BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

In Kabbalah, women find a way to make spirituality integral to their daily lives. By Jacqueline Egosi Tradition discourages the study of the Kabbalah, Judaism's mystical writings unless one is male, married, at least 35 and well-versed in Torah. But as anyone who reads People magazine—or pays attention to bulletin board fliers at the health food store—no doubt has noticed, that proscription is going unheeded. Kabbalah is suddenly everywhere. Madonna proselytizes for it. Britney Spears appears on a cover of Entertainment Weekly wearing one of the red string bracelets distributed by the Kabbalah Centre to keep away the evil eye. It's being taught at workshops at yoga centers and is the focus of New Age summer retreats. Traditional religious authorities look askance at many of these secular activities, contending that they're closer to pop psychology than authentic Kabbalah, which requires a thorough knowledge of Hebrew and Torah to understand its nuances. But that hasn't ...

"Esoteric mysticism teaches that humanity dwells in a state of psychic sleep. It can be called by other names such as saying that man lives in foolish illusion. That he deceives himself about everything. That he lives in flattering and self-damaging ideas about himself and his life. This psychic sleep is the cause of every human problem and disaster. It is sleeping people who suffer from heartache and loneliness, from fear and violence. Only self-awakening can end these sorrows." - VERNON HOWARD