Emuna Therapy

The Shavuot Experience

 

Your self has certain invisible personal boundaries which at times separate you from other people and the beautiful flow of life around you. We need our personal boundaries for our sense of individuality and identity and yet when our boundaries become a bit too rigid, then we may feel somewhat anxious, lonely, irritable or like you're carrying the burden of the whole world on your shoulders. If you ever experience any of these unpleasant symptoms try this:

1. Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing with hundreds of thousands of people at Mount Sinai at the historic giving of the Torah ( by giving us His Torah, G-d, is about to transform the whole world from a barren wilderness into a world with spiritual existence).

2. Imagine, in your own way, your personal boundaries sort of dissolving or melting away as you breath and allow yourself to feel more at one with the others and with Hashem.

3. Allow yourself to let go and feel the blissful oneness of being connected to the One cosmic soul that joins you to EVERYBODY and EVERYTHING.

4. As you are becoming more connected with others and the flow of life, your personal problems, pains and worries are simply dissipating and flowing away and you are able to stop all your striving and just yield to G-d!

Happy Shavuot, cherished friends,

Dr. Zev Ballen

The Defense Called "Denial"

The defense called denial has its origins in infancy. This occurs when the baby sees a stranger for the first time. Due to his feeling overwhelmed by "stranger anxiety" the infant turns his face away from the stranger as if to say "if you're out of my sight then you don't exist." 

Some of us have remained at this ostrich-like stage of emotional development and use the rather primitive defense of denial to massively block out something that we unconsciously believe will be too overwhelming for us to deal with.

Denial can also effect whole communities and even nations.

Howard Morton is a seasoned journalist who is making riveting contributions to our web magazine.  As you can see below, Howard's agenda is crystal clear - to help us deal with our widespread tendency for denial.

This guy is well-researched and very worth checking out: Here are some samples of his invaluable work:

America Tomorrow - By Howard Morton

The 69 Year Old Warning - By Howard Morton

It Can't Happen in America - By Howard Morton

When It's Cool To Hate Jews - By Howard Morton

The 21st Century Aryans - by Howard Morton

Dear friends, please remember to:

Live strong, live with emuna!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Triumph over Adversity

Are  children who undergo severe adversity likely to develop psychological and psychiatric problems later in life?

The psychological studies say that they are.

But that's not the case for all children. Especially kids who are raised by parents who live in accordance with the emuna principles of faith. For them, an adverse or traumatic event can even elevate them to greater levels of emotional and spiritual development than their peers. Here's how it works.

 

 

Nonstriving

 

So much of our suffering in life comes from our fighting with and trying to control everything. Whether its our thoughts, our kids, or even reality itself; when  we just keep doggedly striving to make things turn out "right" , G-d usually has something else up His sleeve.

In today's broadcast I'll speak about how an attitude of acceptance and letting go leads to greater psychological and spiritual freedom as well as a more fulfilling and satisfying life. 

G-d Willing we'll be broadcasting today's lesson live from the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem at 5:00 PM Israel time.

The broadcast, as well as my lessons posted are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in as follows:

7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 9:00 AM Mexico and Central Daylight, 10 AM EDT, 3 PM in the UK, 5:00 PM Johannesburg and Capetown, 5:00 PM Israel. G-d willing, we'll try and post a link to the lesson for all those who couldn't see it live by 12:o1 AM Monday morning. If you can't see the broadcast, you might need to download a new version of Flash Media player, which you can do here.

With Blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Courage Is A Decision

 

 

By Dr. Zev Ballen                                                                 Image credit:jasonowen73

 

Courage is essentially a decision. Hashem creates people with different ways of learning. Take a moment and ask yourself what is most natural for you: to picture a courageous scene, to listen to a courageous message or to touch something and absorb the courage associated with it. Whatever method suits you best, don't stop until you feel the courage inside your body and you know that it's part of you. 

Blessings for a wonderful new year!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Live Broadcast Today

By Dr. Zev Ballen

With Hashem's Loving Kindness, we will be broadcasting live today, Wednesday at 5:00pm Israel time from the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva, 13 Shmuel Hanavi Street, Jerusalem.

 You can see it right here. The broadcast, as well as our lessons posted from now on - are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in on time as follows:

10:AM in NY, 7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 9:00 AM in Mexico and Central Daylight, 3:00 PM in the UK, and 5:00 PM Israel time. If you are not able to watch the lesson live, we will, G-d willing be posting a link to it soon. If you can't see the broadcast, you might need to download a new version of Flash Media player which you can do here. We hope you enjoy the broadcast.

Wishing You Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

 

Peak Performers

 

By Dr. Zev Ballen

Lately I've been feeling totally over-programmed like a human computer with too little RAM to accomplish what it needs to do. There seem to be more chores in my schedule than there are hours in a day to get them done.
 
My 'logical' mind tells me that I am either falling behind because there is something wrong with me or because my workload is objectively too large.
 
Not having nursed on the Garden of Emuna as a child my 'natural inclination,' during times of stress, is to compare myself to other people.
 
Like who? 
 
I usually 'like' to compare myself with some idealized superman figure such as Rebbe Noson of Breslev, the main student of Rebbe

Nachman of Breslev.  How was it, I ask myself, that Reb Noson was able to make every second of the day count and he accomplished so much in his lifetime?  How was it that He got up at midnight; that he learned the whole Torah in depth and reviewed it many times; that he wrote volumes of original ideas on Rebbe Nachman's Torahs and volumes of letters to his son; that he was an adviser to many; that he had regular lengthy meetings with Rebbe Nachman; that he prayed for long periods; and that he still had the time and patience to be present when his children returned from school; to sit with them; speak with them; eat with them; pray with them and put them to sleep?
 
The evil inclination is happy with me comparing myself to Rebbe Noson. If I fall into this trap, it is certain to decrease my joy and leave me feeling frustrated and inadequate.  As I strain to  overcome inertia and not fall further behind schedule I become more and more alienated from my family, from myself and from Hashem. 
 
Not good.
 
I grew up thinking that multi-tasking was the only way to go. Boy was I wrong. Not even a computer can multi-task. Only Hashem can multi-task without developing stress-related symptoms.  I confess to you that  life does not go well for me when I try to be Hashem. 
 
Hashem gives us a world of 'freedom' and over-choice to force us to realize our limitations and humbly accept His Will to do one task at a time.  Just try to keep up with every friend, relative and teacher you ever had on facebook - see how long that will last. Good luck being there for your kids and household while your friends from first grade keep calling to you from the other room. It is Crazy! 
 
NO. When I am stressed out, it's a clear sign that I am too involved with myself. My stress can come from thinking that I do not have enough money, honor or pleasure in my life and that if I run short on any of these I will not survive.  My stress can also come from the even more ridiculous game of looking for approval from my evil inclination who is telling me that I'm inadequate and so I am compelled to show him that I am not.
 
All this is so exhausting. It makes you want to sleep.
 
Aye, but Reb Noson hardly slept at all? 
 
Well the chances are good that you and I could also do with less sleep if we retired from fighting with our evil inclinations. Reb Noson simply planned his work and worked his plan in the best way he could and left the rest to Hashem. He made himself deaf to the whispering doubts that attack us all day long. If we would do the same, we would get the same results that he did. That is a promise from Rebbe Nachman himself! 
 
Reb Noson also spared himself the stress of comparing himself to other people. What possible connection could there be between my purpose in life and another person's purpose in life? I do my best when I expect the best. The more I look for the good, the more I find it. The more I believe  I can make Hashem 'happy' the more He shows me that I can. 
 
Tzaddikim have one speed and that's forward - they don't look back. He wakes up in the morning unburdened with yesterday's packages on his shoulders. He likewise has no worries about tomorrow.  He simply prays before acting and thanks Hashem for everything that comes his way. He is flexible and light on his feet because Hashem has freed him from the burden of 'self.'  Hashem sends protection, strength and productivity to those who serve Him and not themselves.  
 
There are no rules for a spiritual peak performer. He has discarded logic and abstains from correlations. He is free from performance anxiety because he will be very satisfied with whatever he is able to achieve. He does not worry about finishing on time or being criticized because he is completely confident that Hashem will help him to do his best.  
 
So practically speaking, is there at least one bit of advice that I can use to 'perform' better when I feel over-programmed? I asked myself this question recently and I remembered what a good friend of mine told me works wonders for him. I tried it on myself and it works like a charm. Continue reading here...

Wishing You Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen
 

Lengthening Your LIfe

By Dr. Zev Ballen

There are basically two kinds of fear: one that shortens life and another that adds days to your life. The first are the typical worries and fears that people have. These fears are silly and very harmful. The fear that lengthens your life is a fear (an awe) of Hashem: Yiras Hashem Tosef Yomim.

A person can only achieve fear of Hashem from clarity of thought, inner peace and happiness - then he can see everything in its proper light. This type of person stays motivated to grow. He wants to make every day better than yesterday.

With Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Meet Mrs. Rivka Levy

Mrs. Rivka Levy is a highly impressive person.  Not only is she bright and well-educated in the teachings of Rabbi Shalom Arush and Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, but she is an exceedingly kind person.

Rivka is one of  Breslev Israel's most respected senior writers. She has also just written a marvelous new book of her own on how to achieve real and lasting happiness based upon the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev. We pray it will be available soon.

Rivka's huband, Reuven Levy is also multi-talented. Reuven is an attorney with his own practice and a Torah Scholar who teaches the Talmud at the Kollel of Rabbi Shalom Arush.

One of her Rivka's many community services is a weekly lecture for women on emuna-based parenting. Her lectures, which are based on the teachings of Rabbi  Shalom Arush, are both practical and fun. The lectures are given in English on Monday mornings from 9am - 10am in Yad Binyamin.  This coming week's lecture is called Bad Culture.

In addition to everything she does, Rivka Levy is a sensitive and gifted spiritual guide and counselor.

You can call Rivka directly for further information about any of her activities. She comes to you with my highest recommendation.  Her mobile number is: 054-848-1027.

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You can download this week's Parshas Nasso newsletter which includes a question and answer column on Emuna Therapy right here: Download CSC NL Week 25 Nasso (1)

Have a wonderful Shabbos Nasso,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

New: Emuna Therapy Column

The Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva, of Rabbi Arush, has requested a weekly column on Emuna Therapy to be included in their weekly Parsha Newsletter. This is a new forum and opportunity for us to learn from each other about topics that most of us live with -- This column is for you. It is your forum to express yourself and receive answers to your questions in the areas of marriage, parenting and individual issues. This week's column, is entitled: Humility: The Foundation of Emuna-Parenting. You can download it here:  Download CSC NL Week 22 Behar.  Have a wonderful Shabbos Behar.  

Wishing You Blessings Always,  

Dr. Zev Ballen