Lurianic Relationship Cosmology: Mayim Nukvin to Yenika

ayim ukvin Feminine Waters ayim D' urin Male Waters Ibbur Pregnancy Tzimtzum Contraction hevira Breaking Tikkun Repair enika Nursing 1. These are some of the terms used by Lurianic Kabbala to describe the birth of our universe. Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi suggests that we study these terms and use them in our language, liturgy, and thinking to help unfold them further. R. Isaac Luria used metaphors of relationship, birth and family (which was a wonderful reworking of a dominating theology of creation by a Lord) but placed them all in the mind of God, out of the human realm (which is too far away from us). 2. Now that we have achieved a tiny bit of parity in our God language between male and female, we have to move towards God metaphors, language and liturgy that goes beyond mere feminization of the language of the patriarchal Hebrew (although, Lord knows, we're only in our infancy in this!) includes new science, themes of emotional development, relationship, sexuality, family, and community building. Web, Network, Circuit, Puzzle, Organism and Planet are all useful themes. 3. The process of creation is originally described as an awakening of the waters of the male or female (a gift, grace). This includes the eruption of the big bang, which arose out of self-stimulation towards relationship, not as a part of the calculus of relationship. 4. After this initializing act, the process becomes responsive. You awaken me, and I, in tum, awaken you. The initiating-responsive and re-initiating waters arouse each other. Each act results in a mirroiing by the opposites' waters (one's spiritual practices arouse the universe to respond), resulting in an Ibbur, a state of Spiritual Pregnancy. With what are you pregnant now? How is your relationship pregnant? How is your community pregnant? 5. The Ibbur comes to a head with Tzimtzumim, causing a Shevira, and a long process of Tikkun to discover what was repressed during the Shevira (rebirthing metaphors?), part of which happens through a stage of Yenika. 6. What are are you nursing now in yourself? In your significant other? In your community? How are you mothering your nursing self? Where do you need to make a Tzimtzum? Where have you suffered a Shevira? What is your Tikkun? 7. All these metaphors are birthing, parenting and relationally oriented. In addition, there is a lot of information in Lurianic Kabbala about how the process is essential to the basic cosmic and Divine dynamics of life and of being . All Hasidism is based on this. Buber based his ideas on Hassidism. Let us go and study.