There Is a Big Difference between Being Physically at the ONE Convention and Being Connected to It through the Internet

Dr. Michael Laitman giving a lesson at a convention

Question: There are English speakers in the U.K., Austral-Asia, South Africa, and all around the world. Is the New Jersey ONE Convention this August meant for them too? Should they make the extra step and come to the U.S., or should they get organized where they are?

Dr. Michael Laitman: I can’t say which is better. There are people who live very far. It’s hard for them to come. These people need to organize where they live, say in Austral-Asia. It’s hard to come from there to New Jersey. You have to go half-way around the world, from Africa or whatever. I would recommend for them to connect among themselves and determine a place where they are going to have a mirror convention and do it there.

By the way, that is true not only for English speakers, although the convention in New Jersey is in English. There will be mirror conventions all over South America, Europe, Russia, Asia. So you don’t have to come to New Jersey. If you can come and attend physically, it’s great. But if you can’t, go to a mirror convention close to your area.

Question: From July 25, we will be starting a whole string of conventions in Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, and then we will make it to New Jersey on August 8. The question is, how do we, the whole World Kli, have to get organized? Should we have mirror conventions for each and every convention?

Dr. Laitman: I don’t know how to answer that. Almost every day I’ll be in a different place in South America. At least, there should be mirror conventions held together with the New Jersey ONE Convention, which is the last and biggest one in this series. I think that there, we should all try to connect and be in our places, but together with all the friends that you can gather into that place.

Student: So the ONE Convention is happening the world over, not only in New Jersey, but really all over the world. People are getting together for mirror conventions and we really encourage anyone and everyone, whoever is in North America, to get to New Jersey.

Dr. Laitman: Yes, there is no doubt. From Alaska to even Mexico perhaps. I expect everyone to be there. There is no doubt that there is a big difference between being physically in the convention and being connected to it through the Internet.

Register for the ONE Convention, August 8-10 in New Jersey Here »

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 »

North America ONE Kabbalah Convention - August 8-10, 2014 - New Jersey, USA

Overcome Fears of Fitting In and Appearing Foolish through a Positive, Supportive Atmosphere of Connection at the ONE Convention

Overcome Your Fears at the ONE Convention

Question: I have corporeal fears of fitting in, of being smart enough, of knowing what to do, where to go and how to behave. I fear appearing foolish in front of people I wish to be more like. Dr. Laitman, did you ever experience these fears?

Dr. Michael Laitman: I never felt these fears because the convention is accessible. That is the atmosphere there. Everyone’s talking and chatting and laughing. They’re happy! It’s connection! There’s a lot of hugging and kissing. Most of the people know each other. Now that I’m looking at the screens I see the majority of faces are already familiar. [Participating groups are shown on the screen.] Toronto, I know the whole group. St. Louis, these friends I’ve known for at least ten years. Chicago too. New York. It’s a beautiful, big group today. San Francisco. Today it’s a full house, a full turnout, all of North America.

Of course there are faces I don’t know, new faces. Miami too. Some are there, some are new. Also, the Yashar Kel Virtual Group are all the people who are starting Kabbalah through Mike Kellogg’s system. They’re doing great work. I have to see all our friends from Yashar Kel at the convention.

It’s time for us all to come together, because it’s impossible to continue in this way. Those who aren’t moving toward connection cut themselves off from discovering the Upper Force. By not moving toward connection, you won’t actualize the wisdom of Kabbalah.

First of all, the connection has to be among us, and as much as we can, we need to also act toward the general public.

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 »

North America ONE Kabbalah Convention - August 8-10, 2014 - New Jersey, USA

What Is the Essence of the ONE Convention?

What Is the Essence of the ONE Convention?

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 »

North America ONE Kabbalah Convention - August 8-10, 2014 - New Jersey, USA

What Can a Beginner in Kabbalah Bring to the ONE Convention this August?

What Can a Beginner in Kabbalah Bring to the ONE Convention?

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 »

North America ONE Kabbalah Convention - August 8-10, 2014 - New Jersey, USA