Meaningful Life Skills: Weekly Global Class

 How much of our lives do we take for granted? How often do we step back and appreciate the gift of every breath we take and every move we make? Do we recognize the sanctity of every moment and every space we traverse? Many of us see ourselves as "victims" of time and space -- always trying to beat the clock and maneuver the places we occupy. Can we learn to control space and time instead of them controlling us? Living life to its fullest means valuing every fiber of our beings -- every second of time and every inch of space. The question is how do we manifest and express that value, in ways that enhance our lives?  Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of space and time and teaches us how to master them instead of them mastering us. Discover how to tap into the energy of every moment and location, and harness it toward fulfilling your dreams and aspirations. Find out how to create sacred space in your life. 

The very word death fills our hearts with dread. We consider it as unfathomable as it is inevitable. But what exactly is death? What happens at that moment when soul and body separate? In truth the mystery of death is one with the mystery of life: What happens at the moment of conception when soul and body meet and join? Medicine and science deal primarily with the causes of illness and death -- and ways of battling it, to help  prolong life. They address the definition and symptoms of health, life and death in biological terms. But there is clearly so much more. Why do body and soul need to separate in the first place? Where does the soul go to after death, and where was it before birth? Cam we connect to souls after their passing? Do our love and relationships live on after death? The questions are many. The answers few. Please join Rabbi Jacobson for a fascinating journey into the mysterious world of life and death and discover secrets of your own life journey. The soul's journey never ends; it simp

 What defines healthy masculinity? This question has emerged. perhaps more than ever before, in our generation. Is masculinity about power, aggression and strength -- the historical view of the man as the unwavering pillar that the family and community rely on for security and confidence? Is vulnerability in men a weakness, as in true men don't cry? Or is that an unhealthy stereotype and expectation that has developed over time, one that has evolved into a male hierarchical society with men taking advantage of their superior physical strength and subjugating women under their control? This in turn has caused the rise of feminism rebelling against this unfair balance of power, which has also challenged men, especially with the recent rise of the Me Too movement to reassess their healthy role in society, sexuality, relationships and family life. Some even argue that as a result men have gone too far to the other extreme. They have become emasculated and lost their sense of strength and confidence, turnin

 We often hear about listening to the voice of your soul. Allowing your spiritual aspirations to express themselves. Some call it: Freeing your spirit. But did you know that your body too contains many messages for you? Remember, your body and soul have been traveling together through your life. And just as your soul has memories so does your body. Your body silently watches and absorbs every one of your life experiences. These experiences become etched into the crevices of your body, and from time to time your body will remind you of them. It may be through blushing or goosebumps (more superficial bodily reactions), or it may be through your body stiffening up and feeling anxious. Do you ever feel like you are "in knots," or have "butterflies in your stomach?" The body has many ways to communicate with us. It may be through trembling or freezing up in certain situations, or it may be through a racing heart and feelings of panic. Even certain itches, tics, fluttering eyes, or other contortions and knee

Trust is a vital component in life. Healthy relationships and bonds are built on trust. Without trust, almost everything is compromised if not outrightly destroyed. But which criteria define trust? How do we gauge whom to trust? Which traits and behaviors engender trust?  Can these characteristics be acquired? Many of us have been hurt and are justly wary of trusting another, or sadly, may have totally lost trust in others. Is it possible to rebuild healthy trust after betrayal? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy, and delves into the mysterious world of trust. Learn how to identify trustworthy characteristics, and discover ways of becoming both more trusting and more trustworthy in building safe environments and enduring relationships.

If you were to list the five most important things you want to accomplish in your life, what would they be?  Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this special tribute to his mentor -- the Rebbe -- in which he discusses five foundational principles he learned from his teacher, which radically transformed his life, and can transform your life as well. Discover how these principles can guide you in creating your personalized list of goals you want to achieve in your life, which in turn will help you focus all your activities and interactions toward a cohesive plan of fulfilling your calling in this world.

Do you ever find yourself feeling uneasy that your life is kind of empty and aimless? Believe it or not, that feeling is the beginning of a spiritual awakening. Every epiphany, every wake-up call, every transition, starts with a state of discomfort, as you move from one paradigm to another.  What other signs are there that indicate the opening of new opportunities? Are we missing these signs due to our dismissing them as just temporary nuisances or setbacks? If you're stuck in a rut, how do you get yourself out of it? Are there ways to generate change and growth in your life when you're trapped by your daily routines and habits? How do spiritual awakenings happen and how do you get started and maintain that awakening? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this intriguing discussion on navigating the twists and turns and ups and downs of your life journey. Learn to recognize those moments when a new opportunity presents itself -- including seeing disappointments as springboards -- and how to take advantag

Last year medical researchers discovered a new body part, called the interstitium -- a network of fluid-filled spaces in connective tissue across the body that hadn't been seen before. Previously, it was thought that these tissue layers were a dense "wall" of collagen — a strong structural protein found in connective tissue. But the new finding reveals that, rather than a "wall," this tissue is more like an "open, fluid-filled highway," said co-senior study author Dr. Neil Theise, a professor of pathology at New York University Langone School of Medicine.  With all that's known about human anatomy, you wouldn't expect the discovery of a new organ in this day and age. But now, doctors  say they've done just that.  What is the significance of this discovery, what lessons does it teach us and what insights does it offer us in understanding ourselves and the cosmos? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he travels "under the skin" and explores the fascinating parallels between the interstitium an

 It may seem like a silly question, but does your life truly matter? With 7.7 billion people on this planet, what possible significance can one person have?   This is not a small issue: If you feel that you don't really matter, then your life choices and decisions also don't really matter. What type of life can you live when all that you do has no true value? No wonder that many of us feel unmotivated and uninspired.  Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he presents a fresh new approach to finding meaning and passion in life. Discover the real reason that you and your actions truly matter. Not just you, but the entire world -- and the cosmos themselves -- are dependent on your choices. You indeed have the power to change the world. 

 Have you ever behaved like a coward? Do you regret any situations when you neglected from acting out of fear? Would you be brave enough to acknowledge such behavior? Cowardice and fear impact much more of our lives than we imagine. How many of our decisions are driven — and how many opportunities are lost — due to cowardice? But what do we know about this force that effects us so deeply? What makes some people more cowardly than others? Is courage inborn or acquired? Can we do anything to become less cowardly and more courageous? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of courage and cowardice and its impact on our lives. Through this lens, discover new insights into yourself, and come away with methods and skills to build up your courage live up to your greatest potential and beliefs. 

 The ancient mystical teachings of Kabbalah — once obscure and unknown — has recently become popular and even fashionable. Or has it? Do we really know what Kabbalah is? What does the word even mean? What do these teachings offer us? Tonight is Lag B’Omer, the anniversary of Rabbi Shimeon Bar Yochai’s passing. Rabbi Shimeon, or Rashbi, is the “father” of Kabbalah. He authored the Zohar — the classical esoteric work, which is the foundation of mysticism, laying out a blueprint of the divine and the spiritual framework of the universe and beyond. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this special Lag B’Omer presentation, as he explains the surprising meaning of the word Kabbalah. Once we know its true definition, we can then take a journey into the mystical and mysterious chambers of our psyches and of the cosmos — and come away with a new way of looking at life and new methods to achieve transcendence and live the most fulfilling life possible. The inner workings of Kabbalah — as first taught by Rashbi, and

 There are no parenting schools. So where and how do we learn to parent? We learn it 1) from our own mothers and fathers — we emulate how they parented us, and 2) above all we learn it on the job: When a couple is blessed with a child/children, trial and error and hard earned challenges, and their natural instincts — shaped by the attitudes we picked up from our parents — teaches them how to parent and educate, for better or for worse. But how do we know whether our parenting methods are sound? And that we are not making serious errors in raising our children? Without schooling and with flawed parenting models, for all we know we may be perpetuating dysfunctional parenting skills? Without an objective parenting model, how can we know whether we are doing our best to bring up healthy children? Would you be surprised to know that there is indeed a healthy time-tested paradigm of parenting — one that goes back thousands of years, and has been documented and implemented, and has produced generations of healt

We have always been mystified by the moon -- it's haunting presence shimmering in our night sky. We have studied the moon and its effects on life on earth, we have spent trillions to travel to, land on and explore our lonely lunar sphere. From romance to music and science fiction, the moon with its pale glow captures our imagination. What lies behind this fascination?  Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he "launches" a lunar probe  --exploring the "soul" of the moon -- the cosmic and spiritual forces that energize the moon. The moon has been with us since the beginning of time. It is a living witness to every event in history. What secrets does the moon harbor? What messages does it have for us? What can we learn from the lunar cycles? How can it empower us as we face our own personal and psychological challenges? How can it help us build healthier lives and relationships? You won't want to miss this lunar exploration as you discover and appreciate new and fascinating insights into our relationship wit

 Good people are always mystified by what drives a "regular" person to plan and execute the deliberate and premeditated cold-blooded murder of innocent people, let alone in a house of worship. What is going on in this person's twisted mind and dark heart as he attacks men, women and children of faith during their prayers and celebrations?! How can a human being stoop to such obscene hate and cruelty? Our hearts are shattered as they go out to the husband, daughter, family and community of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who was cruelly murdered by a terrorist in a heinous attack on Jews gathered in prayer at Chabad-Lubavitch of Poway last Shabbat, the final day of Passover. But within the tragedy and grief -- and the demonstration of the ugliest within humans -- another story has emerged, one that is more powerful than the senseless crime perpetrated: The story of the best within humans. Lori Kaye gave her life to save her Rabbi and others in her shul. Rabbi Goldstein through his actions and words, exhibited the n

 Evil is a word thrown around a lot. But what does it mean? What exactly is evil? Does evil exist? Are there any things that are inherently evil, or is evil man-made -- the injustices and crimes one perpetrates against another? Is evil a subjective or objective reality? Is it just in the eyes of the beholder, or is there more to it? And if there is such a thing as evil how do we protect ourselves from it? Without defining evil we certainly cannot take measures to secure ourselves against its impact on us. Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this pre-Passover workshop dissecting the anatomy of evil and darkness, and discover its fascinating (and painful) parallels with black holes. By traveling into the belly of the beast, we find surprising insights that help defang the enemy and transform its liabilities into assets. Passover teaches us how to enter the abyss and come out stronger than ever. 

 When asked "who are you?" most people show you their business card. But that's what you do, not who you are. Yet, with time many of us, sadly, lose sight of who we are and become what we do. when it should be the other way around; Who you are should define and direct what you do. With all the factors that have influenced you -- parents, education, job -- it can be very difficult to figure out who you really are. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and learn provocative methods and effective tools to get beyond the forces that have shaped you and discover who you truly are. Wouldn't that be an achievement -- to live your life from the inside out, in which your inner identity guides your choices and actions, instead of living outside in, in which your circumstances control your life and identity. 

What is intuition? Is it cognitive or emotional? Based on intelligence or instinct? Where do your gut feelings and instincts come from? Can you trust them? Can you hone and improve your intuition, or are some of us just wired with more intuition than others?  Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this eye-opening Purim workshop as he probes the inner workings of human intuition and the deeper recesses of the psyche. By peering "under the dashboard" of the human mind, you discover where your conscious meets your supra-conscious, and your mind meets your heart. Learn how to sharpen your intuition, and allow it to inform your conscious reasoning, which in turn will enhance your sensitivity and elevate your decision making process. 

 What is the role of government? Ostensibly, this question may seem irrelevant to our personal lives. On further thought, however, it's quite clear that the welfare of a government directly impacts the welfare of every one of its citizens. Yet, with so much distrust in our governments today, with the polarization of our political parties, and accusations of corruption being hurled in all directions, no wonder many of us have become quite skeptical if not cynical about the function of government. Nevertheless, it would be wise, especially when government is in question, to revisit the premise on the role and responsibility of government. Is it merely to legislate laws and serve as a referee to maintain the peace and coexistence of its peoples? Or does government have a deeper and more spiritual responsibility? Just as government impacts people, people impact government. A government and its citizens are interconnected and interdependent -- they need and reflect on one another. It is therefore imperative

 Many of us justify, for various reasons, the need to not be completely honest with others about our feelings. We may be judged or misunderstood. We are dependent on them and can't therefore always candidly express our true sentiments. To survive in this self-interest driven world, the argument goes, we need to wear a variety of masks and veils to please, placate and interact with others. When swimming with sharks we need to become a shark.  But what about being honest with yourself? Have you become so accustomed to wearing masks, that they now define you? Do you even know what you look like at your core? Have you betrayed yourself in the process?     Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this piercing talk on how to be honest with yourself. Learn tools how to uncover the shrouds that cloak the true you. Build up the courage to get to know your inner self in ways you never could have imagined. With all the things we are learning all the time, it's about time to look in the mirror and find ou

What criteria defines your personal value -- money, respect or beauty? How much of your worthiness is determined by factors outside of you and how much by forces within you? Where does self-esteem come from? What role does validation by others play in your life? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he breaks down the different ways we measure our worth, offering a formula for developing and cultivating a far deeper and lasting sense of value - one not subject to the shifting attitudes and moods of others or to the dependence on impermanent things.