Conclusion of chapter 43. We conclude this chapter with a short piece on how the fear/awe and love are levels and building blocks for spiritual growth. The Alter Rebbe suggested in this part that usually the pattern is lower fear, lower love, upper fear and upper love. However, there are times when the lower level love takes precedence over fear. We discuss how and when this would be.
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Beginning of Chapter 43. We continue to focus on the notion of fear/awe of Gd. This section goes deeper into the distinction between “lower” fear and “upper” fear. Additionally, once we suggest that fear/awe are experienced in two different modalities, he circles back to love of Gd, suggesting a similar dichotomy between this worldly love (Ahavat Olam) and “great” love (Ahavah Rabba). We also discuss how these categories are part of a continuum as it relates to our spiritual growth.
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Conclusion of Chapter 42. We conclude the discussion about awe of Gd with two final points. First, part of being in awe of Gd is to observe the world and universe and to see the grandeur and beauty of existence. Second, we practice being contrite and in awe thrice daily when we bow during our prayers. This action is a physical reminder of our role as servants before a master.
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Change can seem overwhelming. It can seem daunting. And sometimes the trouble is we have a picture in our minds of all the different and varied ways we want to change. If we just sit in all of the chaos and confusion about order and process for change, most of us won’t even begin to take action. In this quote from Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, reflecting on counting the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot, he reminds us that change begins with a first step and that change is a gradual, day by day process.
We recognize that as humans we have many imperfections, and that it is our responsiblity to improve upon our character traits.
When we realize how far we are from the ideal, we may exclaim, “What an order!” We may be so overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge of improving ourselves that we may despair of accomplishing it, and simply do nothing.
As we count the Omer one day at a time, we are helped to realize that the task is not as overwhelming as we thought. We are not required to achieve perfection, and what we do, we can do in daily installments. Improvement of character can be in morsels, and need not be in bundles.
Although we can not achieve perfection by our own efforts, if we sincerely do that which we can, all that which we can, the perfection we strive for will be given to us as a gift from above.
Too often, striving for perfection is really the most imperfect thing we can do. If we instead set attainable goals and short, simple steps to reach those goals, we might find ourselves in a place close to perfection, one in which we cherish our drive to grow and improve. I know that in my personal growth, I have struggled the most when I have tried to shortcut my way to this false sense of perfection. When I set myself manageable, good to great goals, I have found success, even in ways I never perceived.
May each of us foster real, attainable, goals of growth and find the first step to establishing a New Beginning to our journey.
Continuation of Chapter 42. We continue to explore how to focus our minds on bringing about awe of Gd. This piece focuses on Gd as the all Knowing, seeing and hearing.
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I am fan of Lord of the Rings. And of course, one of the iconic lines/scenes is when we see Smeagol find the Ring to Rule them All and begin to refer to it as “my precious.”
Do we cherish Time in the same way? For us, time is the true precious. It is a blessing and a curse. It is the most valuable thing we have and yet, we are cursed with so little of it. How do we treat time? Do we see every minute as “our precious” or do neglect it and let it slip away from us?
I was reminded of these questions when reading this short blog post from Seth Godin’s website
We can’t waste time because it’s not ours to waste. It’s simply the way we keep track of everything else.
Everyday we struggle to maximize our time, to build in time to grow, to change, to be productive, to experience life and all it has to offer. Every so often it is important to remind ourselves of the preciousness of every moment.
May today be a day of reflecting on how we best use our time! May this process of reflection help you find your New Beginning!
Are you or someone you know struggling to maintain one’s spiritual growth? Are you looking for strategies to maximize your time and energy? Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
Part one of chapter 42. We continue to explore the notion of awe/fear as it relates to spirituality and worship of Gd. We discuss the idea of awe being something that is also inherent in our hearts if we work to reveal it. At a minimum, feeling awe of the divine can come from avoiding those things that are deemed “sin” so as to raise up a sense of humility in the face of the All-Knowing Gd. We can also come to awe through reflection and contemplation.
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Do you want to work on taking the actions of your life and find meaning in all you do and who you are? Are you struggling with your spiritual growth. Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
I recently came across a powerful comment from Lessons in Tanya that I believe is important to reflect upon:
Now, we are constantly taught that one should be wary of spiritual intentions which outstrip one’s current spiritual pace; spirituality must be earned in an environment of honesty.
Lessons in Tanya, Vol. 2 p. 616
Spiritual growth, like all other areas of life, requires goals. Who do we want to be? How do we get there? What path should we take? We have desires for being different, more connected to the divine, to Gd, to our inner self. Yet, growth is a not a 0-60 in 3 seconds endeavor. It is a steady, daily process of taking step after step, rising slightly more each and every day. The above is a reminder that while we have desires to be an ideal self, we must strive towards it, not force it forward, for speeding things up is fraught with dangers of falling hard and fast.
Today, take the first step towards your goal. Don’t rush, don’t let the desire for growth push you towards taking shortcuts. Move forward step by step, day by day and you will find true Spiritual Honesty.
Are you or someone you know struggling to maintain one’s spiritual growth? Are you looking for strategies to stay along a path and jump too far forward? Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
Completion on Chapter 41. We shift back to the topic of intentionality and spiritual growth. This section deals with how our actions and level of spirituality might not match where we wish we we were. We discuss taking steps to grow spiritually and connect to Gd, recognizing each small step is a gain in the journey of connecting the soul back to Gd, giving delight to the divine throughout the process.
All episodes can also now be heard on Apple Podcasts – here
Do you want to work on taking the actions of your life and find meaning in all you do and who you are? Are you struggling with your spiritual growth. Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
Continuation of Chapter 41. We discuss the different notions of awe/fear. The Alter Rebbe suggests fear is expressed minimally through action or avoidance of sin. We continue to look at needing both love and fear of Gd. We discuss the importance of not just working on personal spiritual growth but also bringing the community forward through one’s personal growth.
All episodes can also now be heard on Apple Podcasts – here
Do you want to work on taking the actions of your life and find meaning in all you do and who you are? Are you struggling with your spiritual growth. Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
New beginnings: A blog about spirituality, chaplaincy and renewal 