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Post by gazelle18 on Sept 3, 2016 15:25:56 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 gazelle18 on Sept 3, 2016 15:44:53 GMT -5
Hi everyone! I hope you are having a restful holiday weekend.
When I was growing up, my parents were in the retail shoe business. Every so often, my dad would have me help him "take inventory." Did we have enough size 7's in our best selling black pump? Have these strappy sandals, so popular when they first came in, now run their course, or should we order some more? Do we have enough dress shoes in cordovan? I found this completely tedious, but my dad would tell me that a business could live or die on the strength of how good the merchant was at taking inventory.
During this month of Elul, we are called upon to perform "Cheshbon hanefesh," or spiritual inventory.
So, for today, let's write a few lines on what our personal spiritual inventories would look like. Imagine being able to enter your mind, and your heart, and your spirit. How's it going? Are you lacking some "merchandise" in there? Have the events of the past year left you depleted? Have you had to use up a lot of your spiritual stock in order to get through some things? Have you left your stock room unattended for too long? Or, like my dad, were you able to replenish your spirit on a periodic basis, so that you were rarely caught without what you needed?
what is it you are needing right now? Courage? patience? confidence? motivation? peace? acceptance? etc.?
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Post by hollygail on Sept 3, 2016 19:58:04 GMT -5
We left San Diego after morning minyan on Friday, and I didn't go to services Friday night or Saturday morning, so I missed Re'eh and the Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Torah readings. In a way, it doesn't feel like Elul for me yet.I started singing verse 4 of Psalm 27 to myself after Louise's last post Friday, but other than that, it just doesn't yet feel like Elul. So to start a cheshbon hanefesh feels just a little premature... I'll see what I can do... Right now, I
m sitting in the sun room of my sister's house in Malibu (on Point Dume, for anyone who knows the area). Time seems to stop when I'm here. The back yard is still mostly green (the trees are mature enough that they don't require regular watering, and there's only some grass that has poked its way through the plastic my DBIL laid months ago [you do know there's a drought here, right?]). I hear the breeze blowing and see the leaves waving above me (did I mention the entire roof of this sun room is some sort of thick plexiglass or something like that so you can see the sky if you look up?)
I attend morning minyan weekdays (including Sundays when I'm not teaching Sunday school in the morning), plus I say a blessing before eating (anything), so I think my spirituality is renewed daily and during the day too. But taking stock? I'm gonna have to spend some more time considering today's topic... (note: it's about 6 in the evening Saturday here)
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,258 
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Post by lee058 on Sept 4, 2016 7:35:24 GMT -5
Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well today. I've been busy enjoying the holiday weekend and doing a lot of kitchen activities. It's been fun, and I just love the green chile peppers! H went out early today and brought home bagels for breakfast; it was a nice surprise.
Re doing a spiritual inventory: I do this every year before the HHD. I need to do a lot of thinking and some writing and talking about this past year. Then I can make some plans for next year. Just off the top of my head, what I need most is patience, and for next year, initiative in making changes.
I'll be back. Have a peaceful day, Lee
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Post by savtele on Sept 4, 2016 9:15:38 GMT -5
Boker Tov All! It's kind of a dark, early fall day here. Not cold, but not warm. I'm bundled up in my bathrobe, waiting for that 1st cup of coffee....
I love the idea of a personal spiritual inventory! Life happens - and sometimes we need to make changes for our own well-being. I know that for myself, I have been restless lately. Something is missing, not sure what. I will pursue this on several levels. Because, in the end, it's all spiritual since we are spiritual beings.
Coffee's ready - I need to go pour a cup & sit in my grandmother's chair with my siddur
Have a good day all!
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Post by louise on Sept 4, 2016 16:50:12 GMT -5
WE were warned of a huge storm today but it turned out to be a lovely sunny day. Had a barbecue at my SILs house with some of their old family friends they hadn't seemed since my ex died. While it was very nice the house is completely tied up for me with memories of the last 4 years so it was a mixed bag.
I love the analogy of taking the shoe inventory and taking stock of ourselves. I don't know exactly what I am missing but I know I'm off my game. I get very tired and have trouble with my knee or ankles on and off. I absolutely know that whatever else is or isn't wrong with me these problems would be improved by taking off a chunk of weight. It makes no sense to just keep hurting myself. I think enough is enough already. |
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