Practical + Spiritual = Survival

היום שלשים ימים בעמר
Today is three days of the omer
תפארת שבחסד
A day of compassion in a week of loving kindness

I see Jewish ritual practice as fluid, a conglomerate of intersecting layers. Some layers exist in space, others in time, and still others cut through both time and space. Then there are the layers within the layers. Some divisions in space occur in one room, some across the universe. Time can be a day, a week, a month, a year, or multiple years through the millennia.

Then there is the practical vs spiritual aspect of many rituals, which can be rooted in tradition yet can change with each generation. Sometimes what seems very practical in one era would feel obsolete in another. The rituals surrounding kosher food is one example that comes to mind. I've had people explain to me how the rules of kashrut work in ancient times to keep people healthy. For example, they tell me, the clay dishes used were very porous, so not mixing milk and meat on the same plates would lessen the chance of eating spoiled food.

Giving health reasons for practicing kashrut is fine, the famous medieval Jewish commentator--and doctor--Maimonides would agree with that. But that is not the only reason to take on this practice. In the Torah, the reason for keeping kosher is so that we can approach holiness. What does that mean? Time to go to another level.

Maybe it's a way to be mindful about all aspects of what you eat--where it comes from, how it's prepared, what goes into the cooking. Eating is a very physical reminder that we are connected to other parts of the planet and need to think about the effects our intake will have on the rest of the world. And maybe we need to be reminded that nourishment includes feeding our soul as well as our body.*

My point in all this is to appreciate this multi-level Jewish practice that our ancestors have given us. Instead of kashrut, I could have written about Shabbat and the need for rest or Pesach as a way of clearing out the stale. All good ideas on a practical level. But there are always other strata in which to experience those rituals. Some work better than others for different people in different cultures in different generations.

And I think that is one reason why Judaism still exists when other peoples have not. We may be a vast, diverse tribe, but a people who can weave together the practical with the spiritual--feeding body and soul--will survive.


*For some other thoughts on the why of kosher in this era - check out this article from MyJewishLearning.com and this article from The National Jewish Outreach Program.

היום שלשה עשר יומים שהם שבוע אחד וששה יומים לעמר
Today is the thirteenth day of the omer - one week and six days
יסוד שבגבורה
A day of foundation in a week of strength


As Ken has me going through the contents of boxes that have been stored in the garage for some years now, I end up taking those proverbial walks down Memory Lane. Along with the old address books I mentioned a couple of days ago, I also found old journals. I was never able to be a consistent journaler--I think my longest stretch was around 6 months. I always thought that meant I failed as a diarist, but now I am glad to have these stories of various times in my life, told in my own words.

This blog now serves the same purpose as those journals. I still write in fits and starts--and it's still a way to keep in touch with my earlier selves. Two years ago, during my first go-round of blogging the omer, I wrote about the start of my regime to lose weight. I was struggling a bit with the outcome--I could see and feel the physical difference, but the scale told a different story. But I did profess a determination to continue on that path of well being.

I'm glad to report that I have been able to keep my resolve. Without too many bumps in the road I have been able to reach a good place for my body. I am a good 20 pounds lighter than I was when I started that first cleanse. My yoga practice is strong, and I've added two days a week at the gym into my routine.

There's no telling what the future will hold. There are many potential roadblocks that could cause me to fall off the path. So, to that future self--don't obsess about what you're not doing or you haven't done. Just start again, now. Like that first breathe in meditation, the first step can be the most satisfying.

Weighty Matters

This past April I started a dietary plan, to both release the toxins built up in my body and lose weight. I wanted to rid my organs of the last vestiges of the chemotherapy and other drugs taken during my cancer treatment. The weight had built up in the last five years, due in part to tamoxifen, menopause, and the natural aging process. It also didn't help that I continued to eat whatever I wanted--after all, I'd never had to worry about weight gain before this time. But now those aforementioned factors had contributed to a slowdown in my metabolism, and my BMI was coming close to the overweight zone.

The first part of the plan was a cleanse using products from Isagenix. As I reported here, while I felt good, and could feel the difference in my body, the scale showed only 4 pounds lost--a big disappointment.

But I didn't give up and when the cleanse period was done I continued to watch my caloric intake and eat primarily whole foods--lots of veggies and whole grains--while cutting way down on processed food products. I also weigh myself daily, and have gotten a better idea of my weight range. This knowledge has helped me better understand where my weight was before I started this eating regimen, what my weight status was after the cleanse, and where my weight stands now. I have determined that in this 3 month period, I have lost about 10 pounds--and it shows.

I've had people remark on my new leaner look. More important, I feel like I am back in my body. And even better, I have been able to take my yoga practice not just to where it was before my cancer diagnosis but even further--which keeps me connected to my body and my spirit.

So I encourage all of you struggling with body issues to find a healthy plan to follow and persevere. The changes may be small at first, but the continued pay off is huge.

Mixed Messages

Looking out the window of the JCCSF on California Street this morning before minyan, I saw a double bus with two large ads. On the first bus, an ad for McDonald's HUGE soda, just 69 cents. On the second, a public service ad warning about the childhood obesity epidemic now rampant in this country.

What else is there to say. . .

Counting the Omer Day 17 - 2 weeks, 3 days

Today is Tiferet she b'Tiferet - a day of compassion in a week of compassion.

For most of my life, I have been one of those thin, never have to worry about gaining weight, kind of people. I've never been a big eater--in fact, my stress mode tends to manifest itself in not eating. And I guess I my metabolism has been on the fast side. Whatever the reasons, I never had to diet or even worry about weight gain.

In December of 2001 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was in the best shape of my life. I was exercising regularly and my yoga practice was in full swing. I looked good and felt good. The cancer diagnosis changed all that. With chemotherapy slamming me into menopause and years of taking tamoxifen, my metabolism slowed and many pounds were added. I wouldn't be described as fat--changing to lots of loose-fitting clothes helped with that perception--but it brought me to a point where I was heavy, with a protruding belly that not just effected my body but also dampened my spirits.

These past ten days I've been on a program to cleanse impurities from my system and burn off fat. The hope was that I would lose 8-10 pounds. By day 6, I could feel the difference. In yoga class that day my balance was better than it had been in years, and I could once again fold forward without any obstruction from my midsection. It really felt good. The next day I decided to try on a pair of jeans that I've been unable to wear for a couple of years. They just sat around, mocking me. One leg in, the other, pulled them up, button, zip--voila! They fit just fine--an exciting moment.

The ten days ended yesterday and this morning I stepped on the scale. To my surprise, I only lost 4 pounds---just 4 pounds!! What a downer. I can see and feel the difference in my body, but the actually number of lost pounds seems so puny. Sigh. I will continue on this road, and I will shed the extra weight remaining. And I need to remind myself not to rely on expectations over reality, and to trust my perceptions, not those of an inanimate object like a scale. It is nice to feel comfortable with how I look wearing a pair of jeans with a shirt tucked in--especially when just months ago I couldn't even zip up those jeans.

On this day of compassion in a week of compassion, I have more empathy for those with weight problems than I've ever had before. I know it's a place where I've been judgmental in the past but now have a better understanding of what it means to be stuck in an overweight body. And I need to remember to have compassion for myself. The difference in how I look and feel is the story, not the number on the scale. The work I put in did make a difference, and that is what I need to take in as I move towards a healthier future.