Sfirot, Chakras, Anahatha and Tiferet

Sfirot, Chakras, Anahatha  and Tiferet!!

It was studying and attempting to teach the Kabbalistic concepts  of “The Sfirot” - The 10 Divine Energies - that brought me to train as a yoga teacher.

The Kabbalah speaks of 10 different energies, Sfirot, shared by us and G-d Himself, that lie at the root of all Creation. These energies exist primarily as a vehicle for G-d to imprint Himself into our world, but they are also to be found within each one of us, reminiscent of the Chakra system.

It says in the book of Job (Iyov) "And from my flesh I shall see G-d." (19:26.) Because we are created in the image of G-d,  we can study ourselves and our own nature and thereby come to know Him. So, if I posses capacities that can be identified with G-d, and I can become familiar with those capacities within myself, I have a point of departure from which to begin to understand and thereby relate to  G-d Himself.

There  are 10 sfirot, intellectual  and emotional manifestations, and each one corresponds to a part of the human body. By relating to how a particular body part works and how it fulfills its function, I can also gather information not just about myself but about G-d and His Creation as well.

I found that in teaching the theory of the sfirot, using the physical body as an example of how the sfirot were manifest was most helpful … and thus my desire to teach yoga was conceived.

The first sfirah is not always counted as one of the 10.

Keter

Crown

Above the  head

Seventh Chakra

The Intellectual Sfirot

Chochmah	Wisdom(Inspired insight)	Right Side of the Brain	Sixth Chakra
Bina	Developed Understanding	Left Side of the Brain	Sixth Chakra
Daat	Integrated Knowledge		Fifth Chakra

The Emotional Sfirot

Chesed	Expansive Kindness	Right Arm	Fourth Chakra
Gevurah	Contracting Boundary  Maker/Severity	Left Arm	Fourth Chakra
Tiferet	Compassion/Harmony/Beauty	Heart Center	Fourth /Heart Chakra
Netzach	Victory/Endurance/ Determination	Right Leg	Third Chakra
Hod	Acknowledgement/Splendor/ Surrender	Left Leg	Third Chakra
Yesod	Foundation	Genital Region	Second  Chakra
Malchut	Royalty/Mastery	Mouth/Base of Spine/Feet	First  Chakra

As we learn in all mind-body practice, by moving in a particular way we  influence the psyche and the soul as well as the body. Thus learning about the soul can help us understand our own body from a deeper perspective, and understanding how the body moves and works can help us access  our connection to our  soul and by extension to the  entire (spiritual ) world in general, which is itself created according to the principles of the Sfirot.   

And thus we come to how I came up with the name for my yoga studio: Tiferet Movement.

The Sfirah corresponding to the heart center  (which corresponds to the 4th Chakra, or “Anahatha”) is called Tiferet,  which is difficult to translate into English but means:

Beauty

Balance

Integration

Compassion and Adornment

all rolled into one!

Well, who wouldn’t want that??

The meanings that I most identify with are those that describe the beauty of Tiferet as coming about because of the balance and integration of the preceding two qualities of Chesed and Gevurah.

Unlike the chakra system with follows the energy up and down the central line of the person, the Sfirotic system, whose illustration is the logo for Tiferet Movement, is the constant  balancing and play of polar opposite energies.

Tiferet, being in the heart center of all the sfirot , balances all the different opposite energies….but most specifically, it balances the masculine and expansive giving of Chesed with the feminine and contractive focus of Gevurah. It is my understanding that the practice of yoga helps us bring our bodies and psyche into alignment through the physical moving of the left and right sides of the body, in very much the same way as the learning of Torah ( and the practice of its commandments)  with its principles based in Kabbalistic truths, bring the soul into a place of balance.

It is my hope and intention that the practice of Yoga at Tiferet Movement will be a practice that will bring its participants into a place of balance and integration, MInd, Body and Soul!

For comments or questions,give me a call (917- 821- 0694) or email me at brachame@gmail.com, check out our website  at  TiferetMovement.com.

We move to come into balance Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please join us!

With blessings,

Bracha

A Mystical Approach to finding Balance

Printed in this months   Natural Awakenings Magazine in Rockland, on page 39
http://www.naturalawakeningsro.com/magazine/

A Mystical approach to Finding Balance (in Parenting)

by Bracha Meshchaninov

As a mother of 6, a lifelong student of Jewish Mysticism and a yoga teacher, I have found the concept of balance, or ‘Tiferet’ to be the most valuable goal to which to aspire. How as parents do we know when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’? How do we know how much love, allowance, digital time or extra mashed potatoes is too much or too little…..how much do we push ourselves as parents to go the extra mile or pull back for our own time to renew? Being able to find the balance, between the inclination to go outwards and give and to focus inwards and withhold giving, in whatever form, is a great art and a necessary component of mental, emotional and physical balance.

Sidebar:

In my own life, I was most aware of the challenges of staying in balance when I made two weddings and a Bar Mitzvah in a five week period. When asked how I was doing, I often answered with a metaphor, comparing myself to a surfer who was managing to stay dry and upright on her surfboard and was able to even enjoy the ride.. I believe it was my yoga practice combined with my understanding of Kabbalistic principles that enabled me to accomplish this.

Jewish Mysticism speaks of our nature and the nature of all existence in the context of constantly opposing forces that continually need to be brought into balance. The Tiferet Movement logo,shows the graphic representation of these forces or energies which are called “Sefirot”, often  identified as  the Tree of Life.

There are many similarities between how the Kabbalistic system of Sefirot and the Chakra system are represented in the physical human body. The chakras, however, follow the energy up and down the central line of the individual while the Sefirotic system is the constant balancing of polar opposite energies to the left and right of that central line.

The Sefirot are made up of 3 triads reflecting intellectual, emotional and active aspects, each containing two contrasting and polar opposite energies and then a point of reconciliation that balances and integrates these opposites.

Balancing Emotional Energy

In the center of this whole sefirotic construct, corresponding to the 4th or Heart chakra, is the sefirah of Tiferet, the point of resolution within the emotional triad. Tiferet resolves and balances the tension between ‘Chesed’ meaning kindness and ‘Gevurah’ simply translated as severity.

Chesed is characterized by expansive giving while Gevurah is about making boundaries and focusing energy in a way that at times can seem severe. Tiferet is revealed when there is an experience of the perfect balance between these two sefirot, such as when a child is told ‘no’ but within a spirit of expansive loving.

Parenting that reflects the qualities of Tiferet is balanced. When a child is punished without the balance of an attitude of love, it can be experienced as hurtful or alienating and the child could feel unloved. Similarly, giving in to a child unconditionally, without the restraining aspect of Gevurah, can result in the child becoming spoiled or pampered and therefore less capable. Sometimes it takes Gevurah for a parent to step back and let a child figure something out for his or herself or experience the emotion of need or want even if the parent could easily fulfill that need.

These principles can be applied to so many different situations. If we can balance action with rest, determination with surrender, impulsivity with careful contemplation, so much more can be accomplished. When we are not constantly struggling to get back on our surfboards, having lost our footing to a wave of overwhelm, we can stay surfing and release our power and potential in truly astonishing ways.

By understanding and implementing the concept of balance provided by the Sefirotic principles, we can truly find harmony and balance in mind, body and soul.

Bracha Meshchaninov is the founder of Tiferet Movement, a yoga studio with a Kabbalistic twist. She offers classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in New Hempstead.

She can be reached at 917-821-0694 or brachame@gmail.com or by visiting TiferetMovement.com.

Finding Stillness

Last week in Grapevine, I noticed a small quotation by the cash register... it was a quote from Tehillim (46:11)that I had not really paid attention to before but was so excited to discover: The quote was in English and I loved the translation,'Be still and know that I am Hashem."
The Hebrew is:
הַרְפּוּ וּדְעוּ כִּי אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים

What a great quote for Tiferet Movement!
During class this past Thursday  we used this pasuk as a new  chant or "niggun" and as something upon which to contemplate and meditate... Rivkie  translated the first word as "let go"... which also works so wonderfully...
I remember reading in Erich Schiffman's book that Yoga is the art of Moving into stillness....

News Brief introducing Tiferet Movement to the general public

News Brief:

New Yoga Studio opens in New Hempstead

Tiferet Movement:

Yoga with a  Kabbalistic Twist!

When people think about yoga they often think about wonderful body strengthening stretches and poses and a spiritual tradition that involves chanting in Sanskrit and perhaps practicing in a studio with icons and smells of incense.

Bracha Meshchaninov a religiously observant Orthodox Jewish yogini wants to change that. Bracha has created a studio in the New Hempstead area where women can practice yoga in an environment that feels comfortable from both a physical, as well as a spiritual point of view. Classes are for women only, chants are in Hebrew and culled from the Jewish prayer liturgy and the spiritual insights shared are gleaned from a Kabbalistic rather than a Vedic source.

Bracha, who became observant as a teenager and has been practicing yoga since about the same time she made her commitment to Orthodox Judaism,  has both her 500 hr and Yoga Therapy certifications. Bracha offers both ongoing classes and 1:1 Yoga Therapy.

Before focusing on her Yoga training and teaching, Bracha’s  focus was mostly on teaching  Jewish Spirituality classes, based on the weekly Torah reading, (which she continues to teach) and hosting Rosh Chodesh events.

Bracha received her certifications from Gail Walsh of Yoga Mountain and has done additional training with Paula Heitzner of the Nyack Yoga Center.Bracha is tremendously grateful to the whole teaching staff at Yoga Mountain and to Paula.

For more info  check out www.tiferetmovement.com

or call: 917 821-0694

This was printed in the May/June edition of Natural Awakenings in the Rockland/Orange area, I hope you enjoy!

Yoga with a Kabbalistic Twist:
by Bracha Meshchaninov

Five Levels of Meditation or "Kosher Koshas!"

Serious students of yoga are familiar with the notion of the five koshas or the five states of being. Kabbalah speaks of the five levels of soul. The Hebrew word for soul is ‘neshomah’ and the Hebrew word for breath is ‘neshimah’. The two words share the same Hebrew letters: only their vowels are different. This hints at their common spiritual root.

It says in the Torah that when G-d created man, He breathed from within himself and exhaled man's soul into him. This link of breath and soul is a quintessential part of both Torah teachings and yoga. As we breathe, we can connect to our soul.

In Kabbalah, it is taught that our soul is comprised of five levels, each a more spiritual manifestation than the previous: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshomah, Chaya and Yechidah.

Nefesh is the part of the soul identified with and attached to the physical body. Nefesh is semantically related to the Hebrew word ‘nafash’, meaning rest. This aspect of the soul rests, so to speak, in the physical body.

The Hebrew word Ruach means wind or spirit and refers to the second layer of the soul that is connected to intuition, moments of deep insight, or revelations from the higher worlds. These revelations, when from a particularly high source, are referred to as ‘ruach ha kodesh’ or holy insights and can come from either holy teachers departed or from the Creator himself.

The third level of the soul, Neshomah, is connected to the breath, sharing the same root. When the neshomah is no longer found in the body, the body no longer has the capacity for life; the neshomah links the spiritual and physical aspects of the person together.

Chaya is related to the Hebrew word ‘chaim’, meaning life. From a Kabbalistic point of view, this level of soul is beyond the reach of the average person except on Sabbath and festivals; it connects to the transcendent aspect of life. Connecting to what lies above and beyond one’s finite self can inspire a transcendent life.

Finally, the fifth level of soul is the Yechidah. The word yechidah is connected to the Hebrew word ‘yachid’ which means  one. When one's connection with God reaches the highest level, there is a total unification of one's own essence with the essence of God himself. This is the level of yechidah, or total oneness. It is taught that on Yom Kippur, the Jewish holiday of atonement, the level of the yechidah is revealed to all connected to the holiness of the day.

A Framework for Meditation
Contemplating the five levels of soul offers a wonderful framework for a meditation.

Begin your meditation with an awareness of the physical body, the place where the nefesh is resting, and feel the physical sensations of the body.

After settling in and focusing on the Nefesh, take your attention to the level of Ruach, opening yourself to your imagination and the possibility of receiving messages or insights from the higher realms of your own intuition.

Continue higher to the level of Neshomah, feeling the connection between body and soul, noticing the pathway of the breath in and out of the nostrils. Continue to lift your consciousness to the level of Chaya, being aware of the larger picture, the aspect of soul bigger and beyond your own individuality.

Finally, connect to the level of Yechidah, uniting with the essence of all things.

Enjoy the sense of oneness and completeness for as long as you are able or comfortable, and then begin the return journey back to your finite individuality from Yechidah to Chaya, from Chaya to Neshomah, from Neshomah to Ruach and then finally, to rest one's consciousness fully in the physical body with Nefesh.

Remain in a relaxed position, coming slowly back into awareness of your current moment, place and conscious self.

Bracha Meshchaninov is the founder of Tiferet Movement, a yoga studio with a kabbalistic twist. She offers classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in New Hempstead.

She can be reached at 917-821-0694 or brachame@gmail.com or by visiting Tiferetmovement.com. She has dedicated this article to her late father, Yitzchak Ben Shimon.

The sweetness of Tu b Shvat

I learnt about and shared so many wonderful Torah teachings, this Tu B Shvat and was able to  share in such amazing experiences, the most wonderful of all being our Tu B Shvat Seder that I was quite overcome and actually felt I had to put pencil to paper  to write a poem , so here it is....

I hope you enjoy it:

Tu b Shvat sweetness

My eyes and heart opened
together with my inner eye
and before and on the day
that is a gate to joy
The judgement day for trees
I experienced the sweetness of appreciation and validation
as delicious , tasty and nourishing
as the date or raisin of which we spoke and mindfully tasted

My heart feels full to overflowing
with this abundance of gratitude , love and generous giving...

I want to make sure
that somehow the feeling is noted preserved
with words on a page
so that in the Amalyk * days
that surely will follow
despite these revelations
no less wonderous to me than the splitting of the Red Sea
I should have my shield and armor ready
to defeat the attack,
self worth
and self love intact
and my purpose abundantly clear

*Amalyk: Nation that cruelly attacked the Jews right after they crossed the Red Sea

I was also able to watch, baruch Hashem, a small video recording of the Rebbe talking about the lessons of Tu B Shvat, emphasizing  how we can learn patience and  begin to see potential by the very act of eating fruit that takes time to grow and by eating it when there is still snow on the ground and a cold winter outside. Celebrating fruit from the point that just the sap begins to flow, a process that we cannot even see, but that will eventually result in a fruit...we commit ourself to a belief in the future, and all the promise that it holds, even though now  we cannot see it. Even though now, anti-semitism and hate surround us, we have faith and patience that the stirrings of Redemption are well under way and very soon we will be enjoying the fruits of Geulah!

http://youtu.be/C2Kq_UxVFYA

 Here in  an extremely brief summary are some of the Lessons learnt from our Seder:

-That Klippah  (the shells, or coverings that hide essence) can be purposeful

 -Our blockages and obstacles in avodas Hashem can be compared to the pit in a fruit

 -As we ascend in our spiritual practice we can appreciate more and more that what Hashem does  to us is all for the good!

and finally

-The closer we get to Moshiach, the more subtle and transcendent our experiences become!

Have a wonderful shabbos