Step 1. Acknowledge the holiness of this day
(כז) אַ֡ךְ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ֩ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֨י הַזֶּ֜ה י֧וֹם הַכִּפֻּרִ֣ים ה֗וּא מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם...
(27) And on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; there shall be a holy convocation unto you...
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel "It is not the observance of the day of atonement, but the day itself, the essence of the day, which with man's repentance atones for the sins of man" The Sabbath.
Step 2. Choose to Reply
(כז) וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם...
(27) ...and ye shall afflict your souls...
(ח) וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֤ם יַחְדָּו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה נַעֲשֶׂ֑ה...
(8) And all the people answered together, and said: ‘All that Adonai hath spoken we will do’...
The commandment for Yom Kippur uses the Hebrew verb (ענה) which in the Torah means to either inflict or to reply/respond to our souls. Choose to reply to God: Hineni (Here am I) as our ancestors did.
(ד) וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
(4) And when God saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: ‘Moses, Moses.’ And he said: ‘Here am I.’
(יא) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֜יו מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֣ם ׀ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
(11) And the angel of the God called unto him out of heaven, and said: ‘Abraham, Abraham.’ And he said: ‘Here am I.’
Step 3. Listen and Hear the call
(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃
(4) HEAR, O ISRAEL: ADONAI IS OUR GOD, ADONAI IS ONE.
At the center of Judaism lays the commend To hear Adonai our God. Listen and hear God's call.
Step 4. Invoke God's presence by reciting the 13 attributes of God in Hebrew
(ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יְהוָ֥ה ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יְהוָ֣ה ׀ יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת ׀ (ז) נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙...
(6) And Adonai passed by before him and he (Moses) proclaimed: ‘Adonai, Adonai, El (God), merciful and gracious, exceedingly patient, and abundant in goodness and truth; (7) keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and cleansing...
These are Moses words after experiencing the shadow of God's glory while safely placed in the cleft of a rock .
Adonai, Adonai, El, Rachum, Vechanun, Erech-Apaiim, Verav-chesed, Ve'ement, Notzer-chesed la'alafim, Noseh avon, Vafesha, Vechataah, Venake
Step 5. Return
(ב) שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ...
(2) Return, O Israel, unto Adonai thy God...
One of our biggest challenges is that we perceive ourselves as separate entities because of our physical limitations. Use visualization to see yourself as a wave in an ocean. See your individual expression of God as part of one. Change your mind set, let go, and experience At-One-ment with God.
Gmar Chatimah Tovah