Beginning Within - Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein
Change yourself. Influence others.
Dwight Eisenhower said, “If you want total security, go to prison. There you’re fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking is freedom. The title of Chapter 6 in It’s Within You, Choosing Your Freedom, describes how much courage it takes to choose freedom. You might be living in a free country but until you choose freedom you are choosing the security of enslavement over the vulnerability of freedom.
There are two paths we can take in life. The path we choose affects almost everything we experience. Which will you choose? The path of proving to the world that you have value and are worthy of respect or the path of acknowledging your inherent worth and working on living up to who you were created as?
A painful reaction to unhealthy food is a sign of our healthy physical condition. The same is true with spiritual sensitivity. When we are spiritually sensitive, we have a reaction to unhealthy spiritual behavior. Regardless of our sensitivity, the science of spirituality states that there is always a reaction to spiritual behavior. This is why when we accentuate the positivity of another person, we strengthen them without their even knowing it. The reverse remains true as well. Be a force of positivity!
True greatness isn’t becoming something, it’s becoming nothing. Becoming nothing is truly something! Listen to this podcast to understand the deep association between great and small, and something and nothing. Then you’ll understand why nothing is the new something.
You were created by design. You were created on purpose for a purpose. You have a destiny calling upon you. We all count on you to play your part in our collective destiny. Are you heeding the call of your destiny?
Reigning ourselves in is one of the great secrets to healthy living. We all desire to think, say, and do things which don’t serve our overall purpose. Developing our muscle of self-discipline is vital if we want to be high functioning and productive in life. If you care about yourself, don’t do whatever you want.
Our job is in the effort department, not the results department. Remember, you are not the genius, you were endowed with a genius. Your job is to put that genius to work. What your genius will do with your efforts is not your department, That’s where G-d steps in.
Are you a moral force for those around you? Do your friends know you won’t support any unethical behavior? Are you raising children with the clarity that we must be dedicated to our values over ourselves?
When we experience a crack in our armor, a failure or a weakness, we must run. We must run toward it, not away from it. All accomplishments are achieved through imperfection, failure, and mistakes. If we run away, we will never reach accomplishment.
Light shines through transparent objects. When we are transparent, the light of G-d and the light of others can shine through us. When we mix in our own agenda or bias, we lose our transparency and reduce our ability to shine.
Your life should be just like a cup. While a cups utility is holding liquid, its purpose is quite the opposite, dispensing liquid. What is your purpose in life, receiving or giving?
Lying is the root of most of our problems. This all stems from the fundamental lie, the belief in the material without seeing the source behind it. Speaking truthfully is the same as bringing light into a dark room. Suddenly there’s connection, clarity, and safety.
A young boy in our story reminds us of the saying, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you.” It is always wise to take a few moments and consider whether it is you who is the problem. More often than we’d like to think so, it is.
Why do placebos work? Is it because people are gullible, or because something deeper is at play? Believing we are being healed can change us physically. Our thoughts and attitudes are powerful. Learn how to better shape and mold your reality.
We’re all drawn to light. Physical light – daylight, candlelight, sunshine – and to those people who seem to give off a luminescence. Do we need to be around certain people or environments to create light for us? Learn how to shine your own light and never let it dim.
Is the glass half empty or half full? We know that a positive outlook can transform the way we experience life. But what about those really hard times, when seeing any good, having any kind of vision seems impossible. Learn a new perspective, and the possibilities it can open up.
So many of us search, yearning to find our deepest and truest selves. This can involve traveling to distant lands, seeking out therapists and teachers, spending copious hours and dollars on our quest. Yet, by turning outside ourselves, we may encounter something dramatically different.
Sometimes we see it coming. We warn our spouse or child, and they proceed to mess up. Isn’t this the time for tough love reprimand, to point out their errors? Learn how to most effectively support and rebuild the person who did wrong.
We all want to be seen as the nice guy who everyone loves. Praise, treats, second chances keep us the favorite. But is it ever better to say no, to let people experience tough love?
Learn about the growth that the right severity can create.
So much of our life is based on stats. The stock market, the bottom line, the winning team’s scores, our FitBit print out, to name a few. Is quality over quantity a worn cliche or a true approach to life? Learn an approach that goes beyond a spreadsheet.
Why is peace so elusive? Life seems full of conflict on every level- internal, personal, national, and global.
There are quick fixes and deeper long-term solutions. Learn insights for integrating the parts of your life that seem intractable.
We all like to be right and to win. It can be hard to have the objectivity and humility to admit that we err. Especially if we can win with a “cheap shot” that makes us come out on top, but diminishes our true integrity. Gain insight into how a temporary setback can sometimes be an ultimate win, building deeper character.
It’s so hard to know when we’re being taken advantage of, exploited, or even worse, abused. Finding the strength to set clear boundaries and knowing when to walk away is challenging. Learn insights and tools to recognize such situations and move forward with greater clarity.
We learn so much from a seed. One tiny seed can yield a tree overflowing with fruit. True abundance comes from a special kind of planting, with a certain kind of attitude. Learn how to invest in a way that will yield abundance and blessing.
While we may admire pristine order and perfection, is there greater virtue in another focus? Perfection and holiness can be two different paths. Learn how the busy, rumpled person may be actually greater in holiness, since he has a different priority. Gain perspectives on where to put your energy for maximum happiness and satisfaction.
Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve micromanaged someone? When we can’t trust, it frustrates those we work with, and limits ourselves. We can train ourselves to trust others, step by step, and how with appropriate trusting we can accomplish things that seem impossible.
Learn how developing greater trust can expand your life.
It can be intimidating and discouraging to hear others say that we have such great potential, when we know how far we fall short. When we think about our personal natural abilities– they may indeed be limited. By learning to tap into the potential G-d implanted in us, we can stretch and reach farther than we could ever imagine. Gain insights and tools to tap into the infinite.
Our lives are full of problems and challenges. How do we respond? We can point out the problem, better yet, offer a solution; or be one of those rare people who takes responsibility and works the solution. Gain insight and motivation into becoming a solver, learning why we already have the ability inside us.
“Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? Was it me, no you! Couldn’t be. Then who?” This childhood ditty encapsulates one of life’s major issues. Do we admit our wrongdoings? Try to blame the other? How do we react to our failings? Learn why evading our own misdeeds can be so damaging. and how we can move towards taking greater responsibility, react with greater integrity, and provide a safe haven of growth for others who err.
We all struggle with our egos, our need for attention. To “make it” we try to stand out and be significant. Paradoxically, we experience tremendous joy and holiness when we can unite with our brothers and sisters. There are special times and ways of celebration that help us tap into that beautiful oneness we all share at our core.