One theme running through the parsha’s laws is taking care of the vulnerable in society — the stranger, the widow, the poor, the slave, . . . In this meditation, we look inward to our own vulnerable parts, we get to know them and the shame and judgment surrounding them, we listen to them and […]
MEDITATION: The Vulnerable Inside you (Parashat Mishpatim) Read More »
This meditation considers the entire universe as a world of praise to God, and explores our ability to enter and join that praise. The meditation is based on a study of Ashrei we did together in my Psalms group, and plays with the words מהולל, mehulal, “praised,” and כל, kol, “everthing,” which both appear often
MEDITATION: A World of Praise (Ashrei) Read More »
In this meditation, we explore the intense feeling contained in the Shabbat song, Tzama Nafshi, “My soul thirsts for God.” (Click image to read more)
MEDITATION: My Soul Thirsts for God (Tzama Nafshi) Read More »
This week’s parsha begins, Vayechi Yaakov, “Yaakov lived,” but it is a parsha about Yaakov’s death. In this meditation, we work on expanding our notion of aliveness in two ways: 1) As Yaakov had a very difficult life, but still vayechi, still loved, so we experiment with seeing our most difficult emotions as manifestations of
MEDITATION: On “Chayut,” Aliveness (Parashat Vayechi) Read More »
In this meditation, we explore the emotional complexity of the first scene of the parsha . . . (Click image for more)
MEDITATION: Glimpsing Goshen: the Land of Connection (Parashat Vayigash) Read More »
On Chanukah, we celebrate the miraculous — the impossible becoming possible. This meditation explores what it feels like to bring this sense of the miraculous inside — through the Chanukah light and all its particular miracles — especially to our darkest places, the places of despair and impossibility.
MEDITATION: Bringing the Miracle Inside (Chanukah) Read More »
Yaakov struggles with the angel and is told, vatukhal, “you have prevailed.” In this meditation, we work with our own struggles and fears and find the strength and resililence to meet them face to face and feel our capacity to handle what is difficult. Photo by Snapwire from Pexels
MEDITATION: “You have Prevailed”: Feeling Our Own Strength (Parashat Vayishlach) Read More »
Yaakov stopped on his journey away from home at Hamakom, “the place.” In this meditation, we intrepret hamakom to mean where he was at that moment, the emotional space he was in, a fearful, lonely space. We imitate Yaakov’s instinct to rest in the place that he was in — in its hard rocks —
MEDITATION: Resting in “Hamakom” — This Place (Parashat Vayetze) Read More »
Rivka, now pregnant with twins, feels them struggling inside her, pulling in different directions. In this meditation, we follow her emotional journey from this sense of inner conflict to collapse to seeking God. We work to feel each difficult step, and then the unifying, calming energy of focusing on our deepest desire for divine connection.
MEDITATION: Rivka’s (And Our) Emotional Journey, In Three Parts (Parashat Toldot) Read More »
Rivka said one word which changed her life and the world forever: Elekh — “I will go.” I will go to Canaan to marry Yitzhak. In this meditation, we explore the strength and power of this word and how we can inhabit that strength. If you would like to join our Wednesday parsha meditation group
MEDITATION: Your Power of “Elekh” — I will Go (Parashat Chayei Sarah) Read More »