Elul Reflections

Elul is almost here! Beginning this Shabbat, the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah is the perfect time for introspection - it’s a chance to carve out space to let our souls speak to us about who we are and who we want to be in this year to come.

To go with our High Holiday theme for a moment, “Like Clay,” we’re both the clay and the artisans, so we get to intentionally craft the shape of our year, creatively experimenting with the shape and form until it more closely resembles the vision in our minds - and knowing that we will ultimately be shaped by larger forces beyond our control. How will we respond - will we crack under the pressure? Will we allow ourselves to be supple like clay in the hands of the potter? [If you want to dive deeper into this theme, your first chance is coming up this Sunday with Dr. Amy and myself! Sign up here.)

The High Holidays “work” best when you give yourself a chance to reflect on some of the big questions before you walk into shul on Rosh Hashanah. I recommend spending some time over the next few weeks with a few key questions. The prompt below for week one of Elul comes from Merle and Lisa Feld’s Derekh program (available free online with a suggested $36 donation). Check out the website for other prompts if this one doesn’t speak to you, as well as suggestions for journaling.

Feel free to engage with this prompt through meditation, walking, journaling, or calling up a trusted friend, therapist, or family member to chat - however it is easiest for you to open up and connect to your inner voice.

First Prompt for Week 1 from Derekh:

Because I know so many who are reading this prioritize the care of others, I invite you to begin this Elul retrospective in an unexpected place - with you, and what you need.

What have you discovered this year about creating boundaries to ensure your own self-care? It has been a struggle for many of us “to refill the well” when responsibilities have demanded perpetual giving, attention focused outward. How have you been able to nourish yourself? Recall, tell the stories of times when you were able to prioritize yourself, triage demands, perhaps learned to say “no,” or “not now”? How can you grow as an advocate for your own health and wellbeing?

Shana tova,
R’ Lauren