According to the Kabbalah there are two basic principles that define reality either on physical or on spiritual levels. Kaballah practice defines Vessels and Lights as basic concepts to be understood in order to achieve the correct perception of reality.
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What is Vessel?
Vessel according to Kabbalah means desire. Usually a desire to receive although it can any from of desire.
A desire to eat.
A desire to sleep.
A desire to wake up and to do something.
A desire to get married.
A desire to be loved,
A desire to be happy
A desire to be sad.
In fact any kind of desire that is, named in Kabbalah simply by a codeword - a Vessel.
What is Light?
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In contrast, Kabbalah defines a Light as any kind of fulfillment, pleasure or satisfaction that comes to fulfill that vessel. A light aspect of reality is an infinite part and it can include any kind of fulfillment that we can ever imagine. Eating, breathing, making love, being respected, having wealth, power or wisdom. Any of these and even much more gentle desires such as love, fulfillment, self confidence, certainty and joy of life are part of that aspect of Light, as according to Kabbalah.
Even on deeper levels of reality - our thoughts, feelings, imagination and intuition – an idea of lights and vessels are still valid and makes the sense for inner investigation of our perception a reality. From now on and actually anytime we meet any aspect of life (a new business project or inner feeling investigation) we can and must base our understandings on these two concepts of vessels (receiving) and lights (sharing).
The original meaning of the word ‘Kabbalah’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘Lekabel’, which means to receive. An ancient kabbalists observed that this desire to receive is a very essential element of the human being. A deeper investigation led them to believe that beyond any external fulfillment of our desires might be concealed even deeper aspect of fulfillment and satisfaction. That is what in Kabbalah terms called simply - the Light (in Hebrew ‘Or’).
In modern terms of quantum physics, we can compare this idea of Light to general concept of Energy. But it’s not exactly true, because a definition of Light according to Kabbalah is much profound and wider to those conceptions we able to perceive in our 5 senses or current material patterns of understanding. Kabbalah explains, that this Energy or the Light – is inner experience of true fulfillment that we really seek and yearn for in depths of our heart in each movement we make during our lifetimes.
It’s also important to understand, according to Kabbalah - the Light is and always been the central goal in one’s life. As any aspect of what we really want, becomes that Light. And if and until we able to retain and strengthen our passion to it, that Light will persist in our experience and stay a inseparable part of our lives. This also could be the central definition of what true happiness really is, according to Kabbalah.