Tekiah - Exercises

When a person is filled with God's love, all things become sacred, pleasurable and loving.
- Rabbi Nachmanof Tchernoble

Exercise #1 - Making a time line of your life

Start from birth and end in the present and make an outline of significant events and transitions that have happened in your life. What is important to one person may seem mundane to another. Being called names in the 6th grade may have made a huge impact on you. So, be honest and accurate. Then analyze the ebb and flow. How did one event lead to another. If one negative thing hadn’t happened, would a positive event later on be eliminated? Contemplate the all knowing path your life has taken. What is the symbolism? Are you being led towards something...the successful blending of your personality and your soul? Record your insights and refer back to them from time to time...and don’t forget to add new events every few years.

Exercise #2 - What was your role while growing up?

Take some time to think about the role you played in your family of origin. Were you the independent achiever, the needy baby, the trouble maker? Delve into the role you played and write down as many adjectives as you can. Is this the real you? Or is there much more to you than just this role? Did your family encourage this behavior, even create it?

Exercise #3 - The Metaphor of Mom and Dad

Take a pen and paper and make two columns. One column will be labeled Mom and the other Dad. Write a list of positive and negative personality traits for each of them. Be honest. There are good and challenging qualities in all of us. Next, examine what you have learned from each of these individuals. Consider that you may have even learned something from their more challenging characteristics. Why might you have chosen this set of people in this lifetime?

Exercise #4 - Finding and using the symbolism in your life

Set up a small area in your house where you can begin placing symbolic items that you collect. Be creative. There are no mistakes possible, only intuitive imagination. Take time each day to sit quietly by your collection. Hold the objects, and consider how you can transfer the energy that they represent into the material realm of your life. While there are no rules, Jewish items will work to enhance your Jewish spiritual practice.

Exercise #5 - Meditation

Author Sonia Choquette says that 15 minutes of meditating is all you need to increase your intuitive awareness. With your channels more open, you’ll be better able to pick up on things you are saying and doing that come from your mask and not your soul. Breathe in slowly to the count of 4 seconds. Exhale to the count of four seconds. Repeat for 15 minutes, once a day. When thoughts enter your mind, don’t dwell on them, just let them pass in a detached way. Refer to page for more specific information on Jewish Meditation

Exercise #6 - Writing

I’m indepted to author Julia Cameron for introducing me to the morning pages. Not really a diary or a journal, the morning pages are a stream of consciousness diatribe that clears your mind of trapped anxieties so that you can better focus on the creative and intuitive for the rest of the day. Get yourself a notebook or journal. Every morning when you wake up write three pages of what ever comes to mind. Seriously, if all you can think about is letting the dog out and emptying the dishwasher, then write it down. Purge the mundane and the emotional right onto the page and I guarantee that after a few weeks you’ll begin to see changes in your life and you’ll start to uncover the REAL you.

Exercise #7 - Past Life Regression Therapy

Whether you are a firm believer in reincarnation , or not, Past Life Regression Therapy is an incredible way to understand repetitive patterns in your life. And, many non-believers have found great benefit from this type of exercise. Basically, a trained hypnotherapist will be your guide into a state of relaxation. Don’t worry, you’ll still have control over all of your faculties. You’ll be instructed to remember the events that were instrumental in your development of certain issues or problems. While the visions of other times and places are interesting, it is the symbolic meaning of your actions and interactions that are significant. By comparing what you discover to the events of this lifetime, you may be able to piece together a story that makes sense. Once you see your repetitive patterns, you can begin to consciously eliminate them. Be sure to choose a practitioner that is affiliated with the International Association for Regression Research and Therapies - 909-784-1570 or www.iarrt.org. Read "Does the Soul Survive" by Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz and "Dust from the Ashes" by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom for a Jewish perspective on this topic.

Exercise #8 - Spiritual Discussion Group

There is nothing like the energy of an intimate group of friends supporting each other’s growth, In a safe environment you can explore all of your thoughts, feelings, dreams and disappointments and get feedback on your past actions and future contemplations. By getting to know a few people very well, you begin to have insight into yourself and your motivations and you, in turn, are better able to guide others. Groups can be formed around a particular book or, the group can just be a general, spiritual support group. Keep it small. Under ten people is best and meet at least once a month. The more frequent your meetings, the deeper the discussions become and the faster growth will occur. Refer to the bibliography for possible books that would be appropriate for a Jewish oriented discussion.

Exercise #9 - Body Work

The use of the body doesn’t have to be strenuous or athletic to experience the spiritual aspects of body work. From walking, to yoga, to swimming, to golf, the rhythmic experience of body movement allows you to enter a zone that increases your relaxation ability. In time, your awareness is heightened and insight into your self and who you really are increases. Check out your chart for the types of movement that would suit you and keep you interested. A fiery type person would need an aerobic activity. For some , a competitive atmosphere would work well. An analytical yet earthy person may find solace in a challenging game of golf or a yoga class that is taught outside. Water sports are a possibility for those who tend to be more emotional, but combininations are endless. sitting in the jacuzzi might work for one individual, while cave diving might do the trick for another. In addition to sports, massage, chiropractic, Reiki, acupuncture, Feldenkreis, Alexander and Rolfing are all other types of therapies that allow you to get more in touch with your body. By knowing your outer self, you begin to uncover your inner self. Read "Minding the Temple of the Soul" by Tamar Frankiel and Judy Greenfield for a Jewish perspective on this topic.

Exercise #10 - Communing with Nature

Connecting yourself to our Mother Earth is another way to get closer to the real you. Being out in nature, like exercise, can quite the mind and, therefore, allow you an easier access to your true inclinations. The peace and quiet that can be found in this kind of practice, allows you to connect to your inner self. Some examples are: tending a garden, going on a canoe float, horseback riding on a guidedtrail, camping, caring for a pet, hiking, visiting a zoo, visiting a botanic garden, swimming with dolphins, rock climbing, biking, skiing, sailing, viewing the universe through a telescope. Read "Ecology and the Jewish Spirit" by Ellen Bernstein for a broader Jewish perspective.

For more info, contact dina@tekiah.com