Tishrei 5784
L’shanah Tovah! 🌒 Moon of Gathering 🌒 begins at sundown on September 15, 2023
In my naming of the moons, Tishrei is the moon of gathering. It is the month where we gather our families, tribe, ancestors, and final harvest before winter (in the Northern Hemisphere). It’s also the time where we account for ourselves, spiritually.
The soul trait for this month is achrayut (אחריות) responsibility. That’s really about spiritual responsibility and accountability. Yes, you can go through the motions — but what if we all actually used this time to explore our individual and communal responsibilities? To reset, rebalance, and restate them? To be clear to ourselves and others what our commitments are?
One of my commitments is to shmita consciousness. It’s what I’ve come to believe is the core purpose of the Jewish experiment. And, in my receiving, each of the six years between shmita years has a focus and purpose. This year, the 2nd year of the shmita cycle, is the year of gevurah. This, at least for me, is a time to bring shape, discipline, and boundaries to the exploratory space to allow seeds that have been germinating to root and blossom. So during the Days of Awe, I’m exploring what I’ve committed to that needs focus and cultivation this year. Especially those things that will help create a society where the shmita is truly possible. Step by step. Year by year. Cycle by cycle.
And in my continuing release of any left overs from the recent shmita, I accidentally melted down my entire web server. I had a new devotaj.com 90% built, which I was able to launch within a couple of hours — but it deleted PeelaPom.com and loads of files going back to 1999. I’m so grateful for sites like archive.org so I can find anything important, but I also decided to just own the “g!d/dess is change” moment and accept that all things change.
How do you use this time, season, year, cycle?
Tishrei Resources
Tishrei: Overview
Moon: Gathering
Constellation: Moznayim (מֹאזְנַיִם) Libra
Soul Trait: Achrayut (אחריות) Spiritual Responsibility
Tribe: Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם֙ )
Tarot: Justice
Netivah: Gevirah (גְבִירָה) Matriarch/Queen
Looking Ahead to Cheshvan
Cheshvan: Overview
Moon: Stillness
Constellation: Akrav (עַקְרָב) Scorpio
Soul Trait: Kavod (כבוד) Honor, Respect, Dignity
Tarot: Death
Netivah: Mekonenet (מקננת) Mourning Woman
Find source citations for correspondences and so much more.
MUSSAR
Date: Sunday 9/17/2023
Time: 3-4:30pm ET
Where: Register for Zoom Link
Cost: None, but donations gratefully accepted
The soul trait that corresponds with Tishrei, in the Kesharim K’doshim approach to mussar, is Achrayut (אחריות) Spiritual Responsibility.
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 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).
MAGICK
What is magick, aka the sacred arts? Here’s my definition:
The “sacred arts” are an interdisciplinary practice of creating catalysts for spiritual or material change.
Now I’m curious what skills you have learned AND could or do use in a conscious way with creative imagination.
Make a list of at least 10 skills. Don’t worry if you think you are “good” at it — but if you can (even a little) it with what you know now — put it on the list.
Not sure if it counts? It does — write it down: Writing, Dancing, Kickboxing, Tarot Reading, Powerpoint, Cooking, Baking, Candlestick making, Cleaning, Organizing, Vision Boards, Hairstyling, etc, etc, etc,
Then make a list of at least 3 skills you’d like to acquire that would enhance your abilities to create catalysts for change in conscious and creative ways.
» Next month we’ll talk about what you do with those lists!
Want to share you answers or have questions? Leave a comment!.
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 Tishrei « « «
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Watch | Listen | Read
Key: Shows & Movies 📺 | Books 📚 | Articles 📄 | Music 🎼 | Podcast 🎙
📺 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
I am using this month of the year to go deep, recalling what I let go of during the month of Elul. It is a time of planning, setting goals and making choices. The plan is to be more grounded and realistic about what can I do, where I show up while leaning into self care and fun!