By Trisha Arlin

Baruch Atah Adonai

Brucha At Shechinah

Blessed One-ness, Blessed Connection, 

Kadosh Baruch Hu:

We pray for all who are in pain

And all who cause pain.

We pray for those of us

Who are so angry

That we have lost compassion for the suffering

Of anyone who is not a member of our group.

And we pray for those of us

Who cannot see the suffering

Behind the loss of that compassion.

We pray for the strength

To resist the urge to inhumanity

That we feel in times of fear and mourning.

We pray for the courage

To resist the calls to inhumanity

That others may make upon us in times of crisis.

Baruch Atah Adonai

Brucha At Shechinah

Blessed One-ness, Blessed Connection,

Kadosh Baruch Hu:

May we find relief from our hurts and fears

And may we not, in our pain,

Lose our empathy

For the hurts and fears of others.

We pray for all who are in pain

And all who cause pain.

Amen

-by Trisha Arlin

In Jewish tradition, the cycle of the moon has been compared to the Jewish people, as it waxes and wanes but is ever-present and continuing. Additionally, the Jewish calendar is modeled on the phases of the moon, with each month beginning on a new moon. So too, our sense of healing may wax and wane from week-to-week or month-to-month.

Choose an evening when the moon is clearly visible in the sky. Feel free to intentionally select a night with a moon phase that aligns with how you’re feeling (for example, waning crescent if you’re feeling tired and depleted, waxing gibbous if you’re noticing growing strength in your body, mind, or spirit). No matter which phase the moon is in when you do this practice, take a moment to breathe deeply and approach the moon with a mindset of curiosity. What might the moon teach you tonight? 

Notice how you feel when you look at the moon. If you haven’t intentionally selected your moon phase, notice what phase the moon is in tonight. Do you know if it’s waxing or waning? You may wish to look up this information later if you’re not sure. If it feels good to do so, you can put one hand over your heart and the other on your belly to ground yourself. 

Take another breath, and when you’re ready, say the following out loud or in your heart: 

Shekhinah, Divine presence, may I remember tonight and always that, much like the moon, the work of healing is ever-shifting and changing. 

Thank yourself for being here tonight. You can keep looking at the moon for as long as it feels supportive to do so. 

Notice if anything has shifted for you during this practice, and know that it’s also ok if you feel no different or if nothing seems to have changed. While this can be a frustrating experience, it may be helpful to recognize that healing is a nonlinear process of ebbs and flows. What you put effort into will reap rewards, but it might not always be right away.