Customer Reviews

The Kabbalah of the Soul: The Transformative Psychology and Practices of Jewish Mysticism

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In contrast to the other person reviewing the book, i found much to grapple with and like in this book.

Being new to the Kaballah, and gravitating toward substantive accounts of anything, i found Leet's book to be supremely useful in understanding the Hebraic and Jewish Kaballah. Leet gives a lengthy comparison of the Lurianic and Zoharic traditions and synthesizes them into a new model of the cosmic process.

If and when you make it through the introduction, then she examines the 'fall' of man through a few different lenses, gives an insightful account of the seemingly contradictory genesis stories, relates that story (those stories) to not only the star of David but the progression of the soul towards higher echelons of spirituality.

If you're looking for a deeper account of the Kaballah than some pop-kabballah book that re-hashes what most other books have, then this is you're ticket. This book seems to have the audience of serious Kaballah practitioners and spiritualists rather than a easy-going introduction to the literature, theory and paradigms of Hebraic mysticism.

I liked this book more than her previous two, but haven't read the fourth in the series.

ps: I don't know what the other reviewer was talking about with the ruby/tv story.

This is the author's personal model based mostly on Kabbalah but also other mystical, metaphysical, spiritual traditions. It's an interesting account, far more erudite than the many introductory Kabbalah books available today. While I don't agree with all of her assumptions, assertions, & conclusions, her analysis is well thought out; notably Luria's system (though stemming to a degree from his master Cordovero) was HIGHLY speculative in the 16th century. She also includes her own meditation (Appendix A) similar to Tibetan Buddhist (Vajrayana) deity yoga [How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator & Rosicrucianism [Wisdom of the Mystic Masters]. The many parallels to Vajrayana are IMHO very supportive of her position. Per George MacDonald, "Those don't' know England who only England know." [Lilith] I often juxtapose Kabbalah & Vajrayana (esp. Dzogchen teachings) in order to understand each in terms of the other. Frequently, what is obtuse in one is clearer in the other. [The Ways of Knowing or the Methods of Philosophy]

For example, her discussion of light is very similar to the Vajrayana mother-son (i.e. cosmic or God) light and her highest soul light: pp. 157, 269, & pp. 303-4: "The Yechidah soul...viewed as the ultimate salvific form of an individual human personality...would be identified with a centering point of this Light, a particular know in its network of light. All individuals who have reached this point could be thought of as individually filling & transcending cosmic space, each connected to others while retaining its own personal definition...And in such interconnection, the soul can experience all the others with all the levels of its being." [Clear Light of Bliss : The Practice of Mahamudra in Vajrayana Buddhism] John Reynolds' [see endnotes in Oral Tradition From Zhang-Zhung] points out numerous parallels between Dzogchen & Kabbalah. I would particularly note the great similarity between the Buddhist kayas and the many soul levels of Kabbalah. Similarly, she provides p. 307 an octahedron model paralleling Jungian analyst Robert Moore's (proponent of the men's movement) octahedron model of Jungian archetypes.

She also gives a valuable analysis of balancing love, power (p. 269), & service p. 143: "the individual who embarks on the path of social activism without sufficient spiritual development may find that his efforts have, indeed, served to purify some aspect of society but at the sacrifice of his own spiritual health" including Jewish religious service (ceremony)--in Appendix B.

Overall, I would not recommend this book for beginners, but for those already steeped in Kabbalah (esp. those having studied other spiritual traditions--most esp. from the East) this book is refreshing, provocative, and thought-provoking.

I didn't get far with The Kabbalah of the Soul though I was interested in a potential psychology of Kabbalah. There are many better books out there IMO. Daniel Matt is probably the one I'd recommend most.

I've just read this book and i thought it to be just one of the best descriptions of the stages of the path that i've ever read (and i assure you that i've read many )
Miss Leet seems to write from her own experience and also with great knowledge about the Jewish Tradition .
It's interesting to all those familiar with the Gurdjieffian Stages of the path ( the seven levels of "men".Today , in our post-patriarcal society ,would be better to speak of "human beings" ) to have that in mind when she writes about the seven worlds .I guess she gives a very vivid description of what is to be a "man(or woman) number 5 , a woman( or man) number 6 and a wo-man number 7 .
A must read for all those who already know the importance of having and being a soul ...

As mentioned by another reviewer, the content is rather light. It's interesting though, as it presents the Jewish viewpoint in a "theosophical"-like style. Its interest however lies mainly in comparing the cosmological view of the Kabbalah with other traditions. If your interest goes beyond factual aspects (suppose you'd like to get some experience) i would not recommend this one. There is no practical message about how one would do something to leverage the framework presented in this book.

This work lacks content.The author compensates her lack of authentic Kabbalic tradition by inventing her own terminology,she reminds me of that other bluffer A.E.Waite.Leet repeatedly quotes yogic philosophy and classical philosophers far more than she does Kabbalists to back up her points.Despite her lengthy commentary,theres not much substance here.When the author tells the story of an indian mystic who runs his hand through sand and transforms it into a ruby.....and than goes on to say that its actually captured on film,well you can take it from there.Godzilla destroyed tokyo on film too,or was it japan?