Emuna Therapy

New 'Ultimate Marriage' Program in Full Swing

photo by Digital Fly

 

Ultimate Marriage
A Six-Week Emuna Coaching Program
By Rabbi Dr. Zev Ballen

 

The purpose of marriage
 
A peaceful loving marriage is life's most precious commodity. It's the only blessing that insures G-d's other blessings such as peace, happiness, spiritual growth, abundant income, good health, fertility, healthy children, and more!
 
Why does marital peace rank first in serving G-d?
 
Because it is the primary receptacle of Divine Illumination and blessing for your life! The more  blissful and fulfilling a marriage you have, the more you'll feel G-d's  presence filling your home.
 
The expression that a man and his wife are one soul is not some simple platitude that sounds nice to the ear - it is a spiritual reality and the blueprint for the Ultimate Marriage coaching program.
 
How to succeed
 
With Ultimate Marriage you'll see extraordinary success because of our uncompromising  adherence to the teachings of master coach and spiritual guide, Rabbi Shalom Arush; whose track record as a marital coach is nothing less than phenomenal.
 
Over the past four decades, Rabbi Arush has personally helped tens of thousands of people to discover their own personal formula for marital bliss.  Millions more people have found comfort and inspiration in the books of Rabbi Arush.  His every word resonates with consummate wisdom and truth  and bring a person closer to G-d.
 
How has Rabbi Shalom Arush successfully diagnosed the root spiritual ills of today's marriages and prescribed remedies that work when psychological science has not?

Simple.

Rabbi Arush's teachings are firmly girded in the perfect wisdom of Talmudic and Jewish esoteric thought. His teachings are crystal clear yet full of deep inner secrets that fill couples with a longing for each other and G-d.

We don't know of a couple, who has earnestly implemented Rabbi Arush's advice ,who have not seen a major subsequent improvement in their marital harmony and bliss.  There isn't a counselor or psychotherapist alive who can rival Rabbi Arush. His phenomenal record of success is simply incomparable. 

How it started

It startedwhen Rabbi Arush appointed his devoted student, Rabbi Dr. Zev Ballen, the mission of developing a marital enrichment program based on his teachings. Before he committed his life to learning Torah and spreading the teachings of Rabbi Arush throughout the world, Dr. Ballen was a psychotherapist with more than three decades of experience. Drawing from his deep well of clinical experience and his spiritual training under Rabbi Arush, Dr. Zev Ballen has created a bold and innovative approach to coaching couples. Ultimate Marriage works quickly by motivating, elevating and  transforming couples to levels of connectedness and fulfillment that they never knew before.

How it works
 
First you'll be empowered to believe in yourself and your marriage. Next you'll be helped to break through whatever has been blocking you from creating the extraordinary marriage that you've always wanted. Then you'll develop a passionate vision of what you want your marriage to become. And finally we'll provide you with the spiritual tools and strategies that are helping so many others.  We'll give you all of the support, follow-up and accountability that you'll need to succeed. Before long you'll be feeling more confident, more joyful, more productive and more in love than you've ever felt before. Your marital bond will become a deep well from which you'll draw inner strength and conviction, mental composure, and a zest for life that you'll share together for many years to come.

What are people saying about Ultimate Marriage?

Couple One: Saved from divorce
 
"I can't believe that this was all we had to do! It worked so fast! We were about to get divorced. What a tragedy that would have been. I'm embarrassed to say how simple it was for us to fall in love again!During the session, I literally felt something being lifted off me. I haven't been the same person since that day. Now my love for my wife knows no bounds. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for her.  I owe this program my life!"
 
Couple Two: 'Our children are the greatest beneficiaries'
 
"For the first time, in our marriage, my husband and I are a team. Of course the greatest beneficiaries of this are our children. They see that we're so madly in love that they are also treating each other with more love and kindness. This, in turn, has brought indescribable happiness into the whole family. On Chanukah, after candle-lighting our whole family was lit up like a ball of fire sent from Heaven. We are so grateful to you and Rabbi Arush. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!"
 
Couple three: Floating on air
 
"We left your office floating on air. That one session was enough to show  me that my husband is the real deal, and that I don't have to worry about him 'pretending' to love me anymore; and it also reassured my husband that I am together with him 100%. Obviously Hashem is helping you in your work. May you continue to see great success and be blessed to help many more people."
 
Couple four: Tired of being roommates
 
"My wife and I came to you because we were tired of being "good roommates." As strange as it sounds, the problem was that never in our marriage did either of us feel love for each other. We didn't even know what love was. As miraculous as it sounds, in our first session, I felt I was given a brand new soul. I haven't been the same since and neither has my marriage. My wife and I still have our ups and downs but it's completely different now because we feel such a powerful incredible love for each other that we never had before. I would never have believed this was possible if I hadn't experienced it myself. G-d bless you and Rabbi Arush!"
  
Miraculous transformations
 
These  4 case studies involved four very different types of couples, who had very different circumstances. But in each instance, I was privileged to witness them breakthrough and lift their marriages to a higher level. And these changes all happened literally within a few minutes, or an hour or two. The pace of change that I'm seeing with our Ultimate Marriage program is the fastest I've seen in more than three decades as a psychotherapist.

Program structure

The program works best when both partners are coached together although it's possible for men and women to be coached separately, or, in some cases, for only one partner to receive coaching. The program is flexible in this respect. 
There are a total of 6  coaching sessions. Each session is 1.5 hours in length. The sessions can take place either personally in Israel, over Skype or on the phone.

Program materials

• A pdf copy of our beautifully illustrated workbook (separate workbooks for men and women) immediately upon enrollment
• Books by Rabbi Shalom Arush:  Women's Wisdom (for women) and the Garden of Peace(for men)
• English CD's of Rabbi Arush's teachings that reinforce each week's themes and topics
• 18 Ultimate Marriage Tools
• Progress rating scales
• Individualized Personal Prayer Coaching
• Discussion of weekly readings
• Helpful questionnaires and lists
• Specific measurable Goals for each session and week
• Support, feedback, and close personal involvement with your coach
• Step-by-outline
• Prescribed morning and evening rituals
• Special prayers written by Rabbi Arush
• Spiritual Meditations
• Strength-based solution-focused approach
• Guided visualization
• Rapid Relaxation training

Program costs

$995
 

Rabbi Lazer Brody's Endorsement

With Hashem's loving grace, it's my pleasure and privilege to give my wholehearted endorsement to Dr. Zev Ballen and his revolutionary "Ultimate Marriage" coaching program. Any person who participates in this program, which is solidly based on traditional Jewish teachings, will certainly see enhanced marital bliss and blessings, both material and spiritual. A happy marriage is tantamount to a personal redemption, and the more people attain their personal redemption, the sooner we'll see our national redemption and the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days, amen!

For more information about the Ultimate Marriage Program please call 1-718-577-2975 (or from Israel 02-532-3339), or email staff@breslev.co.il. Thank you.

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Remember Today's Live Broadcast 

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.

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 (Israel time).

Every blessing,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Ready, Set, Married!

You won't want to miss this amazing story about the power of Belief. I heard it from my good friend Rav Dror Moshe Coussoto.

 

Maynard is about to take his entrance examination for medical school. He asked me how much time he should put into studying for it compared to his Torah studying. You can read my answer to Maynard in this week's copy of our Shabbos Parsha newsletter: Download CSC NL Week 12 Vayechi

Have a great Shabbos!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Emuna: The Root of True Love

 

image credit: martin.edelstein

Thought for the Day

True love is a passion to give to the one you love before giving to yourself; it is a concern with the other's welfare that transcends your concern for yourself; it is a belief rooted in emuna that through nullification of yourself to your partner you are fulfilling the main reason that you were brought into the world. 

Have a great day!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Home Sweet Home

  

By Dr. Zev Ballen                      Image credit: Pixelicus

A person's shalom bayis, peace in the home, is proportionate to his measure of emuna; the higher the emuna, the more peaceful the home.

Blessings from Uman for a sweet new year!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Why Murder?

By Dr. Zev Ballen

We live in a generation of senseless hatred and violence. With Tisha B'Av coming on Sunday, join me for a discussion of the causes and the solution to our current dilemma according to the holy teachings of my beloved Rebbe - Rabbi Shalom Arush. This isn't for children.

 

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

 

Jerusalem Forever

By Dr. Zev Ballen

“Any nation that is foolish enough to attempt severing any part of the Temple Mount and Jerusalem from the Jewish people hasn’t learned the lessons of history.” -Rabbi Lazer Brody
 
Lately I’ve been going to the kosel HaMaaravi (the western wall) to do hisbodedus (personal prayer).  I got excited about the idea when I heard that the legendary Rabbi Levy Yitzchok Bender (1897-1989)  -  the spiritual guide for thousands of Breslever Chassidim – many of them baalei teshuvah, used to walk to the 

Kosel for Hisbodidus every single day that he lived in Jerusalem. Rabbi Bender was known to have not missed one night ofreciting Chatzot (the midnight prayer lamenting the Temple’s destruction) and hisbodedus in seventy five years. It is also known, in Breslever circles, that there is no other place where Rebbe Nachman’s spiritual presence can be felt more than the Kosel – with the exception of Uman.
 
Standing at the most revered site in Judaism – literally the spiritual junction of heaven and earth - I was reminded of G-d’s promise to the Jewish people: “Behold, He (G-d) stands behind our wall… What is special about the Western Wall…G-d swore to the Western Wall that it would never be destroyed” (Midrash Raba, Shir Hashirim).
 
Also - in his vision of the future third Temple, the prophet, Ezekiel saw that at end of our present exile, upon the re-building of the Temple, that Hashem’s Glory will fill the new Temple and G-d will once again dwell on the Temple mount as he did in the Temple built by King Solomon. (Ezekiel, 43:2-5). Ezekiel prophesized that the next Temple, may it come speedily in our days, will be an eternal edifice and permanent dwelling place forthe G-d of Israel on the temple mount in Jerusalem – my friends – you can take that to the bank.
 
It also states in Genesis Rabba (an early Jewish text), that the site of the Temple mount is one which the nations of the world cannot taunt Israel and say “you have stolen it”, since the site was purchased by King David “for its full price.” 
 
So how should Israel respond to those who are denying our right to the spot that G-d designated for our Holy Temple? 
 
My beloved spiritual guide, Rabbi Lazer Brody, cuts right to heart of the matter: “The entire world and certain evil leaders are denying our right to the area of our own Holy Temple. Once again, we have no cause to be angry at them, for as soon as we make real teshuva, they will crumble. But, until we make teshuva, those evil leaders should be forewarned that by disenfranchising Israel from what they call East Jerusalem, they are in effect trying to disenfranchise The Almighty. Cherished brothers and sisters, that won’t happen, period.”
 
Unfortunately we need not go back very far in history to see the evidence of our beloved Rabbi’s warning to the nations - when the world witnessed the tragic downfall of Japan a mere ten days after they entered into an agreement to sell nuclear rods to Iran and publicly denied Israel’s right to Jerusalem.
 
We are all so blessed to be in the prayers of my spiritual guides – Rabbi Shalom Arush and Rabbi Lazer Brody, May Hashem Bless them always. It is rare that Tzadikkim reveal to us the nature of their prayers to G-d on our behalf – but at particularly trying times – like these - for their own reasons, Tzadikkim sometimes do share their most private conversations with G-d openly with us – possibly because, after they receive a strong revelation of G-d’s Will, they want us to join them in praying for what G-d revealed to them. 
 
Rabbi Brody continues...

Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Women's Wisdom

At the tomb of Rachel,  wife of the great sage Rabbi Akiva located south of Tiberias. 

The story of Rachel and Rabbi Akiva is one of the greatest love stories of all time.  When the couple met, Akiva was a 40 year old illiterate pauper  working as a shepard for Rachel's wealthy father. Rachel, who possessed extraordinary wisdom, saw Akiva's great potential and married him on the condition that he learn Torah despite her father's threat to disown her.

When  Rabbi Akiva returned to Rachel,  after having achieved greatness in learning, they had been separated for 24 years. Giving credit to his wife for his success, he told his students: "Mine and yours are hers."

We see from this story that a wise woman draws her husband closer to the Torah. By encouraging her husband to learn Torah, a woman fulfills her responsibility to spiritually build the home. Women possess a wisdom called binah in Hebrew as in bniyah (building).  King Solomon, the wisest of all men said (Proverbs 14:1): "Women's wisdom built her home." Rabbi Arush points out that the verse does not say, "A wise man built his home."

Wishing you Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Abraham's Legacy

By Dr. Zev Ballen

Let’s see what the Torah says about spreading emuna. G-d said to Abraham “…I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.” Here we see that G-d’s intention for Abraham was not limited to converting people to Judaism. G-d saw that Abraham possessed the unique spiritual DNA to do far more than that. Hashem appointed Abraham to be the father of the world – not just Israel. G-d’s covenant with Abraham was to develop a nation – Israel – who would spread faith in monotheism - so that a “multitude” of nations will know Him and live by His fundamental principles.

The prophet Yeshayahu writes, “I will set you for a covenant to the people, for a light to the nations.” This was G-d’s sole intention for the Jewish people and the reason that we were created - to spread emuna in Hashem to the nations of the world. 

Continue from the beginning...

Wishing you Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Shabbos is for Families

By Dr. Zev Ballen

Shabbos is the best day of the week for mothers and fathers to be together with their children and teach the children to thank Hashem for everything. Rebbe Nachman discovered the importance of thanking Hashem for everything when he was a little boy. He was especially careful to add his own personal thanks to Hashem for each  Shabbos food in addition to the Birchas HaMazon. This is something very special that you can teach your children too.  

Make sure to finish your preparations for Shabbos early so that you and your kids can rest before Shabbos. This way you will have the energy and patience to stay up late with your children on Friday night. There is no better time to bring the  Light of Holiness and joy into your home than singing Shabbos songs with your family. You can give out prizes to the kids who sing the most or help out the most. Use your time at the Shabbos table to demonstrate to your family how you thank Hashem for each of them by name. Bless each of your children and thank Hashem out loud for: your home, your spouse, the food, all that transpired during the week, for the holy Shabbos itself, for the time that you are about to spend together as a family and anything else you can think of.

Since everything comes from Hashem, there is no end to the things that we can teach the children to thank Him for. Shabbos is the best time to sit with your children and speak with them. Read the children's emuna books such as Nachman HaKatan and Yosef HaTzaddik with them; and be sure to make a copy of of this week's Shabbos Parsha Sheet: Download CSC NL Week 26 Beha'alotecha (2), so you can also read from it to your family at the table.  

After you put your kids to bed and say the Shema with them, show them how to thank Hashem for what transpired during the week and request sweet dreams and a pleasant sleep from Hashem.

Remember, the main moral and spiritual education of your children is your happiness. Keep a smile on your face and have a beautiful family Shabbos!

Dr. Zev Ballen