Meaningful Life Skills with Rabbi Simon Jacobson (Rabbi Simon Jacobson)

With the latest brutal atrocities perpetrated in Israel - the horrific sights and descriptions of things that most of us couldn't imagine in our darkest dreams - the words "absolute evil," "pure, unadulterated evil", have become the way many are describing these massacres. Not simply killing which is total evil in itself, but the sheer savage ways and extreme forms of cruelty and sadism with which these heinous crimes were committed, defies any word in our human language. Absolute evil doesn't even seem strong enough. And yet, there are many that try to "justify" these actions, and even worse and more appalling -- they argue that the victims are somehow at fault! In some twisted form of 'logic" there are the claims that Israel is evil and somehow Hamas good. But even if you don't go that far, some argue the case of moral equivalence, where both sides are equally guilty. Others altogether embrace moral relativism, rejecting any form of absolute right and wrong.
Which brings us to the big question; is there absolute good and evil in this world? Is it black or white? Are there suituations where the lines between good and evil are very clear, or are there two sides to every story and everything is relative. Some even say that there is no such thing as good and evil; it's all subjective.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital and fundamental conversation on good vs. evil. and discover the implications involved and what we can actually do about it. 

Did you ever wonder what your core would look like if you were stripped of all the outer layers, projections, defense mechanisms and armor acquired through your life experiences? We are all shaped by the attitudes and influences of our parents, educators and peers, as well as by society and the media at large. Life's demands on us, coupled with other people's expectations of us, further define our choices and behaviors. With all these forces impacting and imposing themselves upon us, can you cut through the shrouds that often conceal what lies within, and discover the "real" you? The inner you?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this not-to-be-missed pre-Yom Kippur program, including a special Yizkor memorial service, honoring and immortalizing the souls of our loved ones. Learn about the five dimensions of your soul, and how you can usually access three conscious levels -- the behavioral, the emotional and the cognitive -- but on one unique day of the year you have the ability to reach and actualize your very essence. 

Find out how you can indeed transcend your past and discover yourself like never before.

Frederick Douglass famously said, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Can we even begin to estimate the staggering cost—financial, emotional, and societal—of fixing broken adults? Therapy, medication, addictions, ailments—endless attempts to numb the pain of fear, insecurity, dysfunction, trauma.

Imagine how much could be saved—how much suffering could be avoided—if we focused on building strong children rather than repairing broken adults. But this isn't just about money. It's about human well-being. How much time, energy, and potential are wasted battling demons when we could be nurturing angels?

But the real question is how. How do we raise resilient, whole, and empowered children so they blossom into healthy adults.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital discussion as we explore the path to building strong children—so we no longer have to fix broken adults. As well as methods to mend and rebuild things that may have broken us.

"Trust me" is one of the most untrustworthy statements one can make. Would you trust someone simply because they ask you (or tell you) to trust them? Trust must be earned. This is especially true in a situation -- and an environment -- in which trust has been violated, and people have been hurt by those they trusted. But how does one earn trust? Trust is the single most important ingredient in any true communication; it creates the fertile ground for all relationships. What ingredients are necessary for trust to flourish? How do we gain trust? Can one love without trust? And how does one regain trust after it has been betrayed? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of trust, its importance in our lives and how we can build (and rebuild) trusting relationships. Discover surprising insights into the nature of trust, and how it can help you in every aspect of your life.

What possible good can there about feeling inferior?! A negative self attitude is the root of so many human problems. Feelings of inadequacy and insecurity undermine our confidence, they demoralize us and compromise virtually every aspect of our lives. So how can there be anything positive in that? Don't we all need a healthy sense of self? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he explores the role of ego and humility in our lives, and digs into the very root of the "self." Should we be ego-less or is it important to have an ego? How do we assure that ego doesn't turn into arrogance? How do we balance ego and humility? Discover a new take on the self. Learn the secret of true value -- that in order to be a true "somebody" you first need to be a true "nobody."

Trust is a vital component in life. Healthy relationships and bonds are built on trust. Without trust, almost everything is compromised if not outrightly destroyed. But which criteria define trust? How do we gauge whom to trust? Which traits and behaviors engender trust?  Can these characteristics be acquired? Many of us have been hurt and are justly wary of trusting another, or sadly, may have totally lost trust in others. Is it possible to rebuild healthy trust after betrayal?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy, and delves into the mysterious world of trust. Learn how to identify trustworthy characteristics, and discover ways of becoming both more trusting and more trustworthy in building safe environments and enduring relationships.

Love - we all need it and yet we find it so difficult to attain. It is perhaps the most elusive of all experiences.

What is love? Is is real or just a chemical reaction? Is it just another physical/psychological aspect to our being or is there something deeper, a spiritual/ethereal component to love?

Schopenhauer notoriously wrote, “Love is based on an illusion and represents what is an advantage to the species as an advantage to the individual.”

Is this correct? Is love simply a way of nature tricking and deceiving us in order to perpetuate the species? Are we simply being fooled into “loving” in order to survive?

Or is there something more transcendent, something deeper going on?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this vital conversation and discover that not only is love real, it is actually the key to turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, the mundane into the sublime. Love is our ability to bring eternity into our impermanent lives; infuse immortality into our mortality; fuse the infinite and the finite.

Six Revolutionary Principles that Can Transform Your Life

Become a LEADER
Long Term/Mission
Empowerment/Initiative
Actualization: Potential opportunities; Action oriented
Determination/Persistence
Empathy
Redemption

Applied to and Impacting:
Relationships・Education・Personal/Emotional Issues・Technology・Religion

What is holding you back from living up to your greatest aspirations, your dreams, your ideals? What is stopping you from actualizing your full potential? Is it fear? Bad luck? A lack of skills or motivation? Or perhaps it’s all of the above? Maybe there are even deeper, unseen forces—subconscious patterns, societal pressures, or past experiences—blocking your path without you even realizing it.

One thing is certain: Each of us yearns to live the best possible life—however we define it. But wanting is not enough. It’s one thing to set goals and define success; it’s another to identify and overcome the obstacles in our way.

It seems simple: Envision your ideal life, then remove the barriers. But life is rarely that straightforward. We are complex beings, shaped by both external influences and internal struggles. There are forces—both within and beyond us—that silently dictate our choices, often without our conscious awareness.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital conversation as we uncover what is truly standing between you and your greatest life—and, more importantly, how to break through to achieve your utmost potential.

How many partners are there in a relationship? Some say that there are at least six people -- the two spouses, and each of their parents, whose attitudes shaped (and often continue to shape) the lives of their children. When you consider past relationships, then you can throw in more partners -- since a previous relationship often continues to impact (or haunt) a present relationship? On the other end of the spectrum, some cynics argue that there really are no partners in a relationship; that ultimately a "relationship" is nothing more than a self-absorbed relationship with yourself, and your partner and all others are simply "props" to enhance the self. Now let's rephrase the question: How many partners are there in a healthy relationship (with emphasis on the word healthy)? Relationships are difficult enough without bringing into the mix parents and previous connections. So how many partners are necessary to create a robust, growthful and mutually enriching relationship?

The "dark side" sounds very foreboding. While most people have not actually fallen prey to dark forces which control their lives, each of us has our darker side -- that ugly part of our lives which we prefer to keep buried like skeletons in our "closets." Is there then any value in speaking about these shadows, which we are loath to expose? The only purpose in doing so is not to simply dwell on the negative and the unpleasant, but to help us learn how to return from the dark side - whatever form it takes -- and build a life of light and warmth. Can we indeed free ourselves from the darker forces in our lives? Can one who has fallen hostage to the dark side come back and create a healthy life? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he addresses, in his unique way, a topic rarely discussed: How to deal with the dark side? Whether it is the darker secrets we each harbor, or the demonic darkness of addiction or cults and other powers that control us -- this illuminating class will help you dissect the abyss and come away with even greater strength to face any challenge and adversary. Discover the enormous power contained in the "dark side" -- like that of a "black hole" -- and how to harness it for the good.

The million dollar question: What is the secret to finding a healthy and enduring relationship? What criteria should I be looking for? How can I know if someone is compatible with me? What defines compatibility? How can I identify my true soulmate?

You may be surprised to know that the mystics mapped out the soul in five dimensions, which in turn offers us a blueprint for finding your compatible soulmate.

You don't want to miss this program with Rabbi Jacobson, in which he lays out these five levels of compatibility and presents a practical approach and specific guidelines to finding and building a beautiful, lasting and thriving relationship. Discover parts of your self that may be concealed, and tools to recognize in your date his/her deeper soul dimensions -- all adding up to creating a true soul connection.

Do you ever feel like life is a masquerade—constantly switching masks depending on where you are, who you're with, and what’s expected of you? At work, at home, in social settings—always performing, always adapting, living up to others’ demands.
And then you pause and wonder: Where am I in all of this? What part of me has been lost?
We live in a world where inauthenticity has become the norm. We're not just talking about fake news or AI-generated illusions. People—out of fear, the need to conform, or the desire to be accepted—often put on a facade, a forced smile, a curated persona. And when you add the layers of insecurity and childhood conditioning—especially if we grew up in homes where authenticity was lacking—this becomes second nature.
The result? A profound dissonance between who we are and how we feel we must present ourselves. It’s disorienting, even exhausting.
So, what can we do about it? 
Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital discussion and discover how we can reclaim our true selves in a world that pressures us to be something else. 

Is your life made up of many disjointed and fragmented pieces? Or is there a larger narrative that's unfolding, connecting all the dots and moving parts of your daily life? 

Sadly, most of us live our lives from moment to moment, often in survival mode - just getting by and through each day. Some moments are ups, some are downs; and there are twists and turns along the way. But is there an underlying thread between all these seemingly random moments? Where are they leading us?

The secret and truth behind it all is that your life is a journey. Yes, it is a journey with many layers and stops, twists and turns, ups and downs, with winding roads and obstacles in its path. But it is one glorious journey, one majestic narrative that continues to unfold. And you play an active role in the development of the unfolding drama.

Furthermore, your journey -- and every leg of it -- is rife with meaning. Every step you take, every stop you make, every fork in the road you encounter, every mountain you climb, every valley you traverse -- every single moment is brimming with opportunity, filled with potent energy waiting to be released. Every detail has a purpose and is part of a bigger picture.


Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson on this journey of discovery. Learn how to recognize the journey of your life and its deeper meaning. Discover how to actualize the tremendous potential in every detail of your daily life, which in turn will charge up and change the way you look at yourself and everything you do.

At one or time or another, many of us feel stuck in our lives. Unable to move forward. It can take on the shape of resignation, hopelessness and even depression. It can be more subtle as in feeling old and worn out, without the energy to create change. And it can even manifest in cynicism, as in the more things change the more they stay the same. 

What causes us to feel stuck? Are they objective or subjective causes, meaning are they true external obstacles or only ones in our mind? Is it perhaps fear? Einstein is famously credited as saying that we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. How then do we change self-defeating attitudes?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this pre-New Year talk addressing the great dilemma of getting unstuck in your life. What can we do to free ourselves from whatever it is that making us feel trapped and unable to truly move forward. As we enter a New Year, the mystics tell us that a new unprecedented energy enters into our lives. How can we tap into it and how can we make sure that our past despondence doesn't haunt and curb our ability to allow new hope and new possibilities to manifest in our lives? How can we truly begin anew?

As our hearts tear over the senseless loss of lives in the latest outbreak of violence in the Middle East, one can’t help but wonder: Will it ever end? What will it take to achieve peace in the Holy Land?

Most, if not all, politicians, analysts, pundits and commentators — and nearly everyone else — have long given up hope on any comprehensive solution. After all we have witnessed, after all the attempts at peace, one need not even be a cynic be to be skeptical about the prospects.

And yet, has everything truly been tried? The Western world in general rejects seeing this war between Israel and Arab/Muslims in any religious context. Many feel that in our “enlightened” and “scientific” age, religion is not and should not be a factor. Rational people can sit down and negotiate, as they would any business transaction or merger, and come up with a mutually acceptable compromise. And then move on. However, faith and religious passions don’t work that conveniently.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this provocative presentation of a radical new approach. One that combines peace out of strength and a bold vision of the future. The true battle, he argues, is not with missiles and ammunition, but in the homes and schools that control and shape the impressionable minds of the next generation. Acknowledging that this may be a “naive” approach, Rabbi Jacobson contends that if enough of us can create a grassroots revolution, which challenges the status quo of the powers that be, we can indeed create true and lasting change, and ultimately establish a permanent peace.

Are you seeking to become more productive in your life? To actualize your potential and dreams? How often do you have a great idea but find it difficult to implement? Or the other way around: You may be good at execution, but find it challenging to find an exciting idea to embrace. Some people are visionaries; others at bringing a vision into reality. Is there a method to bridge the two -- and have the best of both worlds: function and form, soul and body, the big picture and the details?

Now, for the first time, discover a powerful, life transforming Kabbalistic model which lays out the four vital steps to realize any concept and idea; a methodology to develop a successful project and build a lasting structure of every type -- from establishing a healthy relationship to perfecting your communication, from writing a book to composing a song, from crafting a business plan to building an edifice. These four steps will help you in every aspect of your life.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in a unique 4-part series, in which he deciphers these four steps and applies them to help you reach your goals. Learn how to harness the power of the four spiritual "worlds" in manifesting new ideas and projects - from concept to fruition, from form and structure to end result.

Step 1: Atzilus; Vision

Step 2: Beriah; Outline

Step 3: Yetzirah; Shape

Step 4: Assiyah; Finalize

This week's program covers Step 2: Beriah. It addresses how you begin implementing and executing your vision. Armed with a clear picture you start by creating an outline -- a skeleton and infrastructure, which will then be fleshed out in the next steps. In this second step you will learn the importance of having a good outline (and the the pitfalls of not having that in place,) and how to actually build a solid outline, one that serves as a vital interface between your vision and your final product. 

Whether you are a "big idea" person, a project manager or looking to think in a more organized way and be more efficient, you won't want to miss this series.

Why do some people become overwhelmed or unhinged under pressure, while others remain perfectly calm? Is this due to nature or nurture? Are we wired differently? Is there a method to keeping composed and collected in stressful situations? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he analyzes and dissects the underlying causes for stress and anxiety, and learn new tools to maintain your equilibrium. Discover the secret of finding inner calm and serenity even in the most trying of circumstances

Many battles sadly become an end in themselves, and drag on with no true winner. This can be due to a conflict losing sight of its initial objectives, or never having healthy objectives in the first place. Consider certain ugly litigation or divorce proceedings. At some point, these fights become trapped and entangled in emotional extremes with the only obvious winners being the high paid attorneys...

It may not be the first time, but the 2020 presidential election seems particularly nasty and distasteful. Just listen to the comments of representatives of both parties, and of pundits on dueling media platforms. It's like two different universes. You would think that life is all black or white, good or evil, you're either totally right or totally wrong -- with absolutely no room for nuances, subtleties and the grey areas that define true life. Is it even possible that each side has some legitimate argument? When following current events -- hyped up by biased media on all ends -- many of us feel defiled and frankly, even violated. It's tempting to ask: If others want to fight "bloody" battles like wrestling gladiators, why do we need to be part of this spectacle? What true difference will the outcome have on our personal lives? What long-term collateral damage will all this acrimony create?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this refreshing discussion and discover ways to rise above the fray and ensure that no matter who wins the election, you and your family and friends come out as winners.

If our homes are our gardens and children are their fruits and flowers, parents are the gardeners. Like gardeners, parents are charged with the vital role of creating a fertile environment, providing all the nurturing nutrients and protecting from toxic pollutants, to nourish and ensure that children will blossom and flourish.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in The Sacred Mission of a Parent, where he addresses the special gift and responsibility parents carry in shaping healthy and productive children, with practical methods that every parent can employ to be the best possible gardener he or she can be.

Where do you turn in times of fear and uncertainty, when upheaval disrupts your regular routines? In such moments, we often get disoriented and demoralized. You might feel like a lost ship at sea, unsure how to navigate and where to turn. So, how do you find your bearings and maintain balance and equilibrium?

We are living in such times now. The widespread threats and unpredictability is unprecedented.

Consider the global situation: the volatility in the Middle East, especially in Israel; the conflict in Ukraine; and the turmoil in the United States with its unpredictable presidential elections. Where do you turn?

The good news is that we have a time-tested formula, dating back over 3,300 years, for navigating fear and uncertainty. This method is detailed in my book 60 Days: A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays. 

We just entered this special period, the Hebrew months of Elul and Tishrei, which teach us how to regain balance after disruption and reclaim love after it has been violated.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this new fascinating series, as we kick off the 60-Day Journey and discuss how to find hope in times of fear, pain and loss. 

In dealing with our current crisis, virtually all discussions are about masks, social distancing, the search for a vaccine, economic relief programs, opening or closing of our cities, business and schools, and so on.

While all these are vital, they can be summed up as defensive measures. Damage control. Attempts to put out or minimize the burning fires. Are there any offensive measures that we can take? Can we become proactive instead of reactive?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he proposes ways to become proactive and take the initiative in leading your life and the life of those around you to a greater place. Discover a secret antidote to upheaval and disruption -- tools that can help you take complete control over your attitude and behavior even when events around us are not in our control. How you can find inner certainty and direction even in uncertain times.

We human beings pride ourselves on our intelligence; how we are far superior to all other species with our minds, our innovations, scientific breakthroughs and technologies. With our intellect we have learned to tame the elements and conquer the universe.

Yet, what exactly is intelligence? And what defines intelligence? Is a powerful mind the only contributing factor? Is dominance over other forces the litmus test for success? One can be book smart but have no common sense. A person may have a high IQ and be emotionally immature.

Intelligence is not just brain power and it's not simply data processing. True intelligence is also the wisdom of life -- the wisdom of interactions, the understanding of relationships. It goes far beyond the brain and its limited parameters and capabilities. It's more than a science; it's an art.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a fascinating discussion on the true nature of human intelligence and discover dimensions within yourself that you may not have been aware of or fully accessed until now. Learn how to actualize your full potential and achieve ultimate intelligence, combining the brain and the heart, intellect and emotions - to create a complete and integrated pers

Is there anything in life that is indestructible? We are mere mortals, finite creatures in a physical world where everything in existence seems to be impermanent. Things erode, deteriorate, and ultimately age and perish.

That inner search for eternity, for immorality - is that just a fantasy or is it indeed possible?

Chanukah teaches us the secret to immortality, the indestructible power of light that turns the finite infinite and the ordinary extraordinary.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we learn how to access that light within ourselves and within the world around us. Especially now, in dark times, finding that indestructible power of light is needed more than ever.

Are you seeking to become more productive in your life? To actualize your potential and dreams? How often do you have a great idea but find it difficult to implement? Or the other way around: You may be good at execution, but find it challenging to find an exciting idea to embrace. Some people are visionaries; others at bringing a vision into reality. Is there a method to bridge the two -- and have the best of both worlds: function and form, soul and body, the big picture and the details?

Now, for the first time, discover a powerful, life transforming Kabbalistic model which lays out the four vital steps to realize any concept and idea; a methodology to develop a successful project and build a lasting structure of every type -- from establishing a healthy relationship to perfecting your communication, from writing a book to composing a song, from crafting a business plan to building an edifice. These four steps will help you in every aspect of your life.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in a unique 4-part series, in which he deciphers these four steps and applies them to help you reach your goals. Learn how to harness the power of the four spiritual "worlds" in manifesting new ideas and projects - from concept to fruition, from form and structure to end result.

Step 1: Atzilus; Vision

Step 2: Beriah; Outline

Step 3: Yetzirah; Shape

Step 4: Asiyah; Finalize

This week's program covers Step 3: Yetzirah. It addresses how you carry over an outline into fleshed out details. Armed with a clear picture and a general outline, you meticulously develop and define every aspect and nuance of the entity, like a fine-tuned diamond shaped out of a stone in the rough.  In this third step you will learn the importance of shape and form and of every last detail, and ensuring that its aligned with the vision and outline.

Whether you are a "big idea" person, a project manager or looking to think in a more organized way and be more efficient, you won't want to miss this series.

We are now in the graduation season with millions of students celebrating the conclusion of a stage of their schooling.
But what exactly is a graduation? What does it signify? Is it just an invisible milestone that comes and goes? Or is there something deeper, something personal and meaningful that we all - not just the graduates but also friends and family - can learn from it?
Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we discuss transitions, the right of passage, that takes us from one stage in our lives to another. Discover that this is really the essence of what graduation is; it’s about the journey of life and how we deal with these transitions and junctures in time as we move and metamorphosize from one stage to the next.

How do you deal with adversity? When facing a challenge in life, how do you react?

There are the conventional approaches of fight or flight; do you retreat out of fear of confrontation; escape your reality? Or do you stand up and fight, waging a battle with the enemy within and without?

Others might turn to prayer; do you beseech G-d to interfere and show you the way? Or do you follow the approach of simply giving in; surrendering to the circumstances and waving the white flag.

These are the four conventional approaches that most people take when dealing with the different obstacles that life throws at them. And believe it or not, while all four might serve a purpose in specific moments, they are all limiting and holding you back from truly facing your challenges.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson to discover a revolutionary fifth approach to dealing with adversity - which will not only help you overcome the obstacles but will help you grow from them to become the best you can be.

How would you rate your self esteem? And how do we even define self worth? What do we consider valuable? Is it how much money you have; how many possessions you own? Is it how many friends you have; how much love you have in your life?

And who defines self worth? Do we define it ourselves? Or do others define it?

We live in a world where we are inundated from every direction by all types of voices trying to sell us something. If you buy this, you'll look better and you'll feel more valuable and more worthy. But is our worth so surface based, so superficial. Additionally, we are faced with constant demands and expectations -- from parents, educators, employers and employees, family, media, politicians and more -- competing for our attention, time and energy. No wonder that we find it often difficult to discover ourselves -- to appreciate who we are and our own inherent value, independent of all these forces. Can others give us our worth or should our worth be generated from within?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he discusses this critical topic that affects us all. Discover how to recognize your true value -- that which makes you truly indispensable. Learn how to build inner security and confidence, enabling you to make healthier choices and decisions, and helping you actualize your greatest potential.

Just a few months ago very few of us were concerned with the question of how to balance our work life and our home life. Even if we were concerned, we didn't do much about it. The conflicts and tensions between our vocations and our homes, between our careers and our families, were usually "resolved" (or better said: unresolved) through either denial, compartmentalization, compromising our homes in face of our career climbing and social status, or a combination of the above. Foundations are invisible to the eye, and are often overlooked and overshadowed by the glitz and drama of our "upper floors."

But now that our workplaces and public squares have been closed down, and we have been quarantined in our homes, we are compelled to ask ourselves: What does home mean and how vital is it for our well-being? What is the foundation, and what should be the priority, of our lives?  What is the means and what is the end? Where should our energies be focused for maximum impact? Why are we here?

Both historically and personally, on a macrocosmic and microcosmic level, home was always the base and core -- the nest and foundation -- of our existence.

From the beginning of time the home was the center-point of our lives. In the pre-modern and pre-industrial age, work was seen as menial labor, only as a means to provide for our homes and families to build and grow. At some point in the last few centuries the focus shifted from our homes to our workplaces and social environments.

The same is true on a personal and psychological level: For every one of us to grow into healthy and secure adults we first need nurturing and loving homes to build out confidence and self-esteem. But at some point as we mature into adults, we can often lose and forget the vital importance of our homes and families. What would you be like without a solid home and unconditional love? Would a bird have the courage to fly if it had no nest?

Our new and unexpected state of affairs, with essentially all our previous life "centers' disrupted or suspended, offers us a rare and unprecedented opportunity to revisit the role and centrality of home in our lives, and answer critical questions that until now were buried beneath our demanding schedules and routines.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson on an eye-opening journey into the core of our beings, and the importance that home - both literally and figuratively -- plays in the shaping and success of our lives. Discover the emotional and psychological significance and power of your home. A home is much more than a shelter and respite from the hostile world. A home is a nurturing womb; a comforting hearth -- a launchpad that allows you to spread your wings and soar to unprecedented heights. Learn how to use this strange and difficult time to appreciate your gifts like never before. You will never look at your home and family the same way again.

Quarantine has challenged us in so many different ways. What are you like when you can't go to work, school, ballparks, theaters, restaurants, vacation spots and all your regular destinations? What part of us emerges when we don't have our usual outlets?

In times like this, one of the most important questions to ask yourself is this: When your physical movements are limited, what happens to your soul? When our usual routines were in place, some of us may have not given our souls much thought. But whether you have been in touch with your soul or not, now is an opportune time to think about and get to know your soul.

What distinguishes your soul from your body? How different are their functions and perspectives?  Do they see and experience the world in the same way? Is your soul contained by space and time -- and other parameters -- that limit physical matter?  How do we define the parameters of a soul? Can a soul be quarantined? Can it be trapped and enslaved? 

Please join Rabbi Jacobson on a fascinating journey -- the journey of a soul, the journey of your soul. Unconfined by the trappings of the body, discover how to unleash the free spirit of your soul and soar to unprecedented heights. Learn how to look at life through the lens of your soul instead of the lens of your body, and, in the process, transform you and everything about you.

There is no person on earth who does not want to improve their lives. But how do we actually do that? We take on resolutions, make plans and embark on journeys, however they often don’t last very long. Is there a formula for true and sustainable growth?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in a new seven-part series, 7 Weeks to a Better You, and discover a 3334-year-old time-tested plan to evaluate and develop your tremendous emotional potential. In this series you will learn the seven facets of your emotional attributes that define the spectrum of your personality, you will gain a clear picture — an “x-ray” — of your inner psyche, and how to harness and enhance the forces that make you tick.

In part 2, you will explore discipline, restraint — the attribute that defines discretion. What exactly is Gevurah/strength? How do we balance giving and kindness in a measured way? How do we know when to show discipline and when to hold back? Is this a defining characteristic in your personality or does this facet need to be defined and honed? Find out the secrets to properly channel restraint.

Do you ever wonder where consciousness comes from? It’s quite obvious that our conscious thoughts, feelings and experiences are just the outer tip of the iceberg. But what lies behind the curtain of our perception? Can we access it?

Understanding the supra-conscious and how it impacts our lives is not simply an academic, psychological or even philosophical discussion. It affects all our activities and encounters, which are the surface expression of these subliminal forces within. So understanding how consciousness is born and its earliest roots, can help us revisit the source — the engine room of supra-consciousness — to perhaps charge and rewire our underlying neurons, to fire on new cylinders.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this revolutionary series as he deciphers a 16th century kabbalistic text in the Pardes of the great mystic, R’ Moshe Kordevoro, describing the metamorphosis from the quantum supra-conscious to the conscious.

In part 1 of this series, we took a journey through the six steps of this fascinating process — from the very conception of consciousness in their undefined, nebulous states, traveling along as these states take form and become more crystallized, ultimately evolving into the defined state of consciousness that we are aware of.

But what about our experiences — our traumas and joys, from the youngest age — embedded in our psyche, which impact our fears, joys, attractions and repulsions? How do we contend with these toxins that pollute the supra-conscious?

In part 2 of this series Rabbi Jacobson discusses how our pure, pre-birth supra-conscious can empower us to dispel the demons that haunt us.

Everybody is now asking the big question: When will life go back to normal? What will the new norm look like? Will anything change?

But the bigger question we should be asking is: What exactly is "normal"? Is "normal" defined by the usual routines and patterns we are accustomed to? How do we really know that the conditions we consider to be "norms" are actually true and real? Perhaps they are just a result of our own subjective perceptions and experiences? "Normal" for some people can even be unhealthy and toxic. Shouldn't the current disruptions and upheavals serve as an unprecedented opportunity to question and challenge our assumptions about what is truly important, valuable and... normal?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he, in his inimitable style, challenges our "comfort zones" and our very definition of "normal" and other assumed truths. Discover how revisiting preconceived notions opens up surprisingly new perspectives and deeper truths. The upending of our previously-held givens in these times of crisis allows you to see the bigger picture, and recognize a far more expansive "normal" -- and reclaim yourself in the process.

Are you seeking to become more productive in your life? To actualize your potential and dreams? How often do you have a great idea but find it difficult to implement? Or the other way around: You may be good at execution, but find it challenging to find an exciting idea to embrace. Some people are visionaries; others at bringing a vision into reality. Is there a method to bridge the two -- and have the best of both worlds: function and form, soul and body, the big picture and the details?

Now, for the first time, discover a powerful, life transforming Kabbalistic model which lays out the four vital steps to realize any concept and idea; a methodology to develop a successful project and build a lasting structure of every type -- from establishing a healthy relationship to perfecting your communication, from writing a book to composing a song, from crafting a business plan to building an edifice. These four steps will help you in every aspect of your life.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in a unique 4-part series, in which he deciphers these four steps and applies them to help you reach your goals. Learn how to harness the power of the four spiritual "worlds" in manifesting new ideas and projects - from concept to fruition, from form and structure to end result.

Step 1: Atzilus; Vision

Step 2: Beriah; Outline

Step 3: Yetzirah; Shape

Step 4: Asiyah; Finalize

This week's program covers the last and final Step 4: Asiyah -- finalizing the full dimensional production. It addresses not just how to put on the finishing touches and polish your project, but how to add the intangibles that make your end result shine and reflect your driving vision.

Whether you are a "big idea" person, a project manager or looking to think in a more organized way and be more efficient, you won't want to miss this series.

Whether you are dealing with fear, anxiety, depression, aimlessness, or any of the many issues that plague our lives, one of the most important questions to ask yourself is, what are you passionate about? What excites your soul and fuels your energy and drive?

Surprisingly, by focusing on these fundamental questions and identifying your true passions, you will be able to address the root of many negative forces in your life. Concentrating on your inner desires will compel you to recognize what you are investing your energy into it and will help you shift your focus toward positivity.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a fascinating and personal discussion on finding your passions in life. The human soul is a fire; synonymous with passion. Without passion the spirit withers. Identifying your passion will open new horizons and empowering methods to dealing with the many challenges and setbacks that life throws your way.

As the curtain comes down on the year 2022 and we prepare for the new year of 2023, we all wish for each other and for our loved ones a very blessed new year. A year filled with joy, happiness, inner peace and world peace; a year of serenity, success and the fulfillment of all our hearts desires, all in good health and in a very obvious and revealed way.

The intentions for an amazing, transformative and accomplishing year are there. We all want it, dream it, long for it and aim for it.

But the big question is how? How do we make our dreams a reality? How do we ensure that we indeed have a great year? We all know that new year comes and goes; previous years have proven that we can make resolutions with great intentions and positive goals but then we see them dissipate... they can often last one day, two days, or even a full week! But slowly the inspiration begins to wane and we find ourselves right back where we started.

Many new years have come and gone and we haven't necessarily experienced real change.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and learn how to change that narrative! Discover what you can actually do to make this year the best possible year yet. Learn about the forces that hold us back from growth, and the key tools necessary to counter that inertia, and be the change in your life - for yourself, your family, your friends and the entire world at large.

Are you a happy person? Do you feel happy right now? As human beings, we all have times that we're happy and times that happiness eludes us. But overall, what is your natural inclination?Are some people just born happier than others? Is happiness inherent or acquired? And more importantly, are there things we can do - tools we can learn, methods we can implement - to bring more happiness and joy into our lives, to become more upbeat and optimistic? Or are we simply hard wired a certain way, with some people being more despondent while others more spirited?You will be surprised to learn that happiness is something that you can control.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and discover that happiness is both inherent and acquired: you are naturally born happy. Happiness is your state of being. However, that core nature can be obfuscated by life experiences. Learn how to acquire tools that allow you to access your natural happiness, to experience happiness as a noun, not just as a verb. Remember, you do not control your circumstances, but you can control your state of mind, which in turn allows you to navigate the ups and downs of life. You have the power to become a happier person because your attitude will ultimately reveal your identity and shape your reality. 

Are you able to access your supra-conscious (or unconscious, as it’s more popularly, though not necessarily accurately, known)? Ostensibly, it would seem impossible considering that the supra-conscious is an imperceptible and ethereal state — comparable to quantum-like indeterminism. However there are indeed methods to access and channel your supra-conscious into your consciousness.

This is no small feat. Doing so can allow us to open up new channels of awareness, while also freeing us from the toxins — pain and trauma — that may have polluted our inner psyches.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in part 3 of a new revolutionary series as he presents time-tested ways to draw from our supra-consciousness and transform our lives.

*****

This series, How Consciousness is Born: 6 Steps from the Quantum Supra-Conscious to the Conscious, deciphers a 16th century kabbalistic text in the Pardes of the great mystic, R’ Moshe Kordevoro, describing the metamorphosis from the quantum supra-conscious to the conscious.

In part 1 of this series, we took a journey through the six steps of this fascinating process — from the very conception of consciousness in their undefined, nebulous states, traveling along as these states take form and become more crystallized, ultimately evolving into the defined state of consciousness that we are aware of.

In part 2 of this series Rabbi Jacobson discussed how our pure, pre-birth supra-conscious can empower us to dispel the demons that haunt us. Our experiences — our traumas and joys, from the youngest age — embedded in our psyche, which impact our fears, joys, attractions and repulsions are all part of who we are and propel us along to reach our greatest heights.

Do you ever wonder where consciousness comes from? It’s quite obvious that our conscious thoughts, feelings and experiences are just the outer tip of the iceberg. But what lies behind the curtain of our perception? Can we access it?

Understanding the supra-conscious and how it impacts our lives is not simply an academic, psychological or even philosophical discussion. It affects all our activities and encounters, which are the surface expression of these subliminal forces within. So understanding how consciousness is born and its earliest roots, can help us revisit the source — the engine room of supra-consciousness — to perhaps charge and rewire our underlying neurons, to fire on new cylinders.

Do you ever feel like you're trapped in a dark tunnel. with no way out? It may take the shape of confusion and uncertainty; of general resignation and "quiet desperation;" or of deeper depression and hopelessness. Every one of us, at times, will experience the fear and anxiety that comes with a sense of being stuck in our lives.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson and discover ways to navigate through the "tunnel vision" of our lives and find the light at the end of the tunnel. Learn the cosmic and mystical roots of life's shadows, and not only how darkness leads to light, but also the divine nature of darkness itself. 

 What is the role of government? Ostensibly, this question may seem irrelevant to our personal lives. On further thought, however, it's quite clear that the welfare of a government directly impacts the welfare of every one of its citizens. Yet, with so much distrust in our governments today, with the polarization of our political parties, and accusations of corruption being hurled in all directions, no wonder many of us have become quite skeptical if not cynical about the function of government. Nevertheless, it would be wise, especially when government is in question, to revisit the premise on the role and responsibility of government. Is it merely to legislate laws and serve as a referee to maintain the peace and coexistence of its peoples? Or does government have a deeper and more spiritual responsibility?

Just as government impacts people, people impact government. A government and its citizens are interconnected and interdependent -- they need and reflect on one another. It is therefore imperative to understand how to build the best possible government -- one that will serve the highest aspirations of its constituents, and help them build the best possible future.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this thought provoking talk as he retraces the historical roots of government and dissects its very purpose and function. Discover fascinating insights into human nature and its drive to build societies and bodies to govern their lives. Learn how we are not victims and products of our governments; quite the contrary: we have the ability to shape government. Come away with a new confidence and appreciation of the power we have to create a better world. And that yes, even something as technical or mundane as government, has a transcendent role to play.

Can every one be happy? The way some people describe their negativity and even hopelessness, you would think that not everybody is blessed with the capacity to be happy? But that is not true. Happiness seems to be inherent to the human condition. Look at children. They are naturally happy people. Buoyant and enthusiastic. So then, how do happy children become sad adults? When and how do they lose their positivity? How do calm children become anxious adults? And how can we retrace the steps and reclaim our inherent joy?

The answer to these questions carries the secret to happiness

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this journey into our core beings and discover the natural spring of joy flowing in the inner chambers our hearts and souls. Yes indeed, beneath and within layers upon layers of your assumed personality and collective experiences lies a live reservoir brimming with optimism and happiness. And it's waiting to be released. Learn how to access and actualize the natural joy that is your birthright.

Fear is one of the most debilitating -- and invisible -- forces that we need to contend with in life. How does one find courage to face fear? It seems like a catch-22 situation: Fear is the antithesis of courage. If you have fear, how can you muster up courage to fight fear; and if you have courage, then you have no need to fear the fear. Is there a way our of this quagmire? All this gets more complicated when you take into consideration your being comfortable with your routines and habitual traps. Your comfort zone coupled with your fears create a formidable resistance to facing challenges and being proactive in finding solutions. Is there hope? Please join Rabbi Jacobson, in this pre-Tisha B'Av talk, and learn how to enter into the dark abyss where our fears reside, and into the crevices where our comfort zones hold us hostage, and come away with greater strength than ever. Fear and habits contain enormous energy -- but that energy is imploded and inverted, entangling us in their c

One of the most powerful sights to behold is the regeneration of a forest after it has burned down. Few things are more astounding to witness than renewal after hopelessness and rebirth after death.

How have you reacted to the scars and schisms in your life? Have you given up? Do you feel like damaged goods?

All of us will experience a crack in our lives -- a broken relationship, a shattered dream, an unfulfilled promise, a betrayal of trust. For some devastation comes as a result of abuse and trauma -- causing one to feel like something was '"killed inside of me." How you respond and rebound after something has been lost or destroyed will define your life.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this fascinating presentation on how to create regeneration after fires have ravaged your life. If you have experienced any type of loss or destruction -- this class is for you. It will give you a new perspective and hope on your losses and offer you actionable exercises to discover deeper resources in coping and growing through your challenges. Like the Biblical phoenix arising from the ashes, and the new moon reborn each month, like new life sprouting from an eroding seed and the newborn chick emerging from a cracked egg, learn ways to experience a metamorphosis in your own life -- empowering you to transform destruction into resurrection.

Morality lies at the heart of every healthy society. Without mutual ethical values checking raw self-interest and different viewpoints, any group of individuals would tear itself apart. But what/who defines our moral standards? If we are left to our own subjective devices to determine right from wrong, how can we find common ground and respect? Even if we can achieve a consensus and build a constitution of laws to govern our communities and nations, what happens with all the areas that cannot be legislated and enforced, like decisions we make in the privacy of our homes and families -- how do we decide what is virtue and what is vice? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he explores this important topic, which impacts every aspect of our lives. Is morality wired or acquired? Is it inherent in our DNA, or is it something we are taught? How do we identify values that transcend and unite us all? Discover the answers to these and other critical questions, as you learn some surprising insights into the very nature of our collective and personal psyches, and how we can and must unearth the moral "threads" that connect every one of us while embracing our individuality.

One of our greatest enemies is a silent enemy. It's called fear. Its power lies not in aggression, not in violence and not in sheer fire power. Its power lies in its inconspicuous and insidious ability to paralyze us; to hold us back and prevent us from moving forward.What effect does fear have on your life? And what can we do to counter it? Being that it's not an overt enemy you really can't measure its consequences in a tangible way. But how many decisions do we not make, how many moves do we not take and how many elements in our lives would be different if fear was not holding us back?The first step to taking control of fear is identifying this invisible enemy that is lurking in shadows. The second step is then confronting and countering it. This is especially relevant in today's volatile climate, in a world with so many unknowns and uncertainties. The wars being waged, the polarization in our society, and so many other shifting standards create a deep-seated disorientation due to the ever changing landscape. There are so many turbulent factors that are contributing to a certain unease, a disruption of norms and of constants you can rely on. Without these solid foundations in place in our lives, our collective and individual fear level only rises. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this very pertinent discussion on fear and its consequences. Discover the secret to identifying this silent enemy and explore tools and methods to conquer the fear, and free ourselves of its invisible tentacles -- and live a liberated life, with the courage to spread your wings and actualize your greatest potential.

We all can appreciate the personal and universal message of Thanksgiving. The importance of gratitude resonates deeply, and its power has been demonstrated to increase happiness, lower stress and anxiety, and overall improve our mental and emotional lives. Recent psychological studies show how gratitude frees us from our self-contained, self-interest driven egos, how it teaches us to appreciate our gifts and blessings, and broadens our horizons. In turn this unshackles us from toxic emotions and negativity.

But what is the deeper reason behind gratitude's healing powers? Why is gratitude such a powerful force of life? What lies at the root of its strength?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson on a journey into the inner recesses of the soul and of the cosmos, and discover how the integral unity of all existence is triggered and accessed through gratitude. Learn how the simple act of appreciating those that have helped you unleashes tremendous reservoirs of energy that will transform your life and your relationships.

How many of today's marriages are healthy and successful? What even defines success in marriage? Is it simply two people getting along, or is there more to it? While failed marriages can be difficult to measure, current statistics show up to a 50% divorce rate. And that does not take into account dysfunctional marriages and emotionally divorced couples who remain only technically married. So we are left with the million dollar question, which is asked again and again: Can we build a marriage that defies the odds? Is there a formula for a healthy and successful marriage? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he tackles, in his unique way, this formidable challenge. Take a journey into the heart and soul of love and relationships, and above all -- into the inner obstacles and demons that block and blind you from finding and holding on to your soulmate. Yes, you can be, unbeknownst to you, your own worst enemy, acting in ways that undermine your own happiness. Learn methods to identify and neu

Do you ever feel that your compulsive desires are controlling your life? Like a force that entirely consumes you,  leaving you feeling helpless in its tentacles? Would you like to curb, or even free yourself of these powerful urges and drives? 

Here is a webinar you don't want to miss. 

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of compulsive behavior, and offers methods to help you weaken and defang the toxicity of your compulsions. Discover a step-by-step process to untangle yourself from your habits, harness your impulses and redirect your energy toward fulfilling your life's calling.

Can you find joy in difficult times? Is it possible to find happiness during dark days? Joy and happiness are critical for a healthy life. We all know what it feels like when we're happy, when we're joyous and celebrating; experiencing the joy not just externally but also internally. Inner joy creates a state of peace and calm, a sense of belonging and serenity: life just feels right.But it's one thing to experience joy in good times, when things are going well. What about when things are not going so well? Can you find joy amidst tragedy, grief, loss or setbacks? This question poses a catch-22 situation. On one hand joy is what allows us to be buoyant and hopeful, it helps us build our confidence and gives us courage. On the other hand, hardships tend to demoralize and deflate us. So how do you find joy when you are feeling dejected and discouraged? Is it possible? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of joy, and discover surprising insights about the power of joy: Joy is now about what you do, it's who you are. True joy is not a result of what happens to you, it is the natural state of your soul. When you connect to your soul and its mission, you can find happiness and a sense of belonging in everything that comes your way, including difficulties.By appreciating the inherent joy within the reservoirs of your spirit, you will learn life-changing tools to access these reservoirs, and draw from them into your daily life.

Why is memory so important? How does it affect our lives on a daily basis? How can it transform us?Very often if you want to appreciate something, you have to think what life would be like without it. What would our days look like if we did not have our memories? If every morning we woke up with a clean slate, a blank picture and we had to rebuild everything anew... If we didn't have our past experiences, thoughts, and memories to inform our present and future..As we celebrate Memorial Day, the official beginning of the summer, it's fitting to give some thought to the power of memory and how it contributes to our existence. This is not just about nostalgically living in the past and going back in time, but it's about memories that live on and inform, educate and teach us to learn from the mistakes and to improve on the good things.So please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we honor and memorialize those that have fallen and also take this opportunity to remember everyone that has contributed to our lives. Discover that without memory we actually don't have history, and without history we have no future.

Last year medical researchers discovered a new body part, called the interstitium -- a network of fluid-filled spaces in connective tissue across the body that hadn't been seen before.

Previously, it was thought that these tissue layers were a dense "wall" of collagen — a strong structural protein found in connective tissue. But the new finding reveals that, rather than a "wall," this tissue is more like an "open, fluid-filled highway," said co-senior study author Dr. Neil Theise, a professor of pathology at New York University Langone School of Medicine. 

With all that's known about human anatomy, you wouldn't expect the discovery of a new organ in this day and age. But now, doctors  say they've done just that. 

What is the significance of this discovery, what lessons does it teach us and what insights does it offer us in understanding ourselves and the cosmos?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he travels "under the skin" and explores the fascinating parallels between the interstitium and the Kabbalistic map of the human body and soul. Discover the role of this "fluid filled network" in your psycho-spiritual life and how it can help you improve your well-being and your relationships. 

For the first time in our lives, virtually all public entertainment venues are closed down -- stadiums, concerts, theaters, preforming arts, museums, clubs, amusement parks, galas and parties. This unique situation presents us with a rare opportunity to step back and ask ourselves: What role does entertainment have in my life? What happens when many of my entertainment options are not available: I don't have Wimbledon to look forward to; I can't go watch my favorite baseball team play a competitive game with its arch-rival? Every deprivation allows you to see deeper truths about yourself: What are you like without the things you usually depend upon? What impact is it having on your life? How dependent are you on outer stimuli? Do you live vicariously through your heroes and stars? Do you know how to find inner inspiration? How do you strike a healthy balance between inner and outer stimuli?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of entertainment and examines the root causes of its powerful effect on us. Why are we drawn to various forms of entertainment and how does it stimulate us? What part of your psyche does it impact? Is there a difference between healthy and unhealthy forms of entertainment? How can you assure that others inspiring you does not replace your need to inspire yourself? How can we find alternative ways to awaken passion and excitement from within?

We all seek healing from psychological and emotional wounds like childhood abuse, trauma, abandonment, and loss. These wounds create fears and insecurities, and undermine our trust, inhibiting us from reaching our potential. Often, we turn to destructive behaviors for relief. Addictions of all sorts may result from the deep void in our psyches. How many hours of therapy are spent, how many medications are ingested -- all attempting to bring some peace into our lives.
But there is hope. Join Rabbi Jacobson in a pre-Passover special to learn a 3,337-year-old formula for true freedom and transformation from the constraints that impede and trap us. Discover how to turn pain into growth and success.

In a year filled with uncertainties — caused by the current pandemic and social upheavals — we now have another unknown on our hands: the results of a bitterly fought presidential election. After months of a nasty and polarizing campaign, exacerbated by partisan media, we all hoped that we finally would arrive at some resolution, if not peace of mind, with the election night results declaring a clearly defined winner. But no. We have not been allowed even this one brief reprieve. We don’t even know when we will know who the next president will be. And even when the winner will be announced, how will that impact our country and the world?

What is going on? How do we explain the unknowns piling up one after another? Just nine months ago life seemed to be sailing along relatively smoothly, traveling on a pretty reliable trajectory. Our schedules and plans were in place; our institutions were stable (with the usual ups and downs of the ebb and flow). But then Covid-19 and its collateral impact disrupting every segment of society, with no clear path ahead.

Doubt and uncertainty are very unsettling and disconcerting. They unnerve us and undermine our sense of security. How can we find some balance and equilibrium amidst today’s chaos and confusion?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this timely and relevant post-election talk and learn how to look at the unknowns of our lives with a new bird’s eye view perspective. Discover how to use disruption and unpredictability as a springboard to forge a visionary path into the future.

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Good and evil has always intrigued and mystified us. Each one of us has both a beautiful and ugly side. It may be called light and shadow, noble and cruel, selfless and selfish -- whatever terms you use -- these two forces are real within you and I. And they are in perpetual battle: Which voice will prevail?

But there are deeper and critically important questions about the good and evil potential within us.  Are you primarily one or the other? Or are they equal powers? Are some of us wired to be better and other wired the other way? Can we separate between the good and the bad, or is every move we make a combination of the two? Is there good without bad, and bad without good? And perhaps the biggest question of all: What exactly is evil? Can we harness and transform the bad?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this fascinating exploration of the roots of good and evil. The journey begins by tracing our way back to the story of the mysterious Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. What type of tree was this? What is wrong with eating from a tree that allows you to know good and evil? What were the consequences of this event and how do they impact us today? Since God is all good, where does evil originate from?

In this powerful presentation -- using Stevenson's classic about Dr. Jekyll's experiment to separate his kind and his ugly nature -- discover the inner soul of good and bad, and its application to our lives today.

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Rabbi Simon Jacobson is a pioneering speaker, educator and mentor to thousands. He is the Dean and Founder of The Meaningful Life Center, coined "The Spiritual Starbucks" by the New York Times, which bridges the secular and the spiritual. He is the author of the best-selling book Toward a Meaningful Life (💎 https://www.amazon.com/Toward-Meaning...) which has sold over 300,000 copies and been translated into 13 different languages. With his keen insight into the human condition, and over 35 years of experience, he has the unique ability to offer clarity and direction especially in difficult times.  

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7 Weeks To a Better You - Week 5: Humility

One of our great challenges is to protect our relationships and children from the traumas and negative experiences that have misshaped our lives. We want to avoid projecting and passing on our fears and insecurities; we don't want them to cloud or pollute our existing and future relationships. But how can we achieve that? As subjective people who are prejudiced by our life experiences, how can we transcend them and not bring them into our interactions? How can we give our children and spouses the best of us, unmuddled by our pasts? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he teaches us how to navigate from a darkened past into a brighter future, from a dysfunctional childhood into healthy relationships. Discover methods to separate the silver from the dross, to learn from our challenges -- to get beyond the ghosts and skeletons in our closets and build powerful, dynamic and wholesome relationships.

What is intelligence? Human beings are considered to be the most intelligent of creatures; we value the mind, education, smart people... But as is often the case, we use a word without defining the axioms and assumptions that define the concept behind that word?What exactly is intelligence? Is it IQ - the intelligent quotient , or is it EQ - the emotional quotient? Intellectual intelligence vs. emotional intelligence. Book smart vs. street smart. Knowledge vs. common sense. Facts vs. imagination.We often see brilliant geniuses lacking basic life and people skills. And vice versa, those considered simple and yet capture people’s hearts and souls, at times taking the world by storm. So is intelligence really about brain power or is there something more to it? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this vital discussion about the very definition and nature of intelligence, and discover a whole new perspective on the role of the mind. Understanding the meaning and purpose of intellect, which affects each one of us — our choices, our children, our leaders, our academia, our universities — will influence how we think and our decision making process; it will help address cognitive dissonance and the schism between our ideals and values and our actions and behavior; and it will dramatically transform how we educate the next generation, which in turn will determine our destiny and future. 

Do you know how to communicate effectively? Are your interactions with others positive and productive or are they critical and draining? Are you able to resolve disagreements and conflicts?

Communication lies at the heart of every relationship in our lives. Personal. Business. Family. How we interact and communicate with each other reflects the health of our relationships and is the basis of everything we do in life. Developing better ways of communicating will directly improve the quality of our relationships. And vice versa.

Frankly, we live in a time of a communications crisis. Witness the polarization of different groups in our society. People have difficulty communicating and even disagreeing amicably. Real connections are hard to come by. This is quite ironic considering the communication and information revolution of our times. Our technologies are connecting us like never before, while our hearts and minds remain disconnected more than ever. Throw into the equation today's sophisticated marketing techniques -- crunching metrics, manipulating our emotions and selling us everything and anything -- and it's not difficult to imagine why we are often clueless as to the true meaning of healthy communication, and, by extension, relationships. No wonder that we are experiencing a breakdown in so many of our connections and attachments.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of communication. Discover the true meaning and significance of communication. How it is rooted in the very essence of your earliest connections with your loved ones, beginning in the very womb of your mother. Learn how communication is much more than language and expression -- it is the ultimate bridge between two souls. Identify the key ingredients and necessary steps to build healthy, enduring, and eternal relationships: Listen. Care. Integrity. Trust. Empowerment.

The consensus today -- in most of our secular world -- is that each of us, every organism, every entity, every human, even every gene is inherently selfish. The Selfish Gene is the way Richard Dawkins titled his best-selling book, arguing that everything about existence is driven by the need for its own survival. Even altruism is another form of selfishness, since it help the organism grow and thrive. 

Is this true? 

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this fascinating Chanukah lecture in which he presents an alternative perspective, based on the very nature of light -- as understood by the mystics and recently confirmed by modern physics. Discover how the properties of light, so powerfully reflected in the Chanukah flames, teach us the essence of who we are and who were meant to be: Transparent channels of a higher reality.

Freedom is our greatest gift; one that every human being is inherently born with. And yet freedom has not been agiven for most of human history. In fact, until the founding of the USA 246 years ago people world over did not live in freedom! Now that we have freedom and basic human rights are respected in most of the world do we truly appreciate it? Do we take it for granted? Are we aware of the sacrifices and prices we had -- and continuously have -- to pay to actually be free? Do we even know what freedom means? Think about it: Is freedom simply the ability to move about and not be bound by shackles, then why are so many of us enslaved to various addictions?

These are critical questions because their answer will define the very way we look at our lives, our choices and our freedoms.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for an enlightening discussion on the very nature of freedom and its benefits. Discover how to truly be free -- both from forces without and within. Learn the core concepts on how to appreciate freedom while helping it grow within us, allowing us to maximize who we really truly are.

What criteria defines your personal value -- money, respect or beauty? How much of your worthiness is determined by factors outside of you and how much by forces within you? Where does self-esteem come from? What role does validation by others play in your life?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he breaks down the different ways we measure our worth, offering a formula for developing and cultivating a far deeper and lasting sense of value - one not subject to the shifting attitudes and moods of others or to the dependence on impermanent things. 

With all that has unfolded in Israel over the past year—the losses, the pain, the tragedies, the atrocities, the senseless deaths—we can't help but wonder: Will the war in Israel ever end? This is not just an abstract question; it is a deeply rooted apprehension, a profound and painful tension that grips any decent heart witnessing such upheaval.

Tragically, this isn't new. The past year has only amplified a long-standing reality. If we look back through the years, the decades, the centuries, Israel has been at war since the beginning of time. As a modern state since 1948, it has faced numerous wars against its sworn enemies. But if we go back further, we see that wars have been waged over this land for millennia since biblical times. In the days of Abraham, conflicts erupted over this region. Then after the Egyptian exodus the Jewish people had to fight to reclaim their promised land. During the First Temple era, Israel and Jerusalem were attacked by the Assyrians and Babylonians. The Second Temple period saw battles with the Persians, Greeks, and finally the Romans who destroyed the Temple and exiled the Jews. Throughout history, from the Crusades to the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, many have fought over this small piece of land called Israel. Essentially, the history of Israel in the last fourteen centuries has consisted of wars between the Chrsitians, Muslims and the Jews, all seeking control of the Holy Land.

What is going on? Are we doomed to perpetual conflict, or is there hope?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this crucial discussion as we explore not just a global issue but a personal one. What lies at the heart of these wars, and what can we do to end them once and for all?

As we journey through life, two essential elements guide us: love and individuality. These core values nourish our growth and well-being. Love completes us, while individuality allows us to be true to ourselves. However, can these two intricate needs coexist without contradiction?

As individuals, our primary focus leans towards self-preservation and ensuring our unique needs are met, and that we aren’t mistreated or compromised. Love, conversely, calls for empathy, sensitivity, and unselfish care for others, even at our own inconvenience. The question then arises: can we harmonize these two seemingly divergent forces?

Join Rabbi Jacobson as he discusses this intriguing topic. Is there a way for love and individuality to coalesce? Uncover the elusive third element that seamlessly merges these two entities into a force greater than their individual parts. It’s the secret ingredient to cultivating true peace and harmony in your home, your workplace, and the world. Join us and unlock the secret to this harmonious blend.

It's one thing to get inspired at an auspicious moment (a birthday, a milestone); it's quite another to maintain that motivation once we reenter the grind of our daily routines. How can we lift up and improve our day to day lives?   Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this potentially life-changing discussion how to transform your "ordinary" day into an extraordinary one and turn your usual life into an unusual one. Discover ways to eliminate monotony and inertia of your quotidian existence and live a life brimming with vitality, enthusiasm and passion. 

 How much of our lives do we take for granted? How often do we step back and appreciate the gift of every breath we take and every move we make? Do we recognize the sanctity of every moment and every space we traverse?

Many of us see ourselves as "victims" of time and space -- always trying to beat the clock and maneuver the places we occupy. Can we learn to control space and time instead of them controlling us?

Living life to its fullest means valuing every fiber of our beings -- every second of time and every inch of space. The question is how do we manifest and express that value, in ways that enhance our lives? 

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of space and time and teaches us how to master them instead of them mastering us. Discover how to tap into the energy of every moment and location, and harness it toward fulfilling your dreams and aspirations. Find out how to create sacred space in your life. 

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It's beyond absurd to witness the man-made problems we are creating today due to our divisiveness and inability to civilly communicate with each other -- especially evident in the looming presidential election campaign. It's bad enough that we are have on our hands a global pandemic destabilizing and disorienting the citizens of the world -- something which we did not bring upon ourselves. Why, in the world would we then magnify and complicate matters by bringing upon ourselves this maddening division, even to the point of hatred?! 

One would think that when we are all facing a national and international health crisis and all its disruptive effects, threatening us all equally, we would come together to serve our common and mutual interest. Instead, as bizarre as it sounds, the problems are only being amplified and exacerbated many times over by the politicization of the issues and the resulting polarization -- tearing our country and the world apart! Where are our leaders?! Our politicians and media (with a few exceptions), instead of displaying unity, are in many ways at the "helm" of this great divide. Today's media has become, in many ways, a form of "entertainment," offering "gladiator"-style duels and showdowns, feeding into our basest instincts and lowest common denominator.

Imagine a family member falling ill, and instead of joining together to help their loved one, a family feud breaks out arguing over who is in control or other petty issues...  

Our political process has been rendered into a literal battle between elephants and donkeys, leaving so many of us simply disgusted, and even cynical, about the entire system.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this eye-opening talk, as he finds insights and direction from a most surprising place: the very origins of the political parties association with the donkey (Democrats) and elephant (Republicans). What began in 1828 an insult to Andrew Jackson, ironically turned into a "proud" symbol of the Democratic party.

In this fascinating presentation Rabbi Jacobson offers a refreshing -- and even revolutionary -- take on current events, and come away with a new perspective and approach to our polarized society. Discover how to reintroduce the human spirit back into the mud-slinging wrestling match between the elephants and the donkeys. And above all,  practical advice and guidelines how you and I -- each one of us -- can do things to be part of the solution (and not part of the problem) and help remedy the situation. 

Do you live to work or work to live? If someone asks you who you are, do you show them your business card? Is your identity defined by your work? Shouldn't it be the other way around? But many us have become so consumed by our jobs and careers, that who we are has become an extension of what we do. Shouldn't we be directing our vehicles and instruments where to go instead of them telling us where to go? Who is the captain of your ship?

Let's take this a step further: Is labor a positive thing? We who have grown up with work as a cultural norm may think that this is how it always was. That is not the case at all. Work, as we know it is a relatively recent development. For much of ancient and medieval history, work has been hard and degrading. Indeed, according to the Bible, work-labor is a curse: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food.” The Greeks and later the Romans believed that manual labor was for slaves. The Greek word for work was ponos, taken from the Latin poena, which meant sorrow.

So as we return to work after Labor Day, how are we to look at our jobs and careers? Are they a curse, a necessary evil? When we go to work in the need to support ourselves are we capitulating to the overwhelming forces of materialism? Are we doomed to sell our souls to a corrupt world that "consumes its inhabitants"?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he drills down into the belly of the beast, and uncovers the deeper soul of labor and work. Discover that the challenge is not our professions and businesses on their own, but rather with realigning and focusing our work toward a higher calling. The tension between matter and spirit is ultimately best resolved not by escaping the world of labor for the world of spirit, nor by surrendering to work as a curse, but by spiritualizing the material and revealing the deeper sparks embedded in our work. Learn how to become the captain of your ship.

By the time you are old enough to make independent decisions most of your life has been determined by others -- your home and parents, your education and culture, your environment and social status. All these factors and forces -- especially those impacting your formative years -- have shaped who you are. Take into account the circumstances we have no control over -- your joys and pains, your health and life experiences -- it seems that your life has been all but predetermined. 

Each of us is thus presented with the big question: Do you have any control over your destiny? Is there anything we can do once we have been dealt a certain deck of cards?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson and discover a fascinating four-step plan how to gain control over your life. Learn how to separate yourself from your experiences, with specific tools how to navigate the coordinates that have defined your life and anything that comes your way. Remember: Even if you don't control the events around you, you totally control your attitude and your manner of dealing with them.

Morality is a big word, which means different things to different people. What exactly is morality? Is it absolute or relative? Are moral values something we can all agree about, or are there different opinions on what constitutes a moral act? Can certain behavior be considered by some as moral and by others immoral? If so, how do we determine what is the moral standard to abide by? And if we all have our standards, how can we create a universal co-existence?

The list of questions goes on and on. And they aren't mere academic exercises. Morality and its meaning has far reaching implications in virtually every area of life -- personal, familial, communal, education, business, national and international relations.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he dives into the heart of the matter, and dissects the definition and evolution of morality at its core. Tracing it back its roots in the Bible, we discover how morality is an intrinsic component in the development of every aspect of society and civilization. Why should we be moral? Is it simply a way for us to coexist? How does it reflect and express the nature of our very psyches? Does morality make us healthier people? What connection does morality have with spirituality? How can we come away with a moral compass and code that can help us each actualize ourselves and grow, as well as enhance our relationships and interaction with the world around us?

How much control do you have over your life?

Conventional thinking — and in many ways, the prevalent current view — is that most of our lives are determined by circumstances out of our control. If one was born into a dysfunctional home or experienced trauma, for instance, then they will most likely have difficulties with trust and relationships. If one grew up in a toxic and unhealthy environment, that will shape their destiny. This deterministic view is quite fatalistic and frankly downright pessimistic and depressing.

Are we indeed simply defined by cause and effect? Or do we have the power to transcend our circumstances? Can we create a better reality than the “hand” we were dealt?

To determine whether we are – or we are not – a victim and product of our circumstances, we must first understand and define: Who am I essentially at my core, what makes me tick and what potential and inner resources do I contain?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson for this important pre-Rosh Hashana talk and discover new vistas of your soul, that when tapped, go beyond the usual cause and effect forces of life. Learn how your mind and mindset have the strength to change the course of your future; how your thoughts generate energy and chemicals that can shape your destiny. And that even if you can’t control events around you, your mind and attitude can control your ability to navigate even the most difficult challenges.

 Do we have past lives? Were you here before? Do past life experiences impact your current life and personality? Why do some of us have a déjà vu experience when encountering certain people or places? Why do some children appear to be an "old soul" in a new body? is there a way to become more aware of a past life? Where does your soul come from upon birth and where does it go to after death? Does the soul journey on?

The questions go on in our never-ending curiosity about the exotic and unknown, and our quest for understanding what inner secrets lie beneath the surface of our life journey.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he delves into the mystical mysteries of the soul's journey in this life and in previous lives. Learn the basic "science" of reincarnation -- its fundamental principles and its application to our lives today. 

How much potential do you have within you? Is there a way to release, access and actualize it?

Today we know that every fiber of existence — even the smallest piece of matter — contains enormous amounts of atomic and nuclear energy. But to the naked eye and to our conscious senses and conventional tools, this energy is so concentrated that we have no awareness of it, and can’t even fathom its sheer power. Yet, we have developed methods, through nuclear fusion and fission, to produce unimaginable levels of energy.

So too, you — each one of us — contains incredible power concealed and locked within your quantum supra-conscious.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in part 4 of a new revolutionary series as he presents time-tested methods on how to unlock the tremendous potential within you and how to channel it in your daily life. Discover 6 steps to unleash your supra-conscious and draw it into your consciousness.

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This new 4-part series, How Consciousness is Born: 6 Steps from the Quantum Supra-Conscious to the Conscious, deciphers a 16th century kabbalistic text in the Pardes of the great mystic, R’ Moshe Kordevoro, describing the metamorphosis from the quantum supra-conscious to the conscious.

In part 1 of this series, we took a journey through the six steps of this fascinating process — from the very conception of consciousness in their undefined, nebulous states, traveling along as these states take form and become more crystallized, ultimately evolving into the defined state of consciousness that we are aware of.

In part 2 Rabbi Jacobson discussed how our pure, pre-birth supra-conscious can empower us to dispel the demons that haunt us. Our experiences — our traumas and joys, from the youngest age — embedded in our psyche, which impact our fears, joys, attractions and repulsions are all part of who we are and propel us along to reach our greatest heights.

In part 3 we learned time-tested ways to draw from our supra-consciousness and transform our lives. This is no small feat. Doing so can allow us to open up new channels of awareness, while also freeing us from the toxins — pain and trauma — that may have polluted our inner psyches.

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Do you ever wonder where consciousness comes from? It’s quite obvious that our conscious thoughts, feelings and experiences are just the outer tip of the iceberg. But what lies behind the curtain of our perception? Can we access it?

Understanding the supra-conscious and how it impacts our lives is not simply an academic, psychological or even philosophical discussion. It affects all our activities and encounters, which are the surface expression of these subliminal forces within. So understanding how consciousness is born and its earliest roots, can help us revisit the source — the engine room of supra-consciousness — to perhaps charge and rewire our underlying neurons, to fire on new cylinders.

Is Trauma the New Scapegoat?

The phrase trauma seems to be everywhere. Statistics show that over 5,500 podcasts have trauma in the title. On TikTok, #trauma has over 6.2 billion views. A recent article title pretty much sums it up: How trauma became the word of the decade. Good question. There is a growing opinion among some that attribute all our problems to trauma. Is that true? Has the word become overused? 

These days it's common to hear... I was stuck in traffic - it was traumatic! Or... I was traumatized when my baseball team lost the game! But is that trauma? Are we minimizing and desensitizing the word, watering it down and ultimately being disrespectful to what real trauma is? Are we confusing trauma with (our own need for) drama? Are we dealing with it in a healthy way?

The biggest question above all is, what is trauma? And beyond everything else, what can we do about it? Are we stuck being traumatized people? Are we falling into the trap of blaming trauma and avoiding the work we need to do to grow through our challenges? Even as we heal, does our healing remain part of our trauma? Can we recreate our lives to return to and reclaim the pre-trauma state, or are we perpetually stuck in a PTSD state of being?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a fascinating and fundamental discussion on trauma and its treatment -- how it has evolved over the years, where we stand today and how we can develop healthy ways to heal the wounds. Learn about the different ways and stages people deal with difficulties -- from denial to blame to empathy. Then by exploring the psycho-spiritual and mystical roots of trauma -- all originating in the primordial dissonance of the tzimtzum -- we discover the steps to move from empathy to empowerment, healing the ruptures created by trauma by reconnecting to your very essence, and finally, transforming the very trauma itself.

How much of your potential have you actualized?

That’s actually a trick question. Because the real question is: Do you even know how much potential you have? You can’t measure what you've actualized until you first recognize the vastness of your inner reservoir—your treasure chest of talents, skills, and gifts, both inherent and acquired.

This touches on a fundamental truth: each of us is blessed with unique abilities, shaped by both nature and nurture. And deep down, we all seek to actualize that potential—whether in business, creativity, relationships, or personal growth.

In fact, success can be defined as the ratio of actualized potential to total potential. If your capacity is 100, have you reached 10%? 20%? More?

This awareness impacts every aspect of our lives. 

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we embark on this journey together—raising the bar, unlocking our hidden strengths, and fully embracing our divine potential. The more we recognize what lies within us, the more we can illuminate the world around us.

Are you free? Most people instinctively reply: Of course I am free. We live in a free world. In contrast to centuries past, today the citizens of the USA and most of the countries in the world are guaranteed inalienable rights -- freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. Today we have the freedom to move about and make our own decisions about virtually every aspect of life, unlike in days of old, when monarchs and despots ruled the world with absolute authority.

But do these rights alone define true freedom? You can be technically free, unbound by chains and authority, and yet be completely enslaved by your fears, insecurities, addictions and a series of other forces that encumber your ability to spread your wings. Take technology: is it freeing you or ensnaring you? Are you in control of your life, or do other voices and expectations define and control your decisions?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this eye-opening and "freeing" presentation, as he introduces a deeper way of defining freedom -- not just the freedom to do "whatever you like," but the freedom to be yourself -- to express your unique voice without any outside imposition. Discover how true freedom is not the absence of subjugation, but experiencing the full expanse of life. It is not merely the shedding of external chains, but unlocking the internal chains that stop you from living up to your infinite potential.

Despair is one of the worst possible human conditions. It's one thing to experience pain and suffering, it's quite another to give up hope. Even the most trying circumstances can be faced when you have hope. Even the most difficult challenges can be addressed when you have confidence, and know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. But when you give up on life and its possibilities, then what's left to work with?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson and travel into the heart of the abyss, and discover the spark that lays even in the darkest corners of the psyche. Learn methods to employ when all seems lost and you want to give up. Find out how to uncover a "new" self with new hope even when your familiar old "self" has lost hope.

 When asked "who are you?" most people show you their business card. But that's what you do, not who you are. Yet, with time many of us, sadly, lose sight of who we are and become what we do. when it should be the other way around; Who you are should define and direct what you do. With all the factors that have influenced you -- parents, education, job -- it can be very difficult to figure out who you really are.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and learn provocative methods and effective tools to get beyond the forces that have shaped you and discover who you truly are. Wouldn't that be an achievement -- to live your life from the inside out, in which your inner identity guides your choices and actions, instead of living outside in, in which your circumstances control your life and identity. 

Is there hope after loss? Rebuilding after destruction? Love after betrayal? Life after death?

Too often we give up after we have experienced hurt and disappointment, especially when the abuse is repeated and sustained. Once our trust has been breached, it becomes increasingly difficult to trust again. After being invalidated and rejected time after time, a demoralized child tragically begins to lower his/her expectations, to the point of feeling resigned that s/he does not deserve to be loved and nurtured. As the child grows into an adult this lack of confidence haunts the development of healthy relationships.

What can be done about this? Can you grow beyond your traumas and pains?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this special Tisha B’Av program, and discover how this saddest day of the year paradoxically contains the secret to the most fundamental truths in life: How to rebuild trust after betrayal and regain hope after loss. Learn methods how to rise and grow from the ashes even when your “structures” may have burned down. How the deepest redemption is born in the flames of destruction.

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Rabbi Simon Jacobson is a pioneering speaker, educator and mentor to thousands. He is the Dean and Founder of The Meaningful Life Center, coined "The Spiritual Starbucks" by the New York Times, which bridges the secular and the spiritual. He is the author of the best-selling book Toward a Meaningful Life (💎 https://www.amazon.com/Toward-Meaning...) which has sold over 300,000 copies and been translated into 13 different languages. With his keen insight into the human condition, and over 35 years of experience, he has the unique ability to offer clarity and direction especially in difficult times.  

Rabbi Jacobson and the MLC have been lauded for creating non-stop programming nourishing people's hearts and souls.  Please donate or sponsor a class, to help us continue and expand this life-affirming work 💓 https://www.meaningfullife.com/donate. 

What feelings are evoked when you hear the word "vulnerability"? For many vulnerability is associated with being weak, powerless, fragile, defenseless, exposed. Does vulnerability make you feel threatened? That would seem to indicate that being vulnerable is hardly an optimal state. Indeed, in a hostile and dangerous world, driven by the survival of the fittest, it would make sense that vulnerability is a liability..

But is that true? Is there anything positive about vulnerability? Would you be surprised to learn that vulnerability is actually -- and counter intuitively --  the secret to indestructibility? 

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in a discussion that will upend your entire view on security, resilience and lasting strength. Discover an alternative way of looking at life; how your essential nature, and the very nature of existence, is a place that should not frighten us, a place where vulnerability should not be feared. Quite the contrary: It should be embraced and celebrated. And by doing so, learn how vulnerability becomes the source of invincibility.

Life is often fraught with challenges and difficulties. Yes, there are many times where life is thankfully filled with celebrations, joy, happiness, beautiful events and experiences. But there is no person on earth who hasn’t also been affected by the other part of life, the pain and suffering, the distress and anxieties – everybody has dealt with this in their own personal lives.

Which brings us to the age-old question: How can a good G-d allow bad things to happen? If G-d is just, how can injustice occur? Why are good people made to suffer?There are those who have rejected G-d for this precise reason. But does a G-dless life make it easier to suffer? The fact is that each of us – no matter who you are – feels pain when we see innocent people senselessly suffer. If we did not have a sense of justice and compassion, why do we expect goodness to be rewarded? Why are we troubled when good people suffer? For many people G-d is actually their only solace and source of hope in difficult times. But the question still looms large: how can a good G-d allow bad things to happen?  Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this engaging class tackling the difficult questions of theodicy, reconciling a good and just G-d with a life where evil and bad things happen. What is the healthy way to face pain and suffering? Can we understand G-d’s ways? How do we remain strong and grow through challenges?

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There has been a recent explosion of the use of mind altering substances - specifically psychedelics; DMT, psilocybin, ayahuasca, mescaline, ketamine, and other forms of experiences that people are attributing to helping them heal and reach deeper spiritual states and expanded consciousness. Some are suggesting that certain psychoactive substances have immense therapeutic potential, especially when it comes to tackling serious, hard-to-manage mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcoholism and addictions.
The truth is that this is not a recent phenomenon. For centuries, various cultures and tribes have been using plant medicines and hallucinogens. Some shamans and healers have been incorporating these substances into their healing processes and ceremonies since ancient times. 
Are these appropriate and reliable methods? And what are we to say about this recent surge in our society? What's driving it? Is there any legitimacy to it or is it simply a fad? What long lasting impact will it have?
And above all, what does it tell us about the human condition today, the very need that people have, the void they are looking to fill? 
Regardless if you agree or disagree with this approach, these are vital questions that need answers. 
Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson on an eye-opening journey into the Biblical genesis of the human psyche. Discover how the Bible - the best-selling book of all time - defines the very essence of the human being: who you are at the core, what happens to your soul as you enter the toxic world that obfuscates your inner identity, and how do you reclaim yourself. What are healthy and natural methods to reconnect to your innermost self -- to experience higher states of consciousness? And what about mind-altering drugs -- should or should they not play a role in this process? This fascinating session will alter the way you look at yourself and your life experiences.

Are there any leaders that you trust?
We have a leadership crisis today, where the people in power - our leaders - are simply not leading, and are not trusted. Do we even know what defines a true leader?
Interestingly, the question goes deeper and is actually also about each one of us. Do you see yourself as a leader? We often think leaders are somewhere out there, other people who have the proper leadership credentials. But did you ever consider that you - yes, you - may have the potential to be a leader in your own right?
It's about time to actually identify what makes a leader. Is it power, is it charisma, is it influence? The answer may surprise you and teach you what to expect in a leader and above all, how to be a leader in your part of the world.
Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this important discussion, and discover how the acronym of the word LEADER reveals the very features of what it takes to be one. Explore 6 qualities and ingredients that define a true leader and learn how you can employ these tools to become a leader in your own environment -- with the power to influence, impact and transform everyone and everything you come in contact with.

The world today feels like it's shifting at breakneck speed, with profound changes sweeping through every corner of society—technology, artificial intelligence, Middle East upheavals, and, most recently, the U.S. elections and all its implications. Each day seems to bring new, unexpected twists and turns, an undercurrent of uncertainty and the unknown rippling through America and beyond.

What does this whirlwind of transformation reveal? And more so, what does it indicate? What is all this leading to? Are we experiencing a true paradigm shift, a redefinition of our future? Some foresee an apocalyptic descent, others a radiant, utopian dawn. Which path are we on, how can we find our footing and help define the path ahead?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for an essential conversation about these critical times. Following the agricultural, industrial and information revolutions, we are standing on the threshold of a new frontier -- the spiritual revolution. Discover developing global trends—as well as a blueprint that offers direction to each one of us. The more we can anticipate what lies ahead, the more we can prepare ourselves, and even shape the future unfolding before us.

There is no person on earth who does not want to improve their lives. But how do we actually do that? We take on resolutions, make plans and embark on journeys, however they often don’t last very long. Is there a formula for true and sustainable growth?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in a new seven-part series, 7 Weeks to a Better You, and discover a 3334-year-old time-tested plan to evaluate and develop your tremendous emotional potential. In this series you will learn the seven facets of your emotional attributes that define the spectrum of your personality, you will gain a clear picture — an “x-ray” — of your inner psyche, and how to harness and enhance the forces that make you tick.

In part 3, you will explore compassion and empathy — the attribute that defines harmony, beauty and truth. Are you a compassionate person? How do you express your empathy? Is it an extension of your own needs - caring out of guilt or with an ulterior motive - or is it coming from a deeper place?

Compassion and empathy are critical components in life; we need to both give it and receive it. Let us explore and navigate this emotional attribute and learn to understand how we can improve our compassion to actualize our lives and to illuminate and warm the world around us.

Over the course of your life, are you being taught WHAT to think, or are you learning HOW to think? And what is the difference between the what and the how?

Almost everyone is familiar with one of the most popular best-selling self help books titled, How to Make Friends and Influence People. Let's focus on the word influence. We can influence people, inspire people, teach people and even educate people - but above all we can EMPOWER people. Empowerment is in a league of its own. Empowering is learning how to think, with a methodology and proper tools. Empowering is the how to solve problems; not just being given answers but learning how to find the answers yourself.

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this vital conversation on the secret to empowering your friends, family and colleagues and learn how to navigate whatever comes your way. "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." That is empowerment.

Common perception holds that introverts are inferior to extroverts. As recently as 2010, the American Psychiatric Association even considered classifying “introverted personality” as a disorder by listing it in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), a manual used to diagnose mental illness. Is this true? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he analyzes the personality of the introvert. Learn what defines an introvert and about different types of introverts. Discover surprising benefits and advantages of introverts over extroverts, and how each of us have an introvert within -- and how accessing it can transform your life and relationships for the better.

What is intuition? Is it cognitive or emotional? Based on intelligence or instinct? Where do your gut feelings and instincts come from? Can you trust them? Can you hone and improve your intuition, or are some of us just wired with more intuition than others? 

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this eye-opening Purim workshop as he probes the inner workings of human intuition and the deeper recesses of the psyche. By peering "under the dashboard" of the human mind, you discover where your conscious meets your supra-conscious, and your mind meets your heart. Learn how to sharpen your intuition, and allow it to inform your conscious reasoning, which in turn will enhance your sensitivity and elevate your decision making process. 

Can you be happy if your body is in perfect shape but your soul is not? Most us of us are familiar with at least the basic necessities of physical health -- how to maintain the hygiene of a fit and healthy body through nutrition, exercise and rest. But do we know how to achieve spiritual health -- how to nourish and condition the soul? Do we understand the importance of having a healthy soul and its impact on our well-being? Are we aware of the far-reaching effects of a deprived soul? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he explains how a dynamic soul is critical in life. Learn the key factors that determine spiritual wellness. Discover the different components and dimensions of your soul, and how each requires its respective "nutrients." Taking control of your life begins with taking control of -- and energizing -- your spirit.

Think

Importance

Mission

Energy

Is time your friend or your enemy?

On one hand we’re always trying to beat the clock and meet deadlines. The pressure of time - the constant tik tok, tik tok - can be overwhelming and even downright scary. Our time is limited, every minute that passes can never be reclaimed and it keeps on moving no matter what. We literally cannot do anything physical to stop time and the aging process.

On the other hand, time keeps us moving, motivating us to make the most of it. It reflects our full life journey - the past, present and future. It defines our milestones and achievements. It’s the way we function and get anything and everything done. Time is the fuel that keeps our life on track.

What exactly is time? Is it real or imaginary? Does it have a soul? How should we best utilize our time and manage it most efficiently? How can time become our ally?

Join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this critical discussion on the very nature of time. Discover four steps -- reflected in the four-letter acronym of T.I.M.E. -- that will empower you to tap into the energy of time and enhance your life. Learn how to maximize your time in fulfilling your very mission in this world.

Are you bored? Do you find your life to be a monotonous routine, going through the motions, often feeling stuck in a rut? How do you relieve the tedium? Lethargy is lethal for the human spirit. We will do anything -- sometimes healthy, often not so healthy -- to get a new rush of excitement, a high, that will lift us out of the doldrums.

Would you be surprised to know that there is a millennia-old time-tested method to discover renewal in your life? Would you be further surprised to know that to do so you don't need a pill or other external means and substances to achieve rejuvenation?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson on a journey into the recesses of your soul and find a hidden treasure -- a vibrant and dynamic reservoir brimming with renewable energy. Beneath the surface of your seemingly ostensibly static world,  lay fountains upon fountains of perpetual creation.  Learn how to access and release these formidable flowing forces -- and experience continual rebirth. What better time to do as as we enter the new year, when a new unprecedented energy enters into the cosmic -- macro and microcosmic -- universe.

Words have always been powerful -- more than we imagine. But they have never been as potent as they are in today's information age and communications revolution. There was a time when our words reached only the people we spoke with or wrote to. Our conversations were limited to those around us, and they were not recorded for posterity. But today, with the explosion of technology -- internet, social media, smartphone -- every word we say or write has been amplified beyond anything anyone could ever have envisioned. Our words are streamed and broadcast to the entire world; they can go viral reaching millions if not billions of people; and they remain etched forever in cyberspace and beyond. 

Posts on today's platforms can incite a mob, destroy a person's reputation as well as spawn a revolution. On the positive side, a kind word can inspire and comfort large numbers of people.

But is our sensitivity to the words we utter up to par with their exponential reach? As our platforms and methods of communications have expanded, have we developed deeper care, respect and empathy to ensure that our words are being used in the best possible way? Are we appreciating the gits we have today? Do we understand the implications of our words -- and their impact?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and explore the deeper roots of our power of speech and communication. We can take for granted our ability to speak with each other. Discover how your words are actually connectors and interfaces between your inner soul and faculties and the people and world around you.

The better we understand how speech communicates our ideas and feelings the better we will connect with each other. Learn how your words are streaming energy into the environment around you; how they create a vibe that shapes your surroundings and the people you are speaking with. And above all, how what you say is what you get -- how the energy of your words echoes back to you and defines the response you will receive from others.

If ever there was a leadership vacuum, it is now more glaring than ever.

The world seems on the edge of a precipice. The Middle East is teetering on the brink of major conflict, with the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and top Hezbollah military figure Fuad Shukr, compounded by the chaos caused by Iran and its proxies. This crisis highlights the stark absence of global leadership.

Where are our leaders? Why is no one speaking out? Have you heard any world leader address the crisis, call for action, provide a moral compass -- and present a vision for the future? We are in desperate need of direction. Have you ever seen such a lack of clarity and guidance?

In the United States, we are clearly adrift. The current president is compromised, and the next presidential candidates offer little more than vague rhetoric on the major issues, without a grand plan. This presidential campaign is one of the most chaotic and unfocused, driven by polls and media distortions, while the global situation remains highly unstable. Leaders in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere appear just as lost.

We need to bring this issue to the forefront. Join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he addresses the critical lack of leadership and explores its causes. It’s time for a grassroots movement that demands true leadership from our current leaders—or, if necessary, paves the way for new leaders who possess the wisdom and courage to guide us toward a better future, to bring us together and create a world that reflects our true potential and destiny.

Whatever your opinion is about the best ways to prevent school shootings, it's impossible to ignore and not be touched by students around the country rising up demanding action be taken to prevent violence in our schools. When an approximate one million young people, from kindergartners through high-school seniors, take to the streets, we all should take pause and ask: What lessons can this teach us? What is it about the young that makes them so idealistic and so fearless? What can we learn from them, especially from their ability to forever alter mountains that otherwise seemed unmovable? Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this empowering discussion on the psycho-spiritual power of our young -- our most precious commodity and the ones who carry our future destiny -- and discover how we can harness this enormous energy into a force for change. Learn how the purity of youth – unadulterated by the cynicism of material life – has the power to change worlds. We’ll call it the youth revolutio

Some of life's greatest lessons can be derived from the cosmos. We can learn much just from just looking up at the heavens and seeing the celestial bodies in space. This is especially true of the moon, which continues to mesmerize the human race. Its close proximity to earth, its haunting glow, its phases and effects on our tides and plants -- have, and continue to feed romance, science, religion and folklore, and our quest to better understand ourselves and the world in which we live. During the night of the full moon this month (on July 27/the 15th of Av) the longest total lunar eclipse of the century will fill the sky (it won't be visible in North America, but most of the Eastern Hemisphere will see it). Totality will last for 1 hour and 43 minutes! Please join Rabbi Jacobson for this special full moon edition, and learn fascinating lessons from this historic phenomenon. Discover the deeper meaning of the moon as an archetype reflected in each one of us, and how the lunar cycles

It's hard to imagine most people acknowledging that they are judgmental. We usually find explanations and excuses for criticizing and judging others. "I am not judging that person, all I am is pointing out their faults." "It's not about me, it's about the truth and upholding higher standards."  "God has a problem with that person, not me." These are some of the most common justifications for being judgmental.

And yet, there are many judgmental people on this planet. More than we would like to admit. Are you one of them? Remember, you can also be overly judgmental of yourself.

The big question to be asked is: why? Why is it so easy for a person to judge another? Who gave us that right? And what compels us to do so? Just because you disagree with someone, does that mean that you have to judge him? If you witness or hear about someone behaving in a way that seems wrong, how can you jump to a conclusion and judge that person without further investigation? And even if you establish that a wrong was done, how does that translate into judging the individual, not just the action, as if his behavior is emblematic of his entire person? And if you judge others out of a sense of moral one-upmanship, ask yourself: who appointed you as having a monopoly on morality? Is it possible that judging others is a defense mechanism; a way of elevating ourselves and feeling superior? Is being judgmental ever appropriate?

Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he addresses a topic deeply relevant to our times of personal and cultural upheaval. Discover how to look at yourself with a new set of eyes, and what questions to ask that help you identify the roots of judgmentalism, and distinguish between genuine respect for higher standards and rejection of negative behavior, while not resorting and stooping to judgment. And above all, learn how judgmentalism is a product of shallow and superficial attitudes, and at the end of the day, coming in touch with your core essence builds your self-esteem, which in turn helps you recognize the core essence of others, allowing you to see them in a positive light.

Just as some of us thought that the situation there was stabilizing, the peace accords showing promise of a brighter future for the region, we suddenly are rudely met with this barrage of rocket attacks and violence shaking the holy land...

And all this in the wake of the Meron tragedy, in which 45 souls were ripped away from us. What is going on? How are we to react?

You won't want to miss this special pre-Shavuot presentation by Rabbi Simon Jacobson, as he addresses both the larger picture and historical roots of this crisis, as well as how it informs the smaller, immediate picture of the here and now. Did you know that these conflicts go back over 3800 years? That they are based on deep ideological and spiritual tensions? Only by understanding the broader context of these battles can we hope to diffuse them and find a permanent solution. 

Take a journey back 3333 years ago to Sinai, and come away with a new clarity and perspective, as well as practical things we each can do to help the situation and ultimately bring true peace to all.

Do you control your destiny or is your life predetermined? Is the Zodiac real or a myth? Do its signs play any role or have any significance in our lives?

These are not theoretical questions. If our lives are predestined, then we must wonder whether we have any free choice. And the answer to that question has far reaching implications in our lives. If your destiny has already been determined then what meaning does your life have and how invested will you be in your choices and decisions, which can't change your outcome? What hope is there for someone who is predestined to suffer? A life that is controlled by forces beyond ourselves essentially renders us powerless.

All these issues are acutely amplified in these disruptive and uncertain times, when we are clearly not in control of of schedules and futures.

Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this vital talk about the very meaning of our lives -- about the essence of our beings and our contributions. Are we pre-wired programmed machines, like the entire universe, governed by the deterministic laws of nature? Or do we humans have the ability to transcend the parameters of our defined structures? Discover how your soul has the power to break free of the confines of existence and of your predispositions -- and how you can indeed control the unfolding drama of your life. How you hold in your hands the destiny of your life and the destiny of the world.

Integrity is a critical component in virtually every aspect of existence. From infrastructures to relationships, from nature to medicine, from education to leadership - when integrity is compromised the entire entity is jeopardized. Integrity engenders trust and builds confidence and stability. Nothing, frankly, can be relied upon if their is no integrity. And yet, most of us can agree that we live in times when integrity is in crisis. What impact does this have on our psyches and societies? What can we do to restore integrity? The first step in addressing all problems is awareness -- realizing the vital importance of integrity, identifying the problem, understanding its consequences and implications and finding solutions. Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this candid talk, shining a light on ourselves, on our values and on our current social standards -- asking the big question: Why is integrity so rare of a commodity today? Do we appreciate its value and power? And how can we rebuild