Is Social Media Making Us Less Social

When was the last time you cried? I will never forget the day when a gentleman in his mid 40s came to see me. Taking one look at him, without even uttering a word, I could sense the extreme tension in his body. He was so wound up, clearly carrying a very heavy weight on his shoulders. When we finally began to speak, he shared with me that throughout his entire life he was bullied, loathed, hated.. by his parents, siblings, friends and strangers, to the point that in time he began to hate himself. I can't describe how painful it was to witness this broken man telling his heartbreaking story. He sat there -- pitiful, numb, frozen, all knotted up. So much sadness. So much sorrow. So much despair. How can anyone carry so much?! After a while, which seemed like an eternity, I turned to him and asked, "When was the last time you cried?" He looked at me in complete bewilderment and then responded, "The last time I cried was when I was 5 years old. My father looked at me with a stern eye and said, 'Men don't cry. I do not want to see you cry ever again.'" "And I have never cried since. No matter how painful my life was, no matter how difficult my situation was, I never cried again. I feel like if I would now begin to cry, I would never be able to stop." Tears are a critical part of our lives. We were given tears as a way of release, like the steam escaping from a kettle. Without the release, all our feelings and emotions, our joys and our sorrows, would just continue to build and bottle up inside of us with no outlet. The tension would overwhelm and implode within us. Tears allow the intense energy to escape. They soothe and bathe us in the release of feelings and emotions. Tears bathe your soul, say the mystics. Please Join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for an important discussion on the role tears play in our lives. Discover the mystical and cosmic power of tears and the tools they provide us that help us express and balance our deepest feelings and emotions in a healthy and productive manner. And... learn the end of the story of the man that didn't cry for 40 years.

4 Elo 202228min

Is your life made up of many disjointed and fragmented pieces? Or is there a larger narrative that's unfolding, connecting all the dots and moving parts of your daily life? Sadly, most of us live our lives from moment to moment, often in survival mode - just getting by and through each day. Some moments are ups, some are downs; and there are twists and turns along the way. But is there an underlying thread between all these seemingly random moments? Where are they leading us? The secret and truth behind it all is that your life is a journey. Yes, it is a journey with many layers and stops, twists and turns, ups and downs, with winding roads and obstacles in its path. But it is one glorious journey, one majestic narrative that continues to unfold. And you play an active role in the development of the unfolding drama. Furthermore, your journey -- and every leg of it -- is rife with meaning. Every step you take, every stop you make, every fork in the road you encounter, every mountain you climb, every valley you traverse -- every single moment is brimming with opportunity, filled with potent energy waiting to be released. Every detail has a purpose and is part of a bigger picture. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson on this journey of discovery. Learn how to recognize the journey of your life and its deeper meaning. Discover how to actualize the tremendous potential in every detail of your daily life, which in turn will charge up and change the way you look at yourself and everything you do.

27 Heinä 202227min

When asked, "What would you hope to witness in your lifetime?", world peace might be the most common -- and cliched -- response. But what does this really mean on a practical level? What is the secret to achieving global peace, and how can I, one of billions of people that make up this world, make a difference - or even a slight dent - in achieving this monumental objective? So many world leaders, thinkers and philosophers - especially in the last century - have been aspiring and seeking all types of methods to create a world that lives in peace. All types of attempts have been made, including the establishment of the United Nations, NATO, ambassadors and diplomatic relations, international alliances and treaties, summit meetings, etc. And while much progress has been made, there is much more work to be done; though our efforts until now have worked to some extent, the world is far from a place of peace. So what is the secret that has been evading us all this time? Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, it all begins at your doorstep, within you. World peace must begin with inner peace. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson on a journey through psychology and physics demonstrating how our personal lives impact the world around us. Discover what we can do in our internal lives to create harmony and peace inside ourselves and in turn create a ripple -- butterfly -- effect that brings harmony between spouses, parents and children, families and communities, friends and strangers, and by extension, to the larger world. Despite the diversity of nations, let's find the harmony within our diversity, the intrinsic bond that connects us all on a deeper level. We are, after all, indispensable parts of one larger mosaic; musical notes in one grand cosmic symphony. And when we find inner peace between our conflicting voices and drives, we bring peace to the world. Because at the end of the day, the billions of people that make up the world are comprised of individuals like you and I. And we will be the change needed in this world.

21 Heinä 202234min

Do you know how to communicate effectively? Are your interactions with others positive and productive or are they critical and draining? Are you able to resolve disagreements and conflicts? Communication lies at the heart of every relationship in our lives. Personal. Business. Family. How we interact and communicate with each other reflects the health of our relationships and is the basis of everything we do in life. Developing better ways of communicating will directly improve the quality of our relationships. And vice versa. Frankly, we live in a time of a communications crisis. Witness the polarization of different groups in our society. People have difficulty communicating and even disagreeing amicably. Real connections are hard to come by. This is quite ironic considering the communication and information revolution of our times. Our technologies are connecting us like never before, while our hearts and minds remain disconnected more than ever. Throw into the equation today's sophisticated marketing techniques -- crunching metrics, manipulating our emotions and selling us everything and anything -- and it's not difficult to imagine why we are often clueless as to the true meaning of healthy communication, and, by extension, relationships. No wonder that we are experiencing a breakdown in so many of our connections and attachments. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of communication. Discover the true meaning and significance of communication. How it is rooted in the very essence of your earliest connections with your loved ones, beginning in the very womb of your mother. Learn how communication is much more than language and expression -- it is the ultimate bridge between two souls. Identify the key ingredients and necessary steps to build healthy, enduring, and eternal relationships: Listen. Care. Integrity. Trust. Empowerment.

21 Heinä 202229min

The word vacation evokes a feeling of letting go, freedom, lightheartedness and even folly. It brings to mind visions of beaches and mojitos, frolicking in the water and relaxing under the stars. Vacation is usually associated with an escape from our reality, a runaway from the daily grind and life's responsibilities. But can vacation be both fun and meaningful? Does it serve a purpose other than pure enjoyment and a respite from the routine? Today you will learn something new, a unique perspective that will change -- and enhance! -- the way you vacation. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this delightful and transformative talk that will help infuse your summer months with a deeper dimension, and discover how your vacation can have purpose, spirituality -- and of course fun!

7 Heinä 202225min

As we approach July 4th, we are reminded of the revolutionary principle proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, which is really the foundation of this entire country - and the foundation of the modern world today. "All men [people] are created equal." We are all equal and we all are entitled to equal rights. But what does equality really mean? Is it another one of those buzzwords that is cited so often today that it ends up meaning nothing because it is overused to mean everything? And look around you.. Are we actually all equal? Some people are born with more intelligence and natural talents than others. Some are born into wealth and are blessed with other gifts that give them an edge. Some have strong leadership skills while others are followers. Every human being is different. So as noble as it sounds, is it realistic to claim that we are all truly equal? And is equality even a healthy goal -- are we trying to create clones, by fitting each human being into a single mold? Shouldn't we better be aspiring to allow each person to shine in his/her unique way, talents and traits? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a monumental talk on the true definition of equality as he dissects the root of the issue and offers a fresh way to look at yourself and at others. Find out how equality is not the absence of diversity; quite the contrary, they complement each other. Discover the eloquent balance between individuality and equality and learn how to thrive and become the best possible you - equal to and at the same time, not equal to any other person on earth.

4 Heinä 202231min

Is Trauma the New Scapegoat? The phrase trauma seems to be everywhere. Statistics show that over 5,500 podcasts have trauma in the title. On TikTok, #trauma has over 6.2 billion views. A recent article title pretty much sums it up: How trauma became the word of the decade. Good question. There is a growing opinion among some that attribute all our problems to trauma. Is that true? Has the word become overused? These days it's common to hear... I was stuck in traffic - it was traumatic! Or... I was traumatized when my baseball team lost the game! But is that trauma? Are we minimizing and desensitizing the word, watering it down and ultimately being disrespectful to what real trauma is? Are we confusing trauma with (our own need for) drama? Are we dealing with it in a healthy way? The biggest question above all is, what is trauma? And beyond everything else, what can we do about it? Are we stuck being traumatized people? Are we falling into the trap of blaming trauma and avoiding the work we need to do to grow through our challenges? Even as we heal, does our healing remain part of our trauma? Can we recreate our lives to return to and reclaim the pre-trauma state, or are we perpetually stuck in a PTSD state of being? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a fascinating and fundamental discussion on trauma and its treatment -- how it has evolved over the years, where we stand today and how we can develop healthy ways to heal the wounds. Learn about the different ways and stages people deal with difficulties -- from denial to blame to empathy. Then by exploring the psycho-spiritual and mystical roots of trauma -- all originating in the primordial dissonance of the tzimtzum -- we discover the steps to move from empathy to empowerment, healing the ruptures created by trauma by reconnecting to your very essence, and finally, transforming the very trauma itself.

22 Kesä 202240min

Over the course of your life, are you being taught WHAT to think, or are you learning HOW to think? And what is the difference between the what and the how? Almost everyone is familiar with one of the most popular best-selling self help books titled, How to Make Friends and Influence People. Let's focus on the word influence. We can influence people, inspire people, teach people and even educate people - but above all we can EMPOWER people. Empowerment is in a league of its own. Empowering is learning how to think, with a methodology and proper tools. Empowering is the how to solve problems; not just being given answers but learning how to find the answers yourself. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this vital conversation on the secret to empowering your friends, family and colleagues and learn how to navigate whatever comes your way. "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." That is empowerment.

16 Kesä 202226min