Yoga and meditations for Kislev

Yoga and meditations for Kislev

Jenna Zadaka

Jewish Yoga and meditations for Kislev

“ Let in, let be, let go… It becomes joyous to surrender.”

Kislev is a month of dreams, deep rest, and the surrender to miracles. The word for Kislev derives from the Hebrew word for trust ((כֶּסֶל). In the depths of a dark and cold winter, we trust that light and warmth will return to our days. In the Chanukah story, which takes place in the Hebrew month of Kislev, the miracle was not just that they found a jug of oil to light the Menorah, it was that they actually believed they would find something, and searched for it! That trust established the potential to find something miraculous. Trust/Bitachon was the vessel in which we received the light of Chanukah. Through deep trust, we allow miracles to enter into our lives. This begins by acknowledging there are infinite possibilities that are beyond our realm, and outside of our control. Limitless potentiality which requires that we relinquish the fallacy that what happens next is entirely up to us. Let in, let be, let go… It becomes joyous to surrender, and accept the fact that G-d is taking care of us.

“Kislev reminds us to ponder: what gives us a sense of trust, security, and stability? Is there a place, image, prayer, or memory that we can bring to the mind’s eye, no matter what? ”

Especially as women, we often experience many transformations in our lives, such as the transitions of familial or communal roles, the physical changes in our bodies, the hormonal cycles, and other emotional and spiritual waves that we experience. During spirals of evolution and uncertainty, Kislev reminds us to ponder: what gives us a sense of trust, security, and stability? Is there a place, image, prayer, or memory that we can bring to the mind's eye, no matter what? 

Spiritual Sleep

According to Sefer Yetzirah, the sense (chush) that we are called to pay extra attention to in the month of Kislev is sleep. Falling asleep is surrendering into the trust of rest. We have to trust G-d  will return our soul and that we will wake up in the morning. The Rebbe Rashab taught that, “those who fall asleep easily can enter prayer easily” , because much of our physical healing happens during sleep, and our spiritual healing through prayer. Both of these acts require the ability to disconnect from our grip on controlling circumstance, to trust in G-d, and to be held. That in that time of darkness we will be nourished with the recalibration, the re-ignition, of what we need for the next waking moment. 

“Kislev is an opportune time to connect to our inner dreams and to ask ourselves, what is the light that we have always dreamed of bringing into this world?”

Nine out of the ten biblical dreams in the Torah happen during Kislev. In order to truly believe and trust in something, first we have to dream it. To dream is to touch something beyond. Berachos (57b) teaches that a dream is considered one-sixtieth of prophecy! Without dreaming, we rob ourselves of our higher vision. Every Jew has a drop of pure, holy oil deep inside of them ready to be ignited. Kislev is an opportune time to connect to our inner dreams and to ask ourselves, what is the light that we have always dreamed of bringing into this world?

Hebrew Letter, Samech

“The Samech looks like a protective circle, an aura of light. When we have trust, we create a circle of support around us.”

It is no surprise that the letter that corresponds to the month of Kislev is the Samech, meaning “support”. We learn the inner meaning of the letter Samech from a well known verse in Tehillim, “G-d supports (somech) those who fall” (145:14). The Samech looks like a protective circle, an aura of light. When we have trust, we create a circle of support around us.

Embodiment

“When our body trusts, it can begin to open. When we open, we tap into the sense of wonder, possibility, and miracles. ”

Our embodiment practice for Kislev allows the body to be held and supported in order to enter into a state of deep trust. When our body trusts, it can begin to open. When we open, we tap into the sense of wonder, possibility, and miracles. We begin to discover the aliveness of each subtle movement and posture, the miracle of the breath, and the lightness and vitality of the body. Our body senses that there is infinity in every moment! Beautifully, the gematria (numerical value) of the word “body” (guf) is the same as the hebrew word for “Chanukah” (89), because it is through the vessel of the body that we experience the light and miracles of Chanukah.

Practice 1: Prop-Supported Reclined Butterfly

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To embody this energy of Kislev, we enter into a reclined butterfly pose. This prop-supported, restorative pose can promote trust, relaxation, and sleep by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Begin by laying down on your mat. Bring the soles of the feet together to touch and let the knees “butterfly” open out to the side so your legs make a diamond-shape. Place two blocks, pillows, or rolled up blankets beneath your thighs (the placement will be a bit different for everybody, so find the sweet spot that feels like a gentle, yet supportive opening). For even greater relaxation, place a folded blanket, pillow, or bolster beneath the spine or place a block beneath the rib cage. Rest your head on a pillow or blanket, set an eye-pillow or cloth over the eyes, and relax the muscles of your face. Extend your arms out to the side or place your palms on your belly.

Close your eyes. Trust the Earth below you as warm, loving, and safe. Allow your body to be held by the props and ground beneath you. Start to bring your awareness to your breath. With every inhale, feel your belly expand and rise. With every exhale, feel your belly fall towards your spine as you sink deeper into a trusting state. Feel your vitality and creative life force. What does the miracle of being alive feel like now?


Practice 2: Supported Bridge

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Our next restorative pose will be a gentle, supported bridge pose, promoting deep relaxation and relieving headaches and anxiety so you can start dreaming fully. Begin by laying on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width distance apart. Shimmy your shoulders under your chest to open the heart space and lift your hips up towards the sky. Place a block, bolster, or a folded blanket under the low back. Gently rest one hand on the belly and one on the heart. Breathe into the fullness of your hands. 


Practice 3: Melting Heart Pose with Prayer Hands

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Begin in a tabletop position. Walk your hands forward and drape your chest down to the ground. Keep your hips above your knees as you find a backbend through your thoracic spine (the upper back section from the rib cage to the shoulders). Bend your elbows in front of you, and place each elbow on a block or folded blanket. Draw your hands into a prayer position behind the nape of your neck. Lengthen through the biceps/triceps and open the shoulder girdle as the heart melts down. 

Imagine this yoga posture as a prayer with your body. You might even twinkle your fingers behind the base of the skull like a flickering candle flame, igniting movement through the finger joints and feeling the energy of transformation course through your hands. 

“In a dark and cold month, Kislev represents light from a place of darkness. In the depths of winter, we celebrate our ability to search for the pure oil of light. ”

Feel free to comment with feedback, questions, or requests for further learning! Interested in an embodied experience of Kislev? Consider booking Jenna for a zoom yoga class or embodiment workshop.

Click here for a partner Hannukah Meditation

Hannukah Partner Meditation: Our Face Mirrored in the Menorah

Hannukah Partner Meditation: Our Face Mirrored in the Menorah
Jewish Yoga for Cheshvan

Jewish Yoga for Cheshvan

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