CLASS 1
The Sefer Yetzirah? Who wrote it? Abraham, Jeremiah, Ben Sira, R. Akiva, or a later anonymous author? What is the purpose of a pseudepigrapha. Synopsis of the individual chapters. 1. Sefirot, 2. Letters, 3. Amesh, 4. Beged Kaporet, 5. the Twelve, 6. the Outer World. Alternative meaning of “sefirot” referring to numbers, not emanations. The combinations of letters form all words in all languages. The relationship of the cosmological, astronomical, astrological and anatomical, and how this system is the foundation of holistic medicine, the likes of which were practiced in the ancent world, and even today in oriental medicine. The original meaning of the text was to teach Sodot Ma'aseh Bereshit, the secrets of creation. However, we find that these secrets may indeed take us into the realms of science and mathematics, more than into the realms of mysticism, and meditation.
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CLASS 1

 The Creation of Consciousness.

The primordial act of will, the beginning of individuation.

An overall introduction into the Lurianic Kabbalah and the different schools that evolved within it. Why this system must be understood within the realm of psychology, and not in the realm of cosmology. All Lurianic terms, and concepts need to be understood within the context of the psychological.

Reading from Sefer Ba'al Shem Tov (V'et'hanan 69).

Concept 1 – Tzimtzum. What exactly is a contraction of God? How must such concept be understood. How does our understanding of the primordial Tzimzum have any meaning, and value to our lives today. Reading from “The Psychology of Tzimtzum” by Mordechai Rotenberg.

A deeper understanding from R. Vital's book, Mevo She'arim.

CLASS 2
The Three Sefarim.  What is the meaning, and significance of the number 32? More so what is “wisdom,” and why is it “wondrous”? What is the “engraving”? Why does the text elaborate ten “Names” of God, as opposed to one being enough?  Reading from the commentaries of Sa'adiah Gaon, Avraham Abulafia, and the RaVaD. Reference to the Yod, the primordial form (golem), and its relationship to the concealed realms in the universe, and the mind. Understanding the relationship of the macrocosm, and microcosm. The Three Sefarim. Are they “book, reader and story,” or are they “letters, numbers, and creation.” Is there really a difference between the two? This lesson begins our journey into the wonders of the imagination, from which comes forth all thought, and passion that are the building blocks of the inner and outer worlds. We conclude with a coded understanding of the text, discovering within it a hidden reference to the 42 Letter Name (of Ma'aseh Bereshit). The class worksheet elaborates a uniquely Abulafian technique of intermingling a triad of renditions of the 42 Letter Name to construct a combination of letters that can be used for meditative, and/or contemplative purposes.
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CLASS 2
Igulim and Yosher
Why the Light of the Ayn Sof had to reemerge into the halal (Mevo Shearim). The two forms of primordial Light emanated into the Halal (vacuum) left after the Tzimtzum. Spheres and columns represent two different manifestations of the Will or Evolving Mind of the Ayn Sof. These two expressions are the original materialization of the two concepts that will later be known as external, and internal reality, force and form, soul, and body, mercy and severity, fluidity and rigidity.

This class outlines the reason for the essential existence of duality in nature, and then describes the nature of complexity as the final form of Divine manifestation, the purpose being for all the individual parts to learn how to operate in harmony with one another.

Reference to the Image of God within “man.” Adam Kadmon is a Zeir Anpin to the Ayn Sof just as Zeir Anpin is an Ayn Sof to humanity.

Additional readings from the Mevo Shearim, and the Etz Hayim.

CLASS 2

Chapter1:24 – 2:9. Social moral responsibility. The purpose of hard times (judgment?) is to refine, not to inflict suffering. The path to social restoration revolves around justice, and charity. Isaiah's focus is always on moral issues, and not ritual concerns. The difference between a poshe'ah (one who harms with intent), and a hoteh (one who succumbs to temptation), what consequences results from their choices. Ancient sexual ritual observances.

The great ideal for the future. Isaiah's vision for a world united, without war, or war-craft, when all would seek wisdom and guidance from Law, and God. Yet, Isaiah does not mention here a Mashiah, and although many interpret this to be a messianic prophecy, the literal text does not support such a literal reading.

The place of divination and occult manipulations in ancient Israel. Isaiah blames these for the fall of the nation. The quantum nature of reality is circumvented by forbidden fortune-telling. The influence of Babylonia and Persian cultures on ancient Israel.

CLASS 3

The Ten Sefirot and the 22 Letters.  The three Sefarim as perceived in different ways. The central role of perception, and how individual perception defines reality. This is the meaning of the 32 wondrous path, with the three Sefarim being imagination, contemplation, and implementation.

Mishna 2. The curious repetition of triads, three sefarim, three sets of letters, olam, shana, and nefesh.   The various ways of understanding “nefesh,” and its possible relationship to the Hiyuli, prima-matter, and its relationship to the concept of Adam Kadmon discussed in later Kabbalistic literature.

What are sefirot? What does the term, “bli mah” mean? Different perceptions of what exactly are sefirot.   The relationship of letters to the primal natural forces. Relationship to DNA. How all of creation is perceived and expressed through human communication with words and mathematics. How these are the actual building blocks in real-time, as opposed to creation through mystical, or magical means.
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CLASS 3

TaNT'O and AS'MaB

There is YHWH above and YHWH below, God and Man. Each is a reflection of the other, macrocosm opposite microcosm.

Form is a construct of letters, similar to that taught in the Sefer Yetzirah. Letters are harmonic frequencies transcending any and every language. To say that God speaks Hebrew, or created the universe using Hebrew is only a metaphor, not to be taken literally. Letters have audio elements, and physical elements to them. These are the song, vowels, crowns, and forms. These lesson describes the cosmological, and psychological aspects of these elements.

This lesson then describes the nature of the human perception of God, or God within. God is experienced within the human context in four unique ways, corresponding to the human unconscious, and rational minds, the human heart, and the physical form. The Name of God YHWH is therefore written in four different forms (AB, SAG, MAH, and BEN) to identify each level and each psychological construct.

This lesson explains Hayim Vital's intricate terminologies, and how he came about to experience them with the states of his own contemplative meditations.
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CLASS 4
The Ten Sefirot in Abulafia, and Other Early Sources
Readings from the works or R. Eliezer of Germiza, R. Yitzhak of Acco, RaMBaN and R. Abulafia's commentary Gan Na'ul, with special elaboration from his book, Sitrei Torah on RaMBaM's Moreh Nebukhim.  
What are the Ten Sefirot? There are two specific opinions, one very different from the other. This class covers the transition of understanding the sefirot cosmologically as infinite numbers, and into understanding them spiritually, as deeper, and deeper levels of human consciousness. The sefirot are the inner essence of the letters. This opens us up to discuss the relationship of force and form, (mind over matter). 

This class enumerates Abulafia's understanding of the Sefirot, and their relationship to Divine inspiration. Abulafia elaborates on the power of the mind, and its relationship to the Shekhina, Ruah HaKodesh (Divine inspiration), the Active Intelligence (Sekhel HaPo'al), Metatron, the Ishim angels, and Malkhut/Tzedek consciousness.

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CLASS 4

The Dawn of Consciousness in Adam Kadmon, the Lights of the Ear

This class introduces a profound set of symbols visualized by Hayim Vital as lights coming out from the facial orifices of Adam Kadmon. These symbols indicate the origins of consciousness itself, and how it comes to be from the state of the potential, and into the state of the actual.

The ear symbolizes the dawn of rational comprehension. Light “comes out from” the ears. The lights of the ears, right ear, and left ear, represent the two forms of dawning perception, inner perception, and out perception, here symbolized as Ohr Penimi, and Ohr Makif. This Light symbolically travels the path of the symbolic beard down to the heart. This is a beautiful metaphor to describe the process where dawning consciousness merges intellect with emotion. Mention is also made of the Kabbalistic tradition of men wearing a long, uncut beard, and why this observance is unnecessary.   The class explains, with many examples the origins of consciousness, and how we develop construct thought, from potential to actual.
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CLASS 5
The Covenant of the Ten and the Two Forms of Creation.  Creation is not metaphysical, supernatural, or magical. Meditation is for a purpose, to extract from the unconscious the creative idea and to materialize it into an appropriate physical form. This class discusses the relationship between the symbolic relationship of the hands, and the tongue, the toes and the sexual organ. All references to these body parts are understood as symbols reflecting a dynamic of interactions between one's inner creative power, and one's personal external expressions of said power. Religious people create within the religious context. Artists, musicians, and scientists each create, in the same way, within their individual, relative fields.
This class also introduces Mishna 4, and the usage of the powers of the whole mind to test, and explore reality, with the intent to extract from the mind practical, and realistic forms to create. This instruction sums up in brief the entire purpose, and practice of the text.
Reference is also made of Abulafia's automatic writing techniques, and other meditative forms used by Rabbis.
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CLASS 5

The Evolution of Consciousness in Adam Kadmon, the Lights of the Nose.

Sha'ar TaNTA, Chapter 2. Once the light of the symbolic Ear comes forth, it is followed by the light of the symbolic Nose. This lesson analyses R. Vital's vivid symbols, and explains their psychological, and archetypal meanings.

This lesson also focuses on the process of consciousness, and contemplation themselves, and offers practical insights into how their psychic functions operate.

The lights of the symbol Ear and Nose represent an evolving state of construct consciousness that has not yet congealed into the form of a focused thought. Focus is placed not so much on what R. Vital sees, but rather on how and why he is seeing it. This class offers keen insights into the meditative process of observing and analyzing consciousness, practices observed by many of the great global meditative traditions.

CLASS 5

Chapter 5.  Isaiah's intense insight into the the consequences of an irresponsible, and corrupt lifestyle. How poor personal choice at the individual, or collective level leads to a complete sense of disassociation from natural law, and thus from the benefits of a balanced life. How a skewered mind sees all surround reality in a light which is completely out of sync with realities actual nature.

The psychological causes of addiction, the psychology of the inner spark of Mashiah.

This class takes this lesson about ancient history and shows how the underlying psychological problems that caused societal collapse in the past, still plague us today creating for modern societies the same challenges of the past, with the same terrible consequences to come, unless we learn from the past, to change our individual, and collective ways.

Many applications to modern society are mentioned to drive home the perennial psychological nature of Isaiah's foresight and prophecy.
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CLASS 6

Understanding with Wisdom, Being Wise in Understanding.

After outlining the creative nature of the Ten Sefirot in the previous section, this lesson teaches the student how to use the creative element through the power of oscillating thought.

Ten, and not nine, or eleven is discussed to question whether the Keter, which is above consciousness should even be considered as part of the thought process. Being that the collective Higher Self, the archetype Metatron is the Shekhina, and the Sefirah Malkhut, how and why is it right to include this among the Sefirot. Discussion of whether the Sefirot are part of God, or creations of God, and why this difference is important; a brief mention of the history of the Christian trinity, and how some see its relationship to the Sefirot.

The process of oscillating consciousness for the sake of intellectual revelation, and creation. How this is practiced through the means of testing, and experimentation. This lesson focuses on the text's practical instructions for expanding consciousness, and the procedures for establishing and maintaining mental clarity, and emotional balance.
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CLASS 6

The “Big Mouth” of Adam Kadmon, the Beginnings of Construct Form (Vessels)

Sha'ar HaAkudim, Chapter One. This lesson begins our understanding of the formation of the expression of thought, symbolized as the light emanating from the mouth of Adam Kadmon.

Light, or thought, at this level, while taking form, still does not differentiate, and this state is symbolized as all the ten sefirot existing in a single vessel. This is the psychological state wherein which conscious thought (inner light/penimi), and unconscious influence (surrounding light/makif) conflict with one another. There is also the inner vessel (form which sees thing based on inner insight), and the outer vessel (form which sees things based on external insight). All four of these aspects exist together, (yet without harmony), within the single vessel of “big mouth.”

This lesson extracts this sublime mystical lesson from its obscure metaphors and explains it in the context of its practical psychological parameters. References are also made to different meditative practices observed by Kabbalists, and others around the world.
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CLASS 6
Chapter 6.  The Throne Vision, the Initiation of a Prophet.

This lesson addresses prophetic initiation, and reveals the actual nature of the prophetic revelation, and the prophet's mission. Prophetic revelation begins with the mind of the prophet achieving what today some might call “cosmic consciousness.” In this state the mind of the prophet experiences the Singular Universal Conscious Force (YHWH) that acts through all the forces of nature (Tzva'ot). The prophet merges with this Singularity in a state called Kedusha (holiness), which is the alignment of the individual with the Collective, enabling the prophetic spirit to materialize the powers of expanded consciousness (prophecy), better understood today as psychic, or clairvoyant powers. The test of the prophet is to internally embrace and to publicly represent the necessary balance between the ears (rational intelligence), the eyes (imagination), and the heart (emotions). This lesson explains in detail the prophetic calling in its proper universal, psychological form, and its application to modern spiritual instruction.
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CLASS 7
The Amukot Depths.  All the universe exists as a singular organism, yet its parameters are beyond the confines of human experience. Existence consists of time, space, and mind, referred to in this selection as the Amukot Depths. Each parameter can be compared to the circumference, and diameter of a circle. Where one begins, and where one ends depends upon one's point of reference. Points of reference need to be explored, and when done, one discovers the Depths of the reality of nature itself. Although the fullness of depths can never be reached one nevertheless walks the path, to eventually discover and experience the Singularity of the universe, that indeed guides all. In the Orient, the Singularity in nature is called the Dao, in our Torah, we call it the Halakha, and the Shekhina. How this is explored and experienced via letter permutation (Abulaifian) techniques is discussed in this lesson. This lesson also combines the teaching of the Ari'zal with the original cosmological teachings of this text, as well as modern psychological applications, and insights.
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CLASS 7

The Relationship of Thought and Speech, the Light(s) and Vessel(s) of the Mouth of Adam Kadmon.

Sha'ar HaAkudim, Chapter 2A.

This lesson introduces to us the actual practical, realistic meaning on the metaphors used to describe the passage of unconscious thought into conscious verbal expression. All of the metaphors of the Lurianic system used here, AB and SAG, Ta'amim, Ohr Makif (outer light), Ohr Penimi (inner light), Kli Hitzon (outer vessel), and Kli penimi (inner vessel) are described here in complete psychological perspective. This class serves as an actual example of the psychological process that this class describes.

This class is vital for understanding the nature of meditation, and exploring the realms of consciousness, and translating the nebulous into the concrete. This lesson also explains the meaning (psychology) of Ruah HaKodesh (divine inspiration), and how it differs from mere personal imaginative thought.

CLASS 7

Chapter 7. The Sign of Emmanuel, the Chosen Child.

King Ahaz of Judea is in serious trouble.  Judea as a nation has fallen. Casualties are over a hundred thousand. Ahaz is desperate. He needs an immediate solution!

The prophet points to a pregnant woman standing by, and declares that she will give birth to a son; he will be named Emmanuel, and by the time he is a toddler, the two invading forces will be no more. Thus, the sign is natural, and imminent.  Centuries later along comes Matthew, the student of Yeshu (Jesus), and applies this sign to his rebbe. Historically, this cannot be so, so what on Earth was Matthew thinking? This class answers this question with a review of Judaic methods of Torah interpretation, and how these differ from the Christian. The concept of a virgin birth is discussed in detail from the Jewish point of view.  This class discusses the foundational difference between Jewish and Christian understandings of the sign of the chosen child, spoken of in verse 14.
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