In the Desert.

THE BIG IDEA

New Month. New Book. New Energy. 

Night of Light.

According to my interpretation of the Torah omens this is an optimal time to organize your inner (higher) awareness and prepare for the new wave of consciousness that comes with Sunday’s Night Of Light (also called The Feast of Weeks or Shavuot).

Along with the new energy book (Bamidbar), and Tuesday’s new moon, there is support to make space within yourself for renewal and greater awareness. Allow the “not quite there yet, but more prepared than ever” knowing to spread across you like a desert. Be gentle in this time between the illusions that enslave our modern being, and the prayer for a better (peace filled) world to come.

Take advantage of the final week of seven counted between the seder night (Pascal offering of passover) and the Feast of Weeks, to gather the emotional sustenance like stockpiles of wheat you can use sustain yourself throughout the year. 

What new tools have you accumulated to manage the shifts that came with a global pause? Activate the potential of that learning. It is the openness to change, and the new light that is coming that will allow Sunday’s energy to transform you most deeply.

Ready or not, here comes more light.

*Please Note*

The Night Of Light, and known by Torah practitioners as “Shavuot” meaning “weeks” marks the celebration of gathering 7 weeks of harvest, as well as the revelation of spiritual laws at Sinai. It feels noteworthy that the narrative read during this festival honors the strangers amongst us (like Ruth), and the law that those born into the practice are mandated to honor and accept all who bind themselves to the path of the Torah and it’s pursuit of spiritual truth. 

For a better understanding the way outsiders are meant to be embraced within Torah living. I recommend reading the Book of Ruth - the reading designated for the Night Of Light

DEEPER DIVE

In the Desert, Bamidbar, a nation once enslaved to a Pharoah, chosen for eternal service to the world’s creator, await their time to enter the promise of having a land. 

These slaves, rescued from oppression, have had a visceral experience of spiritual law, and its unrelenting enforcement. They have also been promised a physical land of their own, and instructed how to spiritually maintain it. 

This week, at the opening of the book, Bamidbar, translated as in the desert, they are instructed to arrange and count the members of their tribe, making themselves aware of which men eligible to fight in war. Each tribe was given a designated placement in the larger encampment and flag. 

Everyone… but the Levites, the tribe committed to God as his personal servants for all time. (as if to remind everyone in the nation what their meta task is. )

For an excellent overview of the narrative (and deeper considerations) I recommend this video .

For a deeper dive into the purpose of genealogy I recommend this video

**it feels important to note , given the events of the past days of attacks in Israel, that the Torah is talking about counting men for the (potential) need for war. It seems a part of the process that Torah followers can, in some way expect, war, although we pray for peaceful resolutions each moment, of each day.

INNER WORK GUIDE

This exercise is designed to help you arrange your inner senses to better position each of your parts to benefit from the coming Night of Light (also known as the Feast of Weeks and Shavuot) 

Find a quiet place. Take a few deep breaths. Turn your focus within.

Imagine each of your parts of self being a different clan or tribe.

The tribe of duty

The tribe of consensus and reconciliation

The tribe of righteous anger

The tribe of joy and abundance of laughter

The tribe of material wealth and accomplishment.

The tribe of beauty.

and so on.

You may find up to 11 parts, notice if there is a part of yourself that is always in sacred service, your spiritual tribe, the one that connects you to the mystery of life.

Part 1

Look at your inner tribes and ask them to stand in front of different parts of your body. Your right and left shoulder, your kidneys and sexual organs, your right and left brain lobes, your belly or your feet.

Which tribe/part of you takes up the most space?

Which tribe/part of you requires the most attention?

Which tribe/part has the most strength? 

As you organize these energies or tribes or feelings with different parts of your body, try giving them a unique flag and counting them as if they were people. Which is the biggest? Strongest? Healthiest?

Are the tribes ready to fight?

See the tribal representations as the parts of yourself. 

Part 2

Is there a special energy you use to connect with the higher power?

The part of your system that is too sensitive to see the pain of war. The part that talks to god, (or would talk to god if you believed in that kind of thing). Find your sacred tribe, or part of yourself. Locate the Levite in you, the tribal part that has no choice in life but to serve, born into divine service.

Spend some time with that part that connects to the divine, give it reassurance, and space to live.

Part 3 (optional)

try asking yourself:

What change in your awareness are you still open or hoping to receive? 

Ok. that’s a start. In addition to all the prayers needed to prevent a full blown war.

May we all, individually and collectively successfully integrate and ground the highest consciousness on the Night of Light through deep, rooted, Torah of our life.

May Amalek, and those that block the possibility of peaceful co-existence and instigate trouble from our world forever.

Shabbat Shalom

Happy Feast of Weeks

stay safe.