The Tao of Tanya: Exploring Why and How We Meditate as Jews 

A multi-week text study with Rabbi Andrew Hahn, Ph.D.

Four Thursdays, starting May 8, 2014 @7pm • Class Dates: May 8, 15, 22, 29

This largely text-based course is a follow-up to Metivta’s Panel on Jewish Meditation. In the four week series, we will tease out whether there is a thing as “Jewish” meditation. Based in texts from the Jewish tradition — from the Bible, rabbinic and kabbalistic literature, as well as from modern thinkers — we will attempt to uncover reasons from Jewish wisdom as to why humans meditate. While you will gain the most benefit by following the series from beginning to end, each class will be self-contained. This class will be of interest to anyone who meditates. Where appropriate, short meditation exercises will embody what we have learned.

This week's class:

May 22:  Olam ha-Ba, Now!: Finding Eternity in the Moment

Rabbi Hahn writes: It is often translated as the "World to Come." Or, coming at the end of time (or after our journey in these bodies ends) thought of as "heaven," or "paradise." But there is much more to this idea of a Reality beyond or even after the life we live here and now. In this class, drawing on the writing of our sages and the Kabbalah, we will examine the true meaning for us of an Olam ha-Ba and, as meditators, we will learn how we can access this "world" at any time we need to tap into its power. Includes gentle, easily repeatable meditation techniques.

May 29:     Creation of Nothing from Something: Our purpose and task on earth according to teachings of  the Tanya.

Previous classes:

May 8:     From Matzah to Revelation: The period from Passover to Shavuot and what it tells us about  having a personal practice

May 15:     Journey of the Jewish Soul: Why are we in these bodies and what are we   supposed to do in them?

$20 per class or $65 for the series