Elul 5784: Making Space for Being & Becoming
๐ Moon of Making Space ๐ begins at sundown on September 3, 2024
In my naming of the moons, Elul is the moon of making space. As Elul begins, we know we are just a month away from the High Holy Days โ and that this a month of spiritual examination and preparation.
The soul trait for this month is hineni (ืื ื ื) presence, which literally means, โI am here.โ I feel like this whole month is a time to figure out how we show up during the Days of Awe ready - but not knowing what is to come.
In my practice with
, we often use โBeing and Becomingโ as the name for G!d/dess. In Hebrew I think of that as Eyeh Asher Eyeh (ืึถืึฐืึถื ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืึถืึฐืึถืโ) or maybe Havayah (ืึฒืึธืึธื).Shema Yisrael Being and Becoming Eloheinu. Being and Becoming Echad. Listen G-dWrestlers Being and Becoming is our G!d/dess. Being and Becoming are one.
Where are you?
Hineni โ Being and Becoming โ I am making space for what might be. Making space for what could be. Making space to figure out what nourishes and what drains.
Making space for the transition from the year of Gevurah, the second year of the current shmita cycle, to the year of Tiferet.
Making space so there just is space.
Hineni.
Elul Resources
Elul:ย Overview
Moon: Making Space
Soul Trait: Hineni (ืื ื ื) Presenceย
Tribe:ย Gad (ืื)
Tarot: Hermit
Netivah: Tzovah (ืฆืืื) Shrinekeeper /Guardian of Gateways
Looking Ahead to Tishrei
Tishrei:ย Overview
Moon: Gathering
Soul Trait: Achrayut (ืืืจืืืช) Spiritual Responsibility
Tribe:ย Ephraim (ืึถืคึฐืจึทืึดืึ )
Tarot: Justice
Find source citations for correspondences and so much more.
MAKING
This time last year I shared these photos of a piece in process: The Process of Teshuva. This piece is inspired by a quote from Hilchot Teshuva that I learned about from a call for proposals sent out by Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari.
โA person stops whatever is causing them to miss the mark, becomes aware of and redirects their thoughts and resolves in their heart not to do it again."
The Process of Teshuva (in process)
I said that I liked that creating this piece is slow. Guess what โ Iโm still working on it. Itโs more finished โ but not completed. I find that fascinating as a meditation on the work and process of teshuva - return and repair. It can be slow work. I may be work we need to pick up and put down. Turn and return to it.
Maybe by next year whatever Iโm working out working on this will be completed, so Iโll be able to share the completed work and that the work is completed.
MUSSAR
Date: Sunday 9/8/2024
Time: 3-4:30pm ET
Where: Register for Zoom Link
Cost: None, but donations gratefully accepted
NOTE: This will be the last STS session for a bit.
Iโve realized I could use a bit of a break, and want to think about if/how I want to continue with this offering. If you have thoughts or questions โ please feel free to share them.
The soul trait that corresponds with Elul, in the Kesharim Kโdoshim approach to mussar, is Hineni (ืื ื ื) Presenceย .
You can also purchase a copy of my ebook: Introduction to Mussar Practice.
There is no cost to attend Soul Trait Studio, but registration is required.
Register this and every month at devotaj.com/soultraitstudio
And if you canโt 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).
MAGICK
Meet me at the crossroads, my siSTAR (sibling) in spell work
You on one side and I on the other
And we will call on the depths
A depth of beginning and a depth of end
A depth of good and a depth of bad
A depth of before and a depth of beyond
A depth of east and a depth of west
A depth of north a depth of south
The circle is cast and our work is begun
In this world, in all the worlds;
With respect for the past
Love for the present,
And for the sake of the future.
We say: Amen, Kein Tehi Ritzona, Amen
Do you have answers or more questions? Leave a comment and let me know.
Resources & Rituals
Just a reminder that Iโm 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.
Hereโs a few of the relevant and recent additions to the Resources & Rituals on Substack that donโt fit cleanly into Making, Mussar, or Magick. Most of these are only for premium subscribers, but all have a free preview.
ยป ยป ยป Explore all posts about Elul ยซ ยซ ยซ
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Watch | Listen | Read
Key: Shows & Movies ๐บย | Books ๐ | Articles ๐ | Music ๐ผ | Podcast ๐
๐ The Power Fantasy #1 by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard
Iโm a comic book geek, but I rarely jump on a new series anymore. However If Kieron Gillen is writing it โ I pay attention. I wasnโt familiar with artist Caspar Wijngaard, but immediately loved his style and how it paired with Kieronโs story. And โ just the name alone of this book was enough to get me โ but wooooh that story. If you like comics and graphic novels that make you think โ definitely check this one out.
๐บ Marie Antoinette on PBS
I love a good costume drama, and this one didnโt disappoint. Give me great costumes, courtly manners, and new perspectives on historical figures I thought I knew? Season 2, please!
What are you listening, reading, or watching?
Note: ย Links toย Bookshop.org and Amazon.comย contain affiliate code that allows authors to earn a small commission on purchases
Iโm so ready to move from a Gevurah year to a Tiferet year!