Kibillah Meditation: Ancient Practice For Modern Mindfulness

Kibillah meditation is a form of Islamic meditation, also known as Muraqabah, which involves surrendering to the will of Allah and achieving a transcendental union with God. It is a tradition commonly found in Sufi orders and is said to have been practised by the Prophet Muhammad during his stay in the Cave of Hira before he met the angel Jibreel.

Muraqabah is derived from the Arabic to observe, and it involves being aware that God is perpetually aware of their subordinates. This creates a reciprocal relationship, where the individual is in a state of mindfulness and cognizant of their Lord's awareness.

The physical benefits of Muraqabah are similar to standard meditation practices, but the metaphysical aim is to refrain from actions displeasing to God and to maintain mindfulness in a state that pleases God.

The three branches of Kabbalah

The study of Kabbalah is divided into three basic areas: the theoretical, the meditative, and the practical.

The theoretical branch of Kabbalah deals with the form of the mysteries, teaching the structure of the angelic domains and the sefirot, or divine emanations. It provides a conceptual framework to understand the mechanism of both the meditative and practical Kabbalah. The vast majority of Kabbalah texts and studies today deal with the theoretical branch.

The practical branch of Kabbalah was a kind of white magic, dealing with the use of techniques to evoke supernatural powers. It involved the use of divine names, incantations, amulets, talismans, chiromancy, physiognomy, and astrology. Many theoretical kabbalists frowned upon these techniques, labelling them as dangerous and spiritually demeaning.

The meditative branch of Kabbalah stands between these two extremes. Some of the earliest meditative methods border on the practical Kabbalah, and their use is discouraged by later masters, especially those of the Ari's school. Within this category are the few surviving texts from the Talmudic period.

While these three branches of Kabbalah are distinct, they are all interconnected and interdependent. Kabbalah cannot stand by itself without the entire corpus of the revealed Torah; it is an integral part of the Torah.

The patriarchs and prophets as the first Kabbalists

The patriarchs and prophets were the first to engage in these meditative methods to attain enlightenment and prophecy. While there are allusions to this in the Bible, the scripture is silent when it comes to explicit descriptions of their methods. However, by looking at the appropriate texts, one can gain insight into the methods used by the prophets.

The earliest direct statement regarding the method comes from the First Century, from the early Talmudic period. Here, some of the greatest Talmudists were engaged in mystical arts, making use of various meditative techniques to attain spiritual elevation. These techniques included the repetition of divine names and intense concentration on the transcendental spheres.

The patriarchs and prophets were the first Kabbalists, and their teachings were passed down through the generations. The Talmudic period saw the formalization of Kabbalah, particularly in Southern France and Spain. During this time, foundational texts such as the Bahir and the Zohar were composed, laying the groundwork for later developments.

The patriarchs and prophets were the original transmitters of sacred texts within the realm of Jewish tradition, and their teachings were passed down and expanded upon by later Kabbalists.

The meditative texts of the Talmudic period

The Talmud is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law and theology. The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah, a written compendium of the Oral Torah; and the Gemara, an elucidation of the Mishnah. The term Talmud may refer to either the Gemara alone or the Mishnah and Gemara together. The entire Talmud consists of 63 tractates, and in the standard print, there are 2,711 double-sided folios. It is written in Mishnaic Hebrew and Jewish Babylonian Aramaic and contains the teachings and opinions of thousands of rabbis on a variety of subjects.

The Talmudic period refers to the time between the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and the Arab conquest in the early seventh century. The earliest direct statement regarding meditative methods comes from the First Century, from the early Talmudic period. Some of the greatest Talmudists were engaged in mystical arts, making use of a number of meditative techniques to attain spiritual elevation and ascend to the transcendental realm. Many of these techniques consisted of the repetition of divine names, as well as intense concentration on the transcendental spheres.

• The Grellier Hekhalot, Textbook of the Merkava School
• The works of Abraham Abulafia
• Joseph Gikatalia's Gales of Light
• The Gates of Holiness
• Gale of The Holy Spirit, Textbook of the Lurianic School
• Hekhalot Rabatai (The Greater Chambers)

Rabbi Abraham Abulafia and his contemporaries

Rabbi Abraham Abulafia was born in 1240 in Zaragoza, Spain, and is thought to have died sometime after 1291. He was a member of one of medieval Spain's most illustrious Jewish families, and received an extensive education in Greek and Arabic philosophy, rhetoric, Tanakh, Talmud, and language.

Abulafia's life took an unexpected turn when he lost his father at the age of 18. Two years later, he embarked on a journey to the Land of Israel, but his plans were thwarted by the desolation and lawlessness in the Holy Land following the Crusades. He eventually ended up in Capua, Italy, where he studied philosophy and "The Guide for the Perplexed" by Maimonides under the guidance of Hillel, a philosopher and physician.

Abulafia's time in Capua marked the beginning of his spiritual journey. He became interested in mysticism and sought to connect with God through contemplation and meditation. He returned to Spain, where he studied the Sefer Yetzirah ("Book of Creation") and its commentaries, particularly those of the German Jewish mystic Eleazar of Worms. This study had a profound impact on Abulafia, leading him to view letters, numerals, and vowel points as mystical symbols. He believed that by manipulating these symbols and performing certain rituals and ascetic practices, one could attain the highest level of existence and become a prophet.

Abulafia soon left Spain again and travelled to various places, including Greece, Rome, and Sicily. He wrote several prophetic books and taught his mystical system to students. He also made a bold attempt to convert Pope Nicholas III to Judaism, which resulted in the Pope ordering his execution. However, the Pope died suddenly before the sentence could be carried out, and Abulafia was freed.

Abulafia's messianic claims and unconventional teachings drew criticism from the Jewish establishment, particularly Shlomo ben Aderet of Barcelona, who wrote a letter against him. This controversy led to the exclusion of Abulafia's Kabbalah from the Spanish schools. He eventually ended up in exile on the small island of Comino, near Malta, where he wrote his last known work, "Imrei Shefer" ("Words of Beauty"), in 1291. After this, all trace of him is lost.

Abulafia's influence on the development of Kabbalah was mixed. On the one hand, he gave it a visionary turn, encouraging the manipulation of divine names and the use of gematria. On the other hand, his ideas were often at odds with the mainstream Theosophical Kabbalah, particularly the Zohar, which he criticised for its complexity and its focus on the Sefirot. Abulafia's work, including his meditation manuals, was largely ignored or banned by later Kabbalists, but it did find followers and influenced later mystical traditions, including Hasidism.

The meditative methods of the Hasidic movement

The Baal Shem Tov encouraged his followers to seek seclusion (hitbodedut) and to meditate on select Kabbalistic unifications (yichudim) of Yitzchak Luria. This form of meditation involves the repetition of specific words or phrases, such as divine names, to produce a profound meditative state. The Baal Shem Tov's teachings were further developed and disseminated by his disciples, including Dov Ber of Mezritch, Shneur Zalman of Liadi, and Rabbi Aharon of Karlin.

As the Hasidic movement grew and evolved, its meditative practices also adapted. The use of esoteric Kabbalistic Kavanot (intentions) on Divine names was eventually seen as an impediment to direct emotional d'vekut, and new meditative and contemplative practices of Divine consciousness were introduced. This shift was influenced by the work of Dovber Schneuri, the second leader of the Chabad Dynasty, who emphasised the importance of analytical study and understanding through the intellectual faculties of Chochma, Binah, and Daat.

Another influential figure in the development of Hasidic meditative methods was Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who used the term hitbodedut to refer to an unstructured, spontaneous, and individualized form of prayer and meditation. This practice may involve speaking to God in one's own words, with the goal of establishing a close, personal relationship with God and a clearer understanding of one's personal motives and goals.

In summary, the meditative methods of the Hasidic movement evolved over time, incorporating elements of Jewish mysticism, analytical study, and spontaneous prayer. These practices were shaped by influential figures such as the Baal Shem Tov, Dovber Schneuri, and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, and they played a central role in the movement's spiritual revivalist nature.

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