A four-week course with Janet Berenson

Members: £30
Non-members: £35

Booking essential - please see below

There is an old Chinese curse which says: “May you live in interesting times.”  I think I have really begun to grasp why it is a curse rather than a blessing.  

These are truly difficult, if not interesting, times. Many of us continue in an ongoing struggle with ill health, physical and mental, concerns for our loved ones, worries about the future and the stuff that life throws at us. Living in a world where our efforts, our good will and our right intentions may seem impotent against an invisible force, we can be reassured and seek help from our Jewish tradition.

Kabbalah, the 2000 year old tradition of Jewish mysticism, has been for many years the lens through which I see the world. It has helped me in many difficult times, and I would like to share with you a chance to explore how the teachings and practices of Kabbalah might help you in the 21st Century world. 

Session 1 
What are the Four Worlds? What does the Tree of Life have to do with me? Isn't kabbalah just for others not like me? If you've ever thought any of these, come along and learn how understanding some principles of Jewish mysticism can support you in your personal life journey.

Session 2               
What relevance can teachers from 1000-2000 years ago have for our daily struggles and aspirations? We will explore together some extracts from ancient and modern Kabbalistic texts and see how they can help us to understand and heal our own lives. The work is hard, but the reward is great. Come willing to open your heart.

Session 3 
Seeing the World through the lens of Kabbalah can help you achieve a more balanced, integrated sense of self. Through conversation and meditation, we will begin the work of tikkun atzmi -repair of the self – harnessing our inner potential to understand who we are and what goodness, creativity and love we are capable of discovering within ourselves.

Session 4
Putting into practice what we have learned means committing to explore our own relationship with ourselves, with Judaism and with the concept of a transcendent reality.  We will review what we have learned, engage in some meditation and aim to develop a plan of ongoing personal practice for each of us.