"Kabbalah can tell
us many things: How and why the world began; Why we keep
reverting back to our old negative habits; Why we keep
avoiding activities we know are good and beneficial to
our lives; How to instill meaning and spiritual power
into every waking moment." (p. xxii)
"Desiring
continual happiness is the one unifying link of all
humanity… [But] we don't really want a momentary
pleasurable high…. We want our desires to be
constantly filled. This constant fulfillment is defined
as Light." (p. 9)
"The Suddenly
Syndrome originates in our inability to see through the
illusions of our lives in the one percent realm. We
cannot see beyond the immediate turmoil in order to
grasp the big picture." (p. 16)
"Cover a lamp with
many layers of cloth and eventually a room becomes dark.
Yet the lamp is shining brightly as ever. The intensity
of light never changed. What changed with the cloth
covering the light? Kabbalah teaches us how to remove
the layers of cloth one strip at a time…and bring ever
more Light into our lives." (p. 71)
"When we allow
outside forces to influence our feelings, positive or
negative, we have surrendered control." (p.83)
"Anger, fear,
jealousy, laziness - all our negative and destructive
behavioral traits - are like the force of gravity. No
matter how hard we try to jump ten feet in the air, we
can't. Negativity constantly pulls us down, no matter
how committed we are to breaking free. It's built into
our nature. But we came to this world to change our
nature!" (p. 97)
"Man's unique
mission in the world is to elevate to a higher spiritual
level. Thus, man is imbued with the divine-like feature
of 'free will,' when it comes to changing his ways and
ascending the spiritual ladder. (p. 125)
"Difficult though
it may seem, we should embrace rather than avoid
problems and obstacles. They are true opportunities for
spiritual development." (p. 143)
"If you want to
see real miracles occur, try shutting down thoughts of
uncertainty about positive outcomes." (p. 177)
"All of the
negative traits that you spot in others are merely a
reflection of your own negative traits. Only by fixing
yourself can you change others." (p. 213)
"No longer are we
to consider ourselves victims. From this point onward we
must accept responsibility for the rotten stuff that
happens in our lives. We must admit that we are the
cause." (p. 225)