The Meditation Practice Within Kabbalah

“In this bold yet traditional book, Rabbi Steven Fisdel guides the reader step-by-step into the realm of Kabbalistic meditation. Drawing on the imagery and symbolism of Jewish mysticism, he creates contemporary versions of classical meditative techniques such as focusing on the Alef Bet, the names of God and the ten Sefirot.

“The author succeeds in making the Kabbalah accessible. He provides tools of transformation: simple, powerful methods for awakening our awareness of the link between the soul and God.”

-Daniel C. Matt
Author of "The Essential Kabbalah,The Zohar: The Pritzker Edition"

ABOUT THIS BOOK

“The Meditation Practice of the Kabbalah” emphasizes meditation within Judaism as the practical core of Jewish mysticism. In this volume, Rabbi Steven Fisdel explores Jewish meditation practices as the experiential side of Kabbalah and therefore as one of the primary sources for the development of the mystic thought and belief in Judaism.

The ultimate objective of meditation in Jewish tradition is to achieve and maintain a direct connection with God and to reach unification with the light of His presence in the universe. This goal is referred to by the Hebrew term “Devekut”: adhesion to God through direct experience.

This work focuses on a variety of mystic traditions within Kabbalah that relate directly to meditative practice. It incorporates several different schools of thought and represents various periods in the development of Kabbalah. Among the traditions included for elucidation are the mysticism of the Hebrew alphabet, the Nothingness meditation of the early Hasidic Masters and diverse meditative approaches to connecting with the Sefirot, the ten levels of the Tree of Life.

“The Meditation Practice within Kabbalah” is the result of 25 years of intense study, personal experience, and teaching. The doctrines and practices described in this original work are drawn directly and exclusively from traditional Jewish sources. Both the novice and the experienced meditator will benefit from the variety of practices included in this volume. For additional reference the appendix contains a series of graduated meditations designed to assist the reader in progressively developing greater proficiency in Kabbalistic meditation.