The Piaseczna Rebbe on turning intention into daily practice A teaching from the Piaseczna Rebbe, Rabbi Kalonymus Shapira—filtered through my…
Category: Spirituality
Can We Really Change?
The Ba’al Shem Tov on Creating Space for Something New Can a person really change? Think, feel, act differently? Yes, says the…
A 360° Overview of Life
The simple things are not so simple I just returned from the Chavaya Festival—a Jewish Renewal music festival in the Pacific…
Aleph: Breath Before Breath
Aleph Before any sound AlephBreath before breatha pausebefore the first letterof creation Not silencebut living stillnessfrom which every songis born…
Magic Snakes (Chukat)
Magic. Sometimes the Torah condemns it. But sometimes the Torah condones it. Like in Parshat Chukat, for example. Magic in…
Dayenu: A Spiritual Practice
Dayenu! Enough for us! You may know piyyut, the liturgical poem, Dayenu. Normally we sing Dayenu at the Passover Seder. Dayenu says things like, “If God…
Cosmic Eco Consciousness
Consciousness, the cosmic kind. A vision of the unity of all creation. That might be one spark of spiritual ecology.…
Complexity: Acknowledge it
Complexity. What are your strategies for holding it? Especially when grief, rage, and helplessness push your thoughts in every direction?…
Vayikra Leviticus: Five Gates
Vayikra: Flawed but Idealistic Vayikra – Leviticus. A flawed attempt to set up an ideal society. Some of its flaws…