Shana Tovah 5777!

Monday, October 3, 2016 ~ 1 Tishrei, 5777

Shana Tovah ~ Happy Rosh Hashanah !

Blog #1

 

- We struggle not to become overwhelmed by the need for help and healing in our broken world. Decide on one or two specific places/issues/needs where you will commit to spend some time and energy on tikkun in this new year. Reflect in concrete terms on what that will look like for you.

 

-Think about the past year and recall something you did that gave you deep pleasure, something that felt nourishing for you – what was it? Describe it in detail, in all its richness…

 

Now that you’re done writing it down, reflect on why/how this activity or situation was so full, joyous, meaningful for you. How can you build this deep nourishing pleasure into your new year?

Elul Week 4

Monday, September 26, 2016 ~ 23 Elul, 5776

Blog #4:  excerpted from ongoing work with the Rabbinic Writing Institute, led by Merle Feld

 

4- Think of your family and closest friends: are you conscious of ways in which you may have harmed any of them, caused them pain in the past year, fallen short of the mark? How? Choose one person and focus on him/her: what is the regret or guilt you feel toward this person? What do you want the relationship to be like? What can you do to make amends, to bring about change? (repeat as needed)

 

Follow up for week 4 - Has anyone sinned against you this year, hurt you? How? What do you need from them to achieve healing? Is there something you can do to help bring about that healing, justice, reconciliation?

Perhaps that won’t be possible; if it’s not possible, how might you help yourself to find inner peace and move on?

Elul Initiative Week 3

Monday, September 19, 2016 ~ 16 Elul, 5776

Blog #3

(Excerpted from ongoing work with the Rabbinic Writing Institute, led by Merle Feld)

 

3-To whom do you feel grateful this year? How might you let them know?

 

Follow up for 3:  List these individuals, allowing yourself time to reflect on the ways they have enriched your life this year. Why are you grateful? Did they already know you felt this way? Do you think they feel the same towards you? Take note of any response or changes once you do let them know.

 

Elul Initiative Week 2

Monday, September 12, 2016 ~ 9 Elul, 5776

Blog #2

 

2-How have you cared for yourself this year? Make a list of all the ways - things you do every day, things you do sometimes, rarely.  Read your list over, notice what you’d like to increase.

 

Follow up for 2 -  Do you have a list, either written down or in your head, of the things you would like to do, but don't do at all.  How can you find opportunities to weave this into your daily, weekly, or monthly routine?

Elul Initiative Week 1

Monday, September 5, 2016 ~ 2 Elul, 5776

Happy Labor Day

Blog #1

(excerpted from ongoing work with the Rabbinic Writing Institute, led by Merle Feld)

 

1- Recall a situation or conjure an image, perhaps from this summer or this past year, in which you felt wonderfully authentic, alive, your best fullest self, a situation in which some special aspect of yourself was expressed. Maybe it was a public moment, an achievement, or maybe it was something small, subtle, something private only you were aware of… Tell the story, describe the situation, letting the details return to you in all their fullness….

 

Follow-up for 1- Now that you’re done writing it down, reflect on why/how the best part of you came out in that situation. What did you do to make that situation possible? And how can you be that fully realized, enlivened “you” more often in the coming year?