Rabbi, author to speak Thursday in Hoffman Estates

Ever wondered how to not just manage but prevent stress from entering your life altogether?

Australian author Rabbi Laibl Wolf will tackle the topic in “The Seven Habits of De-Stressed People,” a seminar Thursday night in Hoffman Estates. This is the first large event organized by the Chabad of Elgin & Hoffman Estates, which opened last summer.

Wolf, the author of the 1999 book, “Practical Kabbalah,” said his PowerPoint presentation will draw upon the principles of neuroplasticity — the notion that the brain changes in response to new information — and the ancient teachings of Kabbalah, a school of thought based on the Jewish Torah.

“There are certain specific areas of training that we can undertake so that we don’t experience stress in our lives,” Wolf said.

“I will be using meditative exercises to demonstrate the methodology of changing the way you think and the way you feel.”

Wolf will also talk about anger, one of the main symptoms of stress.

Despite the common notion that it’s good to vent anger, all that does is pave the way for more, and more intense anger, Wolf said. “I don’t teach anger management. I teach people how not to move into the pathway of anger in the first place,” he said.

So does Wolf use his own methodology to live a stress-free, anger-free life? “My wife says that I’m much better at it than I used to be,” he said.

Rabbi Mendel Shemtov, of the Chabad of Elgin & Hoffman Estates, said he’s heard Wolf speak several times.

“He has the capability of getting people involved and to experience whatever he’s talking about,” he said. “People generally walk away very satisfied,” he said.

Tickets are $15 through Wednesday and $20 at the door Thursday at Chicago Marriott Northwest, 4800 Hoffman Blvd. The event starts at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, email info@elginchabad.com or visit elginchabad.com.