[Avodah] What is Mindfulness and does Judaism have

[Richard Wolpoe]

On Nov 20, 2007 2:11 AM, Shoshana L. Boublil <toramada at bezeqint.net> wrote:

>
> The Eastern Philosophies deal with "Shev VeAl Ta'aseh".  Reaching Nirvana
> is
> a complete stillness that does not impact on the world, or as the Prof.
> used
> to say "does not harm the world".
>
> Shoshana L. Boublil
>
>
Martial Arts Master Chaim Sober described to us 2 kind of meditative states:

   1. Complete Stillness
   2. Loudness, Chaos, Tumult

The JEWISH parallels:

   1. Yeshaya:  kadosh Kadosh - perfect stillness
   2. Yehezkel:  vatisa'eini ruach voe'shma acharai KOL RA'ASH GADOL -
   BARUCH K'VOD...

In Jewish "Meditation."

   1. Perfect stillness  [perhaps e.g, iyyun tefillha in the SILENT
   Amidah [see R. Aryeh Kaplan's books for details]
   2. Hassidic dancing [parallel to dervishes]

I don't know if Buddhism itself shares both flavors.  Certainly Master
Sober's teachers were Zen Buddhists.  Bottom line: Sober illustrated that
the TWO traditions were preserved in Jewish Tradition from the great Mystic
Prophets Yeshaya and Yehezk'el.

Koheles would probably tell us there is a time for stillness and a time for
loudness.
It appears that Koheles was closer to Toaist philosophy then to Zen
philosophy.

At any rate, I don't see Stillness as en end, but as a means to an end.

-- 
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
Please Visit:
http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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