I stumbled upon this news story about Madonna and couldn't help but
think of our very own Nabby.
Madonna sounds like a real TBer, just like Nabby.
So I got to thinking that if Nabby and Madonna ever got together, they'd
have a real cat fight: Nabby culting on TM and Madonna culting on
Kabbalah, with both holding their ground.
Madonna and Guy will only talk about Kabbalah, says her brother in his
revealing book
BY CHRISTOPHER CICCONE
Last updated at 1:53 AM on 13th July 2008
* [comments] Comments (0)
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1034641/Madonna-Guy-talk-K\
abbalah-says-brother-revealing-book.html#comments> * [Add to My
Stories] Add to My Stories
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1034641/Madonna-Guy-talk-K\
abbalah-says-brother-revealing-book.html>
It's 2001 and I am waiting for my last payment from Madonna for my work
on the Roxbury house - about £5,000.
I could really use the money, so when it doesn't arrive I call her
assistant Caresse and ask where it is. She stalls. Within moments, she
calls back.
'Madonna will make the final payment just as long as you agree to go to
Kabbalah. The next meeting is at my house on Wednesday.' I tell her I'll
think about it.
Scroll down for more
[Madonna and Guy]
At a Kabbalah meeting, Madonna and Guy sit on either side of the Bergs,
who founded the movement
That same afternoon, Caresse sends over The Power Of Kabbalah -
Technology For The Soul, by Yehuda Berg, an official publication of the
Kabbalah Centre International.
On the cover, there is a quote from Madonna: 'No hocus-pocus here.
Nothing to do with religious dogma. The ideas in this book are
earth-shattering and yet so simple.'
I read the book and learn about Kabbalah, a mix of Judaism, Buddhism,
Catholicism and a bit of old-fashioned common sense thrown in for good
measure. It immediately interests me.
More...
* Madonna and Guy - the singer's brother reveals intimate details of
her life
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1034635/Madonna-Guy--singe\
rs-brother-reveals-intimate-details-life.html> * Madonna's deepest
liaison ... with a lesbian named Ingrid
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1034640/Madonna-8217-s-dee\
pest-liaison---lesbian-named-Ingrid.html>
I begin to think about spiritual issues I've long stopped pondering and
I am curious. I also realise that I've bought into the LA scene far too
much and for far too long. Besides, I know that my connection with my
sister has weakened and feel that attending Kabbalah may strengthen it
once more.
The following Wednesday I attend the meeting at Caresse's place - a
two-storey colonial brick house, nicely landscaped, on expensive Sunset
Plaza. She is only Madonna's assistant. I can hardly pay my rent, but I
push all bitterness aside.
Inside are Madonna, her real estate broker, her masseuse, her costume
designer, her choreographer, two assistants, her acupuncturist and her
two dancers. Clearly she's involved everybody in her life with Kabbalah.
The edict that you have to belong in order to work for her hasn't yet
been formalised, but I suspect it will soon be. I also know that since
Kabbalah has become so integral to her existence, she sees less of
people who aren't involved in it.
We all sit down in a big circle. This meeting - and all that follow -
has a particular topic, led by Eitan, our teacher. Then we all discuss
it. The meeting lasts a couple of hours. Caresse serves crackers and
other snacks.
Most of the time I attend meetings at Demi Moore's, Caresse's or
Madonna's, and on some Friday nights I go to the LA Kabbalah Center for
Shabbat. There, I am not surprised to find that Madonna and Guy are
treated as if they are the uncrowned king and queen of Kabbalah.
One basic premise of Kabbalah is that no individual is entitled to
anything more than he or she has earned. Yet every time I attend
Shabbat, Madonna and Guy sit on either side of the Bergs, who founded
the modern Kabbalah movement.
'I've been coming here for 15 years, and I've never gotten to sit next
to the Bergs,' I hear one woman complaining.
Kabbalah teaches the antithesis of envy, yet I can feel the envy
rippling through the people there, particularly when Guy, dressed in
white robes, is regularly given the honour of carrying the Torah up to
the altar. Madonna has given millions of dollars to Kabbalah.
I attend a 24-hour Kabbalah session with Madonna, Guy and Caresse in
Anaheim, California. This is the first big Kabbalah event I've attended.
Held in a hotel conference hall, the session starts at 7.30pm. All the
men are instructed to wear white.
Madonna and Guy are seated at the top table on the dais, but sit on
opposite sides of the table to conform with the rest of the male and
female attendees, who, according to tradition, sit on opposite sides of
the hall.
As the night proceeds, there are readings from the Torah. I follow as
best as I can, but have no idea what is really going on. Even in that
environment, for much of the night all eyes are on Madonna, the star of
the show.
The Press may report that Guy isn't as involved in Kabbalah as Madonna,
but that isn't true. In fact, Guy's world and his conversations nowadays
revolve around Kabbalah.
According to our sister Melanie, who still sees Madonna and Guy
regularly, they often come over for dinner, but will only talk about
Kabbalah. If the conversation strays to any other topic, they lose
interest.
As for Madonna, I believe that Kabbalah has given form to her nebulous
world and given her a purpose. Because she is treated differently from
all the other acolytes, she feels that her existence has been validated.
After all, she has an entire spiritual movement backing up her
decisions. She now believes she has God on her side. Armed with that
belief, she often seems to use Kabbalah as a weapon.
She's not the only one. Demi Moore and I attend a Kabbalah talk that
teaches that one shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. The following
morning, Demi calls me and says: 'Wasn't that a great lesson last
night?'
'Really interesting,' I say. 'Well, Christopher, I need help in
decorating the new house. Will you help me?'
'Of course I will.' The next morning, we meet and talk about the house
but Demi doesn't mention a word about my fee. I've committed to doing
the job, so I feel I have to follow through. Inside, though, I'm
annoyed.
I feel as if Demi has taken the Kabbalah lesson a little too literally.
So I go to IKEA, pick all the furniture for the house - all unassembled
- and have the bill sent to Demi.
I feel sorry for her assistant, who is left to assemble a truckload of
furniture. But I don't think Demi gets the message or the joke. She is
just as friendly as ever and probably assumes that IKEA is my designer
of choice.
