18Forty Podcast Joey Rosenfeld: Can Mysticism Heal Us? [Mysticism 1/3]
Join Joey Rosenfeld, a therapist and Kabbalah teacher, as he explores the transformative power of mysticism in healing and recovery. Discover how mysticism contrasts with rationalism, promoting a holistic view of life. Joey shares a poignant parable about addiction and renewal and links the therapeutic principles of Alcoholics Anonymous to Jungian ideas. He argues for the relevance of mystical practices in modern life, emphasizing how they can offer spiritual grounding and enrich psychological work, making it accessible and meaningful for everyone.
01:24:16
Mysticism Prioritizes Unity Over Reduction
- Mysticism values unity and
The Vase And The Addict
- Joey's vase story shows how society shuns broken people while craving spectacle.
- The addict painstakingly repairs the vase and returns it with deeper gratitude and awareness.
Addiction As Yearning For Wholeness
- Jung saw addicts as craving wholeness rather than substances themselves.
- Redirecting that craving toward something larger enables genuine recovery.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Defining Mysticism vs Reductionism
02:03 • 8min
Mysticism as Receiving vs Halacha as Doing
10:14 • 3min
How the 'Magic Eye' Illustrates Mystical Perception
12:56 • 4min
Joey Rosenfeld: Background and Practice
16:30 • 3min
Story: The Vase and the Addict's Recovery
19:31 • 6min
Why AA Embraces a Higher Power
25:55 • 6min
Is Mystical Language Necessary in Recovery?
31:53 • 4min
Joey's Personal Turn Toward Mysticism
35:40 • 6min
Does Kabbalah Require a Teacher to Receive It?
42:09 • 8min
Why Joey Calls Himself a Translator
50:13 • 4min
Academic Study of Mysticism: Value and Limits
53:50 • 6min
Mystical Experiences Across Religions: Validity?
01:00:06 • 8min
What Mysticism Adds Beyond Psychology
01:08:13 • 2min
Why 1840 Matters for Kabbalah's Accessibility
01:10:33 • 4min
Modernity and Mysticism's Relevance
01:14:20 • 2min
Everyday Practice and Reading Recommendations
01:16:50 • 6min
Outro
01:22:47 • 3min
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Centers of Power
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Burke
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Nefesh HaTzimtzum
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Rav Chaim V'lazhinir
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Kabbalah and Postmodernism
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Emmanuel Levinas's "Totality and Infinity" is a major work in phenomenology and ethics.
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Levinas's work has had a profound impact on contemporary ethical thought, influencing discussions about alterity, responsibility, and the limits of reason.
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The star of redemption
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Not God
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Ernest Kurtz
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In 'Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge', E.O.
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An open secret
Carlos Gamerro
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Joey Rosenfeld, social worker and kabbalist, to talk about the differences between mysticism and rationalism and the roles they should play in our lives.
Mysticism is often misunderstood and dismissed by rationalists without much thought, but what is mysticism? One might define it by what it’s not: reductionism, which combined with complexity is science. But what if we saw things as their whole instead of their constituent parts? Maybe we’re limiting ourselves by reducing the big picture to a list of atomic components; maybe seeing the unfiltered unity in all things would be freeing.
Joey Rosenfeld began to learn Kabbalah in depth in yeshiva, when he was supposed to be dedicating his time to Talmud, and found its ideas to be profoundly life-changing. He does not fit the stereotype of the secluded, white-bearded mystic, as he is a social worker and addiction counselor. As someone with a unique window into people’s vulnerabilities, Joey sees deep connections between Kabbalah and psychology, particularly in the theory behind Alcoholics Anonymous, which drew from the work of Carl Jung.
-What are the differences between rationalism and mysticism?
-Are they compatible or incompatible?
-What approach should people take when learning Kabbalah?
-Are there parallels between mysticism and therapy?
-And how is or isn’t mysticism suited for a modern audience?
Tune in to hear Joey discuss the role that mysticism plays in his life, and how one can find peace in transcending rationality.
For more, visit https://18forty.org/mysticism/#rosenfeld.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.
Mysticism is often misunderstood and dismissed by rationalists without much thought, but what is mysticism? One might define it by what it’s not: reductionism, which combined with complexity is science. But what if we saw things as their whole instead of their constituent parts? Maybe we’re limiting ourselves by reducing the big picture to a list of atomic components; maybe seeing the unfiltered unity in all things would be freeing.
Joey Rosenfeld began to learn Kabbalah in depth in yeshiva, when he was supposed to be dedicating his time to Talmud, and found its ideas to be profoundly life-changing. He does not fit the stereotype of the secluded, white-bearded mystic, as he is a social worker and addiction counselor. As someone with a unique window into people’s vulnerabilities, Joey sees deep connections between Kabbalah and psychology, particularly in the theory behind Alcoholics Anonymous, which drew from the work of Carl Jung.
-What are the differences between rationalism and mysticism?
-Are they compatible or incompatible?
-What approach should people take when learning Kabbalah?
-Are there parallels between mysticism and therapy?
-And how is or isn’t mysticism suited for a modern audience?
Tune in to hear Joey discuss the role that mysticism plays in his life, and how one can find peace in transcending rationality.
For more, visit https://18forty.org/mysticism/#rosenfeld.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.