Get Uncomfortable

The first day of Libra is also the first day of Rosh Hashanah which means ‘head of the year.’ Kabbalists teach that on Rosh Hashanah everything of the physical world came into existence. Rosh Hashanah is a time to take an honest account of who we are and what we’ve done throughout the year in order to prepare ourselves spiritually for the next year, no matter what happened during the past year (the good, the bad, the ugly). First, you acknowledge it, so the process of cleansing can begin. Next, you feel the pain that you may have caused others and yourself in the past year. Finally, take active steps to rewrite and redo your past mistakes. This process enables us to enter into the next year with a clean slate.

 

It’s an important time to look at EVERYTHING without holding back, because whatever we awaken, whatever we remember, and whatever we acknowledge and take responsibility for can then be released, freeing us to move forward without baggage. It’s a process of removing and correcting the past – no residue, nothing to hold us back, and nothing more to judge or criticize. It’s an intensely uncomfortable experience to sort through all of our broken promises, unmet potential, uncharitable words. Yet, it offers us a tremendous amount of spiritual freedom to move forward into the next year, renewed.

 

The kabbalists explain that everything we desire is supported by the Creator. We only need to build the vessels to contain the blessings. This past year every one of us finished the year with a debt to the Creator. This means that we awakened and were sent all the Light and blessings that we desired, but we ran out of vessels. Practically, let’s say you decided to run a marathon last year. But your work load increased, you got a cold mid-training, or you just changed your mind. All the Light you needed to run that marathon was given to you, but you didn’t build a vessel for it.

 

The important endeavor is not just to look back at the blessings we didn’t manifest, but instead to make a decision not to waste blessings for the coming year. Our desire is our greatest gift on Rosh Hashanah. Through our desire we awaken all the Light and blessings for that which we want to achieve in the year to come.  We have to decide not to waste our time on concerns of our ego, on negative emotions like doubt, fear and judgment because filling our vessels with negativity means that there is less and less room for blessings. If the Light isn’t flowing and we’re not achieving our purpose, it’s because we don’t have a vessel for them.

 

Each one of us is deserving of greatness.  My husband always says, “Greatness is not reserved for the great; the great are those who have risen to meet their destiny.”  Being who we are, and living our lives with truth and honesty is part of that destiny.

 

At the Head of the Year, set your goals high, renew your desire to live with purpose and authenticity, and be a sharing and kind person.

 

Thought Into Action

 

Make a list of ‘kindness goals’ that you want to accomplish in the New Year. Make a list of ‘purpose’ goals for the year.