Melinda Ribner's Rosh Hashana message
Sep. 22nd, 2008 09:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
davidfcooperRosh Hashana begins a week from this evening as does the period of introspection leading up to Yom Kippur 10 days later. To get in the spirit I'm sharing Melinda Ribner's article on Teshuva (returning to the correct path and to one's truest and best self)).
The inner work of Teshuva: Returning to Who you really are
In marking the beginning of a new year, Rosh Hashanah offers us the opportunity to begin our lives anew. On Rosh Hashanah, we are told that we receive a new contract for the next year of our lives. Our lives do not have to continue as they have been. We can change. Our lives can change. We can be the people we want to be and have lives that reflect who we really are
The time period before the High Holidays and during the Ten Day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are considered the most auspicious times for self transformation. It is generally believed that a person's destiny is decided on the Ten Days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Others believe that it extends even to Chanukkah.
The month before Rosh Hashanah ( Elul) is a designated timefor introspection, healing, forgiving and completing unfinished business.
On the remaining days of Elul, take some time to review the accomplishments, the challenges, the highlights of this last year. It may be helpful to use your appointment book to refresh your memory.
As if you were watching a movie of your life, review, reflect and re-experience the highlights of this last year. Record the events of the last year in your journal. As you look at the last year from your current, hopefully more objective vantage point of having almost finished the year and preparing to enter into a new year, a new contract, what would you like to have done differently in this last year of your life? What would you like to change within yourself? Where are you now? Evaluate the quality of your life on the physical level, your health, your diet, your living situation, your livelihood. Evaluate your emotional well being- your relationships with friends, colleaques, family, your general disposition. Evaluate yourself spiritually- your inner prayer life, your connection to God.
What would you like to do better? What lessons did you learn last year? What relationships with people were strengthened during this past year? What relationships were difficult or ended? Are there people you have hurt or been hurt by in this last year? Make a list of people you need to forgive or be forgiven by.
In order to grow we need to look at ourselves honestly and take responsibility for the suffering that we have caused and endured. We need to look at the choices we have made consciously as well as the more hidden shadow-like motivations that have shaped the quality of our life
Take some time to write about what the last year was about for you. Begin by writing , " This last year of my life was a time when I _______ and then just continue to write without thinking too much.
Take time to pray to God that you will be able to be a better person in this coming year. You can not change on your own. It is only by your conscious contact with God who is Free, who is loving, that you will be able to release what has limited you and regain the power to make real choices in your life.
May the gates of teshuva open for you. " Blessed are you God who desires respentance ( teshuva)".
The inner work of Teshuva: Returning to Who you really are
In marking the beginning of a new year, Rosh Hashanah offers us the opportunity to begin our lives anew. On Rosh Hashanah, we are told that we receive a new contract for the next year of our lives. Our lives do not have to continue as they have been. We can change. Our lives can change. We can be the people we want to be and have lives that reflect who we really are
The time period before the High Holidays and during the Ten Day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are considered the most auspicious times for self transformation. It is generally believed that a person's destiny is decided on the Ten Days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Others believe that it extends even to Chanukkah.
The month before Rosh Hashanah ( Elul) is a designated timefor introspection, healing, forgiving and completing unfinished business.
On the remaining days of Elul, take some time to review the accomplishments, the challenges, the highlights of this last year. It may be helpful to use your appointment book to refresh your memory.
As if you were watching a movie of your life, review, reflect and re-experience the highlights of this last year. Record the events of the last year in your journal. As you look at the last year from your current, hopefully more objective vantage point of having almost finished the year and preparing to enter into a new year, a new contract, what would you like to have done differently in this last year of your life? What would you like to change within yourself? Where are you now? Evaluate the quality of your life on the physical level, your health, your diet, your living situation, your livelihood. Evaluate your emotional well being- your relationships with friends, colleaques, family, your general disposition. Evaluate yourself spiritually- your inner prayer life, your connection to God.
What would you like to do better? What lessons did you learn last year? What relationships with people were strengthened during this past year? What relationships were difficult or ended? Are there people you have hurt or been hurt by in this last year? Make a list of people you need to forgive or be forgiven by.
In order to grow we need to look at ourselves honestly and take responsibility for the suffering that we have caused and endured. We need to look at the choices we have made consciously as well as the more hidden shadow-like motivations that have shaped the quality of our life
Take some time to write about what the last year was about for you. Begin by writing , " This last year of my life was a time when I _______ and then just continue to write without thinking too much.
Take time to pray to God that you will be able to be a better person in this coming year. You can not change on your own. It is only by your conscious contact with God who is Free, who is loving, that you will be able to release what has limited you and regain the power to make real choices in your life.
May the gates of teshuva open for you. " Blessed are you God who desires respentance ( teshuva)".
