The Gates of Prayer: Pt. 1: "Introduction to Davvenology" with Reb Zalman (September 8, 2009)

"Introduction to Davenology" is part 1 of a 12 part series of videos called, The Gates of Prayer, in which Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (1924-2014) talks about different aspects of Jewish prayer (or 'davvenology') from the library of his home in Boulder, Colorado on September 8th, 2009. A film by Michael Kosacoff.

This series is available in book form as The Gates of Prayer: Twelve Talks on Davvenology: https://amzn.to/2UTqgiV

In this session, Schachter-Shalomi is introduced by his wife, Eve Ilsen. Also present are Aaron Schneider, Jason Apt, and others.

From the year 2000 to 2014, Boulder psychotherapist, Michael Kosacoff (1939-2020), filmed hundreds of private sessions, public talks, and events with Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (mostly in Boulder, Colorado). In 2018, Kosacoff offered to collaborate with the Yesod Foundation in making his private collection of video recordings of Schachter-Shalomi and others available to the public on Youtube. Described by Netanel Miles-Yépez.

If you appreciate these videos, please support the Yesod Foundation in bringing them out: http://yesodfoundation.org/donate

00:00 Introduction
00:25 Eve Ilsen
01:55 Niggun: Ve'taheir Libeinu
04:25 The Baal Shem returned renchantment
06:26 How to carve out inner space
08:22 Beginning to Feel
09:52 Imaginal Tefillin
14:27 The Siddur needs cooking or it's just freeze-dried experience
18:15 How old are you spiritually?
20:36 Skills: mind steering, embodiment
24:09 Prepare to learn by praying
27:05 Example: Being in touch with the High Holidays [nusach]
28:26 Asher Yatzar
30:12 You don't need to feel serene; the Every Day God is important
32:34 Euphoria
33:53 All of us are cells of a larger body: our Mother the Earth
38:35 Language for the inner life of Jewish spirituality
39:25 Blessing
40:57 Q: I don't have appreciation
43:55 Q: Mirror neurons and meeting in non-local space
47:40 Q: How to be in the world with vulnerability
51:03 Story: One God, Many Worlds