Oneness - A Mindful Jewish Moment

Not all wisdom lives in the light. In this 90-second meditation, Kerith shares a teaching from the Rebbe of Sokolow on the theme of shadow knowledge—the truths we uncover in darkness, struggle, and the hidden places of the soul. The Rebbe of Sokolow taught that the shadows are not to be feared—they are where we meet the most honest parts of ourselves.

During the Counting of the Omer, we are invited to illuminate even the obscured corners of our being, integrating what is hidden into our path of growth. This meditation invites you to sit with what is unresolved, to listen to the quiet wisdom of your inner shadows, and to emerge with deeper clarity and compassion.

Transcript

When Aaron the priest lifted his hands to bless the people,

The Torah writing describing this moment is unclear,

And in the scroll it is written,

His hand rather than his hands.

To reconcile this discrepancy,

Nefesh Yehonatan offers,

This is to teach us that Israel is blessed when they are unified,

Making of his hands his hand,

One hand out of all the many hands reaching to the heavens,

To bring to the people of Israel bounteous blessings from the heavenly abode.

Rest your eyes,

Relaxing body and breath,

Bringing focus to the breath.

With each inhalation,

Notice the breath entering as dispersed air and coalescing in the heart,

In the heart space.

Pause gently,

And with each exhalation,

Allow the breath to exit in a focused column of air.

With each inhalation,

Recognizing that we perceive the stuff of the world around us as distinct and separate.

With each exhalation,

Remembering that all is one.