Holy People
THE BIG IDEA
This week is a critical time to ground the holy lights you pulled down on Purim, and again on Seder night.
Consider yourself officially appointed as God’s spiritual ambassador in the world. We have crossed the Sea, faced our fears, cleaned our homes, and (hopefully) clarified our heart’s true desires.
According to the Torah Omens we must now ground our sense of spiritual elevation by seeing holiness in all of our practical, everyday, human thoughts and matters.
Scan your heart for any hidden hatred, or grudges you might be holding. Commit yourself to honesty and integrity in all your personal and business dealings. Align your sexual energy.
As we transition from matzah consciousness (the 7-8 day meditation on slave consciousness and spiritual freedom) back to the normal grind for daily bread, pay special attention to any changes in your thinking, any new insights or ways of looking at things you notice in yourself.
This is the perfect moment to spiritually restart your life, and affirm yourself as a holy representative of light.
HOLY HEART EXERCISE
This week the Torah reminds us that holiness is not merely a superficial task, it is something that permeates our innermost thoughts and feelings — and then shines out through our actions. To be holy is not simply to perform technical tasks with a smile and be secretly filled with resentment and hate. It is to constantly work on oneself — on the level of inner thoughts AND outer actions.
This inner work is some of the hardest - and worthwhile in the cosmos. There is nothing quite as freeing as letting go of a secret grudge, bias or hatred that we carry, and making space for more true connection and love.
Try to follow the 4 steps outlined in the Torah for removing resentment. (this video is a great explanation and guide of the principles) and see if anything shifts.
Love Check-Up
1) Take a piece of paper and write down a list of the people that you love and support you.
2) Take a second piece of paper write the name or names of people you hate (or think hate you**).
3) Next to the name of the person* you hate try to answer the following questions:
Why do you bear hatred for them IN YOUR HEART?
Did you tell them you were angry? Did you bring your issue out into the open?
Do you still want revenge for something they did to you? Do you carry a grudge? (Act passive aggressively or aggressively )
How could you treat them the way you would want to be treated?
*if there are multiple people, repeat the exercise with each name on the top.
** if you think someone hates you, answer the questions from your own feelings towards that person now.
Anger and hate happen, we are human. But keeping it bottled up within keeps us from our ability to represent the love of divinity in this world. It feels like no accident that ‘loving your neighbor as yourself’ is considered ‘the golden rule,’ and highlighted by Rabbi Akiva (one of Torah’s greatest sages).
To find love in your heart (even in difficult situations) is to truly be the ambassador God’s light in this world.