Welcome to Be With Melinda.
Today we enter the Jewish mystical journey of Ahava.
You are warmly welcome to receive its wisdom.
Whether or not you know Hebrew.
Or come from a Jewish background.
Simply bring your breath,
Your body,
And an open heart.
Ahava is the Hebrew word for love.
In Jewish mysticism,
Love is more than an emotion.
It is a generous flow of the divine.
Moving through an open heart into the world of the mind.
This meditation draws upon a chesed.
The fourth of the ten sefirot in Kabbalah.
Chesed is loving-kindness,
Compassion,
Generosity,
And grace.
It reminds us that love is not something we earn or possess.
It is something we receive.
And something we share.
Take a slow breath in and a slower breath out.
Again breathing in and gently breathing out.
Allow your body to soften.
Relax your shoulders.
Unclench your jaw.
Feel yourself supported by the Earth beneath you.
Imagine yourself beneath an ancient olive tree.
Its branches stretch wide,
Offering shade without asking who stands beneath them.
Its fruit nourishes others.
Its roots remain deeply grounded while its gifts are freely shared.
Bring your awareness to your heart.
Imagine it becoming warm.
Spacious.
Open.
There is nothing you need to force.
Love is already here.
Silently repeat.
Lava.
Sacred Love.
Again.
Ha ha ha.
Sacred love.
With each inhale,
Receive love.
With each exhale,
Allow that love to flow outward.
First toward yourself.
Then towards someone you love.
Then towards someone who may be struggling.
Finally,
Allow your love to extend gently to all beings.
Without effort.
Without expectation.
Notice that love grows stronger the more freely it flows.
Like the olive tree.
Your heart does not become empty by giving.
It becomes more deeply rooted in its purpose.
Rest here for a few quiet breaths.
Allowing yourself to receive.
And to offer.
This sacred gift.
Take one final slow breath.
May your heart remain open to love.
May compassion guide your words and your actions.
May you recognize the divine spark within yourself.
And within every person you meet.
And may your life become a quiet blessing in the world.
Shalom.
And thank you for meditating with me today.
