Mikveh, Water and Higher Consciousness

Original file as published in the ecumenical Living Pulpit Magazine is attached as a PDF file for your convenience.

Transformations of the Soul: The Tahara Experience

First Published in the Philadelphia Jewish Voice

Judaism most often approaches the soul's many transformations on the "journey called life" by including rituals of chessed. These involve expressions of overflowing loving kindness via water, washing, immersion.

Meditation to Calm and Center Leading Up to a Wedding

Say aloud:
"This breath,
fills me with calm."
(Take a deep breath, hold, release)

Say aloud:
"This breath,
fills me with peace."
(Take a deep breath, hold, release)

Say aloud:
"This breath,
pushes back all urgencies."
(Exhale, blow as though pushing things away)

What's Involved in Converting to Judaism

a. It is a process to which a soul feels internally called.

b. This feeling may rise and fall, or ultimately abate. It may turn out that your soul needed to learn about Judaism, experience it and then return to another tradition or move on to another religion, no religion, or a different denominational context. There will be no hard feelings about this among your teachers, soul journeys vary in every life time.

c. Converstion involves a minimum of a year of study and engagement with the core practices of living as a Jew. During this time you will: