By Melinda Ribner

We rely on weather forecasts when planning our days’ activities, stock forecasts or charts to guide or monitor investing, might it also be helpful to have a kabbalistic forecast for the month that serves as a guide to our spiritual growth? 

“Thousands of years ago, the Jewish mystical tradition known as Kabbalah revealed a very profound and powerful system for healing and transformation.  Though the knowledge remains obscure, it has influenced many current forms of healing.  According to Kabbalah, the Jewish calendar as a whole is a road map for personal transformation.

“To the unitiated, this material may seem mystical or superstitious, but that does not make it less true.  Many things exist beyond our powers of conception or reasoning. Just as there are various season and fluctuations in our weather, there are also fluctuations in the spiritual energies available.  Those who are attuned to these energies are aware of such changes and know how to use this knowledge for their personal growth and success. Rather than promoting fatalism, this knowledge actually increase our capacity to make meaningful and effective choices for our highest good.” (Kabbalah Month by Month, introduction) 

Welcome the Month of Tammuz on Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13:

“From a secular perspective, many think of the summer as a carefree time, a time to travel, relax, have fun, but according to Kabbalah, Tammuz is a heavy and challenging month.  The heat one experiences is not just physical but also emotional and spiritual. That is why we need to be mindful of the emotional intensity of this month and why it is important to be particularly sensitive to ourselves and others this month.  Tammuz is still ultimately a good and wonderful month but only if we know how to use its intense energy constructively.  When we do this we grow through challenges in ways that may not be possible at any other period of the year.”  Kabbalah Month by Month( Page 247-8)

“The divine permutation for the month is reversed. Tammuz can be a time of reversals. We expect one thing to happen but something totally different happens. As much as we may like to think we are in control of our lives, we need to realize our limitations, let go and invite God into our lives. This is one of the deep teachings of this month.

“As hard as it may be, we must realize that whatever happens to us can be an opportunity for growth and healing. We grow the most when confronting our greatest challenges. Tammuz is a month of judgment, we need to accept that nothing is accidental or coincidental. Through we have free will, everything is also divine providence.  (Kabbalah Month by Month, pg 251)

“The astrological sign for Tammuz is Cancer.  The Hebrew word for cancer is sartan, which means ‘ Satan”, a name that reveals the difficulty of the tests of this month. The ruling body of Cancer is the moon.  The moon is always changing, making Tammuz an emotional time with many ups and downs.  One has to learn to ride the emotional rollercoaster of Tammuz.” Kabbalah Month by Month)

“The Torah portions reflects what is happening during the month.  ”This week’s Torah portion Korach reveals the struggle within the Jewish people.  Two hundred and fifty men, the leaders of the Jewish people were followers of Korach claimed that Moses had concentrated too much power in the hands of his family and tribe, the Levites who served in the mishkon, the holy Tabernacle hosting the Divine Presence. Though they were jealous of Moses and Aaron, they did not express this directly. They couched their argument in idealistic terms, claiming that the entire assembly , all of them are holy.” ( Kabbalah Month by Month, pg260) If we look at what was happening on the external level, it sounds that the accusations might be true. Yet, we learn this month, that what is presented is not always what really is, and we must look beyond the external to perceive what is hidden and real. 

As we enter into this month, the world arena has many challenges and catastrophic events before it.  The BP oil spill is polluting the oceans, the economies in Europe are collapsing, Iran and Hammas threatening to destroy Israel, US stock market is plummeting downwards, the recent flotilla incident with the Free Gaza ship with so many nations in the world condemning Israel before they knew the facts. You know what is happening in our world as well as I do.  This is some of the heat of Tammuz. It is easy to be worried and concerned about what is happening in our world.  Additionally, I imagine that there are also challenges in our personal lives, in our relationships and even within ourselves as well.  Often what is happening on the macro level is reflected in the micro level as well.  

How do we grow through our challenges and tests?  How do we see God amidst all the turmoil?  This is the question of the month that we must be mindful of.  According to this month, the fixing of this month is seeing. What we see reflects our thinking.  This month we need to breathe, meditate and open to see life more clearly and calmly. We need to question our assumptions.  We can easily become upset about something that is not even true or do not know to be true. Take a moment to review how your recent responses to events in your life.  If you are upset about something or someone, might you be making assumptions that are not true.  As my teacher Reb Shlomo would often say, “What do we really know? “

We can all acknowledge that a response of fear, worry or anger to any challenge will not be helpful. Even though it may sometimes be an automatic response to become frightened and upset by major challenges and changes that occur in our lives, these emotions do not help us to cope or grow through the challenge.

 What helps us to grow? Faith and gratitude is what helps us to transform.  If we believe in God, if we talk to God, if we connect to God, we can find peace amidst chaos and strife, we can grow through challenges and become happier and better people. Learning Torah, reading psalms,  personal and standard prayer, and meditation are each essential. And sometimes we have to simply let go of our struggle and our resistance to life as it is and get down on our knees ( metaphorically, usually) to call out for divine assistance and faith. Try it sometimes.  Get down on your knees and open yourself to God. It is one thing to stand before God, and another thing to be on your knees before God.  I know that Jews do not usually do that. We Jews used to kneel before the Christians adopted this practice and then we stopped doing it so as to distinguish ourselves from them.  If you have never gotten on your knees before God, either literally or metaphorically, you may not yet have opened yourself to receive divine love and compassion.

Thankfully, God is very much alive.  As we say in our the Ahsrei prayer, ” God is close to the brokenhearted and those who are crushed in spirit, God saves.”  It is we who need to call out and open ourselves to receive. 

Blessings for a transformational Tammuz. Melinda Ribner.

Please feel free to invite others to join this list.  My book Kabbalah Month by Month is available online or in bookstores all over, even in Israel.  It offers guidelines, meditations, strategies, stories to promote personal growth and healing each month

By Melinda Ribner

Praise be to God. The month of Sivan, the month of fulfillment, the month of creativity, the month of love, will be arriving on  Friday, May 13. The holiday of Shavuos, the holiday of commemorating the receiving of the Torah, takes place of May 18 – May 20.
 
Kabbalistic Forecast for the Month  “Sivan is one of the most beautiful months spiritually and physically. Just as the trees and flowers are blossoming, so are we. Sivan is a time of gaining clarity of vision, discovering one’s life purpose and receiving guidance and direction on actualizing our personal life goals.  A wonderful time for travel,  Sivan is also a time of increased love and intimacy.  This is demonstrated by the giving and accepting of the Torah which could only occur during this month. A covenant between the Jewish people and God, the Torah is an expression of love, commitment, dedication and intimacy.  It is an everlasting partnership, likened to a marriage. Interestingly enough May and June that correspond to Sivan have always been a popular time for weddings.
 
“It is said that when the Jewish received the Torah, they were of one heart, so unified that were likened to one being. In the Torah passage that describes Israel’s encampment at the foot of Mount Sinai at the time of the new moon in Sivan, the word ” encamped’ is in the singular rather than the plural form. It is this unity that enabled the Israelite to receive the Torah.  Sivan is a wonderful time to deepen existing relationships and open ourselves to meeting new people whom we will be able to draw closely to our heart this month. There is an openheartedness in Sivan that makes it easy to communicate and bond with many different kinds of people.”. Excerpt from Kabbalah Month by Month.
 
Astrological Sign: Gemini : Gemini is the energy that does not want to be contained.  Mercury, the ruling planet for Gemini, was the Roman messenger of the gods who flew from the heavens to the earth. Similarly, the Torah , given, in this month is the messenger between heaven and earth.  People born under this sign are thought to be mercurial, quick to move from place to place, physically and mentally. Geminis want to leave the earth and fly to the heavens. Geminis are creative and skillful communicators. The planet of Mercury is associated with communication and intelligence.” Kabbalah Month by Month. ”
 
In case some of your are wondering, “Judaism does embrace astrology. teaching that we are born under a certain constellation and with a certain destiny. Our sages say that the length of life, number of children, and sustenance depend not on merit but on destiny. Yet it is also said that Jews are not subject to astrology.  Rashi, the great Torah commentator said that prayer, charity and mitzvot can improve our mazel and this is what is meant when the Talmud says ” Jews are not subject to astrology.”  ” New Age Judaism, page101)
 
Torah for the month:  Shavuos, the holiday celebrating the receiving of the Torah, culminates the completion of the journey that began on Passover, the holiday commemorating the departure of the Jewish people out of Egypt. The Jewish people left Egypt, not just to leave a place of bondage, but the Jewish people left Egypt so as to receive the Torah and enter into the holy land of Israel. The purpose of the exodus was not simply to become a free people living in the Land of Israel, but to be a people who would love, know and serve God. It is not that God needed or needs our love and service, but through our love and service to God, we human beings receive the greatest good. According to our teachings, the desire of God was and is always to bestow goodness upon all of creation.  
 
As Rabbi Moses Luzatto said in his book, The Way of God,  ” Since God desired to bestow good, a partial good would not be sufficient.  God alone is the only true good, and therefore, His beneficent desire would not be satisfied unless it could bestow that very good, namely the true perfect good that exists in God’s intrinsic Essence. Even though created beings can not emulate God’s perfection in this own right, the fact that they can be attached to God allows them to partake of it.  They can thus derive the greatest pleasure from that true good to the greatest degree possible. The purpose of all that was created was therefore to bring into existence a creature who could derive pleasure from God’s own good, in a way that would be possible for it.”
 
   
When God finished creating the world, the Torah tells us ” God saw that it was good.” After God created Adam, the Bible reveals that ” God saw all that He had made and behold it was very good.”. The human being was different than other creatures and was capable of receiving the greatest goodness.  What distinguished the human being?  Rabbi Moses Luzatto, in his book, later explains that the gift of free will was what made the creation of the human being ” very good”. It is our free will, our ability to make choices, that makes us unique among all the other creatures.
God blesses everyone and everything but the greatest blessing is our free will.  That is because God wants our heart to be an offering, not a compulsion. For this reason, God is hidden until we learn how to choose. If God was not hidden, we would have no choice but to love God for we would be overwhelmed by God’s love and goodness.  With God’s concealment, we have free will and the power to choose and co-create our reality.
 
Love has more meaning when it is a matter of choice for God and for people as well.  It is a heavenly gift that God allows us to love other people, and to love God. It is the love of God within us that enables us to love God and other people.  When we truly love, we feel God’s presence and that feels wonderful.  Love is unconditional,  not based on what we receive. But rather through love we receive the love we are giving.  Reb Eliyahu Dessler in his book Strive For Truth provided much clarity on this subject and asked  an interesting question.” Is giving the result of love or does love come from giving?  Do we give to people we love? Or do we love people we give to. It is customary to think that giving is a byproduct of love. We love someone so we give to them. Reb Dessler says that If you want to love others, you should give to them.  Become involved in something that is for their benefit. Giving breaks down the psychological barriers between people. We come to love the people we give to. “  New Age Judaism, page 129
 
On Shavous we celebrate God’s gift to us. The Torah that we receive on Shavuos is God’s love letter to us, containing all the secrets that lovers share in times of intimacy.  For many of us  however there are times  when we read the Bible, we question its relevance to us today.  In those cases we need to search our hearts and pray that the secrets of Torah be opened to us. If the Torah were not relevant, did not contain the secrets of the universe, it would not be as treasured as it is.  Finding teachers and books who make the Torah and Judaism exciting, vibrant and sweet is also essential. 
 
On Shavuos we receive the Torah anew. By connecting and learning Torah, by living by the guidelines of Torah, we become attached to God. When we are attached to God, we know and love God, and that is the greatest joy.  It was for this reason that we were created, yet it must also be our choice. 
 
The deepest Jewish teaching that I know is that this world was created for love. Within God was the desire, but not the need, to love and be known. It was for this reason that God created the worlds. At the core of the heart of the human being , made in the image and likeness of the Divine, is also the desire to love and be known. And it is through love, that we know ourselves and God.
 
 
Suggestions for  Increasing love and Intimacy in Sivan..
 
1. Appreciate, and acknowledge others each day, especially your spouse and children.
 
2. Add romance to your life.  Buy flowers, and gifts for no reason.
 
3. Extend yourself by doing favors for others.
 
4. Open to meet new and different people.
 
5. Fully, receive with gratitude all that you are given from others.  Appreciate and acknowledge every gesture of thoughtfulness.
 
6. Make “I” statements about what you want and feel. Refrain from criticizing others, especially your spouse.
 
7.  If you find yourself upset and resentful, take time to be with yourself, and pray about what you are learning at this time.  Consider what you can give to another person. 
 
8. Spend time in nature. 
 
9. Recharge and nurture yourself with meditation and Learning Torah.
 
10. Speak to God in your own words.  Express your gratitude and ask for what you need and want. 
 
 These suggestions come from Kabbalah Month by Month.
 
 
May we  each be blessed this month of Sivan and on the holiday of Shavuos to open our heart to love God and other people in the deepest way. May we make the choices that promote goodness and love in the world. 
 
Love and blessings, Melinda Miriam Mindy Ribner
 
 
PS. Unless  otherwise indicated, most of the  words in this message are excerpts from my book New Age Judaism. This book contains an introduction to Kabbalah, meditation as well as kabbalistic teachings on love, sexuality, transforming suffering, as well as many subjects that are associated with the new age like holistic healing, vegetarianism, astrology, etc. The book is only $10. What a bargain!! All my books can be bought online or in bookstores.

By Melinda Ribner
 
Iyar is the month of healing. The Hebrew letters for the name of Iyar spell out the initials of the verse ” Ani Yud-Yud, Rofecha”. I am God your Healer”.  Iyar is a time of detoxification, purification, and refinement of one’s character traits.  As spring begins to emerge more fully during the month of Iyar, we also bring ourselves to a new order, a new alignment.  Iyar is the time of letting go of what does not support one’s well being, what is toxic, what is false and is a time for opening up to what does support healing. 
 
All healing requires a connection to God. We do not heal on our own.  The Talmud reminds us that those who are in prison can not free themselves.
 
By our attachment to God who is free and whole, we experience those qualities ourselves.  Our consciousness is lifted upward, beyond ordinary modes of thinking and awareness. Through prayer, meditation and doing good deeds, we tap into the part of ourselves that is divine, and we open ourselves to receive divine assistance. As we heal, our body, mind and soul are brought into alignment.
 
Suggestion for Personal Healing this month
 
Healing comes from being connected to what is true and what is real. It is as simple as that.  In situations where you feel pained or stressed, ask yourself if what you believe is true.  Too often, we become needlessly upset about something that is not true.
 
When you are upset, ask yourself, Am I being objective? Can I be objective?  If you are in a blaming or victim mode of thinking, know that you are not in touch with the whole truth.  You are not being objective. If you can not be objective, speak to someone who can help you be objective.

Healing requires a deep level of listening to oneself and being with oneself in the most honoring and respectful way. When we have the courage to be with the truth of our being, we contact God and experience peace and healing regardless of what is happening externally. Be particularly mindful this month so you can make choices about where to direct your energy.
 
 Ask yourself, Can I open and listen to the deep knowing inside myself that is coming from inner stillness, the voice of the soul, or do I listen and react to the chatter and hysteria of the ego mind, that is loud, clamoring for my attention? Breathe deeply and give yourself time to listen, pray and connect with the Holy One.
 
This was an excerpt from Kabbalah Month by Month for the month of Iyar. Feel free to share this message with others and invite them to join this email group.

By Joy Heartsong
Are you a winner? Some of us have never won any event or competition. Most of us are not Olympic champions. However, we can all adopt a winning spirit.
 
So what is a winning spirit? Consider for a moment what makes one person a winner in life and another one not. You may feel it’s related to how many “gold” or “silver” medals one wins. You may think it’s related to good health, wealth, supportive relationships, loving families or perfect opportunities. Maybe you equate it to talents, abilities, skills or “intelligence.”
 
When I think of “winning spirit”, I think of positive attitudes, courage and an unwavering belief in possibilities. I also think of Scott Hamilton, a former Olympic gold medalist in figure skating. Some of you may remember Scott. Between 1980-1984, he won fifteen consecutive championships. He even had a series of specials on television during prime time and was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
 
But did you know that Scott also has had a series of challenges in his life? At age two, Scott became ill and stopped growing. It took years before doctors were able to correctly diagnose the rare illness that was paralyzing his intestinal tract and restricting his breathing. With diet and exercise, Scott began regaining strength and growing. He was told once he was too small to compete internationally.
 
Scott was dismissed from the Ice Capades because he was a male, so he created his own professional ice skating show. He was diagnosed with cancer. His response was “I feel 100% confident that I can overcome this disease and be back on the ice in a few months. He had chemo and surgery and was back on the ice in months performing well. Then the brain tumor appeared. Once again Scott met the challenge and came out on top.
 
Scott’s message: It’s important to meet a challenge, embrace life, move forward and know you can get back to your better self even after a life-threatening illness and treatment. Scott is a small man with a truly big heart and a winning spirit.
 
So what’s your story? Are you stuck in blaming, negativity or self-pity; or are you determined to feel better, do what makes you happier and meet your life challenges with courage and a positive “can do” attitude? You don’t always get to choose your life circumstances, but you do get to choose how you think and feel about them and how you respond to them.
 
It’s up to you. Are you ready to be the winner that you were born to be? We can all cultivate that winning spirit. We all make choices that either strengthen it or weaken it. Increase your awareness of what you do and think that makes you feel better and what makes you feel worse. Believe in yourself and your ability to know what makes you feel like a winner. Practice thinking happier thoughts and doing what brings you joy; and I’ll see you in the Winner’s Circle.
 
You are a winner!

This article was first published in the March Tiger Talk and is reprinted with Joy’s permission.
Joy is a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner and intuitive. In her private practice, she specialiizes in relieving your pain, stress and allergies. She is passionate about helping you claim your true power by connecting with the wisdom of the Tiger within. Her message is that we all have the power to heal that comes from a higher source manifesting through each of us. Her writing includes stories, insights, and techniques from successes with her clients and her own healing journey.

By Julia Hultgren

By the New Moon late March 16/early March 17, depending on your location, Mars will have been direct the better part of the week, making critical and mostly positive aspects to many planets for the last two weeks of March.  The languorous feelings many of us have been unable to shake of the last couple of months will slowly start picking up speed until finally we get back to where we left off energy-and-project-wise, by mid-May. Thinking back to the December Solstice, what needed review and contemplation in your life?

As though in collaboration with the spring time, our energies will slowly unfurl and open to the sun. The direct motion of Mars resumes in the sector of work and health, so it is likely jobs will begin making slow and steady improvement as will health care negotiations on a national front. At the equinox, look for a shot of java towards the things we most value, and the values we hold closest to our hearts, pushing us toward balance, as we reach balance between the days and the nights.  As a people, we are beginning to focus on the expansion of our individual selves toward the greater good. In the near months, we will begin to see innovative and unexpected solutions that are palpable to us and begin to grow them toward the future. We’ve had such a quandary this past decade, where we’ve been able to see the problems, but not necessarily how they relate to us in our daily lives. More and more, as we go forward, the energy, ideas and discipline necessary for putting these solutions into place will become available to us.

This month, there’s a reciprocal energy exchange between our unconscious and innovative selves.  We should be thinking of ourselves as Einstein’s and Edison’s, expecting the perfect answers to occur in our somnolent states. The ability to communicate these healing visions is granted as well.  By the full moon, our communications will be directed with ardent emphasis on values.  Also by the full moon, we’ll be feeling fully emotionally responsible for the morass we’ve made of shared resources, financial as well as environmental.  Again, the forward motion of Mars in the health and work sector will help bolster our egos as we begin to slog forward instead of backward.

We are still being asked to commit everything we have to balanced and cooperative action toward the greater good—it continues to be the overarching theme of the times ahead.  As with a compass needle, the emphasis will change periodically as we play out this theme in different venues, as we also gather nuance that will help inform our solutions.

This month of Nissan is the headquarters for newness. A sign that we are close to God is that everything feels new, full of wonder and possibilities. These are the precious moments in life when we may be doing what we always do, and suddenly our consciousness is lifted upwards, our hearts open and we are filled with the awareness of the sanctity of life itself. We are so happy to simply be alive. This is a taste of the joy of Nissan.
 
The scent of Spring in the air makes us aware of the new life emerging in nature and that reminds us to pay attention to the new energies stirring within each of us as well. This is the month to leave our personal restrictions and move to greater freedom. There are significant life changes possible in Nissan. If you feel stuck in a  life routine that is limiting, take heart, Passover is coming, Nissan is here.  Nissan was the month when the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt, it will be the month in the future when the final redemption will take place, and in every Nissan there is the hope and expectation that something new and wonderful will happen. In this month we celebrate the holiday of Passover.  Many of us are already planning for where we will be for the Passover Seder.
 
 At the Passover Seder we are reminded that the exodus from Egypt was not just a one time historical event. The Hagaddah says, ” In every generation one should regard himself as though he personally had gone out of Egypt. ( Ex. 13:8)  Metaphorically, we are still in Egypt. The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzraim which means ” narrow straits” which represents all psychological, emotional, spiritual  and physical constraints. While we are in the physical world, there are varying degrees of bondage that we experience. On Passover particularly and throughout the month of Nissan, it is a propitious time to free oneself from internal and external constraints, to make a personal exodus from our personal mitzraim.
 
 How do we really move forward to greater freedom in our lives?  That is the question. The very rituals in the observance of Passover help us break through limitations and go forward in the ways that our soul yearns to do. We can not do it alone. We need to receive divine assistance. We need to forge a stronger connection with God through prayer, meditation, and doing acts ( mitzvot) that place ourselves in alignment with Divine blessing. We feel most alive and vibrant when we are connected to God. Give yourself time each day in personal prayer to stand in the question. What does God want of me?  Listen carefully to what opens within you.
 
 In this month of Nissan, it is particularly important and helpful to watch your speech. The healing dimension for this month is speech. It is through our speech that redeem or enslave ourselves.  We create our reality through our speech.  Be sure to take time each day to express your gratitude to God and people around you. A word, a look, a gesture of appreciation, a blessing to another person just for being in your life can be a holy passport that opens gates for greater freedom for each of you. We may never know how precious words of blessing and appreciation are to both the giver and receiver. 
 
King Solomon said in Proverbs” A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his month Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Make a strong effort to increase virtuous speech and eliminate loathsome and forbidden speech such as speaking ill of others. Remember that you also have the right to limit what you hear from others as well. You do not have to listen to loshon hara. Note how your energy increases when you engage in virtuous speech and how your energy decreases when you speak ill of others. The therapist in me wants to remind people to make ” I statements”, to take responsibility for one’s feelings rather than vent one’s frustrations and blame others for the feelings that are clearly your own.
 
The more mindful we are of our speech, the more powerful our words are when we do speak.  That is why it is said that when a tzaddik ( righteous person) speaks, God fulfills his decree. Guard your tongue carefully. Don’t waste words and your words will be more powerful. You can actually heal people with your words.
 
 What has been shared above has been taken from my book Kabbalah Month by Month.  There is so much more information available in the book to guide you through this upcoming month.
 
 Please feel free to share this with others and invite them to join the Kabbalah of the Heart list. Always feel free to drop me a note to introduce yourself to me and let me know how you are doing. I do try to answer all emails.

 
By Melinda Ribner

It may still be the heart of the winter in many places, but the month of Shevat marks a hidden and mystical time of new beginnings. Shevat is a time of rebirth, new inspiration and creativity. The first part of the month may still feel dark and harsh, but that all changes after the 15th of the month, the full moon, the holiday of Tu B’Shevat.
We may have lived through a cold winter this year, but Spring is coming! Be patient. Something new is going to come forth within you.  Prepare yourself for the new revelation of light and blessing that is available to us during this month of Shevat.
In this last month of Tevet we purified ourselves of anger, and learned new ways to responding to challenges in our lives. Through these efforts, the seeds of our vision for expressing our potential have been planted deeper within us. In the month of Shevat, the seed is sprouting. Say Yes to the newness of life once again. Invite the awesome potential within you to come forth. Believe that you will bear new fruit and you will.
The energy of the month is best represented by the holiday of Tu B’Shevat.  It is kabbalistically one of the highest and most joyous days of the year. It is called the New Year for the Trees. Though the trees may still be barren at this time, we are told that the new sap begins to flow on Tu B’Shevat. We once again trust in the cycle of life that will produce new leaves, fruits and flowers.
The Torah tells us that the human being is likened to a tree.  Like the sap of the trees, our creative juices begin flowing on Tu B’Shevat, so we too will bear new fruit and flowers in the Spring.
Meditation for the month of Shevat.
Imagine yourself as a tree. Your branches are now barren, but your roots are hidden, strong and deep. Go deep inside, open to the new creative energy stirring within you now. Breathe deeply and open to this new flow. Open to a new beginning. Keep breathing deeply as you do this simple opening to the new. Let go of the past limiting beliefs of who you thought you are, or what is possible in your life, and open to simply being present. Open your heart, open your mind. Say Yes, over and over again. Say it silently to yourself, Say it outloud, Sing it, Shout it, Whisper it. Breathe deeply. Yes, Yes, Yes. You will bring forth beautiful flowers and new fruit this year.  Amen.
In the month of Shevat, do not waste your time focusing on what you physically see before you, what you have and what you do not have. Much of what we see around us is what we have already birthed previously in our consciousness. The outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Everything has its roots in the spiritual and invisible realms of Being.
Now in the month of Shevat we became pregnant with new possibilities if we open to the new flow of blessing available during this month.  Focus on what is not yet visible, what is the unexpressed potential.  Let’s  empty our minds of the past and call out to receive new inspiration. The internal creative process that will bear fruit later in the year begins in Shevat.  It will not be immediate gratification, so be patient for in the month of Shevat our fruit, the  manifestation of this new opening in our consciousness is not yet visible on the physical plane.
How do we bear new fruit in our lives?  How do we open open to newness? We know that a tree needs firm roots to grow and it needs water.  In the month of Shevat we refine and strengthen our roots. If we want to change what is happening in our lives, if we want to birth new possibilities for ourselves, we have to change our consciousness, our thoughts, our feelings and our connection to our bodies.  Our consciousness are the roots that create what occurs in our life. Prayer, meditation, learning Torah and therapy are powerful tools to change our consciousness.
Interestingly enough, the area of healing this month is eating. Eating is also mysterious inner process of renewal. We do not just eat physical food, but we ingest all kinds of food. What we do for recreation, the movies, the television, the books, the music, the friends, the work we do, everything we take into ourselves is food and has the ability to strengthen or weaken us. This month asks us to become conscious of what we take within us.
How appropriate that we welcome this new month of Shevat with the Torah portion of Va’era. There is a new revelation of God that is introduced now in this Torah portion.  ” I am Hashem ( Yud Hay, Vav and Hay).” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not know God as this Name. They did not need this revelation of God, like we do now. This Name is a divine name associated with infinite compassion.
In this week’s Torah portion, Hashem says to the Jewish people  and to each of us,” I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt, I shall rescue you from this service, I shall redeem you. I shall take you to Me for a people, I shall be a God to you and your shall know that I am Hashem your God Who takes you out from under the burdens of Egypt. I shall bring you to the land. ” These are the same phrases that we will say later during the holiday of Passover. There is a direct connection between Tu B’Sehvat, the month of Shevat and Passover, the Passover Seder. It is powerful to repeat these words to yourself every day. Many times each day, in our davening, we remember leaving Egypt, mitzraim, the place of limitations and boundaries. I love these words from the morning prayers, ‘ I am Hashem,your God who raised your from the land of Egypt, open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Sometimes I literally open my mouth like a baby ready to receive. It is very awesome practice.
So love and blessings for a beautiful new month of renewal.  There are also so many more important teachings about the month of Shevat in Kabbalah Month by Month.  All my books, Everyday Kabbalah, New Age Judaism and Kabbalah Month by Month may be purchased online or at bookstores.  If the books are not there at the bookstore, they can be ordered.  Please feel free to share this email with others respecting the copyright and invite them to join the list. Always feel free to write me a note from time to time.  I love to hear from my virtual community.

Melinda ( Mindy- Miriam Shulamit) Ribner is the founder and director of
Kabbalah of the Heart
and Beit Miriam. She is a licensed social worker in private practice, an author and teacher of Jewish meditation and spiritual healing for over 25 years. She travels throughout the world spreading her love and and light through teaching meditation, kabbalah and healing. 646-3824696

By Julia Hultgren

With the New Moon in Capricorn on the 15th of January we may all be thinking, “so much to do, so little time.” This month our ruler is asking for an outward show of accountability.  The solar eclipse acts as a spotlight, beginning a cycle for the next 18 years.  This spotlight focuses on dignity, beauty and material resources, and reminds us not to squander or overlook that oh-so-precious resource, the resource of ideas.
 
Eclipses are the most potent change energy of the zodiac, and right now we are in the middle of two.  At last writing, the lunar eclipse in Cancer directed us to domestic water, and Mercury and Mars were headed into retrograde, reminding us that reflection and introspection are better for us now than charging blindly ahead.  When the January New Moon occurs, Saturn, the ruler of the chart, is stationary, poised to go retrograde. Mercury is also in a stationary position, collecting energy to go forward on the following day. Alone, either of these is occasion for great insight.  In combination, on either side of the solar eclipse, they hold particular augury.

Our messenger is in the huddle with Pluto, who is ready to talk. In the interest of going forward, Pluto wants a restoration of dignity and respect. When all is considered (and relevant parties are taking the high ground), Saturn in Libra has a ken for this, and along with dignity, adds balance, equal footing, and fair share to the list of conditions for the upcoming encounter. This seems like a simple game plan, and we would be smart to heed the call. We will need to have the conditions set and well exercised for when the Titans meet in the spring.

Meanwhile, both the eclipse and the north node of the moon are elevating Venus to first string where she joins the heavy hitters for this auspicious beginning of this 18 year cycle. Often Venus is relegated to the ranks of inconsequential players or designing the uniforms, just adding a bit of superficial beauty here, and some extraneous fluff there. Venus in Capricorn is not just some babe to be taken lightly, and reinforces the call for decorum, and respect for material resources. And, after too many gritty years, bringing grace and a code of honor to the forefront will be a relief to us all.

The New Moon groupies are hooking up with the eclectic third Titan, who is currently removed from the fray, partying on the sidelines. The luminaries shake off some of their Capricorn stuffiness, charging their aura with that special electric chemistry only Uranus can provide. It will become ultra cool to follow the rules.

And what of that retrograde Mars from last month? He’s off in the international finance and banking sector, minding his own business. But by the Full Moon on the 30th, we’ll be asking ourselves, “Who thought it was a good idea to leave that wild child alone?”

 Background

Julia Hultgren has been a practitioner/student of astrology for over 30 years. She was an avid student of noted Chicago astrologer, Doris Hebel. In addition to basic astrology readings and charts, Julia reads and teaches planetary indications for soul mates, life purpose and monetary aspects. She also reads and teaches charts of relationships, called synastry. She is a graduate of the Weiss Institute, where she was professionally trained in Past Life Regression. She has been meditating for 13 years and has had many profound and happy experiences becoming reacquainted with spirit, while investigating altered states over the years. She has lived in Colorado Springs since 2001 with her husband and 4 children, has an MSW, and also utilizes EMDR, hypnosis and mediation in her practice.

By Melinda Ribner

Tevet, the darkest month of the year, brings challenges that force us to tap into our inner resources and become stronger. In many places in the world, during the month of Tevet, the weather is cold, the sky is gray, and we find ourselves spending more time inside than outside in nature. These physical conditions reflect the spiritual themes of the months. This is the month not so much to go forward or start new projects, but to be with oneself, to process deep feelings, purify and complete the projects at hand..  I recall that my astrologer friend Nina informed me the Mercury and Mars are retrograde in Tevet, so that seems to be in alignment with the kabalistic forecast.

  Kabalistically, the month is devoted to the healing and transformation of anger.  When it is cold outside, people get heated up inside.  People become angry more easily in Tevet.  You might notice that occurring with friends or even with yourself.  Remind yourself that it is the month of Tevet.  

The challenge this month is to cultivate patience, and remember that nothing happens by accident and there is goodness within each challenge.  During this month, make a conscious effort to let go of the need to be right and attempt to see everything and everyone in the best light.  You will know how you are progressing spiritually by observing your anger level. Becoming angered easily is a sign you need to purify yourself.

 We must make a decision to work on anger because being stuck in anger has so many negative consequences.  It renders us victims who are powerless and unable to go forward in our lives.  When we are angry we are not free.  We are slaves to our emotions.  We are out of control.  We lose our center when we blame other people or events for our own unhappiness.  That is why during this month the Torah portions we read all about slavery.  Long before the holistic movement made the connection between the mind and the body, Kabbalah said that anger was the root cause of illness, because it actually disconnects us from God’s energy and from who we really are. If we want to heal ourselves from illness, we have to heal and transform the anger we feel inside.  Joy and love are such powerful healing forces in life.

  When you find yourself becoming angry, make an effort to calm yourself and not speak or act impulsively.  Train yourself to take long deep breaths, visualize the release of tension through the breath. Make a habit of speaking in a soft and gentle voice so when you are angry you will not raise your voice too much.  Give yourself time to look at the situation differently.  Try to be detached, objective, as if it were happening to someone else. Imagine yourself on a mountain top looking down from that vantage point.  Assume responsibility for your feelings, making I statements such as ”I feel this ______ – when you do________.   Do not blame the other person for your feelings.  It is ultimately your choice whether to be hurt or angry. Raise your vibration by doing something nurturing or enjoyable. See the good in the other person.

When you are angry you may want to seek the support of others to ventilate your feelings or write a letter expressing those feelings freely, but do not mail it. Read it over many times as Rabbi Kalanymus Kalman Shapiro of Piaseczno recommended. Feeling our anger is different than expressing it. After speaking your anger in a safe place, consider  how you might express yourself differently to the actual person who has hurt you.

 Speak to God about your hurt and anger.  Reb Nachman recommends that we spend an hour each day in conversation with God.  Pour your heart out to God each day, even if it is just for a few minutes.  Visualize yourself standing before God.  You can express your feelings to God as a child would to his or her parent. Always, ask to better understand what you can learn from the challenges in your life and how to respond to them in a positive and loving way.

According to Kabbalah, this month is under the domain of Esau. When we are angry we give energy to the side of negativity. We weaken our connection to the Holy One and to all that is good. It is not that we need to become doormats or passive, but that we control our anger so we can make choices that are life affirming. This month is actually a time of great light, for the greatest light is hidden in darkness.

 There is so much more written in my books, Kabbalah Month by Month, Everyday Kabbalah and New Age Judaism.    Love and blessings, Melinda (Mindy) Ribner

By Julia Hultgren

The December new moon in Sagittarius points to Mars in Leo at the top of the chart, just as Mars in Leo will be a compelling feature of the next few months as it turns retrograde at the Solstice and stays that way until March, finally returning to the beginning of the reversal in mid May.  Surprise, surprise, there are bad purchases being made on the international front with errant enthusiasm.  Perhaps it could be called recklessness?  Meanwhile, our planet needs healing, especially in the water element, requiring inventive, intuitive solutions.

 As with all charts, the solution is presented with the problem and this one is no exception.

Arrogant and expansive Mars in the international and philosophical sector is challenging the call for the localized, healing communication of the Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune conjunction across the sky, spending wildly while it does so.  

 As leonine Mars moves backwards, the presenting issues to be pounded out are first and primarily, multicultural concerns. With each ensuing new moon until Mars returns to its forward motion, the punch list of imminent demands for attention is reviewed. After multicultural concerns, attention will turn to banking, then a perusal of the resources relationships will supply. Finally, in March, it’s time to roll up our proverbial sleeves and get to work on completing the projects under construction.

 The tools in our tool belt are the best! The energies and the wisdom of the ancients are with us in every sector of this design project. Sun, Moon and Venus in Sagittarius give license for a jovial, energetic atmosphere. Jupiter in Aquarius teaming up with healing Chiron and Neptune is a call for grass roots to continue to inform over-reaching imperialism. And while Mars is challenging, it also is providing the bravado and energy necessary to complete these projects.

 Another big piece to our lessons this month is the opportunity to review the water supply of all domestic situations.  On a personal level, this can come symbolically through our emotional states, or it could literally be the potential for eruptions of the water pipes in our homes.  Here, surprise or unusual solutions could be the key.

 Last but not least in this eventful planetary month is the lunar eclipse in Cancer at the full moon as the year ends.  The accent again is on home and hearth and finishing projects.  By then, Mercury, too, will have begun its retrograde journey through Capricorn, requiring care and methodical attention in communication and short trips. It’s an auspicious beginning to 2010.  Plan time for reflection and rumination on the appropriate expenditure of energies, and the potential healing power of communications.  And don’t forget to call your mother!

 Background

Julia Hultgren has been a practitioner/student of astrology for over 30 years. She was an avid student of noted Chicago astrologer, Doris Hebel. In addition to basic astrology readings and charts, Julia reads and teaches planetary indications for soul mates, life purpose and monetary aspects. She also reads and teaches charts of relationships, called synastry. She is a graduate of the Weiss Institute, where she was professionally trained in Past Life Regression. She has been meditating for 13 years and has had many profound and happy experiences becoming reacquainted with spirit, while investigating altered states over the years. She has lived in Colorado Springs since 2001 with her husband and 4 children, has an MSW, and also utilizes EMDR, hypnosis and mediation in her practice.