Peace, Protection and The American Election

 

Shalom, I begin this message with the beautiful Hebrew word for peace. As we approach the American holiday of Thanksgiving, we encourage all ears listening to this message, all eyes reading these words and all souls feeling these vibrations to stay in the energy of peace and gratitude.

Some of you are angry and frightened, others are joyous at the possibilities for change and others are neutral as a result of the elections in the United States of America. The emotions and reactions run the gamut. This one who writes searches for meaning and understanding, and bless her heart is always searching for the good.

The first question we will answer is that of free will. Yes you were blessed with the gift of free will. If you were not given such a gift, there would not be the contrast to facilitate your soul growth. You have all incarnated on this planet to experience love. Specifically to receive and give love, it is the Yin and Yang of life. The search for love assists with soul growth and development. You see this exhibited with babies. As they begin to exert their independence, they get frustrated with their caregivers when they coddle and assist too much. A baby learning to walk must fall down and learn to use their muscles to get back up and to balance themselves. If God were to interfere, life as we know it would no longer exist. Torah teaches, love God with all your heart. This teaching is solely for your benefit, as it is us who must connect with God.  You have choice, for those who choose to align with love and connect with all the goodness in life, you will find your steps are divinely guided as you live with passion peace and purpose.  There is not judgment either way and all children are loved equally.

So yes, you do have free will. For those of you living in the USA, you were fortunate to experience a democratic election. Some are pleased with the results and others are let’s just say displeased. You dear children are being asked to love. Again this one asks for more guidance. We respond appropriately by saying the election results were a direct result of magnetism or some may refer to it as the Law of Attraction. Over and over the President-elect said he would win and win big. He said it, he meant it, he believed it and fueled his manifestation with the energy of strong emotion.

We ask you to keep your heart open and send peace into the world. Again this one inquires and states there is so much fear and divisiveness in the country. This one asks does this mean there is more darkness than light on the planet? No dear child, there is more light in the world than darkness. As there is more light, the darkness is illuminated even brighter so that it may be transmuted into the frequency of love. By staying in your heart, you are helping to raise the vibration of the planet. When you each incarnated, you were excited for this challenge and experience. You having incarnated at a wonderful time and have patiently waited lifetimes for this opportunity. When light workers begin to do their work of illumination, they have had the privilege of working with other way showers, which you call teachers or luminaries. Their job is to shine a light to others. By doing so their light is neither diminished or amplified. It just becomes more focused and steady. Your teachers are beyond honored when their students, light workers, shine their light and channel messages of love. Yes, such wisdom is what you would call tainted or influenced by personal experience, but that is as it should be. So yes the message of love and peace transmitted by Amma or is this one calls The Shekinah must come through many channels to reach many peoples. We will continue to bless you.

Please do continue to trust your intuition as the frequency of doubt will hold you back. Know your teachers, including your spiritual teachers and guides are so proud, and love all their children unconditionally. Yes, even if you do experience fear or act in anger or haste, you are still loved. When others experience fear, do acknowledge their concern and realize it is an opportunity to assist. We can all assist in unique ways. Some have the ability to change laws, others the ability to mend physical wounds, and all of you do have the capacity to offer a smile and compassion. Fear is about not feeling safe and

secure. Ask yourself, how can I make my home, community, state, country or even planet more safe and secure for all its inhabitants. Take one small step at a time. Small steps add up to miles over time.

Now that you understand you are born with free will, how will you use your free will? Decisions, thoughts and actions are made from either love or fear. According to the authors from A Course in Miracles, a miracle is going from fear to love. Will you choose to act from love?

We ask you now to close your eyes and participate in a small exercise. Imagine that you were given a cloak of love almost like a garment to see how it fits. Notice when you wear this garment of love how it feels and fits. Take a moment and soak in the experience.

When you wear garments of fear notice how you feel energetically. Perhaps you are cranky and irritable and not too much fun. You have choice on your reactions and perceptions. What garment will you choose to wear? Will you accessorize your garment with tainted glasses, dirty with the spots and fears from the past or will you choose to look for love and the best possible outcome? And yes some of you do have true concerns for safety and security. We ask you to put on the cloak of love to seek the safety you desire.

Today you are also being offered the vibration of trust. Trust this time on your journey is for the best and will have meaning. You may not understand, but try on the garment of love and trust. Send love into the universe and do your best not to add more fuel to the fire of fear and resentment. Offer the gift of love and compassion for others and you will feel guided, loved and protected. We ask you to take a breath and fill your heart with love. Breathe….

We ask you to listen to this next part with an open mind and heart. Your 2016 presidential elections were held in the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, between the parashahs (Torah portions) of Noah’s Ark and Lech Lecha. Noah’s Ark represented a vehicle of safety for its inhabitants. The Hebrew word for Ark is teva, which also means word. What words will you say to yourself in the privacy of your own mind? What words will you speak to others? Will the energy of those words contain love and compassion or hate and fear? You have free will to decide the intention of your words, whether they be spoken words or thoughts. Will the words you speak or think offer safety, as Noah’s Ark offered safety? Contemplate this for yourself.

The next Torah portion is that of Lech Lecha which means “come to yourself.” Abraham receives the command “leave your land, your family, and your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you.” It is a spiritual journey rather than a physical journey. Perhaps we as citizens are being asked now to trust in the energy of not knowing. It’s not easy for us to let go and it takes courage to be in the energy of not knowing. Change is the number one form of stress, change in any form is frequently met with resistance. Take a leap of faith and trust in the goodness of life and the love of the universe. Pray for the newly elected leaders, so they lead with honor and respect. Let their hearts be open to love and peace for all.

You all have the ability to be alchemists. Focus on thoughts and feelings that feel good. By shining love in the world and offering the frequency of shalom, all things are possible.

Much love and peace,

Donna

Donna M. Bloom, BCH

Wise Mind Hypnosis 4250 Hempstead Turnpike, Suite 9 Bethpage, NY 11714

Rosh Hashanah, a holiday of personal reflection

I want to begin by wishing everyone a L’Shanha Tovah.  May this year be a good year filled with peace and goodness.

It has been said that Rosh Hashanah is the day of judgment and/or the birthday of the world.  It is decided who shall be written in the book of life for the upcoming year.   If you have ever been in one of my Jewish Meditation and Spirituality classes, you know I like to give my own twist and perspectives.    The month of Tishrei is a time of generative and transforming spiritual energies.    God is more revealed this month than other times of the year, rather than being concealed. Its a time when we are can be very open to guidance.    It’s a time to receive. It’s a time to ponder.    Therefore Rosh Hashanah should be a holiday of personal reflection.   Since God is so close to us, it’s a wonderful opportunity to use this special time to consider our dreams and desires for the upcoming year.

Rosh Hashanah is all about being present.  It’s about listening to the inner call within.   It’s about listening to your own voice, you own Soul nudging you to be the best you can be.

Take some time to reflect on your life with compassion.   Be honest with yourself, and do be gentle.    We are all here on a journey.   We all make mistakes, but yet we are all capable of making really good comebacks.  We are here to learn and the only way to learn is to make a few mistakes along the way.  Reflect on what it is you wish to create in your life.  Reflect on the ideas and concepts that are of importance.

Teshuvah is the ultimate way to have reflection.    By definition Teshuvah means repentance.    However on a spiritual level, it means to turn in a new direction.    That new direction is inside of oneself.   It’s the call to listen to your own still, small voice.   Though small and quiet, that still small voice, contains so much love and wisdom.    Heed its messages.

My Grandma Rachel shared with me her life lesson before she departed.   She said “We are here to love.  The more we love the more we get.”   Those where her last words to me and they will always be remember and cherished.

Be reflective, loving and gentle to yourself this Rosh Hashanah.  Wishing you a GOOD New Year.

L’Shanah Tovah,

Donna (Adira Yael)

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, known as the Day of Atonement. It’s a day for meditation and prayer.

Up until this day, people tend to find rituals to purify themselves. On Yom Kippur, we receive God’s grace, love and compassion and are cleansed, forgiven and liberated in a very special way.

Yom Kippur commemorates the day when Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets (don’t think they were provided by Apple, though maybe) and a message of forgiveness for the Jewish people after the sin of the golden calf. Jewish sages say the first set of tablets were totally spiritual and the people were not able to understand the content. The second set of tablets were material and enclosed in moral directives. The second set of tablets were written by Moses and born out of the hard work of repentance for the Jewish people and the intercession of Moses.

Yom Kippur is a day to respond to our spiritual selves and that is why we do not tend to our bodies. We celebrate from the realm of our soul known as Chaya, that aspect of our soul self that is at one with all Creation. It’s a day to let go of past obstacles. It’s an intensive day of Teshuvah.

” In the silence between our thoughts, we find the possibilities of creative genius and spiritual awareness that elude us when we remain attentive only to our run-on thoughts.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

T’Shuvah

Teshuvah simply means to turn from our ordinary existence to our deep spirit within where the soul guides our lives. (To turn inward.) (The traditional definition is repentance.) On Yom Kippur there are restrictions such as fasting, to enable us to turn inward to help align ourselves with love, grace and forgiveness. It’s learning to listen to that still, small voice that resounds from our deep resources inside.   T’shuvah is the art of shifting focus from our chaotic, frantic everyday world to our inner existence where thoughts and feelings reign. In that realm we become acquainted with the subtle energies that constitute our mental, emotional and spiritual worlds..   Self-discovery, the performance of turning inward, is the primary objective of T’Shuvah. You will discover the real you constitutes the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions..

The first question in the Torah is “Where are you?” You are summoned to be fully present. This primordial call from God to each of us, continues to hold true today. Listening to Gods ‘call, the small voice within, keeps us on track, gives us direction. This is the call for Teshuvah. God created each of us with a beautiful soul and body, yet we do not always live our lives with this awareness.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a great gift we can give to another and it’s primarily an action of compassion toward ourselves. Anger and resentment keep us bound to limiting ideas of who we are – we feel like a victim, we feel stuck and so on. Forgiveness and compassion purify, heal & liberate – we feel whole and free. Make an effort to practice forgiveness and compassion. Forgiveness does not mean we condone negative behavior, nor do we deny our angry or hurt feelings. It asks us to see beyond the limits of our personality or that of the person who hurt us to see beyond the limits of our personality or that of the person that hurt us. Forgiveness is complete when we gain insight into how the challenges we have faced actually support our growth.

Observance

During the entire day of Yom Kippur there are repeated requests for forgiveness for individual and communal sins. Sin simply means to miss the mark – things that human beings do, think or feel that are not in line with their true nature. Since there are no distractions on Yom Kippur it is easy to release all the ways we have blocked the flow of goodness into our lives. The requests for forgiveness are said in the plural, rather than in the singular, to teach us about our interdependence and responsibility for each other. On Yom Kippur we are reminded of our unity and connection with each other. It’s a gift to pray in a congregation. For what we can do as a community is greater than what we can do alone. We receive more divine light and grace when we feel responsible for the community than we would as isolated individuals.

Yom Kippur is truly a joyous day. If we surrender to the energy of the holiday and allow ourselves to be purified and cleansed, we can open up to our divine nature. The holiday is a spiritual gift facilitating physical emotional, mental, spiritual release of all that which does not serve our highest and greatest good. By eliminating that which does not serve, we can open to the clarity of who we truly are.

The Ten Days of Awe

Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the ten days of Teshuvah, known in Hebrew as asceret yemei teshuvah. The Talmud tells us these ten days are the days when God is closer than any other time.   Teshuvah, the returning to God, is facilitated by the shofar. The sound of the shofar during Rosh Hashanah emulate the cry of our own souls and enable us to turn inward to our deepest core. A basic and primal sound issuing from the horn of the ram, the shofar blast instantly puts us in touch with what is true and real. It awakens our spiritual potential. It inspires us to change and become better people. This is not insinuating we are bad people, we can always be better.

The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are devoted to healing our relationships with others. Forgiveness is a gift to yourself. Blaming others keeps you stuck in a victim role that keeps you from opening to your true freedom and the new possibilities available in this coming year. Being angry is a waste of your precious vital energy. We cannot embrace fully the newness of this coming year if we are carrying the jealousy, anger and resentments of past years. We cannot expect to receive God’s forgiveness without first trying to forgive and to receive the forgiveness of others.

Rosh Hashanah is all about being present. It’s about listening to the inner call within. Your own voice, your own guidance nudging you to be the best you can be. Yom Kippur is about releasing & receiving in order to grow spiritually.

The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as asseret y’mai teshuvah (Ten days of repentance) are a time of self-reflection and spiritual alignment. Energetically we are aim at moving from judgment to compassion.

On Rosh Hashanah the story of creation is told. The shofar is intended to awaken us from our spiritual slumber and beckons us to give birth to ourselves so we may begin anew, free from the karmic residue of the past.

According to Kabbalah, the shofar is actually shaped like a birth canal, narrow at one end and broad at the other. It symbolizes the movement we attempt to effect within ourselves from the constricted space of din or judgment to the expansive state of rachamim, compassion and forgiveness. When we hear the sound of the shofar, we open up to that place inside that is gentle, compassionate and forgiving.

The Hebrew word rachamim comes from the same three-letter root word rechem, womb, suggesting that compassion is womblike, nurturing life. With compassion we enable all things to grow into their most beautiful and complete form.

Rosh Hashanah celebrates creation of the world is also a time of personal reckoning, judgment (evaluation), soul searching and repentance. It’s considered a day of judgment Yom ha’Din. It is believed when we lean into the quality of din (judgment) on Rosh Hashanah, we effect an opposite movement in the divine. This causes God to move from a throne of judgment to a throne of mercy. It’s like when a child makes a mistake and feels regret all on their own and take takes complete responsibility. When we lean into the quality of din on Rosh Hashanah, we become worthy of being forgiven on Yom Kippur.   When Yom Kippur arrives we open ourselves to the divine face of love.

On Yom Kippur we chant the thirteen divine attributes of God, known as the shlosh esray midot rachamim, revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai following the sin of the golden calf. Moses pleads with God to “Show me your ways”, he is asking for spiritual guidance as to how he can be a more patient and compassionate leader. After this God pardons the Israelites for the sin of the golden calf.

The 13 Attributes of Mercy are based on two verses in Exodus: “The Lord! The Lord! God, Compassionate and Gracious, Slow to anger and Abundant in Kindness and Truth, Preserver of kindness for thousands of generations, Forgiver of iniquity, willful sin, and error, and Who Cleanses (but does not cleanse completely, recalling the iniquity of parents upon children and grandchildren, to the third and fourth generations)” (34:6-7).

L’Shana Tova,

Donna (Adira Yael)

Let us take this time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for self-reflection and spiritual realignment.

Be The Change!

Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  With all the chaos and turmoil in the world, my wish is for peace, compassion and acceptance worldwide.    Last Friday I went to Shabbat services at Temple Chaverim to hear Rabbi Hecht discuss the situation in Gaza.   During services I was contemplating our class and was inspired to write original content and not seek and rely the teachings of others.    The words that come to me were peace and acceptance.   How wonderful would it be for Hamas and Israel to simply have peace and acceptance for each other.   If this were true all could live their lives with meaning and happiness.   Drawing on what Gandhi says, the very same desire for peace and acceptance must being within ourselves.   Happiness is an inside job.   Over the years many have told me repeatedly, they come to class to experience a sense of peace, if only for a few minutes.    The real vision for this class is to have you feel a lasting sense of peace and acceptance within yourselves.   

This starts with  compassion, a word I automatically added while journaling this message.    We need to strive for compassion within ourselves.   This compassion leads to unconditional love for self.    Compassion is not berating  yourself if you gain a pound, not the perfect weight, forgiving yourself for a mistake, practicing Teshuvah (turning in a new direction) consistently, giving yourself encouraging words and most of all accepting an ongoing attitude of gratitude and appreciation. 

In Hebrew the word Shalom means hello, goodbye and peace.   If we use these concepts, we can aspire to say hello or accept the present moment as it is without judgment,  we can feel peace.   If we can let uncomfortable situations go without judgment or regurgitation (harping on the situation), ultimately saying goodbye to the event, we can feel peace.   Going with the flow of life and saying hello and goodbye, is the acceptance of change, we can attain that consistent sense of peace within ourselves.

We are sandwiched in the middle of the energetic months of Tammuz and Av.  Tammuz is the energy of seeing clearly, our perceptions.   Av represents the energy of hearing accurately.  Av is a somber month as it contains the remembrance of the death of Aaron and the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.   If we can center ourselves, harmonize emotions and balance/nourish our bodies, we are on the path to peace.    This sounds like a tall order?   Where do we begin.

Well my friends, you already have begun, as you are on the journey with me.   You are ahead of the game in so many ways.   You are each a vessel of light and shining this light into the world, starting with your family, friends and community.   To know your light, follow your passion, simply stated things you like to do.

The next step is to be aware of the food your consume.   You are all encouraged to carefully select your foods, avoid processed foods, too much sugar, increase water consumption, eat fresh vegetables and anything grown from the land and trees.   A better diet leads to improved physical health and harmonized emotions.

Next, the word Shalom is very healing.   Those Hebrew letters have a high, restorative frequency which you will experience in meditation.

Accept yourself and accept others for who they are.   We each come into this world to experience life and creation.   We were all given free will to experience life uniquely.   You may not understand the journey of another or approve of it.  Simply try to surrender and accept all people, places and situations.

I was finally encouraged to stop writing and look on the calendar for the date and day of this writing.   It is actually the end of Tammuz with Rosh Hodesh beginning in 2 days.    Next I was allowed to look up the Hebrew word for acceptance which to my surprise and delight was Kabbalah, which also means to receive.   It is also the name of Jewish mysticism.   (Another word for acceptance in Hebrew is  Hitkablut, self-acceptance, acceptance on yourself.  This is a reflective word pointing back at the person.)  I allowed these words to flow through me and as a result I received so much happiness and peace.

Listen to your inner voice and encouragement.   It will lead you to the true source of peace and contentment.    It all starts and ends from within.

Shalom,

  Donna (Adira Yael)

 

The Hebrew Month of Av – how accurate is your hearing?

Welcome to the month of Av.  This month is for healing the area of hearing.  When you think about the concept of hearing, consider, do you hear what you want to hear?  Or are you listening carefully to what is being said and not said?  Listen with an open, non-judgmental mind.  Take time to reflect and deliberate upon what you heard before you take any action or make any response.  If necessary, ask for clarification.  Be careful of your speech. Refrain from gossip or speaking negatively.  Judaism recognizes the power of words and has many laws about this subject.

If I had to sum up the lessons for the summer (Tammuz and Av) it would be to be grateful and  use all of our senses wisely.  Our senses are our radar system and when used with discernment, can create a path of balance and happiness.  See through perceptions. Hear with clarity.  Smell and taste with confidence.  Feel with compassion and empathy.   And the sixth sense – Intuition – trust it always.

Spiritual Tool Box

I cannot stress the importance of keeping a private journal.  Writing helps us to tap into the higher mind, where your wisdom is waiting.   This month keep notes on where you may have misunderstood someone else’s words.  It might give you an important clue!

Shalom,

 Donna (Adira Yael)

 

 

 

 

Passover and The Month of Nissan – a time to step toward freedom

Welcome to the month of Nissan.   Nissan is a wonderful time of year – the smell of spring is in the air, making us aware of budding new life in nature.  Nissan is a month of miracles and moving forward in life.  It’s a month to trust in ones inner desires, trust in the loving support of God and to take risks.   The energies of the month are represented in the holiday of Passover.   Passover is one of the biggest Jewish holidays of the year.   There is so much time and preparation that goes into the holiday and preparing for the Seder.  Cleaning, shopping, cooking and the list goes on.

I am fortunate to teach a Jewish Meditation class, which is a personal joy in my life.  It’s a way for me to learn, share and experience the spiritual side of Judaism.

The healing energies of the month of Nissan is that of speech.   It is through our words that we redeem or enslave ourselves.   The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach, which can be translated as “the mouth speaks.”  The main event of Passover is the Seder, where the story of the Exodus is told.  Everyone at the Seder gets a chance to speak and have their voice heard.   It’s not just one voice, it is the voice of the collective.  Kabbalah says the highest form of speech is in song.

As we know, Passover is the celebration of the miraculous departure of the Jewish people from Egypt.  Egypt was the land of captivity and Pharaoh was our captor.  The letters of his name in Hebrew spell Peh Rah meaning evil mouth.  His words were harsh and cruel and even killed our internal spirit.   His negative speech took away our voice.    This is why the celebratory holiday for our freedom is called Passover, Pesach – the mouth speaks.  According to Kabbalah, redemption is frequently associated with the power of speech, while exile is characterized by lack of ability to speak freely.   Free speech is a hallmark of freedom.

For the first time, I attended a Women’s Seder with a bunch of Chaverim from my meditation class.   The Women’s Seder was held at Temple Chaverim in Plainview.    The Seder was all about celebrating the role of strong women in our Jewish culture.    It was a wonderful evening, especially since I did not have to cook, clean or prepare.   I just got to have pure enjoyment.   The Women’s Seder celebrates and recognizes the role of Miriam, sister of Moses.   Without Miriam’s courage, faith and determination, the Jewish people would not be able to celebrate Passover!!!    It was Miriam who helped to mend a fragile relationship between with her parents.   It was Miriam who intuitively knew her mother would bear a child who would redeem the Israelites.   It was Miriam who had the courage to save Moses’ life as an infant.   It was Miriam who arranged for her mother to be Moses’s wet-nurse.   It was Miriam who provided song and dance at the shores of the Sea of Reeds prior to the crossing.    It was Miriam who had the well to provide life-sustaining water.   Miriam was a prophetess in her own right, yet her role is underplayed.

The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzraim and means narrow straits or constraints and represents all psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual boundaries and constraints. On every Passover and throughout Nissan it is a good time to free oneself from one’s internal and external constraints, to make a personal exodus from our personal Mitzraim. We are all still in exile to the extent that we feel a sense of alienation from our true self. At the Passover Seder, we are reminded that this Exodus was not just a one-time historical event. The Haggadah says “In every generation one should regard himself as though he personally had gone out from Egypt. Now is the time to see yourself in this ancient and ever evolving story. Leaving Egypt is the movement from narrow to expansive places.   Every place you are tight, constricted or in pain is your own personal Egypt. You join the exodus from Egypt when you discover areas of tension and release them.   This philosophy includes you mind, body and emotions which are all intertwined. On a literal level, leaving Egypt is the Torah’s account of God freeing the Jewish people from their slavery in Egypt. However, it’s a spiritual concept, the pervasive spiritual idea reverberating through all of Torah and Jewish practice. It appears throughout traditional prayers. I am the Lord Your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Leaving Egypt is a concept worthy of remembering all the days of our lives because some aspect of tsar (narrowness) is in our lives every day. We can join the story of the exodus from Egypt every moment as you move from breath to breath and from choice to choice through the troubles and narrow passages in your life.

The Jewish people had to perform 3 mitzvot prior to leaving Egypt. The mitzvot gave them the strength to leave Egypt and all the impurity. 1) Circumcision gave the Jews the strength to overcome the compulsion of physical desires, a free person is free of compulsion. 2)  The act of slaughtering of the ram, the symbol of an Egyptian God, freed themselves from idolatry, the belief in powers other than God. When the blood was placed on the doorposts of their homes, God passed over those houses.  The act of slaughtering the ram was the first step toward freedom.   In essence, it was the ultimate act of standing up to a bully and saying “we are no longer afraid.”    The ram was a sacred animal to the Egyptians and by killing their God, it was a way of demonstrating monotheism.  In order to have freedom, it must start in the mental mind.   By standing up to the Egyptians, the Israelites were able begin the process of physical freedom.  3) The sanctification of the new moon made the Jews realize that everything changes and this gave them hope. The moon goes through its cycles and from observing the moon, we learn that what is empty will be full and what is full will be empty. For the Jewish people, times of oppression would be followed by times of reemergence, soon they would be up and shining for the world to see like the full moon.

Prior to the start of Passover, some go through the ritual of spring cleaning, getting rid of what is no longer used or needed. We also look for any remaining Chometz to make the home kosher for Passover. Ideally, we search and clean our physical house, we also do a similar process in our inner house, within our heart and soul. Spiritually chometz is associated with pride, negativity and whatever does not allow one to be in the moment, all parts of the ego mind and subconscious that keep one limited and bound. Cleaning out the house of chometz is a spiritual purification process. As we remove and release our personal negativity symbolized by chometz, we open to positive energy, creating greater possibilities for newness in our lives.

We have to take those first steps into uncertainty before our path becomes clear and the obstacles that stand in our way disappear.

(Much of this material is from Melinda Ribbner’s book, Kabbalah Month By Month.)

Here are some ideas to make your Passover Seder more meaningful.

1) Wine symbolizes joy.  As you lift each cup of wine at the Seder, share what make you joyful and what makes your proud to be Jewish.

2) Matzah reminds us of the journey to freedom and dignity.   Before you eat the Matzah, share a personal story of a journey to freedom that you are on and the significance of your journey.

3) Bitter herbs symbolize the hurts that inevitably come with life.  We dip them in charoset, showing our capacity to sweeten what is bitter.  Share what you can do to sweeten a hurt that may arise in your life.

I hope these words give you a new perspective on the holiday of Passover.

Shalom,

Donna

 

 

 

 

Love in Adar

As we are still in the month of Adar, I was thinking to myself what is a great way to really experience joy?  The answer that popped into my head was to experience joy through love.  Love is the energy and emotion (emotion is energy in motion) that creates life.  It is the energy that creates our reality.   I was reminded to be aware of my thoughts and be mindful of thoughts that are not in the energy of love.  Since we humans have over 60,000 random thoughts a day, its easy to get hooked by drama and negativity.  However, as we learn to be the observer of these thoughts, siphoning through the lower vibrating thoughts becomes easier with practice.

As I was preparing for my Jewish Meditation class last week, I was going through some old class notes and found a hand written note at the bottom of a discussion paper.  It simply said “Step toward what you love, rather than stepping away from what you fear.”

Not sure if this was an original quote or from another speaker.  Its simplicity was profound.   I made a promise to myself that I would focus on loving people, situations and experiences. 

As we begin the preparations for Passover, it is very important to be in tune with what you love.  Sometimes this process involves identifying the places in your life where you feel constricted.

Please share your thoughts!!   I love and appreciate comments.

Shalom,

  Donna

Adar, A Month of JOY

The month of Adar is all about increasing JOY in our lives and in our community.   Some months the energy is reflective, other months it’s cleansing and other times its very active.   So what do the Jewish mystics mean about “increasing joy” as opposed to simply experiencing joy?   There are certain times we get the pleasure of simply experiencing joy such as the simcha of a wedding or the birth of a baby.   Other times we experience unexpected joy like receiving a flower for no apparent reason.  Other times in life, we need to seek out joy. So why is this so important?  Just as in nature, human life is a series of ups and downs.  The sun rises, the sun sets and our bodies are programmed to follow the circadian rhythm. Sometimes we are happy and other times sad.   All emotions and feelings are good, but when negative feelings and/or anxiety interrupt life too frequently, it’s time to learn how to “increase joy.”  It’s time to reach for a better feeling thought on the subject or even change the channel. Yes our “personal stories” are all too real, but yet it’s our perception that determines our experience.  Try not to get so caught up in the drama of the story.

While teaching a meditation class early in the month of Adar, I was shown a Jewish star.   I was told to look at the intricacies of the Jewish star – the perfect balance of the triangles representing the combination of male and female energy.   I was also shown the “holes” which reflect the light of the Divine or God.  It was an amazing experience to see the Jewish star all illuminated with light.  Then my spirit had a special assignment for myself and the attendees.  We were told to go home and draw a Jewish star.   At each of the six points, we were to write down ways which we wanted to experience or create JOY.   Basically we had to identify 6 new ways to have fun and to take care of ourselves.  Wow, an assignment where we are told to have joyful experiences.   Laughter is contagious and sometimes the best medicine! 

How will you increase joy in your life?   Please share your ideas.

Shalom,

 Donna

 

The Magic of Kislev and Holiday Movies

Yesterday, I received an email stating that today, the 9th of Kislev is an auspicious day for prayer and meditation.   It was a few minutes before 6:00 p.m. and I knew the garage door would open any minute with my family arriving home for the evening.   I had just a few minutes of quiet time and had been remiss in my own meditation practice.   So I was very inspired to get in a few minutes of meditation.  For those of you who know me, music is a big part of my meditation experience, especially when I lead a class.  Well, there was no time to get music, I just sat down and started my practice.    For anyone who meditates, some experiences are relaxing, others insightful and others times can leave you feeling frustrated.   Well those 5 minutes for me were a treat and a delight.  I had a rather disappointing day and my ego was getting the best of me.  Immediately, my Spirit asked me a question.  “Why is it that I really enjoy those holiday LifeTime TV specials on the weekends?   Yes the nice Jewish girl really enjoys those movies about families celebrating Christmas. When my Spirit asks me such questions, I have learned to just go with it.  I started listing all the reasons – they are mindless and engaging, a break from reality, an hour or so when I do have to be doing anything.  The big take away for me was that everything usually works out in the end and to TRUST.  Sometimes letting go of control and trusting the universe is the real magic.  Those few minutes of meditation really gave me some mental relief.  Even if those movies are fantasy, they are a reminder of feeling love, expressing gratitude and trusting the Divine.

We are in the month of Kislev and shortly going to be celebrating two holidays, on the same day, here in the United States.   Thanksgiving and Chanukah.  In my opinion Thanksgiving is like the perfect little black dress in one’s wardrobe.  Thankfulness and gratitude goes with absolutely everything and the perfect remedy for all that ails.   Mix thankfulness with the holiday of Chanukah (miracles) and you have a recipe for success.  Kislev is a month of going forward and rekindling dreams.   Give yourself a holiday gift and start keeping a gratitude/dream journal.    On a regular basis, list all the things, people, events that bring you gratitude.   On the opposite page, list your dreams and wishes.  Then let go of expectations and let the universe deliver to your front door.

Much love,

  Donna

Rosh Hashanah and the Spiritual Energies of Tishrei

First of all, wishing all my friends and family L’ Shanah Tovah.    All the health and happiness for the new year!  I feel so thankful and grateful as I look back at this past year.  I was given many gifts and blessings, even if they did not feel that way at the time.

As we usher in the spiritual energies of Tishrei this evening, take some quiet time to breathe in the love surrounding you.  The love is all around.   Tishrei is a very special time of year.  It is said God is very close to us during this month.  All you have to do is ask, allow and trust.   Then patiently be aware for the answers.  If you ask, God will answer – that is where the trust part comes along.

This past weekend as I was driving to the gym for a workout, I asked God to make “himself known to me.”   I said if you want me to do this work and be on this path, I want clear directions.  I don’t like all this guess work. Since God is all-patient and has a sense of humor (that is if he/she were in physical form) I bet he had a nice laugh at my rantings and ravings.   I arrived at my class a few moments early and as any good New Yorker would do, I checked my smart phone for any sort of messages.    To my delight, there was an email “waiting for me.”   The email’s subject line was simply stated “ALIGN.”   Now if you take my meditation class, that’s all I talk about, aligning with your true self.   The email went on to say “It’s less about where you are going and more about how you want to feel on your journey.  Identify the feeling and take it into your life.   This immediately aligns you with the flow of your greatest potentials.”

I sat quietly in my car and thought, Wow – God sent me an email.   It was the exact message I needed in the moment.   For me that message always rings true.  I gave thanks and said the Shema before going to exercise.

Wishing you all L’ Shanah Tovah.

Shalom,

Donna

BTW, the next Jewish Meditation Class at Temple Chaverim is Thursday, September 12 @ 7:30 p.m.   It will be a forgiveness meditation.