Take The Leap!

Leap of ​faith​: To believe in something or someone based on faith rather than evidence; an attempt to achieve something that has an uncertain outcome.

The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard used the expression leap of faith ​as a metaphor for religious belief in God.

He argued that God was spiritual rather than physical and was completely separate from the material world of man. G-d could not be understood through logic alone but must have faith to understand G-d.

When Moses led the Israelites to the Red Sea after leaving Egypt, the Egyptian army ​gave chase,​ after Pharaoh regretted letting them go.

They were frightened, looking at the world through slaves’ eyes. Their master’s chariots and soldiers were right behind them. Pharaoh sent 6,000 chariots after Am Yisrael!

The commentator Ibn Ezra mentions that after all those years of humiliation and servitude,” their minds became depressed and servile.”

Moses reassured the people and told them that G-d is with them and they will never see the Egyptians again.

Some of the people had faith and prayed to G-d, and some were uncertain and complained to Moses. ​The Israelites then walked right into the sea. ​

While our leaps of faith are probably less dramatic than the Exodus from Egypt, we ​may​ feel uncertain in our decision making

Recently a friend of mine told me about wanting to make a job change and feeling uncertain about it.

His wife told him to “take a leap of faith. If you fail, at least you will have tried. If you don’t do it, you’ll always wonder what would have happened if you tried.”

By opening ourselves up to new experiences, we ​can potentially​ ​benefit​ and grow. This sometimes requires a leap of faith.

Mindfulness practice can help us be more open to new experiences, but unlike a leap of faith​, ​mindful based stress reduction IS evidence-based.

MBSR is backed by a wealth of research that shows how effective

it is.

Mindfulness is an effective treatment for psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression (Khoury, 2013), and it is beneficial in managing chronic pain conditions (Anheyer, 2017).

It has also reduced mortality by 41% in cardiac rehabilitation patients, (Linden, 1996).

Out of 71 analyses and systematic reviews on the PubMed database, 56 showed a positive effect on symptom management, mental health, or quality of life.

If you would like to be more open ​to​ and accepting ​of​ life's experiences, navigate the uncertainty around us, and manage daily challenges and stress, I invite you to learn mindful meditation.

I offer live courses in Jerusalem, online courses, and individual sessions.

No Patience For Impatience

In this week’s Torah portion, Moses speaks to the enslaved Jewish people in Egypt and tells them that they will be delivered from slavery and redeemed through wonders by

G-d.

They don’t listen to him. They are impatient. They are exhausted from bondage.

The Ramban explains that they were so worn down that they didn’t even have the strength to listen to Moses speak, even if it were about their upcoming redemption!

While we probably can’t relate to being slaves in Egypt, we can all relate to being impatient, we have all reacted impatiently to situations. If you're impatient, you may make rash decisions with negative consequences.

What can we do when we are impatient?

I didn’t realize how impatient I was until I started meditating and was frustrated that it wasn’t going “better.” Why couldn’t I focus? Why were thoughts bombarding me whenever I sat down to meditate?

I had expectations that I would get the hang of it more quickly, and those expectations fostered disappointment. I thought about giving up.

Until one of my teachers wisely advised me to try to be okay with whatever experience I was having during my meditation practice. She told me not to fight it, and to notice the impatience and where I felt it in my body.

Learning patience takes practice, and part of it is also learning how to be compassionate with oneself. We can learn how to transform impatience into patience through accepting things in our life by focusing on the present moment.

Does that mean we just accept pain, and suffering? No, but we can learn how to accept these experiences by allowing ourselves to feel whatever we are feeling moment to moment.

Many of us just want the feelings or sensations to go away.

By becoming more mindful of the moment, we allow ourselves to come to terms with things as they are, even if our sensations or thoughts are difficult or painful.

It can be challenging for people who are first starting this practice.

Start by bringing your attention to your breath, by breathing in through your nose, following the air to your belly, and letting your abdomen expand fully.

If your mind wanders, just notice where it has gone and redirect it to your breath.

You will probably have to do this over and over again. If you can accept that, you will lower your frustration and become more patient with yourself.

To be truly patient is simply to be completely open to and accepting of each moment for what it is. We can come to realize that things can only unfold in their own time.

Have You Ever Walked Into a Room and Forgotten Why? How To Start An Informal Mindfulness Practice

How To Start An Informal Mindfulness Practice Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten what you were looking for? Have you ever done something and then not remembered if you already did it? Have you ever driven somewhere, but not remembered any details of how you got there? In the rush to accomplish everyday tasks, you may find yourself losing your connection with the present moment. Our minds get filled with chatter and our ability to be present is lost. Mindfulness can help us be more aware and focused in everyday moments. There is the formal practice of various meditations and practices. And there is also informal practice. Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and caring into everything we do, and it cuts down needless stress. Even a little makes our lives better. A less formal approach to mindfulness can also help you to stay in the present and fully participate in your life. Any moment can be a mindful moment. You can choose any task or moment to practice informal mindfulness, whether you are eating, showering, walking, turning on a light or a computer, playing with a child or grandchild, or anything that is a part of your daily routine. Here are some guidelines to get you started:

• Stop whatever you are doing for a minute and bring attention to the sensations in your body.

• Breathe in through your nose, allowing the air downward into your lower belly. Let your stomach expand fully.

• Breathe out through your nose or mouth.

• Notice the sensations of each inhalation and exhalation.

• Proceed with the task at hand with an awareness of what you are doing, or you might even say to yourself what task you are doing ("I am brushing my teeth").

• Engage your senses: notice the sights, sounds, smells, and touch.

• When you notice that your mind has wandered from the task at hand, gently bring your attention back to the sensations in your body in the moment.

Be patient with yourself. Just as you wouldn’t expect to lift heavy weights when you start working out at the gym, your mind is a muscle, and mindfulness takes practice.