Beginning Within: Recent Episodes
Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein
Beginning within is all about repeatedly asking ourselves the one question that always matters, “What can I do about this situation?” Beginning within is about changing the one person we can change. Beginning within is about learning that by transforming ourselves we transform the world.
mybarmitzvahprep.com
RAISING THE BAR IN BAR MITZVAH PREP
The easiest, most enjoyable way for your son to prepare for his bar mitzvah
mybarmitzvahprep.com
RAISING THE BAR IN BAR MITZVAH PREP
The easiest, most enjoyable way for your son to prepare for his bar mitzvah
mybarmitzvahprep.com
RAISING THE BAR IN BAR MITZVAH PREP
The easiest, most enjoyable way for your son to prepare for his bar mitzvah
Taking guidance by learning and discussing the Lubavitcher Rebbe's letters. Wasting Time. Tuition for Jewish Education. Faith and Illness. Death at a Torah Completion Ceremony. Special Needs Children. Why Did G-d Allow the Holocaust? The letters written b
Taking guidance by learning and discussing the Rebbe's letters. Lack of confidence. A verbal outburst. Why are there wars? Trust in G-d. Anxiety. Truth and Bias. The letters written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe are a unique source of inspiration and guidance
Are you an optimist or a realist? Through connecting to a deeper dimension and altering our perspective, we can and must become realistic optimists.
The choice to see G-d and therefore Good in every situation is ours to make every minute of every day.
As we approach Rosh Hashana - the Jewish New Year, let’s see a garden and not a jungle.
Let us show up present and engaged for ourselves, our loved ones and G-d Himself.
When we become more Divine within ourselves, we raise the consciousness of the world around us.
This is how we bring illumination into the world and effect change in the most profound way.
In this episode we discuss one of the Fundamental Challenges of Life: living in G-d’s reality, as opposed to living our own reality.
What may seem awful or difficult, might just be the key to an expanded you -
because we do not find ourselves in a situation, we create the situation!
Only by connecting with our deep authentic selves, can we truly uplift those around us.
Our perspective creates our reality. Are you a warrior of nature or a warrior of faith?
Where is your emotional experience conceived?
Join me this week as I share some insight into the origins of your being.
Be patient! Holistic self-growth is developed by making consistent small improvements over time.
The source of our sustenance comes from the Bank of Infinity. By placing our trust in the teller we limit our access.
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind...
The weather is predetermined, the wind is set. Use your sails to harness the energy and power of the wind.
In this week's episode I share one of my favorite stories of faith and discuss how aligning ourselves with reality gives us a direct line to the printer at the Mint.
If it gives me pleasure – what difference does it make to G-d if I indulge in the forbidden fruit? Surely G-d loves me anyway!
Unconditional love is unconditional love.
Learning from G-d’s relationship with us to be observational without being judgmental and knowing that we are worthy as we are right now. This is a key ingredient in living up to our own expectations.
If you see a stone fly, you can be sure that it has not taken flight on its own. You can be sure that it has been propelled into the air through an external energy source.
When we see the world in its constant state of being, we can be sure that there is an energy force that is sustaining its existence.
G-d is greater then great, He has no definition and cannot be limited. In this week’s podcast let’s learn about why this makes Him more relevant and more accessible to us.
This week’s podcast discusses that G-d is the only true independent existence and explores how through our service of Torah and Mitzvos we bring this reality to the consciousness of mankind.
In this week’s episode we touch on cultivating faith with all its challenges and explore why wrestling with faith, absolute doubt and being angry with G-d are actually all good signs.
What is closer to Infinity, 1 or 1 million? Exploring the relationship of a finite being with his infinite creator.
How can you be confident in the action you are about to take? In this week’s podcast we explore that clarity of motivation elucidates the action. The clearer our insight and understanding is into the why, the more obvious our path of action will become.
If so much of Judaism is based around fulfilling the mitzvot, is G-d’s love for us performance based? What if we do not fulfill G-d’s expectations of us?
This week we continue exploring the idea of expectations in relationships.
In this week’s podcast we examine the idea of expectation vs. agreement within the dynamics of a relationship.
Expectation denotes a position of power which ultimately leads to disappointment. Whereas, when an agreement is established, leveling the playing field, we make space for a healthier relationship.
A personal anecdote illustrating how we often get in the way of our own experience.
Removing our filters allows for a present and real conscious experience to living life meaningfully.
It is tempting to settle for external freedom, changing our circumstances or the people around us. It won’t take long to realize that your new circumstances are another, perhaps improved, set of constrictions. When we learn to operate from our spirit, no matter the circumstances, we can always choose to bring our spirit into them. We define in place of being defined. We are liberated.
This talk was given as part of a larger program that you can watch here: http://beginningwithin.com/videos/fly-free/
We all create stories about ourselves. We do this to create safety from the many things that threaten us. These stories keep us small. Liberating ourselves from these stories and venturing out beyond them is truly liberating. In this week’s podcast, I discuss how I do this for myself and how I’ve helped others do the same.
Within our digital age, there is a lot of negativity being spread online ranging from strangers to loved ones. What is the best way to deal with hatred? Learn what hatred is, what it does and how to best combat it.
What is the Jewish perspective on heaven and afterlife? What is heaven and do we all go there? What is hell? Is G-d vengeful? Gaining a healthy perspective on these subjects improves the way we live our lives.
Watch the below video and listen to the below class for further elaboration.
Conversation in the Womb Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jweFfDG58RU
Class on the Afterlife: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/beginningwithin/Journey_of_the_Soul_4.mp3.mp3
What is success? How do we achieve it? What do we need to do or accomplish to be a success? The answer, nothing! Our inner magnificence is, we only need to let it free. The more we accomplish this, the more successful we are.
Is Judaic law rational? Is there a benefit to laws that are not rational? Why are we more comfortable with things that are rational? In this episode, I answer the second of five questions about which two high school seniors asked me for more insight.
What is our purpose on earth? What are we here to do? In this episode, I answer the first of five questions about which two high school seniors asked me for more insight.
If you're apologizing because you feel bad, are uncomfortable or don't want to be disliked, you haven't apologized. It's all about you. So when you show up to synagogue and want to experience true repentance, stop thinking about yourself and what you want and how you feel bad. Take a few minutes and think about G-d.
Everything we experience in life offers us an opportunity to refine ourselves and become a better person. This is the reason G-d created an imperfect world with challenges and tests. Every test is an opportunity to raise ourselves higher. And it can't be realized without us going through the process. Life is, after all, a workshop.
Is your spouse like G-d? In more ways than you may want to admit. The correlations between your relationship with your spouse and your relationship with G-d are strikingly similar. This is because, at their core, they are both a relationship. There's much we can learn from the correlations between the two. I share six points. Can you think of any more?
Sometimes our society begins revering a word and making it sacred, no longer analyzing its virtues. Equality is one such word. Is equality a good thing? Not necessarily. There are different forms of equality. While one form builds a society, another form destroys it.
We all find ourselves in a dark place at different points in our life. A place of despair and hopelessness. A place from which there seems to be no hope. What we must remember is that the moon is darkest when it is closest to the sun. A dark place is never far from light.
We all know how difficult it is to exercise self-discipline. This is why when we are raised with discipline it makes it so much easier. Structure and limits become ingrained within us. When we raise our children without structure and limits, when we are a yes parent, we aren't being nice. We are being very, very mean. Why? Our children will suffer greatly from this later in life. As difficult as it is for a parent to implement structure and limits, it's far more difficult to later in life.
To be able to acknowledge our wrongdoings is far better than denying them. You can only fix what you are willing to face. When we are denial, we leave ourselves little hope. This is why knowing the problem is half the solution. No one can be blamed for being imperfect, we all are. We can be blamed for not dealing with our imperfections.
You own a car. You live in a nice home. You have a closet full of clothing. Are you too materialistic? If materialistic was defined by using material objects, yes, but this isn't what makes someone materialistic. Materialistic is a shallow world view. It's when we only value appreciate things and people for their material aspect without appreciating and engaging their deeper aspect and true value. Now ask yourself, are you materialistic?
Our belief system will always determine the limits we impose on ourselves. Shifting our paradigm can significantly shift our limitations. When we're willing to take the leap of faith from a world paradigm to a creator paradigm we expand possibility enormously!
To all matter there is spirit just as each body has a soul. Meaning is experienced when we learn to connect with the spirit of the matter. This requires effort to see beyond the facade of the body and the matter. This is the path to leading deeper and more meaningful lives.
We are capable of far more what we realize. The capabilities we're aware of are our most outstanding ones. The ones beneath the surface are more difficult to acknowledge. When we genuinely believe in them, our belief, or someone else's belief in us, pulls them to the surface.
It is possible to outlive your life. I've learned this from my Rebbe whose influence exponentially increases year after year, despite his passing twenty-five years ago. How did he do it? He went all in.
Inaction can be very costly. It's not worth its price. Action requires a lot of strength. You can find that strength in a good friend, a mentor or envisioning the price you'll be paying if you don't act.
When you meet another person your disposition can be needy or needed. You can see yourself as a resource for others and be needed or you can see yourself as needy, only seeking to take. Which disposition will you choose?
Is there anything about you which you wish was different? Do you find yourself resisting who you are, what your capable of and the circumstances that were given to you? Here's a perspective to help you diminish that.
Submitting to what is beyond can be frightening and uncomfortable. It is also the greatest way to leap forward. By learning from another's experience and mistakes, we can get far ahead of what we're capable of on our own.
Your ugly character isn't justified because you happen to have religion on your side. Values must not be compromised and nor should our attitudes toward others. Just because your right in principle doesn't permit you to be wrong with your attitude. You're not angry because you're so righteous. You're angry because of your arrogance. Never confuse the two!
Love is a blessing only when appropriately tempered. Otherwise, it will destroy a relationship. When we understand the difference between love and respect, we learn why they must be balanced so as to temper each other.
Darkness isn't necessarily a sign to run. Very often it's a sign that we must break through. This is because darkness and light are deeply associate. Very often, directly behind the darkness lies the greatest light.
When evil rears its ugly head, spiritual leaders often call for more acts of goodness. This can sound naive until we are willing to define good and evil. Once we do, we understand why abundant good eradicates evil.
Enjoy inspirational sound bites from my book launch talk. Change is never easy. The difference between the one who does and the one who doesn't isn't talent. It's simply that the one who does, chose to do, despite the challenges and discomfort.
My senior colleague lost four of his eight children to Bloom syndrome. He said the following to a friend of mine, “There is a phrase that some people say when they feel that life is not fair. And that is, ‘Why is G-d picking on me?’ Yet, if you remove one word from that phrase, it changes everything." Once you learn which word it is you'll realize that he has mastered the art of acceptance and it makes all the difference. Without acceptance, you can never be free from the endless number of unwanted circumstances in your life.
Dwight Eisenhower said, "If you want total security, go to prison. There you’re fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking is freedom. The title of Chapter 6 in It's Within You, Choosing Your Freedom, describes how much courage it takes to choose freedom. You might be living in a free country but until you choose freedom you are choosing the security of enslavement over the vulnerability of freedom.
There are two paths we can take in life. The path we choose affects almost everything we experience. Which will you choose? The path of proving to the world that you have value and are worthy of respect or the path of acknowledging your inherent worth and working on living up to who you were created as?
A painful reaction to unhealthy food is a sign of our healthy physical condition. The same is true with spiritual sensitivity. When we are spiritually sensitive, we have a reaction to unhealthy spiritual behavior. Regardless of our sensitivity, the science of spirituality states that there is always a reaction to spiritual behavior. This is why when we accentuate the positivity of another person, we strengthen them without their even knowing it. The reverse remains true as well. Be a force of positivity!
True greatness isn't becoming something, it's becoming nothing. Becoming nothing is truly something! Listen to this podcast to understand the deep association between great and small, and something and nothing. Then you'll understand why nothing is the new something.
You were created by design. You were created on purpose for a purpose. You have a destiny calling upon you. We all count on you to play your part in our collective destiny. Are you heeding the call of your destiny?
Reigning ourselves in is one of the great secrets to healthy living. We all desire to think, say, and do things which don't serve our overall purpose. Developing our muscle of self-discipline is vital if we want to be high functioning and productive in life. If you care about yourself, don't do whatever you want.
Our job is in the effort department, not the results department. Remember, you are not the genius, you were endowed with a genius. Your job is to put that genius to work. What your genius will do with your efforts is not your department, That's where G-d steps in.
Are you a moral force for those around you? Do your friends know you won't support any unethical behavior? Are you raising children with the clarity that we must be dedicated to our values over ourselves?
When we experience a crack in our armor, a failure or a weakness, we must run. We must run toward it, not away from it. All accomplishments are achieved through imperfection, failure, and mistakes. If we run away, we will never reach accomplishment.
Light shines through transparent objects. When we are transparent, the light of G-d and the light of others can shine through us. When we mix in our own agenda or bias, we lose our transparency and reduce our ability to shine.
Your life should be just like a cup. While a cups utility is holding liquid, its purpose is quite the opposite, dispensing liquid. What is your purpose in life, receiving or giving?
Lying is the root of most of our problems. Speaking truthfully is the same as bringing light into a dark room. Suddenly there's connection, clarity, and safety. This all stems from the fundamental lie, the belief in the material without seeing the source behind it.
A young boy in our story reminds us of the saying, "When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you." It is always wise to take a few moments and consider whether it is you who is the problem. More often than we'd like to think so, it is.
Why do placebos work? It is because people are gullible, or because something deeper is at play? Believing we are being healed can change us physically. Our thoughts and attitudes are powerful. Learn how to better shape and mold your reality.
We’re all drawn to light. Physical light-- daylight, candle light, sunshine-- and to those people who seem to give off a luminescence. Do we need to be around certain people or environments to create light for us? Learn how to shine your own light and never let it dim.
Is the glass half empty or half full? We know that a positive outlook can transform the way we experience life. But what about those really hard times, when seeing any good, having any kind of vision seems impossible. Learn a new perspective, and the possibilities it can open up.
So many of us search, yearning to find our deepest and truest selves. This can involve traveling to distant lands, seeking out therapists and teachers, spending copious hours and dollars on our quest. Yet, by turning outside ourselves, we may encounter something dramatically different.
Sometimes we see it coming. We warn our spouse or child, and they proceed to mess up. Isn’t this the time for tough love reprimand, to point out their errors? Learn how to most effectively support and rebuild the person who did wrong.
We all want to be see as the nice guy who everyone loves. Praise, treats, second chances keep us the favorite. But is it ever better to say no, to let people experience tough love? Learn about the growth that the right severity can create.
So much of our life is based on stats. The stock market, the bottom line, the winning team’s scores, our FitBit print out, to name a few. Is quality over quantity a worn cliche or a true approach to life? Learn an approach that goes beyond a spreadsheet.
Why is peace so elusive? Life seems full of conflict on every level- internal, personal, national, and global. There are quick fixes and deeper long term solutions. Learn insights for integrating the parts of your life that seem intractable.
We all like to be right and to win. It can be hard to have the objectivity and humility to admit that we err. Especially if we can win with a “cheap shot” that makes us come out on top, but diminishes our true integrity. Gain insight into how a temporary setback can sometimes be an ultimate win, building deeper character.
It’s so hard to know when we’re being taken advantage of, exploited, or even worse, abused. Finding the strength to set clear boundaries and knowing when to walk away is challenging. Learn insights and tools to recognize such situations and move forward with greater clarity.
We learn so much from a seed. One tiny seed can yield a tree overflowing with fruit. True abundance comes from a special kind of planting, with a certain kind of attitude. Learn how to invest in a way that will yield abundance and blessing.
While we may admire pristine order and perfection, is there greater virtue in another focus? Perfection and holiness can be two different paths. Learn how the busy, rumpled person may be actually greater in holiness, since he has a different priority. Gain perspectives on where to put your energy for maximum happiness and satisfaction.
Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve micromanaged someone? When we can’t trust, it frustrates those we work with, and limits ourselves. We can train ourselves to trust others, step by step, and how with appropriate trusting we can accomplish things that seem impossible.
It can be intimidating and discouraging to hear others say that we have such great potential, when we know how far we fall short. When we think about our personal natural abilities-- they may indeed be limited. By learning to tap into the potential G-d implanted in us, we can stretch and reach farther than we could ever imagine. Gain insights and tools to tap into the infinite.
Our lives are full of problems and challenges. How do we respond? We can point out the problem, better yet, offer a solution; or be one of those rare people who takes responsibility and works the solution. Gain insight and motivation into becoming a solver, learning why we already have the ability inside us.
“Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? Was it me, no you! Couldn’t be. Then who?” This childhood ditty encapsulates one of life’s major issues. Do we admit our wrongdoings? Try to blame the other? How do we react to our failings? Learn why evading our own misdeeds can be so damaging. and how we can move towards taking greater responsibility, react with greater integrity, and provide a safe haven of growth for others who err.
We all struggle with our egos, our need for attention. To “make it” we try to stand out and be significant. Paradoxically, we experience tremendous joy and holiness when we can unite with our brothers and sisters. There are special times and ways of celebration that help us tap into that beautiful oneness we all share at our core.
We all experience pain and suffering, and wish desperately not to. Is there possibly a difference between the two? What is it? Can we minimize how much suffering we will experience? Explore important tools to help you grow your ability to do just that!
In life, we all experience a contradiction; times of confusion, and times of clarity and beauty. Although complete perfection is not possible, we can learn tools to help us experience more happiness and strength. Choosing what to focus on can change our lives.
“Wow, he’s so deep,” we might say about someone we meet. What makes a person deep, and why is it important? In this talk, we explore the difference between the realms of matter and non-material reality, gaining tools to help us become deeper and more authentic people.
Experiences are what make our lives so enriching. However, when we're distracted by other things, we lose the experience. This is why being in the moment is the key to having an experience.
The word selfless is accurately put. We will never entirely obliterate the self. We can continuously make our lives less and less about self. While it may seem counterintuitive, this is also the path to greater happiness.
As long as we're still excusing ourselves, we won't achieve what we're seeking. The difference between the more and less successful people isn't in how capable they are, it's in how committed they are!
When we don't remind ourselves why we're doing what we do, what we do becomes frustrating. Simply tapping back into our why will reinvigorate what we're committed to. Just ask yourself, "Why am I doing this again?"
Our knee-jerk reaction to the hurts of life is growing a thick skin and becoming less sensitive. Numbing ourselves comes at a serious cost. It compromises one of our greatest virtues, sensitivity. Don't give up what makes you most beautiful!
It's the hardest mile. Your mind is telling you it's not possible. Your body is shouting no. This is why it's the most important mile. The Talmud teaches that this mile demonstrates whether you're in the relationship or not.
We can accomplish great things, we can draw great applause and acclaim, all while remaining defeated within. This is because nothing can replace true strength of character. This is the battle waged within our own selves and it is only this battle that determines whether one achieves triumph or defeat.
If you don't know where you're going, you'll never get there. Defining a successful life is imperative if we want to lead one. It may be the most important first step to leading a successful life. My definition is, narrowing the gap between who we see ourselves as and who we are.
Do you have a long list of wants? Would it be nice to have them or must you have them? Only when your "want" turns into a "must" do you get it. It is then that you're truly committed to doing everything to get it. So you see, it is you who prevents your wants from being actualized and it is only you can bring them to actualization.
Did you ever notice how the very thing you love about someone you sometimes can't stand? The funny thing is that the pros and cons are two sides of the same coin. Remember, this very same issue you're frustrated about is the very same source of their beauty which you love.
One should not be embarrassed when confronted by scoffers. Learn this and you'll become one powerful person. To be different, not to fit the norm, is a great fear that holds us back so often. That's why you should practice being different.
If there's one thing that is most detrimental to humanity, it may just be judgment. Most of us will acknowledge that we're still trying to overcome the judgments we received from others. Wouldn't it be worthwhile to practice minimizing our judgments on others?
There are tremendous benefits to stepping out of our subjective perspective and seeing how our world looks through objective eyes. There are also tremendous fears of accepting an uncomfortable new perspective. This is how growth happens!
We are expected to seek refinement. The way G-d created us demonstrates that. Refinement is a soulful life in a body as opposed to a bodily life with a soul.
We all live in a paradigm. When something challenges our paradigm, it offers us an opportunity, to learn a new paradigm or be more resolute in our current one. Only the liberal-minded have the courage to take a close look.
It is worth asking ourselves whether what we're about to say or do is dignified or not. If it isn't, we probably shouldn't say or do it. Acting without dignity is not a sign of authenticity and realness. It's a lack of respect and unwillingness to control our instinctual selves. We must pursue dignity.
There's a simple way to get more of what we want. Focus on it. This always works because what we focus on grows.
There's only one person you need to influence and lead. Yourself! We follow you because of who you are, not because of what you tell us to do.
Some say the letter Y is a crooked later, a cute way of shutting down the question, why. I say that why has straightened many a crooked path. Asking why, questioning our answer and once again questioning our next answer is a very clarifying process.
Problems are easy to point out. No genius there. Do you have a solution? That's where the genius is. Practice being a source for solutions, for uplifting and for light. Look forward as to how it should be done, not backward as to how it was done.
There are those things we want and the things wanted from us. Liberating ourselves from the servitude to our wants frees us to be dedicated to what is wanted from us.
Two stories demonstrate how the choice is in our hands as to whether our circumstances will define our reality or whether we will define our circumstances. It's the difference between enslavement and freedom.
The difference between an issue and non-issue person is one thing. What is the objective? The issue person always makes themselves the objective. The non-issue person remains focused on the true objective.
When our relationship with another, with our religion or with G-d is shutting us down and not expanding us, it's an unhealthy relationship.
Discipline is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. As long as it's given lovingly. Don't shy away from creating rules, responsibilities and structure. Do make sure you do so from a place of love, not negative emotion.
The only thing between our current reality and a more expansive one is a thin veneer. It looks fearfully large and intimidating. Yet, it is nothing more than a veneer.
There is a simple thing you can do to turn around your marriage. You can even do it without your spouse's participation. Yes, it feels magical and works wonders.
"We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world."
What we see in sports players are individuals who refuse to play it small. There's a deep yearning within each and everyone one of us to do the same.
Optimism isn't a fantasy hope for a better future. Optimism must be grounded in the reality of your circumstances. US Navy Admiral Jim Stockdale taught this in what has come to be called The Stockton Paradox.
We have all been violated after sharing a piece of our inner world. We must not let that stop us from sharing our true selves with others. This is the only path to deep and meaningful relationships.
Trying to warm up the outside world on a freezing cold day would be very foolish. Warming ourselves would be the wise thing to do. Trying to change someone else is just as foolish. Changing ourselves would be the wise thing to do.
Have you ever caught yourself saying, "This is not what I signed up for." This statement comes from a perspective of entitlement. The more we embrace a life of responsibility over a life of rights, the happier we become.
With everything that happens in life, we can choose how we experience the event or we can let the event determine our experience.
This is powerful! While the objective event will remain the same, our experience of the event is a choice we make!
We all struggle with keeping our resolutions. Learn the secret to becoming more committed to your resolutions.
How much effort does it take to be cynical? Hardly any. How much effort does it take to trust? A lot. Cynicism is easy and destructive. Trust is difficult and constructive.
Don't focus on the dark. Learning how to be the light in any given situation. The light will automatically dispel the darkness. How can you be the light? By having a perspective that enlightens the situation.
"What is your primary reason for wanting to do this?" This vital question will let you know if what you're about to begin will serve you well or not. Often, we confuse our primary purpose with a secondary one and the implications can be costly.
Responding to sexual harassment with repercussions is too little, too late. If one person has already been violated we've responded too late. We must prevent the violations from happening in the first place. We can do this if we're ready to change the social norms we've become accustomed to. Our human weaknesses need stronger boundaries to protect ourselves.
We all tell ourselves that if only ... our lives would be much better. What is your if only? Will you let that lead your life, trying to get that if only? Or will you realize what you do have and what you've been endowed with and bring that to fruition?
Genuine encouragement is a rare commodity. Learning to provide it is highly valuable. Truly standing by another's side in their time of need isn't accomplished verbally. It's accomplished by actually being there for the other.
The more we resist something the more it persists. What we must come to realize is that behind our resistance is everything we're looking for. We only need to find the courage to stop resisting. Instead of thinking you're right, begin asking, "How do you know you're right?"
Imagine going through your entire life and never finding the courage to show up as the real you. This is my fear. Real courage is taking off our masks, not putting them on.
Often, being right is so wrong. Approaching relationships through the paradigm of right and wrong is often destructive. There is a deeper value we must be focused on, getting along.
In part 2 of this deeply insightful interview with Rabbi Manis Friedman of http://www.itsgoodtoknow.org/, we discuss the one thing children need more than anything else from their parents and whether there is a value in pursuing spirituality. This is part 2 of a 2 part interview. Enjoy!
In this deeply insightful interview with Rabbi Manis Friedman of http://www.itsgoodtoknow.org/, we discuss identifying our core challenge as well as one thing you can do to improve your relationships. This is part 1 of a 2 part interview. Enjoy!
Dancing is one of those areas where we can often see how much resistance we have to comfortably expressing ourselves.
When you judge yourself you judge others. When you accept yourself you accept others. This is why you must begin with yourself!
Airplanes don't fly straight. They are constantly realigning. From time to time we must observe the direction we are moving in, stop for a moment, assess and realign.
Loyalty doesn't mean accepting blame for another, that is, when they're another. When we're on a team and we are one, their mistake isn't another's, it's ours and we cover for them. This is true for marriage, parenting, and business.
We must look deep within and ask whether we are ready to harness the system and drive it. Otherwise, the system drives us, and our potential lies dormant.
As humans, this is our unique gift, the ability to let go and have faith. Not to live at the mercy of our intellect, confined to the limitations of what we can prove and understand but to step into a far more expansive dimension which offers us wonderful opportunity and blessing.
They say that the meaning of intimacy is in the word itself. Intimacy, Into Me See. Intimacy is very valuable, in part, because it’s hard to find. In truth, you can’t really find it, you’ve got to create it.
Slow and consistent is what produces great things, not through experiencing a stroke of luck.
One doesn't become a student by simply reading a book or listening to a lecture. One must come with an open mind, with complete dedication to understanding the idea being taught, without judgment or fear. Before doing so, one must ensure that the teacher and content are coming from a safe place which doesn't contradict their values and beliefs.
When we remind ourselves of the light the lies on the other side of this experience, we remind ourselves not to run away. We remind ourselves to work through.
When you wake up with ache you know somethings wrong. We don't embrace pain and are thankful for it indicating there's a problem. Feeling self is much the same. Feeling self is an indicator that their's a problem. We're too self oriented. We are much happier when we don't feel our self.
Our life is entirely different when we are leading it. It demonstrates that we are taking our life seriously by doing our best to live up to who G-d made us to be.
Spirituality is very important because it enriches and deepens our experiences in life. When you get to the soul of the matter you begin experiencing the very essence of the person or the thing.
The greatest act of love can be creating boundaries and definition. The most loving relationships can fall apart without exercising boundaries and definition. We cannot succeed at anything in life without exercising self-control, boundaries, limitations, and definition.
True mastery is being insulted by someone in front of a group of friends while maintaining the clarity of mind that what he’s saying is all a reflection of him and not a reflection of you.
The reason why we only listen to certain people is largely because of the way they speak to us. This explains why people don’t listen to us. It’s not only because they don’t listen, it’s because of the way we speak.
There are a few basics steps we can follow that will help us truly care for other people. It’s a very powerful thing to do for another.
Only if we're thirsty for a resolution or an answer will we find one. This is why, before going into meetings I ask myself, "What is my objective? What outcome am I seeing?"
What makes giving difficult is that it’s giving of myself. Giving of myself to another is always difficult. This is why justifications abound around giving.
Asking in place of accusing is always the better approach. Instead of defensiveness, you get facts. It also can be the gateway to deep trust in a relationship.
While worry may not be healthy, what’s wrong with using it to get you to do the right thing? Very often we use anger to motivate us to do things we otherwise might not do? Is there an issue with using the wrong motivation to do the right thing?
My nature is to worry about things. My husband is the opposite: He always says, "Everything is going to be fine. It's all going to work out in the end. God's in control." While I appreciate that outlook on life, and perhaps even envy it, I feel it can breed complacency and lead someone to be less proactive in changing a negative situation. He tells me "worrying won't solve the problem," but I feel that in many cases it can be a powerful motivator toward action.
Is worrying always bad?
Is there a way to reach a feeling of calm about the future without falling complacent?
I have tried to live by example and inspire others, inclusive of immediate family members. They might have gotten somewhat inspired, at times, but the flip side is that they absolutely drain me. I am running on a very low fuel. I can no longer continue to worry about them. I need to save myself from falling. Yet, if I stop "worrying" about them, they will most like stop with religious observance and that will bring me down, for I am outnumbered with absolutely no support. so I am in a lose-lose situation.
There is only one moment you need to transform. By transforming this moment your entire life improves dramatically. It is this moment that Dr. Viktor Frankl refers to when he says, “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Redemption means they were free from constraints. When all of our fears and concerns are go, our song flows freely from within.
How do you think people feel after encountering you? Do you think they leave feeling uplifted and encouraged or dejected and discouraged?
Many people complain. What’s wrong with them? Don’t they realize? Why can’t they relate and on and on. Some actually take responsibility. They ask, “How can I make this relevant to them?”
Freedom is most pronounced when we can impose our own limitations on our own selves not due to inhibitions but due to our own choosing.
Drama is actually a distraction from reality. It’s one of the worst ways to deal with anything.
If you want to live a meaningful life that is more in touch with reality, begin developing your spiritual self. There is far more reality in our spiritual space than we may realize.
We must never assess ourselves by the results, we must always assess ourselves by our efforts. There are no guarantees in life when it comes to results.
The way to build trust lies in the hands and is the responsibility of the one trusting. I must trust even before someone has proven to be trustworthy. By doing so, we are assisting them in rising up to the level of trustworthiness.
Sensitivity is a great virtue. Being sensitive to others is most important for our relationships. As social beings we cannot afford to compromise on our sensitivity without compromising our relationships.
The main reason most people go to work is to make money. The main reason we make money is to provide our family with a quality life where they can thrive and be productive. If we’re too busy living with a scarcity mentality of saving, saving, saving, is it really worth all the work?
What we need to remember is that in the accident and mistake our loved one makes lies our greatest opportunity to strengthen our relationship. It is there that we show our true colors. If we can embrace then, they feel a love they’ve most likely been looking for all their life.
If you truly loved the fish, you wouldn’t be eating it. You’d let it swim in the river. You probably mean that you love yourself.
That’s what we should say it. You’re not in the mood to make your bed? So what? You’re not in the mood to smile, come out of your room when you’re prepared to smile.
When I accept and celebrate my uniqueness, I celebrate the uniqueness I see in others. When I don’t accept and celebrate my uniqueness, this leads to me discriminating against others.
When we don’t understand another person’s perspective, we can either see it as their issue or as our issue. Remember the saying, “Judging another person doesn’t define who they are, it defines who you are.”
I’m here to tell you in no uncertain terms that guilt is destructive. Period. You should do everything possible not to feel guilt and you should not be using it to motivate people to do what you feel they should do.
What we must learn to develop more than anything else is the truest expression of who we are, our SQ, our soul quotient. Yes, we need to let it shine!
We must develop a long sighted vision for our lives and realize that the price we pay when we choose the shorter longer way is enormous. I would say that the price is crushing.
We live in a polarized universe. This is why everything needs balance. Our psyche is the exact same way. Our psyche is polarized. A proper balance between love and respect keeps us and our relationship well-balanced and stable.
Even if there was a way to protect ourselves or our children from challenges, it wouldn't serve us or them well. Why? For the very reason, we all know intuitively. Without challenges, we don't develop and grow.
The primary reason we don’t stand out from the herd is because of a fear. A fear that we might fail, a fear that we might not be accepted, a fear that we will be criticized. It is true that it’s always much safer not to stand out than it is standing apart. The number one regret that people have on their death bed is, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."
The key to remember is two things: Respond to the person, not the problem. Labeling positives reinforce them, labeling negatives diminish them.
Inspired by an incident shared by Chris Voss on Mike Dillard's podcast, Self Made Man.
When Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty, or give me death,” he understood that when we take away one’s liberty we have given them a sort of death.
If we can accept five basic life principles we can be way ahead of the curve when it comes to bringing happiness to our kids.
Just because someone decides to act offensively does not mean that I need to be offended.
No one should be beyond accountability and everyone should have to explain their actions.
Take on the challenge of becoming an individual who is committed to speaking truthfully and to realizing that the one who gains most from this is none other than yourself.
There is a very simple question that we should ask ourselves whenever we have a dilemma. That question is “What is it that I would like to see happen?”
Welcome to our premier podcast where I’d like to introduce both the podcast and myself. Beginning Within is about life, it's about your life, it's about inspiring you and I to live our lives in as healthy a manner as possible with a special focus on our emotional and spiritual health.
When we change ourselves we suddenly begin to notice the changes we’ve always wanted to see in the people and circumstances around us.
Just as we must have oxygen, as our survival depends on it, so we must feel a sense of worthiness because our emotional and spiritual survival depend on it.