Between Ambition and Reality - I

At times we hear voices that are concerned about people who are jumping to higher levels of holiness, consequently, they encourage people to not think of these concepts so that they do not mistakenly live in fantasy-land unaware of their true place and level. While there are genuine concerns with striving for higher levels, taking an attitude that one has no connection to the heights of holiness is misguided and is not the way to prevent people from jumping to higher levels. In any endeavor would we encourage someone who is concerned about making a mistake to do nothing at all?
People also have concerns about giving up and erring. It can be frightening to think about achieving a higher level and it can lead someone to give up out of fear, but also to become dissatisfied with where he currently is in life. Some people, in order to avoid either outcome, choose to close their eyes to opportunities for advancement, and to distance from their minds and life any thoughts of these lofty concepts.
This is not the way to deal with fear of growth. Erasing holy concepts from one's mindset, even though it seems to calm the person, and allows him to be satisfied with his current state, will ultimately retard his self-improvement and is at odds with the deepest yearning of his soul which only finds satisfaction when it is connected to God.
ויחד לבבנו קכ"ח

Becoming Familiar with the Concept of Kavana - II

This basic understanding of Kavana needs to percolate in the heart and develop in the soul of a person until he becomes familiar with the richness of the worlds of Kavana and thought. Kavana is full of life, it is rich with different styles and manners. Similar to action and speech is is full and broad. When it comes to speech , we find different expressions, chants and tunes that rise and fall, fast and slow, soft and strong. These are all utilized in order to express different feelings in the soul. Joy versus supplication, whisper versus shout, power versus kindness. The way we speak during Pesukei D'Zimra, with a song in the heart that is driven towards God, with powerful song is unlike the speech during Shemoneh Esrei  in which the inner world is speaking as man stands before the King of the World.
Similar to this is the world of song in which there are many types of music that express different aspects of feeling and expression.
So, too, are the worlds of Kavana and inner thought. The world of Kavana has similar aspects to the worlds of action and speech. There are Kavannos of whisper, of kindness, soul level movement from above to below and below to above. Kavannos of sweetness and kavannos of purification and mercy. Each of these moves according to its unique form and concept.
Familiarization with these worlds which results from a person purifying himself and rising towards them, hand in hand with studying holy works which instruct people in the pathways of Kavanna, open the path before a person to recognize its richness and depth. Slowly, slowly his Neshama will shine within until he is an expert in these worlds and in the various types of Kavannos. He knows the expressions and movements of the soul and their various outcomes.
ויחד לבבנו פ"ד

Becoming Familiar with the Concept of Kavana - I

The world of Torah with which we are familiar is almost solely focused on actions and speech. The study of Torah revolves primarily around the revealed Torah which focuses on fulfilling the action Mitzvos, and results in knowledge of Halacha. By contrast, the study of the Inner Torah is intended to instruct the worlds of intent, the thoughts and desires of the heart in the exact same way that the study of Talmud and Halachic codes trains the action limbs in the fulfillment of Mitzvos.
The world does not yet appreciate the broad richness of the worlds of thought and intent. We stand before these inner concepts and they appear blurry to us. We believe what our Sages teach - that thoughts have an effect and intent makes a powerful impression, but within himself the person is not even close to understanding. He thinks that words and actions are much more powerful than thought. He sees thought as a tool for inspiration to action, but not as a force which acts directly.
However, the concept  and knowledge of Kavana is very blurry. What is Kavana in the heart? Is it scrunching up the face and moving rapidly while davening? Is creating wrinkles in one's forehead a means of concentration? We are standing before poorly understood concepts of which we only have the most infantile comprehension.
ויחד לבבנו פ"ד