Hi, I’m Helen Rosenau. I’m a writer, fused glass artist, and insight coach based in Eugene. Oregon. You can see what I do at the blog, dvar, and gallery pages. I’m not a rabbi, but I’ve always been a mystic and seeker. I care about how I live and how we treat one another. I have a strong set of spiritual beliefs and practices. If these kinds of thoughts speak to you, keep reading.

I care about what makes people tick, what helps us get to greater sense of understanding and acceptance – for self and others, and what motivates us to live with greater awareness and intention. The focus of the KabbalahGlass blog is to help me and you and anyone it speaks to become the who and how they want, and to live that way.

I’m a writer who’s always loved visual art. I found lineages in various form of meditation and practice and Jewish mysticism. Kabbalah Glass evolved out of that. I’m a believer in simple stuff, like meditating in nature and paying attention to what calls to my eye or ear. And then listening. That’s what art is a bridge to help you do.

I do mostly commission work. It evolved from the idea of making Trees of Life for outdoor installations. You can see examples in the Gallery. I create other things too, but it’s all meant to be sacred and useful, as well as pretty.

Below is an intro to the Tree of Life, basic Kabbalah 101 through the filter of me. You can google and lose centuries trying to make sense out of the arcane wisdom.

Imagine the world of Oneness before a big bang. Then imagine that oneness contracting into itself so tightly that it explodes outward, with a spark of holiness embedded in every emitted particle, down to the smallest we cannot perceive in dimensions we don’t even yet know exist. Human’s karmic job is to gather and reunite all those sparks, a task called tikkun olam (the healing of the world) to bring about the time of eternal peace, which is called the world to come. It’s all about uplifting and enhancing consciousness.

Kabbalah says the shattering created “vessels” which are the structural elements of the Tree of Life. These vessels (sephirot) are aspects of both godliness and humanness. Each right/center/left triad represents an attribute, its opposite, and a balance of those qualities. The very top one would be the zone of God/Spirit; the very bottom is I’ve got a headache; where’s the aspirin?! The others come in threes.

In Kabbalah, dualities have a creative connection. Each pair of opposites, right and left, resolve into a next, a center. Wisdom (Chokmah) and Understanding (Binah) create Knowledge (Da’at), which in classical Kabbalah is usually invisible, but I think is pivotal. Unconditional Love (Chesed) and Discernment (Gevurah)  blend to form Compassion, Harmony, Beauty (Tipheret). Victory/Energy (Netzach) and Splendor/Focus (Hod) form Possibility (Yesod). Then there’s only one place to go, here (Malkuth). Malkuth is whichever here one and now you are ready to be in.

Kabbalah Glass is a journey that I invite you to join. From wherever you are and for wherever you want to go.