Rabbi David Cooper

Rabbi David A. Cooper considers himself "gifted to be here in San Miguel, semi-retired, in a diverse community."

Image:Holly Wilmeth

Rabbi David Cooper in San Miguel de Allende.

As he prepares for his 70^th birthday, he explains: "I use myself as a guinea pig... exploring the question: ‘What are the real possibilities for someone who is seriously engaged in the adventure of opening his heart and mind to experience the true potential of the human species?'" But ask him to lead Shabbat prayers and he'll likely decline: "That's not my forte."

What interests Rabbi Cooper are transformational teachings, which he contrasts with translational teachings. "I respect the work that others do in making the spiritual more understandable and clear, but the way I teach is through creating an environment in which people can be directly affected by a spiritual experience."

Rabbi Cooper and his wife Shoshana first visited San Miguel de Allende in February 2008, and returned from Colorado in August of the same year as permanent residents. Shoshana is studying painting: a larger-than-life portrait of her husband rests on the mantelpiece, and newer works line the stairway. The support for artists and quality of instruction were among the reasons they chose San Miguel.

Together they guide workshops and week-long retreats for beginning and advanced meditators. He describes their silent retreats as a method for realizing "the extraordinary wonder of the possibility of a moment-to-moment connection with the magic and mystery of the unfolding Now."

The large English-speaking population was another draw. "Living in Israel for eight years made me realize that my language skills are not that great." He takes time for his writing-"Every idea becomes a book title," he says, smiling. "But not every book title becomes a book."-and is working on a sequel to his bestseller God is a Verb. "Most of us approach the idea of God as a thing or an old man in the sky. I don't believe in a separate God. ...But there is a discovery process and a need to peel away the veils that create the false sense of separation so that we are able to directly and deeply experience the ongoing Divine Presence. That discovery process requires being completely engaged in the moment, [in] the continuous unfolding of this creation."

Rabbi Cooper is planning a combined Passover and 70^th birthday celebration with friends visiting from the US. The dates this year also coincide with Easter. "I love the celebratory nature of the culture here, truly enjoyed New Year's, and have written my friends ‘just wait till you see what's happening at Easter!' There is a lot of vitality in the Now experience here in San Miguel, with so many opportunities for people to be together."

After learning of his plans for a Passover-Easter-Birthday event, it's not surprising to hear Rabbi Cooper describe himself as both post-denominational and post-ideological. "I think all the traditions have a lot to offer," he says. "My fundamental belief is that all people who are on a spiritual path are climbing the same mountain. Judaism is an extraordinary path for spiritual growth," he continues. "But no matter what path is taken, the highest peak is the same for all."

Rabbi Cooper can be reached at rabbidavidcooper@yahoo.com. His website is rabbidavidcooper.com.

Fran Schiavo is a communications consultant who escapes to non-corporate writing and design whenever she can. She has lived full-time in San Miguel de Allende since 2005. Her website is franschiavo.com.