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Post by louise on Aug 27, 2016 23:04:13 GMT -5
What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? this week’s Torah reading? life goals? prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.
Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Angelika
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy
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Post by louise on Aug 27, 2016 23:07:06 GMT -5
There are a couple of poets I have been reading lately and I thought maybe this week I would share some of their poetry with you. Hopefully they will resonate with you as well. This first one is by Danna Faulds from her book Go In and In: Poems from the Heart of Yoga. This one, it seems to me, continues in the vein Lee presented last week, about our true selves.
Birthright
Despite illness of body or mind,
in spite of blinding despair or
habitual belief, who you are
is whole. Let nothing keep you separate from the truth. The soul,
illumined form within, longs to
be known for what it is. Undying,
untouched by fire or the storms of
life, there is a place inside where
stillness and abiding peace reside.
You can ride the breath to go there.
Despite doubt or hopeless turns of
mind, you are not broken. Spirit
surrounds, embraces, fills you from
the inside out. Release everything
that isn’t your true nature. What’s
left, the fullness, light, and shadow,
claim all that as your birthright.
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,258 
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Post by lee058 on Aug 27, 2016 23:39:53 GMT -5
Hi everybody and happy middle of the night to you. As usual, I slept for awhile and then woke up. I am trying to see if a large glass of water is what I need and not a snack; at any rate, I am drinking the water first and then, if I am hungry and not just thirsty, I will have something.
Louise, what a beautiful poem! Thank you for sharing it. It is wonderful to come across something like this at night, when the house is cool, dark and quiet. "Release everything that isn't your true nature." What a great thought!
I don't like a lot of poetry, but I like this.
Have a peaceful rest of the night, Lee
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Post by gazelle18 on Aug 27, 2016 23:50:57 GMT -5
I'm with Lee. There is a lot of poetry that leaves me scratching my head, but this one is so inspiring. What a beautiful concept, that the true soul is one's birthright.
It's late at night, and I am really tired; this is a poem that I have to come back to tomorrow. It bears reading again, and perhaps more than that. Thanks, Louise, for sharing this.
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Post by hollygail on Aug 28, 2016 1:18:49 GMT -5
The same line Lee quoted is the one that stood out for me too. I led a shiva minyan tonight and chose several English readings that were in the siddur for a house of mourning. I tried to choose things that spoke to me (I'm leading again tomorrow evening, and chose different readings, although the same Hebrew throughout). I'm tired now (it's 11:20 pm my time) and I have a full day tomorrow (Sunday) starting with a "back to school" workshop for teachers in Jewish schools throughout San Diego County. I'll try to come back some time in the afternoon to post some of the poetry I chose for the two shiva minyanim too.
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Post by peachymom1 on Aug 28, 2016 11:17:04 GMT -5
"Undying, untouched by fire or the storms of life, there is a place inside where stillness and abiding peace reside."
The whole poem is beautiful, but this jumped out at me. It's like having a center to go back to whenever you need to, a reset button. I like this idea.
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,258
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Post by lee058 on Aug 28, 2016 13:11:01 GMT -5
Hi again everybody. Just looking in to say hello and that I hope everyone is having a happy day. I'm looking forward to reading more good poetry this week!
Have a peaceful rest of the day, Lee
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Post by louise on Aug 28, 2016 13:11:43 GMT -5
This one is probably good to remember too:
Despite doubt or hopeless turns of mind, you are not broken.
So many times I know I have generalized a bad moment (or two) to something bigger - losing sight for that moment that I'm okay.
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Post by savtele on Aug 28, 2016 18:49:53 GMT -5
Hello All! It's been a busy day here! - Quick read/post & run.
"Despite doubt or hopeless turns of mind, you are not broken." - I want to engrave this on my mind!
I hope everyone is having a good day!
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