Questions

What interests you about the Kabbalah?

In truth, I first became interested in it in my teens, that’s to say in esotericism and the Kabbalah. The Kabbalah seemed distant and inaccessible at first. Nevertheless, everything clicked when I was doing some research into my genealogy and discovered that I had Jewish roots on my mother’s side. Then as I don’t believe these sorts of things happen purely by chance, I arranged to meet a rabbi who was very happy to help me out, not necessarily to study the Kabbalah per se, but rather to gain some insight into Biblical Hebrew with the use of the commentaries by Rashi of Troyes. This is how my studies of the Kabbalah gradually came about.

What does the Kabbalah offer you?

To begin with, it seemed like a fascinating game offering a glimpse of an infinite universe. Then, paradoxically, the Kabbalah began to provide me with structure and a more rooted stance in daily life by instilling me with greater self-confidence and, above all else, great inner joy. It has now become an integral part of my life, right down to its practical applications and studying it never fails to inspire me with a genuine lust for life and a sense of wonder. 

What importance do you think the Kabbalah holds for the modern world?

In a society where we’re constantly asked to go faster and be more competitive, the Kabbalah offers a form of stress relief. A Kabbalist is not a conditioned individual as the Kabbalah introduces you to a series of questions to be addressed at your own pace. In fact, to truly “enter the Kabbalah” and achieve peaceful study, you must free your mind by thinking for yourself and calling upon forgotten virtues; those being perseverance and patience. The Kabbalah opens up unexpected horizons and teaches us that nothing “falls into our lap” without a minimum of concerted effort, thus reminding us that the worth and accomplishment of everything can be measured by our own personal work.

Some say that the Kabbalah is only for the very academic? Would you agree?

It is true that the Kabbalah is often presented in this light, even as something dangerous. It goes without saying that the Kabbalah firstly requires that we apply our mind, but here we must avoid confusing intellect with emotional intelligence. It is the latter of these things which enables us to draw on its Essence and truly experience the profound nature of this path of study. Scholarly ability is not an absolute prerequisite, but rather something which is acquired over the course of our progress. However, without emotional intelligence, studying the Kabbalah would be no more than a soulless intellectual exercise.

Why did you decide to write a book on the Kabbalah and the human body?

Strangely enough, there were three experiences which inspired me to connect my body and the Kabbalah in order to gain improved self-knowledge and preserve my own health. First of all, the three years I spent studying Traditional Chinese Medicine offered me a new perspective on the human body. Secondly, I greatly enjoyed Annick de Souzenelle’s book “La symbolique du corps humain” (The symbolism of the human body). Thirdly, through a number of courses I was able to discover the way the body and mind work together to manage our health on the biohermeneutic level (a concept developed by Georges Lahy, based on the teachings of the XIII Century Kabbalist Abraham Aboulafia). From that point on, I focused on a personal undertaking of around ten years, until the day I prepared the first draft of this book with just as much joy as I have experienced in sharing it.

On a personal level, what appeals to you most about this subject?

Let’s be honest, first and foremost we write for ourselves as part of this long journey which is the experience of our own existence. We all have our own weaknesses, flaws, uncertainties regarding certain aspects of our bodies, we have our anxieties and our hopes. The human body fascinates me with its abilities to walk, act, speak, think... it’s an extraordinary “machine” and with it being a vessel for the soul I was drawn to explore it from a spiritual perspective and that of the Kabbalah in particular. 

What is the message you are trying to get across with this book?

Our organs, movements, every one of our vital functions, our five senses, cognitive and otherwise... all illicit a respect for our bodies. I therefore invite readers to reconsider their bodies both physically and spiritually in this our world in such need of fraternal love. Don’t we also say that we must learn “to love ourselves in order to love others”? Quite simply if I take people to that point, we will have shared a moment of happiness together.

The author

I was born on the African continent on 5 January 1953 in Brazzaville.

I completed my primary studies at the Lebanese mission in Dakar (Senegal) then literary and artistic secondary studies at Arcachon college. Just as I was about to begin at the Bourdeaux School of Fine Arts, life decided otherwise and family circumstances intervened. For that reason, I am living proof that being self-taught still means you can lead a successful life without the need for high qualifications.

After a rapid introduction to the world of work, I carried out a variety of roles some of which were fairly atypical, such as a decorator or sergeant in the Air Force. Then, while studying interior decorating, I joined the Postal Service at the age of 33 as a “distribution agent” (postwoman) then as a sorting machine operator, followed by a period working in the HR department before eventually becoming a client manager in Sales Administration, all nevertheless without giving up on my studies (Traditional Chinese Medicine), and honing my artistic and literary aspirations.   Since 7 December 1998, I have been a lecturer at the International Rose-Cross University.

Kabbale et Connaissance (Kabbalah and Consciousness) - Diffusion rosicrucienne 2003 -

Paysages de l’âme (Landscapes of the soul, poetry) – Publibook 2015 –

Quête spirituelle (Spiritual Quest with Marcel Chourry)  – Editions OBRAPROPIA 2016 (volume 1) and 2017 (volume 2)