I was sitting in my living room this morning – sipping tea, gazing out the window, and watching the birds at my bird feeder.  It was quiet, and peaceful, and I was wrapped in a soft shawl like a warm embrace.   And it began to dawn on me the paradox that exists within me.  I [...]. Read More »

I’m leading services tonight in my congregation.  While this “sermon” may be tweaked a little before this evening, the gist will remain the same.  Enjoy. “Be who you are, and may you be blessed in all that you are”. This is the Shabbat blessing given in Marcia Falk’s Book of Blessings.  It is suggested as [...]. Read More »

This week’s Torah portion is Pinchas, so named for the Israelite who is praised for “taking impassioned action for his God, thus making expiation for the Israelites” (Numbers 25: 13).  The portion then follows with another census, the story of the daughters of Zelophehad, Moses preparing to die and handing authority to Joshua, and a lengthy [...]. Read More »

Remember me saying a while back that I was staying in Waco for a while and not doing the great I-35 shlep?  Well…I ended up changing my mind and I’ve been doing the I-35 shelp a little bit this summer. So, what in the world happened?  Did they shorten the drive between here at there?  [...]. Read More »

Here’s a newsflash – life ain’t easy.  Not real life, anyway.  We tend to get these ideals in our heads of how life could be.  Utopian ideals.  A real nirvana on earth.  Everyone locked in an embrace and singing “kumbaya” by the fire.  Peace, love and compassion everywhere!  A nice ideal, but look around.  We’re [...]. Read More »

In this week’s Torah portion, Balak, we read the well-known story of the pagan prophet Balaam, who is hired by King Balak of Moab to pronounce curses on the people Israel.  An interesting theme runs through the story, with Balaam repeating several times that he can do nothing contrary to the will of the Eternal.  [...]. Read More »

I get so triggered by people who speak of acceptance and love.  They talk about not judging someone else’s experience, and for loving someone for nothing more than who they are.  This thing rises up in me that wants to challenge that notion.  It makes me want to reach deep down inside of myself, to [...]. Read More »

This is my last planned installment of this.  It’s not that I’m going to stop talking about the things that resonated with me, it’s just that I’m going to be done summarizing.  What strikes me, looking back on what I’ve written and thinking ahead to this post, is that I’ve said basically nothing technical.  I [...]. Read More »

In my previous post, I began to reflect back on the weekend workshop that I participated in at Yoga Yoga.  I talked about how yoga can release tensions that have long been held inside of us – and, with those tensions, emotions. We, as human beings, engage in this complicated thing called “life”.  Shit happens [...]. Read More »

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to take part in a weekend workshop that was led by Seane Corn and focused on waking up our chakras.  I went into the workshop knowing little to nothing about the chakras, and not too sure if I even bought into the idea.  I went into it expecting [...]. Read More »

Some years back, I was screened for OCD.  I failed the test by three points, meaning that I fell just shy of the clinical diagnosis.  Those who knew me best all told me that I should demand a retake.  I wasn’t sure how to feel – I had failed the test but it was a [...]. Read More »

  This week we read the Torah portion “Chukat”, which spends an entire chapter dealing with the laws surrounding the red heifer.  This is a very obscure chapter, and much ink has been spilled through the ages in trying to reconcile the seeming contradictions in these laws.   The ashes from the red heifer purify a [...]. Read More »

A short hiatus, I know.  I need to write.  I need to write because I need to work something out, and sometimes writing is how I do that. My heart has been very heavy since Monday.  I made that difficult decision to walk away from driving down to Austin.  It felt like the right decision [...]. Read More »

It’s time to fall back, circle the wagons, take stock, and figure out what’s next.  Maybe I will return to everything in time, or maybe I will permanently jettison some things.  I do not yet know.  But I’m taking a break from this blog (among other things) until further notice. Filed under: Uncategorized. Read More »

I made a difficult decision today.  While I do have some regret and sadness, I believe I have done the best thing. For the last two years I have crafted my life outside of my own town.  I’ve looked 100 miles to the south for good friends and for the development of my Jewish life.  [...]. Read More »

This week’s Torah portion, Korach, revolves largely around a power struggle between Korach and his followers and the authority of Moses and Aaron.  The rebels say to Moses: “all of the community are holy, all of them, and the Eternal is in their midst.  Why then do you raise yourselves above the Eternal’s congregation?” (Numbers [...]. Read More »

I’ve had a lot of recent interest in the phenomenon of the JUBU or Jewish Buddhist.  I recently finished reading The Jew in the Lotus and now I’m making my way through That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Buddhist.  There has been a trend of Jews making up a disproportionate number of western Buddhists, and this [...]. Read More »

I stalked into the class and glanced around.  I hadn’t seen this group of yogis in the other classes.  These were some seriously fit looking women.  Me?  Not so much.  But I was curious.  I’d done Hatha, and I’d done Vinyasa.  Now was the time to check out “Power Yoga”. In walks the instructor, who [...]. Read More »

Another of my weekly messages to the congregation (in the rabbi’s absence). This week we read Sh’lach L’cha, which is a turning point in the book of Numbers.  This is the story of the twelve scouts who Moses sends into the land of Canaan.  When they return, ten of the scouts give a pessimistic report, [...]. Read More »

If you saw my posting last week on Drash Pit or here, you know that my dietary habits have been undergoing some changes.  I’ve been eating less processed food, and more fresh foods.  It’s been a good change, this move to more conscious consuming.  However, there is another side to this culinary coin.  Any time [...]. Read More »