How are systems like the kabbalah supposed to "work"?

[vijeno]

Suppose I knew all the secrets of the kabbalah, or of hermeticism or gnosticism... then what? How is that knowledge supposed to change me? Put in simplistic terms, "what's in it for me"? What is the goal?

I never quite understood that. In buddhism, meditation is obviously a transformative practice, and then there is the idea of practicing loving-kindness, so it is obvious how that would change a person over time. I can easily see why somebody would want that, and how people would imagine that this would be good for the whole planet. All those smiling buddhists... ;-)

But in all those "western" systems that are largely based on "secret knowledge", I never quite understood how that would bring about something akin to "enlightenment", or peace, or paradise, or whatever... and I never saw what the point of it all was supposed to be apart from that. To me, it was always fascinating from an outside perspective, but that's about it.

Can you enligthen me?

 

[allfoak]

Can you enligthen me?

We can only be guides.
The question would be:
Where does secret knowledge come from?

 

[allfoak]

“The narratives of the Doctrine are its cloak. The simple look only at the garment — that is, upon the narrative of the Doctrine; more they know not. The instructed, however, see not merely the cloak, but what the cloak covers.”
(The Zohar, iii., 152; Franck, 119.)

“The Mysteries of the Faith (are) not to be divulged to all. . . . . It is requisite to hide in a mystery the wisdom spoken.”
(Clem. Alex., “Strom.” 12.)

 

[Tumah]

Suppose I knew all the secrets of the kabbalah, or of hermeticism or gnosticism... then what? How is that knowledge supposed to change me? Put in simplistic terms, "what's in it for me"? What is the goal?

I never quite understood that. In buddhism, meditation is obviously a transformative practice, and then there is the idea of practicing loving-kindness, so it is obvious how that would change a person over time. I can easily see why somebody would want that, and how people would imagine that this would be good for the whole planet. All those smiling buddhists... ;-)

But in all those "western" systems that are largely based on "secret knowledge", I never quite understood how that would bring about something akin to "enlightenment", or peace, or paradise, or whatever... and I never saw what the point of it all was supposed to be apart from that. To me, it was always fascinating from an outside perspective, but that's about it.

Can you enligthen me?

Kaballah is a part of Jewish studies. Its a part of learning how the world was created. That understanding gives us a sense of awe of G-d. Its also useful in teaching us how to perform the commandments with greater stringencies and perfecting our actions.

 

[crossfire]

Suppose I knew all the secrets of the kabbalah, or of hermeticism or gnosticism... then what? How is that knowledge supposed to change me? Put in simplistic terms, "what's in it for me"? What is the goal?

I never quite understood that. In buddhism, meditation is obviously a transformative practice, and then there is the idea of practicing loving-kindness, so it is obvious how that would change a person over time. I can easily see why somebody would want that, and how people would imagine that this would be good for the whole planet. All those smiling buddhists... ;-)

But in all those "western" systems that are largely based on "secret knowledge", I never quite understood how that would bring about something akin to "enlightenment", or peace, or paradise, or whatever... and I never saw what the point of it all was supposed to be apart from that. To me, it was always fascinating from an outside perspective, but that's about it.

Can you enligthen me?

I study the Qliphoth. It is quite useful and transformative for accessing and examining repressed psychological content that leads to bad/unprofitable habits so you can resolve the problem and change the bad habits.

 

[crossfire]

Kaballah is a part of Jewish studies. Its a part of learning how the world was created. That understanding gives us a sense of awe of G-d. Its also useful in teaching us how to perform the commandments with greater stringencies and perfecting our actions.

When I read the Book of Job, I see it as Job working the qliphoth. (His 7 sons and 3 daughters who worked a circuit of dining at each other's houses representing the "other side" of the sephirot in that Job was constantly making sacrificial offering on their behalf.)

Do you see this as possibly having any validity?

 

[Tumah]

When I read the Book of Job, I see it as Job working the qliphoth. (His 7 sons and 3 daughters who worked a circuit of dining at each other's houses representing the "other side" of the sephirot in that Job was constantly making sacrificial offering on their behalf.)

Do you see this as possibly having any validity?

I'm not sure how or why dining in each other's houses should represent the "other side of the sephiros" and I've never heard of the phrase "working the qliphoth". I don't know what you mean by that. Googling it only brought me a bunch of hits in Hermetic Qaballah.

So I'm not really sure. From the little I skimmed through Google, it doesn't look like this concept bares resemblance to Jewish ideas.

 

[crossfire]

I'm not sure how or why dining in each other's houses should represent the "other side of the sephiros" and I've never heard of the phrase "working the qliphoth". I don't know what you mean by that. Googling it only brought me a bunch of hits in Hermetic Qaballah.

So I'm not really sure. From the little I skimmed through Google, it doesn't look like this concept bares resemblance to Jewish ideas.

Fair enough. I don't think Job wasn't Hebrew, either. (Being from the east in the land of Utz.)