The Kabbalah, Part 1

by L. Ron Gardner

In this informal series, I’m going to consider the Kabbalah/Qabalah from different angles. In this Part, I’ll focus on the mystical Kabbalah, meaning the Kabbalah associated with receiving the Supernal Influx, the “Rauch Ha-Kodesh,” or Holy Spirit.

The word Kabbalah means “to receive,” or more completely, “to face, or relate to, and receive.” The epitome of mysticism is to commune with (or relate to) and receive the Holy Spirit until one’s soul permanently unites... with it. Hence the mystical Kabbalah represents pure, or true, mysticism.


Unfortunately, Jewish mysticism does not provide explicit instructions on how to directly, immediately connect to, channel, and unite with the Holy Spirit. Anyone interested in how to do so should consult my books and/or articles (available at integralspiritualmeditation.com).

From my perspective, the practice of the mystical Kabbalah of Judaism is the same practice as the Christian mystical Eucharist, Tibetan Dzogchen (the “Great Perfection”), and Hindu Kashmir Shaivism’s Sambhavopaya (or “Divine Means”), and Adi Da’s Daism (or “radical understanding” and Divine Communion). By studying these teachings, one can attain greater understanding of the “mechanics” of pure, or true, mystical Kabbalah practice.

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Manuel Gerardo Monasterio June 14, 2018 at 10:59 pm

To say “mystical Kabbalah of Judaism” is a rather confusing. First, there is no Genuine Kabbalah other than the True, Original Jewish Kabbalah, and its is Mystical by definition, therefore, we find here, both a misguiding term and a tautology. I am writing this because you are quite harsh -indeed very- in most of your comments of other people writings.. Therefore, I didn’t feel inclined to be soft in your case. Best wishes.

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L. Ron Gardner June 15, 2018 at 6:23 pm

Moshe Idel, the foremost Kabbalah scholar (see his book “Kabbalah: New Perspectives”),argues for two distinct Kabbalahs–the mystical-ecstatical and the theurgical-theosphical–and he chronicles their respective historical developments. For example, consider the Lurianic Kabbalah: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lurianic_Kabbalah. “Kabbalah” means “to receive”– and what one receives mystically, theosophically, and theurgically, within the context of Judaism, falls under the broad umbrella of the term “Kabbalah.”

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