Last week I finished the Sabbath teachings ( for all humans!) just in time to transition to the counting of the Omer. This is an observance I did not learn / practice until 2020.
Headlines and Highlights:
From the 2nd day of Passover, you start to count the Omer ( an ancient measurement) to Shavuot, the holiday of revelation and receiving wisdom. We start with Passover, the Freedom Journey and we follow with Omer counting. There are lots of ways to interpret this- but I’m going to shape into modern context and relevance which essentially is this:
We had a profound shift in our existence ( slavery to freedom) SO NOW WHAT?
With commitment, step by step attuning to aliveness and awareness, we begin to feel and integrate into the whole, vast, expansive, creation we are ( or that we can be) -
And this counting is a pilgrimage
We pause and bless along the road of life AND it may help us find our way in this new world.
We don’t know what will be revealed to us on day 50, but we keep looking ahead, we stay centered in our practice, we honor these manifestations of the divine as ways in which we can shape future versions of our self and the world.
The spiritual integration days- where you get a chance to feel the Tree of Life flowing through and around you, where you commit to counting and praying daily ( for 49days) in ways that ripple out in the world depending your own self- inquiry which may lead to “being a blessing to all the families of the earth, human and otherwise” ( Rabbi Rami)
So- it’s potent, intense and so beautiful. It culminates on day 50 with the observance pilgrimage holiday of Shavuot, the time of receiving wisdom and revelations.
As a Kohenet, my relationship to these practices centers on community, land, and embodiment.
I start my Omer practice daily with this incredible song-
And prayer/ blessing to just pause and honor this time.
I’ll share bits here over the 7 weeks ahead- especially teachings reminders/ that I think relate to this time, and all humanity. ( obvi, not just Jews)
Full disclosure: I am in a deep dive exploration about identity these days and wrestling with the ways I align and don’t with certain aspects of my Jewish tradition. I want to be a light of connection and pulling threads to evolve and uplift teachings that UNITE us, strengthen our skills for listening deeply especially in difference, bring us closer together in our heart space and that there are no “ chosen” ones, I have studied a lot of Reb Rami’s words and they resonate.
So Away We go with the Omer- more as is aligned on the weeks ahead.
Here are some of the words/ prayers/ I’m working with this week & I also included a map of the Sephirot which are “the ways in which consciousness expresses itself in creation”
Week 1 CHESED- LOVING KINDNESS.
While I will be counting each day, I will probably only share once a week some of the themes for the week ahead-
For example, here’s a meditation I am working with today- but I think it will keep lingering..
“Today is a day to meditate on the energy that is released when we go from bondage to freedom. And it's a day to bring our expression of Love into the world in ever more creative ways as we join with the Divine as partners in the ongoing act of Creation.” - mark horn
This year I am layering in working with the Tarot and here is the card for today: The 4 of Wands. I love the feeling of it. What does the picture invoke for you?