The Pruning Shears of Revision, Teshuvah, Metanomia and the two Repetances
Neville once said that Revision is his greatest contribution.
The concept of revision is present in Kabbalah as *Teshuvah*. Teshuvah is often translated as *repentance*, in hebrew it literally means *going back in time*. Accomplishing a Teshuvah from a Kabbalistic point of view, means going back in time, in one's mind eye and *revise*, change the past event. Relive the event in imagination not as it happened, by how it ought to have happened. By doing so we are able to change the future, and avoid the negative consequences of past event. In other words what Neville calls *Revision*.
Kabbalah is often a balance between *Judgement* and *Mercy*. Two words that are loaded with meaning in Kabbalah, They are not opposite concepts, but two separate axes or modes that the divine light appear to operate from in lower levels of consciousness. But for now let's consider that judgement is receiving the consequences of our actions, and as such Kabbalah is often concerned with the lessening of the severity of Judgement. Teshuvah appears then as a primary means to do so.
It means going back to that moment right before the regretted event happened, understand the emotional setting that made one do what he did, and then change it. Both emotionally (once again emotions are of primary importance) and in actions. This results in *Metanomia*, the greek word in the bible that is also translated as repentance. Metanomia means a radical change of mind that must come with a new emotional setting.
And this is where the brilliance of Neville shines, by tying these two concepts together Teshuvah and Metanomia, two very different words, both translated as repentance, he is able to explain deep Kabbalistic mysteries. Teshuvah is the method (or the technique) Metanomia is the sign and the seal. The sign of the successful Teshuvah and the end of the successful Teshuvah.
Teshuvah is something to do whenever one begins to feel remorse or regret. As Neville said at the end of *The Pruning Shears of Revision*:
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Don't blame, only resolve.
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