As evening descends on Yom Kippur, I am pleasantly full following a day of fasting. I broke the fast at the home of my friends Barb and Glenn Cohen. I have known Barb since we were 14 and we became ‘blood sisters’ way back when. As seasoned women, we have seen each other through many joys and challenges including children growing up and parents dying. Tonight brought with it a heaping portion of joy, as overflowing as the tables of  pot luck food that 20 some family members and friends brought to share. I sat back and watched as multiple generations laughed, chatted, hugged and ate. When it was time to clean up and  I carried empty plates out of the the dining room, I noticed a framed poem I had written (one of many I had given them over the years) that honored Yom Kippur. I wrote it 12 years ago and share it with you now.

Yom Kippur-Day of At-One-Ment

On this day, we reconnect with the power and might of God.

Opening our hearts and pouring forth our deepest fears and most fervent prayers.

Allowing the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit to descend upon us.

We confess our ‘sins’; those times when we have missed the mark, trusting that

God will allow us to take aim attempt once again to be the people we were meant to be.

We set forth to make amends to those we have harmed, either by thought, word

Or deed, by intention or mischance.

We accept forgiveness of those whose thoughts , actions, words or deeds have injured us in any way.

We recognize the one-ness that exists between ourselves and all creation.

May we know that the opportunity for ‘teshuvah’- turning exists not merely on this day, but everyday.

Edie Weinstein © Copyright 2012

If you read  the  Bliss Blog for Wednesday, you will have seen that my intention was to go to the waterside and meditate and write. As circumstances would have it, that didn’t occur since other things came up that needed to be handled. I did do the ritual at home with the mala beads, bringing to mind and heart those whose lives have touched mine in profound ways as I sent them love and blessings. I was also called on to face my own judgments toward myself and others. One of the grrrr moments came when I held a thought that ‘people who intentionally harm others shouldn’t get what they want in life’ as if I was in charge of meting out cosmic justice. I believe in karma and life lessons that arrive as a result of our actions. Most who know me, see me as fairly even keeled and calm. Inside is a different story, as I sometimes have a seething cauldron about to boil over when I witness acts of violation toward people or, frankly, any life on the planet. I also know that holding anger and resentment toward folks for their behavior, doesn’t change what they do and feeds the common toxic pot.  So, how does a self proclaimed spiritual person who teaches this stuff, face her own judge and jury? She breathes, asks for Divine support and inspiration, reframing the actions as those of people who are clearly hurting in some way. Understanding and being compassionate doesn’t excuse or justify someone’s behavior. Expressing discomfort is a human reaction in and of itself. I attempt to re-direct someone as tactfully as I can, suggesting another way of looking at or interacting. Sometimes it work wonders and other times, it falls flat.

On this day, I am chosing to turn my own judge in, as I too, turn my life around.

http://www.onelovechant.com/music-21.html Return Again performed by One Love Chant (lyrics and music by Shlomo Carlebach)