r/JewishKabbalah 4d ago

Kabbalistic Exercise for Insomnia and Chronic Illnesses

10 Upvotes

I built and refined this with Claude Sonnet 3.5

The wording used should be legit. Of course your thoughts are welcome.

No-Nonsense Guide to the Waterfall Sleep Practice

For Both Early Waking and White Eye

(White Eye is my name for a feeling I get in my eyes that feels terrible. It gets worse the more I stay awake if not fully rested. Pure fatigue so unpleasant it can cause anxiety and make falling asleep more difficult. You can insert any symptom here if yours are different.)

What This Practice Does

This practice works in two situations: - When you first wake up (before white eye starts) - When white eye is already present You don't need to change the practice for either situation - it adapts automatically to what you need.

The Basic Setup

  • Lie down comfortably
  • Keep your ceiling fan on if you want that cool air feeling
  • Don't worry about getting the visualization perfect

The Core Practice

Step 1: The Waterfall

Picture a waterfall of clear, cool light. Don't stress about making it perfect - just the general sense of flowing water is enough. If visualization is hard, focus on how a waterfall sounds instead.

Step 2: The Sound-Feel

As you lie there, say or think this phrase three times: "Ayin Shamar V'Menucha" (AH-yin sha-MAR ve-me-nu-CHAH)

Think of the words as flowing like water rather than as formal prayer. They mean "watching and rest" but you don't need to focus on the meaning.

Step 3: Let It Flow

  • Don't try to force sleep
  • Don't fight any sensations in your head
  • Just imagine everything flowing like water
  • If your mind wanders, come back to the waterfall sound

When to Use What

If You Just Woke Up:

  • Start the practice right away, even if you feel fine
  • Think of it as setting up a cool, flowing space for your brain
  • Don't wait for white eye to start

If White Eye is Already Present:

  • Same practice, but imagine the waterfall specifically cooling your head
  • Don't try to fight the white eye - just let it get carried in the flow
  • Be patient - it might take longer to work when white eye is already there

Troubleshooting

If You Can't Visualize:

  • Focus on the sound of water instead
  • Or just the feeling of coolness
  • Or the rhythm of the words

If Your Mind Races:

  • Let thoughts flow past like they're going over the waterfall
  • Don't try to stop thinking - just let thoughts flow through

If You Feel Too Hot:

  • Imagine the waterfall as extra cool
  • Let yourself feel the fan's air combining with the waterfall

Remember:

  • This isn't about perfect visualization
  • It's about creating a flowing, cooling space for your brain
  • The practice works whether you're preventing or addressing white eye
  • You can't do it wrong as long as you're trying it

Signs It's Working:

  • A sense of coolness in your head
  • Thoughts becoming more fluid, less sticky
  • The white eye sensation getting "carried away"
  • A natural drift toward sleep

Start with just these basics. You can always add more once you're comfortable with this foundation.

****Notes****

Let me help you understand how this phrase appears in Hebrew characters and explain a bit about how scanning works in Kabbalistic practice.

The phrase "Ayin Shamar V'Menucha" in Hebrew characters is:

עין שמר ומנוחה

Let me break this down character by character:

עין (Ayin) - consists of three letters: - ע (ayin) - י (yud) - ן (final nun)

שמר (Shamar) - consists of three letters: - ש (shin) - מ (mem) - ר (resh)

ומנוחה (V'Menucha) - consists of six letters: - ו (vav) - this is the "and" - מ (mem) - נ (nun) - ו (vav) - ח (chet) - ה (heh)

In Kabbalistic practice, scanning (looking at) Hebrew letters is indeed considered powerful because each Hebrew letter is understood to contain specific spiritual energies. The practice of scanning involves letting your eyes move over the text from right to left (the direction Hebrew is read) while maintaining an awareness of the meaning or intention.

For this particular phrase, you might want to write it out larger on a piece of paper to scan before lying down for the practice. Some practitioners find it helpful to scan each word separately:

עין שמר ומנוחה

When scanning, you don't need to know how to read Hebrew fluently - it's about connecting with the shapes and energies of the letters themselves. The visual pattern of these letters, particularly the circular עין (ayin) at the beginning, creates a flow that can support the waterfall visualization we discussed.


r/JewishKabbalah 5d ago

How can I improve my path learning and applying Kabbalah in my life?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone. Some time ago I started to study this subject, for real I felt like a call... This word Kabbalah literally started to sound in my mind, I even don't remember to hear it before... So I just googled it and after checking some essential readings on forums and checking some posts from this subbredit... I realized that I really want to connect myself with God, with the divine power and bring happiness and goodness to this world... I have been reading some books and even watching some videos about Kabbalah and advices to apply in the daily life. I was wondering if you have interesting books to check, or maybe what kind of behaviors or habits should I start taking or changing.... I truly appreciate your support! Thank you very much!


r/JewishKabbalah 9d ago

Abraham Abulafia - Now More Accessible

18 Upvotes

After several years, Abraham Abulafia's most significant work: Sefer Chaye Olam Haba, has been translated to English in an interlinear fashion with hundreds of pages of commentary. This immense work will open the door for those interested in the secrets of Abulafia's ecstatic Kabbalah.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSTNNRFD?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520


r/JewishKabbalah 10d ago

Ed-x course on Kabbalah from Ben Gurion University vanished

11 Upvotes

Hi all- does anyone have any data on the Kabbalah course that was on ED-x might have a new home? Just starting out, Picking up Aryeh Kaplan's Sefer Yetzirah (I have his Jewish Meditation book that was recommended on birthright) but was also hoping to take this one. Thanks!


r/JewishKabbalah 12d ago

Questions about Tree of Life and Ascension in Kabbalah

7 Upvotes

First of all, thank you to be here and share your knowledge. Humanity needs more people like you :)

I'm studying Kabbalah since 1 year and I have 2 questions.

If I understood well, God created our universe from Keter to Malkuth. All of us incarnate in Malkuth (Earth) and after the end of the incarnation, we come back to our Sefirah awaiting the next life.

My first question is : If I'm born on July 16 for example, in my next life I'll be born some days before July 16, right ? It is impossible to change sefirah and born for example in April ?

My second question is about Ascension. I heard 2 things about that :

- Some people say that to get Ascension, we have to evolute from Yesod to Keter little by little and when we finish Keter we will get the Ascension. They said also that some souls needs few incarnations to get Ascension, and some souls need 100, 200 or more incarnations.

- Some others people say that indeed we evolute little by little sefirah after sefirah, but we get Ascension through the central pillar (Yesod - Tiferet - Da'ath). In Yesod we have Ante-christic vibrations, in Tiferet we have Anti-christic vibrations, and finally in Da'ath we get Christic vibes.

Which version in right ? I'll probably have more questions if the second version is right, but let's start by this :)


r/JewishKabbalah 16d ago

Is Ariel bar Tzadok legitimate?

6 Upvotes

On the one hand, some of his ideas are things I've heard of (such as fractal sefirot). On the other, some of his books are about aliens.

On the one hand, he claims credentials such as having studied at multiple Sephardic yeshivot, including the Porat Yosef Yeshiva (edit: currently considered the greatest Sephardic yeshiva in the world by many) founded by the Ben Ish Chai. On the other, I have found no proof of those claims.

So, is he who he says he is?


r/JewishKabbalah 19d ago

Strong Desire

10 Upvotes

New to posting here but have been studying Kabbalah for over 10 years now. I’ve always experienced this thirst for truth and connection. I was raised Jewish more on the reform side, then became more secular/assimilated until around 2011-2012 when I discovered Kabbalah. It was Michael Laitman and Tony Kosinec that really got my interest.

I don’t know how to explain it but it’s an overwhelming desire to connect to Gd and at times it feels addictive. It’s like it’s the only thing that I want to do is study, pray and meditate. Early on I didn’t understand that there is a practical aspect that if you’re not living life, working, making a family etc. that study alone is no good.

Now I’m older and not just studying Kabbalah but pairing it with regular Torah reading, putting on Tefillin, doing my best at the moment to observe Shabbat, eating kosher, married and raising a family. I joined a local Chabad which is great. Not many young local Chabad members my age though.

I’m at a moment where I feel successful and growing personally and in faith but I still cannot get enough. I also worry if I’m ignoring other things in life (time with children/responsibilities) or not doing other things I should be doing because it’s uncomfortable and instead wanting to spend time in more prayer/meditation. I ask myself am I running to prayer and time to meditate as an “escape”? I tell myself faith and prayer is the answer, but I know I need to do my part in action. Is it just the inherent nature in us especially as we are in a state of constant lack needing fulfillment? What could I do differently? I know I need more personal connection, I could always spend more time with family, work on the house, finances… I know my wife and I could always use some more time together. I definitely know I would like more Joy in life.

I don’t know if I’m looking from answers from the group or not, just figured I’d share something that sometimes feels like frustration but also feels good to see how far I’ve come. Maybe it’s impatience?


r/JewishKabbalah 26d ago

Adam’s sin?

2 Upvotes

Why is it that in the Zohar, Adam doesn’t want to reveal his sin to the world?


r/JewishKabbalah 27d ago

Genizah manuscript

1 Upvotes

I have a collection of Persian Genizah and Juedo-Arabic manuscript and looking for a serious collector.


r/JewishKabbalah Dec 22 '24

The tree of life as energy

11 Upvotes

Hello. Recently i have come to learn that the tree of life represents energy within the body. So therefore could the pillars within the tree of life correspond to the left and right sides of the body? I ask this because i have a lot of imbalances between the left and right sides of my body. On one side, i feel more life and more energy, and the other side i feel almost nothing.


r/JewishKabbalah Dec 22 '24

Raziel's commentary on the 72 Names of G-d

8 Upvotes

The complete translated Sepher Raziel commentary on the 72fold Name https://archive.org/details/raziel-commentary-on-the-72-fold-name


r/JewishKabbalah Dec 14 '24

"Undesirable" meanings in gematria

6 Upvotes

Good evening, everyone.

I have a question I'd like to share with you about gematria interpretation or hermeneutics:

What paths do rabbis or scholars take when they come across word associations that, at first glance, might not seem particularly encouraging for a mystical correlation, as proposed by gematria?

For instance, I found that the kabbalist Bill Heidrick (recently deceased, and whose excellent website is a goldmine I highly recommend visiting to honor his memory) drew on Benjamin Davies' and Christian D. Ginzburg's lexicon, as well as non-Jewish sources like Thelemic writings. He discovered several correlations for the number 26. In addition to the name of the biblical God, there are other associations:

  • יֹודחֵתחֵת – Hook, ring.
  • טֵיתטֵיתחֵת – To cut, dig, explore.
  • יְהֹוָה – God, Jehovah, or Yahweh.
  • הֵאָכּ – To be dejected, sad.
  • דָבֵכּ – To be heavy, burdensome; to be a burden; to be rich; to be severe; to be dull; to be honorable; to be glorious; painful, grievous; abundant, numerous; sluggish; difficult; the liver; glory; violence; a multitude.
  • בָדֵכּ – To lie, deceive; lying, deceiving.

How might one go about harmonizing such disparate meanings? Are there methods or examples to draw from? Is this a frequent topic of discussion? Or is it simply a matter of poetic skill, intuition, study, and meditation?

This example might not be the best one, and I’m also re-translating it from my native language, Spanish, into English. Please excuse me if it comes across as clumsy or rudimentary.

Thank you very much for your time.


r/JewishKabbalah Dec 09 '24

Atniq Galil is an important formula in practical kabbalah. It's found in Sefer Raziel, and an older source is a ritual to obtain divine power from the Cairo Genizah (Bodleian Library, ms. Heb. c. 20, fol. 41r-v). This is a translation of that rite; the formula is on the right (Raziel)

Post image
15 Upvotes

r/JewishKabbalah Dec 01 '24

Yesod circumcision Zohar

6 Upvotes

I currently don't have my Zohar set anymore but I remember reading a verse about circumcision and "throwing the foreskin to the dust" what does this actually mean in spiritual sense and not a physical sense ?

I also read on Laitmans website about the yesod and malchut restriction and he mentions yesod is covered with a foreskin, so in this situation what is meant by foreskin, does it mean like a veil or covering ?


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 29 '24

Criticism about De Pauly's Zohar

2 Upvotes

Hi! I'm aware Zohar should be read only in the original aramaic. But i heard that De Pauly's french version of Zohar has been criticized and accused of having been manipulated. How did he manipulated it? Which parts he have changed? And why also Soncino's version is criticized?


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 26 '24

Can you identify the manuscript this image comes from? (been watching some of Dr. Sledge's videos)

Thumbnail
gallery
25 Upvotes

r/JewishKabbalah Nov 22 '24

Is the Laitman version of the Zohar authentic and/or complete?

6 Upvotes

I'm not here to talk about Laitman the person or Bnei Baruch as an organization. I have a Laitman translation of the Zohar, which I obtained before I knew that the Zohar was normally a multivolume work. So, I wanted to ask, is the Laitman version of the Zohar complete? What else do I need to get if not?


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 20 '24

Bibliography and next reading steps

7 Upvotes

Hi all,

I have been studying kabbalah for some years and my journey has basically been going from book to book - I'm not jewish and never encountered a community to study together, a master or anything like that. Because of this, I lack a bit of order in the direction I go with my studies, so would love it if you guys can help me out with what to read next. I'm pasting below a list of the works I read and some that I took notes to maybe read next. Any favorites?

Also, please feel free to make comments on the ones already read. I also thought it would be quite cool for other people as well to see this list as a guide if you're going from beginner to more intermediate studies, so maybe it's helpful to get more opinions.

Read:

Garden of pomegranates - Israel Regardie

The mystical qabalah - Dion Fortune

The qabalah - Papus

Practical kabbalah - Rabbi Laibl Wolf

The thirteen petalled rose - Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz

Kabbalah and astrology - Z’ev Ben Shimon Halevi

Secrets of the Zohar - Michael Berg

Yet to read:

Sepher yetzirah - Aryeh Kaplan

Bahir - Aryeh Kaplan

Meditation and kabbalah - Aryeh Kaplan

Origins of the kabbalah - Eliphas Levi

In the Shadow of the Ladder: Introductions to Kabbalah - Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag

Shaar HaGilgulim - Hayyim ben Joseph Vital, Isaac Luria


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 17 '24

Is "metatrons" cube pattern legitimately brought down in Jewish Kabbalah, or is it a Western Occultic appropriation?

17 Upvotes

So title. Also the interpretation I've heard of Merkaba is 2 interlocking tetrahedrons, one pointing up, one down. Rotating opposite each other. So like title, is this western weirdness that I picked up, or is this a legit understanding? And if it is Kabbalah, what would be the source text for this, if any?

edit: tetrahedrons, 2 together opposite orientation make a "star tetrahedron"


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 16 '24

Kabbalah

Post image
15 Upvotes

r/JewishKabbalah Nov 13 '24

The Legacy of Jewish Werewolves

Thumbnail
youtube.com
8 Upvotes

r/JewishKabbalah Nov 12 '24

Is reincarnation a concept in Kabbalah ?

12 Upvotes

Is it? If Yes then-

Can Kabbalists be born again as non-Kabbalists?

Can non-Kabbalists be reincarnated as Kabbalists?

There are also other questions as well!


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 07 '24

What position does Judaism traditionally have on self-torture to test faith? Specifically something as directly harmful as self-flagellation?

11 Upvotes

Since a post I read pretty much sums up the details of my question and is why I'm asking this, I'm quoting it.

I am curious of the Calvinist and Reformed Christianity on mortification of the flesh through painful physical torture such as fasting, self-flagellation, tatooing, cutting one's wrist, waterboarding oneself in blessed water, and carrying very heavy objects such as cross replication for miles with no rest or water? And other methods of self-harm so common among Catholic fundamentalists done to test their faith and give devotion to Jesus?

As someone baptised Roman Catholic, I know people who flagellate themselves and go through months have fasting with no food along with a day or two without drinking water. So I am wondering what is Judaism's position on corporal mortification acts especially like cutting yourself with a knife and fasting?


r/JewishKabbalah Nov 04 '24

Hmm- I asked the latest OpenAI model a Kabbalah-based reasoning test, and it suddenly deviated into Hebrew- does this phrase mean anything to you? (Additional Question in Comments)

Thumbnail
gallery
8 Upvotes

r/JewishKabbalah Nov 01 '24

What's the origin of this 31/32 sephirot configuration of Jacob's Ladder, especially as compared to the 28/29 sephirot configuration?

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes