When we enter into a new ‘world’ – a new era, a new stage of life, we are beset by negative forces – illusion, desire, confusion.  The way to move past these elements is to embrace the expansiveness of being a new place.

In this class, we discuss one of the most esoteric of Rebbe Nachman’s concepts – the column of souls wherein each of us occupies a space that is unique but completely related to the one above and below.  When we move, the one above us moves in a certain way.  Very deep stuff.

But learning is possible!  Even perceptions and behaviors that feel artificial at first can eventually be integrated and real.

Rebbe Nachman addresses the anatomy of illusion – it comes from the heart and from emotion.  We create or give in to illusions because they seem more attractive than reality.

Once we unearth the light and remove it from its shell, wants to inspire us and those around us.  but we need to be sure the circuitry is in place, and this is not so simple. VERY practical stuff.

There is so much we can do to leave the possibility of happiness open.  And so much we already do that allows it to close.

Our bad feelings, faulty narratives, and various and sundry schtick tend to coalesce around the people and situations we encounter in the form of a hard shell called ‘klipah’, and only joy can break through it.  How?  And what is joy, anyway?

Our relationships get distorted because of those nasty klipot that stand like dragons, defending the spark we need from them.  but don’t get turned away!  You need that gold!  So don’t let your heart close!

Without too much work, we can operate at about 91%.  But the remaining 9% has been captured and is being held under maximum security.   Uh-oh!

The work of ascending begins with doing mitzvot with joy.  Why mitzvot?   Why joy?  This class is an interesting exploration of how we remove ourselves and the world around us from its broken state.