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Post by hollygail on Sept 7, 2016 4:48:28 GMT
Welcome!! You have entered a space where all people are invited to gather to discuss matters of Spirituality, in mutual respect and friendliness: "Considering...Spirituality." Here, the focus is on personal spirituality and not dogma. We welcome with open arms people from any, all, and no religious/faith backgrounds, and those who practice spirituality on their own, to join us for a discussion centered on a higher consciousness. Each day there will be a quote, question, or discussion prompt presented for all to ponder and respond to.
**In maintaining an atmosphere of comfort and trust, we do not allow proselytizing (the effort of trying to convert others) or the denigrating of the religions and viewpoints of others. We also avoid bringing up topics such as politics, hot button social issues, or anything that can be considered divisive**
As this was a WW board, we also discuss our personal wellness, including our weight management program. We share our struggles and our triumphs regarding such as well as discuss things like family, friends, jobs, hobbies, outside interests, etc... We strive to build each other up with loving support in a positive manner. Let us not ever tear one another down in any way, shape or form.
Regular thread starters for the time being are:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: Gary / Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Holly
Yet if anyone is so inclined, please feel free to start a new thread by beginning with the title: "Considering ... (topic)," post this introduction (by way of copy & paste) then follow that with a post putting forth a question and/or quote (with or without some explanation) for us to ponder today. The topic can be inspired by your personal faith, but please do remember that anyone from other spiritual paths should be able to answer it.
Shalom, Love & Light, Blessed Be, Namaste... |
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Post by hollygail on Sept 7, 2016 4:50:01 GMT
Gary, yesterday you said (in part) <<One thing I really don't understand about Judaism, and honestly disagree with, is the need for a "quorum" of 10 Jews over the age of 13 to say certain prayers.>> It has to do with “community.” You need a “community” to proclaim certain things. Here’s one example: the (formal) “call to prayer.” You’ve seen movies in which a Muslim man climbs into a bell tower (or something like that) and chants something in a language we don’t understand, but we know he’s calling people to prayer. For us, the “call to prayer” calls the “community” to prayer. If you don’t have a “community” present, you can’t call the “community” together for anything at all. And the definition of community is a minimum of ten adult Jews, and “adult” is considered over the age of 13. That’s why we don’t say certain prayers if we don’t have at least ten Jews over the age of 13. We can say all the rest of the liturgy (morning, afternoon, and/or evening); it’s only a few things we can’t do without a minyan (quorum) of at least 10 Jews over age 13. That’s how important community is in Judaism. The month leading up to Rosh haShanah (the New Year on the calendar) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement, which occurs 10 days after Rosh haShanah) is a time of self-reflection and taking stock of oneself, of one’s life. We consider (pun intended) the last year and think about what we want to change for the coming year (I’m simplifying all this). So I found an article about change that I’d like to quote from and then ask your opinion about it. - - - 8 Ways to Jumpstart Change Great quotes to inspire personal transformation. by Sara Debbie Gutfreund [and only edited a little bit by me] The tiniest effort towards changing opens new doorways to attaining our goals. As the midrash says, "Make for Me an opening the size of the needle point and in turn I will open up for you a door." (Midrash Song of Songs 5:2). In the Jewish month of Elul we are given a special jumpstart to change. Here are 8 points to help you begin today.
1. "To change your life, you have to change your priorities." Anonymous
What do you value the most in life? List the three most important areas and check that your schedule reflects those priorities. You will never change your life unless you change something that you do every day.
2. "Life isn't about finding yourself; it's about creating yourself." Anonymous
Focus on becoming the person you want to be.
3. “You are not born a winner; you are not born a loser. You are born a chooser." Anonymous
We are all born with different strengths and weaknesses but each of us gets to choose how we are going to use what we are given. Every choice we make either helps us attain gratitude and joy, or complaining and negativity.
4. “Don't make change too complicated. Just begin." Rabbi Noah Weinberg, obm
Don’t get caught up in the planning stage of goal setting, and get discouraged before you even begin. Just take the first step. Beginning is the hardest part.
5. “It always seems impossible until it is done." Nelson Mandela
Our goals look out of our reach until we tackle them. Every great idea is impossible until someone actually goes through with it. Redefine what is possible.
6. “Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself." Anonymous.
Be proactive. When you don't like something, find a way to improve it. Take responsibility for changing yourself.
7. “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them." Michael Jordon
We don’t exceed the limits of our own beliefs about ourselves. If you want an extraordinary life, believe in your unique gifts.
8. “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. It is now time to change the things I cannot accept." Angela Davis.
You don't need to accept anything in your life that you don't like. God can change anything at any time. He makes the impossible possible and the darkness into light. Never give up on anything or anyone.
Published: August 15, 2015
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q/q: Any comments on the article as a whole, and/or any of the 8 points? Do any of these “speak” to you on a personal level? Can you imagine any of them helping you along on your weight loss journey (or weight maintenance journey)? |
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Post by fabulessme on Sept 7, 2016 12:56:54 GMT
Wow...I lost the link to this page and now I found it (Amazing Grace LOL
Holly, I love the month of Elul. I love everything about it. It's like your own report card.
I resonate with all of them, but in particular #4 and #6.
Ilove and miss Rabbi Weinberg. His wisdom and love for fellow Jew taught me much. It's true about starting--just start. Too often we get caught up in creating the perfect circumstances. Or we have paralysis of analysis.
Just start.
#6 I am responsible for my choices, my life and the outcomes. If I'm not happy with my life--well I'm the one that created it. My life today is the result of yesterday's choices. So change it today! Make different choices.
I'm not into holding everyone and everything responsible for my unhappiness with my present life.
We are made in G0ds image so we have creative abilities. Create something new.
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Post by glrogers67 on Sept 7, 2016 15:54:05 GMT
Holly, I think I understand about the importance of community. I'm just not use to the "formal" definition Judaism requires. Brings back memories of when I was an ordained Seventy. We had a very small group of 3 or 4 Seventies in our ward. Sometimes we only had 2 attend, but we always had a formal lesson and an opening and closing prayer for the meeting. Sometimes we decided to attend the Elders' quorum to have that sense of community.
Actually #1 resonates with me more than the others. When Weight Watchers was my priority I lost weight. Gradually I lost focus on that priority and I haven't lost weight since. I really need to prioritize better; it seems like I have been spinning my wheels a lot lately.
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Post by glrogers67 on Sept 7, 2016 16:34:26 GMT
Kind of interesting... I just realized we don't have a Jewish "quorum" to conduct business in this group! But I still feel a sense of community here.
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Post by hollygail on Sept 8, 2016 1:33:24 GMT
There used to be a TV show called Northern Exposure about a town somewhere in Alaska, pretty remote, as I recall. The town apparently paid tuition at a medical school and when the student graduated, instead of repaying the "loan," his obligation was to serve that town for a certain length of time. Anyway, the doctor was Jewish and at one point in the series, some close relative of his died and he felt the need to say the mourners kaddish (sanctification). The townspeople got together (he was the only Jew in the entire town) and farmed out names and phone numbers to each other; they apparently scoured Alaska to find ten Jews to come to their town for the doctor to say kaddish. It was a touching and funny (all at one time) episode. The upshot was that the doctor said these people who had been gathered from around the state didn't make him feel like "community;" he felt like the townspeople were his community (he'd been living there for a couple of years by this time). He sent all the Jewish folks home and gathered the townspeople together. During the minutes he was saying kaddish, anyone else was invited to say whatever prayers (etc.) they were moved to. I remember that the camera panned around the room, and I specifically remember a few native Americans with closed eyes, swaying with lips moving.
So "community" can certainly be defined differently in different situations. I too consider this "Considering ..." group to be a community I belong to, Gary. Nora and Christine and Jim (when he comes) and Cynthia (when she comes) as well as you and I form this particular community. I'm very comfortable here.
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