Q. What subjects are you fond of? Do you have a favorite book (Twilight, Pride and Prejudice) or a favorite movie that you would sport quotes from on your shirt? What colors and styles of designs do you like?
A. As someone in the graphic design field, I tend to buy graphic t-shirts that either have something remarkable about them (some of Ecko Unltd's tees do it for me), something that expresses a mood or feeling I can relate to, or something I am fond of (such as Japanese mythology and animals like the koi fish and lion).
I am not really fond of the grungy Medieval designs which seem to be really popular such as Affliction. However, I bought two of their t-shirts last year, because I liked the line they had by Japanese tattoo artist Horiyoshi III and their bamboo line caught my eyes. The softness of 70% bamboo and 30% cotton aside, they have a tee that illustrates a woman with wings with her hands together in prayer looking up and supposedly crying. The words "affliction" on that tee meant more to me than they would one one of their shirts with a grim reaper or two skulls.
Right now I am wearing a simple white t-shirt with a diamond shape -- similar to that of a construction sign -- and the words "OUT THERE" with an arrow pointing up to the neck hole inside of the shape.
Since I am light skinned, I tend to buy fabric colors in white, black, heather gray, or shades of blue. As far as the ink colors used in the design, I am open to pretty much anything. I have a white Ecko shirt with the rhino running through what appears to be a city-like jungle. There are grays in the rhino and browns in the monkey hanging from a lamp post, but there are also saturated colors in the vines and leaves and also in the parrots shown in the illustration. I also have a black shirt I picked up in Louisiana when I stopped at Rue21. It is a simple black tee that has argyle stars with paint splatter. The two colors used are two I would never think of wearing before: rose pink and bright green.
I find myself carefully picking graphic shirts these days, because a lot of people seem to be big on wearing a company name, number, or band on their tee. Who can blame them though since that are most of the designs I see in stores. I have nothing against that though, because the people who wear those shirts know how to make it look nice more times than not.
I am not really fond of the grungy Medieval designs which seem to be really popular such as Affliction. However, I bought two of their t-shirts last year, because I liked the line they had by Japanese tattoo artist Horiyoshi III and their bamboo line caught my eyes. The softness of 70% bamboo and 30% cotton aside, they have a tee that illustrates a woman with wings with her hands together in prayer looking up and supposedly crying. The words "affliction" on that tee meant more to me than they would one one of their shirts with a grim reaper or two skulls.
Right now I am wearing a simple white t-shirt with a diamond shape -- similar to that of a construction sign -- and the words "OUT THERE" with an arrow pointing up to the neck hole inside of the shape.
Since I am light skinned, I tend to buy fabric colors in white, black, heather gray, or shades of blue. As far as the ink colors used in the design, I am open to pretty much anything. I have a white Ecko shirt with the rhino running through what appears to be a city-like jungle. There are grays in the rhino and browns in the monkey hanging from a lamp post, but there are also saturated colors in the vines and leaves and also in the parrots shown in the illustration. I also have a black shirt I picked up in Louisiana when I stopped at Rue21. It is a simple black tee that has argyle stars with paint splatter. The two colors used are two I would never think of wearing before: rose pink and bright green.
I find myself carefully picking graphic shirts these days, because a lot of people seem to be big on wearing a company name, number, or band on their tee. Who can blame them though since that are most of the designs I see in stores. I have nothing against that though, because the people who wear those shirts know how to make it look nice more times than not.
What does Kabbalah say about how to attain happiness in life?
Q. And please, serious and respectful answers that actually pertain the the question. I'm not asking for an opinion here or anyone's suggestions that I convert to Christianity. I'm researching a paper thanks.
A. Getting ready for my women's minyan today, and saw this. Deeper insight into Torah (Kabbalah) can bring happiness but it can also bring soul searching suffering associated with learning the "hard" way from experience -- whichever is needed to rectify or heal that soul.
Just as there are levels of meaning to Torah, there are levels of meaning to mitzvot (commandments). The commandments were designed to bring about harmony and spiritual growth for the individual, community, and universe. After learnning Torah, Talmud (it's interpretation) and having a teacher to guide learning, most begin to learn the deeper aspects of Torah with 'mussar' which is improvement of one's character. This takes out any rough spots which do often cause misery. This overlaps many stories in the Torah and re-interprets the whole thing according to ethical structures. For example, the ladder climbing of Jacob can be seen in this light, or counting the Omer, the 7 weeks prior to Shavuot where each day can address a different character trait. A good character helps one be happy.
Hitbodedut (meditation) crying out to G-d in one's own words, spending time in nature, time also in the Presence of HaShem, as well as ahavas Israel (love for Israel which engenders love for all humanity and the world) also improves the intelligence of one's soul and happiness, according to Chassidus type Kabbalah.
Cultivating joy is also one of the areas stressed in many mussar systems including Path of the Just by RaMChaL and the Palm Tree of Devorah by Moses Cordovero, both beginner Kabbalah mussar texts. Once achieved, deeper levels of connection are possible. Judaism is different from many systems because this life helps one connect and hone their character rather than seeking to hermit away from it.
Edit: What is not Kabbalah:
The links to the commercial "Kabbalah Centres" and "Kabbalah Research and Education Institutes" are misleading. Just because someone with a PhD who speaks Hebrew says they are teaching Kabbalah doesn't make it so. I listened to their slick videos and one online class -- they never mention G-d or Torah or worry about little things like character development. They are good at introducing some beginner terms, but then they misuse and misapply them in deeper aspects. It's all about giving them some money and they'll make you feel good if you worship them as your teacher. That's not Judaism or Kabbalah! That's a cult! It has divorced itself from Judaism and is meaningless.
Here is what Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok says about Madonna's brand of Kabbalah:
�I discovered that Madonna�s famous dabbling with sacred Jewish mysticism has taken an interesting turn. In her latest music video for the theme song of a new James Bond movie, the �material girl� of old is transforming herself into a �Kabbalah girl.� Aside from the traditional Madonna blend of music and sensuality, in this video we see Madonna has a Holy Name of G-d tattooed onto her right shoulder. Tattooing, mind you, is a practice forbidden under Torah Law, all the more so abhorred by the Kabbalah. Granted the tattoo may not be real or only temporary but nonetheless, any expression of performing a forbidden act is itself forbidden and inexcusable. Unfortunately, Madonna�s abuse of Kabbalah and traditional Torah Judaism does not stop here.
Later in the video we see Madonna winding leather straps around her left arm in the exact same format and style as holy tefillin are worn by religious Jewish men. Tefillin consist of a small leather box containing scared parchments. These are then strapped to one�s left biceps, and the strap is wound down the left arm and around the hand. Granted Madonna did not go so far as to defame the tefillin boxes themselves. Yet, it is quite clear that the wrapping of the straps around her arm is done in orthodox Torah style. This act of hers is pure sacrilege.�
Just as there are levels of meaning to Torah, there are levels of meaning to mitzvot (commandments). The commandments were designed to bring about harmony and spiritual growth for the individual, community, and universe. After learnning Torah, Talmud (it's interpretation) and having a teacher to guide learning, most begin to learn the deeper aspects of Torah with 'mussar' which is improvement of one's character. This takes out any rough spots which do often cause misery. This overlaps many stories in the Torah and re-interprets the whole thing according to ethical structures. For example, the ladder climbing of Jacob can be seen in this light, or counting the Omer, the 7 weeks prior to Shavuot where each day can address a different character trait. A good character helps one be happy.
Hitbodedut (meditation) crying out to G-d in one's own words, spending time in nature, time also in the Presence of HaShem, as well as ahavas Israel (love for Israel which engenders love for all humanity and the world) also improves the intelligence of one's soul and happiness, according to Chassidus type Kabbalah.
Cultivating joy is also one of the areas stressed in many mussar systems including Path of the Just by RaMChaL and the Palm Tree of Devorah by Moses Cordovero, both beginner Kabbalah mussar texts. Once achieved, deeper levels of connection are possible. Judaism is different from many systems because this life helps one connect and hone their character rather than seeking to hermit away from it.
Edit: What is not Kabbalah:
The links to the commercial "Kabbalah Centres" and "Kabbalah Research and Education Institutes" are misleading. Just because someone with a PhD who speaks Hebrew says they are teaching Kabbalah doesn't make it so. I listened to their slick videos and one online class -- they never mention G-d or Torah or worry about little things like character development. They are good at introducing some beginner terms, but then they misuse and misapply them in deeper aspects. It's all about giving them some money and they'll make you feel good if you worship them as your teacher. That's not Judaism or Kabbalah! That's a cult! It has divorced itself from Judaism and is meaningless.
Here is what Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok says about Madonna's brand of Kabbalah:
�I discovered that Madonna�s famous dabbling with sacred Jewish mysticism has taken an interesting turn. In her latest music video for the theme song of a new James Bond movie, the �material girl� of old is transforming herself into a �Kabbalah girl.� Aside from the traditional Madonna blend of music and sensuality, in this video we see Madonna has a Holy Name of G-d tattooed onto her right shoulder. Tattooing, mind you, is a practice forbidden under Torah Law, all the more so abhorred by the Kabbalah. Granted the tattoo may not be real or only temporary but nonetheless, any expression of performing a forbidden act is itself forbidden and inexcusable. Unfortunately, Madonna�s abuse of Kabbalah and traditional Torah Judaism does not stop here.
Later in the video we see Madonna winding leather straps around her left arm in the exact same format and style as holy tefillin are worn by religious Jewish men. Tefillin consist of a small leather box containing scared parchments. These are then strapped to one�s left biceps, and the strap is wound down the left arm and around the hand. Granted Madonna did not go so far as to defame the tefillin boxes themselves. Yet, it is quite clear that the wrapping of the straps around her arm is done in orthodox Torah style. This act of hers is pure sacrilege.�
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