Avatars in Every Species

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>Krael >webhawks (AT) bellsouth (DOT) net >Brin Davan >CC:

webhawks (AT) bellsouth (DOT) net, fiona >Re: Avatars in Every Species >Date:

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to quoted-printable by mail2.atl.bellsouth.net id VAA27418 > >What if humans

are 'mini-avatars' capable of liberating all species, >and, in fact, all

creation? > >Here are some thoughts about 'raising up the holy sparks.' >

>Yours truly, >Krael (Ronald Landry) > >

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>[DONMEH] The Theory and Practice of Tikkun: A Series of Three

>Commentaries >Wed, 23 Dec 1998 12:04:46 -0800 >"Yakov Leib

HaKohain [Jacob Leib Cohen, Ph.D.]" > >amirah (AT) earthlink (DOT) net > >Dear New

Chaver, > >Recently I sent out a series of three posts concerning "Tikkun and

the >Sacramental Life." Taken together, they comprise an introduction to the

>major themes that define the focus and purpose of the Donmeh. I've >attached

all three of them below, in the order they were originally >sent. I hope they

provide you a background to our work. > >Raising up the Holy Sparks together, >

>Jacob Leib Cohen, Ph.D. [DONMEH Moderator] > >"And those who, with the good

strength of their spirit, are able to >raise the Holy Spark from stone to

plant, from plant to animal, from >animal to speaking being -- they lead it

into freedom; and no setting >free of captives is greater than this. It is as

when a King's son is >rescued from captivity and brought to his father."--The

Baal Shem Tov >

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>=3D > PART 1 OF 3: THE COSMOGONY OF RABBI ISAAC LURIA > >"The Sparks

["Nitzotzot"] which fell down from the primal creation into >the covering

shells ["Klipot"] -- and were transformed into stones, >plants and animals --

they all ascend to their source through the >consecration of men and women who

work on them in holiness, use them in >holiness, consume them in holiness." --

The Tzaddik > >In a series of previous posts I've been discussing the theory

and >practice of Tikkun as it relates to the great task of redemption

>initiated by Sabbatai Zevi in 1665-66 and expounded upon by Rabbi Nathan >of

Gaza in such works of Kabbalistic theology as "A Treatise on Dragons" >now

being discussed by Profs. Tortchinov, Elqayam, Lenowitz and others. >Here I

would like to consider how the actual practice of Tikkun, now and >in our time,

relates to our current discussion of Nathan Gazatti's >"Treatise on Dragons" and

what Martin Buber has called the "Sacramental >Life." > >BACKGROUND > >The

cosmogony of Tikkun ("Spiritual Repair") is based on the 16th >century Kabbalah

of Rabbi Isaac Luria who developed it from an analysis >of the Zohar and various

passages of Hebrew Scripture. (See, for >example, Genesis 36:31-39, "Here are

the [ten] kings who ruled in the >land of Edom before an Israelite King

ruled.") The remarkable thing >about this religious depiction of the origins of

the universe is that it >prefigures almost word for word (or, at the very least,

concept for >concept) the scientific theory of the so-called "Big Bang."

>Consequently, there is empirical evidence from 20th century astrophysics >that

Luria's 16th century cosmogony, on which he based the notion of >Tikkun, may

have been valid. (This is remarkable not only because it >seems to validate

Luria's cosmogony, but also, by extension, the >Kabbalistic texts on which it

was based.) > >THE "THOUGHTLESS LIGHTS" OF LURIA'S COSMOGONY > >Briefly, Luria

proposed that before the creation of the universe, God >alone existed in a

state of self-absorbed, undifferentiated, absolute >unity, or "Ein Sof." In

other words, at that time "God was One and his >Name [YHVH] was one." At a

certain point, the Ein Sof withdrew away from >and into itself (the act of

"Tzim-Tzum") in order to create a space, or >"womb," within which to create the

world. (This is sometimes >characterized in Kabbalah as the "YH" splitting away

from the "VH" of >the Holy Name.) Part of the Ein Sof, however, called the

"Reshimu" -- >which Luria likens to "the fragrance lingering in an empty bottle

of >perfume -- remained in, and settled to the bottom of, the primordial >space;

this "Reshimu" can be likened to that part of God which >"resisted" or

"refrained" from the act of creation, or what modern >astrophysics calls

"anti-matter." (This "antimatter" or "Reshimu" is the >"Thoughtless Lights"

referred to by Profs. Elqayam and Tortchinov in >their current discussion of

Nathan Gazatti's "Treatise on Dragons.") > >THE SHATTERING OF THE VESSELS > >In

the act of pre mundane creation, Ein Sof directed "shafts" of its >pure-light

Essence into and out of the Primordial Space. (This process >of the Divine

Light going "into" and "out of" is called "Histaluth" and >"Hispastuth,"

respectively.) Ten "vessels" or "Sefiroth" were created in >this way, beginning

with those at the "top" (Keter, Hochmah and Binah) >to those at the bottom

(Malkuth) of the Primordial Space. However, while >the top-most Vessels were

composed of "pure" Ein Sof, those at the >bottom were mixed with the

"thoughtless" Reshimu, or "antimatter," that >refrained from creation. As a

result, the latter were "weaker" than the >former and broke apart under the

weight of the others, causing the >entire structure of Ten Vessels to "shatter"

in what Luria called >"Sheviret HaKelim," which is directly comparable to the

modern theory of >"Big Bang." > >Shards or "Sparks" of Divine Light from the

Shattered Vessels flew off >in all directions into space. Some returned to

their Source (Ein Sof), >while others fell into the Reshimu which encrusted

each of them with an >"evil shell," or "Klipoth." These Holy Sparks

("Nitzotzot") covered by >their Evil Shells (Klipoth) were the primordial

"debris" (as the Big >Bang theory calls them) out of which the worlds, and all

that is in >them, were created. Thus, according to Luria, what was once the

Unity of >God has fallen into the disunity of the world -- and, as in modern

>systems theory, the parts, or "Sparks," seek to return to the whole, or >"Ein

Sof," from which they broke apart. > >"Tikkun" is the process by which mankind

enters into partnership with >God to "repair" His "face" or "Name" by

intentionally liberating the >Holy Sparks from their "Shells" and consciously

returning them to their >Source. In the words of the Baal Shem Tov, "All things

of this world >that belong to a person desire with all their might to draw near

to him >in order that the Sparks of Holiness that are in them should be raised

>by him back to their Source." In the next installment of this series >I'll

discuss how Tikkun relates to Nathan's "Treatise on Dragons" and >what Buber

has called the "Sacramental Life." > >In the meantime, it is important to keep

in mind Luria's assertion that >the "Kingdom of God" or "Olam Habah" will not

come into the world until >all the Holy Sparks have been returned by mankind to

their Divine Origin >and the Unity of God is restored. It was for this great

task that >Sabbatai Zevi came into the world and we have created this Donmeh. >

>Raising up the Holy Sparks together, > >Yakov Leib [DONMEH Moderator] > >"Go .

.. . to the lost sheep of the House of Israel; and as you go, >proclaim that the

kingdom of heaven is close at hand." (Matthew 10:5-6) >

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>PART 2 OF 3: LIVING THE LIFE OF MYSTICAL TIKKUN > >This is the second in a

three-part series of posts on the topic of >"Tikkun and the Sacramental Life."

My last post dealt with the nature >and meaning of Tikkun Olam ("Spiritual

Repair of the World") as it >derives from the cosmogony of Rabbi Isaac Luria,

leader of the 16th >century Safed School of Jewish Kabbalah, on which virtually

all >present-day Zoharic Kabbalah is based. In what follows, I'll summarize

>what has gone before and then apply it to what the great Jewish >philosopher,

Martin Buber, has called "the sacramental life." > >REPRISE > >Luria was among

the early Jewish mystics who believed that Kabbalah >could be used to "force"

the Messianic era -- that is to say, to >discover a spiritual process by which

the coming of the Messiah could be >catalyzed. However, whereas other

Kabbalists had attempted to achieve >this goal by starting at the "bottom of

the ladder" and working up, >Luria was the first to develop a cosmogony by

which we could begin at >the "top of the ladder" and work down. Others reasoned

that if we could >perfect mankind, the Messiah would come; Luria, however,

reasoned that >the Messianic advent could occur only when the cosmos itself was

>perfected and redeemed. For this it was necessary to develop a cosmogony >-- a

theory of the creation of the universe -- based entirely on the >Zohar and

passages from the Hebrew Scriptures. Luria called this >"Sheviret HaKelim"

(Hebrew =3D "Shattering of the Vessels") -- a cosmogon= >y >that prefigured and

was validated by the "Big Bang" theory of >astrophysics 400 years later. > >In

summary, Shevirit HaKelim proposes that prior to the creation of the >world,

God (or Ein Sof) and space existed in a state of absolute unity: >"God was One

and his name was One." However, through the process I >described in my earlier

post, that unity was shattered by a rupture in >the very fabric of God himself

at the moment of creation -- He and the >universe were no longer coextensive --

the YH was separated from the VH >-- and the "debris" from this cataclysmic

explosion, or Holy Sparks >(Hebrew =3D Nitzotzot), flew off in all directions,

some returning to >their source and others falling into the Mundane World of

creation, or >"Asiyah." > >From this cosmogony Luria offered the radical and

bold proposition that >not mankind, but the Godhead itself must be "redeemed"

-- that is, >returned to its state of pre mundane unity -- before the Messiah

could >establish his Father's Kingdom on Earth, or "Olam HaBah." (There are

>some fascinating parallels to the Christian concept of the Trinity here, >and

its "reunification" in Yeshua HaNotzri, which I've touched on in >previous

posts.) > >TIKKUN OLAM > >This "redemption of the Godhead" Lurianic Kabbalah

calls "Tikkun OLam," >or "Repair of the World." It is described by the Jewish

Mystic, the Baal >Shem Tov, in his statement: "The Holy Sparks that fell when

God built >and destroyed the worlds, man shall raise and purify upward from

stone >to plant, from plant to animal, from animal to speaking being; purify

>the Holy Sparks that are imprisoned in the world of shells [i.e., >things]."

Thus, the BeShT also states, "All that one has -- his >servants, his animals,

his tools -- all conceal sparks that belong to >the roots of his soul and wish

to be raised by him to their Origin >[i.e., pre mundane state of unity] . . .

All things that belong to him >desire with all their might to draw near him in

order that the sparks of >holiness that are in them should be raised by him

back to their Source." > >Now what sets this unique notion apart from others in

Kabbalah at least, >is the daring proposal that mankind is literally raised to

partnership >with God not only in the redemption of His universe, but also in

the >very repair of his "Face" -- which is to say, His pre mundane condition

>of absolute Unity, disrupted at the moment of creation. What further >sets

this notion apart is the equally daring proposal that such >partnership with

the Divine is enacted by mankind not only in the "big" >things -- such as

prayer, devotion, learning, charity, holiness, >meditation, altered states of

consciousness, etc. -- but also, and even >for the most part, in the minutiae

of everyday life -- sharpening a >pencil, eating food, hugging a child, petting

an animal, moving one's >bowels, cleaning a cat box, seeing a dead animal on the

road, brushing >one's teeth -- from which the Holy Sparks can and must be

liberated and >returned to their Source by our Kavanah, or "Holy Intention." >

>LIVING THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE > >Put another way, in the words of the Baal Shem

Tov, "Man eats them, man >drinks them, man uses them; these are the Sparks that

dwell in the >things -- in the actions of men also, indeed even in the sins they

do -- >dwell Holy Sparks of the Glory of God. Therefore, one should have mercy

>on his tools and all his possessions for the sake of the Sparks that are >in

them; one should have mercy on the Holy Sparks." This, then, is the

>"sacramental life," described by Buber: the daily and conscious act of

>intentionally acknowledging and releasing the Divine Sparks entrapped in

>everything we touch and see and returning them to unity with God, their

>Source. > >Such a point-of-view saturates even the most trivial minutiae of

life >with holiness and meaning. Everything we look at, touch and do becomes a

>sacrament. Nothing in life -- from the time we awaken in the morning to >the

time we go to sleep at night (and even in our dreams) -- is devoid >of the

potential for joining in partnership with God in the repair of >His unity and

the advent of His Messiah. It was for the completion of >this great task that

Sabbatai Zevi came into the world, and this "Donmeh >of the Internet" was

created. I invite you all to join us. > >Raising up the Holy Sparks together, >

>Yankif Leib [DONMEH Moderator] >

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>PART 3 OF 3: TIKKUN AS TRANSRELIGIOUS MYSTICISM > >Dear Chaverim, > >This is

the third and final post in a series called "Tikkun and the >Sacramental Life."

Briefly, the first two posts covered the theology, >practice and meaning of

Tikkun Olam ("Spiritual Repair of the World") in >modern, everyday life. Here,

I would like to conclude with a few >thoughts on the ecumenical meaning of this

form of applied, >transreligious mysticism. > >THE NEED FOR AN ECUMENICAL

SPIRITUALITY > >We live in a world divided, unfortunately, by denominational

religion. >Where is the ground of spiritual meeting, for example, between Jew

and >Christian? or Muslim and and Jew? or any of these with

>spiritually-oriented, secular humanists? Apart from their admittedly

>important, shared belief in God (or even a "Higher Power"), there are no

>specific practices which unite rather than separate them -- none, that >is,

except Tikkun Olam and the Sacramental Life. > >TIKKUN: THE TRANSRELIGIOUS

MYSTICISM > >Tikkun Olam (particularly as described in an earlier post, "How to

Make >Tikkun the Easy Way") can be practiced by anyone, of any religion, and

>even by those who espouse no religion at all. It combines all four >"Yogas" of

Vedanta: Bhakti (devotion), Raja (meditation), Karma >(action/service) and Jana

(reasoning); it addresses the Lord's Prayer of >Yeshua HaNotzri, that the

Father's Will "be done on earth as it is in >heaven;" it engages in the

"reconciliation of opposites" central to >Hinduism and Buddhism; it can even be

viewed within the non-religious >framework of modern, scientific systems theory

-- that is, as a psycho >spiritual technology for restoring the universe to its

Pre-Big Bang >state of what physicists call "quasi-stationary equilibrium." >

>It makes no difference if one calls God "Allah,Jehovah,Christ,"

>"Krishna," the "Higher Self,Buddha-Consciousness" or even nothing at >all.

It makes no difference if one prays in Hebrew, Latin, Arabic, >Sanskrit,

English, or even not at all. It makes no difference if one >attends a Mosque,

Synagogue, Church, Temple or even no place at all. it >makes no difference if

one is a theist, atheist or agnostic. The same, >fundamental notion of Tikkun

Olam applies equally to all: it is given to >us to restore the universe to its

pre mundane condition of unity. >Whether we call the cataclysmic event of

creation the "Big Bang" or >"Sheviret HaKelim" -- whether we call the cast-off

products of that >event either "space debris" or "Holy Sparks" -- the same task

gives >meaning to our lives: by our intentionality, to raise that "debris,"

>those "Holy Sparks," back to their "source" (whatever you choose to call >it)

and thereby return the universe to its pre creational unity -- or, >if you

prefer, its "State of Grace." > >Raising up the Holy Sparks together, > >Yankif

Leib [DONMEH Moderator] >

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>=3D > > >http://www.kheper.auz.com/topics/Kabbalah/tikkun.htm >The Lurianic

Theory of Creation and Redemption >by Yakov Leib haKohain >

>http://www.kheper.auz.com/topics/Kabbalah/tikkun-individuals_task.htm >The

Redemption of the Universe - the Individual's task >by Yakov Leib haKohain >

>http://www.kheper.auz.com/praxis/tikkun_of_raising_animals/4.html >The Tikkun

of Raising Animals - First Steps >by Yakov Leib haKohain >

>http://www.kheper.auz.com/praxis/tikkun_of_raising_animals/2.html >The Tikkun

of Raising Animals >by Yakov Leib haKohain >

>http://www.kheper.auz.com/topics/Teilhard/Teilhard-evolution.htm >Teilhard de

Chardin=EDs Evolutionary Philosophy > >

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>Message: 7 Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:05:56 -0000 "Brin Davan" >

>Avatars in Every Species > >Avatars in Every Species Question: I have

a question, the answer to >which should help me frame a paper I will write later

this summer for an >interfaith presentation on the topic of God among us: A

>Catholic-Vaishnava Dialog, the Incarnation and Avatar. > >Sri Krishna appears

in innumerable forms throughout the universes. Some >forms appear to be

human-like while others resemble lower species, such >as the boar, fish,

tortoise, etc. Srila Prabhupada writes: (SB 1.2.34 >purport), "In each and

every universe there are innumerable planets >inhabited by different grades of

living entities in different modes of >nature. The Lord (Vishnu) incarnates

Himself in each and every one of >them and in each and every type of living

society. He manifests His >transcendental pastimes amongst them just to create

the desire to go >back to Godhead. The Lord does not change His original

transcendental >position, but He appears to be differently manifested according

to the >particular time, circumstances and society." > >The human form of life

is the best for achieving self-realization. The >activities of the animals are

eating, mating, sleeping and defending. >The animals cannot understand God.

Yet, Srila Prabhupada says that >Krishna is the friend of both human and animal

society. I suppose if He >appears among humans to deliver us, it would only be

sensible that He >appears among the animals to deliver them. I'm wondering if

the dynamic >is different among other species. When He appears among the humans

or >higher species, He can deliver those in His immediate association, and >then

His teachings are recorded to inspire posterity. When the Lord >appears among

the lower species, how does He deliver them? They cannot >practice religion as

humans do (though Lord Caitanya made deer, tigers >and elephants chant Hare

Krishna and liberated the dog under Sivananda >Sena's care). Does He deliver

only the current generation among that >species (after all, animals don't

maintain written historical records)? > >This may seem to be an obscure

inquiry, and I'm probably not mature >enough to understand the answer, but it

came to mind, so I was wondering >if the acaryas offer us any insight into this

matter. Answer: The >conception that God incarnates in the species of those

living entities >who are lower than human beings has always troubled the mind

of the >western theologian. Knowing this Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura has dealt

>with the topic of the Lords incarnations in lower species in his book >'Sri

Krsna-samhita.' I suggest that you consult that book in detail >before writing

your proposed essay. > >When the Lord appears in lower species He delivers

those species by >giving them auspiciousness due to His association. The living

entities >are then promoted to human life and there they are given a chance to

>come to God consciousness and love of God. That is my understanding. By >the

Lord's association the living entity awakens a desire for God >consciousness.

This desire for God consciousness is also awakened by the >association of pure

devotees of the Lord and sometimes by >ajnata-sukriti. > >Categorically the

Lord appears in every species. > >jalaja-nava-laksani, sthavara laksa-vimsati

krmmayo rudra sankhyakah, >paksinam dasa-laksanam trisal-laksani pasavah,

catur-laksani manusah > >"There are 900,000 species living in the water. There

are 2,000,000 >non-moving living entities such as trees and plants. There are

1,100,000 >species of insects and reptiles, and 1,000,000 species of birds. As

far >as quadrupeds are concerned there are 3,000,000 varieties, and there are

>400,000 human species." > >That the Lord appears in all species of life, means

that He appears in >each category, not that He appears as each and every

individual form >like each and every type of fish, each kind of reptile, every

type of >quadruped (animal) etc. But in each category the Lord appears. > >

Among the aquatics in the water the Lord appears as Matsya-avatar. >Among the

trees and plants He appears as Dharu-brahman (the trees >bearing the signs of

Vishnu from which the Jagannatha Deities are then >manifested) (banyan trees

and others may also be considered as the >Lord's incarnation). Among the

insects and reptiles He appears as the >Vajrakita (the worm from Vaikuntha)

that carves the signs on the >Saligram-silas and also as Ananta-sesa and

Kurma-avatar, the tortoise. >Among the birds He appears as Hamsa-avatar. Among

the animals with four >feet He appears as Varaha-avatar. And among the humans

He appears as >Krsna, Rama, and Sri Caitanya. > >As stated above the Lord

creates auspiciousness for the living entities >in the lower species of life by

appearing among them. This would benefit >those living entities who directly

associated with the particular >incarnation and it would also benefit all

future living entities >appearing in that species. That is my understanding. If

any species >comes in contact with any avatar then there is certainly benefit

for >those living entities, without doubt. What to speak of the particular

>species - each and every time the Supreme Lord appears in this universe >all

the living beings present in the universe are benefited. Some are >liberated

directly and others are elevated and liberated after some >time. The ways of

the Supreme Lord are wonderful and sometimes difficult >for the tiny brain to

understand. Nonetheless, sraddha (faith) tells us >that the Lord is

all-merciful, the friend of all living beings, and the >knower of everything.

How He is doing everything may be known to Him >alone, but faith tells us that

He is the doer of everything and whatever >He does is for our benefit. > > Get

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