We are living through times that are overwhelming and soul-crushing. It’s too too much!

Many of you may feel stretched too thin, unmoored and destabilized. You are not alone. These are very daunting times for our hearts and souls.

AND YET:

Every breath you take can shift your entire day. By pausing – even for a moment – to breathe deeply and step away from the endless stream of news, you create a ripple of calm that extends beyond yourself. This simple act of self-care doesn’t just nourish your own well-being – it radiates outward, touching those around you and contributing to a more balanced world.

Your moments of mindful presence matter more than you might imagine.

Here’s how it will work:

When you SIGN UP, beginning on Sunday February 9, you will receive an email from me each morning. The email will remind you to meditate or practice mindfulness. If you are new to mindfulness or meditation practice, don’t worry. You will get meditation guidance each day.

I will also recommend a kavannah or intention for the day and a few questions for journaling.

Every message will also contain a poem that expresses an element of mindfulness and a photo that showcases beauty. Hopefully, there will be something each day to inspire you.

The whole idea here is to begin to develop a practice that you can rely on during challenging times. It helps a lot, when developing a new habit, to have other people who are also working on the goal.

Our hope is that your practice will spill over into your day.

If you can be calm for a few minutes each day, you will create more stillness in your life.

You can join the discussion for each day in our Path with Heart Facebook group or chat with our group in the free Insight Timer app!

You do not need to be Jewish, although many of the teachings will be based in Jewish wisdom.

What is Jewish Mindfulness?

Judaism is, at its very root, all about being mindful. Woven through our tradition is the message to pay attention to the present moment, acknowledge beauty, and practice gratitude.

For example, we have a panoply of blessings that remind us to: Stop. Notice. Be Grateful. Shabbat itself is 25 hours of mindfulness once every week. The core of Shabbat is to appreciate what is. It’s about be-ing, not do-ing.

There are multiple ways to bring Jewish mindfulness into your day. One of these is with sitting or walking meditation. There are many others, some of which I will suggest during this challenge. Sitting meditation is so helpful for calming our minds. However, for some people, prayer or blessing practice can also help bring them into the moment.

Meditations

There is much to be said for a regular period of stillness and quiet each day. If you are a beginner, you can start slowly by sitting for 5 minutes and gradually build up to more time. If sitting is not your thing, you can do a walking meditation because the principles are the same.

I’ve created several guided meditations for you. Each is about 10-14 minutes long, although you can also choose to sit for longer.

Each email will contain links to guided meditations.

I hope you can join us! We need each other to be spiritually awake and calm as we walk through these times of tumult.

“To you, silence is praise.“

– Psalm 65:2