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What is Kabbalah?
- By James Harris
- Published Friday 30th 2009
- Kabbalah
- Unrated
In the recent years, the practice of Kabbalah is believed to go through something of a renaissance. With more and more celebrities like Madonna, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher talking publicly about their inclination towards the concept of Kabbalah. The modern Kabbalah has also evolved and morphed from its ancient origins. Though, the concept is a bit different from its traditional subject.
The concept was developed in the early Jewish mysticism, since then the study has grown and branched out into other religion. Although, many people who follow Kabbalah today, do so outside any particular religious affiliations. There are two primary stories present within the Jewish legend of the origins of Kabbalah; the first defines that the study was received by Moses on mount Sinai, whereas the commandments were meant for everyone. While the esoteric teachings of Kabbalah were passed on to a few selected people as a secret inner teaching. The second story explains that these teachings have always been with man, which were given to Adam by an Archangel in the Garden of Eden.
Under, Judaism the Torah and other 'exoteric' teachings were generally considered as the body of Jewish teaching, while Kabbalah, was considered to be the soul. Its teachings can be considered In many ways as the distilled essence of spiritual teachings, which means that it can be practiced without the cultural baggage and rigid dogmas. This factors is believed to be one of the main reasons for its huge popularity.
Although, the modern study of Kabbalah has been combined with the concept of the 'Perennial Philosophy.' The main idea behind this unification is that there is a thread of truth behind all main religious and spiritual teachings. The principles explained in Kabbalah can also be used to understand the teachings of a wide range of different spiritual traditions.
Most of the practices followed in Kabbalah can be understood in a modern scientific sense. One of the examples of Kabbalah is invocation, wherein the practitioners create certain spiritual force within themselves. Even though, it's termed as a supernatural occurrence, it can be described as a psychological process, which helps in harnessing the power of the subconscious mind.
The concept was developed in the early Jewish mysticism, since then the study has grown and branched out into other religion. Although, many people who follow Kabbalah today, do so outside any particular religious affiliations. There are two primary stories present within the Jewish legend of the origins of Kabbalah; the first defines that the study was received by Moses on mount Sinai, whereas the commandments were meant for everyone. While the esoteric teachings of Kabbalah were passed on to a few selected people as a secret inner teaching. The second story explains that these teachings have always been with man, which were given to Adam by an Archangel in the Garden of Eden.
Under, Judaism the Torah and other 'exoteric' teachings were generally considered as the body of Jewish teaching, while Kabbalah, was considered to be the soul. Its teachings can be considered In many ways as the distilled essence of spiritual teachings, which means that it can be practiced without the cultural baggage and rigid dogmas. This factors is believed to be one of the main reasons for its huge popularity.
Although, the modern study of Kabbalah has been combined with the concept of the 'Perennial Philosophy.' The main idea behind this unification is that there is a thread of truth behind all main religious and spiritual teachings. The principles explained in Kabbalah can also be used to understand the teachings of a wide range of different spiritual traditions.
Most of the practices followed in Kabbalah can be understood in a modern scientific sense. One of the examples of Kabbalah is invocation, wherein the practitioners create certain spiritual force within themselves. Even though, it's termed as a supernatural occurrence, it can be described as a psychological process, which helps in harnessing the power of the subconscious mind.