Day 45 of the Omer - inspire the moment

Tiferet in Malchut - balanced beauty in the implementation of divine presence into reality.​

Ever been perched on one of those moments when all is ready and we have done everything possible to be prepared and our anticipation is a thrill of perfect beginning?​

This could be a physical preparation - about to start a race, or look down the perfect ski slope. An intellectual, social, or emotional endeavor - sitting down to write when we've done the right mental preparation, or sitting across from a person we've been eagerly waiting to talk to for a long time. It could be a spiritual moment - finally getting the chance to sit and reflect or meditate on something important.​

All of these reflect some of the great balance and beauty of injecting Tiferet into the next moment of doing. Let us balance our expectations with preparations, and infuse the next minute with some inspired excitement.​

Happy Friday, Shabbat Shalom, and more great counting everyone!​

Day 44 of the Omer - wise strength

Gevurah in Malchut - rigor and strength in the imminent and sovereign presence.

The application of strength with all of our values behind it requires force and restraint, power and a fine sense of where to apply it and how much.

As we look at a task that requires firmness let us always see it as needing appropriate levels of rigor, tempered and informed by all our other faculties too.

Be strong, and use our strength wisely.

Shavuot is coming!

Day 43 of the Omer - kind actions

Chesed in Malchut - kindness and mercy in the dwelling presence of the universe.

We want to act, to make a difference. Let us find compassion for our acting - when we act not as well as we would like we can opt to forgive. When we do not act at all let us avoid blame and doubt.

Be kind and then do with kindness.

The last week of the Omer has begun!

Day 42 of the Omer - plan to act

Malchut in Yesod - sovereignty, the realm of action, in the foundation of righteousness.

Foundations must get built - every plan must move from principles into actions so it can move from the drawing board to the construction site.

Let us get out and pour the concrete. In our grand plans may we find a way to move from scheming to doing.

Only one week of Omer to count before we "do" Shavuot!

Day 41 of the Omer - inner and outer righteousness

Yesod in Yesod - a solid foundation in Tzedek, in righteousness, in itself.

Yesod gets identified with the image of the Tzadik since Yesod serves as the balanced lens through which all the other sefirot, the mystical spheres, get projected into action in the world.

Being a Tzadik requires deliberation and self-evaluation prior to acting. So we pause to breathe and see our righteousness in the light of external standards - we must create righteousness through communal action and personal conviction.

Tikkun, repair, starts within and gets implemented with others.

May our counting bring us inner growth that leads to global repair.

Day 40 of the Omer - the tiny counts too

Hod in Yesod - the grace of smallness in the solid and balanced foundation.

We need to find our humility when we craft sound bases for any project - we may not see its completion and the final product may be different from our initial idea.

Letting go of our preconceptions helps us build stronger foundations too.

Catching up again - as we near Shavuot I seem to get busier!

Day 39 of the Omer - aim for the future

Netzach in Yesod - the persistent victory of the self in a balanced foundation.​

Eternity gets crafted out of well thought out actions that form a solid base.

As we get ready to act, to put our thoughts into reality, we keep in mind the long term even as we focus on forming something simple, balanced, and basic.​

In every part of the foundation we place our hopes and plans for the distant future.

Let us build for the long term - why waste the effort on anything else?​

The counting is nearing its conclusion!​

Day 38 of the Omer - higher and lower balance

Tiferet in Yesod - lofty balance of principles in the grounded balance of applications.

Keeping high minded ideas of balance and beauty as guides while in the thick of crafting the basics almost requires some cognitive dissonance.

Still, the two notions - a balance between intellectual concepts of beauty and a sturdy balance grounded in connecting to actually creating - fortify each other.

We aim to dig trenches that eventually lead to beautiful structures. All of this in the hope of fulfilling ideals balanced between other important values.

Including everything takes patience and attention - include some counting too!

Day 37 of the Omer - Rigor towards balance

Gevurah in Yesod - rigor and strength in solid balanced foundations.

While a foundation stands as a symbol of strength the idea of Gevurah as the application of discipline may inform us when we aim for creating foundations the fulfill their purposes.

To use rigor to help create balance requires care.

Still catching up - this applied to the Omer for Wednesday through Thursday.

Day 36 of the Omer - See kindly then build

Chesed in Yesod - loving kindness in foundation.

Before undertaking something from the bottom up, building solidly, we must see it through compassionate eyes.

A foundation stands well when started with the needs of others and the world in mind.

This is from Tuesday-Wednesday's Omer Count, catching up!

Day 35 of the Omer - Grow from smallness

Malchut in Hod - the manifestation of reality in humble smallness.

Gaining perspective must be put to some use. We engage in contemplating how insignificant we are so that we can act effectively. So we must put that acquired wisdom into action and not get lost in our insignificance.

The seed must germinate and grow or not fulfill its purpose.

May our counting lead us to better agency!

Day 34 of the Omer - Details Build Foundations

Yesod in Hod - a balanced foundation in smallness and humility.​

Building solidly requires taking into account all the details, even the smallest of them.​

Each fastener, each two by four, each decision in design, reminds us of their value when we look upon something well constructed. ​

Happy counting, building something out of small details noticed each day.​

Day 33 of the Omer - Smallness as Inspiration

Happy LaG b'Omer - the 33rd of the Omer is here - shaving and hair-cutting and going to parties allowed again.​

This is the 5th day of the 5th week of the Omer, Hod in Hod - the awe we get from seeing the universe from our place of smallness, in that place itself.​

Let us remember that our smallness may be a crutch. It too is small.​

Let us embrace a realistic sense of proportion, the infinite inspires awe, let us use this awe to inspire us to be humble so that we act well.​

Still catching up - this is from Saturday night, and Sunday.​

Day 32 of the Omer - In Every Atom the Universe

Netzach in Hod - eternal self-centered victory in the awe-inspiring perspective from the minuscule.

In the tiniest pixelated particles, the humblest of building blocks of the universe, lay the fundamentals to the mystery behind all existence.

The connections between the ends of the spectrum - ego and humility, grandeur and infinitesimal - run through every aspect of the universe and our innermost selves.

In every moment we may find the everlasting, and the grandest perspectives include an infinity of minutia.

Keeping it all in proportion is one goal of consciousness.

Catching up on reflections - enjoy!

Day 31 of the Omer - balanced self-reduction

Tiferet in Hod - harmonious beautiful fine-tuned balance in smallness and grace.​

We know that we should embrace some sense of smallness, to self-diminish and withdraw to make room for the growth of others. This is called tzimtzum​ by the Kabbalists and they imagine the Infinite reducing in order to create. ​

Doing this well requires a light and balanced touch - too much space and growth isn't cultivated, too much and it is stymied. A garden can easily be abandoned or over-attended - neither leads to flourishing growth or partnership.​

Hold values in mind, pause and reflect, and then figure out the right amount of tzimtzum​.​

The days of the Omer are diminshing - this is the 3rd day of the 5th week.​

Day 30 of the Omer - Discipline and humility

Gevurah in Hod - power and rigor in humility and smallness.​

These seem tough to combine at first. Humility, even losing our selves in our powerlessness, may be a crutch. We need to exercise restraint.​

Gevurah represents powerful restraint - a mindfulness of enough being enough since we aim to be mindful of moderation in all things, even in those we identify as virtues.​

An excess of smallness may increase our sense of personal virtue, and may limit our abilities to take action.​

Even our counting should be moderate!​

Day 29 of the Omer - Humility and Compassion

Chesed in Hod - compassion in awe and humility.

I find it easy to see compassion coming from our sense of smallness - this allows us to sympathize easily.

We must proceed cautiously lest we get swept up in sympathizing and lose our ability to help out.

We need compassion for ourselves when in the place of grace in our smallness, so that we can avoid powerlessness.

Happy return to Chesed day 1 of week 5!

Day 28 of the Omer - Knowing Now Planning Better

Malchut in Netzach - sovereignty, the rule of the present, in the persistent eternal victory.​

Taking a "now" view when we plan long term - we work to appropriately assess the situation as it is, before we think strategically.​

How many of our plans start with a ideas less than realistically connected to our current situation?​

Taking moments or minutes, depending upon the scope of our hopes and projections, to reflect on where we are before deciding where we will go, connects our visions of the future to the present where we start.​

Wishing everyone insight into the present so that we can count towards a better future.​

Day 27 of the Omer - Feel towards the future

Yesod in Netzach - a firm and balanced foundation in the persistent perpetuity of the self.

Finding a path into the future for ourselves requires more than a sense of values and a good plan, we must also feel out stable footholds on firm pathways.

We aim to integrate our different senses and easily swayed emotions into stable foundations. I often find this kind of stability through thoughtful pauses that allow me to identify an emotional response and think through how best to react once I've taken a moment to breathe and reflect.

May all our projects include peaceful moments to think and feel our way ahead.

Blessings as we close out the week of Netzach tomorrow.

Day 26 of the Omer - Dependence in Importance

Hod in Netzach - quantum smallness and awe in eternal perpetuation of the self.​

These ends of the spectrum - humility and ego - depend on each other. All sound thinking, feeling, and acting, relies on balanced and appropriate use of self, sometimes less, sometimes more, and fine tuning that adjustment and its other dimensions takes attention.​

To find the smallness necessary for a long term projection of our selves recognizes our interdependence, even as we assert our selves.​

We are dependent AND we are important. Recognizing these as co-existing enables us to do better.​

Counting continues tonight - blessings to all!​