Conference Proceedings

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Mar 20, 2012 - Eileen Barker (London School of Economics). Prof. Harris L. Friedman .... Dr. Ephraim Shapiro (New York University). 3) Alternative Healing ...
The Fourth Israeli Conference for the Study of Contemporary Spiritualities th

(4 ICSCS) March 19 th -20 th , 2012 University of Haifa

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Conference Academic Committee Chairs: Prof. Ofra Mayseless – University of Haifa Dr. Marianna Ruah-Midbar – University of Haifa, Zefat Academic College

Academic Committee Members: Prof. Moshe Idel – Hebrew University of Jerusalem Dr. Daniella Gurvich – Bar-Ilan University Prof. Nadav Davidovich – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Prof. Mario Mikulincer – Interdisciplinary Center in Herzeliya Prof Ilana Silber – Bar-Ilan University Prof. Yaacov Raz – Tel Aviv University Prof. Yossi Yona – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

International Advisory Board members: Prof. Eileen Barker (London School of Economics) Prof. Harris L. Friedman (University of Florida) Prof. Wouter Hanegraaff (University of Amsterdam) Prof. Tobin Hart (University of West Georgia) Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam) Prof. James R. Lewis (University of Tromso) Prof. Lisa Miller (Columbia University)

Conference Coordinator – Mr. Shai Feraro (Tel-Aviv University)

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Conference Proceedings Contents Forward

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Conference program

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Conference Workshops and presentation abstracts

Pre-Conference Workshops Day - 19.03.12 1A) Alternative Responses to Minority Religions

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Prof. Eileen Barker (London School of Economics) 1B) Does Humanism Require Spirituality?

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Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

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2) Kabbalistic Psychology Prof. Les Lancaster (Liverpool John Moores University) and Dr. Menachem Kallus (University of Haifa) 3) Knowing When to Get Out of the Way: Research Musings on Transpersonal Therapies

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Prof. Harris L. Friedman (Florida University) and Prof. Douglas MacDonald (University of Detroit Mercy)

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Note: The majority of Lectures are in Hebrew. Lectures in English are colored in light gray.

Conference Papers Presentation Day - 20.03.12 Morning Session - keynote lecture Inner-Life Spiritual Humanism: Healing/the Therapeutic and the Cultivation of Humanity

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Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Symposium A1 Contemporary Spiritual Identity: A Multicultural Perspective 1) Religion as Embodied Spirituality

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Mr. Stuart Nelson (University of California – Santa Barbara) 2) Spiritual identity as a dialectical experience

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Ms. Pninit Russo-Netzer (University of Haifa) 3) Corralling the Self, Transforming the Self: Mussar, Therapy, and Self-Discipline in the Lives of Jewish-American Adults 44 Ms. Arielle Levites (New York University) 4) On the Link Between Life Characterized by Immediacy and a Unifying Epistemology: New Evidence from the Rain-Forests of Southern India 48 Dr. Daniel Naveh (University of Haifa, Bar-Ilan University) 5) Spirituality, Authenticity and Truth Ms. Francesca Montemaggi (Cardiff University)

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Symposium A2 Complementary Medicine and Spirituality 1) The Uses of Spirituality in Kosher Medicine

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Dr. Tsipy Ivry (University of Haifa) 2) Spirituality as a Professional Source of Authority in Chinese Medicine in Israel

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Ms. Eline Zehavi (University of Haifa) 3) Can Holism be Practiced in a Biomedical Setting? A Qualitative Study of the Integration of Complementary Medicine to a Surgical Department 64 Dr. Yael Keshet (Western Galilee Academic College) , Dr. Eran Ben-Arye (The Technion, University of Haifa), Dr. Elad Schiff (Bnai Zion Medical Center) 4) Between Caring and Mitzvat "Visiting the Sick": On Concrete Spirituality in Nursing

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Dr. Sara Shachaf (University of Haifa)

Symposium A3 Contemporary Shamanism 1) Communicating Experiences with Nature and Creatures Mr. Joel Jojola (A Native American Traditional Adviser)

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2) Santo Daime - Local Community Ritual Meets The Cultic Milieu Mr. Tom Orgad (Tel-Aviv University)

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3) Healing the Soul: Shamanic Grief Treatment Prof. Nahum Megged (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) 5

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4) Shamanism as 'Psychologized' Religion? Comparative Views between France and Nepal

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Prof. Lionel Obadia (Université Lyon 2)

Symposium A4 Judaism – Contemporary Currents and Phenomena 1) Textual 'Tikkun' (Divine Repair) and Healing Practices in the Kabala Yeshiva Mr. Shlomo Guzmen-Carmeli (Bar-Ilan University)

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2) Inventing Jewish Rituals: Between Tradition and Innovation on Alternative Weddings and Funerals in Israel Dr. Anna Parshizky (Western Galilee Academic College)

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3) Rabbis That Don't Believe in God Ms. Reut Hochman (University of Haifa)

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4) 'As Ridiculous As Kosher Pork': Why is Messianic Judaism a Special Case ? Prof. Faydra Shapiro (Wilfrid Laurier University)

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5) "Psychotorahpy" – Torah, Judaism and the Psychotherapy discourse Semadar Cherlow (Bar-Ilan University)

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Symposium A5 Western Esotericism 1) From Real to Mystical Biography (the Prophet Zor Alef's Case) Prof. Ekaterina Anastasova (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

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2) Breathing Together: Spiritual and Bodily Therapy in Late Nineteenth-Century Palestine Dr. Julie Chajes (Ben Gurion University in the Negev)

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3) The Fall of Magicians: Magical Myth of Russian Symbolists Dr. Uri Daigin (Bar Ilan University)

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4) Spirituality as the Source of Evil in the Russian Literature and the Provoslavic Tradition Prof. Rina Lapidus (Bar Ilan University)

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5) Professing Esotericism? Scholars, Students, Practitioners and the Idea of a Holistic Curriculum Prof. Peter Forshaw (University of Amsterdam)

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Symposium A6 Spirituality in Art 1) Orphaned Land: An Israeli Heavy Metal Band's Relation to Spirituality, Identity, and Coexistence Dr. Berel Dov Lerner (Western Galilee Academic College)

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2) Israeli Rock Music in Dialogue with God Ms. Amira Ehrlich (Levinsky College of Education)

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3) Imaginal Resonance: Spiritual Awakening in Response to Mystical Poetry Dr. Dorit Netzer (Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, California )

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4) Shifting Landscape, Body & Soul: Immersive Cinema as a Locale Utilized for Healing and Transformation. Werner Herzog, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, 3D, 2010 Dr. Lila Moore (Zefat Academic College, London Metropolitan University) 122 7

5) The Spiritual in Postdigital Art: Creativity/Biofeedback/Kabbalah Prof. Mel Alexanberg (Emunah College, Jerusalem)

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Symposium A7 Spirituality in Educational Institutions 1) Graduate Training around Spirituality and Psychology: Curricular, Pedagogical and Advisement 130 Dr. Aurelie Athan (Teachers College, Columbia University) and Ms. Marina Mazur (Teachers College, Columbia University) 2) “A New Education” in Israeli School Systems: The Influence of “New Age” Values on the Israeli Educational System through the Development of Emotional, Social and Spiritual Skills 134 Mr. Yoni Tsouna (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) 3) “Poverty and Resourcefulness”: On the Formative Significance of 140 Eros in Educational Practice Dr. Boaz Tsabar (Hebrew University of Jerusalem; The David Yellin Academic College of Education) 4) Education and 'Body': The Yogic Posture as 'Body-oriented 144 Pedagogy' Mr. Oren Ergas (University of Haifa)

Symposium B1 Spiritual-Therapeutic Discourse 1) Confusion of Tongues: The Emotional-psyche and Spiritual

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Tongues in Therapy

Dr. Alon Raz (The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College; University of Haifa)

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2) Integration of Spiritual Therapeutic Conversation into Psychological Therapeutic Conversation

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Dr. Zahi Arnon (The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College) 3) "Surely the Lord is in this Place": On Religious Dreams and Experiences in Psychotherapy

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Ms. Ruth Netzer (Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and Arts) 4) The Therapist as a Teacher: A call for Transformation Reflections from a Zen Buddhism Perspective

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Ms. Iris Dotan Katz (Tel-Aviv University)

Symposium B2 Religion and Spirituality, Health and Healing 1) Effect of Inquiry based Stress Reduction (IBSR) Intervention on Health and Well-Being 163 Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari (Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center; Tel-Aviv University) 2) The Relationship of Religious Involvement to Chronic Disease Among U.S. Immigrants 165 Dr. Ephraim Shapiro (New York University) 3) Alternative Healing and Spirituality in Japan: A Glance at Fasting Training Centers 170 Mr. Girardo Rodriguez Plasencia (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan)

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Symposium B3 Women in Contemporary Theology 1) Satan as the Liberator of Woman in Contemporary “Dark Spirituality” Mr. Per Faxneld (Stockholm University)

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2) The Paradox of the Sober Believer Feminist Theology and its Dialectical Relation to the Existentialist Theology Dr. Hannah Kehat (Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and Arts, Givat Washington Academic College) 176 3) A Credible Inner Voice: Orthodox Feminism in Israel as a Model for Personal Construction of Belief in a World of Conflicts Ms. Galit Yanay-Ventura (The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, 180 Ben-Gurion University in the Negev) 4) The Divine as a Verb: Gender/Political Spirituality in Mary Daly's Philo-Theology Dr. Hagar Lahav (Sapir Academic College)

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Symposium B4 Comparative Research between Kabbalistic and Asian Traditions Includes a meditative experiential part 1) Mindfulness and the Cultivation of Virtue in the Piaseczner Rebbe Rabbi James Jacobson Maisels (University of Chicago)

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2) Strategies for a Comparative Analysis of the "Thoughttransformation" Practices of the Circle of the Besht and the "Path of transformation" practices of the Annutaratantra Dr. Menachem Kallus (University of Haifa)

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3) The Secret of Human Fingers in 13th Century Kastillian Kabbalah and the Mudrās of India: A Comparative Study Dr. Orna Rachel Wiener (Bar-Ilan University)

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Symposium B5 Christianity in Intercultural Crossroads 1) "Natural theology” of Arda: Christianity for Contemporary World Dr. Zoya Metlitskaya (Moscow Lomonosov State University)

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3) Christianity in Korea: From antagonist and marginal to the center stage player Dr. Alon Levkowitz (Bar Ilan University)

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Symposium B6 Social Justice and Activism – Spiritual Aspects Includes an experiential part 1) How to Create a Paradise on Earth ? – An Experimental Process Mr. Eyal Slonim (Love Revolution)

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2) The Spirit of the Protest Dr. Erella Shadmi (Beit Berl College)

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3) New Age Discourse and the 2011 Social Protests- A Rhetorical Analysis Dr. Sharon Avital (Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya) 11

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4) Spiritual Aspects of Sustainable Development Mrs. Kaidi Tamm (Justus Liebig University Giessen)

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Symposium B7 Martin Buber as a 21st Century Spiritual Teacher 1) Martin Buber: A Double Close- up Dr. Limor Shreibman [Sharir] (Tel-Aviv University)

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2) Buber's Baby as a Spiritual Father Dr. Hani Vitelson (Independent Scholar)

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3) I and Thou in Israel today Dr. Alan Flashman (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

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4) Buber, Dialogue, and the Ecological Age: When Humanism Meets Nature Dr. Eilon Shwartz (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

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Symposium C1 Transpersonal Psychology Research Advances in Contemporary Spirituality 1) Self-Expansiveness Theory: A Transpersonal Scientific Approach Prof. Harris L Friedman (University of Florida)

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2) From Cognitive Neuroscience to Transpersonal Science: Expansiveness and Scale in the Human Construction of Self Prof. Les Lancaster (Liverpool John Moores University 12

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3) The Study of Spirituality Using Quantitative Methods: An Evaluation of their Usefulness for Transpersonal Science Prof. Douglas MacDonald (University of Detroit Mercy)

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Symposium C2 Consciousness, Body and Self perception 1) A 3D Consciousness model - its relation to the Self and its possible development Dr. Aviva Berkovich-Ohana (The Weizmann Institute)

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2) Self Without a Body: Examining The Relationship between the Boundaries of the (Sense of) Self and the Boundaries of the Body Mr. Yochai Ataria (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

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3) Moving into the Square and out of the Box: Effects of Quadrato Motor Training on Cognitive Flexibility and EEG coherence Dr. Tal Dotan Ben Soussan (Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics, Rome)

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4) Somatic Awareness and Mindfulness: Distinction between two Theoretical Constructs Ms. Noga Tsur, Ms. Ayelet Barak and Dr. Karni Ginzburg (TelAviv University) 250

Symposium C3 Spirituality, Healing and Health amongst Women 1) Contemporary Spiritualities Discourse and Changes in the Social Construction of Childbirth in Israel Ms. Michal Geva (Tel-Aviv University) 13

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2) What Every Woman Knows – Traditional Arab Women Healers in Israel Dr. Ariela Popper-Giveon (The David Yellin Academic College of Education) 258 3) Channeling - Adjustment vs. Distress: The Rrelationship between Traumatic History, Dissociation and Quality of Life in Women who Practice Channeling Ms. Tali Stolovy (University of Haifa, Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center)

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Symposium C4 The Jewish Renewal Movement 1) "Psycho-Spiritual" Innovations in the Neo-Hasidic Renewal of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Reb Shlomo Carlebach

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Dr. Natan Ophir (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

2) Post Monotheistic Jewish Theology in Contemporary America: Zalman Schachter Shalomi and Arthur Green Prof. Shaul Magid (Indiana University)

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3) Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: Between Jewish and Indian Meditation Mr. Tomer Persico (Tel-Aviv University)

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4) Practicing Devekut in Jewish Renewal: Learning to Experience God’s Presence Prof. Chava Weissler (Lehigh University)

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Symposium C5 Contemporary Sufism in a Globalized Context 1) Islamic Sufism in Response to the Contemporary Global

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Mr. Stephen Schwartz (Center for Islamic Pluralism, USA) 2) The renewal Sufi-Spiritual way in the Israeli society

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Mr. Ghassan Manasra (The Islamic Cultural Center) 3) Cosmopolitan Sufism in Canada, the Caucasus, and the Middle 288 East: Local, Global, Glocal Dr. Chen Bram (Van Leer Institute and Hebrew University) 4) Spirituality and Messianism in the Sufi Global Sphere

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Prof. Itzchak Weismann (University of Haifa)

Symposium C6 Contemporary Paganism Includes a demonstration of a ceremony 1) Demonstration of a Pagan Ritual for the Festival of Ostara, the Beginning of Spring Ms. Hadas Goldgeier and Ms. Elizabeth Zohar

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2) "And Not a Word About the Goddess": On Processes of Making and Displaying a Pagan Identity in Israeli Women's Spirituality Festivals and Workshops by Israeli Pagan Women 296 Mr. Shai Feraro (Tel-Aviv University) 3) Rituals and Life Cycle Celebrations Amongst Israeli Wiccans Ms. Orly Salinas Mizrahi (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) 300 4) Pagan Ritual as a means of Therapy and Self-Empowerment Dr. Yael Katz Henkin (Independent Scholar) 15

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Symposium C7 Education – Essence and Spirit 1) From Critical Pedagogy to Critical Theology Dr. Yotam Hotam (University of Haifa)

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2) Being an Educator in Israel Dr. Nirit Raichel (Gordon College of Education; Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee)

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3) What is Spiritual-Humanistic Education Prof. Ron Margolin (Tel-Aviv University)

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4) The Spiritual Dimension of Education Mr. Shabtai Majar (Bar-Ilan University)

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Evening Session: The Involvement of the State in the Contemporary Spiritualities' Field – Sociological, Psychological and Legal Perspectives 1) The psychological state of individuals in New Religious Movements: Is there a reason for concern Prof. Eli Somer (University of Haifa)

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2) The Legality of Criminalizing Cult Activities Prof. Ariel Bendor (Bar-Ilan University)

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3) The position of the Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services Ms. Yael Hermel (Director of Services for the Individual and the Family, Representative of the Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs

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and Social Services) 16

Forward – At the opening of the Fourth Israeli Conference for the Study of Contemporary Spiritualities (4th ICSCS)

Welcome to the fourth Israeli Conference for the Study of Contemporary Spiritualities The Israeli conference for the study of contemporary spiritualities first appeared on the Israeli academic scene in 2009 and brought with it a new idea – to bring together researchers, experienced and new, from varied disciplines for whom the uniting theme is "the study of contemporary spiritualities". Anthropologists and psychologists, historians and Judaism scholars, students of Asiatic traditions and art critics, sociologists and physicians - all united under the auspices of the conference. We discovered that we have a common interest and that the connection among us is fertile and interesting yet a challenging one, and together we embarked on this adventurous and exciting journey. The conference drew interest from large audiences, promoted the presentation of new studies, highlighted the creative and exciting research on contemporary spiritualities conducted in Israel, paved the way to new scholars and students showing that such topics can be studied and researched within the academia and even drew researchers from abroad. This year we move a step forward in this journey and the Israeli conference becomes to a large extent – international. The move toward the international scene emanates from our motivation to grow and mature, to bring the Israeli research discourse into the international context, to 17

gain insight and enrichment from top researchers in the international community and to present to them the fruits of the local research. We established an International Advisory Board which we are content to say, includes some of the best researchers in the international field in the different disciplines that focus on contemporary spiritualities. The opening of our doors to the international arena proved successful and in the current conference we have researchers from a large number of countries such as the USA, Britain, Germany, Japan, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, France and Germany; a third of all the lectures will be given by these researchers from abroad. This year we wanted to focus on the psychological/therapeutic discourse in contemporary spiritualities and indeed we received a large number of proposals in this domain. Approximately 100 lectures will be presented in this conference and among them the issue of the psychological/therapeutic discourse is prominent. Two significant new additions in the current conference will also focus on this theme. First, the central keynote address to take place on Tuesday 20 March 2012 will be given by Prof. Paul Heelas from Erasmus University, Rotterdam, one of the most central sociologists who study the New Age movement. His lecture will discuss Inner-Life Spiritual Humanism Healing/the Therapeutic and the Cultivation of Humanity. Second, on Monday (19 March 2012) during the preconference workshop day three research workshops would deal with Kabbalistic psychology, Transpersonal psychology and the sociology of contemporary spiritualities. In both days we will also hold an evening plenary session open to the general public. On the first day it will focus on "Disciplinary Struggles: Introducing Spirituality into the Academia," and on 18

the second day it will focus on "The Involvement of the State in the Contemporary Spiritualities Field – Sociological, Psychological and Legal Perspectives." Next year we are going to witness another phase in the ripening of this new research field in Israel with the establishment of two new concentrations in multidisciplinary BA studies at the University of Haifa, one on "Contemporary Spiritualities" and the other on "Therapy and Spirituality". Students can combine these studies with other majors such as psychology, music, sociology, economics, education, Asian studies, philosophy, economics, and more. In addition, various institutions and international organizations expressed the desire to cooperate with us next year and perhaps organize a joint conference. As for next year's conference, a geographical move is planned, because the conference belongs to us all in the Israeli Academia, and though we enjoyed being the fertile ground for the thriving of the Israeli conference – it will soon be the time to see it gaining independence and perhaps moving to other hosts. This is the opportunity to thank the University of Haifa for the assistance and warm hospitality during the years. It is a great pleasure to see how this venture thrives, and we wish to thank you ALL for your participation and contributions and for helping forming this community.

Ofra & Marianna.

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Pre-conference Workshops day Monday 19.03.2012 8: 3 0 – 9: 30

R e gi st r a t i on (near room 363, Education building)

9: 30 – 12 :0 0

Parallel Workshops – Part 1

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch Break

13 :0 0 – 1 5: 30

Parallel Workshops – Part 2

15:30 – 16:00

Break

16:00 – 18:00

Plenary Session, Open to the Public, (Hecht Auditorium, Main Building)

Chair: Prof. Nadav Davidovitch (Ben Gurion University in the Negev)

Disciplinary Struggles: Introducing Spirituality into the Academia Prof. Jonathan Halevy (Director General, Shaare Zedek Medical Center), Prof. Ofra Mayseless (Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa), Dr. Yaki Menschenfreund (The Open University)

Three Parallel Sessions Part A

Workshop 1

Workshop 2

Workshop 3

Alternative Responses to Minority Religions

Kabbalistic Psychology

Knowing When to Get Out of the Way: Research Musings on Transpersonal Therapies

Prof. Eileen Barker (London School of Economics) Part B

Does Humanism Require Spirituality?

Prof. Les Lancaster (Liverpool John Moores University) Dr. Menachem Kallus (University of Haifa)

Prof. Harris L. Friedman (Florida University) Prof. Douglas MacDonald (University of Detroit Mercy)

Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

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Conference Papers Presentation day Tuesday 20.03.2012 8:00 – 8:45 – Gathering & Refreshments (Hecht Auditorium, Main building) 8: 45 - 1 0: 15 - Morning S ession (Hecht Auditorium) Chair: Prof. Moshe Idel (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Greetings and opening remarks – Prof. Ofra Mayseless (University of Haifa)

Music Lecture: Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Inner-Life Spiritual Humanism: Healing/the Therapeutic and the Cultivation of Humanity 10:15 – 10:45 Break 10:45 – 12:45 – Parallel Sessions A 12:45 – 13:30 Lunch Break 13:30 – 15:15 – Parallel Sessions B 15:15 – 15:30 Break 15:30 – 17:15 – Parallel Sessions C 17:15 – 17:30 Break and Refreshments

17 :3 0 – 19 :0 0 - Even ing Session (Hecht Auditorium) T he I nv ol ve m e nt o f t h e Sta te in t he Co nte m pora ry Spir it ua l it i es Fi el d – So c io log i ca l, Ps y c holo g ic al a n d Leg a l Pe rs p ect ives Chair: Prof. Eileen Barker (London School of Economics)

Prof. Eli Somer (University of Haifa) The psychological state of individuals in New Religious Movements: Is there a reason for concern Prof. Ariel Bendor (Bar-Ilan University) The Legality of Criminalizing Cult Activities Ms. Yael Hermel (Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services) 21

Pre-conference Workshops day Workshop A- part 1 (9:30 -12:00) Alternative Responses to Minority Religions Prof. Eileen Barker (London School of Economics)

This workshop will involve a series of short introductory talks, each followed by discussion amongst participants about some of the reasons why academics not only can but possibly should contribute knowledge that can inform policy makers in their reactions to minority religions in a pluralistic democracy. Questions to be raised will include (a) the need for scholarly information, when participants will be asked to describe areas of ignorance and/or misinformation currently evident in their respective countries; (b) methodological alternatives available to scholars, giving concrete examples of the different resources employed by various actors in the socalled ‘cult scene’ (including a discussion on the use of appropriate terms, selectivity of data and informants, the comparative method and various statistical techniques); (c) awareness of the limits of social science and the potential dangers of ‘stepping outside the ivory tower’ (including the limitations imposed by ‘methodological agnosticism’); (d) consideration of the advantages and potential problems involved in encouraging direct contact with the minority religions themselves; (e) practical suggestions about how to proceed (including the extension of an international network of those with specialist knowledge, setting up reliable information centers, and various other methods of challenging ignorance and misinformation). 22

Eileen Barker, PhD, PhD h.c., OBE, FBA, is Professor Emeritus of Sociology with Special Reference to the Study of Religion at the London School of Economics, University of London. Her main research interest is ‘cults’, ‘sects’ and new religious movements, and the social reactions to which they give rise; but since 1989 she has also been investigating changes in the religious situation in post-communist countries. She has around 300 publications (translated into 27 different languages), which include the award-winning The Making of a Moonie: Brainwashing or Choice? and New Religious Movements: A Practical Introduction. In the late 1980s, with the support of the British Government and mainstream Churches, she founded INFORM, an educational charity based at the LSE which provides information about minority religions that is as accurate, objective and up-to-date as possible. In 2000, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed her as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year’s Honours list for ‘services to INFORM’. She was elected to Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) in 1998, and in 2000, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Copenhagen and was the recipient of the American Academy of Religion’s Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion. She was the first non-American to be elected President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion; she is Honorary Life President of ISORECEA (International Study of Religion in Eastern and Central Europe Association); an Honorary Research Fellow of 23

Institute of Philosophy, Academy of Science, Kiev; and in 2011 she was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the London School of Economics. She is a frequent advisor to governments, other official bodies and law-enforcement agencies throughout the world, has made numerous appearances on television and radio, and has been invited to give guest lectures in over 50 countries.

Workshop A - part 2 (13:00 – 15:30) Does Humanism Require Spirituality? Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Attributing a foundational role to naturalism or materialism, and relying as much as possible on the exercise of reason, secular humanists take great pride in the form of ethicality which they so often hold dear. Having rejected supernatural or metaphysical categories, religious edicts and god-given rights have been replaced by the ethic of humanity. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations almost sixty years ago, is the single most influential rendering of the ethic. The bedrock is human nature or life; accordingly, the language is secular. Despite church leaders and other public figures claiming that the rejection of the moral frameworks of religion results in moral chaos, secular renderings of the ethic of humanity have become dominant in western countries. On first sight, the secular ethic appears to work remarkably well. Empirically 24

based on what humans have in common, their nature, humancentred values and sense of purpose in life certainly appear to suffice for the ‘good life’. That most post-Christian of western countries, Sweden, does not support the scare mongers. It is one of the most peaceful of nations. However, it would be rash in the extreme to conclude that the ethic of humanity cannot benefit from spirituality. The argument of the secular humanist, that spirituality is harmful or a hindrance, can be reversed. In many circumstances, spirituality – specifically what is commonly know in the west as ‘New Age’ - can play an important role in buttressing or reinforcing the humanistic worldview. Evidence from Pakistan, for example, graphically shows what spirituality can contribute to the ethicality of humanism. Whilst those of an atheistic, humanistic persuasion will probably not be persuaded to re-evaluate their own, personal rejection of spirituality, the evidence suggests that it might be useful to reflect on the value, the benefits of spiritual humanism. It might be useful to move beyond the confines of exclusivistic secular humanism to reflect on how spiritual humanism can serve as a potent ‘source of significance’, motivation and appeal: more potent, that is, than the relatively uninspiring operation of the ethic of humanity in secular, legalistic mode. If secular humanists want to ensure that what works relatively well can work better, spirituality has to be taken seriously. The very liberality of humanism, understood as a concern for human wellbeing in all its aspects, means that spirituality has to be taken into account when the ‘good life’ is understood accordingly. The values which underpin or translate into ‘rights’ are then taken to be rooted in a substantial form of human nature: the universal of the spiritual birthright. The 25

litmus test of sociocultural phenomena is here in place, the birthright distinguishing between what works for the good or the bad of what is taken to lie within. And when meaningful reality proclaims that human rights are due to humans by virtue of their ‘natural’ endowment, value lies with the universal: not the sociocultural; not that which differs from place to place, setting the stage for contestation. Paul Heelas is a Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Lancaster University. His Spiritualities of Life. New Age Romanticism and Consumptive Capitalism, which pays greater attention to some of the themes addressed here, has recently been published by Blackwell.

Workshop B (9:30 – 15:30) Kabbalistic Psychology Prof. Les Lancaster (Liverpool John Moores University) Dr. Menachem Kallus (University of Haifa)

This exploratory workshop is distinctive in bringing together two eminent scholars with complementary interests in the Kabbalah. Professor Lancaster has been working on the psychological dimensions of Kabbalah, not only in terms of the psychological insights that are intrinsic to kabbalistic material but also in relation to recent advances in our understanding of consciousness and the mind through cognitive neuroscience, transpersonal, and depth psychology. Rabbi Dr. Kallus is a noted researcher in the history of Kabbalistic speculation and practice. The workshop will be 26

dialogic and exploratory in two senses. Firstly, the workshop will distil the ongoing dialogue between Kallus and Lancaster as they formulate the ‘kabbalistic psychology’ of the title. And, secondly, participants will be encouraged to dialogue with the presenters in relation to their respective understandings of the ways in which traditional forms of kabbalistic speculation and practice find expression in ‘modern’ terms. Both these authors believe that it is live contemporary interaction that gives profound meaning to spiritual enterprises, and intend the workshop as an opportunity to move forward such interaction. The presenters will introduce participants to psychospiritual practices that integrate techniques promulgated in diverse kabbalistic schools with recent thinking in transpersonal psychology, and will convey their theoretical formulations of contemporary ‘mind science’ as understood through kabbalistic frameworks. Given features of the historical development in Kabbalah—the effect of encountering diverse systems of thought, and the progressive emphasis placed on psychological aspects of the kabbalistic worldview—this workshop is presented as a contemporary expression of that creative spirit which has always coursed through the living stream of esoteric Judaism. The opening introductory session (30 minutes) will contextualise the workshop in relation to both psychological approaches to mysticism and the academic study of Kabbalah. We will examine what may be best understood as a form of esoteric psychology through which kabbalists grasped the inner, generally unconscious, determinants of thought, and practised techniques which effectively expanded the sphere of conscious control over thought processes. Whilst these 27

practices were primarily oriented towards religious and theurgic goals, our immediate focus will be their more psychological effects. In the main morning session, we will focus on the Hebrew letter mysticism (2 hours) which underpins many kabbalistic practices. In historical terms, the Hebrew letters were reformulated (probably during the Babylonian exile) evidently with the intention of investing them with core mystical and esoteric value. Psychologically, the letters may be said to convey archetypal meaning. Our objective in this session will be to unpack such meaning, and to explore practices which open deeper realms of mind to the symbolic value of the letters. Techniques to be taught include visualisation, movement and breath-work. The afternoon session will take us into the hermeneutic world of the Kabbalah (2 hours). The kabbalists developed further the rabbinic view of Torah—with its emphasis on the midrashic imagination—through their emphasis on a universal pattern underlying all things, the Tree of Sefirot. The core of mystical praxis in Judaism is the ‘hermeneutic encounter,’ whereby mystical experience and knowledge arise through the distinctive process of interpreting the text of scripture. Again, it is the psychological axis that our workshop seeks to explore; we suggest that the dance of ‘revealing-and-concealing,’ which characterises the hermeneutic encounter, is at one and the same time both theocentric—enabling the mystic to see the divine pattern in Torah, world and soul—and psychological— promoting the unfolding into consciousness of unconscious content and bringing a higher integration of being. Both morning and afternoon sessions will incorporate experiential work, theoretical content and open discussion. A concluding 28

session (30 minutes) will explore more generally the value of our approach to Kabbalistic Psychology, and the impact of kabbalistic ideas for the development of consciousness studies and transpersonal psychology.

Les Lancaster is Professor of Transpersonal Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, UK, Honorary Research Fellow in the Centre for Jewish Studies at Manchester University, and Adjunct Research Faculty at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is currently Chair of the Transpersonal Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society, and President of the International Transpersonal Association. At LJMU he co-founded the Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit, through which postgraduate programmes in these areas ran for some 15 years. He currently directs a new Masters Programme in Consciousness and Transpersonal Studies. In addition to various journal articles, Les’ published works include Mind Brain and Human Potential, winner of a Science and Medical Network Best Book Award, The Essence of Kabbalah, and Approaches to Consciousness: the Marriage of Science and Mysticism, about which Chief Rabbi, Professor Jonathan Sacks commented: “With formidable erudition and the widest of perspectives, Brian Lancaster has written a challenging and potentially ground-breaking book on the relationship between scientific and mystical ideas of human consciousness. A humane scholar in the great tradition of William James, his work deserves to be read and discussed widely”.

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Les’ career has included both research in cognitive neuroscience and scholarship within the study of religious mysticism, the latter focusing extensively on the Kabbalah and, more especially, its psychological aspects. These twin spheres of interest have come together in books and articles exploring the interface between spirituality, mysticism, consciousness, and the brain. In addition to research and scholarship, Les teaches spiritual practices and leads international workshops on Kabbalistic Psychology. Menachem Kallus is currently the principal researcher of a three-year Israel Science Foundation sponsored project to, for the first time, compose a history of graphical representation of Kabbalistic ideas, 1200-1900, together with Dr. Yossi Chajes of Haifa University. Kallus has recently published "Pillar of Prayer" [Fons Vitae Press, 2011] a bi-lingual edition of more than three hundred teachings with commentary, on contemplative prayer from the circle of R Israel Baal Shem Tov. He received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University in 2004 for a dissertation on the theurgy of prayer in Lurianic Kabbalah. He was ordained Rabbi by R Zalman Schachter Shalomi in 1998, and has been a close friend and student of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. He has studied and practiced various forms of Buddhist meditation with both Theravada and Tibetan teachers over the past three decades. Kallus was born into an Orthodox Jewish family of Holocaust survivors and currently practices Judaism in a semitraditional-post-modern way, in Jerusalem Israel. He is maried and has one son.

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Workshop C (9:30 – 15:30) Knowing When to Get Out of the Way: Research Musings on Transpersonal Therapies Prof. Harris L. Friedman (Florida University) Prof. Douglas MacDonald (University of Detroit Mercy)

Since its inception as a unique subdiscipline within psychology in the late 1960s, transpersonal psychology has been involved in the development of theories and technologies, often derived from spiritual, mystical, and religious systems, to be applied to the amelioration of human functioning, both in terms of treating psychopathology and in terms of facilitating optimal human well-being. There are now a fairly large number of transpersonal therapeutic systems available and practiced throughout the world, including attentional (e.g., neurofeedback), biochemical (e.g., psychedelic), depth psychological (e.g., psychosynthesis), existential (e.g., logotherapy), and somatic (e.g., holotropic breathwork) approaches, to name just a few. This workshop will provide an overview of extant transpersonal therapies, and discuss the general state of their research status, especially in terms of their effectiveness. It will also explore some of their core commonalities. These include focusing on the following: (a) immediate experience; (b) quality of self-representation within experience; (c) identification of elements of experience that permit one to reframe and experience self in a more complex, complete, integrated, expanded, or sacred way; and (d) that they do not have exclusive focus on treatment of 31

dysfunction, but can be growth oriented. Thereafter, it will explore some of their fundamental underpinnings, both philosophical and methodological. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in exercises to experientially, as well as cognitively, better understand how to engage in transpersonal therapy, either as a provider or recipient. The workshop will conclude with a discussion of various ways how therapy and assessment may be integrated.

Harris Friedman, PhD, is a clinical and consulting psychologist, as well as supervises dissertations at a number of universities. He recently retired as Research Professor of Psychology at University of Florida and Professor Emeritus at Saybrook University. He has over 100 professional publications, mainly in the area of socio-cultural and transpersonal psychology, as well as on methodology. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, and serves as Senior Editor of the International Journal of Transpersonal Studies and Associate Editor of The Humanistic Psychologist. He recently was President of the International Transpersonal Association, and Chairs the Transpersonal Interest Group of the American Psychological Association (as part of the Society for Humanistic Psychology). His most recent books, both co-edited with Stanley Krippner in 2010 and published by Praeger, are Mysterious Minds and Debating Psychic Experiences. He is currently co-editing with others The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Transpersonal Psychology, The Praeger Series on Social Justice and Psychology (2 volumes), and Advances in Parapsychological Research, Volume 9. Email [email protected] 32

Douglas A. MacDonald, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy in the United States, and a practicing psychologist in Canada. He has been actively involved in research in the areas of spirituality and transpersonal psychology for over 20 years and is a recognized expert in the area of the assessment and measurement of spiritual and transpersonal constructs. He is Research Editor for both the Journal of Humanistic Psychology and the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology and Editor Emeritus for the International Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. He is also one of the founding members of the International Board for the International Transpersonal Association. Email [email protected] or [email protected]

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Conference Papers Presentation day Morning Session - keynote lecture Inner-Life Spiritual Humanism: Healing/the Therapeutic and the Cultivation of Humanity

Prof. Paul Heelas (Erasmus University Rotterdam) After something of a lull following the days of people Comte, Durkheim, Julian Huxley and Tagore – all of whom used expressions like ‘religion of humanity’, Sen, Nussbaum, Bryan Turner and some other theorists of the cosmopolitan, are among those who have reactivated interest in ‘the cultivation of humanity’. (As has the Dalai Lama.) During recent decades, the study of CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) has flourished; for somewhat longer so has the study of what the World Health Organization calls TM (traditional medicine). On the one hand the body of literature on the cultivation of humanity, largely couched in terms of the more legalistic, human rights, entitlements, capabilities, and so on. On the other hand, the body of literature on CAM/TM, largely couched in terms of processes to do with healing-cumtherapy and the person, the efficacy of such processes, and so on.

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The two bodies of literature remain relatively discrete. To the best of my knowledge, Nussbaum does not write about CAM/TM, let alone how practices of this variety might contribute to the cultivation of humanity. The aim of my presentation is to contribute to linking up the two spheres of research.

The basic argument is that what I’ll call inner-life healing (therapy) of spiritualities of life – specifically of a great deal of CAM and TM - plays a major role in the cultivation of humanity; and that this has a great deal to do with the spiritual (inner-life) humanism of the modes of CAM/TM under consideration. Most especially when spiritual humanism is experienced as grounded in the sacred, the sacred of humanity as a whole, it is ‘taken’ to be a powerful source of healing/therapy: of the person, a sourced resource with regard to humankind as a whole.

The

‘therapeutic’/‘psychological’

aspects

of

contemporary spiritualities, to use the language typical of nations with advanced economies, should not distract from the fact that the therapeutic/psychological is frequently, perhaps even typically, profoundly humanistic. If the language of psychology/therapy is to be used in connection with, say, Sufi inner-life healing of the Punjab of Pakistan, or, for that matter, 35

in connection with the CAM of the USA, it is best qualified: as psycho-ethicality. The force, the flow, from within is taken to emanate from the sacred human of humanity, at one and the same time ethical and psychological. Sentiments as value laden feelings; Maslow…

Two illustrations of the efficacy of psycho-ethical spiritual humanism, re the cultivation of humanity, will be provided: one from the sphere of CAM-UK, the other from the sphere of Sufic TM-Pakistan.

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Symposium A1: Contemporary Spiritual Identity: A Multicultural Perspective Chair: Dr. Tally Katz-Gerro (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Religion as Embodied Spirituality Mr. Stuart Nelson (University of California – Santa Barbara)

Multiple definitions for both religion and spirituality have been offered throughout the literature, but a general consensus regarding these terms has remained elusive. Definitional questions are important in establishing a functional framework for both research and practice, and while this paper does not attempt to provide all encompassing definitions for religion and spirituality by any means, it does posit a relationship between the two concepts in terms of a definition. This paper identifies religion as embodied spirituality – the living out of one’s private spiritual ideals. Understanding the relationship between religion and spirituality this way has two major implications with regards to links to health and well-being. First, it allows both the layperson and the professional to access “religion” in a way that accommodates complex subjective spiritual life. Second, it makes salient the idea that one’s spiritual ideals are “practiced” in the world in some embodied way.

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We must keep in mind that many describe themselves as both religious and spiritual. It is therefore important to identify a relationship between the two that accommodates past and current assumptions about their differences without polarization occurring. Viewing religion

as

embodied

spirituality may prove to be useful in healthcare environments where many are wary of endorsing practices that carry theological implications. By viewing religion as the ‘living out’ of a particular spirituality through embodied action and cognition, we allow an extension of the unique nature spiritual life into the traditionally more “static” concept and practice of religion. This paper

suggests

further

that

religion and

spirituality are two components of an extremely complicated and intertwining process that, while gaining its character from neurophysiology, psychology, socio-cultural interactions, and elsewhere, might also be consciously directed towards spiritual goals. The present framework makes understanding the possibility for this direction easily accessible for patients and practitioners. Much of the literature regarding the causal mechanisms between religion, spirituality and health identify behaviors, cultivated mindsets, and practices that augment health and wellness. Contemplative practice, gratitude, community involvement, altruism, hope, forgiveness, and selfexpression, among others, are all practices that have been 38

positively correlated with both physical and mental health. These are not vague ideals that exist in the abstract; rather, they are practices - components of individual and communal spirituality that are expressed through embodied religious activity and cognition. The present approach to understanding the relationship between religion and spirituality has distinct drawbacks that are discussed near the end of the paper. In light of these drawbacks, future avenues for the evolution and employment of this framework are suggested.

Bibliography: Hill, Peter C., and Kenneth I. Pargament. "Advances in the Conceptualization and Measurement of Religion and Spirituality: Implications for Physical and Mental Health Research." Psychology of Religion and Spirituality S.1 (2008): 3-17. Print. Koenig, Harold G., Michael E. McCullough, and David B. Larson. Handbook of Religion and Health. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. Print. Lindblom, Jessica. Minding the Body: Interacting Socially Through Embodied Action. Diss. Linköping University, 2007. Print. Paloutzian, Raymond F., and Crystal L. Park. Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. New York: Guilford, 2005. Print.

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Paloutzian, Raymond F. "Purpose in Life and Value Changes following Conversion." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 41.6 (1981): 1153-160. Print. Salsman, J. M., T. L. Brown, E. H. Brechting, and C. R. Carlson. "The Link Between Religion and Spirituality and Psychological Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Optimism and Social Support." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 31.4 (2005): 522-35. Print. Taves, Ann. Religious Experience Reconsidered: a Building Block Approach to the Study of Religion and Other Special Things. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2009. Print.

Presentation no. 2: Spiritual identity as a dialectical

experience Ms. Pninit Russo-Netzer (University of Haifa)

This study explores how spirituality is experienced in the lives of adults following a process of spiritual change, outside of institutionalized religion. Specifically, the current study addressed the following questions: (1) Can the process of spiritual

change

experienced

by

the

participants,

be

understood as a process of constructing a spiritual identity? (2) If so, what are the characteristics of the lived experience for this kind of spiritual identity?

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The search for spiritual experiences in relation to the sacred outside the boundaries of institutionalized religious practice and tradition is common within the framework of "New Age" spiritualities, often viewed as a form of "self-spirituality" (Bruce, 1996; Heelas, 1996; Urban, 2000). This phenomenon has gained increased salience in the western world (e.g., Houtman & Mascini, 2002; Roof, 1999; Tacey, 2003; Wuthnow, 1998), where a growing number of individuals define themselves as "spiritual but not religious", and value personal experience over institutional sources of authority (Fuller, 2001). Similarly, within Israeli society there is a growing interest in New Age spirituality which is perceived as distinct from Jewish religious tradition and a large number of individuals describe spiritual journeys which result in major changes in their life (Ruah-Midbar, 2006). Regardless whether the change is sudden and drastic (such as in conversion; e.g., Paloutzian & Park, 2005; Rambo, 1993; Travisano, 1970) or gradual and incremental (Hartelius, Caplan, & Rardin, 2007; Kasprow & Scotton, 1999; Wilber, 2000), within or outside institutionalized religion, it involves transformation of the self (Hill, 2002). The study included a phenomenological analysis of in depth interviews conducted with 25 Israeli adults, 12 men and 13 women, between the ages of 25 to 66 (M= 45.3) who had 41

experienced a spiritual change outside institutionalized religion. The findings indicated that the developmental process experienced by the participants yielded an establishment of a new identity. The findings showed that Their spiritual identity is perceived as central to their sense of self, as a way of being and living and as an encompassing definition of their whole identity, rather than some aspect within it. The participants demonstrated a clear and committed spiritual identity which is different from the modern (e.g., Erikson, Marcia) and post-modern (e.g., hyphenated identity) customary conceptualizations of identity. Within this general sense of spiritual identity we identified three major themes that can be seen as dialectical dimensions. These themes differentiate this type of identity from either moratorium or achieved identity statuses (Marcia, 1966) and comprise the meaning of this identity for the participants: (a) Self-centered and authenticity vs. self-dissolution and surrender; (b) "Being there" and Becoming; (c) Alienation and a Sense of Mission. Implications for further research are discussed

Bibliography: Giorgi, A. (1997). The theory, practice and evaluation of the phenomenological method as a qualitative research procedure. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 28, 235-260 . 42

Hodge, D.R. (2001). Spiritual Assessment: A review of major qualitative methods and a new framework for assessing spirituality. Social Work, 46, 203-214 . Josselson. R. (2004). The Hermeneutics of faith and the hermeneutic of suspicion. Narrative Inquiry, 14, 1-28. Kiesling, C., Sorell, G.T., Montgomery, M.J. & Colwell, R.K. (2008). Identity and spirituality: A psychosocial exploration of the sense of spiritual self. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, S (1), 50-62 . Lieblich, A., Tuval-Mashiach, R., & Zilber, T. (1998). Narrative research: Reading, analysis and interpretation. Thousand Okes, CA: Sage. Linzer, J. (1996). Torah and Dharma: Jewish Seekers in Eastern Religions. J. Aronson (Northvale, NJ). Maykut, P. & Morehouse, R. (1994). Beginning Qualitative Research: A Philosophic and Practical Guide. London: The Falmer Press. McDonald, D.A. (2009). Identity and spirituality: Conventional and transpersonal perspectives. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 28, 86-106 . Poll, J.B. & Smith, T.B. (2003). The spiritual self: Toward a conceptualization of spiritual identity development. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 31, 129-142. Reimer, K.S., Dueck, A.C., Adelchanow, L.V. & Muto, J.D. (2009). Developing spiritual identity: Retrospective accounts from Muslim, Jewish and Christian exemplars. In: M. de Souza et al. (Eds.). International Handbook of Education for Spirituality, Care and Well-being. Springer Science & Business Media. 43

Stephen, J., Fraser, E. & Marcia, J.E. (1992). Moratorium-achievement (Mama) cycles in lifespan identity development: Value orientations and reasoning system correlates. Journal of Adolescence, 15, 283-300. Wink, P. & Dillon, M. (2002). Spiritual development across the adult life course: Findings from a longitudinal study. Journal of Adult Development, 9, 79-94. Wink, P. & Dillon, M. (2003).Religiousness, spirituality, and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood: Findings from a longitudinal study. Psychology and Aging, 18, 916-924 .

Presentation no. 3: Corralling the Self, Transforming the

Self: Mussar, Therapy, and Self-Discipline in the Lives of Jewish-American Adults Ms. Arielle Levites (New York University)

Sociologists have long observed the ways in which psychological theories of the self infuse post-modern civic discourse, as “I believe” morphs into “I feel” (Rieff, 1968, p.25). Some have bemoaned, in particular, how therapeutic language inflects (and one senses, infects) religious language, suggesting that the natural boundaries between religion and therapy have been irrevocably breached (Bellah, 1984; Wuthnow, 1994, 1998). Taken together this literature suggests the emergence of a psychological man for whom selfactualization trumps any obligation to others. Similar trends 44

have been noted in the Jewish community, where ideas about spirituality are often link to self-healing, and the quest for personal meaning replaces communal commitments (Cohen& Hoffman, 2009; Cohen& Eisen, 2000). My paper locates these concerns in the lives of AmericanJewish adult practitioners of mussar, an ethical-spiritual practice that has become increasingly popular among nonOrthodox American Jews (Claussen, 2010; Michaelson, 2008). Emerging out of a nine-month ethnographic study of a synagogue-based mussar program, I explore how participants co-construct the boundary between what they see as two sometimes overlapping and, often times, competing domains of mussar and therapy. The paper will focus on four interviews with engaged participants and one interview with a program drop-out. Interviews and analysis were guided by the Listening Guided method of psychological inquiry (Gilligan, 2006). In their accounts of their own experiences with mussar practice, participants reveal anxieties about possible points of contact

and

confusion

between

mussar

and

therapy,

particularly as related to interpersonal sharing, responsibility to others, and the effectiveness of “treatment.” While group members credited peer feedback as integral to mussar’s ability to work on their lives, they simultaneously expressed 45

ambivalence about the sometimes explicitly social-emotional features of the enterprise and their reliance on other group members for their own ethical growth and spiritual development. The paper concludes by considering theories of the plastic self that infuse psychotherapy and mussar. I suggest that mussar’s appeal as a contemporary spiritual practice lies in its implicit theology of the self as disciplinable. Certainly since Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, the question of man’s potential for change, either through self-control (the continent man) or self-transformation (the virtuous man) has animated the study of the human psyche. These questions were taken up in the mussar literature by Maimonides, in his Shemona Peraqim, and later by Israel Salanter, the founder of the Mussar movement. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis also addresses these questions, with his approach exerting great influence on popular ideas of the self in American culture (Heinze, 2005). Finally, I consider the ways in which such theories of the changeable self can be organized around discourses of selfdiscipline or discourses of therapy, and how distinctions between these two lenses on contemporary “technologies of the self” (Foucault, 1988) held meaning for the consultants in my project. 46

Bibliography: Bellah, R. N. (1986). Habits of the heart : Individualism and commitment in american life (1 Perennial Library ed.). New York: Harper & Row. Cohen, Steven M and Hoffman, Lawrence A. (2009). “How Spiritual Are America’s Jews? Narrowing the Spirituality Gap Between Jews and Other Americans.” S3K Synagogue Studies Institute; Los Angeles, CA. Claussen, Geoffrey (2010) “The American Jewish Revival of Musar.” The Hedgehog Review. 12(2). Foucault, Michel. 1988. Technologies of the Self. University of Massachusetts Press . Goldberg, Hillel (1982). Israel Salanter: Text Structure Idea: The Ethics and Theology of an Early Psychologist of the Unconscious. Ktav: NewYork, NY . Heinze, Andrew. 2004. Jews and the American Soul: Human Nature in the 20th Century. Princeton University press. Princeton, NJ . Jacobs, Jonathan . “Plasticity and Perfection: Maimonides and Aristotle on Character.” Religious Studies, Vol. 33, No. 4 (Dec., 1997), pp. 443-454. Michaelson, Jay (2008) “The Path Of the Just: Is Musar the ‘New Kabbalah’?” The Jewish Daily Forward, February 28, 2008, issue of March 07, 2008 retrieved at http://www.forward.com/articles/12792/#ixzz1AMzlxzRP Gilligan, Carol; Spencer, Renee; Weinberg, M. Katherine; Bertsch, Tatiana. (2006) “On the Listening Guide: A Voice-Centered Relational

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Method” in Emergent Methods in Social Research, Hesse-Biber, Sharlene Nagy& Leavy, Patricia, eds . Rieff, Philip (1968). The Triumph of the Therapuetic: Uses of Faith After Freud. Harper and Row, NY, NY. Weiss, Raymond L. & Butterworth, Charles E., Maimonides, Moses. (1975) Ethical writings of maimonides [Selections.]. New York: New York University Press. Wuthnow, Robert (1994). Sharing the Journey: Support Groups and America’s New Quest for Community. The Free Press; New York . Wuthnow, Robert (1998). After Heaven: spirituality in America since the 1950’s. University of California Press. Berkley, CA.

Presentation no. 4: On the Link Between Life Characterized

by Immediacy and a Unifying Epistemology: New Evidence from the Rain-Forests of Southern India Dr. Daniel Naveh (University of Haifa, Bar-Ilan University)

"Let me recognize the problem so it can be solved. A problem cannot be solved if you do not know what it is. Even if it is really solved already, you will still have the problem because you cannot recognize that it has been solved. This is the situation of the world. The problem of separation, which is really the only problem, has already been solved. But the solution is not recognized because the problem is not 48

recognized" (A Course in Miracles, lesson 79) This relatively recent text reflects, in its own particular way, a recurring motif in ancient doctrines and paths of liberation, in various cultures. In many of these the sense, or perhaps the delusion, of separateness is perceived as one of the sources of human suffering, if not the main source. Accordingly, liberation is understood as an awakening to the ‘oneness’ of everything including the ‘that that I am’. In this lecture, I will discuss new findings as to the sources of a system of thought within which the world is perceived and studied from the perspective of the separateness of things. Most of the findings discussed here were documented in the course of my work among the Nayaka, a society of huntergatherers living in the rain forests of Southern India. In the lecture, I will dwell on the link between an epistemology that focuses on commonality rather separateness and a way of life that is characterized by immediacy. In the latter the past and the future have little bearing on the present and there is an unmediated familiarity with the environment. Furthermore, I will argue that the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture - which entails an abrupt alteration from a way of life characterized by immediacy - involves a shift into an epistemological framework that focuses on 49

identifying distinct and separate essences, independent of each other. In most hunting- gathering societies, especially those whose way of life is characterized by immediacy , things in the world are perceived and known through what is shared with, or connects, the perceived with the perceiver and not necessarily by looking for its independent and unchanging essence, irrespective of actual relations. Their way of knowing is attuned to finding out how persons (human and non-human) are with them, rather than attempting to discover these persons’ essential characteristics. Since the mid 1990’s, small scale agriculture and animal husbandry began to be increasingly important in Nayakan subsistence economy. This change allows for an ethnographic study that enables us to map out in fair detail the interrelationship between immediacy and epistemology. Surprisingly, such an investigation has never before been conducted. Relying on ethnographic material I will argue that actions involving economic utilization that deviate from immediacy lead to a transition from a relatively holistic epistemology to an epistemology focused on separate and distinct essences. As the Nayaka increasingly rely on agriculture and animal husbandry, more and more elements in their environment begin to be perceived as separate and independent entities. In the last part of the lecture, I will argue that an improved 50

understanding of the process whereby we come to perceive the world from the perspective of separateness can contribute in a real way to our ability to take a renewed look at the world and our place within it. Bibliography: A Course in Miracles. 1976. California: Foundation for Inner Peace. The Bhagavad Gita : A New Translation / George Thompson (tr). 2008. New York : North Point Press. Bird-David, N., 1999a. "Animism" Revisited: Personhood, Environment, and Relational Epistemology. Current Anthropology 40(Supplement), s67– 91. Bird-David, N., 2006. Animistic Epistemology: Why Some HunterGatherers Do Not Depict Animals. Ethnos 71(1), 33–50. Bird-David, N. and D. Naveh, 2008. Relational epistemology, immediacy, and conservation: Or, what do the Nayaka try to conserve? Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture 2(1): 55-73. Heidegger, M., 1971 [1935]. The Origin of the Work of Art, In Poetry, Language, Thought. New York: Harper & Row, 17-87.. Heidegger, M., 1978 [1943]. On the Essence of Truth, In Martin Heidegger: Basic Writings, ed. D. F. Krell. London: Routledge, 113–141. Ingold, T., 1996. Hunting and Gathering as Ways of Perceiving the Environment, In Redefining Nature: Ecology, Culture and Domestication, eds. R. Ellen & K. Fukui. Oxford: Berg, 117–155. 51

Ingold, T., 2000. The Perception of the Environment: Essays in Livelihood, Dwelling and Skill. London and New York: Routledge. Venkatesananda, Swami.1984. The Concise Yoga Vāsiṣṣha. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Presentation no. 5: Spirituality, Authenticity and Truth Ms. Francesca Montemaggi (Cardiff University)

Religion and spirituality are often seen as opposed. Religion is seen as ‘organised’, dogmatic, and focussed on the transcendent, whilst spirituality is fluid, rejecting dogmas and institutionalisation. Spirituality is focussed on the spiritual growth and wellbeing of the person whilst religion presumes an external transcendent authority exercising sovereignty over human beings. The paper delineates a distinction between ‘immanent spirituality’, which espouses a non-theistic spirituality, and ‘transcendent religiosity’, which relies on theistic assumptions. Thus, the immanent spiritual quest is directed towards one’s inner life, whilst transcendent religiosity is directed towards God. The ‘massive subjective turn of modern culture’, as Charles Taylor described it, seems to have led to a shift from traditional organised religion to individual spirituality. The ensuing spirituality celebrates the inner life of the individual and holistic wellbeing. The 52

individual is at the centre seeking to be ‘authentic’, in the sense of being true to oneself. Spirituality thus becomes a way of life, an exercise in heightening one’s consciousness and appreciating the spiritual aspects of the immanent world. The paper reflects on the impact of the subjective turn on ‘traditional’ religiosity on the basis of ethnographic research in a Christian evangelical church. On a superficial level, the church in the study appears to share many traits with ‘immanent spirituality’. The narrative of the church is about proposing a ‘counterculture’ opposed to materialism, about salvation in the ‘here and now’, and about ‘authenticity’ through self-transformation. However, these notions have a substantially different perspective from similar notions found in immanent spirituality. The paper explores these notions and reflects on the tension between the attempt by the church to be relevant to today’s society whilst remaining loyal to Christian tradition. The church shows flexibility in its understanding of ritual, worship, customs and action, however this is within a transcendent framework. The paper reflects on the notion of authenticity emerging from the findings and argues that the conception of the individual within ‘transcendent religiosity’ implies a relationality with God which is expressed in relation with others.

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Symposium A2: Complementary Medicine and Spirituality Chair: Dr. Yuval Yonay (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: The Uses of Spirituality in Kosher

Medicine Dr. Tsipy Ivry (University of Haifa)

This paper examines the uses (and abuses) of spirituality in the arena of rabbinically mediated biomedical fertility treatments in Israel. I base my arguments on findings from ethnographic study between 2006-2011 among religiously observant couples undergoing fertility treatments and their doctors, and among a non-profit organization of ten rabbis who offer halachic consultation for observant infertility patients . I argue that though rabbis, patients and doctors make various uses of spiritual ideas in interpreting infertility, this does not entail waning of institutional Judaism nor of rabbinic authority. Rather, my findings illuminate the emergence of a new hybrid form of institutional rabbinic authority that appropriates biomedical knowledge to fortify its power vis-àvis non religious doctors, members of orthodox Jewish communities( as well as patients who define themselves as non-religious), and other rabbinic authority figures.

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While a growing number of ethnographically grounded accounts of assisted conception around the globe emphasize the role of religious beliefs " not only among patients who turn to religious theodicies to make sense of their suffering, but also among scientists and clinicians who… attempt to offer patients hope" (Inhorn 2006) my study attempts to shift attention from belief to the network of power relations that religion may introduces into the clinic . My findings illuminate a "kosher" mode of medical care within which rabbis appropriate biomedical language and knowledge and intervene on behalf of their followers to negotiate various adaptations of biomedical fertility care to various halachic standards. While negotiating treatments with medical doctors, rabbis very seldom if ever speak in the name of "God"; they speak as authoritative representatives of religious communities, and as legal experts of rabbinic law who have come to master medical knowledge. These rabbis use the language of faith when consulting religious fertility patients to give meaning to patients' suffering, to explain the uncertainty inherent in the technology, as well as to place a fair amount of responsibility for failure of treatments on God (c.f. Bharadwaj 2006). However, their main activity (according to religious patients and to my observations) is to plot clear courses of halachically acceptable biomedical 55

treatments based on their extensive and continuous mapping of

biomedical

options.

Their

followers

render

them

authoritative due to their expertise in both rabbinic law and biomedicine . Though half of my religious interviewees pursued "alternative" treatments as early as they suspected a fertility problem, none of them achieved pregnancy and they soon turned to biomedical fertility treatments – the cheapest option in Israel. The rabbis that I studied, were highly suspicious toward non biomedical treatments methods and rarely recommended them to patients . My findings suggest that biomedicine and institutionalized religion remain persisting sources of authority in Israel today despite the upsurge of spirituality movements and alternative medical

care.

I

call

forth

a

rethinking

of

the

detraditionalization thesis (Heelas et al. 1996) about "religion giving way to spirituality" (Heelas and Woodhead 2005) by turning

attention

to

a

non-Christian

context

where

institutionalized religion is granted authority by the state. I suggest that a power-sensitive reconsideration of the role of spirituality in such contexts might reveal new powerful modes of institutionalized religion that recruit additional authority structures, biomedicine in this case, rather than the waning of institutionalized religion. 56

Bibliography: Bhadrawaj, Aditya. 2006. Sacred Conceptions: Clinical Theodicies, Uncertain Science, and Technologies of Procreation in India. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 30: 451-465. Caplan, Kimi and Stadler Nurit. 2009. Manhigut Vesamchut Bachevra Hacharedit Beyisrael: Etgarim Vechaluphot. [Leadership and Authority in the Ultra-Orthodox Communities in Israel: Challenges and Alternatives.] Jerusalem: Van-Leer Institute Heelas Paul . 1996. The New Age Movement: The Celebration of the Self and the Sacralization of Modernity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Heelas Paul, Scott Lash and Paul Morris ed.1996.Detraditionalization: Critical Reflections on Authority and Identity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. Heelas Paul and Linda Woodhead. 2005.The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality. Oxford: Balckwell Publishing Inhorn, Marcia. 2003.Local Babies Global Science: Gender, Religion, and In Vitro Fertilization in Egypt. New York: Routledge Inhorn, Marcia. 2006.Making Muslim Babies: IVF and Gamete Donation in Sunni Versus Shi'a Islam. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 30: 427450. Latour, B. 1991. We Have Never Been Modern. C. Porter, trans. Harvard University Press Gole, Nilufer. 2010. Manifestations of the Religious-Secular Devide: Self, State, and the Public Sphere. In Comparative Secularisms in a Global Age. 57

L.E. Cady and E. Shakman Hurd, eds. Pp. 41-53. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Kahn, Susan Martha. 2000. Reproducing Jews: A Cultural Account of Assisted Conception in Israel. Durham: Duke University Press. Kahn, Susan Martha. 2002.Rabbis and Reproduction: The Uses of New Reproductive Technologies among Ultraorthodox Jews in Israel. 283- 297 In Infertility Around the Globe: New Thinking on Childlessness, Gender, and Reproductive Technologies. Marcia C. Inhorn and Frank van Balen eds. Pp 283- 297. Berkeley: University of California Press. Kahn, Susan Martha . 2006.Making Technology Familiar: Orthodox Jews and Infertility Support, Advice, and Inspiration. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 30: 467-480 Rabbinow Paul and Nikolas Ross biopower today Kleinman, Arthur. 1988. The illness Narratives: Suffering, Healing, and the Human Condition. New York: Basic Books. Roberts Elizabeth. 2006. God's Laboratory: Religious Rationalities and Modernity in Ecuadorian in Vitro Fertilization. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 30: 507-536.

58

Presentation no. 2: Spirituality as a professional source of

authority in Chinese medicine in Israel Ms. Eline Zehavi (University of Haifa)

The first accounts of "non western" medical systems appeared in classical ethnographies of the early 20th century, which described medical practices of indigenes cultures with relation to religious or cosmological systems of beliefs. Since the 1970's researchers regarded these practices by using the broad term "Alternative medicine", while looking at specific forms of medical pluralism and hybrid models of health care services offered in combination with the bio- medical model dominant in the "western world". With the increase of public demand for these practices, the marginal category of "Alternative medicine" became more "normative" due to growing interest of the academic world that now focused on issues of efficacy, legitimacy and the politics of health care services. This shift, conveying a change in

the discourse

about the hegemony of bio medicine, is represented in terms like "complimentary"," traditional",

"natural" or "holistic"

medicine attributed to various practices, which were domesticated

into

the

cultures

they

immigrated

to.

Nonetheless, the juxtaposition of non western medicine and the spiritual world remained in the public opinion.

59

This paper will examine the domestication of Chinese medicine in Israel, taking into account the different discourses affecting it's "translation" into local terms .An overview of the process of institutionalization of alternative medicine by the state of Israel will be given while pointing out the different interest groups among the professionals working in the field in regards to the question of spirituality and the techniques the practice . This paper is based on an ethnographic study on Chinese medicine conducted in Haifa in the years 2009-2011 which included participant observations in an Acupuncture training course as well as interviews with Chinese medicine practitioners. My findings show that practitioner's attitude towards "spirituality" serve as symbolic means to differentiate themselves from different categories of professionals working in the arena of alternative medicine. The domestication of Chinese Medicine in Israel occurs within a wide range of health care services in various forms of hybrid models with bio medicine, and thus the distinction between Alternative and Complimentary medicine is not only semantic but represent a professional hierarchy of legitimate bodies of knowledge. Most of the interviewees in my study reject the popular notion of "spirituality" in it's mystic meaning and adopt a psychologizing approach to spirituality as "holistic". Therefore 60

there is a need for a more accurate theoretical definition of spirituality in the field of non bio medical health care systems, which takes into account the complex tapestry in which it operates in particular contexts . The discussion of the Israeli case will be framed within the wider global context of domestication process of Chinese medicine in Europe and USA, while taking into account the wide range of interpretations it receives locally, influenced by discourses

of

medicalization,

psychologization

and

"spiritualization" rooted in the Jewish mystical tradition. I wish to draw the attention to the interpretation of 'spirituality' as 'holistic' with regards to the notion of 'therapeutic intuition' which serves as an authoritative professional mechanism in the specific process of domestication of Chinese medicine in Israel . Bibliography: Hebrew: Ron Gideon, 2006. "Briut nosah Sin" Astrolog Publication, Hod Hasharon Horwitz Ilan, 1990. "Lehavin et Haguf be Enayim Siniyot" Fotostyle Publication, Tel Aviv 1994. "Tora Mesin: Gisha Avhana ve Tipul" Hemed Publication, Jerusalem

61

Keshet Yael,2010. "Refua Mashlima ve Hashavat ha Kesem la Olam" Resling Publication, Tel Aviv Simchai Dalit, 2009. "Lizrom neged ha Zerem:Paradoksim be Hagshamat hazon Haidan Hahadash be Israel" Pardes Publication, Haifa English: Appadurai Arjun. 1990, "Disjuncture and difference in the global cultural economy" in Theory, Culture and Society vol. 7, 295-310 Appadurai Arjun.1991 .Global Ethnoscapes: notes and quarries for a transitional anthropology" in "Recapturing anthropology: working in the present" SAR Press 191-210 Barnes Linda L. 2005, "Needles, herbs, gods and ghosts: China , Healing and the West to 1848" Harvard University Press. Barnes Linda L. 1998. The Psychologizing of Chinese healing practices in the USA" In culture medicine and psychiatry 22:413-443 Barnes Linda L. 2003. The Acupuncture wars: the professionalizing of American acupuncture- A view from Massachusetts" in Medical Anthropology 22, 261-301 Fadlon Judith. 2004, "Meridains, Chacras and Psycho-NeuroImmunology: The Dematerializing Body and the Domestication of Alternative Medicine". In Body & Society 2004 10:69 Frank Robert & Stollberg Gunnar . 2004, "Conceptualizing Hybridization: on the diffusion of Asian medical knowledge to Germany" in International Sociology vol 19 71-88

62

Hare Martha L. 1993. "The emergence of Urban U.S Chinese Medicine" in Medical Anthropology Quarterly 7 (1) 30-49. Murdock G. 1980, "Theories of illness: A world survey" University of Pittsburg Press Pritchard Evans E. 1937. "Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande". 148-182, 202-250. Oxford: Clarendon Press Sharma Ursula. 1992 "Complementary Medicine today- Practitioners and patients". Tavistock Routledge Publication London and New York..91200 Sharma Ursula. 1993. Contextualizing alternative medicine- the exotic, the marginal and the perfectly mundane" in anthropology today vol 9 #4 1993. 15-18 Stollberg Gunnar. 2006, "Acupuncture in western Europe" an electronic copy http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/soz/pdf/AcuWestEur.pdf Stoner Bradley P. 1986, "Understanding medical systems- Traditional, Modern and Syncretic- health care alternatives in Medically pluralistic societies ". In Medical Anthropology Quarterly 7(2) 44-48 Worsley Peter. 1982, "Non western medical systems" in Annual review of Anthropology 1982, 315-348

63

Presentation no. 3: Can Holism be Practiced in a Biomedical

Setting? A Qualitative Study of the Integration of Complementary Medicine to a Surgical Department Dr. Yael Keshet (Western Galilee Academic College)

In recent decades, complementary medicine (CM) has been increasingly

integrated

to

conventional

healthcare

organizations, in which the biomedical profession clearly maintains dominance (Adams et al. 2009; Coulter et al. 2010; Keshet, 2011; Shuval et al. 2002). Our objective was to investigate empirically what integration and "holism" mean to the diverse professional groups involved and whether treatment becomes more holistic when CM is integrated. A qualitative study was conducted in a general surgery department at a public hospital in Israel. Data was collected by means of observations of medical encounters and daily work, and 30 in-depth interviews with medical directors, surgeons, senior nurses, CM practitioners and hospitalized patients. We found that most of the interviewed nurses, surgeons and directors, and some patients believed that CM treatments were of value in addressing the psychological needs of patients within this predominantly somatic-oriented department. To CM practitioners and some of the patients, integration means introducing and practicing a holistic outlook in this biomedical context, which involves elements such as Qi, energy, soul and 64

spirit. This study showed that while most of the biomedical professionals regarded CM treatments as having been simply co-opted into the biomedical paradigm at the level of psychological therapy, CM practitioners as well as some patients and nurses regarded it as integrated holistic care. Such practices were directed to a suitable audience, namely, patients as well as conventional medical staff who were willing to explore a holistic approach. The conventional staff's interpretation of CM treatment as addressing the patient's emotional and psychological side is a legacy of "the great divide", the separation of physiology from psychology derived from Cartesian dualism (Grosz 1994). The body is observed by the "clinical gaze" (Foucault, 1963), whereas the mind and spirit cannot be seen. Although the "mental" and the "corporal" are embodied within the same person, we are left with two different languages in relating to body and thought and speak both languages without being able to merge them (Changeux and Ricoeur 2000). CM and integrative medicine discourse, is an attempt to merge these languages (Keshet 2010). We concluded that patient care tends to become more comprehensive when CM is integrated. While operating beyond the "clinical gaze", CM practitioners create islands of holism within a sea of dualism. Despite the overall dominance of biomedicine, holistic CM practices were introduced to the biomedical setting of the hospital and practiced there. Yet, the 65

question whether holistic CM practices and perceptions will eventually lead nurses and physicians toward paradigmatic integration, has still to be examined (Keshet et al. 2012). Bibliography: Adams, J., Hollenberg, D., Lui, C. and Broom, A. (2009). Contextualizing integration: a critical social science approach to integrative health care. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 32(9), 792-798. Changeux, J., and Ricoeur. P. (2000). What makes us think? A neuroscientist and a philosopher argue about ethics, human nature, and the brain. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Coulter, D. I., Khorsan, R., Crawford, C., and Hsiao, A. (2010). Integrative health care under review: an emerging field. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 33(9), 690-710. Foucault, M. (1963) 2003. The birth of the clinic: An archaeology of medical perception. London: Routledge. Grosz, E. (1994). Volatile Bodies: Toward a Corporal Feminism. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Keshet, Y. (2011) Network gatekeeping: Integrative complementary medicine between commercialization and bio-medical scrutiny. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine. Published online before print May 3, 2011, doi: 10.1177/1363459311403950 Health (London) May 3, 2011 Keshet, Y. (2010). Hybrid Knowledge and Research on the Efficacy of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Treatments. Social 66

Epistemology, a Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Policy, 24 (4), 331347. Keshet, Yael, Ben-Arye, Eran, Schiff, Elad (2012). Can holism be practiced while integrating complementary medicine in a biomedical setting? A qualitative study in a surgical department. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, (Forthcoming). Shuval, J. Mizrachi, N. and Smetannikov, E. (2002). Entering the wellguarded fortress: alternative practitioners in hospital settings. Social Science and Medicine, 55, .1745-1755

Presentation no. 4: Between Caring and Mitzvat "Visiting the

Sick": On Concrete Spirituality in Nursing Dr. Sara Shachaf (University of Haifa)

The ethos of modern-secular nursing includes values that grew out of religious-social activity. The story of Florence Nightingale became the ideal image of nursing. At the base of the professional ethos of nursing there is a commitment to a proper patients' care giving. The main value of professional Nursing is Caring, meaning looking after, taking care of patients with love, altruism, and compassion. In the lecture I will discuss the vague and ambiguous of Care ethics and will argue that it creates tension with the nursing praxis. I will point out that the concept of Caring does 67

not have a similar concept in Hebrew, and will suggest a Jewish narrative for those dual concepts: nursing and caring. I will show that the Hebrew name for nursing –SIUD folds within itself the idea of helping sick people with a very concrete and clear way. Using the Halacha of "commandment of visiting the sick" I will describe an ethic of doing nursing where virtue is concrete, and spiritual care is clear and real. Bibliography: Cook, E. T. The Life of Florence Nightingale(1913) Vol 1, p 237 McFarlane, J. “A charter for Caring”. Journal of Advanced Nursing.( 1) 87-96 ( 1976). Dunlop, M. (1986).” Is Science of caring possible?” Journal of advanced Nursing. 11, 661-670. In: Kate Morrison and Sara Cowley. Idealised Caring: The heart of nursing. In: Ian Norman & Sara Cowley.(ed). The changing nature of nursing in a manageriak age. Blackwell Science Ltd. United Kingdom (1999). Gastmans, Chris. The care perspective in healthcare ethics. In: Davis Anne, J., Tschudin, Varena.,& de Raeve, Louis.(ed.) Essentials of teaching and learning in nursing ethics. Perspectives and Methods. Churchill Livingstone,, Elsevier. (2006). Pp135-148. Paley, John. Past Caring. The limitations of one-to-one ethics. In: Davis Anne, J., Tschudin, Varena.,& de Raeve, Louis.(ed.) Essentials of teaching and learning in nursing ethics. Perspectives and Methods. Churchill Livingstone,, Elsevier. (2006). Pp149-162.

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Symposium A3: Contemporary Shamanism Includes an experiential part Chair: Prof. Benny Shanon (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Presentation no. 1: Communicating Experiences with Nature

and Creatures - an experiential part Mr. Joel Jojola (A Native American Traditional Adviser)

Joel Jojola is a full blooded Indian, born and raised on The Isleta Indian Reservation in the state of New Mexico, USA. He still resides in Isleta. Joel was an apprentice in Mescaleo Apache medicine ways for sixteen years. He has traveled extensively sharing traditional ways. Joel will share his personal experience directly with nature (wind and rain) and relation with the Deer and Elk in the wilds..Will share songs and prayers relate directly to these experiences.

Presentation no. 2: Santo Daime - Local Community Ritual

Meets The Cultic Milieu Mr. Tom Orgad (Tel-Aviv University)

The Daime ritual evolved in Brazil during the 2oh century. It has been subject to media coverage and academic research 69

in recent years, much due to one of its notable characteristics: the participants consume Ayahuasca, a psychoactive drink produced of various plants typical of the Amazon basin, traditionally used by natives of the area for ritual purposes. My lecture shall present the formation and expansion of the Daime ritual, examining it as a case study of the creation of a new religious movement, and the influence of globalization and the "Cultic Mileu" on a local community ritual . Daime was formed during the 1930's by Rimundo Irineu Serra, Northeastern Brazilian of African origin. Irineu immigrated to the Amazon looking for work in its growing rubber industry. He drank Ayahuasca in a local ritual and experienced a powerful revelation, in which he "received instructions" for the formation of a ritual doctrine placing the consumption of the drink in a religious Christian context. Following his revelation, Irineu began practicing the new ritual, mixing elements of native shamanic practices, popular Brazilian Catholicism and European esoteria. A group of disciples formed around him; they considered him an elevated spiritual teacher, believing in the power of the drink to "cure any illness, besides a divine sentence". In 1945 Irineu formed Alto Santo – a rural community near Rio Branco (an small Amazonian city). He and his disciples led a communal life,

70

conducting their religious ritual according to a religious calendar . Irineu's death (1971) left the community deprived of consensual charismatic leadership. Internal conflicts led to its division: a community member named Sebastião Mota declared himself the "chosen successor" of Irineu, opposing the opinion of its official leaders. In 1975 he retired from Alto Santo, later forming a messianic community in the depths of the Amazon forest. Mota established a new religious institution named CEFLURIS. It modified the original Daime ritual, emphasized Ayahausca's redeeming power, opened its doors for visitors and supported its worldwide expansion. Due to the significant improvement in media and transportation means (which we shall relate, on our present discussion, to the globalization process) the ritual became known and accessible to visitors from other parts of Brazil, as well as from other countries. The spread of Daime was also supported by the accelerated urbanization and industrialization processes Brazil had gone through at the time (starting the 1950's), and its consequent growth of the middle class and a financially established "spiritual seekers" movement. Thus, dozens of Daime churches were formed worldwide, turning it to a growing religious movement with thousands of members (officially 71

named "Santo Daime" by the CEFLURIS organization) while the original rural community remained in opposition to the dissemination of the ritual, claiming that its expansive form is unauthentic, and even dangerous

.

Many of the "spiritual seekers" who joined CEFLURIS had been influenced by various other religious movements and ideas; applying Colin Campbell's definition, we shall consider them a part of the "Cultic Milieu". They have influenced the shaping of the new Santo Daime communities – including the form of their ritual and its participants' religious beliefs. Nowadays, the original Alto Santo community still exists, rigorously maintaining the original ritual doctrine and negating its later versions – while CEFLURIS' Santo Daime functions as a dynamic, expansive new religious movement of eclectic religious beliefs . Bibliography: Barker, Eileen. New Religious Movements: A Perspective for Understanding Society. New York: the Edwin Mellen Press, 1982. Campbell, Colin. "The Cult, The Cultic Milieu and Secularization". In: A Sociological Yearbook of Religion in Britain 5. London: SCM Press, 1972. pp. 119-136 . Cemin, Arneide Bandeira. Ordem, Xamanismo e Dádiva: o poder do Santo Daime. São Paulo: Terceira Margem, 2001. 72

Clarke, Peter. New Religions in Global Perspective. New York: Routledge, 2006. Dawson, Andrew. New Era –New Religions: Religious Transformation in Contemporary Brazil. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007 . Fernandes, Vera Froes. Historia Do Povo Juramidam: Introdução a Cultura do Santo Daime. Manaus: Suframa, 1986 . Hanegraaf, Wouter J. New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in The Mirror Of Secular Thought. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1996. Katz, Steven, "Language, Epistemology and Mysticism". in: Katz, Steven T. (ed.). Mysticism and Philosophical Analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978 Labate, Beatriz Caiuby. A Reinvenção Do Uso Da Ayahuasca Nos Centros Urbanos. Campinas: Mercado De Letras, 2004 Miller, Timothy (ed.). When Prophets Die: the Postcharismatic Faiths of New Religious Movements. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York Press, 1991 . Shanon, Benny. The Antipodes of The Mind: charting the phenomenology of the Ayahuasca experience. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

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Presentation no. 3: Healing the Soul: Shamanic Grief

Treatment Prof. Nahum Megged (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

It is hard to cope with the death of a loved one, especially when that person dies suddenly and there is no time to say goodbye, coming to terms with the separation. One feels guilt for tat unsaid word, that conversation that never took place. In one Mexican tribe, the Huichol, the Shaman, that medicine man who is also a spiritual leader, connecting with the spirits through mind altered states of consciousness, usually by techniques inducing ecstasy, has developed a healing method for the soul together with providing the ability to except the separation. After failing to cure the dying – who is already in the beyond – the Shaman brings the dead person back to his home, where his family awaits, through a complex ritual of accompanying him via the lands of the dead. This journey to and from the lands of the dead shows the dead persons life story. The Shaman and the dead meet the gods in charge of human life, in an effort to find out who is the god who sent the mortal illness, or 'Death Arrow', for every occurrence in life has a reason and so does the end of life. Already in the land of the dead, once passing through a gate one can enter but no leave, the Shaman manages to trap the dead in a ceremonial dance floor, by means of the soul hunter. Against the wishes 74

of the dead, the Shaman, Soul Hunter, and the Deer god bring back the dead to its home after the Shaman promises the gate keepers to return the dead to the land of the dead before the sun will arise again. The return will take place after an exciting night with family and Friends of the dead who remained in the world of the living. They spend the entire night saying what was never said, crying, apologizing for not saying it up until then, and saying "I love you". The dead speaks of what was weighing on his heart before he left. At the end of this all-night ritual, the Shaman – who personify the dead, the god/s and himself through an almost superhuman ability – closes the connection between the worlds, allowing the separation to take place. Pain, and especially guilt, diminish and wither. The Shaman is revealed in this ritual in all its glory as the healer of the soul. The lecture will present the ritual as I've watched it. Bibliography: Hebrew: Megged, Nahum. Melinche – Hatze'ira Ha'indianit shemoteta Imperia, Modan 2009. Megged, Nahum. Sha'arey Tikva, Sha'arey Eima – Shamanism, Magia, Vekishuf Bedrom Vemerkaz America, Modan 1998. English: 75

Aguirre Beltran G. Medicina y magia, Instituto Indigenista, México 1980 Browman D.L. Schwarts Spirit Shamans & Starts, Mounton Publishers 1970 Furst Peter, The Flesh of the Gods, Georg Allen &Unwin LTD, London 1972 Huichol Conception of the Soul” ,Folklore American 27 1970 pp 39-106 Nahmad Salomon, Mitos y Artes Huicholes, Sepsetentas, Mexico 1972 Mayerhof Barbara, Peyote Hunt, Cornel University 1974

Presentation no. 4: Shamanism as 'Psychologized' Religion?

Comparative Views between France and Nepal Prof. Lionel Obadia (Université Lyon 2)

The 2011 publication of the French Parliamentary Report on “sects” in France has put the stress upon Shamanism, an “exotic” tradition French society is unfamiliar with, as become the latest fashionable alternative medicine, especially in the case of moral or affective unbalance. Targeting an indigenous audience (French natives) the shamans, newly arrived in the spiritual and therapeutic landscape of France, are considered but public institutions as ersatz of genuine traditional healers and “dangerous” charlatans. Some of them are traveling “native” Shamans from the Americas, others are white self76

labelled Shamans, owners of the legacy of a primordial tradition. Their influence and clientele is growing. They perform “healing rituals” and organize “well-being” or “curative” sessions for an audience enduring ailments of modern life: excessive social pressure, anxiety, moral and physical discomfort… While public powers aim at preventing the spreading out of these unconventional and spiritually-based shamanisms or “neo-shamanisms”, anthropologists of shamanisms called attention upon the risk of an overemphasis upon the therapeutic and above all the “psychiatric” competences of shamans, while they are as well “priests” and “magicians”. Strangely, then, the extensive psychologization of shamanism in the social theatre of alternative medicines of a Western society (with practical aims) is counterbalanced by the cautious attempts of scholars from the same society to “depsychologize” the image of the antique tradition (for theoretical purpose). “Therapeutic” psychologization and “Theoretical” psychologization stand at the opposite poles of the imagination and reinterpretation of shamanism in France, but as well as the acceptance and reception of the ecstatic tradition there . Furthermore, and having said this, this paper aims at exploring other faces of the waving “psychologization” and 77

“de-psychologization”

of

shamanism:

based

upon

the

comparison between the practices of the overseas traveling Shamans or self-labelled neo-shamans in France, and the tradition of Nepalese shamanism I have been studying ethnographically since the early 2000s. Yet, their cultural features might be in a somewhat sharp contrast, given the fact that imported shamanism in France is a Native American form, and that locally observed shamanism in Nepal is an Asian – Himalayan tradition (which did little to swarm in Europe). But in the scope of a social anthropology of religion, the comparison between morphological transcultural forms (the client-shaman relationships, the aetiological categories, nosography and techniques of curing…) offers a reliable multi-sited model for the analysis of the modes, conditions and contexts of psychologization of shamanism, and provides a more complex model of this process, modulated by contextual elements. Indeed, the Nepalese shaman is obviously a curer of mental and moral disorders, just as is his/her Westernized counterpart. But they understandably do not practice so similar “psychology”, for not so comparable sources of psychological troubles. Bibliography: Casper Miller, Faith healers in the Himalayas, Delhi, Book Faith India, 1997 78

Hitchcock, J T., Jones, R. (Eds), Spirit possession in the Nepal Himalayas, New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House Ltd., 1976 Hamayon, Roberte (ed). Chamanismes, Paris: PUF/Quadrige/Diogène, 2003 Van Eersel, Patrice, Dumas, Didier, Chamanisme et psychothérapie,Paris, Albin Michel, 1997. Winkelman, Michael, Shamanism: The Neural Ecology of Consciousness and Healing. Westport, Connecticut: Bergin & Garvey, 2000. Harner, Michael, The Way of the Shaman. Harper & Row. San Francisco, 1980 Cowan, Thomas Dale, Shamanism: As a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life. San Francisco: Ten Speed / Crossing Press, 1996 Znamenski, Andrei, The Beauty of the Primitive: Shamanism and Western Imagination. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2007

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Symposium A4: Judaism – Contemporary Currents and Phenomena Chair: Dr. Zohar Segev (University of Haifa) Presentation No. 1: Textual 'Tikkun' (Divine Repair) and

Healing Practices in the Kabala Yeshiva Mr. Shlomo Guzmen-Carmeli (Bar-Ilan University)

While Kabala research in the past involved meticulous study of kabalistic texts, contemporary research tends to involve field studies that examine the groups and occurrences influencing modern-day Kabala. In my lecture I intend to introduce and discuss the significance of a number of textual practices connected to the terms “holiness” (kedusha) and “act in holiness”

that are used in the Kabalistic Yeshiva. In the

yeshiva, practices are created from various texts serving as “objects of holiness”; the practices, in turn, promote relationships between the Mekubal and his audience of believers/clients and God. The Mekubal is considered to have spiritual powers of influence over reality in our world and in the higher worlds. These powers are achieved by activating holy texts to create treatments based on the cultural resources of the individual. The Mekubal makes use of the texts as “tools of holiness” to create personal symbols which help his clients cope with their various personal tribulations. This 80

capability is a powerful cultural tool that provides support and solace to his audience of believers. The lecture is based on my half-year observation period in a Jerusalem Yeshivat Mikubalim. During this time period, I observed lessons (shiurim); held interviews with the yeshiva students; was a participant-spectator in a Tehillim Chavura (organized gathering to read chapters of Tehillim together). I also observed personal meetings conducted by two rabbis from the yeshiva and their audience of adherents (or clients), and held conversations with the people waiting on line for appointments Bibliography: Bilu, Yoram, Eliezer Witztum and Onno Van der Hart. 1990. "Paradise Regained: `Miraculous Healing' in the Psychiatric Clinic". Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 14: 105-127. Obeyesekere, Gananathn. 1990. The Work of Culture, Symbolic Transformation in Psychoanalysis and Anthropology. Chicago: Chicago University Press. Fish, Stanly. 1980. Is There a Text in This Class? : The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Cambridge: Mass. Garb, Jonathan. 2010. "Mystical and spiritual discourse in the contemporary Ashkenazi Haredi worlds". Modern Jewish Studies 9 1:1736.

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Giller, Pinchas. 2008. Shalom Shar'abi and the Kabbalists of Beit El. Oxford: Oxford University Press . Goldberg, Harvey E. 1990. "The Zohar in Southern Morocco: A Study in the Ethnography of Texts". History of Religions 29 3: 233-258 . Huss, Boaz. 2007. "Authorized Guardians: The Polemics of Academic Scholars of Jewish Mysticism against Kabbalah Practitioners" pp 81- 103 in Olav Hammer & Kocku von Stuckrad, (eds), Polemical Encounters: Esocteric Discourse and Its Others. Leiden: Brill . Knorr Cetina, Korin. 1997. "Sociality with objects: social relations in postsocial knowledge societies". Theory, culture & society 14(4): 1-30. Austin, John Langshaw. 1978. How to do things with words. Harvard: Harvard University Press. Swidler, Ann. 1986. "Culture in Action: Symbols and Strategies". American Sociological Review 51: 273-286.

Presentation no. 2: Inventing Jewish Rituals: Between

Tradition and Innovation on Alternative Weddings and Funerals in Israel Dr. Anna Parshizky (Western Galilee Academic College)

The pivotal lifecycle events such as birth, puberty, marriage, and death are accompanied by Jewish rites of passage: circumcision/zeved habat, bar/bat-mitzvah, wedding, 82

and mourning ritual. Jewish life cycle rituals have been changing substantially over the centuries; current wedding and mourning rituals too comprise an array of various styles and modes. Some of these new, alternative forms of ritual challenge the monopoly of legal validity that the Orthodox Jewish ritual has acquired since the establishment of the State. Because the State officially recognizes only the Jewish Orthodox ritual, every Jewish ritual deviating from the Orthodox form is denied recognition from the Rabbinate and Interior Ministry of Israel in the case of weddings and from Hevra Kadisha in the case of funerals. These types of nonOrthodox rituals are presented in this study as “alternative” events that challenge and criticize the Orthodox pattern or alter some of its main components. In creating new Jewish rituals, the main inspiration comes from Jewish Orthodox liturgy. Alternativ rituals in Israel is a complicated phenomena, which has at least six social sources: progressive Judaism as reformist movement; “return to the Jewish bookshelf” among secular Israelis also known as Jewish renewal movement; a civic tendency as it comes to expression in performance of civil marriages by “New Family” organization in the case of weddinds; New Age movements involved in performance of different types of spiritual and mystical rituals; the kibbutz movement; and homo-lesbian movement . 83

In the last decades, the post-secular perspective became rather popular in the social science discourse on religion and spirituality. The paradigm of expanding secularization is challenged now by the scholars of religion and society (Casanova, 1994; Yonah and Goodman, 2004; McLennan, 2007; Shenhav, 2008). Distinction between secularity and religion conceived for years as binary, linear and essential has come to be questioned, and many new phenomena in the spiritual field are redefined as post-secular. This term implies a fluid, non-binary division in which secularity and religion are not antinomies, but rather interwoven with each other (Shenhav, 2008). Such new phenomena as unorthodox prayer houses, secular Batei-Midrash, alternative unorthodox rites of passage , which recently appeared in Israeli society, are best understood from the perspective of post-secularism These types of non-Orthodox wedding and funeral rituals are presented in this study as new type of post-modern and post-secular rital. It goes beyond the more customary distinction

between

religious

and

secular

rituals

in

anthropology and sociology, making it a case study of a special interest. Observation of ritual events from post-secular perspective shows that they produce new practices which do not fit into existing definitions. For example, Jewish traditional prayers 84

(like "God, abounding in mercy") and psalms can show up together with secular Kaddish (that is, glorifying the actions of man instead of G-d), modern songs, poems and classic music during the alternative funerals; combination of traditional seven blessings with new personal blessings, or deletion of Gd’s name in some traditional blessings in alternative weddings etc. Such hybridization of Traditional and Modern, Sacral and Secular, Jewish and non- Jewish in ritual practice evidently reminding a post-Modernist mosaic, nevertheless, leaves far beyond such understanding. The religious-secular opposition usually applied in this case is also unacceptable for its interpretation. These phenomena are the part of post-secular and post-modern culture and should be estimated in appropriate way Bibliography: Hebrew: Gurevitz David (1997). Postmodernism: Culture and Literature at the End of 20th Century.Tel-Aviv: Dvir. Prashizky, Anna (2011). Constructing of Collective Memory in Jewish Orthodox and Alternative Weddings in Israeli Society. Megamot (Forthcomong). Shenhav, Yehouda (2008). An Invitation to a ‘Post-Secular’ Sociology. Israeli Sociology (Sotsiologiya Israelit) 10 (1): 161-188

85

Yonah, Yossi and Goodman, Yehuda (Eds.) (2004). Maelstrom of Identities: A Critical Look at Religion and Secularity in Israel. Tel-Aviv: Hakibbutz Hameuchad and Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. English: Ochs, Vanessa (2007). Inventing Jewish Rituals, Philadelphia Casanova, Jose (1994). Public Religions in the Modern World, Chicago and London McLennan, Gregor (2007). “Towards Postsecular Sociology”, Sociology 41(5) : 857-870 Grimes, Ronald (2000). Deeply into the Bone: Re-Inventing Rites of Passage, California.

Presentation no. 3: Rabbis That Don't Believe in God Ms. Reut Hochman (University of Haifa)

Secular-humanistic rabbis are a new phenomenon in Israeli society. There is a growing body of data about Judaism as a culture versus religion; but there is no research about secular-humanistic rabbis. The objective of this study is to characterize humanistic-secular rabbis and to estimate their chances to succeed in Israel society, comparing them to parallel rabbis in the US. The research is based on twenty depth interviews of secular-humanistic rabbis and several 86

intellectuals who write about or speak of contemporary Judaism. Specific Social Theories may contribute the research of the humanistic secular rabies in Israel. In this study two main theories were discussed: The first sees the rabies as a new social movement and the other look at them as an expression of a new civil religion which retranslates Judaism. According to both theories the country and its institution can't deliver enough ground for Jewish Israeli identity for the secular society in Israel. In to this gap enter the Secular Rabies. The findings include three components in the attitudes and role of the secular-humanistic rabbi: identity, profession, and opportunities and obstacles to succeed as a rabbi in Israeli society. The study shows that the profile of the secularhumanistic rabbi is a man aged 36-50, secular, Israeli-born, well-off, university graduate, and a former kibbutz member. The rabbi's identity is centered on Judaism as a culture, not as a religion. Professionally the rabbi conducts ceremonies such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, holidays, etc. There are both factors

conducive

and

not

conducive

for

the

institutionalization of the rabbi's rule in Israel. One encouraging factor is the community of Russian immigrants who consume Judaism as a culture. The main obstacle is lack of need. Jewish identity in Israel is maintained by the state 87

leaving no actual need for an additional mediator. The secularhumanistic rabbi is also short of financial support and authority and practices his profession in his leisure time. This role pattern reduces the chances for carving a demanded and stable position for the secular-humanistic rabbi. This explorative study suggests several research directions. One direction is a field study of secular Jews who follow secular-humanistic rabbis and secular Jews who do not in order to find out if this type of rabbi makes any difference for the community. Another direction is a study of the attitudes of Orthodox, Conservative and Reform rabbis toward secularhumanistic rabbis Bibliography: Hebrew: Acherman, A. (2008). David Hartman and Eiezer Schweid on educating toward culture and faith. Jerusalem: The Schechter Institute . Berger, l.(2000). The sacred canopy elements of a sociological theory of religion. Garden city, New York: Anchor Books. Cohen, S. M. & Eisen A. M. (2000). The Jew within: Self, family and community in America. Bloomington: Indiana University Press . Cohen-Sherbok, D. (1996). Modern Judaism. London and NY: Macmillan and St. Martin's Press.

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Diamond, J. (2004). The post-secular: A Jewish perspective. Crosscurrents, 53(4), 580. Libman, y.(1997). Yahadot hilonit vsicoyea. Alpaiem, 14,97-116. Libovich, y (1992).Am, Eretz,medina:yadot, historia, aktoalia. Yrosaliem: keter. Jobani, Y. (2008). Three basic models of secular Jewish culture. Israel studies, 13(3), 160-169. Susser, B. & Liebman, C. (1998). Judaism and Jewishness in the Jewish state, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 555(1), 15-25 English: Acherman, A. (2008). David Hartman and Eiezer Schweid on educating toward culture and faith. Jerusalem: The Schechter Institutes . Berger, l.(2000). The sacred canopy elements of a sociological theory of religion. Garden city, New York: Anchor Books. Cohen, S. M. & Eisen A. M. (2000). The Jew within: Self, family and community in America. Bloomington: Indiana University Press . Cohen-Sherbok, D. (1996). Modern Judaism. London and NY: Macmillan and St. Martin's Press. Diamond, J. (2004). The post-secular: A Jewish perspective. Crosscurrents, 53(4), 580. Jobani, Y. (2008). Three basic models of secular Jewish culture. Israel studies, 13(3), 160-169. 89

Susser, B. & Liebman, C. (1998). Judaism and Jewishness in the Jewish state, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 555(1), 15-25.

Presentation no. 4: 'As Ridiculous As Kosher Pork': Why is

Messianic Judaism a Special Case?" Prof. Faydra Shapiro (Wilfrid Laurier University)

As with many religious traditions, it is difficult to date the emergence of Messianic Judaism with any clarity due to definitional difficulties. Certainly the movement itself strives to emphasize a grounding in the earliest church, with its blend of Gentile and Jewish followers of Jesus, and prior to any selfconsciously “Christian” identity. The 19th century witnessed the emergence of a Hebrew-Christian movement, in the form of

congregations,

missions

and

organizations

aimed

specifically at Jewish believers in Jesus. But inspired by late 1960s trends in America that emphasized ethnicity and “roots”, youth in the Hebrew Christian movement began to forefront their Jewishness as the cultural context for their religious convictions .

90

There is, today, no consensus even within mainstream Judaism on the matter of what constitutes “Jewishness” or acceptable Jewish practice. The notion that an individual needs to do certain things or believe certain propositions has receded quickly in the face of a modern, pluralistic reality. There is now secular humanistic Judaism, queer synagogues, and Jewish Buddhists to add to the already wide theological and observance divides present in the major denominations of Judaism. Even the basic question of “who is a Jew”–who is a member of the house of Israel–is not as straightforward as it once was . Thus contemporary Judaism is deeply divided on both this matter and questions of Jewish belief and practice. While modern Jews might freely choose from among an abundance of ideas and cultural practices to incorporate into their Judaism, the gospels are strictly disqualified. Yet interestingly, despite this range of response to the question of what constitutes Jewishness, all four major denominations agree that Messianic Jews are not acceptably Jewish, and that Jewishness is utterly incompatible with belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ . This is, in fact, one of the few things that all four major denominations of Judaism do agree on. In this paper I use the case of the unambiguous Jewish rejection of contemporary 91

Messianic Judaism as a platform for thinking about the construction of heresy and its study. What makes Messianic Judaism a special concern for modern Judaism . ? At first glance the issue appears to be a straightforward theological rejection of “wrong belief” asserting itself to constitute “right belief”. I use case studies from Israel and North America to help understand that heresy and apostasy are not an issue of belief—it is not “what you think”—but rather they are a form of discipline that speaks from and to particular social locations, historical relationships and distribution of power.

Presentation no. 5: "Psychotorahpy" – Torah, Judaism and

the Psychotherapy discourse Dr. Semadar Cherlow (Bar-Ilan University)

"From the beginning Man has known that he himself is the most important subject of study, but he also fears to fully realize that study, in other words to seek out his very existence and purpose" (Buber, The Image of Man) Buber surveyed with disappointment the failure of philosophical anthropology to adequately deal with the field's most important question – 'What is Man?' He eventually 92

proposed the dialogic anthropology as a way to grasp the human entity. Could it be that the New Spirituality, the same spirituality which is seen quite justifiably as largely superficial, pampered or narcissistic, also carries with it the message which Buber was searching for? In my opinion, at the heart of the new culture lies a Copernican turning point: it is a turn from a philosophical

discourse

to

a

psychologistic

and

psychotherapeutic discourse. This discourse is the product of the encounter between the scientific psychology which began a hundred and thirty years ago (and its applied branches) and concepts that originate in the Eastern religions. The vision of self-transformation which stands at the heart of the New Age ethos harnessed the psychotherapeutic language which merges both East and West in order to provide tools for Man's process of internal change. Could it be that we needed this Copernican turning point to finally arrive at our human essence without mediation? It seems that the new discourse helps us to discover a new and fascinating continent in which the mythology of psychology replaces the old mythologies and helps us bring about a change in ourselves and our surroundings.

93

Religious Life and the Therapeutic Discourse of the New Spiritualism Religious Jewish society has also joined the discovery of this new and life-filled continent. The psychotherapeutic discourse typical of the New Spirituality has penetrated religious society and brought about a reconstruction of the entirety of religious life: institutions, society, ethos, study frameworks, the religious canon, hermeneutics, ceremonies and rituals, cultural and even the world of ideas are undergoing comprehensive changes. Even religious language itself and the role it plays in religious life are changing. The founding element of the changes occurring in the religious Jewish world as a result of the encounter with the New Age culture lies in my opinion in the moving of the religious discourse's center of gravity from philosophy and theology to psychology, and from the practices of religious life to psychotherapy. These changes in the discourse can be seen to a great extent as the founding element of the transformation. In the lecture I will gauge these phenomena and provide examples. I will show how the therapeutic discourse, whose point of departure is the subject and his processes of spiritual growth is now also the point of departure for the shaping of the religious ethos, the hermeneutics of religious texts, the forming of the canon, the forming of ties between the Rabbi 94

and his community, the methods of Torah study and central ideas such as that of the Messiah which are now integrating into the vision of personal change and spiritual growth. Furthermore, religious language itself is changing its role and is being harnessed to the therapeutic process. In this role, it also serves in frameworks which are not connected to religious society and which have need of God as an anchor of meaning in processes of therapy or internal change. The relationship between these two phenomena intensifies the extensive ties between

the

religious

and

psychologistic

discourses.

Alongside the surveying and demonstration of these phenomena I will also refer in the lecture to the changing of languages between philosophy and psychology, I will examine the boundaries of reduction from one language to another and I will point to the benefit which in my opinion can arise from a separation between the two languages. Bibliography: Hebrew: Garb, Yehonatan, Yehidei Hasegulot Yehiyu Le-Adarim – Iyunim Bekabalat Hame'ah Ha-Esrim, Jerusalem 2005. ———————, 'Lehachzir et Hakisa'ot Limekomam – 'Sifrut Hamussar HaBuddhistit' Lenochach Hishtaltut Hasiyach Hapsychologi al Hamistica", In: Elchanan Nir (ed), MiHodu Ve'ad Kan, Jerusalem 2006, p. 127-142.

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Weinstock, Moshe, Uman – Hamasa Hayisra'eli Lekivro Shel Rebbe Nachman MiBreslav, Tel Aviv 2011. Caspi, Yair, Lidrosh E-Lohim, Tel Aviv 2004. Lieblich, Mati, Ha'adam Shebiktzeh Ha-Ego – Psychologiya Transpersonalit Mifgash Bein Mizrach Le-Ma'arav, Jerusalem 2009. Neuman, Erich, Psychologiyat Hama'amakim Vemussar Chadash, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv 1964. Peled, Esther, Leharbot Tov Ba'olam, Buddhism, Meditatsia Psychotherapia, Tel Aviv 2007. —————, Psychoanaliza ve-Buddhism – Al Hayecholet Ha'enoshit Lada'at, Tel Aviv 2005. Persico, Tomer, 'Ibud ve-Ibud Hamistica Be-'Hitbodedut' Bekerev Mamshichav Hamoderniyim shel R. Nachman of Breslav', in press. Ruah Midbar, Mariana, Tarbut Ha'Idan Hachadash Beyisra'el: Mavo Metodologi ve-'Hareshet Hara'ayonit', Phd Dissertation, Bar Ilan 2006. Simchai, Dalit, Lizrom Neged Hazerem – Paradoxim Behagshamat Chazon 'Ha'Idan Hachadash' BeYisra'el, Haifa 2010. Strenger, Carlo, Ani, Proyect Mitug – Individualiyut veMashma'ut Ba'Idan Haglobali, 2010. Website of Beit Hamidrash Lehithadshut. English: Heelas P. The new age movement. Cambridge 1996 Hanegraaff W. New age religion and western culture. Leiden 1996 96

Symposium A5: Western Esotericism Chair: Dr. Danielle Gurevitch (Bar-Ilan University) Presentation no. 1: From Real to Mystical Biography (the

Prophet Zor Alef's Case) Prof. Ekaterina Anastasova (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

One of interesting transnational new religious teachings in Bulgaria is the Unitarian teaching of the Teacher Zor Alef (with secular name Anatoly Rudenko). The mystical school of Zor Alef (without a huge number of followers) is presented in many countries of the post-Soviet realm (Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Bashkortostan, etc.), and in the countries of the European Union (Bulgaria, Cyprus, France). The Teaching of Zor Alef has eclectic character (its concepts refer or appeals to ancient hermetic doctrines, esoteric Christianity (?), Cabbala, Sufism, Hinduism, esoteric Buddhism, Daoism, etc.) and this is one typical example of such philosophic-religious conceptions in post-modern societies. Zor Alef started his career very young (12 years old), and he proved to be both: a spiritual writer and a charismatic teacher. Aged fourteen, he wrote his first book under the pseudonym that had to become his ‘spiritual name’ (Hebrew beam of light). A year later, he established his spiritual school in Moscow. Now Zor Alef is the author of more than 15 books. 97

Eight of them are published in Russia and Bulgaria in both languages. Now he is a transnational spiritual teacher, who has constructed a coherent system of training (and special mystical school); A healer, creator of a special mystical therapy (Holy therapy), and a very fruitful spiritual writer. The paper is dedicated to the interesting correlations between the real (Anatoly Rudenko”s biography) and the mystical (Zor Alef’s) biographies of the Teacher, and how they are presented to different national audiences (mainly in Bulgaria and Russia), in the context of the traditional and the post-socialist society. It is interesting, that the real biography is much more secret, than the real one. The relations between nationalism and trans-nationalism in Unitarian teaching are subject of analysis as well . The text is prepared on the basis of interviews with Zor Alef and his adepts), and published and Internet data, as well. Bibliography: Anastasova, E. 2006. Ethnicity, tradition, and Power. Essays on Transition ’[In Bulgarian]. Sofia, Academic Publishing House ‘Marin Drinov Atanasova, I. N. 2004. Ljudmila Zhivkova and the Paradox of Ideology and Identity in Communist Bulgaria, East European Politics and Societies, .vol. 18, 2, 278-315 98

Benovska-Sabkova, M. (ed.) 1993 The paranormal. Special Issue of .[Bulgarski folklor, N 5 [In Bulgarian Krasztev, P. & Kerényi, S. 2001. Spirit Awakening at Sunrise. Petăr Dănov and the White Brotherhood: Attempting Interpretation, Ethnologia .Balkanica 5, 79-100 Lindquist, G. 2001. In search of the magic flow: Magic and Market in .contemporary Russia, Urban Anthropology, 29, No 4, 315-357 Panchenko, V. 2006. New Religious Movements in modern Russia [in .Bulgarian], Bulgarski Folklor, 3-4, 47-57 Valtchinova, G. 2004. Constructing the Bulgarian Pythia: Intersecting religion, memory, and history in the seer Vanga, In: D. Kaneff, Fr. Pine, H. Haukanes (eds.), Memory, Politics and Religion. The Past Meets the Present in Europe, LIT Verlag: Münster, [Halle Studies in the .Anthropology of Eurasia, 4], 179-198 Zor Alef 2001. Answers to the non-initiated. Sofia, Vol. I, ANHIRA (in .(Bulgarian

Presentation no. 2: Breathing Together: Spiritual and Bodily

Therapy in Late Nineteenth-Century Palestine Dr. Julie Chajes (Ben Gurion University in the Negev)

My paper focuses on the unusual teachings of the celebrated British travel writer and diplomat Laurence Oliphant (18291888) and his wife Alice Le Strange 99

(1846-1886), as

presented in their works Sympneumata: or, Evolutionary Forces Now Active in Man (1885) and Scientific Religion (1888). Laurence and Alice moved to Haifa in 1882 following an acrimonious split with Thomas Lake Harris (1823- 1906), the leader of a

Spiritualistic Christian community, the

'Brotherhood of the New Life' based first in Brocton, New York and later in Santa Rosa, California. Laurence had been under the powerful influence of Harris for seventeen years. After leaving the community, he and his wife established their own group in Haifa, where they lived in the German Templar colony and in the Druze village of Dalia. They brought with them a practice known as 'breathing together' which they had learned from Harris, in which one re-connected with their 'counterpart' by breathing in close proximity with another person. The counterpart was said to be a being of the opposite gender which was the 'other half' of the practitioner, and encountered

internally.

In

conjunction

with

celibacy,

'breathing together' was offered as an alternative to normative sexual relations and the means by which humanity would return to its pre-lapsarian androgynous state. In this paper, I consider the theology behind 'breathing together' as well as the experiences of those who undertook it, basing my account on archival materials as well as the Oliphants' published works. I contextualise the practice in the 100

upsurge of communities practicing sexual mysticism that arose during the second half of the nineteenth century in the burned-over' district of upstate New York, from which Harris hailed. Although inextricably linked to a theology that seems at first to be both anti-sexual and anti-somatic in its insistence on celibacy, I argue that 'breathing together' was not simply emblematic of Victorian prudery, but rather was a form of sexual therapy that aimed at the transmutation of both the self and the world at large. Its transmission by the Oliphants forms a fascinating and unusual chapter in the reception of alternative American religious ideas in late nineteenth century Palestine. Bibliography: Basham, Diana: The Trial of Woman: Feminism and the Occult Sciences in Victorian Literature and Society (Basingstoke: Macmillan Professional and Academic, 1992) Hanegraaff, Wouter, and Jeffrey J. Kripal ed., Hidden Intercourse: Eros and Sexuality in the History of Western Esotericism, (Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2008) Oliphant, Laurence: Symneumata, or, evolutionary forces now active in man (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1885)

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Harris, Thomas Lake: Hymns of the Two-in-One; for Bridal Worship in the Kingdom of the New Life (Brocton, Brotherhood of the New Life, 1876) Harris, Thomas Lake: The Lord: the Two-in-One, Declared, Manifested and Glorified (Fountain Grove, 1876) Oliphant, Laurence: Masollam, a problem of the period (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1886) Oliphant, Laurence: Haifa, or life in Modern Palestine (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1887) Oliphant, Laurence: Scientific Religion, or the higher possibilities of life (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1888) Owen, Alex: The Darkened Room: Women, Power and Spiritualism in Late Victorian England (London: Virgo Press, 1989) Owen, Alex: The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004) Schneider, Herbert and George Lawton: A Prophet and a Pilgrim: Being the Incredible History of Thomas Lake Harris and Laurence Oliphant; Their Sexual Mysticisms and Utopian Communities Amply Documented to Confound the Skeptic (New York: Columbia University Press, 1942) Willburn, Sarah: Possessed Victorians: Extra Spheres in Nineteenth Century Mystical Writings (Aldershot, Hants: Ashgate Press, 2006)

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Presentation no. 3: The Fall of Magicians: Magical Myth of

Russian Symbolists Dr. Uri Daigin (Bar Ilan University)

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian Symbolists created magical myth, the heroes of which were not some imaginable persons, but they themselves. In other words, part of the Russian poets, which occupy the central place in the history of Russian Symbolism, regarded themselves and some of their colleagues as mighty magicians and the symbolic poetical language – as a language of spells and incantations, which is able to influence human consciousness and even the reality. This myth is profoundly bound up with the language theory of each of the Symbolists. It is rather extraordinary event – a creation of magical myth in the period of history so close to us in a timeline. A research of such phenomenon undoubtedly can contribute a lot to the studies of modern mysticism. It is worthy of mentioning that this original mystical phenomenon is found mainly at the Symbolists' critical articles or speeches devoted either to the analysis of their colleagues' works, or to the general discussion of the Russian Symbolism and its purposes. Therefore, the mentioned above magical myth is not some marginal or occasional subject, but it is essentially bound up with Symbolists' thought and creativity. 103

It is also worthy to note, that the mentioned myth is a tragic one and describes the failure of magicians in their struggle for power and salvation, the failure to cope with both their inner demons and universal evil powers. Thus, Symbolists' myth is an interesting psychological and phenomenological field of research . This magical myth is a consequence of the three factors: .1 Russian Symbolists were deeply influenced by general occult atmosphere widespread in Russian spirituality and art before and after the revolution. .2 Together with a superficial and rather eclectic interest of Russian public to occult subjects, at the same time some serious works devoted to a research of Russian folklore were published in Russia. Russian folklorists dealt with poetical elements of Russian spells and incantations. These studies gave a serious impulse to Symbolists' theory, which regarded a poet as a wizard. .3 Russian Symbolism inherited from its predecessor, French Decadence movement, the important ideal of embodiment of myth in poet's life.

104

The lecture will be devoted mainly to three Russian Symbolists: Alexander Blok (1880-1921), Viacheslav Ivanov (1866-1949) and Andrey Bely (1880-1934) Blok regarded poetical language as identical with the language of spells and incantations of Russian folk wizards the language of dark natural chaos. He considered Symbolists’ bias to arbitrary magic and the conflict between their wish to gain magical control over the World Soul, the feminine power, which creates the Universe and keeps balance in it, and their prophetic and theurgical nature, as a cause of their failure. It is interesting, that Bely in his articles devoted to Blok’s poetry have pointed to the same conflict in Blok’s works. Ivanov regarded poets as both mystic, who embodies in himself the Divine Idea, and as a magician-leader who connects between an ordinary people and the Divine World by means of his symbolic poetry. As a magician, a poet influences people’s abilities and even the whole world by means of rhyme, which was perceived in all times as a mighty magical instrument. Ivanov’s failure, according to his own hints and according to Bely’s version, was a result of artificial separation between chaotic feelings of the poet and the creative powers within poet’s soul. This magical separation was made because of poet’s scare before the power of chaos and loss of control over his self. This magical act left him 105

abandoned inside the pyramid tomb of his dry intellect circled by his own demonized emotions. Bely’s own theory of magical language of Symbolist poetry concentrates on the human consciousness phenomena. It’s a kind of ‘Kantian magic’, which is not bound up with objective reality. According to him, a poet is a magician, who conquers chaotic reality giving symbolical names to things. He as if rises the island of Cosmos from the dark sea of chaos. There is no tragic motif of failure in Bely’s magical myth, still the battle between magician and a chaos, which tries to erase Cosmos, is very brutal and dangerous Bibliography: W. F. Ryan, The Bathhouse at Midnight, Pennsylvania 1999. The Occult in Russian and Soviet Culture, Rosenthal B.G. (Ed.), Ithaca 1997. Avril Pyman, A History of Russian Symbolism, Cambridge 1994. A. Williams, Mallarme and the Language of Mysticism, Athens 1970. Kristin Pfefferkorn, Novalis:A Romantic’s Theory of Language and Poetry, New Haven and London 1988. Uri Daigin, ‘Magical and theurgical language theories of Russian Symbolists’ in Kabbalah; Journal for the Study of Jewish Mystical Texts 14 (2006) 106

Maria Carlson, ‘Ivanov - Belyj - Minclova: The Mystical Triangle’ in Cultura e memoria, Firenze 1988 G. Obatnin, Ivanov mistik. Okkul’tnyie motivy v poezii I proze Viacheslava Ivanova (1907-1919) [Ivanov - Mystic. The Occult Motifs in poetry and prose of Viacheslav Ivanov], Moskva 2000. Lena Syllard, ‘Novel of Andrei Bely between Masonry and Rosicrucianism’ in Russia, 7 (1991) Stefan Zweig, Le combat avec le démon, Paris : Belfond 1983

Presentation no. 4: Spirituality as the Source of Evil in the

Russian Literature and the Provoslavic Tradition Prof. Rina Lapidus (Bar Ilan University)

The essence of mankind's material activity is clear and begged. It is needed for his physical survival, emanating from the most basic instincts and cannot be appealed. However, the essence of spiritual activity is ambiguous, its sources and objectives vague. At the same time, spiritual activity arouses man, excites and inflames him and causes him supreme satisfaction and pleasure. Spirituality brings man closer to God and makes them similar. This spiritual elevation to the level of God is acceptable only if man is also fully aware that he is not really God and serves the real God. But if a person's spiritual activity - such 107

as his intellectual activity, his creativity, his theoretical study indeed elevates him to the level of God, while he simultaneously does not serve the real God but selfishly enjoys this elevation for himself, then his spirituality is antiGod, emanating from the "other Satanic side" A person's spirituality in itself is evil, instinctive and destructive. Its negative dimensions can be neutralized and its effectiveness increased for positive ends if it is guided towards serving God, otherwise it will lead to devilish deeds, to Hell, to the corporeal, ethical and spiritual collapse of the whole world.1 Fyodor Dostoyevsky's two major novels – "Crime and Punishment" (1866) and "The Brothers Karamazov" (1880) clearly indicate that spirituality which is not directed towards objectives of the divine work, as accepted in the Russian Orthodox tradition, leads to the destruction of the whole world.2 Spirituality which does not serve God leads to atheism, to the invalidation of moral values, to unraveling all the prohibitions in the social and the legal realms, and as far as proper order is concerned. Such secular spirituality eventually 1

Davidson, Pamela, “Divine Service or Idol Worship? Russian Views of Art as Demonic”, in: Davidson Pamela, ed., Russian Literature and Its Demons (New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2000), pp.125-157. 2

Pattison, George and Diane Thompson, Eds., Dostoevsky and the Christian Tradition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. 108

leads, from the ethical – and subsequently also from the physical - perspective, to the most horrendous murders, such as the murder of a father by his son. And since God is likened to a father, then this is, symbolically, the murder of God by a person, which leads to the collapse of human society.3 All the above is true when talking of civilized Russian Orthodox tradition and ethical society, founded on basic law and order. However, if anti-religious (or in our case: antiRussian Orthodox) society, such as Communist society, which itself serves the devil, is the issue at hand, then the very worship of the devil by the individual will lead him to upended positive results. An example of this is found in Mikhail Bulgakov's book "The Master and Margarita" (19281940) wherein the Stalinist regime is described as devilish from all possible aspects. Thus when the artist makes a pact with the devil and cooperates with him, he enjoys the longawaited redemption.4

3

Solov'ev, V.S., "F.M. Dostoevsky as a Preacher of Ecumenical Slavic Orthodoxy,” in: Anthony (Khrapovitsky), Archbishop, Solov’ev, V.S., F.M. Dostoevsky as a Preacher of the Christian Revival and Ecumenical Slavic Orthodoxy, Moscow: Publication by the Authors, 1908: 37-59. 4 Ludwig, Jonathan, "The Master and Margarita: A Fantasy of Redemption", Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, 2002 (13), pp. 153-68. Also: Stenbock-Fermor, Elisabeth, “Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita and Goethe’s Faust”, The Slavic and East European Journal, 1969, vol. 13 (3), pp. 309-402. 109

Presentation no.5: Professing Esotericism? Scholars,

Students, Practitioners and the Idea of a Holistic Curriculum Prof. Peter Forshaw (University of Amsterdam)

In a recent conversation with a Jungian therapist and student of the kabbalah teacher Halevi, I was told that 'Scholars read Mystics, but Mystics don't read Scholars'; rather than feeling crushed by this revelation, I had to stop and wonder what had given rise to such an antagonism, to such a simple binary opposition between 'those who write' and 'those who know'. My paper discusses the status of Western Esotericism in the Academy in relation to this perceived gulf between scholars and practitioners. During my years of teaching on the MA in Western Esotericism at the University of Exeter's Centre for the Study of Esotericism and the MA in Mysticism and Western Esotericism at the University of Amsterdam's Center for History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, I have encountered many students who come from a practitioner background and who, in varying degrees, have experienced difficulties in coming to terms with the strictures of academia. Some gain greater insight into the background of their practices, discovering new depth and support for their beliefs; others become disillusioned, either with previously cherished

110

beliefs which no longer look convincing when put under close scrutiny, or with the whole academic system, which asks for approaches that require students to adopt what may seem to be an unduly critical perspective to deeply held values, perhaps giving the impression of over-emphasising reason in opposition to imagination or intuition . Needless to say, this does not lead to all participants seeing eye-to-eye and there can be lively confrontations, with impassioned voices on all sides, accusations of 'religionism', 'reductionism', 'narrow-mindedness', and so forth flying around, and at times exasperation and incomprehension from all concerned. The academic study of Western Esotericism, however, is still relatively young, so perhaps this should be seen as a perfectly natural stage in its development. It is, however, very much a growing field: the Sorbonne has had a chair for 'History of Esoteric Currents in Modern and Contemporary Europe' since 1966, the Amsterdam Center has been running since 1999, Exeter's Centre since 2005, and a new MA program in 'Concealed Knowledge: Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism' will be starting at the University of Groningen in 2012. A learned society, ESSWE, the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism was established in 2005 and INASWE, the Israeli Network for the Academic Study of Western Esotericism in 2011. We now 111

also have the Scandinavian Network (SNASWE) and the Center for the Study of Western Esotericism of the Union of South American Nations (CEEO-UNASUR). In my talk I'm going to give you some idea of what we engage with on our courses, some sense of the varied backgrounds of those teaching in the field of Western Esotericism, or, perhaps more clearly, those teaching the history of this rather scholarly construct, but also some sense of the backgrounds and expectations of the students, the difficulties and triumphs that they encounter during their studies, and what they go on to do with the fruits of their research. Fortunately, it is in no way a simple story of scholars versus mystics, each 'professing esotericism' in an entirely antithetical way, but an account of a broad and healthy spectrum of attitudes and approaches, embracing bookish scholars, students of religion, inspired artists, curious writers, committed therapists and a growing number of occult scholarpractitioners . Bibliography: Wouter J. Hanegraaff, New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought, Leiden: Brill, 1996 Antoine Faivre and Wouter J. Hanegraaff (eds), Western Esotericism and the Science of Religion, Leuven: Peeters, 1998 112

Kocku von Stuckrad, Western Esotericism: A Brief History of Secret Knowledge, London: Equinox Publishing, 2006 Arthur Versluis, Magic and Mysticism: An Introduction to Western Esotericism, Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007 Henrik Bogdan, Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation, New York: SUNY Press, 2007 Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, The Western Esoteric Traditions: A Historical Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008 Antoine Faivre, Western Esotericism: A Concise History, New York: SUNY Press, 2010

Symposium A6: Spirituality in Art Chair: Prof. Eitan Steinberg (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Orphaned Land: An Israeli Heavy Metal

Band's Relation to Spirituality, Identity, and Coexistence Dr. Berel Dov Lerner (Western Galilee Academic College)

Orphaned Land is an Israeli "heavy metal" band which combines elements of heavy metal (including "death metal") music with melodies, instruments, and vocal styles of Middle Eastern origin. The lyrics of their songs have a religious bent, and their concept-albums explicitly refer to religious ideas and narratives; thus, the Mabool album is a retelling of the biblical 113

story of the Flood, while Orphaned Land's latest album, The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR is based upon the ancient notion of a battle between the forces of light and darkness. The lyrics of Orphaned Land's songs are either original or borrowed from Islamic, Christian, and predominantly Jewish sources. This mix of religious and cultural references helps promotes the band's stated goal of promoting peace and mutual respect through music. As is evidenced by Orphaned Lands strong following in the Islamic world, the band seems to have enjoyed some success in forwarding its aims. My presentation will address several questions raised by the Orphaned Land phenomenon. First of all, we must determine whether the band employs multi-faith religious lyrics and motifs merely in order break down cultural barriers, or whether the band has a genuinely spiritual and/or religious orientation.

This issue may be clarified by comparing

Orphaned Land with openly Christian heavy metal bands which are explicitly concerned with worshipping the God of monotheism. Another factor to be reckoned with is the notion that some members of the heavy metal community claim to have developed their own specifically musical form of something like a religion (witness attempts to have heavy metal be recognized as a religion in the UK census). If Orphaned Land does possess a genuinely spiritual orientation, 114

is that orientation Jewish, or even monotheistic, or is it an Israeli variety of a less traditional heavy metal spirituality? Finally, there is the question of Orphaned Land's specific religious, national, and ethnic identity. Here the band encounters a dialectical difficulty: if it identifies itself too strongly as an Israeli or Jewish band, its claim to bearing a universal message may be undermined. On the other hand, it is precisely because the band is identified with the State of Israel and the Jewish People that its popularity in the Islamic world and its willingness to perform songs in Arabic and Turkish can deliver a strong message of tolerance and mutual respect. Orphaned Land seems to negotiate these challenges by openly proclaim its Israeli identity while usually avoiding (especially when on tour outside of Israel) mention of any special connection to Judaism or the Jewish People, despite the fact that all of its members are indeed Jewish Bibliography: Kahn-Harris, K. (2002) “I hate this fucking country”: Dealing with the Global and the Local in the Israeli Extreme Metal Scene. In R. Young (ed.) Music, Popular Culture, Identities, Rodopi [pp. 119-136.[ Kahn-Harris, K. (2010) How Diverse Should Metal Be? The Case of Jewish Metal, Overt and Covert Jewishness. In N.W. R. Scott & I. Von Helden (ed.s), The Metal Void: First Gatherings, Inter-Disciplinary Press [pp. 95-104] 115

Kahn-Harris, K. (2010a) 'A Tango Between God and Satan’: Heavy Metal With a Hippy Peace Message for the Middle East. The Forward Feb 5, 2010. http://www.forward.com/articles/124448/ Levine, M. (2009) Heavy metal Islam: rock, resistance, and the struggle for the soul of Islam. Three Rivers Press. Moberg, M. (2009). Faster for the master: exploring issues of religious expression and alternative Christian identity within the Finnish Christian metal music scene. Åbo Akademi University Press. Moberg, M. (2010).Turn or Burn? The Peculiar Case of Christian Metal Music. In N.W. R. Scott & I. Von Helden (ed.s), The Metal Void: First Gatherings, Inter-Disciplinary Press [pp.367-380]. Moore, B. E .(2010) (pdf). Metal Missionaries: The Assimilation of Extreme Christian Music into Mainstream Consciousness (e-book). Australia: Undark.net. Phillips, W. & Cogan, B. (ed.s) (2009) Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal Music. Greenwood Publishing Group.

Presentation no. 2: Israeli Rock Music in Dialogue with God Ms. Amira Ehrlich (Levinsky College of Education)

One expression of a growing spiritualism in Israeli popular music is the current renaissance of Jewish traditional materials being revived by popular singers and musicians in the past two years. In the center of this trend are ancient and traditional 116

musical and liturgical materials brought back to life by mainstream pop artists of the contemporary Israeli music scene. In contrary motion, the Jewish-religious popular song has evolved into more and more original texts and original musical settings, that, however, challenge the definition of 'rock music' as far as aesthetic authenticity goes. A third, and most interesting phenomenon of Israeli spiritualism in rock music can be found in the non-religious singer-songwriter who chooses to express his own spiritual searching and religious introspection in original texts and musical settings of the most personal nature. Four such album released over the past two years have proved success both within and without the spiritual-religious context: Eviyatar Banai (2009), Aviv Gedge (2009), Kobi Oz (2010) and Berry Shacharof (2011) differ in their location on the spectrum of pop through alternative, but share the common feature of a direct and personal dialogue with God. The originality of texts and fit musical settings create a keen sense of authenticity which is one of the corner-stone characteristics of the rock-music aesthetic. The result is a claim asserting that Jewish Rock cannot just be an accidental mix of Jewish content and rock stylistic features, but must be a coherent whole and an organic twist stemming from both cultures. Superficial pasting of traditional texts upon a lively 117

groove cannot compete with a personally crafted outburst from the soul – authentic rage and rebellious fire that is featured in Banai's, Gedge's, Oz's and Sacharof's expressions. Each of these musicians presents an individual and personal combination of style and content, music and text. Each album can be heard as an organic whole – another important feature of the rock aesthetic. All of them bravely face the painful gaps between faith and reality, hope and despair . The suggested lecture will present examples from each of the albums, and address similarities and differences in the artistic design of these singer-songwriters in dialogue with God. Bibliography: Hebrew: Brietman, U. Progressive Rock, Mappa, 2005. Caldaron, N. Monday: Usraeli Rock and Poetry after Yona Wolach. Dvir, 2009. Regev, M. Rock Music and Culture. Dvir, 1995. English: Regev, M. & Seroussi, E. Popular Music and National Culture in Israel. University of California Press, 2004.

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Presentation no. 3: Imaginal Resonance: Spiritual

Awakening in Response to Mystical Poetry Dr. Dorit Netzer (Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, California)

The role of the imagination in spiritual development has been the subject of much research in the fields of psychology and religious studies. The focus of this paper is the presenter’s inquiry and application of participants’ imaginal response to mystical poetry in psychotherapeutic settings, to inspire recognition of the relationship between the visible and invisible realities, and support their desire for a conscious connection with a universal mystery. The imaginal realm is seen as a bridge between Spirit and human cognition for both the mystic poet and those who seek healing, spiritual growth, and personal transformation. Drawing from the works of seminal scholars and mystics, whose writings address imagination and its contribution to self-knowledge and spiritual development (e.g., Achterberg, 1985; Assagioli, 1969; Corbin, 1998; Epstein, 2004; Hillman, 1979; Merton, 1967; Rumi, 13th century/2004; Sartre, 1940/2004; Sheikh, 1983; Underhill, 1910/1993), I have developed the framework for a multidimensional, creative process that I named imaginal resonance, in which individuals benefit from responding to the guiding wisdom of mystical poetry by imaging the poems and engaging in creative 119

expression to embody the imagery’s inspiration. After the initial introduction, this process can be utilized independently toward increased self-awareness and the actualization of one’s life’s purpose. As a singular experience, imaginal resonance is, indeed, inspirational, but only as an ongoing practice, does it provide opportunities to examine one's own analogical imagery, and how it can provide guidance in terms of one's direction and actions. In this presentation, I will share findings from past and present

research,

which

reveal

recurring

themes

of

participants’ symbolic expression of their desire for spiritual awakening

and

development;

images,

which

depict

developmental directions, such as introversion and expansion; and the visualization of actions, such as healing connections with others, and self liberation.

I will address various

concerns that arise during the imaginal resonance process, such as participants’ tendency to rationalize spiritual experiences, prior to establishing trust in the value of imagery as

nonverbal

Knowing.

Similarly,

some

participants

experience self-judgment and detrimental comparison to others, when their creative expression in response to the mystical poems does not match their inner vision. Such issues are addressed in the therapeutic setting through contemplative reflection on how these challenges mirror similar dynamics in 120

everyday encounters, as obstacles on the path of spiritual development. Of further concern is the challenge of ongoing practice outside the therapeutic setting for lasting integration of the initial awareness of the relationship between spirituality and the fulfillment of one’s human potential. The return to the imagination as the antidote for material and emotional attachments is proven useful in its immediate effect on one’s mindset, and its transformative power, which is not bound to time and space. In conclusion, the presenter affirms the value of imaginal resonance in group settings, where participants share their unique responses to the recitation of mystical poems, learn from each others’ expressions, and appreciate community building around their shared experience of imagination and a spiritually inspired life. Bibliography: Achterberg, Jeanne. (1985). Imagery in healing. Boston: Shambhala. Assagioli, Roberto. (1969). Symbols of transpersonal experiences. The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 1(1), 33-45. Corbin, Henry. (1998). Alone with the alone: Creative imagination in the Sufism of Ibn ‘Arabi. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1969)

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Epstein, Gerald. (2004a). Mental imagery: The language of spirit. Advances, 20(3), 4-10. Hillman, James. (1979). Image-Sense. Spring: An Annual of Archetypal Psychology and Jungian Thought, 130-143. Merton, Thomas. (1967). Selected Poems. New York: New Directions. Rumi, Jalal al-Din. (2004). The essential Rumi (C. Barks, Trans.). New York: HarperCollins. (Original work published 13th century) Sartre, Jean-Paul. (2004). The imaginary. New York: Routledge. (Original work published 1940) Sheikh, Anees A. (Ed.). (1983). Imagery: Current theory, research, and application. New York: Wiley. Underhill, Evelyn. (1993). Mysticism: The nature and development of spiritual consciousness. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications. (Original work published 1910)

Presentation no. 4: Shifting Landscape, Body & Soul:

Immersive Cinema as a Locale Utilized for Healing and Transformation. Werner Herzog, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, 3D, 2010 Dr. Lila Moore (Zefat Academic College, London Metropolitan University)

In this paper I will develop a series of ideas relating to cinema as an immersive locale utilised for individual and collective healing and transformation on the basis of three 122

topics of exploration. The first topic is based on observations made by filmmakers and film theorists who identify an underlying relationship between the modern experience of cinema and the performative, audio-visual elements of ancient rituals. Nathaniel Dorsky, for example, identifies a conceptual connection between rituals practised in the dream temples of ancient Greece, and the dreamlike immersive experience of cinema. He suggests that cinema's powerful impact on the viewers' metabolism and state of mind could be utilised for healing. To demonstrate the links between the structure of primeval rituals and contemporary cinema I will focus on the cave as a locale and archetypal image with special reference to Werner Herzog's 3D film:"Cave of Forgotten Dreams", 2010.

In

Herzog's film the cave is metaphorically and poetically perceived as the "great mother" of the modern human soul which emerged alongside the impulse to image-making, music and ritual magic. In the cave the human spiritual and creative impulse took the form of "proto cinema" integrating the interplay of darkness and light, motion, image, and sound. This happening

induced

inner,

visceral

and

external

experience of enchantment that millennia later found its most powerful expression in the modern cultural medium of cinema. I will illustrate that Herzog's 3D portrayal of the 123

Chauvet cave, that contemplates the origins of religious sensibility and art alongside reflections on the future of humanity, blends Paleolithic creativity and immersive technology to transform the actual cave into a virtual 'sacred space'. The second topic explores the concept of cinema as an immersive, dreamlike experience which has been developing alongside the evolution of technology. I will stress the importance of cinema as a locale, e.g., cave, temple, theatre, cinema, immersive dome, or the shifting landscape through which postmodern people move with their mobile screens. The third topic employs a method for the analysis of screen texts that express the inner life through filmic style which enables the depiction of metaphors, symbols and archetypal images that mediate between the conscious and the unconscious bridging the invisible and the visible. I will exemplify this method by analysing the filmic treatment of the cave's image as a locale for ritual in Amy Greenfield's film: "Antigone: Rites of Passion", 1990 along with a Jungian reading. The reading will elaborate on the cave as a metaphor of the "sacred feminine", and a transformative site of rebirth and liberation.This, I suggest, adds further support to the use of film as a setting and medium for the exploration of transcendental and transformative aesthetic experience and its 124

impact on the body and psyche across a range of media platforms from classical film viewing to multi sensory immersive cinema and media. Bibliography: Biles, J. "Cave of Forgotten Dreams", Journal of Religion and Film,Vol.15, No.1, April, 2011 Dorsky, N. Devotional Cinema, Tummba Press, 2005 Griffiths, A. Shivers Down Your Spine: Cinema, Museums, and the Immersive View, Columbia University press, 2008 Hauke, C. Alister, I. (Eds.) Jung and Film, Post-Jungian Takes on the Moving Image, Brunner-Routledge, 2001 Lyden, J. Film as Religion: Myths, Morals, and Rituals, New York University Press, 2003 Neumann, E. The Fear of the Feminine and Other Essays on Feminine Psychology, Princeton University Press, 1994 McCallum, K. "Visions from the Techno-Mystic Edge", Shift, SeptemberNovember, 2008, pp. 27-32 Pipolo, P. "Making Antigone Rites of Passion: An Interview with Amy Greenfield", Millennium Film Journal, No. 26, Fall, 1992, pp. 34-55 Tucker, M. Dreaming with Open Eyes: The Shamanic Spirit in Twentieth Century Art and Culture, HarperCollins, 1992 Youngblood, G. Expanded Cinema, E. P. Dutton, 1970 125

Filmography Antigone: Rites of Passion, Amy Greenfield, 1990 Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Werner Herzog, 2010

Presentation no. 5: The Spiritual in Postdigital Art:

Creativity/Biofeedback/Kabbalah Prof. Mel Alexanberg (Emunah College, Jerusalem)

In his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Kandinsky uses a triangle moving forwards and upwards towards a spiritually elevated abstract realm of color and form as a metaphor for modern art. Postdigital art in our networked world turns the triangle around so that its movement downwards and outwards creates an earthbound spirituality that sanctifies all aspects of everyday life while reaching out to all humanity in a circumglobal embrace.

It locates spirituality in the

humanization of digital technologies. This paper integrates my research on psychology of creativity in art and science with my mind-body-spirit biofeedback research and my research on kabbalah as a model of creative process at the interface between art, science, technology and human consciousness. My research on the psychology of creativity at New York University and 126

Columbia University led to the development of a conceptual model of aesthetic experience in creative process derived from analysis of my in-depth interviews of prominent artists and scientists. My research at MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies led to the creation of biofeedback-generated visual imaging systems through which people form dynamic digital self-portraits through internal body changes detected as brain waves by electroencephalograph and blood flow in capillaries by plethysmograph.

At Bar-Ilan University and Ariel

University Center, my research focused on kabbalah as a symbolic language and conceptual schema that facilitates understanding creative process as a choreography of the interplay between mind, body and spirit. I applied this kabbalistic model in tracing the creative process in developing my Inside/Outside: P'nim/Panim biofeedback artwork that creates a flowing feedback loop in which internal body processes trigger changes in digital selfportraits and these self-portraits, in turn, trigger internal body changes. This model is a metaphorical way of thinking that reveals a progression that draws inspiration down into the material world from a higher source where originality emanates, from a place that no "bird of prey knows, nor has the falcon's eye seen" (Job 28:7), "that no man has passed, nor has any person dwelt" (Jeremiah 2:6). Kabbalah explores 127

SPIRiTuality as inSPIRaTion drawn down in physical reality through ten stages called SPhIRoT. The first stages "Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge" are derived from two parallel biblical passages, one describing human creation and the second describing divine creation. "God selected Betzalel son of Uri son of Hur of the tribe of Judah, and filled him with a divine SPiRiT of Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge and artistic skills." (Exodus 35:31) "God founded the earth with Wisdom, established the heavens with Understanding; through Knowledge the depths were cleaved and the heavens dripped dew." (Proverbs 3:19). The next seven sphirot are presented in I Chronicles 29:11: "Yours, God, is the Compassion, Strength, Beauty, Success, Gracefulness, everything in heaven and earth (Foundation). Yours, God, is the Kingdom [of time and space]." Bibliography: Alexenberg, M. The Future of Art in a Postdigtial Age: From Hellenistic to Hebraic Consciousness. Bristol, UK and Chicago: Intellect Books/ University of Chicago Press, 2011. Alexenberg, M. "Concerning Down-to-Earth Spirituality in Art Education", NAEA News, National Art Education Association Caucus on the Spiritual in Art Education, February 2009.

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Alexenberg, M. Educating Artists for the Future: Learning at the Intersections of Art, Science, Technology, and Culture. Bristol, UK and Chicago: Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press, 2008. Alexenberg, M. Dialogic Art in a Digital World: Four Essays on Judaism and Contemporary Art. Jerusalem: Rubin Mass House, 2008. (in Hebrew) Alexenberg, M. "Ancient Schema and Technoetic Art," Technoetic Arts: Journal of Speculative Research, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2006. Alexenberg, M. and Piene, O. LightsOROT: Spiritual Dimensions of the Electronic Age. Introduction by Rudolf Arnheim, Cambridge, MA: Center for Advanced Visual Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and New York: Yeshiva University Museum, 1988. Alexenberg, M. "Art with Computers: The Human Spirit and the Electronic Revolution," Visual Computer: International Journal of Computer Graphics, Vol. 4, No. 1, 1988. Alexenberg, M. Aesthetic Experience in Creative Process, Ramat Gan, Israel: Bar-Ilan University Press, 1981. Kandinsky, W. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. trans. M. T. H. Sadler. New York: Dover, 1977 (originally published in 1911). Kook, A. I. Abraham Isaac Kook: Lights of Holiness, translated by Ben Zion Bokser. New York: The Classics of Western Spirituality, Paulist Press, 1978.

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Symposium A7 :Spirituality in Educational Institutions Chair: Prof. Lily Orland-Barak (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Graduate Training around Spirituality

and Psychology: Curricular, Pedagogical and Advisement Dr. Aurelie Athan (Teachers College, Columbia University) and Ms. Marina Mazur (Teachers College, Columbia University)

Teachers College, Columbia University offers a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology to a highly culturally and religiously diverse group of over 100 students per year. The program is a world-renowned training ground for researchers and clinicians, particularly known for innovation in pedagogy and clinical practice. Students are recent undergraduates who are seeking to pursue doctoral degrees, mid-life career changers called to become healers, experts wishing to integrate psychological principals into their field of origin, and international colleagues who leave familiar ground to infuse newly-obtained knowledge back into their homeland. Our students are not of one voice, mind, or body. This chorus of perspectives is necessary to solve the very real-world problems they will encounter upon graduation. In order to meet their professional and pedagogical needs, in turn, the MA Program offers opportunity for specialization in four areas: Underserved Populations, Child and Family, Research 130

Methods, and, the topic of this presentation, Spirituality and Contemplative Practices . The past 10 years have been marked by growing student interest

in

spiritual

approaches

within

psychotherapy,

research, and pedagogy initiated by the groundbreaking work of Lisa Miller, PhD and her original class on Psychotherapy, Spirituality, and Religious Diversity (Miller, 2011), which received among the highest student course ratings at the College. The program has expanded to 5-6 spiritual psychology courses per year, taught by healers and scientists. Students are also offered related research and practicum opportunities through fieldwork in New York City and beyond . We feel that our MA Program is emblematic of the reality that a spiritually-oriented training can exist in a highly rigorous and mixed secular/religious setting. Spirituality is a well researched source of alleviation of suffering and support of growth. Through a carefully crafted MA program, a spiritual context was created by which students could begin to connect the mind to body, intuitive to rational, self to other to transcendent, and see that the seemingly mundane is in fact sacred. We explicitly welcome Spirit into the bedrock of our institutions and programs, to guide, and transform student awareness. This ontological stance dictates an evolved 131

pedagogy. If a spiritual frame or attitude permeates education then any subject matter has the potential for revelation and awakening.

It is through personal awareness of Spirit as

foundational that students build professional insight and vision . From the perspective of academic advising, advisors are supervised to channel a mode of counseling that allows the power of love and spiritual guidance to identify what is of ‘ultimate concern’. Student response has been overwhelmingly positive. They feel heard and cared for, embedded in community, and intellectually free. This sacred enclave within a greater academic landscape while developed with intention, now prospers organically with every passing year. “Education is the lure of the transcendent” (Huebner, 1999, p.360). This ontologically

expanded

pedagogical

stance

is

readily

understandable, and vigorously pursued, by a generation of students raised within a quantum reality, connected globally by the internet and acutely aware that they will need to forge a new

paradigm

for

political,

social

and

ecological

sustainability. Bibligoraphy: Aponte, H.J. (1998). Love, the spiritual wellspring of forgiveness: An example of spirituality in therapy. The Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, 20, 37-58. 132

Astin, A.W. (2004). Why spirituality deserves a central place in higher education. Spirituality in Higher Education Newsletter, 1(1), 1-12. Beitel, M., Genova, M., Schuman-Olivier, Z., Arnold, R., Avants, S.K. & Margolin, A. (2007). Reflections by inner-city drug users on a Buddhistbased spirituality-focused therapy: A qualitative study. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(1), 1-9. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics. Hage, S.M. (2006). A closer look at the role of spirituality in psychology training programs. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 37(3), 303-310. Huebner, D.E. (1999). The Lure of the Transcendent: Collected Essays. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers . LaMothe, R., Arnold, J. & Crane, J. (1998). The penumbra of religious discourse. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 15(1), 63-73. Langer, E.J. (1997). The Power of Mindful Learning. Cambridge, MA: A Merloyd Lawrence Book, Lifelong Books, Da Capo Press. Mayes, C. (2003). Seven Curricular Landscapes. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc. Miller, Lisa (2011). An experiential approach for exloring spirituality. In J.D. Aten, M.R. McMinn & E.L Worthington, Jr. (Eds.), Spiritually Oriented Interventions for Counsleing and Psychotherapy (p. 325-343). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .

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Miller, L. & Athan, A. (2007). Spiritual awareness pedagogy: The classroom as spiritual reality. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 12(1), 17-35. Palmer, P.J. (1993). To Know as We are Known: Education as a Spiritual Journey. San Francisco: Harper & Row . Schafer, R.M., Handal, P.J., Brawer, P.A. & Ubinger, M. (2009). Training and education in religion/spirituality within APA-accredited clinical psychology programs: 8 years later. Journal of Religion and Health, 50(2), 232-239. Tolliver, D.E. & Tisdell, E.J. (2006). Engaging spirituality in the transformative higher education classroom. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 109, 37-47.

Presentation no. 2: “A New Education” in Israeli School

Systems: The Influence of “New Age” Values on the Israeli Educational System through the Development of Emotional, Social and Spiritual Skills Mr. Yoni Tsouna (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

The influence of New Age concepts is discernable in all areas of social life, including that of education. Notions such as

personal

growth

and

self-improvement,

holistic

perspectives, happiness, caring and commitment, attentive learning and experience, creativity, optimism, and the bodymind equilibrium have been introduced into all fields of life 134

and leading to a redefinition of values. These concepts and values need to be expressed also in the educational systems, be it directly via teaching or indirectly through the development and practice of personal and social skills. This outlook is flourishing alongside the crisis in education, represented by the pervasive sense of despair; the violence; the alienation; the depression; the lack of relevance of the materials studied; and the isolation of industrialized educational institutions. While the crisis has set in motion a demand to reestablish authority and to implement a “zerotolerance” policy, it has also caused many to recognize the need for revolutionary changes in education, and led to the advancement and development of “a new education”. New Age values are penetrating into related fields: preventive and alternative medicine; leisure activities; spirituality. They are also suggested as a way to address the new demands of the evolving labor market. This influence is reflected in the dismantling of post-modernism and its replacement by holism, integration and fusion, which are all New Age principles. Thus, this trend is leading to interdisciplinary interaction, combining fields such as medicine, personal wellbeing and education, as well as those of new religion and leisure, and the latter two with education. 135

(For example, the power of positive thinking and guided imagery has been harnessed by all of these fields.) An overlap is apparent also between the labor market’s requirements for handling its information and service providers and the New Age values. A similar overlap in the field of education could lead to desirable educational results, potentially affecting realms such as motivation, peer management, coping with stress, independent learning, initiative, creativity and commitment. The implementation of New Age concepts in education led to a new type of perception, which relies only minimally on empirical data but opens the door to multiple crossroads: traditional vs. alternative, progress and personal growth vs. diminished distress and instability, liberation vs. obedience (Foucault); spiritual growth improvement

vs.

social

vs. increased profit, change

and

self

governmental

responsibility, positivity vs. lack of criticism, emotional and social training vs. inculcating the new eclectic religion, humans as unique beings vs. narcissism (the divine human) These inroads are taking place in numberless channels: in state-run, private and new schools (such as the anthroposophic and the Branco-Weiss); in city-wide or through the individually initiated programs and teaching models. These 136

efforts are meant to advance a long list of desirable goals, which is the same regardless of the different venues and frameworks: emotional well-being; practices for day-to-day living; improved achievement; renewed vitality /enhanced alertness; a widening of the horizons of knowledge; a sense of purpose. In order to achieve these values and abilities, we suggest using a unified theoretical framework to encompass both the disciplines and practices (such as yoga, guided imagery, anger management, and exercising empathy) which have infused the area of education in the last few decades. This unified framework may help define education anew, shifting from the theoretical, ideological and professional aspects of education to education that emphasizes emotional, social and even spiritual training. In this framework, we will use an accepted definition of social and emotional learning, the one proposed by the CASEL organization, which includes the following guidelines. • Self-awareness and management of emotions: as well as attaining a sense of self-confidence based on real-world coping (for example, with stress, control, obstacles, and goals).

137

• Awareness

skills

in

social

situations

and

management of social relations: the ability to recognize and identify with the other’s perspective; maintaining healthy and rewarding relationships through

cooperation;

resisting

unsuitable

social

pressure; conflict management; seeking help when needed. • Responsible decision making: ethics; social norms; predicting probable outcomes; considering the welfare of others. Out of the hundreds of programs surveyed, the new education will be introduced in the Israeli educational system’s institutions using six representative case studies. These will be implemented throughout the country, for the most part with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education. 1. The first case study, initiated by the Ministry of Education (life skills; the language of the heart; from teaching to guiding; class climate) presents a direct and narrow approach to training/learning. 2. The second, based on urban models of leading academic

researchers

(“a

caring

represents a direct and broad approach. 138

community”)

3. The

third

examines

effective

practices

(transformational mediation); 4. The fourth, technologies of the self,

The Michael

Method; 5. The fifth, a meditative case study (Karev); 6. The

sixth,

a

transformational

case

study

(Humanication). Each of these case studies will be analyzed using fixed criteria, among them the declared values and their implementation, the conveyance method, the teachers, the funders, and comparison with similar programs. Bibliography: 1. Wexler, Philip. (2000). Mystical society. Oxford: Westview Press [Hebrew edition cited: (2007). Jerusalem: Carmel] 2. Garb, Jonathan. (2009). The chosen will become herds: studies in twentieth-century Kabbalah. New Haven Conneticut: Yale University Press. [Hebrew edition cited: (2005) Jerusalem: Carmel] 3. Goleman, Daniel. (2003). Destructive emotions and how we can overcome them. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. [Hebrew edition cited: (2005). Tel Aviv: Modan]

139

4. Benbenisti, R., Astor, R., Marchi, R.A. (2003). Dealing with violence in the educational system. Jerusalem: Ministry of Education 5. Tavori, Idan. (ed.). (2007). Dancing in a field of thorns: the new age in Israel. Jerusalem: Hakibbutz Hameuchad 6. Horowitz, Tamar. (2000). Violence as an antisocial phenomenon: theory and practice. Jerusalem: The Henrietta Szold Institute 7. Rosen, Giora. (ed.). (2007). “Life skills”. Jerusalem: The Ministry of Education English: 1. Self-Help, Inc: Makeover Culture in American Life By Micki McGee Published by Oxford University Press US, 2005. 2. www.casel.org - collaborative for academic, social and emotional learning 3. Bar-On, R. (2006). The Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence (ESI). Psicothema, 18 , supl., 13-25

Presentation no. 3: “Poverty and Resourcefulness”: On the

Formative Significance of Eros in Educational Practice Dr. Boaz Tsabar (Hebrew University of Jerusalem; The David Yellin Academic College of Education)

To contemporary educators the attempts to draw a link between Eros and education appears unnatural and sometimes 140

even irrational. A richer and more complex view of Eros reveals, on the other hand, the richness of the concept and its complexity. In my lecture I relate to Eros as a primary and fundamental motive in education. Furthermore, I will argue that Eros is an essential element of the learning and teaching process, and that the complex and paradoxical nature of its operation exposes deep layers in the make-up of educational practice. In order to explain the special status of Eros and its pedagogical complexity, I will interpret Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave” (Republic, Book VII), which will serve me as a kind of frame narrative for a discussion on the educational Eros’ importance to learning and teaching processes. This discussion will start by presenting the epistemological paradox of learning: "That Man must seek what he does not know" (Plato,

Mannon).

After

discussing

its

Pedagogical

implications, I will present a possible solution for this Paradox Using Eros as the "motive to learning". This Eros, "son of Poverty and Resourcefulness” (Symposium, p. 76), is manifested in the dialectic relation between the consciousness of the lack and the indubitable desire to fill it. After clarifying the constitutive importance of Eros in the Education sphere, I will warn against the romantic tendency to view Eros as a spontaneous – “natural” force, which can burst 141

out of itself, given undisturbed freedom. I will argue that these approaches hold an oversimplified conception of Eros as a simple positive force devoid of internal contradictions. Such concept disconnected from its political, economic and cultural conditions of praxis. In my lecture I will address the pedagogical ramification of this tendency. Afterwards I will present the second paradox of education: the paradox of teaching. This paradox characterizes the ethical position of the educator. In order to understand this paradox we must ask ourselves, what would await the enlightened prisoner should he decide, against all common sense, to retrace his steps back into the dark cave? Surly his comrades will ridicule him and would do him harm (Republic, p. 424). If this is the case Why should he return to the cave? The solution to this Paradox lies within Eros, in its form as “love”. Eros is the force that drives the prisoner to take a risk and give preference to the welfare of others over him. Eros is what engenders the consistency to act in the face of a difficult and frustrating reality. At this point, I will warn against the tendency to romanticize Eros in teaching. Eros, I will argue, is neither an abstract omnipotent force nor is it a miraculous energy capable of breaking all barriers. Eros operates in praxis and in the framework of its conditions. Against the simplistic tendency one must remember that given conditions of 142

privation, hardship and low esteem, Eros can be decisive, and if it is not esteemed, cherished and loved, it may burn out and disappear. I hope that the discussion developed in my lecture will shed light on the dialectical complexity of educational practice, and will help in developing basic principles for the formulation of a meaningful and erotic pedagogical action. Bibliography: Hebrew: Plato, The Symposium, trans. By Robin Waterfield. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Bloom, Allan (1968, revised 1991). The Republic of Plato. Translated, with notes and an interpretive essay. New York: Basic Books. Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum. Ira Shor, Paulo Freire, (1987). A pedagogy for liberation: dialogues on transforming education. Greenwood Publishing Group English: Burch, K., T., Eros as the Educational Principle of Democracy, New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2000. Freire, P., “Cultural Action for Freedom, Monograph Series No. 1”, in: Harvard Educational Review and center for the study of Development and social Change, Cambridge, Massachusetts, (1970). 143

Hull, K., "Eros and Education: The role of desire in Teaching and Learning", The NEA Higher Education Journal, Fall, 2002. pp 19-31 Scolnicov, S. Plato and modern education. In: Plato’s Philosophy of Education and Its Relevance to Contemporary Society, ed. by J.D. Gericke and P.J. Maritz (Pretoria, The South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 1988) , pp. 457–46.

Presentation no. 4: Education and 'Body': The Yogic Posture

as 'Body-oriented Pedagogy' Mr. Oren Ergas (University of Haifa)

Recent decades have brought a growing academic interest in the interface between spirituality and education (Wexler, 2000 ,Alexander, 2001). One of the manifestations of this interface lies in attempts to conceptualize mindfulness practices (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, Hanh, 1975) such as yoga, meditation, taiqi and others in the curriculum (Hooker & Fodor, 2008, Napoli, Krech & Holey, 2005, Hattam, 2004). This lecture is nested within this context referred to by some as the 'holistic education discourse' (Miller et-al, 2005, Ergas, 2011). At this point one of the 'blind spots' within this discourse lies in the conceptualization of mindfulness practices within pedagogical terms. These contribute to our understanding not merely of what is learned by practicing mindfulness? But also of, how one learns from them? In 144

simple words – how can we learn from a taiqi form or a yogic posture for example? As part of an attempt to justify mindfulness practices in the curriculum, we need to understand what are the educational processes occurring within the practice of mindfulness despite the paradox latent in any attempt to convey psycho-somatic processes by words. This lecture describes the great pedagogical potential of the yogic posture and its relation to mindfulness. This description will be juxtaposed against the hegemonic pedagogical model within 'contemporary conventional education' dominated by 'mind-oriented pedagogy'. The pedagogical model in conventional schools is rooted in the Cartesian 'self', which poses the clear hierarchy of 'mind' over 'body' (Kincheloe & Steinber, 1993, Eisner, 1996). In his search for certainty, and with his argumentation against the senses as reliable sources from which valid knowledge can be derived, Descartes (1988), in the meditations, disposed us against the 'body', posing it as an object and separating it from the 'mind' as the 'thinking subject'. This approach is manifested in a 'mind-oriented pedagogy' which addresses 'body' only when 'body' gets in the way to 'mind' (Ergas, forthcoming). Physical education lessons are not only very scarcely present in the curriculum in comparison to 'mindoriented' lessons, but are also far from bringing forth the full 145

potential of the pedagogical potential latent in the 'body'. This session will suggest a 'body-oriented pedagogy' based on an interpretation of B.K.S. Iyengar's (1966, 2002, 2005) approach to the practice of the yogic posture. With this a revolutionary argument is promoted in relation to the 'mind-oriented pedagogy' described above, since the practice of yogic postures asks us to treat the 'body' as subject' and thus explore 'mind' as object. Metaphorically speaking, with this, we pose Descartes on his head (in the spirit of yoga), by allocating the 'body' a privileged status over 'mind'. The session will then point to the need to establish an education based on pedagogies which address man/woman fully as body-mind-soul. This means that 'mind-oriented pedagogy' is certainly necessary on the one hand, yet must be accompanied with 'body-oriented pedagogies' and 'souloriented pedagogies' (not addressed in this lecture), on the other. The lecture will be accompanied with some practical demonstrations of the pedagogy suggested. Bibliography: Alexander, Hanan A., (2001), Reclaiming Goodness, University of Notre Dame Press, Indiana Descartes, R. (1988), Meditations, in Cottingham John, Stoothoff Robert & Murdoch Dugald (Translators and Editors), (1988) Descartes Selected Philosophical Writings, Cambridge University Press, Wiltshire. 146

Eisner, E. W., (1996), Cognition and Curriculum Reconsidered, Paul Chaoman Publishing Ltd., London. Ergas, O. (2011) "Spirituality as a Pragmatic Science - Towards the Establishment of a Holistic Educational Rationale", Journal of Religion and Education, 38:2, Pp. 165-178. Ergas, O. (forthcoming) "Overcoming the Philosophy/Life, body/mind rift: Demonstrating Yoga as embodied-lived-philosophical-practice", Educational Philosophy and Theory Hanh Thich Nhat, (1975), The Miracle of Mindfulness, Beacon Press, Boston. Hattam, R., (2004), Awakening-Struggle: Towards a Buddhist Critical Social Theory, Post Pressed, Flaxton. Hooker, K. E., & Fodor, I. E. (2008). Teaching Mindfulness to Children. Gestalt Review, 12, 75-91. Iyengar, B.K.S., (1966), Light on Yoga, Schocken, New York ----------------------, (2002), The Tree of Yoga, Shambhala, Boston. ----------------------, (2005), Light on Life, Rodale, Chatham. Kabat-Zinn, J., (1994), Wherever You Go There You Are, Hyperion, New York Kincheloe, Joe & Steinberg, Shirley R., "A Tentative Description of PostFormal Thinking: The Critical Confrontation with Cognitive Theory", Harvard Educational Review, Vol. 63, No. 3, Fall 1993.

147

Miller, J., (2005), Holistic Learning and Spirituality in Education, Ed. Miller J., Karsten S., Denton D., Orr D. & Kates I.C., State University of New York Press, Albany. Napoli M., Krech P.R., Holly L.C. (2005) Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students: The Attention Academy, Journal of Applied School Psychology, 21:1, Pp 99-125 Wexler, P., (2000), The Mystical Society, Westview press, Boulder.

Symposium B1 :Spiritual-Therapeutic Discourse Chair: Prof. Freema Elbaz-Luwisch (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Confusion of Tongues: The Emotional-

psyche and Spiritual Tongues in Therapy Dr. Alon Raz (The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College; University of Haifa)

In my Lecture I would like to offer my view on the phenomenon I witnessed more and more in my therapeutic work - confusion of tongues between the spiritual tongue and the tongue of the psyche. The terms "tongue of the spirit and tongue of the psyche" are not concepts borrowed from a theoretical model but rather an expression of an emerging feeling I get that sometimes the therapeutic relationships are similar to an encounter between two people who speak a different "mother tongue"- the psyche and the spiritual tongues. The term I use here "tongue confusion" refers to the 148

complexity of the psychotherapeutic relationships that must bridge psyche and spiritual realms existing separately in both the therapist and the client and in the space created in the encounter between the two partners . The term chosen for this lecture "confusion of tongues" is in conscious

dialogue

with

the

famous

article

by

the

psychoanalyst Sandor Ferenczi titled: " Confusion of Tongues between Adults and the Child." That article may be viewed as dealing with the confusion between body tongue and the tongue of the psyche while I felt this era calls for a complementary confusion that we need to address – the emotional-psyche and spiritual tongues in therapy. The theoretical term commonly used to describe the difficulty close to the one I will refer to in my lecture is "spiritual bypass". However, the term spiritual bypass usually refers to choosing spiritual practice or seeking spiritual advice as an alternative to more traditional psychotherapies while in my lecture I would like to focus on the complexity of the therapist-client

discourse

within

the

more

traditional

psychotherapies practiced in the "new age" era . In this context, I would like to offer three major sources of confusion in tongues: One relates to the complexity of the relationships between psyche and spirit; second concerns the 149

gaps in the way therapist and client conceptualize this relationships; third concerning the compatibility of the psychotherapeutic technique to the actual layer (psyche vs spiritual) therapy is based at a specific moment . From my experience I would like to show how the availability of psychological and spiritual wisdom, and more importantly the nature of available information, may on the one hand lead to confusion of tongues and block the therapeutic process, and on the other hand open up new options for personal growth. Bibliography: Masters, R.A. (2010). Spiritual Bypassing: When Spirituality Disconnects Us from What Really Matters. California: North atlantic books . Aten, J., & Leach, M. (Eds.). (2009). Spirituality and the therapeutic process: A comprehensive resource from intake to termination. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Aten, J., McMinn, M., & Worthington, E. (Eds.). (2011). Spiritually oriented interventions for counseling and psychotherapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Cashwell, C., & Young, S. (2005). Integrating spiritual and religion into counseling: A guide to competent practice. Alexandria, VA: Amerrcan Counsellng Association.

150

Corbett, L., & Stein, M. (2005). Contemporary Jungian approaches to spiritually oriented psychotherapy. In L. Sperry, & E. Shafranske (Eds.), Spiritually oriented psychotherapy (pp. 51-73). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Elkin, D. (2005). A humanistic approach to spiritually oriented psychotherapy. In L. Sperry, & E. Shafranske (eds.). Spiritually oriented psychotherapy (pp. 131152). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Josephson, A., Larson, D., & Juthani, N. (2000). What's happening in psychiatiy regarding spirituality? Psychiatric Annals, 5, 533-541 Barnett, J.E. & Johnson, W.B. (2011). Integrating spirituality and religion into psychotherapy: Persistent dilemmas, ethical issues, and a proposed decision-making process. Ethics & Behavior, Vol 21(2), Mar 2011, 147-164 . Plante, T. G. (2009). Spiritual practices in psychotherapy: Thirteen tools for enhancing psychological health. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Hathaway, W. L., & Ripley, J. S. (2009). Ethical concerns around spirituality and religion in clinical practice. In J. D. Aten & M. M. Leach (Eds.), Spirituality and the therapeutic process: A comprehensive resource from intake to termination (pp. 25-52). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Cashwell, C.S., Glosoff, H.L., & Hammond, C. (2010). Spiritual bypass: A preliminary investigation. Counseling and Values, Vol 54(2), 162-174.

151

Trungpa, C. (2002). Cutting through spiritual materialism. Boston, MA: Shambala

Presentation no. 2: Integration of Spiritual Therapeutic

Conversation into Psychological Therapeutic Conversation Dr. Zahi Arnon (The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College)

What is the therapeutic conversation; what determines its content; can one integrate psychological and spiritual therapeutic conversation? Therapeutic conversation is a concept that describes an idea according to which a conversation between people can have a beneficial curing effect and thus can be defined as being therapeutic. The curing effect may be described as a process in which the therapist rephrases the client's words in a way that gives a new, more positive frame of reference which will cause a significant improvement in the client's emotional world. The Narrative Theory is based on this understanding, explaining that the way a person tells and defines to himself his life story will determine his cognitive and emotional meaning. According to the Narrative Theory, people always define events in their life in a manner that gives them meaning; but, some stories (mostly the negative ones) are 152

more dominant than others in influencing their life and thus become a center of difficulties and suffering. The Constructive Theory describes how learning processes described by Piaget as Assimilation and Accommodation, build our psychological constructs through which we define the world and provide meaningful interpretations. The therapeutic discourse is derived from the conscious and the unconscious viewpoint of the therapist. The psychologist manages the therapeutic conversation consistent with his psychological world-view, while the spiritual healer manages the therapeutic conversation according to his spiritual worldview. But the two really co-exist: The psychologist does have a spiritual level, while the healer does have a psychological level, whether conscious or unconscious. In order to integrate psychological

and

spiritual

therapeutic

talk,

the

therapist/healer must reinforce his/her awareness of both psychological and spiritual levels. According to Existentialism, there is an inherent conflict between the fact that the world is indifferent to the human existence, and the human need to feel that his existence is meaningful. This conflict arouses existential anxiety which necessitates the human being to "invent" some meaning. Thus, the so called "spiritual" meaning is nothing more than a psychological solution to the existential anxiety. 153

On the other hand, according to Logotherapy, there is indeed transcendental meaning to human existence. The urge to find meaning, according to Viktor Frankl, does not contradict or deprive the existence of a true transcendental meaning, thus a spiritual meaning. From the therapist’s world-view, and according to his/her personal integration of the psychological and spiritual levels, the

integration

is

derived.

This

integration

will

be

demonstrated through two clients referred to "conventional" psychological therapy, during which they were exposed to the spiritual therapeutic conversation. Changes in original symptoms did occur although the therapeutic conversation was not symptom oriented; rather it had a psychologicalspiritual integration orientation. Bibliography: Hebrew: Brooks J.G. & Brooks M.G. (1993). The case of Constructivist Classroom. USA. Prentice Hall. Yalom I.D. (2002) The Gift of Therapy. NY. USA. HarperCollins Publishers. Levin D. (2009). Travelin between worlds. The Alchemy of the Soul . Tel Aviv. Israel. Notsa VaKeset May R. (1991). The Cry for Myth. N.Y. USA.Norton & Company May R. (1983). The Discovery of Being. New York, USA. Basic Books 154

Frankl V.E. (1969, 1988). The Will to Meaning. USA. Penguin Frankl V.E. (1978). The Unheard Cry For Meaning. USA. Touchstone Frankl V.E. (1970) Man's Search for Meaning. USA. Beacon Press English: Corsini R. J. & Wedding D. editors (2008). Current psychotherapies. Belmont, CA. USA : Thompson Brook/Cole De Shazer S. (1991). Putting Difference to Work. W.W. Norton & Company. New York. London De Shazer S.(1984). The Death of Resistance. Family Process, 23. 11-17. Lajoie, D. H. & Shapiro, S. I. (1992). Definitions of transpersonal psychology: The first twenty-three years. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 24. Nelson-Jones R. (2006). Theory and practice of counseling and therapy. London: Sage Publication Thompson R.A. Ed (2003). Counseling techniques. Improving relationships with others, ourselves, our families, and our environment. New York & Hove: Brunner-Routledge. White M. (2007). Maps of Narrative Practice. W.W. Norton & Company. New York, London.

Presentation No. 3: “Surely the Lord is in this Place”: On

Religious Dreams and Experiences in Psychotherapy Ms. Ruth Netzer (Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and Arts)

Religious dreams are more prevalent than is thought. Common elements appearing in religious dreams are houses of prayer, powerful natural energetic elements (such as wind, 155

fire, and water), known religious figures (such as kohanim, rabbis, priests, shamans, tzadikim, gurus, and spiritual teachers), mythical religious figures from the various religious cultures (such as Elijah the prophet, the Messiah, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Buddha), fragments of prayers, symbols representing the soul’s spiritual wholeness, familiar religious symbols, religious ceremonies, and explicit religious sayings expressing absolute knowledge. The symbols and figures that appear in religious dreams are governed by the dreamer’s cultural character. Freud reckoned that the main motifs of the human soul are sexuality and aggression. Jung regarded the soul as the source of man’s creativity, spirituality, and religiosity, all expressed via dreams due to the soul’s desires to be made fully known to itself. Through the core of the Self, man meets his divine roots. Religious experience does not liberate man from spiritual conflicts and is not an insurance policy for a tranquil life, but it does give life a profound and significant spiritual foundation, and is an essential element of the individuation process for many people.

Religious dreams help man to

connect to the great-cosmic Self (Jung, Kohut).

156

Jung commented that he was compelled to take the spiritual-religious significance and orientation of dream symbols seriously out of the spiritual needs of his patients. My experience with patients’ dreams, as well as my own dreams, contains numerous and unforgettable religious dreams.

Occasionally, the patient will tend to conceal

religious dreams from the therapist due to their unique potency and possibly also for the fear of being misunderstood, not just by her or his milieu, but also by the therapist. A therapist who does not recognize the importance of the religious dimension and is not familiar with the religious dreams of his own , might neglect or dismiss them, or ascribe them with a wholly different interpretation, as if the religious meaning is nothing but concealment for another meaning.

For instance, the

Freudian approach might interpret God as symbolizing the father and the relationship with him. Broaching religious experiences during therapy involves shame and fear of criticism and contempt and, alternately, their acceptance by the therapist involves deep gratitude. In the world of modern western man God was expelled from the temples and suppressed into the subconscious. The subconscious God returns and appears to man in his dreams. According to Jung, the religious sentiment is man’s innate nature, and its suppression is a source for neuroses. 157

The

psychologists Viktor Frankl and William James also emphasized the original religious dimension of the mind. Here, I will focus on dreams that are aimed at returning the dreamer to the original religious experience that was lost to him, and the connection to the Self. We will examine several religious dreams, and study the meaning of each dream and its unique significance to each dreamer. Bibliography: Hebrew: Netzer Ruth. 2004. The Quest for the Soul: Alchemy of the Soul. Modan.Tel-Aviv. Ch. 12: The Self and Individuation as Religious Mission. English: Edinger Edward. 1985, Anatomy of the Psyche, Ilinois. Open court. Hillman James. 1979. Insearch Psychology and Religion. Spring Publications. Dallas. James William.[1902] 2010. The Varieties of Religious Experience. New York: Cosimo Classics. Jung Carl Gustav .1953., Psychology and Religion. Princeton University Press. Jung Carl Gustav. 1953. Answer to Job. In C.W 11. Bollingen Series. Princeton University Press

158

Jung Carl Gustav. 1962. Modern Man in Search of a Soul. London. Harvest HJB Book. Jung Carl Gustav. 1972. The Transcendent Function. In C.W.8. ;. Princeton University .

Bollingen Series

Kluger Rivka Sharf. 1974, Psyche and Bible. Zurich, Spring Publications. Matthews John. 1981. The Grail – Quest for the Eternal. London: Thames and Hudson.

Presentation no. 4: The Therapist as a Teacher: A call for

Transformation - Reflections from a Zen Buddhism Perspective Ms. Iris Dotan Katz (Tel-Aviv University)

The purpose of this short presentation is an attempt, from a Zen Buddhism perspective, to possibly trace teaching/training elements in the processes of mental healing. In the attempt to compare healing to teaching/training we will differentiate Mental-Healing from Psychotherapy. In the comparative analysis we will focus on the role perception of the teacher and therapist, their interaction with their student/trainee and patient, the processes of teaching and healing, main goals and expected outcomes. Starting with basic definitions of both Healing and Teaching/Training, through introduction of core concepts, ending with examples 159

taken from my personal experience in healing processes as both patient and therapist. A mental healing practice is basically focused on mental distress. Distress related to unpleasant feelings, disturbances, suffering all connected to deep emotional, spiritual or psychological roots, occasionally to interpersonal roots. As in Psychotherapy, the primary attempt in the Healing processes is to reduce the distress and set conditions for a greater, basic change. While doing so. The Therapist, based on a well defined setting, professional authority and knowledge, is focused on the “problem and its deep roots”, Diagnosing, Intervening, Evaluating. In contrast, the Mental Healer is focused on facilitating a more basic change in the way we think of suffering, difficulties, and problems. The Mental Healer is co-partner to a systemic, experiential process. From this perspective it is possible to view the Mental Healing process as a part of a wider process of Teaching/Training, although focused on reducing the suffering as a first stage to a greater transformation. A transformation in the

way we

perceive

reality,

our

mental

mindsets,

assumptions, flow of conscious. The teacher who is not physically existent in the whole process, makes use of different forms of practices (opaya’s), 160

focusing on meditations, provocations, initiating questions, giving answers, serving as a model, inviting to rehearse and to expand the understanding. The training takes place in all aspects of life starting from moral behavior and actions, through expanding concentration abilities and expanding awareness. The practice and training is personal and internal and at the same time related to the entire environment surrounding the individual: human beings with different relations, all living beings, nature...The student/trainee is personally responsible to the process he is going through. The training and its outcomes interact with the environment; they have influence on it and are influenced by it. The training and its objective are not separated one from the other, the training is the Path, and the training is the goal, the goal and is the training. Based on the comparative analysis presented above, it seems possible to trace basic resembling elements in the processes of healing and training from the Zen Buddhism perspective. The characteristics of the teacher, his role and relationships with his pupils are often very similar to those of the mental healer. In the healing process we can find teaching and training. In the process of teaching there are healing processes. The healer is a guide to the path; the path is a change which is the goal itself. 161

Based on this basic analysis it is interesting to further examine, in a more systematic manner, the actual modes of interactions and relationships between the Mental Healer and the patient and derive implications to therapy and other healing processes . Bibliography: Hebrew: Tal, I.Buddhismm a short introduction, Mapa, 2006 Walpola, R. What the Buddha taught, Keter Rimon publishers, 2004 Raz,J. Zen - Buddhism - Philosophy and Aesthetics, Ministry of defense publication, 2006 English: Boeree, C. george, Towards a Buddhist Psychotherapy, Shippensburg University, http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/buddhapsych.html.

De-silva Padmasiri, Twin Peaks: Compassion & Insight. Buddhist Research Society, 1991

Epstein Mark, The Buddha Goes to Therapy, Psychology Today, http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-701.html.

Hart William, The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation, Vipassana Publications, 1987.

Nissnka Hss, Budhist Psychotherapy, Buddhist Cultural center, 2002. 162

O’donoghue Mark, A Buddhist Middle Way Approach in Therapy, Journal of FamilyTherapy, Vol 23, November 2002, pp 196-201

Symposium B2: Religion and Spirituality, Health and Healing Chair: Dr. Eran Ben-Arye (The Technion; Family Medicine, Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Effect of Inquiry based Stress Reduction

(IBSR) Intervention on Health and Well-Being Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari (Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center; Tel-Aviv University)

Mind-body therapies are defined by the NIH-NCCAM as ‘interventions designed to facilitate the mind’s capacity to affect bodily functions and symptoms". Meditation, imagery, and yoga are the most commonly used mind-body therapies. Recent

research

has

shown

promising

data

on

the

effectiveness of meditation in alleviating stress, reducing anxiety, depression, and improving fatigue and general wellbeing in a variety of chronic diseases including cancer. The IBSR (Inquiry-based stress reduction) intervention, developed by Byron Katie, is a novel meditative practice used widely in the USA and Europe. This meditative process, named "The Work", enables the participants to identify and 163

question the stressful thoughts that cause their suffering. Participants train to reduce their perceived level of stress by self-inquiry of their thoughts and beliefs connected to stressful circumstances or symptoms. The core of IBSR is simply four questions and a turnaround, which is a way of experiencing the opposite of what the participant believes. This process is simple, powerful and provides skills for identification of stressful thoughts and self-inquiry and that can be easily implemented in daily life. The IBSR-BRCA intervention is a 12-week program adapted for consideration of BRCA carriers' health status. During the process, participants are encouraged to identify and inquire about their stressful thoughts, regarding: relationships with others, Beliefs that prevent them to promote their health, Judgments regarding their body, cancer related stressful thoughts, self judgments, suffering in the future and death. Through the use of self-inquiry practices participants are taught to increase awareness of their thoughts and feelings, to observe their emotional and physical responses during situations perceived by them as stressful, and allow their mind to return to its true, peaceful, creative nature. Through the process of self inquiry, participants take an active role in investigating their stressful thoughts, and enabling them to

164

cope better with the distress related to the possibility of cancer. We will show results of two studies we have conducted on the effect of IBSR intervention on psychological and physical symptoms and quality of life on breast cancer survivors (observational study- NCT01244087) and on BRCA1/ BRCA2 mutation carriers (randomized clinical trial NCT01367639). We will demonstrate the advantage of combining methods of research (quantitative and qualitative).

Presentation no. 2: The Relationship of Religious

Involvement to Chronic Disease Among U.S. Immigrants Dr. Ephraim Shapiro (New York University)

Background: Immigrants may face unique social and psychological stressors that can affect their health. While studies have more often examined the impact of stresses on mental health, they can also affect body as well as mind, in particular chronic diseases, a growing concern for immigrants; each additional year living in the U.S. is typically being associated with worsened immigrant health.

165

Religious involvement, however, has been associated with a range of better health outcomes, especially for chronic diseases. Religious communities play an especially important role in many aspects of immigrant lives while integrating them into society, including health-related ones.

A range of

religion/spirituality dimensions have been used in chronic disease research but the strongest evidence of an association with better chronic disease outcomes is religious community participation as measured by congregational attendance. Further, religious involvement has also been linked to improved mental health outcomes associated with less chronic disease. Therefore, religious involvement may serve as a protective factor for chronic diseases as immigrants integrate into society. However, there is inadequate research on the relationship between religious involvement with immigrant health, including chronic diseases. To help address this gap, this study examines

the

intersection

of

three

areas:

religious

involvement, immigrants, and chronic diseases, specifically whether religious involvement is associated with positive outcomes among Latino-American immigrants, by far the largest U.S. immigrant group.

Theoretical mechanisms

underlying such a relationship are hypothesized to include social resources, psychological resources and religious capital. 166

Research Aims: (1)

Describe the incidence of chronic diseases and related

levels of emotional/psychiatric and health-behavior issues among immigrants. (2)

Analyze

the

relationship

between

religious

involvement, as measured by congregational attendance, and chronic disease outcomes. (3)

Examine whether any relationships found between

religious involvement and chronic disease outcomes varies by denomination. (4)

Determine whether emotional/psychiatric problems

mediate

any

relationships

found

between

religious

involvement and chronic disease outcomes. Methods: Adult immigrants from Mexico and Central America were surveyed

as

part

of

the

New

Immigrant

Survey

(nis.princeton.edu), a random sample of all newly legalized immigrants in 2003. A multivariate analysis was performed using measures of religious involvement as well as extensive immigrant, socioeconomic and other demographic variables. Outcome measures included number of chronic diseases overall as well as incidence of hypertension, diabetes, 167

respiratory problems, cancer, and nerve/pain problems. Moderator analyses involving denomination and mediator analyses involving emotional/psychiatric problems were performed. Results: Over 1500 adult Christian immigrants from this region participated in the survey, representing a wide range of health, religious, immigrant and demographic measures. Mulitvariate analysis results for associations found between level of congregational attendance

and chronic disease outcome

measures will be discussed as well as variations by denomination

and

whether

stress/mental

health

may

potentially explain any relationships found. Conclusion: Analyzing the relationship between religious involvement and chronic disease that may be related to stress has important policy implications. Opportunities may exist to leverage the important role that congregations play for immigrants by creating interventions to buffer stress and reduce chronic disease burden for immigrants and potentially counteract the observation that health often declines with longer residency in their new country. 168

Bibliography: Arredondo.E. Is church attendance associated with Latinas’ health status and self-reported behaviors. American Journal of Health Behavior. 29:502511. 2005. Berkman, L. and Kawachi, I. Social Epidemiology. Oxford University Press. New York. 2000. Ellison, C. and Levin J. The religion-health connection: Evidence, theory and future directions. Health Education and Behavior, 25:700-720. 1998. Hill, P. and Pargament, K. Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality: Implications for physical and mental health research. American Psychologist, 58: 64-74. 2003. Koenig, H. McCullouch, M. and Larson, D. Editors. Handbook of Religion and Health. Oxford University Press. New York. 2001. Lara M, Gamboa C, Kahramanian I, Morales L, Bautista D. Acculturation and Latino health in the United States: a review of the literature and its sociopolitical context. Annual Review of Public Health. 26:367-397. 2005. Patten SB, Williams JV, Lavorato DH, Modgill G, Jetté N, Eliasziw M. Major depression as a risk factor for chronic disease incidence: longitudinal analyses in a general population cohort. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2008 Sep-Oct;30(5):407-13. Powell, L., Shahabi, L., Thoresen, C. Religion and Spirituality: Linkages to physical health. American Psychologist. 58:36-52. 2003.

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Trinitapoli, J., G. Ellison, and Boardman, J US religious congregations and the sponsorship of health-related programs. 68: 2231-2239. 2009 Viladrich, A and Abraido-Lanza, A. Religion and Mental Health Among Minorities and Immigrants in the U.S. Chapter 8. Springer. 2009. Warner, R. and Warner, G. Editors. Gatherings in Diaspora: Religious Communities and the New Immigration. Temple University Press. Philadelphia. 1998.

Presentation no. 3: Alternative Healing and Spirituality in

Japan: A Glance at Fasting Training Centers Mr. Girardo Rodriguez Plasencia (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan)

Since the Taisho era (1912-1926), a number of centers and facilities have appeared throughout Japan offering therapeutic services focusing on fasting as their main practice. Some of these facilities have been founded by individuals who had suffered from serious illness for which modern Western medicine did not provide any cure. After exploring diverse medical treatments, they usually discovered some solution to their health impasse by digging in Japanese/Oriental traditional religious cultures and therapies, such as breathing techniques, energy-channeling exercises, fasting, meditation and the chanting of Buddhist texts (sutra). However, rather than following the path of establishing religious organizations 170

in the likeness of the Japanese New Religions –which were then raising quickly, these individuals designed healing methods through the selection of specific traditional practices, very often divested from the original religious appearance, rearticulating them in the rationale of modern Western science. Some of them and their students have even published books introducing their therapeutic views to a larger audience. Instead of building temples or churches, they established small modern clinics with accommodation spaces for those who temporally become their patients or students. Unlike the new religious movements, these people are not followers or believers who must keep some commitment to the religious institution and spiritual leaders, but rather clients who pay for their treatment. Yet, the fasting training centers and their alternative healing methods remain outside of the mainstream Western-based medical system in Japan, being regarded as an expression of “folk medicine”. Fasting training centers as a phenomenon of contemporary spirituality in Japan called the attention of the author while joining a fieldwork during the summer of 2009, conducted by the Kinki area-based Association for the Sociology of Religion (Shūkyō Shakaigaku no Kai) in Mt. Ikoma. Located between the borders of Osaka and Nara prefectures, Mt. Ikoma 171

has since ancient times been a mountain range regarded as a sacred place, accommodating a large number of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. In the modern period, more recent religious expressions have also established their facilities there, such as Japanese New Religions, yoga rooms and the fasting training centers. The aim of the mentioned research group was then to grasp the present conditions of the religious landscape of Mt. Ikoma, in order to update a previous study published about 25 years ago (Shūkyō Shakaigaku no Kai, 1985). I noticed that the two fasting training centers functioning in Ikoma share many features with what Shimazono (1999; 2004) calls “new spirituality movements and cultures”, also known as “New Age”. Furthermore, this analysis applies to other fasting training centers in Japan. This paper explores their therapeutic doctrines, practices, client-oriented structure and the transformation of the discourse and representation of their therapies according to the social changes dealing with religion and spirituality in contemporary Japan. The analysis is based upon the contents of their websites, publications by therapists, and some interviews with the centers’ staff. Bibliography: Barker, E. & Warburg, M. (Eds.). (1998). New Religions and New Religiosity. Aarhus, Denmark: Aargus University Press. 172

Heelas, P. (1996). The New Age movement: The celebration of the self and the sacralization of modernity. Oxford: Blackwell. Heelas, P., & Woodhead, L. (2005): The spiritual revolution: Why religion is giving way to spirituality. Religion and spirituality in the modern world series. Oxford: Blackwell. Itō, M. (2002). New spirituality in contemporary societies: A comparative view on the Japanese “spiritual world”. In I. Prohl, & H. Zinser (Eds.), Zen, Reiki, Karate: Japanische Religiositat in Europa (pp. 91-109). Hamburg: Lit-Verlag. Kemp, D. & Lewis, J. (Eds.). (2007). Handbook of New Age. Brill handbooks on contemporary religion. Leiden & Boston: Brill. Kuroda, K. (1985). Gendai shakai ni okeru minkan iryō. Danjiki iryō no jirei. Soshioroji, 29(3), 57-81. Lewis, J., & J. G. Melton (Eds.). (1992). Perspectives on the New Age. Albany, New York: SUNY. Lynch, G. (2007). The new spirituality: An introduction to progressive belief in the twenty-first century. London: I.B. Tauris. Reader, I. (1991). Religion in contemporary Japan. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Rodríguez Plasencia, Girardo. (2010). “The globalization of the new spirituality and its expression in Japan: The case of Mt. Ikoma”. Paper presented at the 5th Asia Association for Global Studies Conference: (En)Countering Globalizations: Religion in the Contemporary World. National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan.

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Shimazono, Susumu. (1993). New Age and new spiritual movements: The role of the spiritual intellectuals. SYZYGY: Journal of Alternative Religion and Culture, 1(1- 2), 9-22. __________________ (1999). “New Age movement” or "new spirituality movements and culture”?. Social Compass, 46(2), 121-133. __________________ (2004). From salvation to spirituality: popular religious movements in modern Japan. Japanese society series. Melbourne: Trans Pacific Press. Shūkyō Shakaigaku no Kai. (Ed.). (1985). Ikoma no kamigami: Gendai toshi no minzoku shūkyō. Osaka, Sōgensha. Kyoto: Gyōrosha.

Symposium B3 :Women in Contemporary Theology Chair: Dr. Sharon Halevi (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Satan as the Liberator of Woman in

Contemporary “Dark Spirituality” Mr. Per Faxneld (Stockholm University)

The paper analyzes what I have designated ”Satanic feminism”, from its early beginnings in nineteenth century texts and – more in-depth – its manifestations in contemporary times. For the present-day part of the paper, my material consists of numerous Satanic homepages, journals and books, as well as interviews with about thirty female adherents of 174

Satanism and the Left-hand Path, most of them during two field trips to New York. A view of woman as Satan’s chosen one has been present in Christian culture from a very early date. Frequently, it is legitimized with reference to Eve being the one who was first tempted by the serpent into eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The Latin Church father Tertullian (c. 160 – c. 220 AD), for example, talks of woman as “the gate of the Devil” in his De cultu feminarum, blasting her as “the one who unseals the curse of the tree” and admonishing her as “the first one to turn your back on the divine law”. As this paper will demonstrate, this is considered a very pleasant compliment indeed by Satanist women in our own time . Keywords in this context are reclaiming and counter-myth, as the Satanic feminists today counter-read and subvert Christian myths, like for example the Eden narrative. This tactic is, I would contend, descended directly from the late eighteenth century Romantic Satanists and their literary heirs in the Decadent movement. One mediating factor between the two is feminist literary criticism. The strategies used, for example, when making modern feminist heroines of the vampire ladies in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula clearly go against the intentions of the conservative Stoker himself. But to scholars who do not attempt a contextual understanding of 175

literary works, but rather want to unlock a subversive potential more or less inherent in them, this is of little concern. The similarity to how the Romantics handled Milton’s depiction of Satan is striking. Many propagators of Satanic feminism have been exposed to feminist literary scholarship of the aforementioned kind during college or university studies. As will be shown, academia with its feminist counterreadings thus helps shape the antinomian section of alternative spirituality.

Presentation no. 2: The Paradox of the Sober Believer

Feminist Theology and its Dialectical Relation to the Existentialist Theology Dr. Hannah Kehat (Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and Arts, Givat Washington Academic College)

There is a paradoxical relationship between feminist theology and the Existentialist Theology of Kierkegaard. On the one hand existentialist way and mood are the faith and connection with god without any Commitment to logical thinking and objectivity. The feminist believer does not live according to a rational decision if there is a God and if he commanded the laws of religion, her believe is an existential experience. 176

The emphasis is on connecting, and her religious discourse is immanent deity and motherhood. It's not a rational discourse. The selection of feminists believes is the connection and the tradition. On the other hand, there is significant disagreement between the two approaches. Feminist theology is very critically against naïve Faith and against non-critical approach to the traditional masculine God. The existentialist theology plays an important role in feminist believer's life. The existential and authentic point of departure led these women to cling to their identity and their experience of faith on the way to creating a new relationship with God. Kierkegaard’s theological heritage offers two aspects in this context: Identity and criticism On the other hand, there is significant disagreement between the two approaches. Feminist theology as critical sobriety excels against the submissive position and non critical relation to traditional God. According to traditional belief, God is transcendent and separate from us. Feminist theology of the goddess is like a mother you can meet it and fight with her because there is interaction with god. As an example the ratio of the binding of Isaac is negative: You must not ever do that 177

Religious feminists protest the total commitment and faith as presented in Kierkegaard’s book Fear and Trembling, as well as Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac. To believe as a feminist does not require obedience. The commitment to obey emanates from a transcendental, patriarchal approach based on hierarchal authority, dominance and submission. That is the father figure. The mother figure does not demand submissiveness and remoteness, but rather connection and reciprocity. It is an existential faith but also one that is critical and suspicious, because it is treading in a field that for thousands of years was plowed by men using male plows.In a poem of a famous Israelis poet Chava Pinchas Cohen, she turns to G-d and tell him almost reproachfully: "There are trees and a tangle the smell of fire And saw smoke. With mothers do not plays Hide and seek." Women have difficulty living with an ethos that appears to be tainted with phallocentric, seclusion, a focused orientation towards a remote, external objective, like an arrow pointed at a target. This is where the maternal, feminist theology of socialization, of the refusal to sacrifice the child, appears . Clinging to faith, perhaps contrary to what is rational, typifies the woman who remains a believer despite being a feminist. She has chosen to “dwell with God” as Kierkegaard put it . 178

Bibliography: Hebrew: 1. Feminism and Judaism – From Collision to Regeneration. Tal Aviv 2008 . 2. Women’s Torah study:" The Idea and the meaning. Bar Ilan University, 2008. 3. Currents and trends in feminism in Orthodox groups”, in Ravgoni 3, Van Leer Institute Publishing, 2000, pp. 72-76. 4. Women, halacha and custom”, in To Be a Jewish Woman, Volume 2 (edited by Margalit Shilo), Kolech, Urim Publishing, 2003, pp. 45 - 64 . 5. “Women, images and reality”, in To Be a Jewish Woman, Volume 2 (edited by Margalit Shilo), Kolech, Urim Publishing, 2003, pp. 1220 English: Adler, Rachel : Engendering Judaism: An Inclusive Theology and Ethics, Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia-Jerusalem, 1997 "The Jew Who Wasn’t There, Halacha and the Jewish woman", in: Response 18, (1973), pp: 77-82. Plaskow, Judith: Standing Again at Sinai, Judaism from a Feminist Perspective, Harper San Francisco, 1990. 179

"The Jewish Feminist: Conflict in Identities", in: Elizabeth Koltun (ed.), the Jewish Woman: New Perspectives, Schocken Books, New York, 1976, pp. 3-10. Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling (Frygt og Bæven 1843

Presentation no. 3: A Credible Inner Voice: Orthodox

Feminism in Israel as a Model for Personal Construction of Belief in a World of Conflicts Ms. Galit Yanay-Ventura (The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, BenGurion University in the Negev)

Religious feminism is a personal, ideological viewpoint committed simultaneously to both gender equality and orthodox. This commitment, which seeks to determine reciprocity between values of feminism and religion, poses diverse challenges. It must, for example, deal with the question of why women are sometimes presented in a negative light in the biblical sources; what do these characterizations reflect about the authority of the scriptures and/or of the sacredness of the rabbinical religious authorities, in their eyes as spiritual shepherds? How is it possible, for instance, that the Torah, which embodies the truth, is mostly patriarchal; does this mean that this is God's will? If so, how can a woman, a religious woman, deal with this truth about the Jewish religion? In addition to the cognitive side of the issue, how can 180

she explain to herself the contradictions created in her daily life: why does she sit in the separate "women's section" of the synagogue despite her objection to the discrimination against women that emerges from this segregation? It happens that, when the religious feminist comes to construct her world view, she is liable to find herself in a complex situation: she must give herself a credible answer regarding the various contradictions in her world without undermining or changing anything intrinsic in orthodoxy. Therefore, my lecture, which will be based on my doctoral thesis5, will focus on unique and diverse ways6 in which women produce a world view in a reality filled with contradictions. Through the seven different identities I extracted

from interviews with

religious feminists



traditional, seceder career-woman, interpreter, juggler, female rabbi, and ambivalent – I will demonstrate a variety of negotiations that contain a "central inner voice". I will demonstrate what that "central inner voice" is, a voice that differs from woman to woman and offers a glimpse at understanding her overall identity, I will show how that inner

1 The study was done under the supervision of Prof. Niza Yanay, of the Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Ben-Gurion University. 6 Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble. New York: Routledge.

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voice (or the central personal rationale in one's outlook on life) serves as an ideological milestone that defines the boundaries of her identity and forms throughout, her conceptions in relation to rabbis, community life, family and the renewal of life ceremonies for women. The interviewees' story in the present study thus concerns the very journey itself; and the subject's constant search for a coherent world view in a reality saturated with philosophies and ideologies. The 'Divine Presence', as I saw it, characterized those women who contained a 'credible inner voice'. This was a deep, whole, reassuring voice, which granted them broad support for a range of choices they made, which suited their family life and which had a continuous connection to the reality of their daily lives. The Divine Presence, derived from the fact that in all of the choices (and compromises) they made, their inner voice served as a comprehensive psychological and theological anchor. In this way, religious feminism is likely to constitute an interesting model for learning about the individual's personal construction of belief in a world filled with clashing religions, ideologies and values.

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Presentation no. 4: The Divine as a Verb: Gender/Political

Spirituality in Mary Daly's Philo-Theology Dr. Hagar Lahav (Sapir Academic College)

Mary Daly (1928-2010) is one of the most important feminist philosophers/theologians in the 20th century. Daly focuses on relations between women and the Divine and on the importance of the Naming process within them. In the center of her radical theology lays a conceptualization of God/Goddess as a Verb, the Verb of Verbs, a dynamic and continuous process of authentic Be-Coming. Her spiritual concern, then, is not about Being(s), but about Be-ing. Daly's complex gender/political-spirituality and her radical use of the (English) language made her a prominent voice in the feminist radical movement in the US since the late 1960's. Despite this, Mary Daly is hardly known in Israel. As opposed to her "French" colleagues, such as Simone de Beauvoir ,Julia Kristeva, Luce Irigaray and others, Daly's writings are yet to be translated to Hebrew and are hardly studied in Israel. A Google search of Daly's name in Hebrew delivers about five results (compared with 4 millions results in English)

183

The paper aims to present Daly's work and to discuss advantages and challenges in introducing her perception to spiritual and feminist discourses in Israel. The paper concentrates

on

Daly's

perception

of

divinity;

her

understandings of "women" and "femininity," "belief" and "spirituality;" the ways she uses language as a mean to "change the world;" and her use of metaphors and pre.

monotheistic (pre-patriarchal) mythology

Although Daly's use of language makes it very hard to directly translate her work to Hebrew, her world view may contribute very important insights to relevant discourses in Israel : •

Awareness to the gender aspect(s) and to the political

power-relations within spiritual thinking. •

Awareness to the cruciality of women's naming their

own spirituality in their own words. •

Awareness to linguistic obstructions that women face

as they struggle to achieve a "spiritual self-determination ". •

Blending the dichotomy between the "religious" and

"secular," by the use of political spirituality . •

Blending

the

differentiation

between

"feminist

discourse" (a code name to "secular feminism") and "Jewish 184

feminist discourse" (a code name to "religious feminism") in Israel . Bibliography: Beverley Clack, "Just dare to care: Mary Daly 16 October 1928 - 3 January 2010," Feminist Theology 18/3 (2010): pp. 254-266 Mary Daly, The Church and the Second Sex (Harper & Row, 1968). Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women's Liberation (Beacon Press, 1973). - Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism (Beacon Press, 1978). Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy (Beacon Press, 1984). - Websters' First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language (with Jane Caputi) (Beacon Press, 1987). - Outercourse: The Bedazzling Voyage (HarperSanFrancisco, 1992). Lucia Hoagland and Marilyn Frye (eds.), Feminist Iinterpretations of Mary Daly (Pennsylvania State University, 2000)

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Symposium B4 :Comparative Research between Kabbalistic and Asian Traditions Includes a meditative experiential part Chair: Dr. Gad C. Isay (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1 – meditative experiential part: Mindfulness

and the Cultivation of Virtue in the Piaseczner Rebbe Rabbi James Jacobson Maisels (University of Chicago)

The most widespread Buddhist practices in the west are mindfulness-vipassana and metta, a mantra based loving kindness practice. In parallel, R. Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira teaches a ‘quieting’ technique which combines mindfulness with a mantra based practice for cultivating virtue. Together we will experientially explore R. Shapira’s technique in the light of the not uncommon experience of mindfulness and metta practice elsewhere and see, in our own experience, how these techniques compare to each other.

Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels was educated at Brown University, Balliol College the University of Oxford, Machon Pardes and received ordination from Rabbi Daniel Landes. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago in Jewish mysticism and has been studying and teaching 186

meditation and Jewish spirituality for over fifteen years. He has founded numerous Jewish spirituality initiatives and programs including the first Jewish mindfulness meditation retreats in Israel.

Presentation no. 2: Strategies for a Comparative Analysis of

the "Thought-transformation" Practices of the Circle of the Besht and the "Path of transformation" practices of the Annutaratantra Dr. Menachem Kallus (University of Haifa)

As anyone who has taken up the vocation of meditation knows, one perennial problem faced by all, is how to deal with distracting/disturbing thoughts. Most traditions advise that one either ignore such thoughts so that they dissolve by themselves, or to intentionally suppress or excise such thoughts or dispositions. There are however, at least two meditation traditions that devised alternative approaches, involving attempts to derive insight into the nature of the distractions/disturbances, and effect the transformation of the ‘negativity’ in them. These practices arose independently, under two completely different cultural conditions: I refer to the “Raising of Foreign Thoughts” exercises developed by the Baal Shem Tov and his circle in Jewish [Monotheistic187

intentional-Creationist] eastern-Europe in the mid 18th century, and the Indo-Tibetan [neutral-Monist (though represented

by

personified

Tantric

deities)-Eternalist

cosmology of] the Tantric “Path of Transformation [and Antidote]” practices in the Maha and Anu Yoga of the Annutara-Tantra, as these were taught in the 13th century works of Lonchen Rabjam, and applied by contemporary Tibetan masters of the dZog-Chen [Great Perfection] tradition, such as Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. In both cases, these practices aim to provide insight into the meaning of the distraction/disturbance to aid the practitioner in devising strategies to overcome them. The specifics of some of these techniques may even be counter-indicated by the ideological biases of the given tradition although; the deeper forms of mentation that they bring the practitioner may be nearly identical. Also, on the surface, the modes of division of the psychical-field seem disparate: the Hasidic practice consists of a three-fold process of: 1. Hachna’ah – subduing self-interest and identifying one-self with the Divine Presence; 2. Havdalah – distinguishing positive elements and negative elements in the disturbing thought – identifying the legitimate psychical need that was fulfilled by the transgressive thought, and Hamtakah the insight to fulfill such needs in non-transgressive ways. This process takes place in a three-fold field of emotional disposition – Hesed - Generosity, Din – 188

Judgment/Limitation, and Rahamim – Compassion [the mixing of generosity and judgment], where each of these fields manifest both negative and positive elements [Hesed can be totally self-directed as lust, Din can be violent anger, and Rahamim can be pride]. The purposes of this kind of exercise are both, the growth of awareness, and the concomitant liberation of the psychic energy of the thought, understood as a “spark of the Divine Presence [that was] in Exile”. In the Tantric Buddhist practice, the psychical field is seen as the “five essential Buddhas” each of whom represent the path from the “five poisons” to the “five antidotes” which embody these very energies in their enlightened state [anger/mirror-like wisdom; pride/equanimity; attachment/discriminating-awareness;

jealousy/accomplishment;

ignorance-insight]. Do these traditions operate in different fields? My lecture, employing the principle that distinguishes essential and incidental characteristics, will examine what it may take to bridge issues such as differences in ontological and teleological orientation between Jewish and Buddhist ideologies, which also yield differences as to the purposes of “thought transformation” practices, and asks what aspects would or would not impact on adaptations of techniques devised in the different religio/cultural contexts.

189

Bibliography: Hebrew: Sefer Baal Shem Tov al haTorah Sefer haZohar R Hayim Vital -Sefer Etz Hayim Sefer Pri Etz Hayim ibid Sefer Shaarei Qedusha ibid English: 2011Menachem Kallus Fons Vitae Press -Pillar of Prayer Longchen Rabjam Snow Lion Publications - The Practice of Dzogchen 1989 Dargya-Neumaier .K.Dargyay E-Creating Mind -The Sovereign All 1992SUNY Press ,Wisdom Publications -Lama Yeshe -The Tantric Path of Purification 1995Boston

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Presentation no 3: The Secret of Human Fingers in 13th

Century Kastillian Kabbalah and the Mudrās of India: A Comparative Study Dr. Orna Rachel Wiener (Bar-Ilan University)

The composition 'Sod ha- Etzba'ot ' (The Mystery of the Fingers) found in R. Jacob ha-Kohen's Book of Illumination (Sefer ha-Ora) suggests to contemplate the hand and the fingers in several positions in order to learn from this the very essence and existence of the creator , and 'to know the secret of his unique Name' (shem ha-meyuṣad) as reflected in the hand. The Name's uniqueness is its being made of points only, in 'Sod ha- Etzba'ot', that is to say of the vowel letters YHW. 'Sod ha- Etzba'ot' is unique in the relation it draws between the five vocalizations and the five fingers of the hand. The study of the hand is done using numerical equivalences (gematria) letter symbols, vowel-points and angels of the chariot (merkava) relating them to the palm structure and its bones, its movement and gestures of both hands together. Even concepts of right and left as to hands are related to angels and cherubim. The vowel-points represent the cherubim in various positions. The fingers symbolize the vowels, according to Sephardic pronunciation, so that each finger is assigned to a different vowel sign. The vowel signs 191

and the fingers jointly portray the Creator and the divine hypostases emanating from Him. Like other Kabbalah scriptures from that time the vocalization gives access to various Kabbalistic approaches, as well as reinforcing the Kabbalist special point of view. In addition to 'Sod ha-Etzba'ot' my lecture will review the evolution of the finger motif in kabbalistic writings up to the 13th century, such as fingers and tongue and fingers and palms in meditations . I will also show the relevance of this to what is known as mudras from the Far East. The lecture will be followed by live demonstrations of gestures resembling the mudras . The mudras are hand gestures originating from folkloric Indy dance and religious Hindi dance, from which they passed to the Buddhism. The original sense of the word mudra is a sign, a seal. In the early Buddhism the mudra is acting as a magic seal to attract cosmic powers. This is done by certain palm and fingers gestures accompanied with vocal mantras, sacred syllables. The main part of the mudras is the syllable sounds, and the gestures were intended to help memorizing them. Therefore the mudras are essentially a mnemonic device for memorizing the sacred text. Hence the term mudra

192

transformed into one signifying the gestures accompanying the mantras. Mudras can be divided into three types: those used in esoteric ceremonies; those which appear in the Buddhist iconography in sculpture and visual art much like the Christian iconography; and those used in yoga . The similarity between the gestures mentioned in 'Sod haEtzba'ot' and the oriental mudras can be categorized in three ways: a. relating vowel signs or notes to certain fingers as a memory aid; b. activating body energies; and c. symbolizing divine powers and bringing them to consciousness, such as the Creator Mudra on one side, and the creator and angelic entities in 'Sod ha-Etzba'ot Bibliography: Hebrew: Daniel Abrams, Book of Illumination (Sefer ha-Ora) of R. Jacob Ben Jacob Hakohen, dissertation presented to the university of New York, New York 1993 Bahat Naomy, Taamey ha-Mikra ke-Markiv ba-Tenu'a. Bar Ilan Meir, Hotamot Magiyim. Yoni Garb, Ha-etzba'ot ve ha-chushim

193

Orna Rachel wiener, The Mysteries of the Vocalization of the SpanishCastilla kabbalah in the 13th century, Dissertation submitted to Bar Ilan university, Ramat gan 2008. Liebes yehuda, Torat ha-Yetzira shel Sefer Yetsira Gerschom Scholem, Kabbaloth R. Yaacov ve-R. Yitzhak English: M. Eliade, The Encyclopedia of Religion, New York-London 1987. A. P. Hayman, 'Sefer Yesira and the Hekhalot Literature', in International Conference on the History of Jewish Mysticism, 1st : Early Jewish Mysticism, ed. J. Dan, Jerusalem 1987, p. 71-85. M. Idel, 'On talismanic language in Jewish myticism', Diogenes 170 (1995), p. 23-41. Sir J. Woodroffe, Shakti and Shakta, Madras .1951 Gerschom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, New York, 1941.

194

Symposium B5 :Christianity in Intercultural Crossroads Chair: Dr. Jenny Horowitz (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: "Natural theology” of Arda: Christianity

for Contemporary World? Dr. Zoya Metlitskaya (Moscow Lomonosov State University)

J.R.R.Tolkien’s statements about his adherence to Tridentine Catholicism give rise to the temptation to scrutinize his works looking for the ideas and practices distinctive for this branch of Christianity. I argue that the “natural theology” (Letters. Letter 165 to the Houghton Mifflin Co.) of Arda reflected in Tolkien’s Legendarium should be analyzed as complete and self-sufficient system of historical facts and inner beliefs; and that such an analysis may reveal some features that differ dramatically from Christian doctrine, though morals, virtues and ethical values of Arda entirely coincide with the Christian ones. Initially Men had to be co-creators of Eru in the creation of Arda Healed (See Morgoth’s Ring. Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth), but they fell.

The essence of the

Fall is not

disobedience or distrust, but explicitly declared change of loyalty (Morgoth’s Ring. The Tale of Adanel). This Fall was redeemed by the heroic declaration of Hurin (the man, not God-man) who had said to the Enemy: “You are not the Lord 195

of Men, and shall not be” (The Children of Hurin. The words of Hurin and Morgoth) and by the sufferings of Hurin and his kinsmen. Thus, from the time of Hurin Men are not fallen, thought fallible, due to genuine fallibility of all nature in Arda Marred. Men faces with incarnate Evil dwelling in earthly world; they have no other means to communicate with God but the voice in their hearts, and no other means to withstand the Enemy but their free will. (Cf. Letters. Letter 156 to Robert Murrey, S.J.). But Evil has no power over Men after they died, because they leave the circles of Arda and there are no ideas of after-death punishment or reward at all. To sum up: the “natural theology” of Arda implies far more immediate and intimate relations between Men and God based on the personal and communal loyalty to the Lord. What God wants from Men are not submission, obedience and trust in the future reward, but deeds to make the world better.

In the

absence of “religion” as a system of commandments and rituals,

Men

have

more

freedom

and

much

more

responsibility. In the absence of “grace”, transmitted through the Church, the only weapon for withstanding Evil in the world and in the human heart is free will. One may notice the striking parallels (such as men’s responsibility for the world; priority of the deeds and inner faith over the rituals and obedience; trust in the good free will) 196

between such theology and some elements of contemporary ecumenical and syncretic spirituality. Meanwhile, “theology of Arda” is entirely free of philosophical conceptions and social agendas, which influences theological reflections of contemporary liberal religious thinkers. It reveals spiritual ideas that are in accordance with our contemporary experience and at the same time applies to the audience that needs the personal “God of Abraham, Issac and Iacob”, and not “the God of philosophers”. Doesn’t the overwhelming success of Tolkien’s books arises to some extent from this fact? Doesn’t he create the version of Christianity we now need? Bibliography: Carpenter, Humphrey; Tolkien, Christofer (ed). Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. (London: George Allen and Unwin, 1981). Tolkien, Christofer (ed). Morgoth's Ring (London: HarperCollins,1993). Tolkien, Christofer (ed). The Silmarillion (London: George Allen and Unwin, 1977). Tolkien, Christofer (ed). Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth (London: George Allen and Unwin, 1980) Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. The Lord of the Rings (London: George Allen and Unwin, 1977). Madsen, Catherine. “Light from an Invisible Lamp”: Natural Religion in the Lord of the Rings, Mythlore 1988 Spring (14 (53):43-47) 197

Flieger, Verlyn . Splintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkien's World ( Kent State University Press, 2002). Caldecott, Stradford. Secret Fire: The Spiritual Vision of J.R.R.Tolkien (London: darton, Longman&Todd, 2003). Holder, Arthur (ed). The Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007) Lynch, Gordon, The New Spirituality: an Introduction to Progressive Belief in the Twenty-first Century (London: I.B.Tauris &Co LTD, 2007) Kung Hans (transl. by John Bowden). Tracing the Way: Spiritual Demensions of the World Religions (London: Continuum, 2002).

Presentation no. 2: The Narrative and Educational

Philosophy of Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel Dr. Arie Kizel (University of Haifa)

The Association of Saint James was founded in 1955 as a Catholic association dedicated to developing Hebrew-speaking Catholic communities in the State of Israel. The Association constitutes a Vicariate within the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Today, Hebrew speaking communities are active in 198

the four major Israeli cities. The communities include mosaic of humans mainly Israeli civilians that are active in the country and in the Israeli society. The Vicariate maintains a presence in different locations in Israel and must develop this presence by building the necessary facilities – churches and community centers. It publishes liturgical books, news sheets and other Christian material in Hebrew. The Vicariate has a developing educational mission both within the Church and within Jewish society in Israel in order to cultivate and nurture reconciliation and understanding between the Church and the Jewish people. The Vicariate provides a Catholic formation for young Hebrew-speaking members, encouraging them to find their place within Israeli society and within the Church. The communities faced a complex challenges. Among them to bear witness, as an integral part of the Church in the Holy Land, to the values of peace and justice, pardon and reconciliation within a context of violence and war. The communities experience clashed narrative in a personal aspect, as well as in the family and community sense especially during the interaction with the Jewish-Zionist hegemonic narrative of the Israeli country and the secular Israeli-Jewish reality and its opportunities. 199

The Lecture will open with a review of the history of the communities focusing on the undergone changes over the years and their various challenges. We will focus on the comprehensive study about the narrative of the communities facing the Arab and the Christian community, the orthodox and religious Jewish society and the secular Jewish-Israeli society. Central part of the lecture will present the philosophical and theological dimensions of the educational work among the younger generation of the communities and the extensive deliberations and concerns among parents and priests. In addition, we will expose an analysis of the unique textbooks that are used in the communities and their role in the theological education Bibliography: Hebrew: Marienberg, E. (2010). Catholicism Now: An Introduction to the Contemporary Catholic Church. Jerusalem: Carmel Pavlovsky, G. (2009). Meet the Messiah. Jerusalem: Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel (2010). Meet the Church. Jerusalem: Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking

200

Catholics in IsraelKarplus Rivka (2008). "Revue catholique international". COMMUNIO, XXXIII, 3 English: Neuhaus David M. (2002). "Kehilla, Church and Jewish People". Mishkan, 36, 78-86. Neuhaus David M. (2005). "New Wine in Old Wineskins: Russians, Jews and Non-Jews in the State of Israel". Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, 57/3-4, 207-236

Presentation no. 3: Christianity in Korea: From antagonist

and marginal to the center stage player Dr. Alon Levkowitz (Bar Ilan University)

Christianity faced a long and bumpy road in the Korean Peninsula. From a marginal religion persecuted by the Korean central government to an important player in the South Korean political arena, even though Christianity is not a "political religion" in South Korea. The introduction of Christianity to Korea in the 18-19 centuries was very difficult. Thousands of Christians were executed by the Korean Chosŏn dynasty. However, Christianity was able to settle down in Korea and increase the number of believers in the Korean Peninsula despite the existential threats to the new converts. At the end of the 19th century Christian churches realized that one of the 201

most effective means to consolidate their position in Korea, reduce the fear and antagonism against them was through education and medicine. Christian organizations established schools, universities and hospitals which were used as a means for conveying Christian Koreans throughout the peninsula. One of the most prominent examples is the Yonsei University, considered one of the most prestigious in South Korea. The Yonsei University's hospital established in 1885 by the American Presbyterian missionary, and served as a tool for conveying the new Korean Christian believers. During the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), Christian churches were able to differentiate themselves from the West that "abandoned" Korea during the Japanese occupation, and support the national struggle against the occupying Japanese. This differentiation and the support of the protest against the Japanese occupation was another step in establishing its position on the peninsula. Many Christians participated in the Korean Declaration of Independence during the Japanese occupation of Korea (March 1, 1919), some of them were killed and wounded by the Japanese occupation forces. Christian's standing alongside the Koreans during the struggle against the Japanese occupation increased the positive feelings toward Christianity. During the Korean War the U.S. Army was faced with a problem, dealing with millions of refugees who migrated during the Korean War (1950-53). The U.S. 202

military called upon civilian organizations for assistance. Of the 22 NGOs who helped the army, 16 of them were Christian. The Churches helped refugees and expanded the circle of believers through "Christian Rice", food and words of God to the needy. Christian churches did not abandon Korea after the Korean War and continued to assist the Korean people in the fight against the injustices of the South Korean governments. The status of the Churches in Korea expanded over the years and the impact of Christianity infiltrated even to the political and economic Korean elite. Christian communities began to act as social and economic networks and increased their influence within and outside their community. The current president of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, is an example of the success of Christianity in Korea, from a marginal and persecuted religion to a major factor in modern Korea.

Bibliography: Baker Don (2008). Korean Spirituality. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Buswell E. Robert (ed.) (2007). Religions of Korea in Practice. Oxford: Princeton University Press. Buswell E. Robert and Timothy S Lee (ed.) (2007). Christianity in Korea. Honolulu: University of Hawaiṣi Press. 203

Clark N Donald (1986). Christianity in Modern Korea. Lanham: University Press of America Grayson James Huntley (2002). Korea – A Religious History. London: RoutledgeCurzon. Kang Wi Ho (1997). Christ and Caesar in Modern Korea. New York: State University of New York Press. Kim C H Sebastian (ed.) (2008). Christian theology in Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. Man-gil Kang (2006). A History of Contemporary Korea. Folkestone: Global Oriental

Symposium B6 :Social Justice and Activism – Spiritual Aspects (Includes an experiential part) Chair: Prof. Yossi Yona (Ben-Gurion University in the Negev) Presentation no. 1: How to Create a Paradise on Earth ? –

An Experimental Process Mr. Eyal Slonim (Love Revolution)

Viewing the collective consciousness in 2012 we find it is self-centered and selfish. All in all Man is still a very violent and materialistic being. Many are suffering from this egoistic mentality, which brings with it emotional depression and 204

confusion from the existential point of view. Conservative religion has been rightly denied as the moral source and as a spiritual and ethical frame. Social structures and economicenvironmental-political structures reflect this selfishness, and also reflect the pathology global pathology of the human mind. It is clear that the challenges of nowadays call up to us to make changes. Not small change, but a revolution. The revolution must first be a revolution of the mind. We need to put the heart in the center of life. This should not be a consumer revolution or even a civil one, it should be a human revolution. A society that lives in a human consciousness is almost an ideal society, where such giving is a precious value much more than the requirement to receive. When the heart is in the right place, in the center of life, it will cause all other parts of life to find their correct place in a spontaneous fashion. In the lecture we realize and submit to this new-old vision which is actually old as life itself. it is the return to the lost paradise we had never truly left. The mind cannot grasp this vision, but the emotional experience can not disagree with it.

Mr. Eyal Slonim, a visionary, holistic psychotherapist, member of various non-profit organizations that work to 205

change the reality of all of us. He is one of the founders of the "Love Revolution", a movement connecting hundreds of people and groups and communities. Once this network lead together as one big global group, an irresistible new world order will transform. Eyal Slonim's website: www.LoveArtist.net Love Revolution's: www.LoveRevolution.co.il

Presentation no. 2: The Spirit of the Protest Dr. Erella Shadmi (Beit Berl College)

I have twice experienced a sense of

exhilaration, what is

often called "the Wahoo Sense," during my feminist activism: With the recognition that the responsibility for my failures lies with the social structure rather than with me, and with the sense of meaning that activism gives us. Yet, elevation, in the spiritual sense, I (and probably others) felt only in face of the mass protest of Summer 2011: For the first time I felt this great togetherness, belonging to something bigger than myself. Spirituality has many definitions, but one of my favorites says, simply, that it is "some type of heightened emotional experience, such as the uplift one feels when listening to 206

beautiful music, or the sense of warm togetherness one feels in the midst of a powerful communal experience” (Schuman 2005) This sense of elevation means connectedness with the world around me, wonder in face of the amazing, mysterious and incomprehensible sides of life, and particularly – in face of this new togetherness. This connectedness, spiritual in nature, has been largely absent here in Israel (but not so much in Europe, the USA and, naturally, among First Nations) among social change movements. Spirituality, however, is more than one moment of transformation: it is processual and experiential (Hinterkopf 1998). As such, the spirit of the protest goes beyond the sense of elevation in its various dimensions. This paper will survey some of them, including: the desire for harmony and balance; the tent symbol; the inclusion ability; vision of an alternative society; interconnectedness; belonging and community; and the gift economy. This paper aims, on one hand, to expand the discourse prevalent in Israel regarding social change movements including the Tent Protest - beyond social, economic and political aspects so that it will relate to spiritual aspects as well. It is worth noting that the use of concepts such as empowerment, liberation, healing and today also activists' wellbeing (let alone ecofeminism and paganism, especially in 207

European and American movements) indicates that spiritual elements have always been a part of social activism. On the other hand, it seems that the Tent Protest activists ignore, or at least are unaware of, the spiritual dimensions of their actions. This paper will attempt to illuminate these notions with the hope that they will lead the activists to go beyond the so important recommendations of the Spivak-Yona Committee so as to reinforce and preserve the right balance between society and spirit, action and thrill, wisdom and spirituality. Bibliography: Hebrew: Garrett, J.T. and Michael Garrett (1996). Medicine of the Cherokee: The Way of Right Rekationships, bear Company. Noy, Dror (2011) , Tent is A Symbol, Preference or the Goal HTTP://j14.org.il/articles/8135 English: Bodhi, Bhikkhu. The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html Retrieved on Nov. 4, 2011. Faver, Catherine A (2000), To Run and Not Be Weary: Spirituality and Women's Activism. Review of Religious Research 42 (1): 61-78. Goldstein, Carla. Spiritual Activism: Co-creating The World We Seek 208

http://www.feminist.com/activism/spiritualactivism1.html Retrieved on October 30, 2011. Hinterkopf, Elfie (1998). Integrating Spirituality in Counseling: A Manual for Using the Experiential Focusing Method, published by the American Counseling Association. Chapter 7. Prothero, S. (1991). On the Holy Road: The Beat Movement as Spiritual Protest. Harvard Theological Review 84 (2). http://thebeatgeneration.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/onthe-holy-road.pdf Schuman, Joseph , Self or Other? Spirituality or Social Justice? http://www.ethicalfocus.org/dr-joe-chuman/chuman-platforms/132-self-orother-spirituality-or-social-justice Shane, Paul G ,Secular Jewish Spirituality http://www.vcn.bc.ca/outlook/library/articles/secular_humanism/p05spiritu ality.htm Retrieved on Nov 1, 2011. Welch ,Christina (2010), The Spirituality of, and at, Greenham Common PeaceCamp, Feminist Theology January 18( 2): 230-248. Von Werlhof, Claudia (2010), The Interconnectedness of All Being: A New Spirituality for A New Civilization, New Paradigm 4(1.) Vaughn, Genevieve (1997), For-Giving: A Feminist Criticism of Exchange, Austin, Texas: Plain View Press. Von Werlhof, Claudia (2009), Social movement, society, education and science today, study conditions, practical consequences http://emanzipationhumanum.de/downloads/studentmovement.pdf Retrieved on July 1 2010. 209

Presentation no. 3: New Age Discourse and the 2011 Social

Protests- A Rhetorical Analysis Dr. Sharon Avital (Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya)

This paper investigates the influence of New Age discourse on the social protests that took place in Israel over the summer of 2011 and is a part of a larger book project that analyses the rhetoric of the social protest in Israel in their global context. It is inspired by my own scholarships in Rhetoric, religion and social justice as well as by my own spiritual practice and activism. Journalists and academics have so far focused on the sociological and economical context that inspired and fueled the social protests and have tended to ignore the major influences of the contemporary spiritual and popular discourse. However, this paper claims that the spirit and rhetoric of contemporary spirituality had been a major source of influence as can be reflected by examining the rhetoric used in the recent revolutionary uprisings. I begin with an explanation of the method of rhetorical analysis and continue with a more concrete description of the presentation . A rhetorical approach in the context of religious rhetoric and human rights discourse considers the connections between form and content, the implications of language and symbolism by examining the hierarchical significance of words, definitions,

re-definitions,

symbols 210

designating

social

groupings, myths, rituals, symbolic images, and the like. In other words, a rhetorical approach to human rights documents, debates, and artifacts scrutinizes symbolic actions constructing identifications and divisions among individuals and social groups (burke, a rhetoric. Xiii-xiv), and it examines the development and reproduction of hierarchies—political power, economic resources, social privilege (Bourdieu). Rhetorical inquiry into human rights discourses examines the politics of representation in establishing, maintaining, and transforming hierarchies in social, political, and economic forums. Concerned with how language is adapted to circumstances, rhetorical inquiry examines how audiences identity with both rights themselves and the individuals or communities whose rights have been violated. Most significantly, rhetorical analyses of human rights attend to rhetorical processes, forms, and concepts in representing or portraying human rights concerns—exemplified by doublebinds,

performatives,

enactment,

narrative

and

myth,

rhetorical appeals such character (ethos), emotions (pathos) and reasoning (logos), argument, expert, and lay testimony, as well as the nature of embodiment and otherness . In this presentation I employ methods of close readings and rhetorical inquiry to analyze the discourse of the social protests focusing on the websites and activities of a few important groups: “revolution of love,” “Arvut,” and‫“ב זה אוהל‬ 211

My analysis so far reveals that although notions of spirituality and the influence of various teachers are directly mentioned, these groups often use rhetorical forms that are homological to the ones used in contemporary spiritual discourse. Among these different forms are nonviolent communication and positive thinking, embodiment, and the strong focus on individual empowerment at the same time that the interconnectivity of the individuals and their mutual responsibility are stressed. I claim that in spite of the resurgence of Marxist and socialist writings, and in spite of the undeniable importance of new technology, the Israeli and the global social protests cannot be understood if we ignore contemporary spiritual discourse. Bibliography: Aune, James Arnt. Rhetoric and Marxism, Polemics Series. Boulder: Westview Press, 1994. Bach, Richard. Illusions : The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. [New York]: Delacorte Press, 1977. Brummett, Barry. Rhetorical Homologies : Form, Culture, Experience, Rhetoric, Culture, and Social Critique. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2004. Burke, Kenneth. A Rhetoric of Motives. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1969.

212

Byrne, Rhonda. The Secret. New York, Hillsboro, Ore.: Atria Books; Beyond Words Pub., 2006. Cloud, Dana L. "The Affirmative Masquerade." American Communication Journal 4, no. 3 (2001): 1-1. Dean, Jodi. Cultural Studies & Political Theory. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2000. Eagleton, Terry. The Ideology of the Aesthetics. Cambridge, MA, USA: Basil Blackwell, 1990. Hanegraaff, Wouter J. New Age Religion and Western Culture : Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought. Leiden ; New York: E.J. Brill, 1996. Heelas, Paul. The New Age Movement : The Celebration of the Self and the Sacralization of Modernity. Oxford ; Cambridge, Mass., USA: Blackwell, 1996

Presentation no.4: Spiritual Aspects of Sustainable

Development Mrs. Kaidi Tamm (Justus Liebig University Giessen)

Since the mid 20th century, grassroots initiatives in the North have contributed greatly to rising environmental awareness. However, it was only during the last two decades of the 20th century when the policy makers and public opinion began to accept sustainable development as a necessary goal 213

and, next to ecological and economic aspects, understand the importance of social changes in creating a turn towards a more sustainable society. But the environmental crisis we are facing today is not merely about economical, political, technical or even personal choices as has been long perceived. It is also a crisis in culture and meaning. Thus, the question about the dominant values in contemporary industrial societies arises. At the core of this crisis seems to lie the relationship between man and nature – are we to rule and use its resources to our advantage or are we to co-exist in it in a sustainable way?

Although

the

cultural,

worldview-related

aspects

of

sustainability have received little attention on the governance level and in the media, the civil initiatives have been aware and active in developing these areas for decades. This paper discusses the spiritual aspects of sustainability as seen and practiced by two growing ecological grassroots initiatives: Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) and Transition Town Network (TTN). Both of these networks are relatively new, stem from Europe and have spread all over the world in a pace that can be called viral. Their popularity gives evidence of significant interest in the population towards alternative approaches to

rearranging our

lifestyles.

Community-

centeredness, holistic worldview and inventive, do-it-yourself (DIY) attitude towards finding alternative solutions to 214

everyday needs characterize the 541 communities belonging to GEN and the 382 official plus 458 candidate groups belonging to TTN around the globe. This paper examines the spiritual underpinnings as well as practices and discourses of these movements that sometimes call themselves ,laboratories of mankind“. Different groups of people belong to these networks, some with a spiritual dominant, such as ashrams like Krishna Valley in Hungary or Lilleoru in Estonia, some ecologically-centered such as Sieben Linden in Germany, or socially-oriented such as Tamera in Portugal. They share a general metanarrative: the view that we as people are but a small part of the living Earth-system and not the rulers of it; that we as intelligent beings have the responsibility for healing ourselves and thereafter healing the planet (often referred to as Gaia); that we should not rely on the outdated power structures of the nation states etc, but rely on ourselves for developing new systems not based on hierarchy and fear, but on love and understanding of the intricate

unity

and

interconnectedness

of

all.

Using GEN and TTN as examples I will be exploring the role of spiritual practices and beliefs in the Great Turning that is seen to lay before us by many green civil initiative groups. 215

Bibliography: Bang, Jan-Martin 2007. Growing Eco-Communities: Practical Ways to Create Sustainability. Edinburgh: Floris Books. Brand, Karl-Werner 1982. Neue soziale Bewegungen. Enstehung, Funktionen und Perspektive neuer Protestpotenziale. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag. Campbell, Colin 1999. The Easternisation of the West. In: New Religious Movements, B. Wilson, J. Cresswell (eds.), London & New York: Routledge. Cohen, Anthony Paul 1992. The Symbolic Construction of Community. London; New York: Routledge. Giddens, Anthony (ed.) 2001. The Global Third Way Debate. Cambridge: Polity. Gross, Matthias 2000. Classical Sociology and the Restoration of Nature: The Relevance of Émile Durkheim and Georg Simmel. In: Organization and Environment 13 nr 3, pp 277-291. Heelas, Paul 1996. The New Age Movement. The Celebration of the Self and the Sacralization of Modernity. Oxford; Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers. Macy, Johanna, Fleming, Pat, Naess, Arne, Seed, John 1989. Denken wie ein Berg. Ganzheitliche Ökologie: Die Konferenz des Lebens. Freiburg im Breisgau: Edition Pax im Verlag Hermann Bauer . Naess, Arne 1989. Ecology, Community and Lifestyle: Outline of an Ecosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Vaisey, Stephen 2007. Structure, Culture, and Community: The Search for Belonging in 50 Urban Communes. In: American Sociological Review. 72, no. 6, pp 851-873. York, Michael 1995. The Emerging Network – a sociology of the New Age and neo-pagan movements. Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, MD

216

Symposium B7 :Martin Buber as a 21st Century Spiritual Teacher Chair: Prof. Ron Margolin (Tel-Aviv University) Presentation no. 1: Martin Buber: A Double Close- up Dr. Limor Shreibman [Sharir] (Tel-Aviv University)

The renowned philosopher, Martin Buber has been the subject of countless books. My book, Martin Buber: Up Close, describes Martin Buber, the man and his family, ideas, thoughts and studies from a different point of view – from within his own home, as reflected by the name of the book . The book is based on research and ongoing conversations between Martin Buber's granddaughter, Prof. Yehudit Buber Agassi, and myself, during which a memorable biography unfolded. Yehudit Agassi was born in Heppenheim, Germany, in the house belonging to her grandfather, Martin Buber and his wife, Paula Winkler, where she and her sister, Barbara, spent their childhood, following her parents' divorce. Her adolescent years, till marriage, continued in her grandparents home in Jerusalem. My conversations with Yehudit Buber Agassi are first hand, eye-witness, historic testimony, illuminating Martin Buber, his family, friends, the women in his life, his thoughts and the principals in which he believed, set against the background of 217

historical events that left their mark on the fate of Europe and Israel between the years 1878 and 1965, with references to extensive issues that are still dealt with by global society today. We spoke about Nazism, Marxism, socialism and feminism, religion, Hasidism, Zionism, the attitude towards Israeli Arabs, Buber's colleagues and opponents, their opinions and their complicated relationship with him and Buber's great influence on many people, each well-known in his field . I see great importance in the Buberian school of thought, based on the "Ich und Du" (I and Thou) thesis of dialogical existence attributed to various and diversified lifestyles that Buber first described in his classic and provoking essay, bearing the same name, that was published in 1923 . Great importance should be attributed to the use of the Buberian Theory in physician-patient relationships in the world of medicine in general and, specifically, in therapistpatient relationships in psychotherapy. Indeed, Martin Buber influenced many therapists, among them Hans Trüb, who had studied under Carl Jung and then abandoned his mentor to adopt the Buberian doctrine. The well-known psychiatrist, Dr. Leslie H. Farber, wrote in his essay "I, It and Schizophrenia", part of which is quoted in my book, Martin Buber: Up Close, that Buber's philosophy can contribute to various clarifications in psychiatry, 218

specifically

in

patients

suffering

from

schizophrenia.

According to Farber, in these patients there is a tendency to observe an exaggerated solitude with regard to their relationship with "The It" and not enough attention is devoted to the lack of intellectual ability in the world of "The It". The schizophrenic becomes a saint, or a poet in the world of the "Thou" – and a martyr also in the realm of "The It". Farber argues that the psychosis may appear not only as a failure in interpersonal relationships in the realm of the "Thou", but to the same extent, it is a failure of knowledge, judgment and experience in the world of "The It." Therefore, according to Farber, schizophrenia can be considered an extreme case of inability to endure both types of relationships. Farber emphasizes the importance of the "IThou" relationship between the psychotherapist and the patient and claims that, while not guaranteeing success, without this therapeutic attitude towards schizophrenia, satisfactory treatment cannot be achieved . During my lecture, I will expand on the following topics: The contribution made by Martin Buber's biography to understanding his philosophical doctrine; The importance of the Buberian Theory in various realms; Martin Buber's influence on his granddaughter's observations; Did Martin Buber apply his doctrine in his personal life?; The Buber 219

women; The relevance of Buber today (specifically, his social doctrine

Bibliography: German: Buber, Martin. "Zur Aufklärung: Herzl und die Histoire", jüdiche. Rundschau 9, no. 48. dec 2, 1904. Buber, Martin. Beiträge zur Geschichte des. Individuationsproblems, 1904. Buber, Martin. Die Legende des Baalschem, Rütten und Loening.1908 Buber, Martin. "Die hebräische Sprache und der Kongress fur hebräishe Kultur", Jüdische Rundschau 15, no. 2 (Jan. 21), 1910. Buber, Martin. Der Mensch und sein Gebild, Neue Rundschau Schneider, 1955. Buber, Martin. Der Jude und sein Judentum. Gesammelte .6 Aufsätze und Reden 1963. Buber, Martin. Nachlese, Lambert-Schneider 1965 .7 Buber, Martin. Briefwechsel aus sieben Jahrzehnten, 18971918, Lambert Schneider 1972. Buber-Agassi, Judith., Platten Janine. Plädoyer für Freiheit und Menschlichkeit, Hentrich 1999. Buber-Neumann, Margarete. Schiksale meiner Zeit, Ulstein, 1976. Buber-Neumann, Margarete. Von Potsdam nach Moskau, Ulstein. Hohenheim, 1981[1957] Munk, Georg (J. Buber, Paula). Muckensturm: Ein Jahr im Leben einer kleinen Stadt, Lit-Verlag 2008. 220

Mezendorf, Wilhelm. Geschichte und Geschickte der . Heppenheimer Juden, Geschichtsblatter Kreis Bergsrasse, Sonderband 5, 1980. Mendes-Flohr, Paul & Schäfer, Peter (eds.). Fruh Kulturkritische und Philosophische Schriften 1891-1921, vol A 1, Gutersloher.2001 Mendes-Flohr, Paul & Schäfer, Peter (eds.). Martin Buber .15 Werkausgabe, Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2001. English: Bender, Hilary Evans. The Philosophy of Martin Buber, Monarc Press 1974. Buber, Martin. Two Types of Faith, New York 1961. .2 Buber, Martin. A Land of Two Peoples: Martin Buber and the Arabs, Oxford University Press 1983/1982. Buber, Martin. A Land of Two Peoples: Martin Buber on Jews and Arabs, Peter Smith 1994. Buber-Neumann, Margarete. Under Two Dictators, Prisoners of Stalin and Hitler, Pimilco 1949. Buber-Neumann, Margarete. A Story of Remarkable Friendship, Saver Books 1977. Buber, Judith. "Introduction: The Redesign of Working Time: Promise or Threat?" in: The Redesign of Working Time: Promise or Threat? Judith Buber Agassi & Stephen Heycock (eds.) sigma ,1989pp. 11-21. "The Design of Working Time and the Status of Women", pp. 249-255

221

Presentation no. 2: Buber's Baby as a Spiritual Father Dr. Hani Vitelson (Independent Scholar)

Reversing the meaning of well-established notions was a hallmark of Martin Buber's writing. One such conceptual flip that was not sufficiently studied by Buber's scholars is positioning the baby as a model to adult man, and presenting the mature human being as diluted and impoverished in relation to the overflowing intensity of the infant. What superiority did Buber attribute to the young child? And how is it related to spiritual life in the 21st century? Buber's dialogical philosophy focuses on a distinction between two modes of relations: I-Thou (you) vs. I-It. In encounters of the first kind, participants face each other, fully present, fully accepting each other, and fully attending to one another. The other type of relations is about "knowing and using": One is only interested in a specific aspect of his partner. While both modes of relations are essential for normal life, spirit merely prevails between I and Thou. Spiritual life can only be sought for in the realm of inter-human relations. And this is where Buber's child emerges as a spiritual father. While contemporaneous theorists described the infant as helpless and disorganized, Buber envisioned him as actively engaged in relation-seeking and relation-forming, 222

gathering his entire being in intense efforts to communicate with his animate and inanimate surroundings . Quite a radical developmental theory emerges from Buber's writings, where the need for a Thou, the wish for relations, is the main drive organizing behavior. Furthermore, Buber draws a parallel between developmental trajectories of the individual and of mankind. In the initial stages of both cases, all encounters are I-Thou encounters, while I-It hardly exists. As development proceeds, the It gains dominance at the expense of the Thou. For Buber, cognitive development, formal studies, academic achievements and skill acquisition, are important components of child upbringing, but they all belong to the It-world, hence they distract us from spiritual life . Can we, adults of the 21st century learn spirituality from babies? Can we apply any of this knowledge to fields of education, therapy, and rehabilitation? And what is the appropriate balance between the dissecting, splitting forces of the It, and the harmonizing, unifying forces of the Thou? Bibliography: Martin Buber, "I and Thou". Simon & Schuster Publishers, New York, 1970. Martin Buber, "The way of man according to the teaching of Hasidim". Kensington Publishing Corp, New York, 1964 223

Presentation no. 3: I and Thou in Israel today Dr. Alan Flashman (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

I want to consider the relevance of Martin Buber's classic "I and Thou" which will soon

appear in a new Hebrew

translation. I will focus on Buber's distinction between spirit (Geist) and spirituality (Geistigkeit). According to Buber, man stands within spirit, the spirit does not reside within man. For this reason inter-human relations are central to Buber's concept of spirit. He states that when two persons maintain IThou relations, standing face to face "within spirit", an I-Thou relations is simulltaneously created with God. I will connect this claim with recent brain research, highlighting infant development within the relationship to mother, and mirror neuron function in connecting people. I will consider the spiritual menaing of moments of I-Thou meetings according to Daniel Stern's recent book The Present Moment and the work of Boston

Study Group on the processes of change in

psychotherapy. I will examine the utility of Buber's conceptions in clarifying such notions as Winnicott's transitional space , Kohut's self-objects and Murray Bowen's "differentiation of the self in the system." I will point to a developmental understanding of I-Thou experience, in that the relationship between two persons can be seen to widen and 224

deepen the degree of emotional openness and expression within

the

relationship.

This

approach

solves

the

"dichotomizing" crituque levelled against Buber by his translator Walter Kaufmann among others. I will further expand the spiritual aspect of emotional development in relations bringing in Michel Foucault's last works and recently published lectures. In particular, I will point to Foucault's distinction

between

human

experience

of

"know

yourself"(γνοθι σεαθτου) as opposed to "take care of oneself" (επιµελια ‘εαυτο) in ancient Greek literature. In his last years, Foucault came to understand "spirituality" as connected to personal growth. Furtyer, he found such growth taking place in close relations between persons. I will touch on notions of persoanl growth, personal growth within connections, and growth of connections in recent feminist psychoanalytic literature. All the above will serve as a background to an approach to the state of "spirit" in Israel today. I will point ot social developments that indicate increasing appreciation of the importance of I-Thou relationships in mental health and welfare discourse. I will explore my personal experience with teaching this material in social work and psychology academic programs. Finally I will take a look at the realm of "spirit" as an aspect of the way Israeli society approaches the person. I 225

will indicate opportunties for progress and obstructions to growth, and the difference between processes that recognize and privilege I-Thou relations as process, and those that privelege "spirit" as a private characteristic. Bibliography: Hebrew: Martin Buber, "I and Thou", newly translated to Hebrew, ALan Flashman, Jerusalem, Mossad Biallik, in press A. Flashman. "I, you and we: Martin Buber and psychotherapy in the 21st century.http://alanflashman.wordpress.com/martin-buber Daniel Stern, The Interpersonal World of the Infant. New York, Basic Books, 1985. English: The Boston Change Process Study Group (2010). Change in Psychotherapy. New York: Norton. A.Flashman, (in press )."Almost Buber." A. Flashman (1992). "The Moment of Recognition". Psychoanalytic Study of the Child 47:351-370. M. Foucault (2005). The Hermeneutics of the Subject: Lectures at the Collège de France 1981-1982.. Trans. G. Burchell. New York: Picador. E. Paras (2006). Foucault 2.0. New York: Other Press. 226

G. Rizzolati & Craighero (2005). “Mirror neuron: a biological approach to empathy.” In Changeux, et al., Neurobiology of Human Values. Berlin: Spinger. D. Stern (2004) The Present Moment. New York: Norton. Elisabeth Young-Bruehl( 2003). Where Do We Fall When We Fall in Love? New York: Other Press.

Deleted: ¶

Presentation no. 4: Buber, Dialogue, and the Ecological Age:

When Humanism Meets Nature Dr. Eilon Shwartz (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

No English abstract available.

Symposium C1 :Transpersonal Psychology - Research Advances in Contemporary Spirituality 227

Chair: Dr. Liora Brbaum Presentation no. 1: Self-Expansiveness Theory: A

Transpersonal Scientific Approach Prof. Harris L Friedman (University of Florida)

Self-expansiveness theory is predicated on the inherent malleability of the self-concept, which is seen as capable of differing on a continuum from being constricted to expanded in terms of how much of the cosmos with which one might identify as being one’s self. Viewing material reality in terms of space and time, one’s ordinary sense of self is usually restricted to the present, both temporally and spatially (i.e., the here-and-now). But one can expand this sense of self through identifying with aspects of reality that go beyond the present sense of self. On a temporal dimension including past and future, one can identify with one’s past childhood or one possible future self, both of which are ordinary expansions of self-concept beyond the present.

On a spatial dimension

including micro to macro, one can identify with parts of one’s body (e.g., one’s heart) or one’s family (e.g., children), both of which are also ordinary expansions of self-concept beyond the present. However, there is also a capacity to identify in vastly self-expansive ways. One can expand one’s spatial sense of self to the macro-level by encompassing other beings (e.g., a sense of oneness with all of humankind), as well as to the 228

micro-level by identifying with energetic processes. One can also temporally identify with the distant past (e.g., one’s ancestors) or future (e.g., the fate of the world many generations to come).

Such extreme self-expansiveness is

seen as transpersonal, as it goes considerably beyond ("trans") any ordinary sense of the self as an isolated monad existing only in the present. Such self-expansiveness can also be seen as spiritual in the sense of involving a profound sense of interconnectedness of the individual with the cosmos. Selfexpansiveness can also involve an identification that transcends material reality, such as with the cosmos beyond all limitations of time (e.g., a sense of eternity) and space (e.g., a sense of infinity), including with transcendent religious notions (e.g., of identification with a divinity).

Empirical

evidence

of

supporting

the

scientific

validity

self-

expansiveness theory will be presented. Various applications employing self-expansiveness theory, such as in furthering peace through promoting an expanded sense of self (e.g., in ethnic reconciliation in Zimbabwe), and in helping resolve perplexing mental health issues (e.g., differential diagnosis of higher spiritual development from psychosis), will be presented.

An integrative theory of all psychological

interventions based on self-expansiveness will be discussed. Finally, the utility of delineating among the concepts of religiosity, spirituality, and transpersonality will be presented, 229

emphasizing that transpersonal perspectives, such as selfexpansiveness theory, avoid many of the problems that inure to using religious and spiritual concepts across cultural divides. Bibliography: Hartelius, G., & Friedman, H. (2010). Transpersonal psychology. In I. B. Weiner & W. E. Craighead (Eds.), Corsini encyclopedia of psychology (4th ed., pp. 1800-1802). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Friedman, H. (2009). Xenophilia as a cultural trap: Bridging the gap between transpersonal psychology and religious/spiritual traditions. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 28, 107-111. MacDonald, D. & Friedman, H. (2009). Measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs for use in Indian research. International Journal of Yoga, 2(1), 27-37. Johnson, C., & Friedman, H. (2008). Enlightened or delusional? Differentiating religious,spiritual, and transpersonal experience from psychopathology. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 48(4), 505-527. Pappas, J., & Friedman, H. (2007). The construct of self-expansiveness and the validity of the Transpersonal Scale of the Self-Expansiveness Level Form. The Humanistic Psychologist, 35(4), 323-347. Friedman, H., & Pappas, J. (2006). The expansion of the personal self and the contraction of the transcendent self: Complementary processes of transcendence and immanence. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 38(1), 41-54. 230

Friedman, H. (2004). Frameworks for peace: Reframing the conflict in Fiji. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 23, 118-124. MacDonald, D., & Friedman, H. (2002). Assessment of humanistic, transpersonal and spiritual constructs: State of the science. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 42, 102-125. MacDonald, D., Gagnier, J., & Friedman, H. (2000). The SelfExpansiveness Level Form: Examination of its validity and relation to the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised. Psychological Reports, 86, 707-726. Friedman, H. (1983). The Self-Expansiveness Level Form: A conceptualization and measurement of a transpersonal construct. The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 15, 37-50.

Presentation no. 2: From Cognitive Neuroscience to

Transpersonal Science: Expansiveness and Scale in the Human Construction of Self Prof. Les Lancaster (Liverpool John Moores University)

The sense of self-expansiveness is a measurable and seemingly common feature of spiritual and mystical states. As such it presents a distinctive focus for the challenge for transpersonal psychology to offer explanations of temporary mystical states and the more long-lasting transformations observed in advanced practitioners of spiritual practices. Critical to this challenge is the recognition that a transpersonal approach must emphasise a pluralism of explanatory levels. 231

Thus, experience of an expanded sense of self can be attributed to activity in circumscribed brain regions, yet of more interest for the psychological understanding of transformation are those long-lasting changes in the sense of self that may best be conceptualised in neurocognitive and psychodynamic terms. As far as the latter is concerned, the expanded self may be understood as one having greater access to previously unconscious or archetypal content. In this paper I will focus primarily on the neurocognitive approach to self, exploring in particular certain themes in the kabbalistic tradition that may inform an understanding of its expansive quality. A secondary focus concerns the ways in which transpersonal psychology might integrate the different levels of explanation. The 13th-century kabbalist, Abulafia writes that “Man is [tied] in the knots of world, year and soul [i.e., space, time and persona] in which he is tied in nature, and if he unties the knots from himself, he may cleave to He who is above them….” Abulafia, I would suggest, presents a profound grasp of the schematic structuring of self—to put it in modern, cognitive terms—and of practices which may enable the individual to re-align the self. As I have argued over a number of publications, a cognitive model of self constitutes the central focus of mundane consciousness—a notion supported 232

by extensive neurological and experimental evidence. This model is critical for indexing events as they become stored in memory. Thus the personality coheres around this “I-tagging” system. Practices such as those advocated by Abulafia have the potential to restructure this tagging system, expanding its scale beyond an egocentric, to a more “God”-centric, frame. The scale of the expanded self is therefore dependent on the practitioner’s concept of the divine. ‘Idolatrous’ images impose limits on the indexing capabilities of the self; a sense of infinite mystery, by contrast —as conveyed, for example, by the term ain sof (‘without end’) employed by kabbalists to convey the transcendent divine essence—liberates the indexing self. This neurocognitive approach may be seen as providing a bridge between the simple identification of brain regions correlating

with

psycho¬dynamic

spiritual explanations

experiential of

the

states

and

process

of

transformation. Such ‘bridge-building’ I see as central to the role of transpersonal science. The paper concludes with further analysis of correspondences across level of explanation and their

implications

for

ontological

transpersonal psychology. Bibligraphy:

233

issues

confronting

Ferrer, J.N. (2022). Participatory Spirituality and Transpersonal Theory: A Ten-Year Retrospective. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 43, 1-34. Ferrer, J. N., & Sherman, J. H. Eds. (2008). The participatory turn: Spirituality, mysticism, religious studies. Albany: State University of New York Press. Friedman, H. (1983). The Self-Expansiveness Level Form: A conceptualization and measurement of a transpersonal construct. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 15, 37-50. Friedman, H., & Pappas, J. (2006). The expansion of the personal self and the contraction of the transcendent self: Complementary processes of transcendence and immanence. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 38, 41-54. Idel, M. (1988a). The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia. Translated by J. Chipman. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Lancaster, B. L. (2000). On the Relationship Between Cognitive Models and Spiritual Maps: Evidence from Hebrew Language Mysticism. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 7, 231-50. Lancaster, B. L. (2004). Approaches to Consciousness: The Marriage of Science and Mysticism. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. Lancaster, B. L. (2010). Cognitive Neuroscience, Spirituality and Mysticism: Recent Developments. In I. Clarke (ed.), Psychosis and Spirituality: Exploring the New Frontier. 2nd edition. Wiley.

234

Lancaster, B. L. (2011). The hard problem revisited: from cognitive neuroscience to Kabbalah and back again. In H. Walach, S. Schmidt, & W. B. Jonas (eds.), Neuroscience, Consciousness, and Spirituality. Springer. Lancaster, B. L. (In press). Kabbalah and science. In N. P. Azari, A. Runehov & L. Oviedo (eds.) Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions. Springer Reference.

Presentation no. 3: The Study of Spirituality Using

Quantitative Methods: An Evaluation of their Usefulness for Transpersonal Science Prof. Douglas MacDonald (University of Detroit Mercy)

Spirituality

has

garnered

increasing

attention

by

academicians and health practitioners over the past three decades and the burgeoning research now suggests that it should be viewed as an essential aspect of human functioning which needs to be taken into account when trying to facilitate health and well-being. With that in mind, there has been considerable

debate

and

controversy

regarding

how

spirituality is defined/conceptualized and whether or not it can be meaningfully studied using conventional empirical quantitatively oriented research methodologies. This paper will overview the endemic problems to the study of spirituality and attempt to provide responses to longstanding criticisms

of

quantitative

methodologies 235

arising

from

humanistic, existential, and transpersonal psychologies. In so doing, efforts will be made to delineate the assumptions of a philosophy of science which would permit for an integration of natural and human science methodologies into a unified paradigm that would provide a place for both quantitative and qualitative approaches to the study of spirituality. Bibliography: Friedman, H. L. & MacDonald, D. A. (1997). Toward a working definition of transpersonal assessment. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 29(2), 105-122. Friedman, H. L. & MacDonald, D. A. (2002). Using transpersonal tests in humanistic psychological assessment. The Humanistic Psychologist, 30, 223-236. Friedman, H. L., & MacDonald, D. A. (Eds.) (2002). Approaches to transpersonal measurement and assessment. San Francisco, CA: The Transpersonal Institute. Friedman, H.& MacDonald, D. A. (2006). Humanistic testing and assessment. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 46(4), 510-529. MacDonald, D. A. (2000). Spirituality: Description, measurement and relation to the Five Factor Model of personality. Journal of Personality, 68(1), 153-197. MacDonald, D. A. (2009). Identity and Spirituality: Conventional and transpersonal perspectives. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 28, 86-106. 236

MacDonald, D. A. (2011). Spiritual identity: Individual approaches. In S. J. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles, (Eds).Handbook of Identity Theory and Research, Vol. 2-Domains and Categories (pp. 531-544). New York: Springer. MacDonald, D. A. (2011). Studying spirituality scientifically: Reflections, considerations, and recommendations. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion, 8(3) 195-210. MacDonald, D. A., & Friedman, H. L. (2001). The scientific study of spirituality: Philosophical and methodological considerations. Biofeedback Newsmagazine, 29(3), 19-21. MacDonald, D. A., & Friedman, H. L. (2002). Assessment of humanistic, transpersonal, and spiritual constructs: State of the Science. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 42(4), 102-125. MacDonald, D. A., & Friedman, H. L. (2009). Measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs for use in yoga research. International Journal of Yoga, 2(1), 2-12. MacDonald, D. A., Friedman, H. L., & Kuentzel, J. G. (1999). A survey of measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs: Part one- Research update. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 31(2), 137-154. MacDonald, D. A., Kuentzel, J. G., & Friedman, H. L. (1999). A survey of measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs: Part two- Additional instruments. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 31(2), 155-177. MacDonald, D. A., LeClair, L., Holland, C. J., Alter, A. & Friedman, H. L. (1995). A survey of measures of transpersonal constructs. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 27(2), 171-235. 237

Symposium C2: Consciousness, Body and Self perception Chair: Prof. Joseph Glicksohn (Bar-Ilan University) Presentation no. 1: A 3D Consciousness model - its relation

to the Self and its possible development Dr. Aviva Berkovich-Ohana (The Weizmann Institute)

The neuroscientist and philosopher Antonio Damasio (Damasio, 1999; Damasio & Meyer, 2009) distinguishes between two types of consciousness: "core consciousness" and "extended consciousness". The first, core-consciousness, correspond to the core-self or experiential-self, a transient self, un-depended on memory, reasoning or language, and without identity or personhood. The second, extended-consciousness, relates to the autobiographical-self or narrative-self, which is heavily dependent on the formation of enduring experiential memories, attention and language, and its inevitable concomitant is personal identity. These two selves stem from a primary, body-anchored proto-self, a coherent collection of neural patterns that map, moment by moment, the physical state of the organism and its internal milieu, viscera, and musculoskeletal frame. This greatly echoes the attitude of another prominent neuroscientist and philosopher, Francisco 238

Varela's, who considered consciousness as not restricted to the brain,

but

rather

being

'radically embodied'

(Varela,

Thompson, & Rosch, 1991). In our model, consciousness is described as a sphere, constrained by the boundaries of one's possible perception field. Consciousness states have three dimensions. The first is awareness, the ability to perceive, to feel, and cognitively react to conditions. The second is affect, the ability to react emotionally to internal and external events, and the third is time, the capacity to mentally represent and become aware of subjective experience over time. All the three dimensions are embodied, as evidenced by neurophysiologic data. This model is not a static one, but a rather dynamical description

of

the

constantly

changing

experienced

phenomenon of consciousness. Consciousness emerges from a continuously changing state of vast neuronal networks, which interact with the internal bodily environment and external environment (Varela, 1999). While one's consciousness state can be experientially located in any point within the sphere, people usually tend to dwell in attractors, dynamical tendencies of the system's behaviour. The location of some ordinary consciousness states will be shown on the sphere for reference, as well as the location of altered states of consciousness, characterized by lower self boundaries, 239

alterations in spatial and temporal cognition, higher creativity and an altered sense of meaning (Glicksohn, 1993). Most notably, this model enables insight into the possibility of transforming one's consciousness following intentional training.

The

field

of

humanistic

and

trans-personal

psychology posit that self-transcendence is the ultimate goal of the adult human development (Csikszentmihalyi, 1988; Jung, Jaff, Winston, & Winston, 1963; Maslow, 1968, 1971). The model draws the outline of human self-transcendence, not only from the psychological and phenomenological points of view, but also from the neuroscientific perspective, thus bridging philosophy of mind, psychology and neuroscience. Finally, supporting evidence to the developmental aspect of the model will be presented from our work with Mindfulness meditators (Berkovich-Ohana, Glicksohn, & Goldstein, 2011a, 2011b).

Bibliography: Berkovich-Ohana, A., Glicksohn, J., & Goldstein, A. (2011a). Temporal cognition changes following mindfulness, but not transcendental meditation practice. Proceedings of the 27th annual meeting of the international society for psychophysics.

240

Berkovich-Ohana, A., Glicksohn, J., & Goldstein, A. (2011b). Mindfulness-induced changes in gamma band activity – implications for the default mode network, self-reference and attention. Clinical Neurophysiology, In press. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1988). The flow experience and its significance for human psychology. In M.Csikszentmihalyi & I. S. Csikszentmihalyi (Eds.), Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness (pp. 15-35). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Damasio, A. R. (1999). The feeling of what happens: Body and emotion in the making of consciousness. New York: Harcourt Brace. Damasio, A., & Meyer, K. (2009). Consciousness: An overview of the phenomenon and of its possible neural basis. In S. Laureys & G. Tononi (Eds.), The neurology of consciousness: Cognitive neuroscience and neuropathology (pp. 3-14). Oxford: Elsevier Academic Press. Glicksohn, J. (1993). Altered sensory environments, altered states of consciousness and altered-state cognition. Journal of Mind and Behavior, 1-12. Jung, C. G., Jaff, A., Winston, R., & Winston, C. (1963). Memories, dreams, reflections. Collins London. Maslow, A. H. (1968). Toward a psychology of being. New York: Van Nostrand. Maslow, A. H. (1971). The farther reaches of human nature. New York: Viking. Varela, F. J. (1999). Neurophenomenology: A Methodological Remedy for the Hard Problem. Explaining Consciousness: The Hard Problem, 337. 241

Varela, F. J., Thompson, E., & Rosch, E. (1991). The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Presentation no. 2: Self Without a Body: Examining The

Relationship between the Boundaries of the (Sense of) Self and the Boundaries of the Body Mr. Yochai Ataria (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

The relationship between the sense of self and the sense of body has been examined at length from the perspective of various disciplines — yet today we are still far from reaching a complete understanding of the topic. Scientifically, it is clear that it is impossible to discuss the soul/mind without reference to the body; similarly one cannot discuss the self without the body, since the sense of self is embodied (Lakoff 1999, Thompson 2001, Varela 1991).

Usually, we feel that the

sense of self is not restricted to the physical boundaries of the body but rather reaches beyond the body and into the outside world (Merleau-Ponty 1962). As Hume argued (Hume, 1739/2007, p. 232), the subject only discovers the self through perceived objects and not independently. Indeed, we feel that the world is outside ourselves and thus also the sense of self is to be found with objects outside of the body — we do not feel that we see the audience in our heads, but rather where they "truly" are. 242

My talk relates to the character of the relationship between the boundaries of the body and the boundaries of the sense of self. A simple examination of the state of affairs reveals that the sense of self is distributed amongst all the horizons of perception,

what

Merleau-Ponty

defines

as

the

phenomenology field (Merleau-Ponty 1962). The sense of self goes out into the world, to objects. This raises questions, such as where exactly is the border between myself and the world to be found? Where do "I" begin and where do "I" come to an end (Noë, 2004)? The answer is frightening: it would appear that the boundaries are most clearly defined specifically in the most traumatic situations. For example, when a hand is amputated I can feel with certainty the end of the body and beginning of the world; this is true also in cases of burns. The boundary arises with pain and suffering. The reduction of the sense of self to the physical borders of the body is linked to the traumatic elements in our lives. For example, shell shock results in the feeling that the body has been transformed into a prison; suddenly the whole horizon of perception is reduced and the subject is not found in any place outside of the body. Rather, he is trapped within the body; he perceives the world but is unable to take any action (Herman, 1992). From the interviews I conducted with former prisoners of war (Ataria & Neria, in press), it would appear that the 243

traumatic element in experiences of sensory isolation is linked to the fact that the prisoner simply loses completely his sense of body — his body is no longer his. The sense of self is totally cut off from the body and the body is transformed into nothing more than a passive object — "the soul belongs to me; the body to the captors". Thus, the battle to maintain sanity is waged in the head. In captivity the sense of self is reduced to the boundaries of the body and therefore there exists a powerful need to cut one's self off; the self simply cannot close itself off within the boundaries of the body. The collapse of the phenomenological field of the body's boundaries leads to serious trauma: the dulling of the senses, passivity, living without a sense of life. The reason for this trauma is, specifically, the reduction of the sense of self to the boundaries of the body accompanied by the lack of ability to create any perspective. Thus the relationship between the boundaries of the self and the boundaries of the body is not only complicated but also fundamental to our understanding of traumatic elements, especially since today trauma is an inseparable part of life. Bibliography: Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and recovery. New York: Basic Books. Hume, D. (1739/2007). A Treatise of Human Nature. (D. F. Norton, & M. J. Norton, Eds.) Oxford: Clarendon Press. 244

Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1999). Philosophy In The Flesh: the Embodied Mind and its Challenge to Western Thought. Basic Books: New York. Ludwig, A. (1966). Altered states of consciousness. Archives of general Psychiatry , 15 (3), 225-234. Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). Phenomenology of perception. (C. Smith, Trans.) London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Merleau-Ponty, M. (1968). The visible and the invisible. (C. Lefort, Ed., & A. Lingis, Trans.) Evanston: Northwestern University Press. Shanon, B. (2002). Entheogens - Reflections on 'Psychoactive Sacramentals'. Journal of Consciousness Studies , 9 (4), 84-95. Thompson, E., & Varela, F. (2001). Radicalmbodiment: neural dynamics and consciousness. Tremds in Cognitive Sciences , 5 (10), 418-425. Varela, F., & Shear, J. (Eds.). (1999). The View from Within: First-Person Methodologies in the Study of Consciousness. London: Imprint Academic. Varela, F., Thompson, E., & Rosch, E. (1991). The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Presentation no. 3: Moving into the Square and out of the

Box: Effects of Quadrato Motor Training on Cognitive Flexibility and EEG coherence Dr. Tal Dotan Ben Soussan) Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics, Rome)

245

Consciousness

and

cognition

are

tightly

related.

Specifically, higher conscious states, such as 'flow' and states of optimal experience, and increased creativity are claimed to have a shared neuronal manifestation. In addtion, improving creativity and cognitive flexibility is an important goal for the individual, as well as for society. Nevertheless, some researchers from different disciplines see creativity is a trait which cannot necessarily be changed or improved following training. Therefore, the current research focuses on examining the possible motor and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying cognitive change and increased creativity. Since healthy neuronal synchronization may be associated with improved cognitive function it is important to investigate methods, such as whole-body motor training that may enhance it. Our research integrates three research areas and examines the relation between whole-body motor training, long range neuronal synchronization and cognitive improvement . In my talk I will elaborate about a study in which we examined change in creativity following specific whole-body motor training, Quadrato motor training. In order to determine whether the improvement in creativity and neuronal change were driven primarily by cognitive or whole body motor aspects, we used two control groups: Verbal training (VT, identical cognitive task with verbal response); Simple Motor 246

Training (SMT, identical whole body motor task with reduced choice requirements). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the groups. The Quadrato motor training increased functional connectivity, important for higher cogntive functions, such as attention. The training further improved performance in the Alternate Uses task, which was not the case for either the SMT or VT groups. In addition, in the semi-structure interviews addressing the problem solving strategy prior and following training, the subjective reports made by the participants indicated that problem solving strategies following training was related to increased relations with their bodies. The findings indicate that creativity and cognitive flexibility can be improved and that the particular combinations of whole body movement and cognitive requirements of the Quadrato motor training are important in its ability to increase creativity. We suggest that improved cognitive improvement is facilitated by an increase in EEG coherence . As increased coherence is correlated with increased cognitive, motor and pedagogical performance, the current research may also have practical implications . Specifically structured whole body training increases creativity and its neuronal manifestation, which are related to 247

consciousness. Thus, the current research further support the relationship

between

the

whole

body

training

and

consciousness. Bibliography: Colcombe, S., & Kramer, A. F. (2003). Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: a meta-analytic study. Psychological Science, 14, 125-130 Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (1990), Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, New York: Harper and Row., Crabbe, J. B., & Dishman, R. K. (2004). Brain electrocortical activity during and after exercise: A quantitative synthesis. Psychophysiology, 41, 563-574. Dietrich, A. (2004). The cognitive neuroscience of creativity. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 11, 1011-1026. Dietrich, A., & Kanso, R. (2010). A review of EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies of creativity and insight. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 822-848. Dotan Ben Soussan, T., Glicksohn, J., Berkovich Ohana, A., Donchin, O., & Goldstein, A. (2011). Step in time: Changes in EEG coherence during a time estimation task following Quadrato motor training, Fechner Day 2011: Proceedings of the 27th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics.: International Society for Psychophysics.

248

Glicksohn, J., Berkovich Ohana A., Balaban Dotan T., Goldstein A., & Donchin O. (2009). Time production and EEG alpha revisited. NeuroQuantology, 7, 138-151. Rizzolatti, G., Fabbri-Destro, M., & Cattaneo, L. (2009). Mirror neurons and their clinical relevance. Nature Clinical Practice Neurology, 5, 24-34. Sauseng, P., Klimesch, W., Schabus, M., & Doppelmayr, M. (2005). Fronto-parietal EEG coherence in theta and upper alpha reflect central executive functions of working memory. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 57, 97-103. Travis, F., Haaga, D. A. F., Hagelin, J., Tanner, M., Nidich, S., GaylordKing, C., Grosswald, S., Rainforth, M., & Schneider, R. H. (2009). Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 71, 170-176

Presentation no. 4: Somatic Awareness and Mindfulness:

Distinction between two Theoretical Constructs Ms. Noga Tsur, Ms. Ayelet Barak and Dr. Karni Ginzburg (Tel-Aviv University)

249

Background: Somatic awareness, defined as the extent of sensitivity to bodily signals, and as the degree of attention one focus while searching for these signals, did not receive sufficient empirical attention .Yet, new interest has been dedicated to awareness with the last two decades, partly as part of the clinical and empirical interest in mindfulness. This theoretical construct, originated in Eastern philosophy, is defined as the capacity to bring attention to experiences occurring in the present, in an open and nonjudmental way. Yet,

the

distinction

between

somatic

awareness

and

mindfulness is yet to be clear. Some refer these constructs as similar and some as different qualities. Like-wise, although the adaptivity within mindfulness is emphasized well in research, there is still a debate regarding the adaptiveness of somatic awareness. This research aims to examine the association between somatic awareness and mindfulness, the degree in which they predict anxiety, while testing sex differences within these constructs. Method: 168 adults (aged 18-65) filled in questionnaires, assessing sensitivity to somatic signals of physiological processes (BAQ; Shields Mallory & Simon, 1989) and emotional states (Price & Thompson, 2007), the tendency to focus attention on somatic signals (Schmidt, Lerew & Trakowski, 1997), as well as mindfulness (MAAS: Brown & 250

Ryan, 2003; FFMQ: Baer,Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer & Toney, 2006) and anxiety (Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970 ) Results: The results show weak but significant correlation between mindfulness and somatic awareness. Attention to somatic cues was found to be positively correlated to anxiety, while mindfulness inversely correlated to anxiety. Somatic awareness, measured as sensitivity to somatic cues that represent bodily and emotional states, was not found to be correlated to anxiety. Women were found to be higher in somatic awareness, yet sex differences weren't found in mindfulness. The results also showed significant interactions between sex, somatic awareness, and mindfulness in predicting anxiety. That is, high levels of mindfulness predicted lower levels of anxiety among women but not among men. Sensitivity to somatic cues that represent emotional states was positively correlated with anxiety among men but not among women . Conclusion: These findings suggest that mindfulness and somatic awareness are two distinct constructs, meaning that sensitivity to somatic cues is not directly related to the individual's orientation to these cues. These findings are in line with Roger's humanistic ideas, emphasizing the difference between organismic experience and the individual's openness 251

to it, where both enhance self knowledge. Considering the adaptive qualities within somatic awareness and mindfulness, the pattern of findings shows a complex picture, suggesting that these qualities function differently for men and women. These findings emphasize the need for further research in the field of mindfulness and awareness, and the differences between men and women within them. Bibliogtaphy: Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J. & Toney, L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment, 13, 27-45. Bekker, M. H. J., Croon, M. A., van Balkom, E. G. A. & Vermee, J. B. G. (2008). Predicting individual differences in autonomy-connectedness: The role of body awareness, alexithymia and assertiveness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64, 747-765. Brown, K. W. & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 822-848. Craig, A. D. (2009). How do you Feel-Now? The anterior insula and human awareness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10, 59-70. Daubenmier, J. J. (2005). The relationship of yoga, body awareness, and body responsiveness to self objectification and disordered eating. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 29, 207-219.

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De Berardis, D., Campanella, D., Gambi, F., La Rovere, R., Sepede, G., Core, L., Canfora, G., Santilli, E., Valchera, A. Mancini, E., Salerno, R. M., Moschetta, F. S. & Ferro, F. M. (2007). Alexithymia, fear of bodily sensations, and somatosensory amplification in young outpatients with panic disorder. Psychosomatics, 48, 239-246. K. Ginzburg, A. Barak, N. Tsur, R. Defrin (2011, September). Somatic awareness: Differentiating between body awareness and somatization. Paper presented at the meeting of The 25th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society. Hersonissos, Crete, Greece. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Constructivism in the Human Sciences, 8, 73-107. Mehling, W. E., Gopisetty, V., Daubenmier, J., Price, C. J., Hecht, F. M. & Stewart, A. (2009). Body awareness: construct and self report measures. Plos One, 4 (5.( Price, C. J., & Thompson, E. A. (2007). Measuring dimensions of body connection: body awareness and bodily dissociation. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 13(9), 945-953. Rogers, C. (1959). A theory of therapy, personality, and interpersonal relationships, as developed in the client-centered framework. In H. Kirschenbaum & V. L. Henderson (Eds.), The Carl Rogers reader (pp. 409420). Boston New York: Houghton Mifflin Company . Rogers, C. (1961). A therapist's view of the good life: The fully functioning person. In H. Kirschenbaum & V. L. Henderson (Eds.), The Carl Rogers reader (pp. 409-420). Boston New York: Houghton Mifflin Company .

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Rogers, C. (1964). Toward a modern approach to values: The valuing process in the mature person. In H. Kirschenbaum & V. L. Henderson (Eds.), The Carl Rogers reader (pp. 409-420). Boston New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. Shields, S. A., Mallory, M. E. & Simon, A. (1989). The body awareness questionnaire: Reliability and validity. Journal of Personality Assessment, 53, 802-815. Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA

Symposium C3 :Spirituality, Healing and Health amongst Women Chair: Dr. Omna Berick-Aharony (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: Contemporary Spiritualities Discourse

and Changes in the Social Construction of Childbirth in Israel Ms. Michal Geva (Tel-Aviv University)

The lecture offers a theoretical link between contemporary spiritualities and changes in the social construction of childbirth in Israel and opens the door to an in-depth discussion and further research on that matter . Israelis today are exposed to a growing number of contemporary spiritualities practices. Through them, women 254

undergo socialization to a culture that is essentially different than the hegemonic Western rational ideology- the new age culture. Despite the contradiction between the new-age world view and the rational one, most of the people that practice new age do not completely reject the rational ideology in their everyday lives, but use strategies that contain both logics. Women merge the two discourses as they experience pregnancy and childbirth. Hence, including the new-age discourse in sociological and anthropological analyses of the social construction of pregnancy and childbirth is important . I would like to present the ways in which mothers, doulas, and midwives who have undergone socialization to the newage culture speak of pregnancy and childbirth. The ways in which they describe pregnancy and childbirth uncovers a new discourse that combines two discourses, which until now were regarded in the feminist analysis of childbirth as opposing. The biomedical and rational discourse were oppositional to the midwifery discourse and to the perception that women have access to a source of knowledge—be it her intuition or her connection to her body or her fetus. These women accept the biomedical discourse of pregnancy and childbirth, yet also seek to change it and to create an alternative. The notion that “the body knows how to give birth” is at the heart of their call for change. This notion refers 255

to women having access to an authentic and legitimate knowledge produced by their bodies and their essences. In practice, this translates to being aware of this knowledge and removing any obstructions preventing its access. Only under certain conditions, for example, such as birthing in feminine spaces created by women, doulas, and midwives, can women produce and express this alternative knowledge. Scholars refer to this notion—the belief that in the deeper layers of self, a person can find a true, authentic, and sacred core—as a central element of new-age thought. In the Israeli social construction of the childbirth process, the authoritative knowledge is still medical, and the knowledge system that originates in a woman and her body is often is devaluated, and in fact sometimes does not count at all. However, the rational ideology and medical authority is being weakened as the bodily experience-based authority is being established. This alternative authority allows women to combine the biomedical knowledge system with the knowledge system that originates in women into one epistemology . This process creates a new birthing experience for a growing number of Israeli women and in the same time exposes and socializes them to the new age culture. Thus, the new- age discourse should be taken in to consideration in the 256

analyses of childbirth and childbirth should be a part in the study of contemporary spirituality. Bibliography: Hebrew: Ybelberg, Y. (2007) Shamanism, rationality and femininity in Israel, dancing in a field of thorns. Ronel,G. and Arzi Phadan M. (2004) its natural to give birth, Keter Riefman Levizki S. to move during childbirth and to dive birth while moving. English: Anspach, R.R. (1988). Notes on the sociology of medical discourse: The language of case presentation. Journal of health and social behavior (29 , December), 357-375. Davis-Floyd, R., & Davis, E. (1996). Intuition as authoritative knowledge in midwifery and homebirth. Medical anthropology quarterly . Henegraaff, W.J (1996). New age religion and western culture: Esotericism in the mirror of secular thought. Leiden: E.G.Brill. Heelas, P. (1996). The new age movement: The celebration of self and the sacralization of movement. Oxford: Oxford university press. Jordan, B (1997). Authoritative knowledge and its constriction, in Childbirth and authoritative Knowledge. Davis – Floyd & Sergeant (Eds). University of California press. 257

Morton, H. C. (2002). Doula Care: The (Re)-Emergence of WomanSupported Childbirth in the United States, Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles. Zaidman, N. Goldstein – Gidoni, O. & Nehemya, I. (2009). From temples to organizations: the introduction and packaging of spirituality. Organization articles, vol 16 :597-621.

Presentation no. 2: What Every Woman Knows – Traditional

Arab Women Healers in Israel Dr. Ariela Popper-Giveon (The David Yellin Academic College of Education)

Over the past few decades, complementary medicine of various types has been increasingly integrated into health care provided by established biomedical organizations. By contrast, treatment methods commonly known as 'folk' or 'traditional' medicine remain at the fringes of established care or outside it altogether. As such, they constitute an alternative to the biomedical establishment and not a component thereof. We test the above claim by examining the activity of traditional Arab women healers in Israel, who treat physical and mental problems, to which conventional medicine offers no adequate solution. They also address various hardships of life, such as poverty, barrenness and spinsterhood, along with 258

problems of “supernatural” origin, such as the evil eye and spells, that adversely affect their patients’ wellbeing. Analysis of narratives of Arab women who opt for traditional healing reveals a certain vulnerability that is largely a consequence of their tradition: Many are still restricted to the domestic sphere and are dependent on their male relatives. Such vulnerability is exacerbated by the women’s encounter with the modern work force, the undermining of the extended family system and tensions between traditional and modern values regarding spousal relations, love and sex. These problems, that weigh heavily on many young Arab women today, are not treated at conventional biomedical institutions. To treat their patients, traditional Arab women healers in Israel prepare amulets, spells and counterspells, love charms and herbal potions. They massage patients, pray for them, console them and advise them about the hardships of life. Treatment is a three-stage process: First, healers attempt to reintegrate patients within their families. They then direct patients to adopt their traditional gender roles as wives and mothers. Finally, the healers help patients bond with their culture by imparting a collectivist conception, rooting out manifestations of individualism that may have caused rifts between patients and their families and consolidating patriarchal values. 259

The healers thus constitute an alternative to the biomedical establishment. Instead of going outside the community to the Western, Jewish, modern and secular world – as the public medical system in Israel is sometimes perceived by the Arab minority – they provide an inward-oriented, traditional, local and Muslim alternative. The healers serve as agents of consensus, encouraging solutions that harmonize with traditional cultural values. As indicated, such coping methods are not oriented towards the modern Western world – whose attraction may exact a heavy personal price from Arab women – but rather turn inward to the local tradition and culture. The solutions proposed are indeed outside the purview of the professional biomedical establishment and may not be readily discernible to researchers.

Nevertheless,

they

provide

a

significant

alternative to conventional treatment. Bibliography: Hebrew: Aburabia-Queder, S. (2008). Excluded and loved: Educated Bedouin women's life stories. Jerusalem: Magnes Press. Popper-Giveon, A. (in press). A Tale of an Amulet: Traditional Arab Healers in Israel: Haifa: University of Haifa Publishes. English: Aburabia-Queder, S. (2008). Excluded and loved: Educated Bedouin women's life stories. Jerusalem: Magnes Press. [Hebrew] 260

Popper-Giveon, A. (in press). A Tale of an Amulet: Traditional Arab Healers in Israel: Haifa: University of Haifa Publishes. [Hebrew] Abu Baker, K. (1999). Acculturation and reaccurlturation influence: Multiplayer contexts in therapy. Clinical Psychology Review 19(8): 951967. Aimee, M. & Lucas, H. (1993). Women’s struggles and strategies in the rise of fundamentalism in the Muslim world: From entryism to internationalism. In H. Afshar (Ed.), Women in the Middle East (pp. 180200). London: Macmillan. Al-Krenawi, A. & Graham, J. (2005). Marital therapy for Arab Muslim Palestinian couples in the context of reacculturation. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families 20(10): 1-11. Cohen, L. & Markman, M. (eds.)(2008). Integrative oncology: Incorporating complementary medicine into conventional care. Totwa, NJ: Humana Press. Kleinman, A. (1980). Patients and healers in the context of culture. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Presentation no. 3: Channeling - Adjustment vs. Distress:

The Relationship between Traumatic History,

261

Dissociation and Quality of Life in Women who Practice Channeling Ms. Tali Stolovy (University of Haifa; Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center)

This pilot study explored the relationship between traumatic history and dissociation, absorption, narcissism and quality of life among a population of channelers, in comparison with a population of non-channelers with similar traumatic history. Channeling is a phenomenon in which people describe themselves as being taken over by, or in other ways receive messages from another personality, from other dimensions or levels of reality. This other personality uses the channeler as a medium or channel for the communication. Channeling can occur through a range of consciousness states and in different ways: through voice, automatic writing, visual images or hearing voices (Klimo, 1987). Channeling is perceived to be a state of dissociation (e.g. Moreira- Almeida, Lotufo Neto & Greyson, 2007; Seligman, 2005). Dissociation is defined as a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or perception (APA, 2000). Dissociation was usually perceived as a pathological reaction to psychological trauma (Janet, 1889; Van der Kolk & Van der Hart, 1989), but currently dissociation is considered as a mental process, structure, disorder, defense mechamism and also as

a

symptom of distress (Nijenhuis & Van der Hart, 2011).The 262

essence of all "normal" dissociative experiences is absorption (Dalenberg & Pulson, 2009). Absorption is defined as a disposition for having episodes of "total" attention that fully engage one's representational (i.e. perceptual, enactive, imaginative and ideational) resources. This kind of attentional functioning is believed to result in a heightened sense of the reality of the attentional object, imperviousness to distracting events, and an altered sense of reality and self (Tellegan & Atkinson, 1974). Absorption is related to well being (Almagor & Erlich, 1999; Hymer, 1984) but also to traumatic history (Dalenberg & Pulson, 2009). Traumatic history is also related to narcissistic tendencies (Howell, 2003). In accordance with the current perception that socially accepted spiritual experiences may enhance quality of life (Koenig & Larson, 2001), the research assumption was that channeling is a functional utilization of dissociative tendencies (Castillo, 2003; Seligman & Kirmayer, 2005). Similarly, absorptive and narcissistic tendencies may as well have adaptive qualities for channelers . The study sample included 150 women; 75 women who practice channeling and 75 women in the comparison group.

263

The groups had similar traumatic history, calculated using traumatic events questionnaire (Vrana & Lauterbach, 1994). The result revealed higher prevalence of divorce and bereavement among the channelers in comparison to the non channeling group. In spite of the matching traumatic history scores, the channelers presented higher prevalence of unexpected or sudden deaths of a close person during childhood. The study results confirmed the hypothesis that channelers have higher levels of dissociation, absorption and narcissism than the comparison group. One interesting finding was that channelers presented a higher level of psychological health than their non-channeling counterparts. The results revealed that the channelers' narcissism enhance their psychological health. Dissociation was found as a symptom of distress among all of the sample, but absorption among channelers was found as a minor form of dissociation that expresses the ability to control the dissociation and focus it on channeling. The lecture will discuss channeling as an idiosyncratic utilization of dissociation, absorption and narcissism, that enhances quality of life. The discussion will also relate to channeling as a coping mechanism for the bereaved and as a result of a search for meaning following early or late trauma. 264

Bibliography: Almagor, M. & Erlich, S. (1990). Personality correlates and cyclicity in positive and negative affect. Psychological Reports, 66 (3), 1159-1169. Castillo, R.J. (2003). Trance, Functional Psychoses and Culture. Psychiatry, 66 (1), 9-21. Dalenberg, C.J. & Pulson, K. (2009). The cast for the study of "Normal" Dissociation. In: P.H., Dell & J.A., O'Neil (Eds.) Dissociation and the Dissociative Disorders: DSM-V and beyond. New York: Routledge . Howell, E.F. (2003). Narcissism, a Relational Aspect of Dissociation. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 4 (3), 51-71 . Klimo, J. (1987). Chanelling. CA: Jeremy P. Tarcher, inc . Koenig, H.J. & Larsson, D.B. (2001). Religion and mental health: Evidence for an association. International review of Psychiatry, 13, 67-78. Nijenhuis, E.R.S. & Van der Hart, O. (2011). Dissociation I trauma: A new definition and comparison with previous formulations. Journal of Truama & Dissociation, 12, 416-445 . Seligman, R. & Kirmayer, L.J. (2008). Dissociative Experience and Cultural Neuroscience: Narrative, Metaphor and Mechanism. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 32 (1), 31-64 . Tellgan, A. & Atkinson, G. (1974). Openness to Absorbing and Self Altering experiences ("Absorption"), A trait related to hypnotic susceptibility. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 83 (3), 268-277 .

265

Vrana, S. & Lauterbach, D. (1994). Prevalence of traumatic events and post traumatic psychological symptoms in a non clinical sample of college students. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 7 (2), 289-302.

Symposium C4 :The Jewish Renewal Movement Chair: Dr. Yossi Chajes (University of Haifa) Presentation no. 1: "Psycho-Spiritual" Innovations in the

Neo-Hasidic Renewal of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Reb Shlomo Carlebach Dr. Natan Ophir (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

In describing New Age Religions, Wouter Hanegraaff documented the extent of a "healing and personal growth" movement. He applied the term "psychologization of religion and sacralization of psychology" (Hanegraaff, 1996). In a similar vein, Paul Heelas described the "scaralized rendering" of the self and of values such as freedom, love, and peace (Heelas, 1996). To what extent are these characterizations pertinent also to the Jewish New Age ? In this lecture, I examine the "outreach" work of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, the two foremost exponents of the Neo-Hasidic Renaissance, and primary sources of inspiration for the Jewish New Age. From 266

their early years as Chabad emissaries, they sought to restore the joy, laughter and love that had been lost after the Holocaust. They utilized a diverse psycho-spiritual arsenal such as inspirational story-telling, trancelike dancing and participatory singing. They propounded psychological insights and developed psycho-spiritual techniques directed at enlivening religious tradition, belief and ethics. Reb Zalman, born August 17, 1924 in Zholkiew, Poland, received ordination in 1947 at the Chabad yeshiva Tomchei Temimim. In 1955, he began studying at Boston University for his MA in the Psychology of Religion. For a Hasidic Rabbi, Reb Zalman had an unusual and adventurous spirit. In 1962, he experimented with the spiritual potentialities of LSD under the guidance of Harvard University professor, Timothy Leary. At the University of Manitoba (1956-1969), he taught courses such as the psychology of religion which included collecting "date" by experimenting with meditation and experiential exercises. In 1968, he completed his PhD at Hebrew Union College on spiritual counseling in Chabad Hasidism. Reb Zalman practiced and taught devotional prayer ("davenology"), mystical Hasidut, and "psycho-spiritual breakthroughs". He implemented new ideas such as "going with the flow" from Prof. Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, and integrated "psycho-spiritual therapy" and "consciousness267

expanding" practices from Dr. Claudio Naranjo, the Chilean psychiatrist who pioneered in integrating psychotherapy and spirituality. In leading High Holiday prayers in Berkeley in 1974, he added meditation and group dynamics for teshuvah, and inspired the founding of the Aquarian Minyan of Berkeley, a progenitor of the Jewish Renewal Movement . Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (Jan. 14, 1925 – Oct. 20, 1994) is considered the most influential composer of Jewish religious music in the 20th century. He gave rabbinic ordination or "semi-ordination" to about 50 students, inspired thousands of followers, and touched the lives of countless people around the globe. Reb Shlomo was a non-judgmental "listener" who counseled and healed by personal example and heartfelt expressiveness. He was a master at creating the setting and mood for spiritual-religious experiences, "getting High" on Shabbat,

and

celebrations.

inventing Shlomo

vibrant

added

forms

of

psychological

life-cycle import

to

Kabbalistic Hasidic practices such as immersion in the mikveh. In San Francisco, he interacted with New Age spiritual leaders such as Swami Satchidananda, Steven Gaskin, Sufi Sam, and Yogi Bhajan. But although there was cross fertilization of some psycho-spiritual techniques, Shlomo's innovations were done intuitively as he applied neo-

268

Hasidic values towards creating a life of joy, devotion and altruism. Boaz Huss has argued that contemporary Kabbalah is part of a global network of new cultural formations of "postmodern spirituality" (Huss, 2007). Hanegraaff sees the New Age as "a secularized esotericism". Here we contend that Reb Zalman and Reb Shlomo utilized psycho-spiritual insights and dynamics

in

reinterpreting

Hasidic

and

Kabbalistic

conceptualizations, thus paving the way to an essential element of the Jewish New Age, a still evolving, neo-Hasidic, post-modern psychology . Bibliography: Hebrew: Estelle Frankel, Sacred Therapy: Jewish Spiritual Teachings on Emotional Healing and Inner Wholeness, Boston, 2003. Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Ruth Gan Kagan, Jewish Renewal: Integrating Heart and World, Tel Aviv, 2006. English: Ariel, Yaakov (2011). "From Neo-Hasidism to Outreach Yeshivot: The Origins of the Movements of Renewal and Return to Tradition," in Boaz Huss (ed.), Kabbalah and Contemporary Spiritual Revival, Beer-Sheva, 2011, pp. 17-37. Garb, Jonathan (2011). Shamanic Trance in Modern Kabbalah, Chicago . 269

Green, Arthur & Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman (2007). "A Dialogue on the Beginnings of Neo-Hasidism in America," Spectrum: A Journal of Renewal Spirituality, vol. 3, no. 1, winter-spring, 2007, pp. 10-18. Hanegraaff, Wouter (1996). New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought, Leiden (Albany, N.Y., 1998) Heelas, Paul (1996). The New Age Movement, Oxford. Huss, Boaz (2007). "The New Age of Kabbalah: Contemporary Kabbalah, the New Age and Postmodern Spirituality," Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, vol. 6, no. 2, July 2007, pp. 107-125 . Magid, Shaul (2005). "Jewish Renewal Movement", Encyclopedia of Religion, (2nd edition, Farmington Hills, Michigan), 7, pp. 4868–4874. Ophir, Natan (2011). Reb Shlomo Carlebach: Teachings, Songs, Stories and The Neo-Hasidic Renaissance, Jerusalem. Schachter, Zalman (1960). "How to Become a Modern Hasid," Jewish Heritage 2, 1960, pp. 33-40. Schachter, Zalman (1991). Spiritual Intimacy: A Study of Counseling in Hasidim, Northvale, New Jersey. Weissler, Chava (2011). "Performing Kabbalah in the Jewish Renewal Movement," in Boaz Huss (ed.), Kabbalah and Contemporary Spiritual Revival, Beer-Sheva, 2011, pp. 39-74. Werczberger, Rachel (2011). "Self, Identity and Healing in the Ritual of Jewish Spiritual Renewal in Israel," in Boaz Huss (ed.), Kabbalah and Contemporary Spiritual Revival, Beer-Sheva, 2011, pp. 75-100

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Presentation no. 2: Post Monotheistic Jewish Theology in

Contemporary America: Zalman Schachter Shalomi and Arthur Green Prof. Shaul Magid (Indiana University)

Two of the more well-known radical Jewish theologians in contemporary America, Zalman Schachter-Shalorni and Arthur Green, have developed what I call "post-monotheistic" Jewish theologies that grow out of an adaptation of New Age religion in conjunction with strong readings of classical Jewish mystical sources. These pantheistic and panentheistic theologies hold great promise but also pose seriously challenges to Jewish thinking on matters such as divine election, halakha, Jewish nationalism verses Diaspora identity, and the "myth" of Judaism's having invented monotheism, which is the template of Western religions to this day. The underlying assumption of many Jews and non-Jews alike is that Judaism's great contribution to world religion is the idea of monotheism. While scholars have shown that, in fact, the monotheistic idea existed in pre-Israelite Ancient Egypt, it was lost and then reconstituted (knowingly or not we do not know) in Israelite religion cum Judaism. Of course, our 271

use of the term "monotheism" to define Ancient Israelite religion is somewhat anachronistic given that our view of monotheism was an idea that developed slowly over time in Israelite society. In any case, once that maturation took place – likely around the time of the Deuteronomic reforms - Judaism became unequivocally identified with monotheism. Resistance to "pure," perhaps, Maimonidean, monotheism continued in kabbalistic literature albeit the Kabbalist's mythic construction of the godhead already. assumed a monotheistic foundation (even as it often subverts it). In this paper I argue that the contemporary Jewish theology of Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and, to a lesser extent, Arthur Green breaks the monotheistic grip on Judaism. This "rupture" known in Jewish Renewal circles as a Paradigm Shift potentially impacts many practical dimensions of Jewish through and practice. Who do we pray to? How do we differentiate ourselves from others? How can commandment survive? With whom did Jews make a covenant? Using Jan Assmann's theory of "the Mosaic distinction" in his books Moses the Egyptian and Of God and Gods I argue that Schachter-Shalomi and Green offer an alternative theological template that circumvents what Assmann considers the occupation hazard of Mosaic monotheism, believing in a creator who chooses one people to the exclusion of all others. I further argue that this postmonotheistic turn is very much in concert with American 272

religion from Ralph Waldo Emerson to William James and beyond suggesting that radical Jewish theology in America is as much or more a product of the American religious imagination as the classical Jewish texts that serve as its foundation. Bibliography: Jan Assmann, Of God and Gods (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 2008) ------------------Moses the Egyptian (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1997) ----------------- The Price of Monotheism (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2010) Arthur Green, Schachter-Shalomi, «Thinking Through the Metaphors of Deep Ecumenicism: A Dialogue," Spectrum: A Journal of Renewal Spirituality (Summer-Fall 2007) Arthur Green, EHYEH: A ,Kabbalahfor Tomorrow (Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights, 2003) ---------- "New Directions in Jewish Theology in America," re-printed in Contemporary Jewish Theology: A Reader, E. Dorff and L.E. Newman eds. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999),4586-493 ------------Radical Judaism (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010) ------------Seek My Face, Speak My Name: A Contemporary Jewish Theology (New Jersey: Aronson, 1992) Shaul Magid, "Jewish Renewal- A New American Religion?" Tikkun Magazine (January/February) ----------------- "Jewish Renewal, American Spiritualism, and Postmonotheistic Theology," Tikkun Magazine (May/June)

273

Zalrnan Schachter-Shalomi, "God Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown Variations on a Kabbalistic Themes (part I)," Spectrum 2-1 (Winter-Spring 2006) 2 ------------------------------ "God Hidden: Part II" (unpublished manuscript) -------------------------------:-------Paradigm Shift (New Jersey, Jason Aronson, 1993) -------------------------------------"Renewal for All," Tikkun Magazine March/April 2008 -------------------------------------- Yishmaru Da 'at: Chassidic Teachings of the Fourth Turning (Boulder, CO, OHALAH Rabbinic Fellowship, Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal, n.d.) Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Arthur Green, "Thinking through the Metaphors of Deep \Ecumenicism: A Dialogue," Spectrum 3-2 (SummerlFall 2007)

Presentation no. 3: Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi:

Between Jewish and Indian Meditation Mr. Tomer Persico (Tel-Aviv University)

If the Jewish spiritual awakening in the United States, the "Jewish Renewal" Movement that is sweeping America since the late sixties, has a prophet, it is Reb Zalman SchachterShalomi. Over the last fifty years Schachter-Shalomi has been instrumental as a leader for the movement, placing himself in the main junctions of action, marking the way ahead, and forming the theoretical structure that would let its members 274

explain their way to themselves, and give it theological legitimacy. Schachter-Shalomi understood, already in the beginning of his journey, that there exists among America's Jews a thirst for spiritual experiences, and that with it comes the need to study different meditative practices. On the university campuses to which he was sent by his Rabbi, the late sixth Rebbe of Habad, he met young Jews that were already then interested in the mystical teachings of the religions of the east. In response to the pursuit of spiritual resources from Hinduism and Buddhism, Schachter-Shalomi had to give a sound Jewishmeditative answer. In my lecture I will elaborate on the results of SchachterShalomi's attempt to give the Jewish seekers of "Spiritual Enlightenment" Jewish spiritual-meditative tools. As a former Habad Hosid, Schachter-Shalomi had a fair collection of meditative practices which he had learned in his days at the Hasidic Yeshiva, and which he processed and made more approachable

in

the

guide

books

that

he

wrote.

Complementing that, with the distance slowly building between him and Habad, and his drifting away from the Jewish-Orthodox point of view, Schachter-Shalomi's interest in the meditative practices that were on offer around him as part of the sixties Counter-Culture grew, practices from which 275

he did not stop himself from being inspired, as also, simply, at times, adopting whole. Today, aged 88, as always, Schachter-Shalomi does not want to dilute, but to renew, Jewish tradition. He insists on spiritual practice of a Jewish nature, holding fast to the principals which he thinks are the most essential to Judaism. That notwithstanding, there is no doubt the he and his followers were greatly influenced by the eastern spiritual traditions they found around them, parts of which, as noted, they sometimes embraced fully. We might ask, then, how does Schachter-Shalomi define for himself and for his followers what makes a meditation technique "Jewish", what is the process by which he adapted, or rather "converted to Judaism", meditative techniques whose source lies outside the Jewish tradition, and how he explains, to himself and to his followers, both the need for and the possibility of importing foreign meditative goods into Judaism. Bibliography: Primary Sources: "A First Step: A Devotional Guide", Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, in The Jewish Catalog: A Do-it-yourself Kit, Siegal, Richard & Strassfeld, Michael & Strassfeld, Sharon, eds., The Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia,1973, pp. 296-317

276

"For They Bow down to Emptiness and the Void", Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, in Zen and Hasidism, Heifetz, Harold, The Theosophical Publishing House, Weaton, 1978, pp. 157-160 The First Step: A Guide for the New Jewish Spirit, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Donald Gropman, Bantam, New York, 1983 Fragments of a Future Scroll: Hassidism for the Here and Now, Reb Zalman Schachter, Philip Mandelkorn & Stephen Gerstman eds., B'nai Or Press, Mount Airy, 1982 (1975) Gate to the Heart: An Evolving Process, Zalman M. SchachterShalomi, ALEPH, Philadelphia, 1993 Paradigm Shift Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman,, Jason Aronson, New Jersey, 1993 Wrapped in a Holy Flame: Teachings and Tales of the Hasidic Masters, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Miles-Yepez, Nataniel M., ed., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2003 The Gates of Prayer: Twelve Talks on Davvenology, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Albion, Boulder, 2011 Secondary Sources: Ariel, Yaahov, "From Neo-Hasidism to Outreach Yeshivot: The Origins of the Movements of Renewal and Return to Tradition", in Kabbalah and Contemporary Spiritual Revival, Huss, Boaz, ed., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Press, Beer Sheva, 2011, pp. 17-37

277

Ariel, Yaahov, "Hasidism in the Age of Aquarius: The House of Love and Prayer in San Francisco, 1967-1977", Religion and American Culture, Vol. 13, No. 2, Summer 2003, pp. 139-165 Magid, Shaul, "Rainbow Hasidism in America – The Maturation of Jewish Renewal", in The Reconstructionist, Spring 2004, pp. 34-60 Magid, Shaul, "The necessary Heresy pf Translation: Reflections on the Hebrew Writings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi" in Spectrum: A Journal of Renual Spirituality, vol. 3, No. 1, WinterSpring 2007, pp. 19-37 Posen, Marie-Josée, "Beyond New-Age: Jewish Renewal's Reconstruction of theological meaning in the Teachings of Rabbi Z. Schachter-Shalomi", in New Age Judaism, Rothenberg, Celia E. & Vallely, Anne, eds., Vallentine Mitchell, London, 2008, pp. 73-94

Presentation no. 4: Practicing Devekut in Jewish Renewal:

Learning to Experience God’s Presence Prof. Chava Weissler (Lehigh University)

In her study of evangelical Christians in the United States, the anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann writes about how congregants “learn to hear God.” Members of the churches she has studied learn new linguistic practices, including terms to describe inner states, such as “peace,” or “falling in love with Jesus,” and new ways to tell the story of their lives, such as “learning to walk with God.” They are taught to develop a 278

relationship with Jesus through particular practices of Bible study in which the Bible comes to seem to them like “a love story” written to each of them individually. Most centrally, they develop a relationship with God through prayer, “[T]he taught practice asks the congregant to turn inwardly with great emotional attention…

[T]he practical theology invites the

congregant to assume that truth is found inwardly and not from external experts.

God is to be found in personal

experience...” A God found by personal experience, or “going inward,” is also sought by members of ALEPH – Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Unlike the personal God who becomes known to Evangelical Christians as “Jesus as pal,” the God whose presence is sought in Renewal is apprehended in Hasidic terms, rooted in classical Kabbalah: Ein Sof, the sefirot, reached through the Four Worlds, a divinity both immanent and transcendent. The experience of the divine presence is called, using Kabbalistic and Hasidic terminology, devekut, “cleaving [to God].”

In Hasidism and the Neo-

Hasidim of Jewish Renewal, the worlds are the ladder by which one can ascend from this material existence to the higher spiritual planes, and to devekut. Finally, the deep truth conveyed, stemming from the thought of certain acosmic Hasidic masters, as mediated by Jewish Renewal leaders such 279

as Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, is that there is nothing but God, in the Hasidic phrase, ein ‘od milevado. All of these theological concepts are learned by participants in Jewish Renewal through conversations with other participants, formal teachings, and study of Jewish texts, but they become real to them even more through a set of bodily practices, including chanting, meditation, prayer, movement, and art. Luhrmann shows that, for the Evangelical Christians, much of this learning takes place through a process she calls metakinesis, “a term [taken] from dance criticism to describe the way in which a dancer experiences an emotion in her body.”

In metakinesis, the feeling and the movement

become fused through the dance.

“Words like ‘peace,’

‘grace,’ ‘falling in love with Jesus,’ and ‘being filled with the Holy Spirit’ model specific ways of experiencing the body.” How does one learn to encounter God—to experience devekut—in Renewal? How does one travel through the Four Worlds? How does one come to know deeply that God fills all the worlds? As in evangelical Christianity, Renewal Jews learn new categories, vocabulary, and interpretations of their lives and of Jewish teachings.

And as in Christian

congregations of the sort studied by Luhrmann, metakinesis is one of the major processes through which this happens. This paper examines two cases, an instance of congregational 280

prayer, and a class on “embodied kabbalah.” Each case will demonstrate the way in which specific movements and chants enable participants to internalize and embody specific kabbalistic concepts. In a small Renewal in the Midwest, I observed the worshipers chanting Elekha Adonai Ekra with bodily movements. Watching the absorbed faces of the worshipers and their rabbi, I saw them learning to experience the presence of a God who is both transcendent—out at the horizon far away--and immanent—within their hearts.

At a

retreat of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal in 2009, Rabbi Diane Elliot offered a course entitled “Dancing in the Light of God,” in which participants were taught specific movements and techniques for experiencing each of the Four Worlds. Bibliography: Thomas Csordas, “Somatic Modes of Attention,” Cultural Anthropology (1993) 8:135-156

Thomas Csordas, Body/Meaning/Healing. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2002

Tanya Luhrmann, “How God becomes intimate in contemporary U.S. Christianity,” American Anthropologist: September 2004; v. 106, 518-528

Tanya Luhrmann, “The Art of Hearing God: Absorption, Dissociation, and Contemporary American Spirituality,” Spiritus 5 (2005): 133-157 281

T.M. Luhrmann, Howard Nusbaum, and Ronald Thisted, “The Absorption Hypothesis: Learning to Hear God in Evangelical Christianity.” American Anthropologist Vol. 112, Issue 1, 2010: 66-78.

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, with Daniel Siegel, Credo of a Modern Kabbalist. Victoria, BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, with Joel Segel, Jewish with Feeling. New York: Riverhead Books, 2005, especially chapter 3

Rachel Werczberger, “Self, Identity and Healing in the Ritual of Jewish Spiritual Renewal in Israel,” in Kabbalah and the Contemporary Spiritual Revival, ed. Boaz Huss. Be’er Sheva: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Press, 2011, 75-100

http://rabbishefagold.com/ Website of one of Jewish Renewal’s most important creators of meditative chants, often with accompanying movement

http://www.whollypresent.org Website of Rabbi Diane Elliot, pioneer of spiritual dance in Jewish Renewal

Deleted: ¶

Symposium C5 :Contemporary Sufism in a Globalized Context 282

Chair: Dr. Avraham Elqayam (Bar-Ilan University) Presentation no. 1: Islamic Sufism in Response to the

Contemporary Global Crisis Mr. Stephen Schwartz (Center for Islamic Pluralism, USA)

My paper would present a survey of Islamic Sufi responses to the contemporary world crisis. It would summarize the role of Sufism in various forms as a social movement, citing as its main examples the Bektashi Sufis of the Albanian lands, the Alevi-Bektashi movement in Turkey and Kurdistan and in the Turkish and Kurdish diaspora, and the Iranian Kurdish Ahl-e Haqq phenomnenon.

It would also examine the parallel

experiences of Albanian and Bosnian Sunni Sufis in their own countries and in their diasporas, the politicization of Sufism in present-day Turkey, the position of Sufis as oppositional trends in the crisis of the Iranian state, the conflicts affecting Sufis in Pakistan with relation to political and social issues, the contrasting position of Indian Sufis in relationship to the minority status of Indian Muslims under Wahhabi and other radical pressure, and the mobilization of Sufis as a counterforce to Wahhabism in Egypt today. It would sketch out ways that Sufis may contribute to the amelioration and resolution of political and social conflicts now observable in many countries, not simply the lands of Islam, caused by collective 283

anxiety. It would concentrate historically on established Sufi tariqats and movements in the Islamic lands while also calling attention to the involvement of and appeal to other established religious traditions in the emergence of social movements. It would compare the social role of Islamic Sufis with the similar functions assumed across time by Catholic orders, Jewish Kabbalistic movements, and Buddhist protest activities, as well as with the historic links between Protestantism and the trade union movements and socialist movements in Northern Europe and the U.S. and Canada, Jews and the trade union and socialist movements in Europe and the Americas, Catholics involved with “liberation theology” and responses to it, and spiritual aspects of indigenous American (“Indian”) resistance efforts in the U.S. and in Latin America. It would finally take up social protest movements in Europe and Asia as progenitors and milieux for the emergence of theosophical and esoteric spiritual expressions, and the curious but stimulating issue of the relations between anarchosyndicalism and various “New Age” phenomena such as naturism, vegetarianism, and Esperantism in Spain before the Civil War of 1936-39. All of the material would be empirically based and reflect original research, inspired by the model of Sufism within the context of “Islamic pluralism” as defined by the late Prof. Shmuel N. Eisenstadt of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 284

Bibliography: Abd el-Kader. Écrits spirituels. Trans. Michel Chodkiewicz. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1982.

Abu-Manneh, Boutros. Studies on Islam and the Ottoman Empire in the Nineteenth Century, 1826–1876. Istanbul: Isis Press, 2001.

Alemanya Alevi Birlikleri Federasyonu. “Kerbela’dan Sivas’a: Agittan Amuda” [From Grief Toward Hope], Cologne, 2006.

Bencic-Rimay, Tea, ed. Vlado Gotovac. Zagreb, Croatian Writers’ Association, 2003, with verse trans. by Stephen Schwartz. [See commentaries on Hallaj and Rumi.]

Bension, Ariel. The Zohar in Moslem and Christian Spain. London: Routledge, 1932.

[Beqiri], Baba Rexheb. Mistiçizma Islame dhe Bektashizma. Shtëpia Botuese “Urtësia,” Tirana, 2006. ———. The Mysticism of Islam and Bektashism, vol. 1. Trans. Bardhyl Pogoni. Naples, Italy: Dragoti, 1984.

Birge, John K. The Bektashi Order of Dervishes. London: Luzac, 1937.

Erguner, Kudsi, trans., Le livre des derviches bektashi (Villayet name), L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: Le Bois d’Orion, 1997. Translation of the Vilayetname of Ferdowsi [i.e. the chronicler “Ferdowsi the Tall.”]

285

Frashëri, Naim. Bagëti e Bujqësia, Lulet e verës, Vjersha të tjera. Tirana: Dituria, 2001. Includes the Sufi collection Lulet e verës (Summer Flowers), of which an English translation by Agim Morina and Stephen Schwartz is forthcoming.

———. “Bektashi Pages.” In Christianity and Islam Under the Sultans, by F. W. Hasluck. Oxford: Oxford University Press 1929.

———. Qerbelaja. Bucharest: Dituria, 1898: Reprint, Tetova: Teqe Harabati Baba, 1996.

Presentation no. 2: The renewal Sufi-Spiritual way in the

Israeli society Mr. Ghassan Manasra (The Islamic Cultural Center)

These days, spiritualism has become a global movement that, at times, serves as an alternative to religions and philosophies. Many young Israelis' eyes are turned to the eastern Asian spirituality, to cultures rich in spiritual traditions such as India, Tibet and Japan. Yet, some current spiritual movements in Israeli society look to middle-eastern traditions as a source of inspiration including mystical Islamic traditions namely - Sufism . The upsurge of Sufism is not a new phenomenon in the West's "New Age" culture. Sara Savirii claims that the spread of Sufism as part of the strengthening of "New Age" 286

philosophies in the West is particularly evident in light of the weakening of the mystical current in the Islamic world and the internal opposition to it. Many Sufi centers operate in the US, Western and Eastern Europe with members who consider themselves as Muslims and with members who adhere to the Sufi way but did not convert to Islam. This phenomenon is gaining prominence in Israel as well . In the framework of some Jewish and Muslim mystical circles' attempts to promote multicultural discourse and encounters, a spiritual fraternity – "Traiqa" ("path" in Arabic) – of members of both religions was established. This fraternity, named "Abraham's Way" after Abraham the patriarch who symbolizes the familial unity of Isaac and Ishmael and the spiritual monotheistic path he paved . In this lecture I will attempt to draw the main principles of "Abraham's Way" laboring to become a leverage of JudeoIslamic Sufism and its uniqueness in the mosaic of today's spiritual currents in Israel. Bibliography: Lobel, Diana, A Sufi-Jewish Dialogue: Philosophy and Mysticism in Bah]ya Ibn Paqūda's Duties of the Heart, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. Trimingham, J. Spencer, The Sufi Orders in Islam, Oxford 1971. Weismann Itzchak, ṣSufi Brotherhoods in Syria and Israel: A Contemporary Overviewṣ, History of Religions, vol. 43 (2004), pp. 303287

318

Presentation no. 3: Cosmopolitan Sufism in Canada, the

Caucasus, and the Middle East: Local, Global, Glocal Dr. Chen Bram (Van Leer Institute and Hebrew University)

The lecture analyzes a spiritual teaching inspired by Sufism, showing how it operates in wholly different contexts by merging local and global elements, to form a new doctrine, which will be examined in light of sociological and anthropological research on "glocalization." At the center of the discussion stand the teaching of “Ahmsteh Kebzeh”, or "the knowledge of the art of living", developed by Murat Yagan, a spiritual leader of AbkhazianCircassian origin. Yagan was born in Turkey in 1915 and immigrated to Canada in the 1960s. As a young man he trained with the Bekteshi order and was later recognized as a Sufi sheikh by the Mevlevi order leadership; he subsequently converted to Christianity but eventually became disillusioned with established religion and developed his own spiritual teaching. The development and spreading of the “Kebzeh” involve different contexts . The first context is the development of Yagan’s teaching in the move from Turkey to Canada, and the active “Kebzeh 288

community” set up by Yagan and followers, in British Columbia . The second context is that of the editor of Yagan’s latest book, The Essence of Sufism in the Light of Kebzeh (2009), Yaacub ibn Yusuf, a self-designated "Jewish Sufi" living in Israel. Ibn Yusuf was a student of Yagan's but his view of Sufism differs widely from his teacher's. Their cooperation despite these differences

- can be attributed to their

connections to "global Sufism ." A third context is the Circassian and Abkhazian ethnonational one; new, interesting reconnection has been established between Yagan and his native people in Abkhazia and in the Circassian diaspora. Finally, Yagan's spiritual movement exerts a universal attraction; with his teaching disseminated via his books and the Internet. Yagan developed his teaching by drawing upon ancient Circassian traditions as well as Sufism, Christianity and New Age "new spirituality". At its core lie personal and communal development through modesty, mutual responsibility, respect and compassion. For Yagan, these values are associated with the ancient ethos of the Caucasus, which he sought to revive as a universal vision. His approach can be traced to his cosmopolitan

upbringing

combined

with

Canada's

multicultural society in which he operates. The result is an 289

ecumenical model of intercultural encounters – notable in a time of "clash of cultures" and increasing alienation. While the Kebzeh doctrine can be characterized as "glocal", current definitions of "glocalization" in sociological and anthropological research on globalization describe it only partially. The lecture will elaborate those unique features which resist prevailing categorizations . This study is based on anthropological fieldwork in Canada, the Caucasus and among the Circassian diaspora, and on analysis of Yagan's writings in their historical, biographical, intellectual and cultural-comparative contexts. Bibliography: Appiah, Kwame Anthony. Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. New York: Norton, 2006. Bram, Chen, Hatina Meir (forthcoming) Cultural Exchange and Cosmopolitan Vision: Murat Yagan and the Teaching of the Kebzeh Chirikba Viacheslav A. Between Christianity and Islam: Heathen Heritage in the Caucasus (forthcoming ) Hermansen, Marcia.. “In the Garden of American Sufi Movements: Hybrids and Perennials”, in New trends and developments in the world of Islam, P. Clarke (ed. ), London: Luzac Oriental Press, 1997. pp. 157-178. Inal-ipa, Sh.D. Voprosy etnokul’turnoj istorii abkhazov (Questions of the Ethnic and Cultural History of the Abkhazians). Sukhum: Alashara, 1976. Karpat, Kemal. "The Hijra from Russia and the Caucasus: The Process of Self-definition in the Late Ottoman State." Muslim Travels. Eds. Dale F. 290

Eickelman, and J. Piscatory. London: Routledge, 1990. 131-152. Sedgwick, Mark.. “European Neo-Sufi Movements in the Interwar Period.” Islam in Inter-war Europe. Eds. Nathalie Clayer and Eric Germain. London: Hurst 2008. 183-215. Verter, Bradford. "Spiritual Capital: Theorizing Religion with Bourdieu and Against Bourdieu." Sociological Theory 21/2 (June 2003):150-174. Webb, Gisela. “Sufism in America.” America? Alternative Religions. Ed. Miller Timothy. Albany: SUNY, 1995. Yagan, Murat. I Come from Behind Kaf Mountain: The Spiritual Autobiography of Murat Yagan, Putney, Vt.: Threshold Books 1984. Vernon, Ca: Kebzeh Publications, 1997.

Presentation no. 4: Spirituality and Messianism in the Sufi

Global Sphere Prof. Itzchak Weismann (University of Haifa)

Sufism – the common designation of the spiritual dimension of Islam – is long given to cross attack. For Modernists who embraced the western ideas of progress, science and rationalism it symbolizes Muslim backwardness, while for Islamic fundamentalists, who advocate a return to the pristine religion of the scriptures and the way of the forefathers, it is the deviation and sin which led to the humiliation of Islam before the West. Consequently, Sufism lost its leading role in the propagation of Islam to the Islamic movements, which in the name of the umma (Muslim nation) seek to integrate 291

religion and state, Law and politics. But, in the age of globalization Sufism again raises its head. Various Sufi shaykhs respond creatively to the new conditions by developing new teachings as part of the contemporary spiritual trend of the New-Age, turn their mystical orders into socialspiritual networks that cover not only the Muslim world but also Europe and the United States, and make extensive use of the Internet and other means of communication to mobilize members and preach among non-Muslims. One of the most outstanding representatives in the contemporary global Sufi sphere is Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani. Nazim belongs to the Naqshbandi order, which for centuries articulated orthodox adherence to the sharia (Islamic Halacha) to active involvement in the affairs of society and state. He is a Turkish Cypriot, who joined the Naqshbandiyya order in Syria under the guidance of a Caucasian master. Nazim inaugurated his international activity in 1973 in London and today he has disciples in most countries of the world. His foremost deputy is stationed in the United States. Nazim accepts also nonMuslim disciples and he travels frequently to visit his adherents, makes extensive use of the Internet, and tries to stem the tide of the worldwide Islamic fundamentalist trend. In my talk I will focus on the apocalyptic-messianic dimension in the teaching of Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani, a dimension that sets him apart from other Sufi shaykhs and 292

testifies to what extent his thinking and work have become globalized. Almost from the start Nazim has argued that the end of the world is imminent. The details of the events that are about the engulf us chance according to ongoing political developments and the expected date – often calculated according to the Christian calendar – is postponed time and again, but the basis remains the same. According to Haqqani, the end of the world will begin with a world war (war of Gog and Magog), in which Western countries such as Britain and Germany along with Eastern countries such as Turkey and the Arab lands will participate. He is confident that the war will destroy the enemies of Islam in general, and of the Sufi trend in particular. These were first Communism, later the materialist West, and now principally Islamic fundamentalism. Then the Mahdi (the Muslim messiah), with Nazim has already established contact, will appear and establish the rule of spiritual and peaceful Islam all over the world Bibliography: David Cook, Contemporary Muslim Apocalyptic Literature (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2005). Jorgen S. Nielsen, Mustafa Draper and Galina Yemelianova, “Transnational Sufism: The Haqqaniyya,” in Jamal Malik and John Hinnels (eds.), Sufism in the West (London and New York: Routledge, 2006).

293

Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, The Naqshbandi Sufi Way: History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain (Chicago, Kazi Publications, 1995). Itzchak Weismann, The Naqshbandiyya: Orthodoxy and Activism in a Worldwide Sufi Tradition (London and New York: Routledge, 2007). Tayfun Atay, “Naqshbandi Sufis in a Western Setting” (D. Phil. Thesis, University of London (SOAS), 1995). Ali Köse, Conversion to Islam: A Study of Native British Converts (London and New York: Kegan Paul International, 1996). Ian K.B. Draper, “From Celts to Kaaba: Sufism in Glastonbury,” in David Westerlund (ed.), Sufism in Europe and North America (London and New York, 2004). Annabelle Böttcher, “The Naqshbandiyya in the United States,” www.naqshbandi.net. Damrel, David, “Aspects of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Order in North America,” in Jamal Malik and John Hinnels (eds.), Sufism in the West (London and New York, 2006). Muhammd Nazim Adil al-Haqqani al-Naqshbandi, Mystical Secrets of the Last Day, (Los Altos Ca., 1994). Nazim al-Haqqani, Secret Desires (London: Zero Publications, 1996). Hisham Kabbani, The Approach of Armageddon? An Islamic perspective (Washington DC.: Islamic Supreme Council of America, 2002). Ron Geaves, “The Haqqani Naqshbandis: A Study of Apocalyptic Millenialism within Islam,” in Stanely E. Porter, Michael A. Hayes and 294

David Tumbs (eds.), Faith in the Millennium (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001).

Symposium C6 :Contemporary Paganism Includes a demonstration of a ceremony Chair: Dr. Orna Alyagon Darr (Carmel Academic Center) Presentation no. 1: Demonstration of a Pagan Ritual for the

Festival of Ostara, the Beginning of Spring Ms. Hadas Goldgeier and Ms. Elizabeth Zohar

Ostara, the spring equinox, signifies the balance between day and night, and yet symbolizes the overcoming of light – daylight growing stronger as the year progress – over darkness. In this holiday - which signifies the beginning of spring – we give thanks for new beginnings in our lives and celebrate and reinforce equality within us. It is a time when the God grows stronger into a man, and the Goddess turns again into a young maiden. The ritual will honor the Gods associated with this period, and the fresh energies with which we start the new year. The ritual will include raising energy by means of movement and sound, and a guided meditation that will pass us through nature's blossom and our own. 295

Hadas Goldgeier (21), originally from Haifa, has been following the Pagan path for 7 years now, mainly under the Druidic tradition but incorporating various other tradition from throughout the Mediterranean and the world. She is a B.A. student in Archeology and Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Elizabeth Zohar (24) has been am eclectic Wiccan for the past 12 years. She presently teach personal development and magic work, and studies Naturopathy at Kibbutzim College.

Presentation no. 2: "And Not a Word About the Goddess":

On Processes of Making and Displaying a Pagan Identity in Israeli Women's Spirituality Festivals and Workshops by Israeli Pagan Women Mr. Shai Feraro (Tel-Aviv University)

In this paper I intent to analyze processes of formation and expression of Pagan identity amongst Israeli Pagan women, when

attending

'Women's

Spirituality'

Festivals

and

workshops in Israel. 'Contemporary Paganism'

is an umbrella-term used for

describing modern attempts in the West for reviving various ethnic and magical traditions, mainly those of the preChristian European world. Common characteristics of these 296

various Pagan denominations include resistance to any formal structures of organization, dogma or orthodoxy; Preference for a direct relationship with the divine, instead of revelations or holy texts; Nature religions which include recognition of an immanent divinity, instead of a transcendental one, and the honoring of nature and the Earth. They are usually polytheistic, and can 'work' with one or more divinities, or sometimes whole pantheons. There exists a clear correspondence between these religions and the Feminist Spirituality Movement, which first started developing in the U.S.A during the 1970's-1980's. Like Contemporary Western Pagan, Spiritual Feminists call for restoring the connections between human beings and the natural world and the Sacred Feminine. They can be divided into 3 overlapping and interacting groups: 1) A large core of women who define themselves as Pagan Witches who act either in a Coven or as solitaires. 2) Women who practice in ritual and learning groups that do not regard themselves as Wiccan. Here I shall describe them as 'Goddess Feminists'. They understand The Goddess as a liberating metaphor, or as a symbol of their own personal and political energies. These women do not display a religious devotion in the more common sense of the word, but still find a deep need to embark on a 'spiritual' search. Some of them do see the 297

Goddess as a real and independent force. 3) Spiritual Feminists who keep the Jewish/Christian identity and try to bring about Feminist changes within the Judeo-Christian traditions. In Israel, most Spiritual Feminist belongs to third group, and some describe themselves as 'Goddess Feminists'. Their cultural products can be located amongst others in the annual Shakti Festival (since 2002), and in various workshops and circles throughout the country. Alongside

Feminist

Spirituality,

an

Israeli

Pagan

community has been developing since the late 1990's. I wish to examine the ways in which Israeli Pagan women - who move between the overlapping (but different) circles of Contemporary Paganism and Feminist Spirituality - shape and express their Pagan identity while participating in 'Women's Spirituality' festivals and workshops in Israel. Seemingly, the mutual emphasis within the two movements on the feminine aspect of the divine and on Feminist values should not create a contradiction between the participants' Pagan Identity and the festival/workshop goals, values and theology. Yet my claim is that the unique connections between (Jewish) Religion and the state in Israel as the nation-state of the Jews create a situation where Israeli Pagan women find it usually hard to express their Pagan identity when encountering the wider Feminist 298

Spirituality movement in Israel, and that this situation contributes in turn to the consolidation of a distinct identity for Israeli Pagans - separated from the wider Israeli New-Age 'scene'. Bibliography: Hebrew: Kessem, Rina. 2006. Derech Hakesem. Hod Hasharon: Astrolog. Simchai, Dalit. 2009. Flowing Against the Flow: Paradoxes in Realizing New-Age Vision in Israel. Haifa: Pardes. Tavory, Iddo. 2005. "A Collective of Individuals" – Solidarity and the Individual in the Rainbow Community. M.A. thesis. Tel-Aviv University. English: Adler, Margot. 2006 [1979]. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshipers, and Other Pagans in America Today. New York: Penguin Books. Davy, Barbara Jane. 2007. Introduction to Pagan Studies. Lanham: Altamira Press. Eller, Cynthia. 1993. Living in the Lap of the Goddess: The Feminist Spirituality Movement in America. Boston: Beacon Press Griffin, Wendy. 2002. "Goddess Spirituality and Wicca". In Her Voice, Her Faith: Women Speak on World Religions. Eds. Arvind Sharma and Katherine K. Young. Boulder: Westview Press. 243-283. Hutton, Ronald. 1999. The Triumph of the Moon. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pearson, Joanne. 1998. "Assumed Affinities: Wicca and the New Age". In Nature Religion Today: Paganism in the Modern World. Eds. Joanne Pearson, Richard H. Roberts and Geoffrey Samuel. Edinburgh: Edinburgh 299

University Press. 45-56. Pike, Sarah M. 2002. Earthly Bodies, Magical Selves: Contemporary Pagans and the Search for Community. Berkeley: University of California Press

Presentation no. 3: Rituals and Life Cycle Celebrations

Amongst Israeli Wiccans Ms. Orly Salinas Mizrahi (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

This lecture aims to explain the significance of the seasonal holiday rituals and life-cycle celebrations of a whole hidden community who are adherents of a religion named Wicca in Israeli society, with the assistance of folkloristic multidisciplinary approach; consisting of personal narratives and ethnographic field work as a participant observer. Being both an insider and a researcher my ethnographic perspective is a blend of personal experience and research constantly dealing with the shift from one to the other and benefitting from both positions. I intend to relate to examples of these various private and public rituals, all the while discussing their specific functions, themes related to their symbolism and presenting the interpretations, reasoning and motives of the participants using their personal narratives. As a folklorist I will also relate to the

300

performative, creative and expressive aspects of the Wiccan rituals to enhance the in-depth elucidation. Wiccans follow the wheel of the year and celebrate its eight festivals known as Sabbats. Four of these, the cross-quarter days, are greater festivals identified with the Goddess, coinciding with old Celtic fire festivals. These are Samhain, Imbloc, Beltane and Lammas or Lughnasadh. The four lesser festivals, that are identified with the God are; the summer and winter solstices, named Midsummer and Yule and the spring and autumn equinoxes named Ostara and Mabon. Holiday celebration rituals, of the Greater and Lesser Sabbats are mostly celebrated in public within the bounds of the diverse Israeli Wiccan communities. All Wiccan rituals can be performed either privately or publicly with the Wiccan community. These rituals are comprised of many options such as holidays, lifecycle celebrations and various healing spells for certain individuals or nature. Making magic for various personal purposes that are actions performed generally privately and sometimes publicly amongst the community to ensure and magnify the power of a specific spell that is geared toward a certain goal to which all the participants agree. The various lifecycle rituals, being; the metaphor of birth, development, death and regeneration are an essential part of the Wiccan worldview. They represent the changes of the 301

natural world around them and symbolize the stages of the individual life cycles of the Goddess and the God and by association the women and men who celebrate them. Wiccans use the circle and the spiral to symbolize the never ending and ever renewing cycle. For individuals who have decided to convert to Wicca and ‘walk the Wiccan path’ there are self initiation rituals performed by certain traditions (branches), while public ones for those who belong to covens of other branches that are bound by certain conventions. Handfasting is the commonly used term for weddings. Infants in Wiccan families are involved in a ritual named ‘Wiccaning’, which is analogous to Christening in Christianity and circumcision in Judaism. There are also first blood rites for the daughters and coming of age rituals for the sons to celebrate if they wish to do so. Because of the Craft’s belief in reincarnation, death is a time of celebration rather than grief, for death signifies the completion of a learning period, meaning that the individual has graduated and will be going on to other things. Status changing rituals are preformed mainly for women when they move from the stage of maiden to mother and from mother to crone. These rituals too, are based on the natural physiological cycles of women that correspond to the three faces of the Goddess based on the natural lifecycles of the women themselves. 302

Bibliography: Bell, C., Ritual. Perspectives and Dimensions, Oxford, 1997, pp. 3 -22, 93169 Crowley V., Wicca – A comprehensive Guide to the Old Religion in the Modern World, USA 2003 Myth, Rites, Symbols: A Mircea Eliade Reader, 2 vols, ed. by Wendell C. Beane and William G. Doty, USA 1975 Falassi, A., "Festival: Definition and Morphology", Time Out of Time: Essays on the Festival, A. Falassi (ed.), Albuquerque 1987, pp. 1-5 Grimes, R. L., Beginnings in Ritual Studies, South Carolina1995, pp. 2474 Ivakhiv A., “The Resurgence of Magical Religion”, Magical Religion and Modern Witchcraft, J. R. Lewis (ed.), Albany 1996, pp. 237-265 Magliocco S., Witching Culture, Philadelphia 2004 Moore, S. and Myerhoff, M. “Secular Ritual: Forms and Meanings”, in Sally F. Moore and Barbara G. Myehoff, eds. Secular Ritual , USA, 1977, pp. 3-24 Rappaport, R. A., “The Obvious Aspects of Ritual”, in Ecology, Meaning and Religion (1979), 175-180 reprinted in Readings in Ritual Studies, R. Grimes (ed.), Prentice Hall, 427-440 Schechner, R., The Future of Ritual: Writings on Culture and Performance, Routledge 1993

303

Smith, J. Z., To Take Place: Toward Theory of Ritual, Chicago1987, pp. 96-117 Starhawk, Spiral Dance – A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess, 20th Anniversary Edition, San Francisco 1999 Turner V. W., “Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period in Rites de Passage”, The Proceedings of the American Ethnological Society Symposium on New Approaches to the Study of Religion, J. Helm (ed.), USA 1964, pp. 338-347 --------------, The Ritual Process. Structure and Anti-Structure , Cornell 1969 Tambiah, S. J., “A Performative Approach to Ritual”, in Proceedings of the British Academy, vol. 65 (OUP, 1979) Van Gennep, A., The Rites of Passage (University of Chicago Press, 1960), extract from Readings in Ritual Studies, ed. Ronald L. Grimes, Prentice Hall 1996 Hebrew: Aryeh-Sapir, Nili. 2006.The Formation of Urban Culture and Education. Tel-Aviv: Dor Ledor.

Presentation no. 4: Pagan Ritual as a means of Therapy and

Self-Empowerment Dr. Yael Katz Henkin (Independent Scholar)

304

Prof. Idel once stated that New Age Spiritual ideologies are difficult to follow and discern due to the fact that they are inconsistent and constantly changing. In 2009 the group I am studying had designated its members as witches, or Wiccans. A few months later they changed their title and called themselves Neo-pagans. These days they relate to themselves as Pagans. Nevertheless the various titles have not changed their basic ideological approach and their religious procedures. Like every other religion the Pagan group has its special religious procedures namely – ritual. This presentation relates to the Pagan Ritual, as performed by the above mentioned group; whether they are Wiccans, Neo-pagans or Pagans. Ritual is a kind of language that is expressed in structured actions, performed in a special space, at a specific period of time7. Humans have the capacity to create a verbal language and use it for social communication. A similar mechanism enables humans to create rituals8. Ritual behavior is initiated by a certain cause, which means that it has a purpose. Most scholars consider ritual as a social mechanism that enables society to experience its ethos, and

7 8

Tambiah, 1968, 185-188 Bourdieu, 1977, 106, 120, 156 305

bring different streams of ideologies into cohesion9. It is also accepted that ritual is performed in order to restore order in the social type of existence that has been threatened or damaged. Among the different ritual theories on which I base my approach, I prefer Grunwald's ritual theory. Grunwald understands ritual as a performative expression of cerebral (or cortical) processes, similar to the linguistic cognitive and conceptual processes. In religion, rituals are performed in a context that seeks meaning in the framework of the holy. (Grunwald, 2003,3,12). The actual performance of ritual ceremony achieves its goal by causing actual transformation of the reality that needs change (for instance: creating a sacred time, or conferring a sacred status). The actual change is a mental transformation; the mind strives to gain control over reality.

The

ritual

performed

restores

an

infracted

metaphysical condition. According to Grunwald, in order to achieve the ritual goal it has to be performed in some context that is meaningful for the participants. The myth, of which the participants are familiar, confers that context10.

9

Durkheim, 1994, 104,112-117. Gorman, 1990, 17-25. Bell, 1992, 109. Valeri, 1985, 344. Douglas, 1973, 42-3. 10 Grunwald, ‫תשס"ד‬, 44 (in Hebrew) 306

In the Neo-pagan ritual the ritual context is based on the mythic idea that our universe is interconnected in an allinclusive energetic web. In this presentation I intend to demonstrate the process that enables the ritual participants to undergo an emotional and spiritual transformation that elevates their self-esteem, and give their life a meaning of a life worth living. Bibliography: Hebrew: Geertz Clifford, 1990 – The Interpretation of Cultures, Jerusalem: Keter. Gruenwald Ithamar, - Myth and Historical Truth – Is it possible to shatter Myths? Eds. Idel Moshe and Gruenwald Ithamar, Jerusalem: Shazar Center. Turner Victor, 2004 – The Ritual Process, Tel-Aviv: Wrestling English: Bell Catherine, Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice, Oxford University Press, 1992. Bourdieu Pierre, Outline of a Theory of Practice, Cambridge University Press, 1977. Douglas Mary, Natural Symbols, Random House, 1973.

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Durkheim Emile, "The elementary forms of the religious life: the totemic system in Australia", in: Durkheim on Religion, ed. W.S.F. Pickering, The American Academy of Religion, 1994, pp.102-166. Gruenwald Ithamar, Rituals and Ritual Theory in Ancient Israel, Brill, 2003. Gorman Frank H., 1990 – The Ideology of Ritual: Space, Time, and Status in the Priestly Theology. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Supplement series 91, Sheffield: Sheffiels Academic Press. Valeri Valerio, Kingship and Sacrifice: Ritual and Society in Ancient Hawaii, University of Chicago Press, 1985

Symposium C7 :Education – Essence and Spirit Chair: Mr. Amir Freimann (The Education Spirit Movement) Presentation no. 1: From Critical Pedagogy to Critical Theology Dr. Yotam Hotam (University of Haifa)

The aim of this talk is to present a new concept of "Critical Theology" and to discuss its pedagogic implications. Such a call to re-think educational categories reflect to some extent the common denominator of wide variety of approaches to education which were assembled in the new volume "Education-Essence and Spirit". The juxtaposition of the 308

different approaches to the trope of spirituality in education reflects the rising motivation to discuss the spiritual and religious aspects of secular modern edification. The concept of "Critical Theology" marks then a possible change in the study of education because its aim is to offer a methodological framework to this new motivation. Its aim is to work analytically against the long-term process of de-socialization, demise of meaning, and compartmentalization of religion and religiosity; it emphasizes what has been most left out, the relations between modern secular education and religion; it sets a case for “taking religion seriously” as a critical tool of pedagogy. To some extent "Critical Pedagogy" wishes to replace the common dependence of the current philosophical discourse on the concepts of "Critical Pedagogy." The later characterizes the educational critical discourse of the last decades, which aimed at exposing the social and political power relations embedded within education. In being based on the ideas of the "critical theory", this type of disclosure was constructed not only in order to evoke awareness to the intimate and hidden political

aspects

which

motivate

pedagogic

decision,

regulations, and views. More concretely it was formulated as a tool for social and educational change. Put differently, it wished to present the "political unconscious" (Jameson 1991) 309

of education as a tool for transformation. "Critical Theology" wishes – in the same manner – to evoke the "theological unconscious" of education, as a similar tool for social and pedagogic change. It invites a reading of the deep rooted views regarding the meaning of the human, and the human relations with the transcendent and the immanent – that is the concepts of God and of the world – that endow education with a meaning. As such it presents a turn in the critical reading of education. Such a turn to a critical reading of the religiosity which is embedded in the modern secular education, reverberates what leading scholars such as Taylor (2007) and Habermass (2008) referred to as the current "post-secular" emergent society. Under such an emergent society this scholars understand “a new age of religious seeking, whose outcome no one can foresee” (Taylor, 2007) and invite therefore pedagogues to rethink education under such conditions. Bibliography: Hebrew: Hotam, Y. (2011). In the Eye of the Storm: Education and Religiosity in our Era. Studies in Education, Number 4, 12-31. English:

310

Bauman, Z. (2000). Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Habermass, J. (2008). A post secular society – What does it mean? http://www.resetdoc.org/story/00000000926 Heelas P. 2008. Spiritualities of Life: New Age Romanticism and Consumptive Capitalism, Malden, M.A.: Wiley-blackwell. Horkheimer, M. and Adorno T. W. (1972). Dialectic of Enlightenment. Translated by John Cumming. (New York: Herder and Herder). Taylor, C. 2007. A Secular Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. Weber, M. 1968. On Charisma and institution building. Chicago: Chicago UP. Wexler P., Hotam Y., & Fischer, S. (2011). Beyond the Secular/Religious Divide: Liberalism, the Sate, and Education in a Post Secular Age. Comparative Education Review, Volume 55 Number 1, 134-137, Joint first authorship. Wexler, P. (2009). Social Theory in Education. (New York: Peter Lang)

Presentation no. 2: Being an Educator in Israel Dr. Nirit Raichel (Gordon College of Education; Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee)

This lecture focuses on the educator in Israel and his/her attitudes about the essence of education and its missions and thus, the role assigned to him/her in order to realize them. 311

The Hebrew education system, in contrast to many other educational systems in the world, clearly distinguished between the concept of the teacher and that of the educator – and chose the educator as an educational leader for the younger (Land of) Israel generation. The discussion of the Hebrew educator, his/her perceptions of the essence of education and his/her methods for achieving its goals will be divided into four main periods. The period of settlement until the division into educational streams, 1881-1920. This period is termed "Yesud Hamaala" (based on a Biblical passage in Ezra- "…determined to go up" referring to immigration to Israel) during which the educator assumed the task of formulating and disseminating Hebrew culture. This period is characterized by individual and idiosyncratic work of each

Hebrew

school

and

its

educators,

as

each

teacher/educator coped with an almost utopian vision – to model the future Hebrew generation according to an unknown archetype, with a lack of basic educational means for educating and teaching, and with frustrations stemming from the magnitude of the responsibility they had taken upon themselves – to model the younger generation to be totally different than the teacher him/herself and from the people they were acquainted with. 312

The period of educational streams, 1920-1953 This period is divided into two secondary periods: the period of the British Mandate, 1920-1948, and the period following the establishment of the State of Israel, 1948-1953. During this period, along with his/her other tasks, the educator took it upon him/herself to be an ideological leader and a role model for the ideological characteristics of the framework in which s/he was working. After the establishment of the State of Israel, in addition, s/he had to absorb and integrate the multitude of new immigrants and to represent the state for the children who had just arrived in Israel. The period between the Public Education Law and the decision to initiate the integration reform, until the beginnings of decentralization in education, 1953-1980 This period is also divided into two, from the enactment of the Public Education law until the integration reform and from the reform to the beginning of educational decentralization in the 1980s. During the first part of the period, the educator assumed the task of being a national socialization agent. This role involved modeling and educating for four fundamental ethical components: the link with the national territory, Jewish identity from a Zionist standpoint, universal humanistic values and enrichment in general knowledge. In the second part of 313

the period, the Israeli educator undertook the realization of the idea behind the reform – turning the educational system into a tool to aid in the narrowing of social gaps resulting from the massive integration, and to work to eliminate the sense of alienation between social groups from different cultures. Without suitable training and lacking an appropriate curriculum, the educator in middle school, which itself had just been initiated, found him/herself in a multicultural classroom with different sub-cultural levels. S/he did his/her best to bridge the gaps, and to deal with cultural differences and stigmas. The period of autonomous development in education and privatization processes, up to the new millennium, 19802000. This period has been characterized by a large number of educator images, on the one hand. On the other hand, a debate has arisen about suiting the choice of an educator as a leader of the new generation and about the possibility that the professional teacher is the best alternative for the period. Bibliography: Almog, O. (1995). The Sabra – A Portrait. Tel Aviv, Am Oved. Elboim-Dror, R. (1986). Hebrew Education in the Land of Israel. Jerusalem, Yad Ben Zvi, p. 125. 314

Langman, S. (1959). "What are eighth grade students reading?" Megamot 10, 3-11. Protocols of the Eighth Teachers Conference, 2 Teveth, 5655 [1895]. (2008) in Raichel, N. the Story of the Israeli Educational System: Between Centralization and Decentralization, Between Declared and Hidden, Between Imitation and Uniqueness. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Magnes and Machon Mofet. Raichel, N. (1997). "Roots or horizons: The portrait of the desired student in the Land of Israel", 1889-1933". Cathedra 83, 55-96. Raichel, N. (2002). "The teacher's belief that he could create a new Jew as a central motivation at the beginning of Hebrew education". Dor L'dor, 19. Raichel, N. (2008). The Story of the Israeli Educational System: Between Centralization and Decentralization, Between Declared and Hidden, Between Imitation and Uniqueness. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Magnes and Machon Mofet. Tadmor-Shimony, T. (2009). Civics Lesson- National Education and the Foundation of the State, 1954-1966. Ben Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. Yudelvitz, D. (1997). "Reshon L'Zion, 1982-2001" in Raichel, N. "Roots or Horizons: The portrait of the desired student in the Land of Israel, 18891933". Cathedra 83, 55-96.

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Presentation no. 3: What is Spiritual-Humanistic Education Prof. Ron Margolin (Tel-Aviv University)

The theory of spiritual-humanistic education as defined by Martin Buber stems from an awareness of the unique role played by humanity in the natural order and the values that are its ground. An education that aspires to enhance the human spirit requires a profound commitment to this role, allying the quest for personal meaning with a sense of responsibility towards society and humanity as a whole. To this must be added a supreme concern for the future welfare of the planet amid the perils of globalization and technology. Such an education must support all vital attributes - individual, social and universal - with the aim of perfecting them in relation to each other and minimizing intrinsic conflicts often perceived as irreconcilable. The future success of humanistic education depends largely on innovative methods of training teachers to distinguish between didacticism and education, between the instruction of factual knowledge and skills with the edification of human beings towards an ideal and meaningful life. Educators must take cognizance of the inevitable gap between the actual and ideal and imbue students with the understanding that although this gap may be unbridgeable, 316

there is great educational value to possessing faith in ideals. After all, faith implies the recognition of a paradoxical gap between the actual and the ideal. It is not based on what actually exists but reflects an aspiration towards what should exist. Confusing the ideal with the actual may lead students to lose faith and become cynical. A crucial remedy for this in addition to the philosophical study of values and belief systems is the consideration of classical religious texts that treat the distinction. Teachers must acquire professional skills to apprehend it and generate a critical dialogue. Those who aspire to such a development must leave room for students to encounter their own conceptions and the personal meaning which sources hold for them. To be truly meaningful in educational training, the study of texts cannot hide behind historical, linguistic or artistic considerations but must reflect the existential and ethical dimensions of discourse. The lecture will be accompanied by various pedagogical examples. Bibliography: Hebrew: Martin Buber, The Way of Man, according to the Teaching of Hasidism, New York 1966 Martin Buber, I and Thou, Trans. Walter Kaufmann, New York 1970 Emmanuel Levinas, Difficult Freedom: Essays on Judaism, trans. Seán Hand, Boltimore 1990 317

Roth Leon, Education and Human Values, Tel Aviv 1961 (Hebrew) English: Jonas, H. (1984). The imperative of responsibility: In search of an ethics for the technological age. Chicago, Il: University of Chicago Press. Tolstoy, L. (2005). A Confession. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

Presentation no. 4: The Spiritual Dimension of Education Mr. Shabtai Majar (Bar-Ilan University)

The core of education is already in us, awaiting our natural and healthy development. For this to happen, patience and understanding are required from the adults, who are supposed to accept and cultivate the child, and provide conditions for normal growth and development. And what happens to education when it is possessed by people, who consider themselves professionals and turn education into their main occupation and source of income? Do the theories and methods help deepen the education work and bring the teacher and child closer together? Can we imagine an educational act in which the teacher is attentive to the student’s internal movement, and accompanies him without educating him? The search for the spiritual dimension of education points at the possibility, that the term “spirituality” expresses that which is actually non-existent, which the very search for is paradoxical – a paradox which is the foundation of education. 318

Evening Session: The Involvement of the State in the Contemporary Spiritualities' Field – Sociological, Psychological and Legal Perspectives Chair: Prof. Eileen Barker (London School of Economics) Presentation no. 1: The psychological state of individuals in

New Religious Movements: Is there a reason for concern Prof. Eli Somer (University of Haifa)

Use of the term "cult" suggests that an ideological association that is categorically distinct from others and brings negative connotations to the group, their members, and former members. This presentation will begin by briefly differentiating cults from other ideological movements and New Religious Movements (NRMs) in terms of behavior of groups, the degree of social influence, the presence of deception, and potential abuse (Woody, 2009). The common assumption that members of NRMs have mental problems will be examined in light of evidence based on the review of empirical research. Data suggests that compared to the general population, members of NRMs may have had fragile pasts reflected in insecure attachment histories and depressive tendencies. However, individuals in NRMs report a positive present as reflected in optimistic world assumptions, no depression and secure attachments (Buxant et al., 2007). Several studies agreed that joining an NRM is often preceded by some kind of (retrospectively reported) crisis and that wellbeing appears to increase with participation. Adaptation during involvement seems to be similar to that of comparison groups from the general population and appears to remain fairly stable over time (Namini & Murken, 2009). For 319

individuals leaving NRMs, the supportive effect of NRMs may not persist after the destabilizing experience of disaffiliation. Yet, ex-members tend to remain strong believers and continue to be very inclined to spirituality (Buxant & Saroglou, 2008a). A closer examination of the reported positive experience NRM seems like providing, suggests that it comes with a price: compared to non-NRM members, members of NRMs could be less prone to question their religious beliefs than the religious and non-religious respondents in the general population, less prone to value autonomy and more prone to endorse values reflecting social order; and more submissive to authority (Buxant & Saroglou, 2008b). Finally, the Person-Environment fir theory will be presented as a possible framework for the understanding of the psychosocial consequences of membership in NRMs (Namini et al., 2010). To conclude, the evidence suggests that NRMs appear to attract dejected individuals who are in need of secure attachments and that these groups appear to mostly to fit the needs of joiners and to benefit them, emotionally.

Eli Somer, Ph.D. is the Past President of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), the Immediate-Past-President of the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation (ESTD) and the Scientific Advisor of Trauma and Dissociation Israel (TDIL). He is clinical psychologist and Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology at the School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Israel. Somer focuses his practice and research on the psychological outcome of mental stress and psychological trauma, both acute and chronic and on trauma-related dissociation. 320

Bibliography: Buxant, C., & Saroglou, V. (2008a). Joining and leaving a new religious movement: A study of ex-members' mental health. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 11(3), 251-271. Buxant, C., & Saroglou, V. (2008b). Feeling good, but lacking autonomy: Closed-mindedness on social and moral issues in new religious movements. Journal of Religion and Health, 47, 17-31. Buxant, C., & Saroglou, V., Casalfiore, S., & Christians, L.L. (2007). Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 10(3), 219-238. Namini, S., & Appel, C. (2010). How is Well-Being Related to Membership in New Religious Movements? An Application of Person– Environment Fit Theory. Applied Psychology, 59 (2), 181-201. Namini, S., & Murken, S. (2009). Self-chosen involvement in new religious movements (NRMs): well-being and mental health from a longitudinal perspective. Mental Health, Religion & Culture,12(6), 561585. Woody, W.D.(2009). Use of Cult in the teaching of psychology of religion and spirituality. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 1(4), 218-232.

Presentation no. 2: The Legality of Criminalizing Cult

Activities Prof. Ariel Bendor (Bar-Ilan University)

The proposal for the criminalization of cults activities brings with it several legal problems. The presentation will discuss firstly whether this ban violates the rights prescribed in 'Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty'. Secondly, assuming the answer to the first question is 'yes', the presentation will discuss whether such a law is constitutional, meaning – will 321

uphold the requirements stated in the basic law's 'Limiting Paragraph'. Prof Ariel Bendor, of Bar-Ilan University's Law Faculty, is chair of the Senator Frank Church Law Studies Chair, exDean of Bar-Ilan's Law Faculty and Dean of the University of Haifa Law Faculty. He wrote 3 books and many essays, mainly in constitutional and administrative law.

Presentation no. 3: The position of the Israeli Ministry of

Social Affairs and Social Services Ms. Yael Hermel (Director of Services for the Individual and the Family, Representative of the Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services)

Ms. Yael Hermel is the Director of Services for the Individual and the Family, Representative of the Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services. She was part of a team appointed by ex-minister Isaac Herzog in order to form criteria and a ministerial policy towards cult activities in Israel, which issued an official report titled "An Examination of the Phenomenon of Cults in Israel". The English version of the report can be viewed via this link: http://www.freedomofmind.com/Info/docs/AnExaminationOf ThePhenomenonOfCultsInIsrael.pdf

322

Email list of conference presenters and symposia chairs Name Prof. Dr.

Mel Orna

Prof.

Ekaterina

Dr. Mr. Dr. Prof. Dr. Prof. Dr.

Zahi yochai Sharon Eileen Eran Ariel Omna

Dr.

Aviva

Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Prof. Ms.

Liora Chen Julie Yossi Semadar Uri Nadav tal

Dr. Ms. Prof.

Iris Amira freema

Dr. Mr. Mr. Mr. Dr. Prof. Prof. Mr. Ms. Prof. Ms.

Avraham Oren Per Shai Alan Peter Harris L. Amir Michal Joseph Hadas

Surname Alexanberg Alyagon Darr Anastasova Arnon Ataria Avital Barker Ben-Arye Bendor BerickAharony BerkovichOhana Birnbaum Bram Chajes Chajes Cherlow Daigin Davidivitch Dotan Ben Soussan Dotan-Katz Ehrlich ElbazLuwisch Elqayam Ergas Faxneld Feraro Flashman Forshaw Friedman Friemann Geva Glicksohn Goldgeier 323

Email [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] om [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] research@fondazionepatriziopa oletti.org [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Dr. Mr.

Danielle Shlomo

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Prof. Dr. Mr. Prof.

Lionel Natan Tom Lily

Dr. Mr. Dr.

Anna Tomer Ariela

Dr. Dr. Mr.

Nirit Alon Girardo

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Zohar Orly

Mr. Dr. Dr. Prof.

Stephen Sara Erella Benny

Dr. Prof. Dr.

Ephraim Faydra Limor

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Boaz Yoni Noga Itzchak Chava Orna Rachel

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RussoNetzer Segev SalinasMizrahi Schwartz Shachaf Shadmi Shanon

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Tsabar Tsouna Tsur Weismann Weissler Wiener 325

Dr. Ms.

Hani Galit

Prof. Dr. Ms. Ms.

Yossi Yuval Eline Elizabeth

Vitelson YanayVentura Yona Yonay Zehavi Zohar

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