Count the Omer-Week 2-/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)-Day 3/Tiferet (BEAUTY)

Menuhah, Mommy, J, James and Grace

Week 2-/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)-Day 3/ Tiferet (BEAUTY)

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

A surprise family get together resulted in today's omer photo. I was thinking of using something with lots of multi colored tulips. Then I realized each one of us are a beautiful flower  blooming at a different time and all together creating a human bouquet full of color. There are gardeners, bikers, and artists among us, some just starting to open their petals and others all along the spectrum. If you are reading this then let me say that you too are full of beauty. Please look.

After nightfall on Monday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is ten days which is one week and three days of the Omer.

Count the Omer-Week 2-/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)-Day 2/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)

The seeds, the soil and an angel.

Week 2-/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)-Day 2/ Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)

“Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

A day of sowing and reaping. This morning I woke up early to go with a friend on our own Cherry Blossom 5K jog. Step after step, amongst the crowds, this ability something I am reaping after months of walking. Later I came home to plant seeds; reading each seed packet of the kale, holy basil, spinach, lettuce and regular basil. Which pot and which place on my fire escape will give each one just what they need? For each seed, for each soul the same questions.

After nightfall on Sunday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is nine days which is one week and two days of the Omer.

Count the Omer-Week 2-/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)-Day 1/Chesed (LOVE)

The Gymboss timer app my cousin suggested I use.

Week 2-/Gevurah (DISCIPLINE)-Day 1/Chesed (LOVE)

“You don't have to make any effort during walking meditation, because it is enjoyable. You are there, body and mind together. You are fully alive, fully present in the here and the now. With every step, you touch the wonders of life that are in you and around you. When you walk like that, every step brings healing.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

The meaning of "gevurah" for me this year is "discipline. Loving myself better in body has meant a change in diet and now an increase in exercise. I have taken it very very slow but even so I find it funny to want to go out and jog. In addition to MyFitnessPal I have put three exercise related apps, C25K, MapMyWalk and Gymboss, on my iPhone. I know the trick is to be consistent. I don't push myself instead using deep listening to what my body wants. Always a journey.

After nightfall on Saturday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is eight days which is one week and one day of the Omer.

Count the Omer-Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 7/Malchut (KINGDOM)

A wall of Turkish "bazar boncugu" in Zaytinya restaurant.

Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 7/Malchut (KINGDOM)

“Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear hear the voices of our loved ones.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

We all have something we are afraid of. Children are afraid of being left alone, grownups afraid of being left unloved. How much time is spent with our fears? When I was in Istanbul I bought several of the Turkish bazar boncuqu, the eye shaped amulets of dark blue, designed to protect you against the evil eye. I see them as eyes of God watching over me. They are the eyes of anyone I have loved and who has loved me watching over me. Even I watch over me and with all those watchful eyes how can I help but be safe?!

After nightfall on Friday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is seven days which is one week of the Omer.

Count the Omer-Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 6/Yesod (FOUNDATION)

Front part of the old Chinese embassy in DC.

Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 6/Yesod (FOUNDATION)

“The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person's suffering and bring that person joy.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

The Chinese embassy was blocks from my home but recently moved to a new building several miles away. The developer buying the land decided to save part of the old building adding struts from the foundation to hold it up. Every time I jog past I wonder what are the metaphoric struts holding me up? Surely they are at least partially made of acts of loving-kindness.

After nightfall on Thursday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is six days of the Omer.

Count the Omer-Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 5/Hod (SPLENDOR)

Young boy weaves color in the light.

Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 5/Hod (SPLENDOR)

“Mindfulness is enlightenment, understanding, compassion, liberation and healing. If we touch everything with mindfulness, the world will reveal itself in its full splendor.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

Beautiful colors in beautiful light are what I think of for the word splendor; peacock feathers and luxury fabrics. The colors we see it turns out are only the reflections of light. So light then is at the center of it all. Later when I was reading the words of my teacher Thay I decided that mindfulness can be the light. As this week is all about love I hope to let the love and light be mindfully woven together. Breathing in the light, breathing out the love. Splendid.  

After nightfall on Wednesday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is five days of the Omer.

Count the Omer-Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 4/Netzach (ENDURANCE)

Teacher and student.

Week 1-/Chesed (LOVE)-Day 4/Netzach (ENDURANCE)

“We fear that this moment will end, that we won't get what we need, that we will lose what we love, or that we will not be safe. Often, our biggest fear is the knowledge that one day our bodies will cease functioning. So even when we are surrounded by all the conditions for happiness, our joy is not complete.” 

-Thich Nhat Hanh-―

When I was little I put my fingers on every wall I saw. I hoped my fingerprints would last forever though I would be gone. Now this memory makes me smile. I know it is our loving memories that endure. Perhaps they are like fingerprints on a heart. Today a young man, my student nineteen years ago, recognized me as I took my walk. His face was filled with joy as he told me of his life. And me? I smiled as I recognized my fingerprints.

After nightfall on Tuesday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is four days of the Omer.