In my naming of the moons, Cheshvan is the moon of stillness. It is the month where try to internalize all the promises, lessons, and downloads we may have received during the flurry of high holidays.
This year, we ended the high holidays not in celebration but in shock and pain - with both fresh trauma and reactivated generational trauma.
The soul trait for this month of Cheshvan is kavod (כבוד) honor, respect, dignity. I struggle with what to say about this in this moment. Because while mussar is an amazing spiritual practice, it’s not necessarily a comforting one. It asks us to not only think about our choices but to act differently — and allow that to bring us to holiness — whether we “feel” it or not.
What we individually and collectively believe are the choices that are showing honor are not going to be the same. They can’t be. We are individuals on our own journeys, and we live in an incredibly fractured world. The choices I’m trying to make right now are to be as expansively compassionate as I can to myself, to my beloveds, to my broader communities, to all who are in pain right now — including every stranger I encounter.
Compassion should not be controversial, but apparently it is. The ability to hold multiple painful truths should not be controversial, but apparently it is. It is easy to weaponize our trauma and traumatize others in the process. But this is why we practice. So when these terrible moments occur, we have the tools and resources to NOT do this.
My prayer is that we may recognize our the critical choice-point moments right now, and choose the paths that open the most expansive possibilities.
May the One who brings peace, bring peace to all who are in pain, rage, and mourning - and may all who are in pain, rage, and mourning find peace.
Cheshvan Resources
Cheshvan: Overview
Moon: Stillness
Constellation: Akrav (עַקְרָב) Scorpio
Soul Trait: Kavod (כבוד) Honor, Respect, Dignity
Tarot: Death
Netivah: Mekonenet (מקננת) Mourning Woman
Looking Ahead to Kislev
Kislev: Overview
Moon: Dreaming
Constellation: Keshet (קשת) Sagittarius
Soul Trait: Yirah/t (יראה/ת) Awestruck, Radical Amazement
Tribe: Benjamin (בנימין)
Tarot: Temperance
Netivah: Baalat Ov (בעלת-אוב) Witch/Shamaness/Spirit Vessel
Find source citations for correspondences and so much more.
MAKING
Along with the sigil above, the “making” I want to share this month is the playlist I created called Shalom Salaam in the moments directly after learning about the terrorist attacks committed against people in Israel. The making of it felt necessary for me, as an act of processing and magick. My intention was to help myself and others process feelings so we can engage not from activated trauma, but from a more centered and grounded place. I have listened to it REPEATEDLY over the past week. A few dear ones have contributed songs and emotions that became additional songs.
MUSSAR
Date: Sunday 10/22/2023
Time: 3-4:30pm ET
Where: Register for Zoom Link
Cost: None, but donations gratefully accepted
The soul trait that corresponds with Cheshvan, in the Kesharim K’doshim approach to mussar, is Kavod (כבוד) Honor, Respect, Dignity.
There is no cost to attend Soul Trait Studio, but registration is required each month.
Register and find upcoming schedule at devotaj.com/soultraitstudio
And if you can’t attend in real time, all registrants also receive the recording the following day. And you can add your thoughts and experiences on the monthly Practice Guide (posted the day of each session).
You can also purchase a copy of my ebook: Introduction to Mussar Practice.
MAGICK
These are the texts I am working with right and creating magick with, specifically sigils. I would love to see all of your sigils and creations that focus and channel these teachings:
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks:
Nation shall not take up
Sword against nation;
They shall never again teach/learn war.Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and inherit the land that your God Becoming is giving you.
Final line of Amidah & Mourners’ Kaddish (in femme G!d/dess language):
May Zhe who makes peace in their realms, make for us, and all Yisrael, all Yishmael, and all the world.
Osah shalom bimromeha hi ta'aseh shalom aleinu V'al kol Yisrael v’al kol Yishmael v’al kol yoshei tevel
Resources & Rituals
Just a reminder that I’m in the process of moving the Wheel of the Year resources from devotaj.com to devotaj.substack.com, which will become the unified home for all my writing.
Here’s a few of the relevant and recent additions to the Resources & Rituals on Substack that don’t fit cleanly into Making, Mussar, or Magick. Most of these are only for premium subscribers, but all have a free preview.
» » » Explore all posts about Cheshvan « « «
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Watch | Listen | Read
Key: Shows & Movies 📺 | Books 📚 | Articles 📄 | Music 🎼 | Podcast 🎙
🎼 Shalom Salaam Playlist on Spotify. I’ve also created it on SongShift, which should let you import it into any music platform.
I’m finding the leadership of Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, of Lab/Shul, to be incredibly supportive and inspiring during this time.
Things to let your mind, heart, and body relax.
📺 MINX (Starz/iTunes) Holy shit. I don’t what HBO did wrong advertising this show, but I am so glad I finally gave it a chance. It is smart, funny, sexy, feminist, queer embracing and on and on. iTunes let me watch the first episode for free, and then instead of signing up for ANOTHER streaming service — I just bought the season. Also… it stars Taylor Zakhar Perez aka Alex from Red, White, and Royal Blue.
📺 📚 Red, White, and Royal Blue (Amazon Prime / Local bookshops) I had no expectations going into it. I do like a good romcom, but I don’t like romance novels (except Jane Austen…) or Hallmark movies. That said the movie was adorable and the book even better.
🎙 Take This Token (Foundling Museum) And now for something entirely different, my new podcast obsession. The amazing hosts of Dressed: A history of Fashion mentioned it in a recent episode and I am in love. It’s so specific and they dig out such universal truths from that specificity. And there’s an accompanying online exhibit!
What are you listening, reading, or watching?
Note: Links to Bookshop.org and Amazon.com contain affiliate code that allows authors to earn a small commission on purchases
"Compassion should not be controversial, but apparently it is. The ability to hold multiple painful truths should not be controversial, but apparently it is. It is easy to weaponize our trauma and traumatize others in the process. But this is why we practice. So when these terrible moments occur, we have the tools and resources to NOT do this."
Thank you for this -- this is exactly how I'm feeling. This moment calls for us to open our hearts in ways that are uncomfortable and that require us to have core strength in our hearts -- and that requires practice and reflection.
Dear Ketzirah,
Thank you so much for this healing message and sharing your and your collective’s music. Your message arrived at a perfect time.
Toda Rabah. In sincere gratitude, solidarity and with love 🙏💔💖