Question: Connection is the essence of the ONE Convention, and the aim is to attain that force of connection coming up to and in the convention. So how does one prepare for that socially and emotionally?

Dr. Michael Laitman: Those who study the wisdom of Kabbalah have to know that it talks only about connection, unity. If you are detached from everyone, you cannot feel more than you feel now, i.e. our situation, this world. I live where I now feel, and I feel nothing else if I am detached from others.

The minute I begin to unite with others—uniting means that someone else’s desires become as my own, which is impossible with our strength, but only with the light that reforms—then I begin to feel new phenomena through the connection between us, in our common desires, called “the upper world.”

We learn it from the breaking of the vessels. There was one desire; it was filled with one light. It was the world of Ein Sof [infinity]. That state shattered. As it shattered, each part fell into a sensation called “this world,” which is how we feel. To the extent that we connect or unite we begin to rise on the ladder of the worlds. We begin to feel in the connection between us.

Let us say I become 20 percent connected with others as one desire. I thus feel the world of Assiya, another 20 percent, the world of Yetzira, another 20 percent, the world of Beria, another 20 percent, the world of Atzilut, another 20 percent, and the world of Adam Kadmon. All of them together, when they are merged, are “the world of Ein Sof [no end, infinity]”. It’s all about connection of the broken Kli (vessel) which is done by connection.

Connecting all these things together is our work, as well as showing this explanation well, in the right way. Although it is inconvenient and because our nature is the complete opposite, but introducing it in such a way that… we have to. We’ve got no choice. Let’s try. Look at what we get for it. If we introduce these things to people in the right way, it is measured in the right psychological steps as we approach them, they’ll have no choice. They’ll have the blows on one hand, our explanation on the other hand, with a few sweets—we have to tell them how much we gain by the connection between us—and with the help of the light that reforms, we discover the spiritual life. Moreover, by that we indeed gain the world of Ein Sof, an eternal life, unbounded existence. Let’s hope that we reach it.

This Q&A is based on the Special Q&A Session with Dr. Michael Laitman in Preparation for the ONE Convention, which took place on Sunday, June 16. Watch the whole video & stay up-to-date with ONE Convention preparation materials here »

Question: What would I, and others like me just starting our journey in Kabbalah, bring to the workshops and gatherings at the ONE Convention?

Dr. Michael Laitman: There is no problem coming to the convention without knowing anything. A person heard about it for the first time. ‘There’s a convention tomorrow in New Jersey!’ He doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t have time to call or what-not. Will there be room? I don’t think he’ll be thrown out. They’ll register him, but still [ed. it’s always preferable to register ahead of time], if you are here with us, it is clear you have registered. I promise everyone that everything will be clear. We are talking about simple, rational and very practical things.

Basically, what do we want? We want to know the kind of world we live in, what is happening besides this short life, how to get out of the trouble in this life, and besides that, attain the vast world that exists but we cannot feel. It is there. But where? I don’t have the senses.

The sense to perceive the spiritual world is that sixth sense, the sense of the right connection between us. If I connect with everyone, as we said, in 20 percent of my desire, then I begin to perceive the Upper World which is the world of Assiya, etc. In order to attain the spiritual world and feel it, I have to open up my Kelim (vessels) to expand, go beyond myself. That’s why it is called, “Love your friend as yourself,” connection with others, because when I open myself up I begin to feel the others and I begin to feel spirituality.

We will do some exercises. Perhaps you will feel it. Even newcomers, people who just turn up there could feel it. I would recommend it to anyone. Don’t be afraid. The fact that we say that there is material there that you need to read and to advance. That’s in order to go deeper, to have a better understanding, better connection with the power, the desire, the sensation of the heart to go into the convention. But if you’re unprepared, you’ll feel what is happening. The impression that a person will receive from the ONE Convention will open up your souls.

This Q&A is based on the Special Q&A Session with Dr. Michael Laitman in Preparation for the ONE Convention, which took place on Sunday, June 16. Watch the whole video & stay up-to-date with ONE Convention preparation materials here »