What is Kavana?

‘Kavana’ means focused attention, taming the mind, and my favorite definition: disciplined spiritual imagination. It seems as if everyone tells you to have it, but no one teaches you how!

What is The Y.E.S. Principle?

The Y.E.S. principle is my version of a wonderful teaching by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Ba’al Shem Tov or Master of The Good Name. He was an eighteenth-century practical mystic and the father of the Hassidic movement. He believed a ‘faithful servant’ must utilize three steps: submission, separation, and sweetening. Or, as I like to put it: Yield, Energize and Share. Just say Y.E.S.!

The principle is very simple, and I’ve seen it in many versions in a myriad of traditions. Most schools of meditation, inner development, and spiritual growth would agree with the first two of these elements without hesitation. The third seems to be less universal.

It begins with the process of yielding. The ego is useful as the mask or face we present to the world. We require an ego to function in the day-to-day world, but it can be a barrier to the selflessness that’s necessary for prayer, energy healing or inner development. To yield is to make oneself ‘small’ and ‘still’.

Our goal in the second stage is to focus on an inner, higher dimensions rather than the outer, material dimension; to ‘energize’ ourselves (beam me up!) and take off to the highest levels of that inner world we can reach. There, we ready ourselves to receive whatever sparks of light and wisdom we can.

We then come to the third stage, sweetening. Every meditative school in the world will tell you about the first two stages. Many of them are content to reach that level of selflessness in their metaphorical caves in the mountains. The real work begins when you come back down to Earth. We have to bring back the sparks and wisdom from ‘out there’ and share it so that its higher energy can be used to sweeten and repair the world. Energy healing is a beautiful and meaningful way to do it.

Tora Dojo Karate

Michael’s serious education in Kavana (focused attention) began at Yeshiva University when he became a student of Prof. H.I. Sober in Tora Dojo Martial Arts.

Tora Dojo Martial Arts is unique: it stresses physical and mental discipline, classical Chinese style martial arts, merged with a vigorous Jewish spirit and Jewish “mystical” philosophy. Tora Dojo was founded by Grand Master H. I. Sober in the International Tora Dojo Martial Arts Association.

Although Dr. Andron, “retired” from teaching weekly classes in Tora Dojo after 36 years, he continues to practice and teach classes in Kavana and Jewish Mindfulness.

Some thoughts, from a few decades back, on The Way of the Jewish Peaceful Warrior 

Additional Essays

On Random Acts of Sweetening

Tora-Torah

For two years, 2000-2002, Michael wrote a weekly commentary on the portion of the Torah being read that week in synagogues and temples around the world. He provided insights into that Bible portion from a spiritual perspective and related it to the inner aspects of the Jewish Martial Arts, as taught by Master Sober.

‘Tora’ means tiger in Japanese, and ‘Torah’ is the word for both the five books of Moses (specifically) and generations of enlightened Jewish wisdom (inclusively). The lessons continue to be relevant, although occasional references are made to current events of the time (e.g. 9/11).