SAMPLE JEWISH RENEWAL MEDITATIONS

 

Sephirot Healing Meditation

 

This is a Healing that was taught to us in July 2005 by Yvonne Cohen, a Kabbalah teacher from South Africa. She is a student of  Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Seltzer, both also of South Africa.

 

A summary of the healing is shown in the diagram below, along with the meaning of the Sephirot.

 

The Sephirot are energy centers in the body which represent the characteristics which God inserted in the world. They also represent aspects of the human personality.

 

The purpose of the healing is to balance your right hand side Sephirot  with your left hand side Sephirot, through the central Sephirot. Thus Chochma balances with Binah at Daat; Chesed balances with Gevurah at Tiferet; and Netzach balances with Hod at Yesod.

 

If during the healing your hands get tired, you can place them on your lap and just visualize where they should be going or directing energy.

 

 

·        Sit comfortably in a chair with your back fairly straight. Close your eyes. Hands resting on your lap.

·        Start by giving thanks to the Being you thank for the success of your healing.

·        Then place both hands a few centimeters (cm) above Keter (crown of the head). Wait till you feel some energy there.

·         Move your right hand to a few cm from Chochma (your right temple) then bring your left hand next to your right hand. Wait till you feel some energy there.

·        Then move your left hand to a few cm from Binah (your left temple).

·        When your two hands feel a balance of energy between Binah and Chochma move both hands to a few cm in front of the Upper Daat (the 3rd eye- between your eyebrows).

·        Then after a minute or so move both hands to a few centimeters in front of the Lower Daat (your throat).

·        After a minute or so move your right hand to a few cm above Chesed (your right shoulder). Then bring your left hand next to your right hand. Wait till you feel some energy there.

·        Then move your left hand to a few cm out from Gevurah (your left shoulder).

·        When your two hands feel a balance of energy between Gevurah and Chesed, move both hands to a few cm in front of Tiferet (the middle of the chest between the nipples).

·        After a minute or so move your right hand to a few cm to the side of Netzach (your right hip). Then bring your left hand next to your right hand.

·        After you feel some energy in your hands or right hip move your left hand to a few cm to the side of Hod (your left hip).

·        After you feel a balance of energy between Hod and Netzach, bring both your hands to just above Yesod (between your legs).

·        After you feel energy at Yesod, face both hands downwards towards Malkut (between your feet).

·        Now to close off, move both hands to Keter and then slowly in an unbroken line from Keter to Malkut, through Upper Daat, Lower Daat, Tiferet, Yesod and facing down to Malkut.  Name each sephirot as you go past it.

·        Finish by again giving thanks to the Being you recognize, for the success of your healing.

·        Slowly open your eyes.

 

(See diagram below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keter

                                                                                                (CROWN)

Your Right                                                                                      Your Left

 

                                                Upper Daat (3rd Eye)

                                                          (KNOWLEDGE)

 


Chocma                                                                                           Binah

(WISDOM)                                                                                   (INTELLIGENCE)

 

 

                                                Lower Daat (Throat)

                                                (KNOWLEDGE)

 

 

Chesed                                                                                            Gevurah

(LOVE)                                                                                                 (POWER)

 

 

 


                                                          Tiferet

                                                          (BEAUTY)

 

Netzach                                                                                            Hod

(ENDURANCE)                                                                                        (MAJESTY)

 

 

 


                                                          Yesod

                                                          (FOUNDATION)

 

 


                                                          Malkat

                                                          (KINGDOM)

 

 

Adonai meditation

 

This meditation is a mix of structured meditation (mantra based) and unstructured meditation (not using a technique), and moving between the two states.

 

It is designed for you to learn and practise yourself, without the group, although of course we also do it in our group settings.

 

Get into a comfortable meditation position, eyes closed. (Obviously after you have become familiar with these instructions).

 

a.         Commence the mantra. You can use:

 

*           On the in-breath: Adonai; on the out-breath: Echud; (in this case have a slight focus in your mind on God as you breath in and One as you breath out; or

 

*           on the in-breath: Adonai; on the out-breath: Shalom; (in this case have a slight focus in your mind on God as you breath in and Peace as you breath out); or

 

some other words of your choosing. You may vary the words on different days. 

 

b.         After a minute or two of the mantra, commence to follow your in-breath with your mind, in through the nose and down into the abdomen; and follow the out-breath with your mind, up from the abdomen and out through the nose. (Continue with the mantra whilst doing this).

 

c.         Now after some time period of your own choosing (which can vary from one minute to 5 minutes or so) switch to unstructured meditation, as follows:

 

*           Firstly stop using the mantra. You may want to continue just following your breath in and out with your mind for another minute or so, then stop doing that too.

 

*           Now allow yourself to just gently follow with your awareness whatever events are happening in your body or mind. You may have some visualisation; you may have some thought; you may have some sensation in your body; or you may have some emotion. Just gently go along with that event. After a short or longer period of time another event will arise. Then gently go along with that event. Allow yourself to go deeper into these events.

 

*           Continue doing this for a few minutes, or whatever time suits you.

 

d.         Then go back to the structured meditation: start with the mantra and following your in and out breath. Continue with that structured meditation for a few minutes or longer, then switch back to the unstructured meditation for a few minutes or longer.

 

e.         Continue switching back and forth, as you feel is appropriate, for the period of the meditation.

 

f.          When it is time to come out of the meditation, just open your eyes a very small amount, and try to keep in the meditative state. Then open your eyes a little more, again trying to keep in the meditative state. Continue with this till your eyes are fully open.As you

 

 

Mantra meditation

 

a)      As you breathe in, say “Sha” (part of the word Shalom (*) in your mind.)

b)      As you breathe out, say “lom” (the rest of the word Shalom (**) in your mind).

c)      Continue steps a) and b) for your allotted time.

 

 

Chanukah meditation

 

[Say]: This is a meditation about your lifelong spiritual journey, based on the Chanukah candles.

 

Imagine the first candle of Chanukah being lit in your mind... you are filled with its light...it is the light of the birth of your spiritual journey in your earliest childhood or even before then ... become aware of that time... as a general period or using a particular memory.... Become aware of the light of the source of your spirituality, whether it is God or your higher self or other people.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The second candle is lit in your mind...it is the light of the development through your childhood of your spiritual journey...be aware of the feelings and images of that time.  Recall who it was that lit the Chanukah candles for you when you were a small child. ...Recall the rasping of the match against the box, the struggle of the spark into a bloom, warming and chasing away the darkness and allowing you to truly see those who kindled the lights for you.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The third candle is lit in your mind...let your mind be filled with the light of your adolescent spiritual journey. The time when you made your own first attempts to ignite sparks in this world and tried to make a light of your own around you.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The fourth candle is lit...let your mind be filled with the light of your early adult spiritual journey. You are illuminated by the light and may have been able to add to the light of the world by accepting the gift of the light which has shone from others...and even the times when their light may have cast shadows from which you had to emerge...

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The fifth candle is lit...let your mind be filled with the light of your more recent adult spiritual journey. When you sent out the loving light of your own spirit to those around you and felt the flow within you as you turned to others in appreciation of the light you shared together...

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The sixth candle is lit. Review how you grappled with some difficulty. Recall that Chanukah is the festival of dedication in the face of apparent darkness, of courage in the face of loss, of determination in the face of exhaustion. Recall when you may have followed the essential task of the ancient Maccabees, the task of refusing to be overcome by oppression, restriction or imposition.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The seventh candle is lit...let your mind experience how you have helped others. See yourself as the Shamash, the essential candle that is required for the illumination of others. Without you the light which you have the capability of nurturing in others will never be realised. You helped others with your encouragement and example and by the commitment you demonstrated to your continued journey on your own spiritual path, which could widen the path for others on their journeys.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

The eighth candle is lit...now in the light of your past and present spiritual experience become aware of the direction of your future spiritual development. Remember that adding a candle follows the law of the Talmud not to diminish light, but only to add to its collectivity.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

Now consider one or two practical steps you can undertake to help your future spiritual development come to fruition.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

And now bring all that awareness, of your own spiritual history and your plans for the future into the present moment and let your mind absorb the fullness of this experience.

 

[Pause for a minute or two]

 

Now wriggle your fingers and toes and when you are already open your eyes and see the world around you and understand how it is part of your spiritual development...

 

If anyone feels like saying anything about what they experience or their spiritual direction or plans, please do so...

 

 

 

Echud meditation

 

1)      Echud

a)      Echud is oneness

2)      Sit in a comfortable meditation position, eyes closed, in a circle so the person on either side of you is within an arms length of you.

3)      Become aware of yourself, what is happening inside you; become aware of the energies moving within you, back and forth, let yourself connect to those energies … (Silence)

4)      Now let your attention become aware of your neighbours sitting on either side of you, allow yourself to contact them, become aware of the energy coming from them…(silence)

5)      Next let yourself become aware of the whole group in this room, become aware of the energy of the group, let yourself contact the energy of the group…(silence)

6)      Now become aware of the community in which you live, let yourself touch the energy of the community in which you live; let yourself be touched by the energy of the community in which you live…(silence)

7)      Next become aware of our country; let yourself feel the energy of our country; let yourself touch and be touched by the energy of our country …(silence)

8)      Now become aware of our planet; let yourself feel the energy of this planet; allow yourself to be touched by the planet; feel the energy of the planet …(silence)

9)      Next become aware of our solar system; let yourself feel the energy of our solar system; let yourself touch the energy of our solar system; let yourself be touched by the energy of our solar system;…(silence)

10)  Now become aware of our universe; let yourself feel the energy of our universe; let yourself touch the energy of our universe; breathe in the energy of the universe… (silence)

11)  Next become aware of our solar system; let yourself feel the energy of our solar system; let yourself touch the energy of our solar system; let yourself be touched by the energy of our solar system;…(silence)

12)  Now become aware of our planet; let yourself feel the energy of this planet; allow yourself to be touched by the planet; feel the energy of the planet …(silence)

13)  Next become aware of our country; let yourself feel the energy of our country; let yourself touch and be touched by the energy of our country …(silence)

14)  Now become aware of the community in which you live, let yourself touch the energy of the community in which you live; let yourself be touched by the energy of the community in which you live…(silence)

15)  Next let yourself become aware of the group in this room, become aware of the energy of the group, let yourself contact the energy of the group…(silence)

16)  Now let your attention become aware of the neighbours sitting on either side of you, allow yourself to contact them, become aware of the energy coming from them…(silence)

17)  Now become aware of yourself; feel the links from yourself to your neighbours, to this group; to our community; to our country; to  this planet; to this solar system and to this universe. Feel the energy flowing between all those things; feel yourself as suspended in this web of energy and connected to all its aspects; allow yourself to be held by this energy… (silence)

18)  Next let your mind be quite, there is no more thinking or ideas or feelings, just nothingness, silence … (longer silence).

19)  Keeping your eyes closed, slowly become aware of your surroundings, wiggle your fingers and toes….when you are ready open your eyes.

 

 

Last updated by Webmaster Fred Tropp v.5 23/8/05  \sample jr mediations