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Deep Sea Diving
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11 Comments Posted

Deep Sea Diving

Saturday, January 26, 2008
Posted by Rabbi Infinity

Here’s the story I got that line from.

I know, everyone's going to ask, "How do you stay connected? Why does this Infinity guy have to always talk in such riddles? Why can't he give us cosmic consciousness in one minute without the confuzzling metaphors and cutesy aphorisms?"

Well, for one thing, most people don't really appreciate being told outright what to do with their lives. As in, "Who is this Infinity guy anyways that he thinks he can preach at me what I should do and what I shouldn't?" Zap, there goes my Nielsen Rating.

So I figure much better to keep the message clothed in a harmless cartoon about some commonplace activity like Hang Gliding or Xtreme Ironing. If people want to get the message, they'll get it. If not, they'll just figure this is a nice 'toon to watch with my little kids on my lap at the PC so their mother will think I'm being a good daddy and hold off on blowing up my machine.

Nevertheless, just out of that insane self-defeating impulse dormant in all of us, I'll spell things out a little this time around. If you read on, it was your choice.

Staying connected means keeping up your spiritual routine. If you wake up every day to the joys of international disaster and local homicides blasting from your flashing obnoxalarm, rush out the door spilling your hot coffee on the four-legged rug who likes sprawling in the doorway, spend your lunch hour trying to impress the same water-logged brains you spend the rest of the day with, fall asleep plugged into another dumb home video on YouTube--and catch a little spirituality "when you have the time"--that's not called staying connected. That's called drowning in the ocean.

On the other hand, staying connected doesn't mean you can't do anything else but connecting. Hey, you're in this world for a purpose--to find those pearls and other treasure. Which means you have to get involved in what's happening down here.

So to stay connected, what you need is a regular, daily routine. You don't say, "I ate yesterday, who needs food today? I breathed oxygen two minutes ago, why should I breathe again now?" So why should you say, "I got a spiritual fix at the meditation retreat last summer. Cost me $2500 bucks plus transportation, plus a real sore tush from sitting on the grass all those hours. Why do I need anything more?"

Sorry, guy. You need nourishment and fresh air for the soul every day anew. You need to get up in the morning and thank G_d for your body and soul, learn uplifting stuff, meditate, pray from the heart, watch inspiring cartoons, (okay, you can do that at lunch). You need to prime your brain in the morning so that the whole day looks different, cuz you turned on your high beam before you ventured out into the gooky deep sea of the city. And in those most vital last moments of the day, when all you dream about at night is determined, you need to review your day and check if you grabbed any pearls of truth, beauty and wisdom while you were down here. Hey, now you're breathing pure oxygen. You're connected.

There I go getting all preachy again. Genug! (that's "enough" in Kabbalistic Yiddish)



11 Comments Posted
Viewer Comments
Posted: Jan 27, 2008
Kabbalah toons
when is the next one coming out?
Posted By carmella, melbourne, Australia victoria

Posted: Jan 27, 2008
:) Great
Haha Tzvi great as usual, don't worry, we don't mind being preached to by a Rabbi like Rabbi Infinity! :)
Posted By Anonymous

Posted: Jan 28, 2008
Staying connected
Dear Rabbi Infinity,
beautiful, this little film!
This time I find it really extraordinary!
I understand the truth of what you are telling us, in the moment, you open your mouth. I can identify with finding the pearl/ a treasure, and there are times, my foot gets caught also. (Or other parts of me.)
To tell, what you tell us, others need pages and pages in explaining. You do it so short and nicely and the truth like packed up for us in a wonderful parcel. A real present!
Thank you, Rabbi Zvi!
Posted By Michal , Passau, Germany

Posted: Jan 28, 2008
Well said
The most esoteric into simple, explicit terms.
A piece for the 21st century.
Posted By Patti Grossman, Silver Spring, Maryland

Posted: Jan 28, 2008
Nice
Very nice this one and very relevant I find, after coming home from a full and busy day where I didn't do much learning.

Its all about routines they give you something to look forward to, not to mention keep you on the right track.

Thanks Rabbi Freedman, I see now why you mad them more metaphorical, however for me personally this one was so much better - because the message was clear.

Perhaps you could have a section at the bottom of each one explaining the metaphorical bit, with the warning "this is your choice to read on...." like you did here.

Thanks again for putting in the time

Very much looking forward to the next one
Posted By Dan

Posted: Jan 28, 2008
correction
sorry Rabbi Freeman I spelt your name wrong

All the best
Posted By Dan

Posted: Jan 28, 2008
yeah, there are some people whom other people don't mind being told "outright" things that will help them. you are one of these people. it must be a sign that we have detected your capacity for wisdom--and hope desperately that you will continue to share it--clothed or unclothed!
thanks for another great episode!
Posted By julie s.

Posted: Jan 29, 2008
Amazing! Its impressive how much a little cartoon can teach so much!

By the way, the blog message is exatcly what I needed to show people how to get connected!

Thank you!

I enjoy every second!
Posted By Sarah

Posted: Jan 29, 2008
brilliant! i love watching kabala toons!!!
Posted By Anonymous, JHB, South Africa

Posted: Feb 7, 2008
I love it!!
whenever i finish a kabalatoon I say I love it out loud!!
Posted By Lea, montevideo, uruguay

Posted: Mar 2, 2009
there sooooo cute but why soooooo short
Posted By Anonymous, st.paul, M.N.


 



By Tzvi Freeman   More by this authors...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Written and conceived by Tzvi Freeman. Rabbi Freeman is available for public speaking and workshops. Read more on his bio page.
Animation and SFX by Pilar Newton of Pilar Toons
Music by The Piamentas
Rabbi Infinity played by Andrew Torres

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