Is sasha a kabbalist? | Golden Skate

Is sasha a kabbalist?

L

Longhornliz

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
I was re watching the US nationals long programs and it appears that Sasha is wearing the red string bracelet that followers of Kabbalah wear. She is jewish so it wouldnt be that far a stretch, and it does seem to be trendy these days. Has anyone noticed her string or read anything about this?
 
Johnny Weir, Evan Lysacek and Sasha Cohen all have worn the red strings on their wrists at one time or another. Johnny, who is Catholic, says he follows kabbalah, but to what extent, I don't know.
 
Longhornliz said:
I was re watching the US nationals long programs and it appears that Sasha is wearing the red string bracelet that followers of Kabbalah wear. She is jewish so it wouldnt be that far a stretch, and it does seem to be trendy these days. Has anyone noticed her string or read anything about this?
Click to expand...

This year's Nationals is the first time I've heard of Sasha working with a sports psychologist. Perhaps the string has something to do with that? Kabbalah seems very logical too.
 
Well Sasha is Jewish and trendy, so I'm not surprised that she hopped on the Kabbalah bandwagon.
 
Few things annoy me as much about popular culture as the "popularity" of Kabbalah. Kabbalah is based on very deep knowledge; traditionally, people wouldn't even approach studying it until they'd know Torah by heart. It was not a requirement per se, but it's simply much easier to study it if you know all the words of the Torah. I understand that Kabbalah may seem a very "New Age" concept due to its mystical nature, but I really wish the pop culture would leave it alone.
 
Longhornliz said:
I was re watching the US nationals long programs and it appears that Sasha is wearing the red string bracelet that followers of Kabbalah wear. She is jewish so it wouldnt be that far a stretch, and it does seem to be trendy these days. Has anyone noticed her string or read anything about this?
Click to expand...

Before Kabbalah was popluarised in the media by various celebrities there were many people wearing string round their wrists.

At least one other spiritual reasoning is linked to buddhism and receiving an empowerment.

Ant
 
I saw the red string and was wondering the same thing. I'm glad you posted the question. I didn't know Johnny Weir was Catholic.
 
Ptichka said:
Few things annoy me as much about popular culture as the "popularity" of Kabbalah. Kabbalah is based on very deep knowledge; traditionally, people wouldn't even approach studying it until they'd know Torah by heart. It was not a requirement per se, but it's simply much easier to study it if you know all the words of the Torah. I understand that Kabbalah may seem a very "New Age" concept due to its mystical nature, but I really wish the pop culture would leave it alone.
Click to expand...

Most of the traditional students and practitioners of Kabbalah believe that the currently "popular" version is not the real Kabbalah at all -- any more than an actor playing a baseball player becomes a real baseball player. I would like to think that Sasha has more respect for her roots than to "buy in" to the new version.
 
bluecatskater said:
I saw the red string and was wondering the same thing. I'm glad you posted the question. I didn't know Johnny Weir was Catholic.
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Johnny was raised Catholic. He discussed his religious beliefs on his site (I think it was q&a with fans). I am pretty sure he is not a practicing one. I don't think you could be Catholic and follow Kabballah's teachings.

I am surprised about Evan. At the Nationals I noticed that he is wearing an Orthodox cross. He must be of either Greek or Slavic heritage. I guess his last name could be Slavic, and he is from Chicago - home to a large Slavic community.
 
Kabbalah is an area of mystical studies in the Jewish religion that is intended for only the only the most learned scholars. Therefore, the Kabbalah movement is seen as sacrilegious and is condemned by the orthodox Jewish community. Following Kabbalah became trendy when Madonna (who was also raised Catholic) took it up.
 
Evan

I recall an interview where Evan talked about how important it was for him to spend I believe Easter in Russia and attent Orthodox services.

Lysacek I believe is a Czech last name, and Czech republic is of course predominantly Catholic. I wonder if religion might come from his mother's side; with a first name Tanya she could be from the Orthodox parts of Europe.

Most of the traditional students and practitioners of Kabbalah believe that the currently "popular" version is not the real Kabbalah at all -- any more than an actor playing a baseball player becomes a real baseball player. I would like to think that Sasha has more respect for her roots than to "buy in" to the new version.
Click to expand...
If she is into Kabbalah, she can only be in the poppular version, since it is physically impossible for her to have the knowledge necessary for the real deal.

I can also say (from personal experience as well as friends' experiences) that Kabbalah is an incredible fascinating endeavor (I sometimes hear lectures on it on a local Habbad house). It is like a vortex that really tends to such people in when they come close.
 
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Ptichka said:
Few things annoy me as much about popular culture as the "popularity" of Kabbalah. Kabbalah is based on very deep knowledge; traditionally, people wouldn't even approach studying it until they'd know Torah by heart. It was not a requirement per se, but it's simply much easier to study it if you know all the words of the Torah. I understand that Kabbalah may seem a very "New Age" concept due to its mystical nature, but I really wish the pop culture would leave it alone.[/QUOTE

ITA. I find it personally a bit insulting that people who wouldn't know the Torah from the Ark claim to know Kabbalah. Traditionally, its study was restricted to men, over 40, who were very learned in the Torah. This pop version of Kabbalah is some New Age version of the original mysticism (JMHO)
Click to expand...
 
True, but kabbalah, as a form of mysticism, required knowledge of Torah before the kabbalah was delved into. It was outside mainstream orthodoxy, but still required extensive knowledge of Torah
 
'Lysacek' sounds like it could also be a Serbian name (former Yugoslavia), in which case Evan's Eastern-Orthodox Christianity makes perfect sense.
 
I strongly doubt there is any committed substance behind the threads.
Sadly, many people just have to be 'trendy'.
 
I feel like the hollywood folks are treating kabbalah like its something you can dabble in. Like many people dabble in yoga practices and gain a lot from it... but the overwhelming majority do not embrace all the stuff the real yogis do. The only difference is that kabbalah is more of a faith I guess? Seems like you cant really dabble in a faith.... but I bet there are teachings that would help them focus on their sport and ease their nervs. am I off here?
 
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