Welcome Meditation
Imagine being greeted by someone who would welcome you with great warmth. This could be a friend, family member, mentor, a spiritual teacher, or even a pet - anyone who you can imagine welcoming you wholeheartedly.
Imagine being greeted by someone who would welcome you with great warmth. This could be a friend, family member, mentor, a spiritual teacher, or even a pet - anyone who you can imagine welcoming you wholeheartedly.
- If you had a video of this reception what do you look like?
- What would your posture look like?
- What would the expression on your face be as you were greeted?
- What does it feel like to be you, when you are safe and welcomed?
Kislev
Area of healing: Sleep
Astrological sign: Sagittarius
Hebrew Letter: Samech
Hebrew Tribe: Binyamin
Holiday: Chanukah
Area of healing: Sleep
Astrological sign: Sagittarius
Hebrew Letter: Samech
Hebrew Tribe: Binyamin
Holiday: Chanukah
Each month has a letter associated with it. The month of Kislev is the Samech.
Samech - Samech is a circle - it also is the first letter in the word Somech which means support.
Last month, Cheshvan, the letter is a nun. Nun stands for Nefila or fallen.
When you put the Nun and Samech together you have Nes.
Nes is, obviously, appropriate in this month of Kislev when Hanukkah begins.
A great miracle happened here/there.
Miracles are often in hindsight. The falling (nun) often comes before the support (samech) and when they come together there is a Nes. A feeling of the hard part being a blessing.
The sign of Kislev is Sagatarius. Sagittarius is a fire sign (goes well with Chanukah!),
As an archer, Sagittarius is said never to fail in hitting the mark and this depiction alludes to the power of prophecy, hence, the claim that seers and prophets are born in this sign.
Kislev is often referred to as the Month of Miracles, but it’s also a month of dreams and dreamers. The Torah portions of Kislev contain most of the dreams mentioned in the entire Torah. The Book of Genesis has 10 detailed dreams by seven dreamers. 9 out of 10 of those are in Kislev!
Prophesy is connected to the area of healing this month which is sleep. Sleep is said to be 1/60th prophecy.
Samech - Samech is a circle - it also is the first letter in the word Somech which means support.
Last month, Cheshvan, the letter is a nun. Nun stands for Nefila or fallen.
When you put the Nun and Samech together you have Nes.
Nes is, obviously, appropriate in this month of Kislev when Hanukkah begins.
A great miracle happened here/there.
Miracles are often in hindsight. The falling (nun) often comes before the support (samech) and when they come together there is a Nes. A feeling of the hard part being a blessing.
The sign of Kislev is Sagatarius. Sagittarius is a fire sign (goes well with Chanukah!),
As an archer, Sagittarius is said never to fail in hitting the mark and this depiction alludes to the power of prophecy, hence, the claim that seers and prophets are born in this sign.
Kislev is often referred to as the Month of Miracles, but it’s also a month of dreams and dreamers. The Torah portions of Kislev contain most of the dreams mentioned in the entire Torah. The Book of Genesis has 10 detailed dreams by seven dreamers. 9 out of 10 of those are in Kislev!
Prophesy is connected to the area of healing this month which is sleep. Sleep is said to be 1/60th prophecy.
Berakhot 57b:13
The Gemara says: There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations. They are: Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream. The Gemara elaborates: Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna; honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come; sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.
Dreams
There are three types of dreams, according to Rabbenu Bechaya:
What’s more, he says, is that as our souls spend time among spiritual beings and divine messengers, we might innocently overhear some prophetic hint or omen. That wisdom finds expression inside our dreams, he explains, all tangled up with the cosmic fluff of our dreamscapes.
Another fan of dream interpretation was Rav Hisda, a fourth-century Iraqi rabbi. The Talmud (a collection of sixth century Jewish musings) records Rav Hisda’s whimsical and sometimes contradictory list of to-dos regarding dreams. The most succinct command among them: interpret!
“An uninterpreted dream is like an unopened letter.”
— RAV HISDA (TALMUD BAVLI, BRACHOT 55A)
The Gemara says: There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations. They are: Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream. The Gemara elaborates: Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna; honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come; sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.
Dreams
There are three types of dreams, according to Rabbenu Bechaya:
- One caused by bad food and indigestion, which has no significance.
- One caused by our daytime thoughts repeating themselves at night, which also has no significance.
- One comes from the soul and has significance.
What’s more, he says, is that as our souls spend time among spiritual beings and divine messengers, we might innocently overhear some prophetic hint or omen. That wisdom finds expression inside our dreams, he explains, all tangled up with the cosmic fluff of our dreamscapes.
Another fan of dream interpretation was Rav Hisda, a fourth-century Iraqi rabbi. The Talmud (a collection of sixth century Jewish musings) records Rav Hisda’s whimsical and sometimes contradictory list of to-dos regarding dreams. The most succinct command among them: interpret!
“An uninterpreted dream is like an unopened letter.”
— RAV HISDA (TALMUD BAVLI, BRACHOT 55A)
So how do we cultivate dreams that 1/60th prophecy and not just indigestion or worry?
Quieting the body and quieting the mind can make way for the soul.
Interestingly the herbs that are good for digestion also tend to be herbs that support sleep.
Chamomile, lavender, ginger, lemon balm.
Quieting the body and quieting the mind can make way for the soul.
Interestingly the herbs that are good for digestion also tend to be herbs that support sleep.
Chamomile, lavender, ginger, lemon balm.
Our teacher, Rabbi Kolonymus Shapira, Rebbe of Piatzetzna, of blessed memory, began with a quote: "A dream is one sixtieth of prophecy." ... When you are asleep and the mind and thoughts are quieted, then since you are less self-absorbed, the flow of divine inspiration can more readily infuse you – and this is the meaning of a dream being one sixtieth of prophecy.
When one is awake ... it is possible to come to a sleep-like state; that is, to the quietng of thoughts and desires which endlessly wash over a person. Such is the manner of thoughts, which entangle themselves in one another, and it is difficult for a person to retreat from them.... The Rebbe then gave practical advice on how to quiet the mind.
He then recommended that a person begin by observing their thoughts for a short while, paying attention to exactly what they are thinking. Eventually, they will feel their mind clearing, and their thoughts will have ceased from their regular flow.
At this point, the individual should begin saying one verse, [choose a short phrase that speaks to you,] such as "God, Ultimate Truth," to connect the mind, now clear from other thoughts, to one holy thought.
After that, one can ask for help with balancing a trait such as faithfulness and trust, love, or awe.
The holy Rebbe then said, "I believe, with complete faith, that the Creator is the only presence in the universe and there is nothing else besides God, and that the entire universe and all that is in it is only the reflection of the divine radiance.” And he repeated this [because of its importance], but [nevertheless recommended] not to say it with any force, because the whole point [of this practice] is to quiet one’s thoughts, and any forceful speech can awaken one’s ego. So indeed, one should say this affirmation very gently.
I also merited to hear [the Rebbe then meditate on] love [of God], and this was how he put it (originally in Yiddish): "I dearly want to be close with the Blessed One; I so want to experience coming close to the Great Creator.”
He then said that this quieting of the mind meditation can be used for all kinds of character improvements – but not by speaking of negating a trait rather only by affirming the positive quality [one seeks to develop.] For example, someone who wishes to overcome laziness should not speak [in repeating a phrase] of repelling laziness but only of growing in energy and alacrity...