B"H
נר ה' נשמת אדם
Movement Meditation-
"The Candle of G-d is the Soul of Man"
The basic understanding behind this meditation is that the body and soul express and influence each other. On the one hand, every movement we make with our body is a garment of the soul, which expresses its current mood to the world. We can easily see this by looking at someone whose soul is experiencing happiness- he wants to lift his legs in dance. This is an expression of the exaltation of the soul. When someone is experiencing sadness, you can see that his body is heavy and shrunken. (This is so because his soul is drowning in 'reality' and he is filled with the element of earth) On the other hand, the movements of the body can affect the experience of the soul. We can see this by once again looking at the sad person. If, despite his sadness, he forced himself to get up and dance, he is actually able to raise himself up from his depression as well.
Thus understanding the power of movement within ourselves- both as a tool to express our souls as well as a way to influence it- we must inquire of more details. What are the spiritual sources of any said movements and how do they affect our soul? By having some understanding of this, we can start to identify the inner realities which our soul is experiencing by looking at our natural movements. In addition, we can help ourselves to cure our inner worlds by utilizing physical movements.
Subject of Meditation:
It is explained in many places that the movement of the soul is very similar to the movement of the flame of a candle. As is taught in Kabbalah, the flickering of the flame is an expression of the inner will of the flame. There is an urge in the flame to separate from the wick and dissolve and unit within its spiritual source which is found in the element of fire surrounding the heavens. In the same way, the soul experiences an urge to leave the body and unit with its source in the Infinite Light of G-d. Just as within the flame we find three levels of light (and movement), so too does the soul of man experience three levels of movement. Within a person, these correspond to the three powers of the intellect, Chochmah, Binah, and Da'at.
1) Chochmah (Wisdom) - This is the level of experiencing unification with the subject of the meditation. You are unified with the subject; it exists as a point within you. This power is expressed in the body as stillness, or alternatively as a circular motion. And an example to illustrate the connection of these two: In a circle, a person looses his feeling of self. When Chassidim dance together in a circle, it arouses a very strong feeling of unity amongst them. This feeling stems from the circle which itself has no beginning or end- it is a point of unification.
2) Binah (Understanding) - This is to grasp the object of the meditation by looking at its details. The movement of the body which is connected to this mental force is the movement from side to side, from right to left. This is a movement that actually widens objects, and connects them to other objects. Intellectually, this is the power of analysis- to connect and compare different facts/objects and in this way, your understanding becomes stronger and deeper. It is learning in the way of Niggudiut, which is to see and experience the opposite point of view. An example in motion is when someone is trying to grasp difficult ideas, he often paces from one side of the room and back again to help widen his understanding. It is this physical movement which actually helps him to reach a wide place of understanding.
3) Da'at (Knowledge) - This is to draw down the spiritual ideas, to live with them, not just to know them in the mind. The movement that reflects this is a swaying back and forth, front to back. This movement is the movement of Tefillah- The goal of Tefillah is to bring into the heart the spiritual ideas being spoken in the mouth and thought in the brain. Our swaying front to back (as some Posskim hold is an obligation) helps to facilitate this process.
In our meditation the specific topic with which we will be working is "Ner Hashem Nishmat Adam" Just to reiterate, this expresses the situation in which the soul experiences a longing to return to Hashem at the same time that it is attached to a physical body.
Practical Work:
1) Relaxation (as explained)
2) Enterance Nigggun – K'Ayal Taarog
3) Meditation on "Ner Hashem Nishmat Adam"
In the level of Chochmah this possuk means that we experience that everything surrounding us is a reflection of our own inner dimension.
While standing still, and then starting to move in a small circular motion, we should experience a simple awareness that the essence of the candle is a reflection of my soul and my soul is a reflection of the candle. It is purely a feeling of connection and unity between me and everything that surrounds me. There is nothing to understand here.
Next we come to the understanding of Binah in our soul. Here we are lead to observe the details of the candle. There are three main components to the candle- Wick, oil and flame, which correspond in us to the body (animal soul), Torah and Mitzvot, and the Divine soul. (The power of the divine soul to illuminate the world is fueled by the observance of torah and mitzvoth which is facilitated by the body)
We now move our bodies and heads from right to left, we meditate upon the fact that only by combining these three components do we get light. At this level of understanding we realize that in order to illuminate the world, we have to take care of the body and fill the mind with Torah wisdom. Our life and time must be filled up by the Will of G-d.
In the meditation in Da'at, we must bring this understanding into practice.
Through moving the body back and forth, we meditate here on a good resolution which will help us unify body soul and torah, which is accomplished through the fulfillment of every mitzvah. This is the essence of the meditation on the candle- that we may come to a point where we illuminate the world.
Summary:
1) Moving circularly, I come to an understanding that I should light the world
2) Moving right to left I come to understand the path to create a Jewish candle
3) Moving front to back I bring this understanding into a final, practical resolution which will actually reveal the light found within me.
4) Joyful Niggun- Prazotz Teishev Yerushalayim
As we begin to sing, we pray that Hashem give light and liveliness to our candle.
