A Spiritual Point in the Heart

One who wants to experience the true taste of life must pay special attention to the spiritual point found in one’s heart. Everyone has a point in the heart. However, it does not generally show signs of life and does not illuminate, and because of this, we are not aware of it.

In such a situation it is called a “black point.” This point is a seed of a soul. The characteristic of this point is altruistic, because it is a seed of the future vessel of the soul and its Light, a portion of the Creator.

However, in its initial state it is hidden from us, since we do not appreciate it, and for this reason this state is called “Galut (exile) of the Shechina” (the Divine Presence). Such a state of the soul is called a “point.”

Asking for Qualities Like the Creator’s

If we elevate the importance of that point above our own “I,” above our heads, like the crowns above the letters, in this way we make it comparable to a crown on our heads, rather than dust at our feet. Then Light is emitted from the center into the body, and from this potential center it becomes the source of strength for our spiritual elevation.

Hence, instead of all our appeals for help from the Creator, our only prayer should focus on realizing the importance of perceiving the Creator as a means to our improvement for His sake.

The ability to perform acts of goodness (altruistic acts) is not a means, but a reward for a person who wishes to resemble the Creator.

The Path to The Spiritual World

The sequential order of the process by which a person shifts away from egoism and towards the spiritual world can be found in the Bible as the exodus from Egypt. The appearance of vessels of bestowal in a person is called “the exodus from Egypt.”

However, altruistic desires (vessels of bestowal) mean that a person would rather follow the path of faith than the path of knowledge. To exit from egoism is only possible when we feel spirituality, perceive the Creator; and the Light of Wisdom splits the Yam Suf (Red Sea) in the middle. At this point, one passes over the boundary between two worlds.

In order to do this, the Creator performs a miracle. He gives us the Light of Wisdom (Ohr Hochma), despite the fact that we do not possess the appropriate vessel to receive the Light. With the help of this Light, we can break the barrier (machsom). Afterwards, when the miracle passes, those who have entered the spiritual world do not return to the level of our world.

In the next stage, we must acquire a vessel for receiving the Light of Wisdom, and this is accomplished on the difficult path of advancement in the spiritual desert until we merit receiving the Light of the Creator by ascending onto “Mount Sinai.” In this state, we observe the commandments by virtue of faith above knowledge, when we place our own thoughts and wishes below the faith.

Developing from Spiritual Smallness to Greatness

A so-called lesser state, Katnut, that is, Malchut in this case, connotes only the center or Keter (“crown”). In such minimal presence, our evil egoistic dispositions cannot sway us because we have placed faith above knowledge and perception.

This is considered to be a lesser state because in it we do not take into account egoism, since we have no strength to counter it. This situation can be compared to a case in which we are unable to consume only a small amount of food, and refuse the entire portion altogether.

However, a bond with the Light of the Creator can only transpire if we are able to receive that Light into ourselves; that is, to work altruistically with our own egoism. As we transform our egoism into altruism, the altered vessel will be filled with the Light of the Creator.

That state of our spiritual vessel (of corrected egoism,kli) is called “the greater state, Gadlut.” Malchut descends from Keter to the level at which we can withstand the pull towards self- gratification and be able to receive, but not for the sake of our own pleasure.

To fully receive the Light of the Creator, to perceive the Creator to the full extent of one’s ability, to completely cling to Him, is possible only by fully utilizing our egoism for the service of altruism. Such a state is known as “the end of the correction process,” and is the goal of creation.

“Tricks to Increase Your Spiritual Desire ” is based on the book, Attaining the Worlds Beyond by Dr. Michael Laitman.