NO EXCUSES

One of the great gifts of being able to travel around the world spreading this wisdom is that I get to connect with so many people. Often, I’ll hear from those who attended at an intro lecture and said they were inspired and would love to learn more about Kabbalah but just don’t have the time. Even for those who receive the Tune-Ups, I frequently read that using wisdom is helping their lives, and though they would love to take a class or get a teacher and really commit to a path of change, they’re too busy with work at the moment – maybe next month. Of course, when next month rolls around, there is usually something else keeping them busy.

Just about any form of spirituality subscribes to the idea that the real purpose of our lives is to strengthen our connection with the Creator. So, why is it then, even for those of us who believe this to be true, that we spend so much of our lives doing anything but what we came to this world to do? 

The answer lies in the following story: There once was a king who was very ill. He said whoever could heal him would be granted two hours in the royal treasury to amass all the gold, diamonds, and rubies he could gather. It wasn’t long before one of the king’s advisors cured him and was given access to the treasury. Once healed the king was worried about giving away too much of his treasure. So he devised a plot to distract the advisor. The king knew that this particular advisor had an incredible passion for music, and so he hired a hundred of the greatest musicians to play the most beautiful music inside the treasury while the advisor gathered his fortune in those two hours. 

Each time the advisor reached for the jewels, the music grew louder to distract him. Sometimes a new instrument would be added and he would have to drop everything to go and watch in excitement. Eventually, he realized his bags were empty and he had better get started collecting the treasure, but by then it was too late. His time was up.

We are like the advisor: We become distracted. When we start to focus on the true purpose of our lives, the Opponent, or negative side, will always divert our attention. A good way to defeat that voice is to give it no space to enter in the first place. When we busy our thoughts and our schedule with our spiritual work, with sharing, with others, with connection to the light – then there is no room for the distractions! 

Living a spiritual path is difficult when your connections are stop and go. The light is consistent, and when we are consistent in our spirituality, we attract the Light to our lives consistently.

There will always be a reason not to study, not to share, not to commit – because that’s the way of the Opponent! 

Until one day, when it is too late to receive all the treasures the Light means for us to receive. 

When we stop making excuses and really commit to the path of change, we begin living our life’s purpose. 

72 Name of the Week

Yud Zayin Lamed
HEAVEN ON EARTH

I ignite the Light within myself, within others and throughout the planet. By committing myself to the path of revealing Light in the world, the concept of heaven on earth becomes conceivable and achievable.