The Sweet Power of Rosh Hashana
Rosh Hashana is the day that Adam and Eve were created and is the time that mankind originated. Rosh Hashana ushers in the new year and every year each of us has the chance for a renewed beginning. Each person, with their own gifts and talents, with their own challenges and ideas, has been provided, B”H, with the ability to make choices and within that, the capacity to recreate their personal reality.
We are all dealing with the realities of finances, relationships, health, self-awareness, education, work, and purpose. We are trying to improve our middos, follow halachah and learn Torah. All of these elements are here in order for us to step into ourselves, realize our potential, and with each year, grow further in the spiritual realm while caring for our physical selves. Along with this, we are to be compassionate to our family members and concerned for others’ spiritual, emotional, and physical care.
What if we are also facing fears, suffering, self-judgement, or pain? How can we control our feelings of insecurity or memories of traumatic experiences that drive our responses? When do we vanquish our negative traits, break bad habits or free ourselves from the shackles of poor self-esteem?
Yet, we are blessed with lively children of all shapes and sizes. We have colleagues that have brilliant ideas that give our work or study new meaning. The aromas of Shabbos tantalize and soothe our week-long worries. The freshness of nature and its beauty awes us, as deep contemplation, uplifting prayer or relaxation beckons us to slow down and think of our purpose in this world.
Starting off the year in a new, energetic and thoughtful way will influence the entire year. Our feelings, responses and thoughts are not written in stone. We can learn to change our immediate responses to stimuli outside of ourselves, as well as understand what pain can be for, and how to make it work in our favor.
Some of this can be done on our own, through learning Torah and reading inspirational books. Sometimes we benefit from guidance by speaking to a mentor or spiritual leader in the community. Other times, speaking to a trained individual, either a therapist or coach, may be incredibly helpful, to learn why one’s confusing or upsetting responses can actually help one become aware of one’s greater goals and how to reach them.
If we remain immobilized by difficult feelings, our lives may function on “automatic”. This may stunt our capacity to reach higher, and become true to ourselves. We can become closer to our loved ones and feel joy when we are more attached to them. We can experience the beauty of spiritual closeness, in our prayers, as they ascend heavenward to develop our connection with H’.
Can we start our year with enthusiasm for ourselves, our children and our future generations? You strive for it and you can make it happen. Motivate your family, and yourself, before the Holy Days arrive, with positive, caring thoughts and actions about the upcoming season in words, and forever embed healthy attachment into your family line.
Let us put more meaning into our Holy Days, where prayer is our main power, to create good, sweet memories for ourselves and our families. The imprint of the month of Elul, and in particular the weeks before Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, will affect this year’s ultimate beginnings, the days of “creation” of the next year. We want the attainment of new levels of life, as we would want to live it. This year.
Share with your loved ones, ideas like these, in this sweet season :
“I love Rosh Hashana”.
“It’s amazing that we can think things over and start over again”.
“This time of year, during the Chagim, the weather is always so refreshing and soothing!”
“The singing will be beautiful during davening, let’s start humming the tunes”.
“The sound of the Shofar is so exciting, it gives me the chills when I hear it in Elul”.
“Do you look forward to eating honey cake? I like the natural honey cakes the best”.
“I remember so fondly the days when Zeidy would make Yontef kiddush, with such kavana”.
“Zay Gebentsht!”
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Mrs. Eydl Reznik, Director of B’Derech Hamelech, is a Life Coach focusing on trauma recovery and ADHD coaching. We are now offering the 8-week GAP-Giving loving Authority back to Parents courses live in Jerusalem. For more information, contact us at:
torahparentcoach@gmail.com or 052-763-9018.
