To Sit
THE BIG IDEA
According to the Torah Omens this is a favorable time to explore the consequences of hatred (both the act of hating and experience of being hated).
Take time to better familiarize yourself with the nature of toxic energy, and the way it snakes across generations, spreading its poison throughout a family lineage.
The torah does not shy away from the ways people act out their discontent and neither should we; a brother sold into slavery (by his own brothers), a widowed daughter-in-law cast off (by her father-in-law), a slave avenged by his master’s wife spurned sexual advances, a patriarch frozen by grief.
Perhaps we are shown the ways jealousy, hatred, fear and resentment shadow Abraham’s grandchildren and great grandchildren so that we can remove the shame from claiming our own misalignments.
And so, this American Thanksgiving, when family is gathered, try to SIT with the puzzle of familial discontent. Invite yourself to identify, name, trace these subtle and destructive energetic remnants back to a time before your own. Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Welcome compassion.
P.S. Be sure to gather the information from your dreams.
P.P.S - Fear not— Chanukah’s ritual of pulling down the light begins on Sunday night. yay.
SOMATIC EXCERCISE
The Wake-Up Call
1) Find a time in your life when you were able to shine unselfconsciously - (like Joseph speaking his dreams to his brothers).
2) Locate the point you were “thrown into the pit” and harshly awakened to other people’s feelings.
3) How did that experience change you? List the positive and negative effects.
4) How did it effect your parent(s)?
*note* if a father doesn’t teach his child how to protect herself and her light properly, it can stimulate the darkness around it. (no blame to the child)
SOMATIC EXERCISE
Speak Peace
The brothers hatred and jealousy for Joseph festered, and they could not give him feedback in peace. Instead they held their feelings in and acted out.
Rabbi Lord Sacks teaches that had the brothers been able to give proper feedback to Joseph, the violence could have been avoided.
Take time this weekend to practice speaking to someone that you hate or think hates you.
Define the issue clearly. In what way do you feel offended? Belittled? Unseen? Angry? Jealous? Bitter?
Write out a specific scenario or offense that occurred. Include every aspect you wish you could discuss. Then record yourself speaking it aloud as if person were sitting across from you.
When you are done, listen back to the recording.
Evaluate yourself on a scale of 1-10
How is your voice/tone?
How well did you choose your words?
How well did you communicate the issue you intended?
What would you add or change about what you said?
For extra points - write and record a response to your issues. Allow yourself to receive your own forgiveness.
Shabbat shalom! Happy T-day! and HAPPY CHAUNKAH!