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Post by hollygail on Oct 20, 2016 4:27:36 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 -q/q)", 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 Oct 20, 2016 4:28:54 GMT
Let me tell you a little about this month on the Jewish calendar. The name of the month is Tishrei, rhyming with “DISH tray.” The 1st of Tishrei started at sundown Sunday, October 2 and continued until sundown Monday, October 3, and it was Rosh haShanah, the “head” of the year, better known as the Jewish New Year. The holy day of Rosh haShanah is two days long outside of the Reform movement (I don’t know about in Israel). One day later is a somewhat “minor” fast day (the fast of Gedalia), Wednesday, October 5 (and this “fast” is only from dawn to dusk, unlike the one on Yom Kippur which begins at sundown the night before Yom Kippur and ends when you can see three stars in the sky on the night of Yom Kippur). Then on the 10th of Tishrei comes Yom Kippur (day of atonement) which began at sundown on Tuesday, October 11 and ended later than sundown (officially, when three stars could be seen in the sky, assuming a clear enough night to be able to see stars) on Wednesday, October 12.
The 15th of Tishrei (sundown Sunday, October 16) begins Sukkot (I told you some things about Sukkot yesterday). Outside of the Reform movement (and again, I don’t know about in Israel), the first two and last two days of Sukkot are “big” holidays (similar to the Sabbath in that we don’t work, go to school, do any of the things we’d do on an ordinary day). Sukkot is officially seven days, and the 7th day is also Hoshanah Rabbah (a little difficult to translate; the “nah” at the end of the first word is “please” as in asking nicely; “rabbah” indicates a lot of, or much, so you might say “great” in this context; and the beginning of the phrase can be translated as “save us” but I’m not sure that’s literal at all; so I checked on the internet and found the “Great Supplication”).
One day later is called the Eighth Day of Assembly, 22nd of Tishrei, Monday (beginning the previous evening) October 24.
And then, 23rd of Tishrei is Simchat Torah (rejoicing in the Torah, when we complete reading the end of Deuteronomy and roll the Torah scrolls all the way back to the beginning and immediately read the first verses of Genesis) on Tuesday, October 25 (beginning, you guessed it, Monday at sundown). (I have the honor of chanting the verses in Genesis depicting day 1 of creation in at least one, possibly two, and slim chance of three synagogues this year, because one very small synagogue with a part-time rabbi celebrates all Jewish holidays on the closest Sabbath so I’ll read there next Saturday morning, one is trying an experiment to mark Simchat Torah during Sunday School instead of Monday evening thinking that more people may come Sunday morning than Monday evening, and the “slim chance” one is the Conservative synagogue I attend weekday mornings).
After Tishrei comes Cheshvan (the “ch” is the guttural fricative like in Chanukah, not like in Charles, and the “van” part sounds more like vaaahhhhhhhhhn, similar to the second syllable of the woman’s name Yvonne) with zero holidays in it.
And the following month is Kislev (pronounced the same as kiss; the second syllable of the Hebrew word is the same as the first syllable of the English word “heavy”). And on the 25th of Kislev begins Chanukah (this year, at sundown on December 24, the first candle we light for the first of the eight days of Chanukah).
Gary, you’ve told us about various LDS conferences held at different times of the year, many of which are broadcast so that people who aren’t near the city (cities?) of the gatherings can still watch / hear the presentations.
q/q: Do certain holidays or holy days (or fill in the blank for your own spiritual path) “cluster” on any of the calendars used in any of the spiritual paths anyone follows? If yes, are there periods of zero holidays too? What’s the emotional component (or what are the emotional components) of either the holidays or lack of them?
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Post by glrogers67 on Oct 20, 2016 16:34:22 GMT
We are now entering the holiday season in the United States and perhaps other countries as well. Perhaps this "cluster" of holidays is an offshoot of Judaism. It starts with Labor Day, then Columbus day, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and finally Christmas and New Year's day. August is noted as the only month without any observed holidays. Walmart is constantly merchandising for the next holiday. Thanksgiving has become an excuse to grossly overeat. Our garden center is full of Christmas trees and other decorations even before the Halloween costumes are gone. I am a creature of routine and holidays disrupt my routine world. Holidays are grossly over-commercialized. It is sometimes difficult to keep Christ in Christmas, which is why I look forward to our ward Christmas program and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas program and the annual Christmas devotional from our First Presidency. Can you tell I am not a great fan of the holiday season despite its connection to religion?
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Post by glrogers67 on Oct 20, 2016 21:05:04 GMT
Wow it's worse than what I thought. I just got a letter from Social Security. The $9 deposit I got was NOT my COLA. Apparently they made a mistake calculating my benefit and was $1 / month short. The $9 was to catch up for 2016. So my COLA for 2017 will be 70 cents / month not the $9 I thought I would get!!
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Post by hollygail on Oct 21, 2016 6:21:55 GMT
What's COLA?
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Post by glrogers67 on Oct 21, 2016 15:01:20 GMT
Cost of Living Adjustment. Let's see - 70 cents / month might get me an extra pack of gum!
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