A RETURN TO OUR SELVES
Tshuvah - the Hebrew
root-word has 3 meanings:
a. a return - back to where
we came from
b. a turning towards - a
certain direction or orientation
c. a response - to a certain
question or challenge
When we combine all 3
definitions into one, we come up with something like this:
Tshuvah is the inner drive or
response to orient ourselves to return to becoming the primordial self
that we are called upon to
become deep inside of ourselves, or in shorter fashion
Tshuva is our drive to become
who we are really meant to become
1. A RETURN TO YOURSELF
MEDITATION
Look deeply into your Soul. Ask
yourself what it is that you are truly meant to do in this life, who is it that
you are truly meant to become. Picture yourself after this life, in the post
life, when you are being congratulated by a mixed host of Heavenly and earthly
beings. They are all celebrating the fact that you were able to become, while
alive in your physical existence, the ultimate you.
They are showing you what you did and how you did it in a
full-feature video. Watch the video in your mind's eye and take note of as much
detail as you can. You can watch it again and again to catch in subsequent
viewings, what you didn't catch the previous times. Pay close attention, this
is the roadmap of your future. It’s where you will blossom into becoming the
ultimate you!
2. RECOLLECTIONS
One of the first steps in
doing Tshuvah, is to be able to recall our past. When we recall our past, then
we discover what Hashem has given us and derive great joy from this. We can
also discover what we did right and would like to keep doing right, as well as
what we did wrong and would like to refrain from doing or doing in a different
way.
We also can discover through
recalling the many events of our recent past, what it is that Hashem is guiding
us to do with our lives. Specifically, the unfolding process of becoming our
ultimate selves.
RECOLLECTION
MEDITATIONS
Here are some possible realms
that you may have been engaged in, The reason I chose these following realms is
because I have previously composed the teachings and meditations and tools that
I can provide for deeper exploration and self-actualization.
But, please feel free to
recall the events of your last year in any way that works best for you. For
example, try out your levels of inspiration, being influential, being
receptive, rights and wrongs, responsibility taking, and living the standards
of truth and justice. Also, as you'll soon see, the first recollection is
detailed, and the next ones are not. You can just apply the guidance of the
first one to the others.
HEALING RECOLLECTIONS
Try to recall if, during the
course of the year, you were active in healing. If so, what type of
healing.
Here’s some possibilities of
types of healing:
unblocking flow - in the body, in the soul, in making a living,
in inter-personalizing
transcending - light into darkness, life breakthroughs, spiritual warrioring. Experience
the positive feelings you get from the gifts that Hashem gave you in the area
of healing.
How can you increase the
intensity or improve upon your healing abilities?
Are there any new healing
ideas being born to you?
How do you see Hashem guiding
you, from the healing experiences of your past, to become the ultimate healer
that you can be?
SELF-ACTUALIZING RECOLLECTIONS
Do the steps above and recall
the self-actualizing you have done during the last year.
Here are some variations of self-awareness actualizations:
I am totally self-expressed
as
a. total self-awakeness
b. total self-expression
c. psychically aligned
[S.A.T.]
d. happy
e. expressing my own unique
way in the world
f. my Jewishness
g. above-Nature Living
h. living the life I love with
Ratzon
i. clarity of where I'm at with
chesbon
SPIRITUAL SELF
RECOLLECTIONS
Soul expression, soul
answers, expansion/infinitized co-creation, Tzaddik-ing, Daas-ing, bridging,
Baal Tshuva-ing, Chasidic mastery
G-D CONNECTION
RECOLLECTIONS
Letting Hashem in, fusing
with Hashem, puppet show-ing, Mitzva-izing reality, unification-izing, Divine
emulations, knowing Hashem, Praying Space level
WISDOM RECOLLECTIONS
connect to truth,
correct seeing
my take on Torah
life wisdom-ing
INTERPERSONAL
RECOLLECTIONS
marriage, parenting, kindred
soul-ing, people in general, charity/giving
3. RIGHT AND WRONG
Unlike the outlook of many people
and communities that exist today, the Torah teaches in the most thorough and
intricate fashion that there is a right and wrong in everything we do
Part of the realm of
rightness and wrongness is the subjective side, meaning what is right and wrong
for ME or for YOU, or what is right or wrong for becoming the best you that you
can become. But there is a whole framework for what is objectively right and
wrong.
We live in a time where many
people are not exposed to or are not quite ready to be exposed to or commit to
the massive body of wisdom containing the rights and wrongs of traditional,
observant, Halachic Judaism.
Nevertheless, the Tshuva dynamic demands of us to at least
strive to become better, higher, purer and Holier than what we are presently, all
within the context of the Torah's version of right and wrong.
What is one who is only
partially on board with all of this, to do? For one, they can check their
readiness to accept upon themselves new Halachahs and /or Mitzvahs as well as
strengthening those areas that they are already holding by. The challenge is to
do Tshuvah (an inner commitment to be real) from a vantage point of where you
are at now and where you eventually want to be.
A RIGHT AND WRONG
MEDITATION
Try to recall, both in a
general way, as well as in a detailed way, how well you have clung to doing
what is right in life. If possible, make a list of the areas where you came up
short. One way to help you remember is to refer to a Yom Kippur or weekday
Prayer Book, to the list of confessed sins inside it. See how you measure up. Part
of this recollection process is to search out where you have not been right or
ok towards yourself, regarding becoming the best you that you could've become.
Search out those areas of Judaism that you have already accepted
upon yourself, and how well you have done in these areas throughout the year, like
prayer or charity or belief in Hashem. Seek out new areas of the Torah's rights
and wrongs that you feel you are ready now to commit to. Take note of all that
you have collected above, and with a full and contrite heart, commit to right
the wrongs and commit to strengthen the rights that you already hold by.
4. MAXIMIZING THE ATMOSPHERE
FOR TSHUVA MEDITATIONS
Create for yourself the best
possible atmosphere, that will enable you to remain in a state of constant
Tshuva, connected to your true self and to Hashem:
A. Surround yourself with
newness. Search out any old habits or places or times or personal identity molds,
etc. that confine you or condemn you to repeat the same mistakes, that cause
you to repeatedly fall into those same old self-defeating traps. Exchange them
for new ones, even slightly different ones, if you can. And notice how a change
of “background music” can change your fate, as well as the way that you think
and feel.
B. Draw down upon yourself,
as much as possible, a state of expanded consciousness. Seek out new ways to
cope with problems and challenges, ways that keep you safe and healthy and
flowing and growing, no matter how difficult the problem is.
Seek out new expansive
outlooks and perspectives and beliefs that can keep you connected to your true
self, and to the truth in general.
Seek to strengthen
personality traits that work well for you and your process and look to improve
those traits that work well for you.
Seek out ways to awaken and
express more and more of the totality of your being.
Seek to go beyond yourself
and your present capacities to discover a bigger and better you.
Seek to maximize your
connection to Hashem.
C. Surround yourself with an
environment that is very conducive to being in an expanded mind state.
Seek to immerse yourself in a
setting that encourages mutual love and compassion and caring.
Seek to immerse yourself in a
setting that encourages the pursuit of wisdom, especially spiritual and Divine
Wisdom as taught in the Torah.
Seek to immerse yourself in a
setting that encourages you to cling to the Creator of the Universe in all possible
ways.
5. MASTER OF RETURN TSHUVA
MEDITATIONS
Become a Master of Return,
meaning return to a constant awareness of your deepest and most authentic self
and to an awareness of your purpose of being on this earth, as well as an
awareness of Hashem inside you and all around you
A. Know yourself as best as
you are able
Look into your past year and
recall, as much as you can, who you have become, what you have accomplished and
any other valuable information that you can gather.
Create an annual awards ceremony
like the Oscars for yourself, include such categories as your greatest creative
achievements as well as your greatest interpersonal, intellectual, and coping
achievements from these recollections and self-discoveries. Allow the new you
to emerge or to be born or to be projected or to be yearned for.
Discover in this new you your essential self. Experience how
this new you feels like it has come back home.
B. Master the art of Turning
Away from Falseness and Inauthenticity, from within you and from without you.
Seek out the company of people who are authentic, truthful and
who mean what they say and say what they mean. If you must be around people who
are not like this, try to bring out in them their good, authentic, and truthful
sides, the best you can.
Seek out in yourself the
greatest possible levels of truth and authenticity, don't settle for anything
less. There are always deeper and truer levels to achieve.
C. Know that by transforming
your past failings into springboards for growth and healing and all kinds of
other goodness you can reach levels that are higher than that of the greatest
Tzadik, and your act of Tshuva can impact in the greatest possible ways, your
surroundings, and the entire world and the entire generation!
Search your past for the
inner motivations you had in those areas that you failed in or missed the mark
or caused damage to yourself or to others. Go back and change those motivations
as regards what you did then, as well as to similar challenges that you face
now.
See how this new elevated and pure motivation represents a new
you. See how you can lift yourself and the outcome of your choices up to a new,
pristine level of being, a level of being that if it is pure enough, can impact
your present, your past, and also the entire world. Carry on in this way with
regard to as many life choices as possible.
May we all become true Baalei
Tshuva - Masters of Tshuva.
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