentrate.
The Amidah as meditation:“remembers the love of the Patriarchs, and brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for His name’s sake, with love”
Rabbi Kaplan – “Jewish Meditation” pp 115 – 116
Hope in the future
God will bring a redeemer
Safe and sane world
Humanity brought back to God consciousness
Universal peace and good
The process started by the Patriarchs, will be completed by the redeemer
===
gimel-aleph-lamed: to release; purge
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, “Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew,” p 34
Ref Gen 48.16: Jacob’s blessing to Joseph
Ref Ex 6.6: God reassures Moses that He will liberate the Hebrews
The Messiah
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, “ Anthology I – The Real Messiah,” pp 314 – 325
Best practices for meditation
Bhante Gunaratana, “Mindlfulness in Plain English,”
Problems, pp 97 – 107
Inability to concentrate, pp 99 – 100
Boredom
Fear
Agitation
Trying too hard
Discouragement
Resistance to meditation
Stupor or dullness