Centers of Power: The Convergence of Psychoanalysis and Kabbalah

The relationship between the self and the soul, as well as higher influences on a physical and meta-physical plain, are of fundamental importance for achieving an understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. In this remarkable study Dr. Joseph Berke and Professor Stanley Schneider show how much Jewish mystical concepts, as reflected in Kabbalah and Hasidic thought, are deeply intertwined with psychoanalysis and contemporary culture. The book invites us to explore new, elevated and more sophisticated levels of awareness of different dimensions of reality. Everyone, regardless of their religiosity, should make it a priority to read this book. In so doing they will greatly enrich the spiritual and psychological structure of their lives… — Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo, founder and dean, the David Cardozo Academy, Jerusalem

In this fascinating work two leading figures in the world of psychotherapy take us on a journey of discovery, beyond some of the conventional paradigms of our time. Most of these paradigms concern borders: the border and imagined division between scientific rationalism and spiritual experience, between secular modernism and religious traditions, between western culture and ancient Hebrew texts. Centers of Power deconstructs these borders and demonstrates parallels and interconnections at every step. Like an up-to-date form of Renaissance scholarship, on any page you might find a reference to the Zohar, to Freud or Jung, to Einstein, to the Talmud and a Chassidic story. The centers of the power in the title refer to the center point of a person, of a level of being, of a way of looking at the world, of a scientific system, of a level of mystical tradition, of a journey. According to Rabbi Shneur Zalman”s Tanya, the central point of every level of being is Truth. All points of Truth join together reaching above to the Infinite and below to the lowest level of existence. The theory of the authors is that if you can locate the point of Truth in psychoanalysis, in contemporary culture, in yourself, and in life, then, since all levels of Truth in — Tali Loewenthal, director, Chabad Research Unit, London

Schneider and Berke have succeeded in drawing together two disciplines in a manner so skillful that it makes one wonder why these powerful connections have not been made before. It is a tribute to their scholarship and humanity that they have achieved this. Anyone concerned with healing and self-knowledge will benefit from reading this book. — Paul Williams, joint editor-in-chief, International Journal of Psychoanalysis 2001-2007

Drs. Berke and Schneider have managed to show convincingly how basic concepts of psychoanalysis and Kabbalistic thinking overlap and deal―within different theoretical perspectives, with fundamental problems of the human psyche, in health and illness.While scholarly reviewing central aspects of both disciplines in close comparative analyses, they are able to provide the psychoanalyst with a clear and comprehensive understanding of the Kabbalah for the modern mind. By the same token, they convey a clear and profound summary of contemporary psychoanalytic understanding to the expert in the Kabbalah. By the same process, the educated layman may acquire an intelligent, thoughtful introduction to the relationship between psychotherapeutic thinking andthe spiritual dimension of an important field of Jewish religion. It is an important, thought-provoking contribution to the very actual discussion of the encounter of religion and psychological science in the light of our present knowledge of the unconscious determinants of behavior. — Otto F. Kernberg M.D., author of Love and Aggression

In writing about the Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis, the authors have written their own “Book of Splendor.” What they have done is to integrate the mystical and ineffable spirituality of the Kabbalah along with all its numinous radiations, with other disciplines, such as psychoanalysis, cosmology, mathematics and physics. the result is a remarkable and highly credible work. Their summary of the principle aspects of the Kabbalah mystic are clearly explicated. Their review of the history of psychoanalysis is alone worth the price of the book. They state the following: “The dual influence theory in psychoanalysis comes closest to paralleling the dual influence theory of the Kabbalah. So, the dictum ”as above, so below,” becomes ”as below, so above.” One of the remarkable things about this book is that the writer”s writing style is anything but mysterious, which is so unusual considering the content of this book. I recommend it not only to psychoanalysts and psychotherapists and other mental health workers but for the lay public, as well. — James S. Grotstein, M.D., author, Who Is the Dreamer Who Dreams the Dream? A Study of Psychic Presences

The relationship between the self and the soul, as well as higher influences on a physical and meta-physical plain, are of fundamental importance for achieving an understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.In this remarkable study Dr. Joseph Berke and Professor Stanley Schneider show how much Jewish mystical concepts, as reflected in Kabbalah and Hasidic thought, are deeply intertwined with psychoanalysis and contemporary culture. The book invites us to explore new, elevated and more sophisticated levels of awareness of different dimensions of reality.Everyone, regardless of their religiosity, should make it a priority to read this book. In so doing they will greatly enrich the spiritual and psychological structure of their lives. — Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo, founder and dean, the David Cardozo Academy, Jerusalem

In this fascinating work two leading figures in the world of psychotherapy take us on a journey of discovery, beyond some of the conventional paradigms of our time. Most of these paradigms concern borders: the border and imagined division between scientific rationalism and spiritual experience, between secular modernism and religious traditions, between western culture and ancient Hebrew texts. Centers of Power deconstructs these borders and demonstrates parallels and interconnections at every step. Like an up-to-date form of Renaissance scholarship, on any page you might find a reference to the Zohar, to Freud or Jung, to Einstein, to the Talmud and a Chassidic story. The “centers of the power” in the title refer to the center point of a person, of a level of being, of a way of looking at the world, of a scientific system, of a level of mystical tradition, of a journey. According to Rabbi Shneur Zalman”s Tanya, the central point of every level of being is Truth. All points of Truth join together reaching above to the Infinite and below to the lowest level of existence. The theory of the authors is that if you can locate the point of Truth in psychoanalysis, in contemporary culture, in yourself, and in life, then, since all levels of Truth interconnect, instead of division there is unity.It is a beautiful idea. How can it be achieved? How can we find the center point of Truth and genuine power in every system? The ancient teachings of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, and their expositions in Chassidism, particularly of the Chabad school, provide an answer. In Centers of Power Kabbalistic and Chassidic models are used to explore therapy, culture and life. These models and insights provide a new order or paradigm, in which there are opposites, yet they join; there is fragmentation, yet it leads ultimately to Tikkun, Repair.This book, true to its spiritual sources, is fuelled by the ancient image of teh correspondence between the microcosm and macrocosm. When the therapist helps the c — Tali Loewenthal, director, Chabad Research Unit, London

Drs. Berke and Schneider have managed to show convincingly how basic concepts of psychoanalysis and Kabbalistic thinking overlap and deal―within different theoretical perspectives, with fundamental problems of the human psyche, in health and illness. While scholarly reviewing central aspects of both disciplines in close comparative analyses, they are able to provide the psychoanalyst with a clear and comprehensive understanding of the Kabbalah for the modern mind. By the same token, they convey a clear and profound summary of contemporary psychoanalytic understanding to the expert in the Kabbalah.By the same process, the educated layman may acquire an intelligent, thoughtful introduction to the relationship between psychotherapeutic thinking and the spiritual dimension of an important field of Jewish religion. It is an important, thought-provoking contribution to the very actual discussion of the encounter of religion and psychological science in the light of our present knowledge of the unconscious determinants of behavior. — Otto F. Kernberg M.D., author of Love and Aggression