Madonna Kabbalah - what is kabbalah?

The original writings of the Kabbalah, which means 'receiving' in Hebrew, were based on a series of secret, sacred visions. These were eventually described in the Zohar - Book of Splendour, an arcane text that offered a complete philosophy for life and learning, including versions of yoga, astrology and numerology. Its complexity led some rabbis to advise that no one should attempt to understand the Kabbalah before they had reached the age of 40.

Nowadays it appeals in particular to devotees of New Age spirituality, and its teachings have been applied to all aspects of modern life, from office politics, to sex, to attitudes to death.