Jewish Meditation

Judaism, Meditation and Yoga

Active versus Passive Meditation by Schneur Zalman Stern

The Chosen Breath - introduction to Jewish Meditation and Makor Or, a meditation centre in San Francisco.

The Argument for Makor Or (editor's note: and an argument for Jewish meditation) - by Alan Lew, rabbi and author of One God Clapping

Yoga as a Way to Kavannah - by Levi Kelman

Developing Our Spiritual Nature - excerpt from Jewish Guided Imagery by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins

The Purpose of Meditation - from the Inner Dimension

Meditations by Dr C. Benton

Philosophical Similarities between Judaism and Yoga:

Part Two: Non-violence / Ahimsa

Jewish Meditation Book list

Jewish Spiritual Practices - Yitzhak Buxbaum (Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 1990)

The Way of Flame by Avram Davis (159 pages, HarperSan Francisco, $17). Davis, 44, received a doctorate from the history of consciousness department at U.C. Santa Cruz, and is now executive director of Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley, California.

Miraculous Living: A Guided Journey in Kabbalah Through the Ten Gates of the Tree of Life. Rabbi Shoni Labowitz (334 pages, Simon & Schuster, $23).

Judaic Mysticism by Avram Davis and Manuela Dunn Mascetti (224 pages, Hyperion, $24.95).

Yoga Mosaic - an association of Jewish Yoga Teachers

InnerJew.com - "Presenting a contemporary approach to in er Judaism grounded in traditional sources, Innerjew emphasizes a synthesis of Jewish philosophy and Kabbalah. Inner Judaism is the broad current of teachings and practices within our tradition that teach knowledge of, and hence intimacy with, God."

Reb Goldie's meditation page - a Jewish meditation moreh (teacher) in the Reconstructionist tradition

Rabbi Laibl Wolf - an Australian Jewish meditation teacher

Makor Or - a Jewish Meditation centre attached to and associated with a Conservative synagogue in San Francisco. Established by Alan Lew, rabbi and author of One God Clapping

Kavannah: Resources for Kabbalah and Jewish Meditation

Chochmat HaLev: "An Independent Center of Jewish Meditation". Reputed to be the largest consortium of Jewish meditation teachers in the country.

Metivta - a centre for contemplative Judaism

Maqom: calls itself a "Cyber-School for Adult Talmud Study founded and directed by Rabbi Judith Abrams, Ph.D. Maqom is dedicated to the spiritually enlightening and intellectually honest study of Jewish texts."

The Inner Dimension: A Gateway to the Wisdom of Kabbalah and Chassidut

Elat Chayyim's Meditation info - Elat Chayyim is a retreat centre in upstate New York which is affiliated with ALEPH, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal

Rasheit: Rabbi Rami Shapiro's site

Devekut: "Authentic resources in Kabbalah, Chassidut, Jewish meditation and Jewish spirituality."

A Still Small Voice - "a correspondence school that presents classic Judaism as a powerful path to spiritual transformation."

Yoga as a way to kavanna

-- Levi Kelman (Sh’ma, 4/74, May 17, 1974)

This past year, a respected friend and teacher severely (but lovingly) attacked my current interest in Eastern mysticism. I responded that there is a parallel between my past interest in the counter-culture and my current interest in Yoga. My involvement with soft drugs, for example, had been beneficial in my search for what was to be a "Jewish fife." Getting high on a niggun may have preceded the drug culture, but it took the drug culture to rescue it from oblivion. Similarly, we have been taught that the Rabbis would meditate for hours before their davening; perhaps the wisdom of Eastern mysticism can rescue meditation.

Indeed, the serious practice of the Yogic techniques for the mind and body can be of great spiritual value to the Jew. Davening, for the Jewish Yogi, becomes more than the daily recitation of sacred texts, even more than a "conversation" with God. Raja Yoga (the path of meditation) results in an encounter with the Shechinah, the Godhead. Five to thirty minutes on the ECHAD-ness of Ha-Shem changes the character (not the content) of tefillah (prayer). The ECHAD-ness becomes all; within and without. This kind of experience does not happen daily. It takes practice. But the practicing itself deepens the prayer.

Exploring parallel themes

Nor is prayer the only area of Jewish life which can benefit from Yoga. In the whole area of health Judaism has paid very little attention to the body on a spiritual level. Hatha Yoga, however, prescribes a series of asanas (postures) to maintain health. With regard to food, the laws of kashrut (which transforms the Jewish table into an altar) increase in meaning when one sees the abstinence from certain animals and the separation of milk and meat as pointing to the Yogic vegetarian diet - which is healthier, cleaner and seemingly more holy than is a carnivorous diet.

Actually, Yoga and Judaism are similar in approach in a number of ways. Neither

offers easy solutions to life; trying to follow the "path" or "way" is the important thing. The two share the idea of doing as much as you can b'simchah (with joy); neither discipline is to be a burden. The most beautiful connection I found was between the Jewish idea of neshamah (soul) and the Yogic idea of "breath." As the Bible describes God breathing the breath of life into man's soul, Yoga also says that breath is the essence of life - and that the mind and body can be controlled by breathing exercises. Try doing some deep breathing before "Nishmat kol chai" on Shabbat!

At the same time, however, there are some important differences between Yoga and Judaism. Judaism does not view meditation as an end in itself, but only as the basis for actions. Yoga, on the other hand, sees all actions as extended meditations. Moreover, the concept of the Mashiach, and the whole Judaic view of time and history, forces one to reject the Yogic belief in cyclical time and reincarnation.

Consequently, there are dangers when Jews look to Yoga for wisdom. As drugs heightened our awareness, they also caused O.D.s and mindlessness. Similarly, the rush to religious mysticism has its share of Hare Krishnas and followers of Guru Mahara Ji [sic] who have ended up killing their Jewishness. Seriously committed Jews, therefore, must make a distinction between the religion of Eastern mysticism - which is often antithetical to Judaism; and the discipline of Eastern mysticism which can often be an enormous aid in developing Jewish sensitivities.

The serious Jew is not likely to find satisfaction in those "ashrams" (Yoga centers) which present an "all religions are one" line - where one can hear sanskrit chanting with Hebrew and Christian prayers (nothing I have encountered so far has ever approached the Siddur for prayer). Yet we Jews have been especially adept at incorporating the rituals and ideas of pagan and secular culture into our own, and thus making them kadosh. With some care, we can do the same to reawaken some spiritual concerns which have become latent in modern Judaism, by learning from the discipline of Eastern mysticism.

Sh'ma -- a journal of Jewish responsibility was founded by Eugene Borowitz in May, 1970. In 1994 Dr. Borowitz retired from the editorial helm and the torch was passed to CLAL and to Rabbi Nina Cardin who became Sh'ma's editor.

Jewish Meditation FAQ

What is Jewish Meditation?

Jews have meditated since biblical times. This practice take many forms, such as sitting silently and emptying the mind; focusing on Hebrew letters, words, or phrases; an awareness and channeling of breath; chanting; and contemplating Torah or philosophy. Sometimes Jews meditate before or after prayer. Other times they do it independent of prayer.

Today, we are uncovering the rich tradition of Jewish meditation. We are also adding to it from our contemporary understanding of Torah and meditation. Meditation groups are being formed around the country, and some synagogues are integrating it into their services.

Why haven't we heard about Jewish meditation before?

The tradition of Jewish meditation has been hidden for centuries. The rabbis worried that it might lead to idolatry in the Diaspora, or that it might be dangerous for uninitiated people. Meditation was strongly disavowed by secularized Jews at the time of the Emancipation, because it was considered "old-fashioned", a reminder of ghetto life. And most of the Eastern European rabbis who retained knowledge of it were killed during the Holocaust.

Today, many Jews think of meditation as belonging to other religions. They haven't seen it done in their congregations or synagogues. When they realize that an authentic tradition of Jewish meditation exists, however, they become interested in learning about it.

What are the benefits of Jewish meditation?

As the pressures of modern life continue to multiply and intensify, an increasing need will continue to be felt for a directly accessible form of spiritual practice that partakes of inner silence and equanimity. This need benefits the individual in a personal sense of general well-being and joy, but also is of great benefit on the collective level. As we continue to face conflicts and problems as the Jewish people as well as the human species, we need to make truly wise choices that will promote healing and repair of the connections between ourselves, and the care of the planet. By touching a place of inner silence and equanimity through meditation, we can make choices that don't come from fear or reaction to situations in the world, but from clear thinking about how to address the myriad of challenges that we face.

What are the three schools of Jewish Meditation?

One way to categorize the vast traditions of Jewish meditation is to broadly divide them into three groups:

Ayin refers to nothingness or emptiness. It is a discipline designed to get to the root of the human condition, which is the state of Ayin. Ayin may be seen as the deepest quality of soul. The deeper into ayin we go, the more profoundly we access soul and thus the ability to live our life from that essential state.

Chesed refers to loving-kindness. It is the manifestation of the Divine in its purest state in the world. Meditating and manifesting Chesed, we manifest Godness in its clearest expression.

Kabbalistic meditation is the third type of Jewish meditation. (Note: visualization is an example of kabbalistic meditation.)

A Brief Introduction to Jewish Meditation

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro - adapted from Minyan, A Primer For Jewish Spiritual Practice (forthcoming from Bell Tower)

Whenever I introduce meditation to a Jewish audience there is always skepticism: Is meditation really Jewish? Yes, it is. Minyan draws upon a meditative tradition within Judaism that goes back thousands of years. For example, Rabbi Abraham Maimonides (1186-1237), son of the great Medieval philosopher Moses Maimonides, saw meditation as central to the lives of the biblical prophets.

The biblical prophets did not prophesy at will. Rather they focused their minds and sat joyfully and contentedly in a state of meditation....1

According to Rabbi Abraham, music and song were among the many ways the prophets induced a meditative state. Contemplation of the vastness of the night sky was another meditation technique of the prophets, one which most of us discover as young children. I have many memories of laying outside at night with friends and just watching the stars in the sky. Without knowing what we were doing we got caught up in the grandeur of creation. The vastness of space took our breath away, and with that, thoughts of self ceased, and we were filled with a gentle wonder. By contemplating the enormity of creation, you cannot help but feel a stirring of connection with all life. Somehow we sense we are a part of this. And that is the real gift of meditation: to discover that you are a part of rather than apart from the Whole that is reality.

Meditation practices continued in Judaism after the close of the prophetic era. The Talmud tells us that the sages would "be still one hour prior to each of the three prayer services, then pray for one hour and afterwards be still again for one hour more".2 The technique used by these rabbis was not preserved, though Moses Maimonides interprets the notion of being still to refer to maintaining a motionless posture "in order to settle their minds and quiet their thoughts."3

The strenuous discipline needed to master the meditative techniques of the sages tended to limit their use to a spiritual elite. Yet the hunger for spiritual experience is universal, and the rabbis sought to provide the general populace with a mystical practice of its own.

The formulation of this practice comes down to us as the eighteen benedictions of the Amidah, the Standing Prayer. The Amidah (also called the Shemona Esrei or eighteen after its number of blessings) is the central part of the daily worship service recited three times each day. The Talmud makes clear, however, that its original function was as a silent chant that would bring the worshiper into the presence of God. Indeed, the Talmud tells us that the great sages of the period would spend an hour reciting the Amidah alone. Considering it is required to say the prayer three times a day, the Talmud makes it clear that at least three hours of every day are to spent in this standing meditative silence. 4

Along with the silent recitation of the Amidah, the rabbis introduced their "yoga." The Amidah is to be recited without interruption, with each benediction flowing directly into the next. The recitation is accompanied by ritual bowing. When reciting the word baruch (blessed) one should bend the knees. When saying the next word attah (are You) one should bow from the waste. This bowing takes place at the beginning and end of the first and next to last paragraphs of the Amidah. The Talmud suggests that one bow quickly and rise slowly "like a snake"5 which, the rabbis said loosened the spine and opened the body to the flow of divine energy. I have been practicing one meditative system or another since I was sixteen years old. I tend to be drawn toward the simplest techniques, and when formulating the meditation practice for Minyan I chose to focus on the Hasidic practice called avodah be-bittul. It is this simple meditation that I find most powerful and universal.

Avodah be-bittul translates as "discipline of annihilation," and refers to a specific meditation practice leading to the temporary ending of self as a separate entity. It is the annihilation of self and all self-identifying factors. In bittul (self annihilation) a Jew is no longer a Jew; nor is a Christian a Christian. Even our humanness is annihilated. You are simply God's vehicle for knowing God as the Source and Substance of all reality.

You must include yourself in God's unity, which is the imperative of Existence. You cannot be worthy of this, however, unless you first nullify yourself. It is impossible to nullify yourself, however, without meditation. 6

As Reb Nachman of Bratzlav teaches:

One does not come by union with God except by complete self-annihilation.... Think of yourself as nothing, and totally forget yourself... You can thus enter the Universe of God-consciousness, a state that is beyond time. Everything in this realm is the same: life and death, land and sea... But in order to enter the Universe of God-consciousness where all is the same, you must relinquish the ego.... 7

The key to emptying the mind is found in the breath. Proper breathing is central to meditation practice, and good posture is central to proper breathing.

The diaphragm is a muscle located underneath the rib cage. It separates the chest from the stomach. Breathing from the diaphragm allows you to breathe evenly and fully right into the lower part of the lungs. When practicing meditation bring your awareness to your breathing for a few moments. Do not interfere with it. Just watch the flow of the breath, and the soft rise and fall of your stomach. Breathe evenly without gasps or breaks. As you breathe you will notice that the breath slows of its own accord. The more gently the breath flows, the quieter the mind becomes. Whenever you find yourself agitated or ill at ease, focus on your breathing and return to that gentle flow. You will calm down and be better able to handle whatever it is that is upsetting you.

To maximize the effectiveness of your breathing you need to maintain a posture conducive to diaphragmatic breathing. Some people choose to sit in a full lotus posture with each foot resting on the opposite groin. Others choose to sit cross-legged with each foot beneath the knee of the opposite leg. Still others prefer to sit in a straight-backed chair, with their feet parallel to each other on the floor. And some choose to lie on their backs to relieve the strain of sitting altogether, though most people find this position more conducive to sleep.

The point is to maintain a straight spine. Sitting with the spine straight does not mean sitting with the body in a straight line. The spine naturally curves, being somewhat convex in the lower third of the back, the lumbar region, somewhat concave in the middle thoracic area, and convex again at the neck or cervical region. It helps to have someone observe your meditation posture to see that you are aligned properly. If you experience any pain while sitting-- as opposed to mild discomfort-- stop and try another posture.

There are many meditation aides available: benches, cushions, and pillows. Experiment and see which works best for you. Remember, the posture is held to help you with the breathing. If you are struggling to maintain the posture you can be sure your breath is anything but slow and steady. Do what you must to sit comfortably.

When we simply sit and watch the mind at work; when we refuse to follow this thought or that feeling, and allow thoughts and feelings to rise and fall of their own accord, the mind slowly ceases to chatter. A deep quiet emerges and, for a moment at least, thought ceases. There seems to be no conscious activity in the brain; no thought, no thinker. And yet there is a profound knowing, albeit without a knower or an object that is known. This is what the Psalmist spoke of when he sang kalta nafshi, "my soul is obliterated."8 The separate sense of self is gone for a moment, and in its place is a wondrous and fundamentally ineffable awareness. The medieval kabbalists called this bittul she-me-'ever le-ta'am va-daat, annihilation beyond reason and knowledge, the ending of thought.

With the ending of thought and self comes an overwhelming awareness of Ayin, the oneness of all things. And with this comes a deep sense of love for Creation which returns you to the world of Yesh. Your return is accompanied by a heightened sense of connection with and compassion for all life. Emptying the self of thought fills the self with love. Filled with love you cannot but return to the ordinary world to effect tikkun ha-olam, perfecting the world through love and justice.

This is a critical aspect of meditation within the context of Minyan. While all meditative practices involve self-isolation, self-isolation is never the goal. Indeed, meditation is essentially without a goal. You meditate simply to meditate. The process itself is its own reward. This becomes clearer as you engage in the process and find yourself calmer, more centered, and more capable of handling the contingencies of everyday living with compassion and grace.

The point of meditation, at least as Judaism prescribes it, is not to escape from the world, but to become a vehicle for perfecting the world. Judaism is a profoundly this-worldly religion. It overriding concern is, to quote from the traditional prayer book, the "perfection of the world under the guidance of God." 9 You cannot perfect the world, however, as if the world were other than yourself. Trying to do so only traps you in projecting your own likes and dislikes onto the world. Perfection is not an imposition from without, but a nurturing of the holiness within. It is only when you see yourself and the world as one, and that one as part of the greater unity that is God that you understand the true work of perfecting the world.

Perhaps the best understanding of the link between meditative self-emptying and world-perfecting was given to me by a OB/GYN nurse: "Minyan is like midwifery. The world and everything in it is trying to birth something wonderful and I learn how to put myself aside and facilitate that birth. Meditation has profoundly affected the way I treat my kids, my husband, even my ex. I don't impose my needs as much as recognize the differing gifts people bring to relationships. I mean, I'm not a pushover, but I see that even my desire to help can sometimes be a hindrance to another's growth."

The emptying of self and the perfecting the world are two sides of the same practice. You are not seeking to escape the world, you are seeking to transform the world. You do this by recognizing the unity of all things in God and then acting accordingly.

When you awaken to this knowing you awaken to the fact that you were never asleep. Yesh is no less God than Ayin; God does not change. It is your perception of reality that changes. And the awakened human mind manages to perceive reality as both Yesh and Ayin, seeing God in both, as both. When you see God as All you no longer insist upon your absolute separateness, your absolute being, or even your absolute reality. On the contrary, when you see God as All you see everything as empty of separate being; you are no longer apart from God but a part of the Greater Unity that embraces duality. Your own separateness is lost and you are one with all and the One that is its Source and Substance.

There is service to God through stillness... when a person sits alone and in silence... and enters a world of absolute rest and stillness... emptying into God through devekut/God-consciousness.10

Here is the sequence for practicing. Sit comfortably. Relax your body. Do a mental check for points of tension and relax them. Typical tension points are the forehead, around the eyes, the jaw, and the stomach. Scan your body for tension, breathe slowly while focusing on the area of tension and simply allow the tension to fade. While the cause of the discomfort may not leave, the physical expression of it can soften. This often allows you to deal with the problem more effectively since the energy used to defend against the problem can be channeled toward resolving it. Now shift awareness to your breathing. Let your breath be smooth, even, soft and full. Don't regiment your breathing, just allow it to soften of its own accord. Pay attention to the breath as it enters and leaves your body through the nose.

After a few moments of just sitting and observing what is happening begin gerushin, the repetition of a holy phrase which is described in the next chapter.

The purpose of silently repeating a holy phrase during meditation is to give the mind something to chew on. As soon as you begin your meditation your mind will clamor for attention. Thousands of thoughts and feelings will flood your conscious mind. Distractions by the dozen will seek to draw you away from your practice. Suddenly everything is more important than avodah be-bittul.

This chattering of the mind occurs whether we practice avodah be-bittul or not. The difference is that in avodah be-bittul we do not react to the noise. We simply observe it. And yet we can help the mind quiet itself with gerushin.

Returning the conscious mind to the repetition of a word or phrase gives the mind something to do without giving it anywhere to go since the repetition does not generate linear thought. It does not distract the mind into replaying and analyzing the myriad dramas that occupy it during the waking hours of your day. Like a baby sucking quietly on her thumb, the mind occupied with gerushin curls up into a comfortable corner and becomes still. When your mind wanders, and it will, don't fight it; simply bring your attention back to your silent repetition.

That is it. There is nothing magical in this. No visualizations, no affirmations, no fantasies to occupy the mind and thrill the heart. Just sitting, breathing, and silently repeating a holy phrase.

Can it be that simple? Yes, but do not mistake simple for easy. Try it and you will see that it is not easy at all.

There is nothing harder to do than doing nothing; and avodah be-bittul is essentially doing nothing. Yet, in a short while the benefits will become clear. You will be more calm, less stressed, less willing to identify with all the craziness around and within you. You will gain distance from your own desire for control and power, and be better able to act in the world with justice and compassion.

It all depends upon your making avodah be-bittul a fixed part of your day. Each morning, ideally before you eat breakfast, set aside thirty minutes for meditation. If you wish to lengthen your meditation practice, add another thirty minutes in the late afternoon or early evening. In this way you will retrain the mind to see the world as it really is: the integrated, flowing wholeness of God.

1. Moses Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Yesodai ha-Torah 7:4.

2. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 32b.

3. Maimonides' commentary on Mishnah Berachot 5:1.

4. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 12a-b.

5. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 28b.

6. Hishtapchut Ha Nefesh cited in Meditation and Kabbalah, Aryeh Kaplan, Samuel Weiser Inc., New York, 1982, p. 309.

7. Reb Nachman of Bratzlav, Likkutei Moharan, Vol. 1, 22:10. 8. Psalm 84:30.

9. From the Aleinu prayer recited twice daily.

10. Or ha-Ganuz l'Tzaddikim

JEWISH GUIDED IMAGERY

by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins

Chapter Ten: DEVELOPING OUR SPIRITUAL NATURE

"There are more things in heaven and on earth than you have imagined...." Shakespeare

"I will place within you a new spirit." Ezekiel 11:19

Spirituality is a difficult concept to define. When we think of a spiritual person, what usually comes to mind is an individual whose lifestyle is filled with such things as community service, cultural pursuits, elements of the meditative and reflective personality, and other non-materialistic activities.

In Jewish tradition spirituality has taken many forms. Tradition considers people spiritual when they perform God's will through the performance of mitzvot (commandments), study holy books (Tanakh, Talmud, etc.), and when they take prayer seriously. At certain periods in Jewish history, groups and movements arose which stressed various aspects of the spiritual life, such as kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), Hasidism (founded by the Baal Shem Tov in early eighteenth century Russia), Musar (founded by Rabbi Israel Salanter in nineteenth century Lithuania), and the modern movement for Jewish renewal (made famous by people like Rabbis Shlomo Carlebach, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Arthur Green, and Lawrence Kushner in the 1960s).

Since spirituality involves so many different things, including but not restricted to prayer, we shall try to focus in this chapter on areas not included in other parts of the book, although almost every chapter of guided imagery scripts includes some aspect of spirituality in its widest sense. We shall use as a basic paradigm the kind of spiritual approach one finds in the biblical Book of Psalms, and in some Hasidic literature, helping humans feel closer to God and to God's world of beauty and love. When the Torah commands us to be holy, the Hasidic interpretation says: Be humanly holy, love God, love Torah, and love both of them through and with the important people in your life.

[ It is often helpful to play soft, spiritual music during the guided imagery exercises - especially with those included in this chapter. Pachelbel's Canon is very effective. The music of Steve Halpern is also quite good. Perhaps some appropriate cantorial or Hasidic music, depending on the subject, would be helpful ].

PSALM 19 - GOD, HEAVEN AND TORAH

o Lie or sit in a comfortable position. Stretch and wiggle a bit until you feel very relaxed and comfortable. As you breathe, watch all the tensions, worries and problems in your mind float away. Let go of all the things inside you which you don't need or want. Breathe in clean, pure air, which gives you a sense of renewal and refreshment....

We will read parts of the nineteenth Psalm in the Tanakh, and appreciate the uplifting ideas contained within in.

In your mind's eye, look up at the Heavens, and experience the calm beauty, the serene security it brings you.... "The Heavens declare the glory of Adonai... the sky declares God's handiwork. Each day calls out to the other... each night whispers to its neighbor".... Feel the bright light of day, and then the dark velvet cover of the night.... Feel the protection which the world gives you.... See the majesty of the white clouds against the blue sky, and feel the warmth and lightness they bring.... Enjoy this feeling for a while. (Pause).

"The teaching of Adonai is perfect, renewing life...."

In God's world, we have a map to find our way through its mountains and valleys... the Torah. The Torah helps us understand and appreciate our universe and the people within it....

The beautiful customs and traditions of Judaism help us live our lives in this beautiful world, becoming enlightened, enriched, and enthused about ourselves and others.... "The precepts of Adonai are just, rejoicing the heart. The instruction of Adonai is clear, lighting up our eyes"....

The words which Adonai gave us in the Torah are uplifting and inspiring.... The Torah teaches us how to be kind, caring people, how to help others, and reach out to the needy and the broken souls of society.... The Torah helps us find joy in our life, and excitement.... It helps find truth and clarity....

"Cleanse my soul, Adonai... clear me of guilt and keep me from doing wrong"....

Let my life be pure and whole. Permit me to do right and love justice.... Let me be ever closer to You and Your ways... to Your Torah and Your people....

"May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable to You, Adonai. You are my rock and my redeemer".... (Pause).

Stay with your thoughts and feelings for a moment. Enjoy them, and learn from them....

When you are ready, come back to this place, and gently and gradually open your eyes, taking your time to return only when you want to....

STANDING AT THE KOTEL

Holiness, kedushah, can be found in time (Shabbat and Festivals), in space (the Bet HaMikdash - The Temple in Jerusalem), in objects (a Sefer Torah), and in people (kohanim). Among the holiest places in Jewish tradition is the Kotel, the Western Wall of Temple Mount, where King Solomon and others following him built the first, and later, the second Temple. Since 1967 when Israel recaptured and reunited the holy city of Jerusalem, the Kotel has been a popular place of prayer for Jews who come from all over the world on pilgrimage.

o Find a comfortable place, and begin to relax.... When you are ready to let go of your environment, take some deep breaths, and find yourself becoming more and more deeply relaxed. Take another slow, deep, cleansing breath, and exhale as fully as you can.... Breathe deeply, into your belly, and then breathe out as fully as you can.... As you continue breathing deeply and easily, you are feeling more and more calm and serene.... As you exhale breathe out any unwelcome thoughts, and watch your breath as it brings you purity and calm....

You are now standing at the Kotel, the famous Western Wall of King Solomon's great Temple, built three thousand years ago.... What does it feel like to be there?.... Think about all the centuries and generations of Jews who have yearned to be able to stand where you are standing now.... Feel how fortunate you are.... (Pause).

Picture in your mind the many Jews who made long, tiring pilgrimages to this Wall, just to be able to be closer to God.... Do you see some of them standing there, alongside you, from a century or two ago, in long black coats and fur hats, shuckling and swaying as they whisper their prayers?....

Imagine reaching out and touching the stone. Feel its contours and roughly hewn edges. Listen to the birds who have built their nests in its cracks. Hear them coo as you run your hand along the cold stone in silent awe....

Even though there may be others around you at the Kotel, it is so quiet, it feels as though you are there completely alone, with God.... God is listening to you now.... Feel God's presence at the Kotel, as you begin to think of what you want to say.... (Pause).

Now say whatever you want to say to God. Take your time.... (Pause).

Perhaps you would like an answer from God. See if God would like to speak to you.... What do you hear God saying to you?.... (Pause).

If you would like to write down any prayer, as many people who pray at the Kotel do, write it on a piece of paper and place it in one of the crevices between the large rocks of the Kotel....

If you want, reach out to the Kotel, and take back with you the message of God, which is written on one of the papers between the cracks, and take it with you.... See what it says, and then fold it up and place it in your pocket to take along with you.... (Pause).

If there is anything else you want to say to God, do so now, before you leave the Kotel.... Remember that you can always come back here in your imagination, and speak to God any time you want, just by closing your eyes and coming to the Kotel in your mind....

When you are ready to leave, take a few steps back, and find yourself back here in this place.... Take your time, and come back slowly and gradually.... When you are ready, open your eyes....

THE LIGHT OF THE MENORAH

Light is a very effective metaphor for spiritual themes. Light is ubiquitous in Jewish tradition. We need think only of such ritual objects as the Ner Tamid, the Menorah, Shabbat candles, the Shiva and Yahrzeit candles, etc. Light is soothing, calming, and freeing.

o Let yourself become completely relaxed. Imagine that you are walking in the middle of a beautiful, safe forest. You are strolling through a clear path and looking at the beautiful bush and trees on either side of the winding path.... As you walk, you find yourself becoming more and more completely relaxed.... There is no hurry, so no need to walk quickly. Just saunter along, at a leisurely pace....

The farther you go along the path, the deeper you stroll into the forest, the closer you feel to God, and to God's world of beauty and serenity.... All the animals and wildlife in the forest are safe and secure. Nothing can hurt or harm you.... The growing things, plants, flowers, trees, bushes and exotic wild flowers, and the birds and other animals are all there to lend beautiful smells, sights and sounds to your walk through this beautiful and charming forest.... Take in the crisp smell of pine and feel the warm mist rising from the living forest bed.

Walk further in the forest, and feel how good and safe, and comfortable you feel. (Pause).

After you have walked for several hours, you are feeling even stronger than when you started. You are not at all tired or weary. You feel strong, healthy and confident.... You are not too warm or too cold, but just right. Everything is just right.... A gentle breeze is blowing, which makes you even more comfortable and happy.... Feel the breeze dancing gently on your face, as you feel yourself becoming more spiritually attuned, and joyful....

Ahead of you is a small mountain with a large Menorah sitting on a high rock on top of it. All seven candles of the Menorah are burning brightly. As you get closer to the mountain, you see seven steps that lead to the top of the mountain. Walk slowly upward, step by step, ascending each of the seven steps....

Approach the Menorah slowly and feel the warmth and beauty that emanates from it.... You sense something magic and wonderful as you get close to the Menorah.... The rays of light coming from the Menorah are very beautiful, and radiant. They bring you special feelings of joy and calm in your heart. You feel a sense of deep love and being loved.... The Menorah is your friend, and you may speak to it if you like.... (Pause).

As you watch the dancing light of the Menorah, you feel the magical light entering through your eyes and pour into your body. The rays of light from the Menorah begin to fill you with a sense of well-being and peace, of shalom. Every part of your body, every cell, tissue, muscle and bone is filled with this incredible light.... All the parts of you, your head, your face, your chest, your lungs and heart, your arms and hands, your legs and feet, are all filled with the beautiful light beaming out from the beautiful Menorah in front of you.... Now close your eyes and keep the light from escaping from you. (Pause).

Your whole being is filled with the spiritual light of Menorah, and through it, the light of Adonai.... You feel purified and cleansed, inspired and uplifted.... Let the light swirl around your body, penetrating into every tiny crevice of your body, making you whole and healed.... Your mind is filled with new wisdom and joy, your heart is filled with love and compassion.... Let this wonderful feeling imprint itself into your soul, so that you can keep it with you always.... (Pause).

The wonderful feeling you feel now comes from God. Express your thanks to God for the light which you are now enjoying.... o

[Parts of this exercise were inspired by Beverly-Colleene Galyean's Mind Sight].

o Allow yourself to become very relaxed, and enter the basket of a hot air balloon that will transport you to the Heavens. The balloon is a very safe and secure place to be, so you need not be concerned. Any time you want to come down, simply pull the level to lower yourself back to the ground. ...

Now toss out of the balloon more and more weights, so that you rise higher and higher....

Soon you see a white-bearded figure from the Bible floating around the skies. It is Elijah the prophet. Remember the biblical story about Elijah? Elijah never died. He ascended to Heaven in a fiery chariot, and all through the centuries he has roamed about the world, appearing at the naming of little babies, entering stealthily into homes during Pesach Seders, and showing up anywhere he wants at any time, constantly giving advice, doing good deeds, bringing laughter, cheer and hope to the world....

As your balloon rises higher into the Heavens, you get closer to Elijah, close enough to speak with him.... Perhaps you have some questions about your spiritual life which you would like to ask Elijah. He is a very wise and kind person, and will keep anything you say to him very confidential.... Have a conversation with Elijah and see what advice he has for you to help you become a more spiritual person.... (Pause).

Since Elijah will return to our world to announce the coming of the Messiah, you may want to also ask Elijah what things we here on earth might do to hasten the coming of Mashiach, when there will be no more war or strife, and all nations, races and religions will live in peace with one another. See what Elijah's response to your question about Mashiach is. (Pause).

Now take a last moment to ask Elijah anything else you forgot to ask. (Pause).

Now it is time to thank Elijah for the wisdom he imparted to you. Thank him now.... If you wish, you may hug or kiss him goodbye. Ask him if it is all right with him if you come back and speak with him again whenever you wish....

When you are finished, turn the lever to bring yourself gently back to earth. When you are ready, come out of the balloon, feeling very satisfied and pleased with the new information and enlightenment you received from Elijah.... When you are ready, return to this room, and open your eyes....

An appropriate discussion which may follow this guided imagery exercise can focus on the subject of the inner wisdom which each human being has inside, wisdom which can help us solve problems and point us in the proper direction. Through this imaginary meeting with Elijah, we utilize our own native (or divine?) wisdom which may not be available to us through normal rational channels. The process of imagery enables us to reach into a part of our brain and soul which stores much wisdom, insight, and hidden ideas, all waiting to be unlocked by Elijah to give us as precious gifts. Participants can offer examples of times when a "flash of insight" came to them, an experience similar to this type of encounter with Elijah's presence.

Other grounding exercises can follow, such as sharing groups, painting the scenes we saw, and discussing other ways to access our inner, mystical, divine wisdom.

The concept of memory is essential to Judaism. A major portion of the High Holy Day liturgy is called Zikhronot, remembrances. The prayer recited for the departed four times a year is called Yizkor, or Hazkarat Neshamot, both referring to memorializing our loved ones who have died. The Torah is filled with admonitions demanding that we never forget our biblical experience of being slaves in Egypt. History and memory are so ubiquitous in Judaism that one cannot practice Judaism without utilizing memory as an important part of worship and celebration. This guided imagery exercise will focus on some special, holy memories, which will reinforce our connection to God and to our spiritual self.

o Find the place within yourself that is at peace and tranquil. Remember a time when you everything was just right. Recapture that moment, and feel how good it is.... Notice how relaxed and at ease you are.... The peace of your life energizes every part of you. Your entire being is exactly the way you love to be - calm, confident, at peace, secure....

Go back into the forest of your memory and find in it a precious moment. A time when you felt very close to nature, or to God, or to another human being. Each of these can be described as holy moments. God wants us to be close and intimate with our environment and with the important people in our lives. God also wants us to be close to the divine part of ourselves.... Find one special, holy moment when you felt very spiritually attuned and connected....

Perhaps you are in a house of worship, or out in a beautiful meadow, or by the seashore. Maybe you are having an intimate conversation with a loved one, and sharing affection or other feelings.... Maybe you are singing or dancing, praying or eating.... Whatever you are doing that feels holy, go back deeply into that experience.... Notice all the details of this experience.... Who is there with you? What are you doing? What is going on around you?.... Look all around.... Remember all the smells, the taste, the touch of things.... What is it like to experience the feeling of a holy moment? (Long Pause).

If you would like, turn now to another holy moment.... Capture the image in your mind's eye of some special, sacred time, when you felt that God was in your life in a very deep way.... Pay attention to everything in that experience.... (Pause).

What do the experiences have in common? What ways can you bring that sense of the holy back into your everyday life?....

Take your time, and when you are ready, come back to this room, and gently, gradually, open your eyes, and be still for a while. (Pause).

There are many special words in the Jewish literary heritage. Jews are the People of the Book, said Mohammed, something which all peoples recognized. Words have important meanings, especially words from the important languages Jews have used throughout history, such as Hebrew, Aramaic, or Yiddish. This brief exercise will focus on an important word which can be selected from anywhere in the four thousand year old Jewish tradition.

o Sit or lie comfortably, and begin to assume a receptive mode. Be very calm and still, and let your breathing relax, along with all your body functions. Let your heart beat more slowly, and feel your entire being becoming like a piece of marshmallow, melting deep into the surface on which you are sitting or lying....

In this imagery exercise we will focus on one short word from our Tradition. Perhaps it is a Hebrew word, like shalom, or sh'ma (listen), 'or (light), or God's name, Adonai. You might pick a Yiddish word, such as mensch (a fine person), or shayn (beautiful). Or an English word, such as peace, hope, love, or justice.

Let this word appear before your mind's eye, and see it hanging in the air. Hear it pronounced slowly and softly in your imaginary ear. As with many of our prayers, words which are repeated have a cumulative effect on us. Keep repeating this special word to yourself, inside, so only you can hear and see.... After repeating it for a while, you will attain what our tradition calls kavvanah, or a feeling of special concentration.

Find yourself becoming more and more calm as you keep repeating the word as long as you wish, attaining more and more kavvanah. Let yourself be infused with the sound and power of this word. (Pause).

Next time you do this exercise, try to do it for a longer time. Each time, make it longer, until you reach about twenty minutes, if you can. Keep repeating it now until you want to stop....

When you are ready, sit quietly for a moment, and notice what repeating your special word with kavvanah has done to your concentration and state of mind. (Pause).

Whenever you want, come back to this room, and return to your normal consciousness, opening your eyes, feeling energized and content. Notice how the experience deepened the sense of the divine within you....

His book (152 pp., ISBN 0-918834-15-5, Paperback, $12) is published by Growth Associates Publishers, 212 Stuart Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540-1946. (609) 497-7375. E-mail: elkins@tigger.jvnc.net.

The Purpose of Meditation

The purpose of meditation (hitbonenut) in the Torah (as enlightened by the teachings of Chassidut) is to arouse the Jew in his heart, so that he will turn aside from the vanity, deceit and emptiness of the illusory existence that fills his consciousness, and will turn towards the true reality, G-d (see Rambam, Mishnah Torah, beginning of Sefer HaMada).

Effectiveness in meditation (as in all human endeavors) is clearly a gift of G-d (see Deuteronomy 8:17). However, as with all matters of free choice, its success depends also upon the efforts and will of man.

When a Jew meditates with the above purpose in mind, he thereby fulfills the following commandments:

1. "I am G-d your G-d..." (Exodus 20:2 & Deuteronomy 5:6. This the first of the Ten Commandments), i.e. to believe in G-d's necessary existence, from which all subsequent existence derives (see Rambam cited above).

2. "Hear, O Israel, G-d is our G-d, G-d is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4) i.e. to recognize the perfect unity of G-d in all of His creations.

3. "Know this day and go over in your heart that G-d is G-d..." (Deuteronomy 4:39), and "Know the G-d of your father..." (I Chronicles 28:9), i.e. to study, reflect upon, and know as much as possible about the G-dly light and life of all existence (see Likutei Amarim-Tanya, Bilingual Edition, Kuntres Acharon, p. 607).

The basic attitude required in the performance of all of the mitzvot of the Torah, the "earth" in which their seeds can take root, grow and bear fruit, includes:

1. the humility and lowliness of a dedicated subject performing the desire of his King, and

2. the selflessness and devoted service of a son for his father.

3. Meditation, being the most fundamental of the mitzvot, most requires this productive "earth."

Man's ego and self-love blind him to his shortcomings, especially to those related to the arrogance of the ego itself. The sages say, "Who is wise? He who knows his place." True evaluation of one's place can only come after years of hard, heartbreaking spiritual labor. Ultimately, G-d gives all of this knowledge to one whose heart calls upon Him in truth, as explained above. Thus, one cannot and should not expect to achieve in meditation all of the above mentioned goals at once. Although even from the beginning meditation should fill the consciousness with a new sensation of light and beauty, it is only later, after the "earth" has been "tilled" by the recognition of one's place and has been "fertilized" with the nourishment of Torah, that can one expect the seed of meditation to bear its full fruit, namely:

1. the turning away of one's heart from one's previous "smallness" and "lowliness" (used here in the negative sense), which interfere with one's love of G-d and one's fellow Jew.

2. the blossoming of a new heart, full of love and fear of G-d, love of one's fellow Jew and the whole of G-d's creation.

Most beginners mistakenly pursue abstraction in meditation ("taking off"). Chassidut teaches that one's initial intention in meditation should be to translate the "intelligence" perceived instinctively and clearly by the Divine Soul into the natural, "dark" intelligence of the animal soul. One achieves this through the use of precise parables and physical examples related to the Divine concepts in the meditation. Throughout this seemingly mundane intellectual task, however, one should strive to:

1. remain aware of the goal of one's meditation, as described above,

2. pray (meditation in the Torah is referred to as "the service of the heart, [namely] prayer") to G-d to bestow the gift of His Truth in meditation, and

3. be aware that the "intellect" is ultimately Divine and not mundane.

This essay is from The Inner Dimension web-site, presented by Gal Einai Institute of Israel which disseminates the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh.

"The Chosen Breath"

(This piece originally appeared in the San Francisco Bay Guardian.)

c.1999 Danya Ruttenberg

from http://www.makor-or.org/news.html