New Year Message from Thich Nhat Hanh

“The New Year is a great opportunity to begin anew. Because many people look at the new year, the year to come, with hope. “I will do better next year,” you promise yourself…Of course we have made mistakes. Of course we have been not very skillful. Of course we have made ourselves suffer. Of course we have made the people around us suffer. But that does not prevent us from beginning anew and to make things much better next year, or even the next moment.

We should look at our suffering in such a way that the suffering can become a positive thing. Of course you have made some mistakes. You have been unskillful. All of us are the same. We always make mistakes. We are very often unskillful. But that does not prevent us from improving, from beginning anew, from transforming. The Buddha said that if you have not suffered, there is no way you can learn. If the Buddha has arrived at full enlightenment, that is just because he had suffered a lot. The suffering was the path that helped him to arrive at full enlightenment, at full compassion, at full understanding.

... Suffering is the path. By true suffering you can see the path of enlightenment, the path of compassion, the path of love. According to the teaching of the Buddha, it is by looking deeply into the nature of your sorrow, your pain, of your suffering, that you can discover the way out.

If you have not suffered ... [y]ou have no chance to touch peace, to touch love. It is exactly because of the fact that you have suffered, that now you have an opportunity to recognize the path leading to liberation, leading to love, leading to understanding. Don’t be discouraged when you see that in the past you have suffered and you have made other people suffer. If we know how to handle the suffering, we will be able to profit from our suffering. It is like an organic gardener. If she knows how to handle the garbage, she will get a lot of compost for the growth of her vegetables and her flowers. It is with the compost of the suffering that we can nourish the flower of understanding, of peace, of love. That is why we have to learn how to manage our suffering, how to cherish, how to preserve, how to transform our suffering.”

From Dharma Talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh on December 28, 1997 in Plum Village, France

"Chakra Clearing and Charging Meditation" - by Julia-Melges Brenner

Lie or sit in a relaxed and comfortable position.  Your spine should be straight and your head in alignment with your body.

"Now that you are relaxed and feeling very much at peace, take a moment to ground yourself here in this moment, in this body, in this place, in this time.

Take some deep breaths...In....and out....In....and out....Follow the breath as it flows toward your nostrils, as it enters your nose, as it fills your lungs and then as it is expelled. Relax into this quiet, peaceful moment. Breathe in, following your breath...and let it go. In...and out. With every breath that you let go, you find yourself going deeper and deeper into a profound state of relaxation.

Now focus on the area at the base of the spine, the area between your legs. This is the root chakra. Its energy is red, and it governs your physical body, your physical health and vitality. In your mind, study the appearance of this chakra. Note its color and vitality. Mentally envision the chakra and note any symbolic symptoms of dis-ease. Envision a perfectly brilliant red whirling vortex, imagine your hands or those of a guide working on the chakra. Clean away the dirt and throw it into an imaginary pail with a lid. Allow those hands to repair any imperfections, and when the chakra is beautifully clean, mentally take the pail and hurl it into the sun. Watch it as it travels through space and then bursts into a billion bits of energy upon solar contact. Know that the sun will recycle this energy back into the universe.

Now turn your attention back to the root chakra. It is clean and red. You are surrounded by brilliant, beautiful red root energy. Imagine the room glowing red with this energy, and feel its strength and power. See red swirls of energy flowing to your root chakra. You may even feel this as a tingling as the energy fills your root chakra. As the energy swirls in, your chakra grows large and deep red and strong. Allow the energy to fill your chakra until it is so immense that it extends several feet from your body. In your mind you can see your root chakra: it's a brilliant red swirling vortex of physical power and energy. You feel healthy, fit, strong, grounded and powerful!

Now shift your focus up to your abdomen, to the area of the womb (or where the womb would be if you're male). This is the orange chakra, which controls clear thinking and creativity. Take a moment to observe this chakra. Note its color and vitality. Allow those invisible hands to cleanse the chakra, to repair or heal it. Discard any imperfections in the pail, and send the pail to the sun to recycle that energy. Now focus on the orange chakra again. It is now clean and whole and a bright, energizing orange. Call out to the universe for orange creative energy, and feel the space around you begin to glow orange.

With a tingle, you feel the energy begin to swirl into your chakra, charging it with vitality, with creativity, with clarity. Watch as your orange chakra grows and whirls until it extends out from your body for several feet, just as the red root chakra is still whirling and strong. You feel passionate, creative, clear and confident in your ability to come up with answers and solutions to any problem.

Now shift from the red chakra, up through the orange chakra to the solar plexus. This is the heart of the yellow chakra, which governs will power and ambition. It's the channel through which we interact with other people and the world. Take a few moments to examine this chakra, and note its color and appearance. Allow the invisible hands to cleanse the chakra and heal it, discarding any imperfections or impurities in the pail. Send the pail to the sun for recycling.

Now return your attention to the yellow chakra, the center of your will power. It is now clean and a bright yellow. With your heart, ask the Universe to send you yellow energy: "Universe, strengthen my will so I can achieve my goals and manifest my desires!" Feel the yellow energy surrounding your body, and with a tingle, feel the energy swirl into your solar plexus. In your mind you can see your red/root chakra glowing, whirling, your orange/womb chakra pulsing brilliantly, and your yellow/solar plexus chakra glowing strongly, extending several feet from your body. You now feel relaxed, confident, flexible, empowered, productive, competent and successful.

Now turn your attention to the middle of your chest, to the heart chakra, the green chakra. You may feel an instant wave of emotion as you focus your attention here, for this chakra governs your feelings, your emotional connections to others and to the universe, to life itself. Examine this chakra. Note its color, vitality and any impurities. Gently allow those invisible hands to cleanse and purify your heart chakra. Release any tensions, imperfections or impurities to the pail. Send them to the sun for recycling. You can always reclaim them later if you should want to, but for now, you can release any pain or anger, and set your heart free.

Now focus back on the heart chakra. It is clean and a beautiful green color. It whirls strongly and evenly. "Universe, send me green energy for my heart! Open my heart to the world, to all beings great and small with compassion for our shared life journey. Fill my heart with love energy, so that I may give love to others and receive it in return." Feel the green energy whirling into your heart. Watch the chakra grow and glow and spin with this new energy. From the red chakra through the orange chakra through the yellow chakra through the green chakra, your chakras are cleansed and charged and immense with energy. You now feel loving, tolerant, understanding and compassionate. Your heart is open to life, love and happiness.

Now focus on the throat chakra, the blue chakra which governs communication and personal expression. Examine the chakra, noting the color and any imperfections. Allow the hands to heal and cleanse the chakra, and when finished, send the impurities to the sun for recycling. Now the chakra is clean and strong and bright blue. Feel the air fill with blue universal energy. Feel the throat open as this energy swirls into the throat chakra. Feel your throat open with this swirling, strong blue energy. You feel confident in your ideas and your ability to express them well. You are ready to both express yourself and truly listen to others.

Now focus on the middle of your forehead, on the third eye. This chakra is indigo and governs intellect, psychic vision and intuition. Examine the chakra for imperfections. Allow the hands to cleanse the chakra, to heal any imperfections and recycle them in the sun.

Now look at the chakra. It is a beautiful deep indigo, clean and whirling. There is psychic energy available to you beyond measure. Feel it charge the air, swirl in and around and fill your third eye chakra with deep, soulful indigo energy. Feel the third eye open, and note any mental visions as this occurs. Now is a good time to pray for greater psychic power. You feel clear-headed, insightful, intuitive and keenly aware of all levels of reality.

Note the red/root chakra, the orange/womb chakra, bright, strong, big! Move your attention up to the yellow/solar plexus chakra, to the green/heart chakra, open and brilliant, to the blue/throat chakra and the indigo/third eye chakra. Your chakras are huge, whirling, and fully charged.

Now focus your attention at the crown of your head. This chakra is violet near the body, fading to white further away. This chakra governs your connection to the Universe/God/Spirit/Source. This chakra is like an umbilical cord to "home." Reflect on your spirituality of late as you examine the chakra and allow any healing needed.

Allow the hands to heal, to cleanse, and recycle the discarded energy in the sun. Now examine the chakra. It is brilliantly violet, glowing white around the outside. Mentally reach out to the Divine, and feel the response, the energy flowing back to you. Pray for the peace and joy of a strong crown chakra connection. Feel the violet energy flowing in, a loving embrace of your whole self, of your soul. See the crown chakra grow enormous, and the white energy surrounding your body. You feel calm and centered in your higher self, with a deep faith that all is well.

All your chakras are now clean, charged and in balance. From the red/root chakra, to the orange/womb chakra, to the yellow/solar plexus chakra, to the green/heart chakra, to the blue/throat chakra, to the deep purple/third eye to the violet/crown, your chakras are spinning and whirling, full of energy and vitality. See the white energy that extends up and out from the crown chakra enveloping your whole body in a egg of white energy.

You are completely refreshed, calm, and peaceful. Your energy is balanced. You are full of vitality. As you arise from this meditation, you will feel wonderful in every way: energized, confident, open, clear-headed, peaceful and ready for some wonderful new adventures!
________________________________________

Copyright Julia-Melges Brenner, 1998 - 2007. Please feel free to share this meditation with others so long as this copyright notice remains intact. Blessed be, my kindred spirits!

Significance of 108

On a mala, or set of mantra counting beads, there are generally 108 beads, or some fraction of that number.

The question often arises: "Why are there 108 beads on a mala?"

Below are some of the many reasons that have been given, as well as a few other points of interest. None of these reasons are being promoted here as more or less true than the others. However, you may notice that 108 appears to be somewhat like a road map of reality in general, and the human in particular.

Regardless of the meaning of 108, it is important that if a mala is used to count mantras, the mantra be remembered with sincerity, devotion, feeling, and full attention.

9 times 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8 equals 9. That 9 times 12 equals 108.

Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2x2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

Desires: There are said to be 108 earthly desires in mortals.

Delusions: There are said to be 108 human delusions or forms of ignorance.

Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna, leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come.

Upanishads: Some say there are 108 Upanishads, texts of the wisdom of the ancient sages.

Sri Yantra: On the Sri Yantra there are marmas where three lines intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersections has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti qualities. 54 times 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human body.

Pentagon: The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon equals 108 degrees.

Marmas: Marmas or marmastanas are like energy intersections called chakras, except have fewer energy lines converging to form them.

There are said to be 108 marmas in the subtle body.

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

8 extra beads: In doing a practice of counting the number of repetitions of the mala, 100 are counted as completed. The remaining are said to cover errors or omissions. The 8 are also said to be an offering to God and Guru.

Chemistry: Interestingly, there are about 115 elements known on the periodic table of the elements. Most of those, around or higher than the number 100 only exist in the laboratory, and some for only thousandths of a second. The number that naturally exist on Earth is around 100.

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.

Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.

Goddess names: There are said to be 108 Indian goddess names.

Gopis of Krishna: In the Krishna tradition, there were said to be 108 gopis or maid servants of Krishna.

1, 0, and 8: Some say that 1 stands for God or higher Truth, 0 stands for emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for infinity or eternity.

Sun and Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.

Moon and Earth: The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.

Silver and the moon: In astrology, the metal silver is said to represent the moon. The atomic weight of silver is 108.

Numerical scale: The 1 of 108, and the 8 of 108, when added together equals 9, which is the number of the numerical scale, i.e. 1, 2, 3 ... 10, etc., where 0 is not a number.

Meditations: Some say there are 108 styles of meditation.

Breath: Tantra estimates the average number of breaths per day at 21,600, of which 10,800 are solar energy, and 10,800 are lunar energy. Multiplying 108 by 100 is 10,800. Multiplying 2 x 10,800 equals 21,600.

Paths to God: Some suggest that there are 108 paths to God.

Smaller divisions: The number 108 is divided, such as in half, third, quarter, or twelfth, so that some malas have 54, 36, 27, or 9 beads.

Hinduism: 108 is said to refer to the number of Hindu deities. Some say that each of the deities has 108 names.

Islam: The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to God.

Jain: In the Jain religion, 108 are the combined virtues of five categories of holy ones, including 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27 virtues respectively.

Sikh: The Sikh tradition has a mala of 108 knots tied in a string of wool, rather than beads.

Buddhism: Some Buddhists carve 108 small Buddhas on a walnut for good luck. Some ring a bell 108 times to celebrate a new year.

Chinese: The Chinese Buddhists and Taoists use a 108 bead mala, which is called su-chu, and has three dividing beads, so the mala is divided into three parts of 36 each.

Stages of the soul: Said that Atman, the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on the journey.

Meru: This is a larger bead, not part of the 108. It is not tied in the sequence of the other beads. It is the quiding bead, the one that marks the beginning and end of the mala.

Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.

Praiseworthy souls: There are 108 qualities of praiseworthy souls.

"The Winter Solstice," by Gary Zukav

 

 THE WINTER SOLSTICE

In the hemisphere where I live, the deepest moment of the winter comes not in January or February, but in December, when the night is longest and the day is shortest. This day and night is, as we have said, called the winter solstice. It is the mirror image of the summer solstice in June when the day is longest and the night is shortest.

The winter solstice is a very powerful time in the cycle of life and death, death and rebirth, disintegration and renewal that controls all Life on the Earth, including you. It is the time when motion ceases and at the same moment, Life begins to stir again. Animals in hibernation and seeds in sleep beneath the snow will not move until the spring, but deep within them a process has completed itself. The contraction of energy that the long nights and cold days reflect reaches its limit and a cycle reverses itself. From that moment forward, even though the winter remains to unfold as it must, the spring has been born, and the summer, and the harvests of the summer will follow with it.

This dark and trying season is repeated in your life again and again. Each tragedy, loss, failure, and humiliation reaches its inmost movement, spends its energy, and from that long journey another begins a journey to warmth, light, and expansion. The season of celebration, of growth, of Life, and of movement is repeated again in the same way. One season follows the other. The arrival of one signals the coming of the other. They do not exist apart.

These seasons of the year, and seasons of your life, come and go, complete themselves, and give way to each other whether you are aware of the dynamic that controls them or not. If you are not, the seasons appear to have lives of their own and you forget they are each part of a cycle that you have encountered many times before and will encounter many times again Your life is built on this cycle of seasons the continual repetition of them. The arrival of winter, the coming of darkness and death, initiates the coming of light and life. This cycle controls the unfolding of your life and all within it.

When you are aware of this cycle, you can participate with it. You cannot stop the death that comes in the winter nor the life that comes with the summer, but you can determine in the winter what will be born in the summer. You can contribute your intelligence and will to the intelligence and movement of a dynamic larger than you. You can plant the seed that will sprout in the spring. You can lay the foundation for a different winter to come after the summer that has yet to arrive. You can only do this for yourself.

When you are in deep winter, the nights are long and the days are short. The Earth grows cold and life retreats. Now is the time for you to awaken to your place in this cycle, and to use it consciously. What is darkest in your life? What loss or disappointment, fear or terror moves through you? What powerlessness haunts you? These are given to you for your benefit. They are brought to your awareness so that you can change them. They are your avenues to the clarity and love that you are waiting for. You cannot become fearless at your command, but you can determine how you will respond to your fear. You cannot become kind with one intention, but you can determine how you will respond to your own brutality, righteousness, and fear.

This is the power of the deep winter. It challenges you, confronts you, and shows you what you must change in yourself. It is a holy and precious season. It illuminates your holy and precious life. It is your potential beckoning to you, disguised as an adversary, a tragedy, or a disaster. Will the adversary, tragedy, or disaster shape your experience, or will you shape your experience of it? Will your fears overwhelm you, or will they show you new and different ways to respond to them?

What new life is stirring in you this Deep Winter?

Excerpted from Soul to Soul by Gary Zukav Copyright © 2007 by Gary Zukav.

"Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus," by Francis P. Church, first published in the New York Sun, 1897

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

By Francis P. Church, first published in The New York Sun in 1897.
[See The People’s Almanac, pp. 1358–9.]

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

***

Dear Editor— I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
~Virginia O’Hanlon

***

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! … You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. … Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

~Francis P. Church, Editorial page, New York Sun, 1897~

For the entire (true) story, click here  

A Home For The Dark by Stephen Jenkinson, MTS, MSW, RSW

Like most of you, I grew up in a time and place that prized competence, progress, success, leisure time and anything that seemed full of light. During my lifetime older people have been forced by law to retire, young people unsure of themselves have been driven to mayhem or worse by intimidation and bullying and the internet, and elderly people are housed with only each other for neighbours. These are our addictions, and these are our consequences.

Ancestrally we all come from peoples who knew how to embrace frailty, honour age and employ diverse abilities so that the village could thrive and life could live and the young people could learn the graces of a well lived life by seeing them all around. Especially, they knew how to make a place in their village and in their inner lives for night and for darkness, both gifts of nature, both ordained by the turning of days and seasons. They knew darkness and the shortening of days and the ends of their lives to be the just and proper twin to the light filled, agile and assured days they'd grown fond of.

We are coming to the darkest of days late this month, a time in the Northern Hemisphere when peoples who know their ways tell their deepest, most trustworthy, most compelling stories. This is true, intermittently, around the world. The dark times have always been the truer home of our dormant seeds, our resting fields and forests, our reasons to live.

The people who are close to Orphan Wisdom are telling and learning just these kinds of stories now, in mid winter. Our school is filled twice over by people wanting to learn them, which heartens us to no end. We are now learning in darkness, readying ourselves for the lengthening of days that, all life willing, will come.

We hope this finds you making such a place in this season of your year and of your lives, that this other deep time of life finds you. Hydro's going up anyway, another good reason to keep the light down.

All blessings on your house, your road, your people.

Stephen Jenkinson, MTS, MSW, RSW
November, 2010
Bonnechere River, Deacon, Ontario

COPYRIGHT STEPHEN JENKINSON 2010

COF Member Lisa Hannah Debuts New CD "Brand New Sun," with Big Production "Wow"! by COF Member and Husband Paul Nielsen and Friends!

COF wishes to offer its congratulations and wishes for great success to one of our own, Lisa Hannah, in her latest musical endeavor!  Hats off to our fellow COF Member, Paul Nielsen, for his collaborative efforts in production, which is truly great!  Wishing this new project every success!  ~COF Administration

From Lisa:  I am so excited to announce the holiday pre-release of my debut CD, "Brand New Sun"!  The CD is available for purchase at my website:  www.lisahannahmusic.com  You can also download individual songs on your favorite digital distribution sites (DigStation,iTunes, Rhapsody,etc.)!  This CD is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me and hopefully the first of many projects. In the recording of "Brand New Sun," I was honored to work with some of Nashville's most talented producers - Paul Nielsen, Paul Taylor and Chip Martin. Together, they created the sonic soundscapes that I had imagined for my project. Please check out the song samples on my "Music" page!  Wishing you a beautiful and blessed holiday season!

Bio Excerpt:  Lisa’s debut CD “Brand New Sun” is the latest testimony to her decision to engage her artistic side. The project is dedicated to her mother. “She was such an inspiration to appreciate every moment, every person, and everything in this beautiful life. That even in despair and pain, there is beauty and love, which sustains us all.”

Donna passed away the day before Lisa’s birthday in 2004. “I wanted to have this CD completed by the anniversary of her passing, which this year was the day before Thanksgiving. Miraculously, that happened - a miracle.

"Writing and recording this record has been such an emotional journey, but I had the help of many musically talented Angels and friends to help me through. It’s been very therapeutic. Music allows you to express emotions you can’t express in any other way.”

Lisa Ernst Dharma Flame Transmission Ceremony 2010 with her teacher, Trudy Goodman

Congratulations, Lisa!

"Divine Light and Human Hands: A Mystical Teaching on Hanukkah" - by Rabbi or Rose

"Blessed are You YHWH our God Who performed miracles for our ancestors in days past at this time."

What does it mean to light a Hanukkah candle?

One response I have been reflecting on this year comes from the early Hasidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev (d. 1810). The Berditchever (as he is affectionately called by his disciples and admirers) was part of the vanguard of Hasidism, the great spiritual revival movement that first swept through the Eastern European Jewish community in the late 18th century.

In a brief but powerful sermon, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak calls our attention to the last words of the second blessing recited over the candles each night -- "ba-z'man ha-zeh." This phrase is usually translated as "at this time," meaning that God performed miracles for the Maccabees and their community at this time of year centuries ago.

The Berditchever reminds us that the words "ba-z'man ha-zeh" can also be read as "within time," meaning that God's participation in the events of Hanukkah took place within the bounds of nature, within the limits of space and time as we normally experience them, and not in a supernatural manner.

According to Rabbi Levi Yitzhak, while God played a miraculous role in this ancient drama, it was subtle and involved a delicate interplay with the human actors in this saga. He contrasts this mode of divine engagement with God's actions in the Exodus, in which the Almighty overturned the natural order, using "signs and wonders" to put down Pharaoh's army and free the Israelite slaves.

Interestingly, in this teaching the Berditchever leaves aside the rabbinic legend about the wondrous jug of oil that lasted for eight days after Judah and his forces recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem -- the story that has become the great miracle-tale of Hanukah.

Rabbi Levi Yitzhak views Hanukkah as a model for understanding how the Divine interacts with Israel and the world in contemporary times -- "ba-z'man ha-zeh." While one might wish for God's supernatural intervention, the Divine acts in a much more refined manner. In the mystical terminology of Hasidism, God functions from within a state of tzimtzum (veiled appearance), active but not easily perceptible to the seeker.

The Berditchever does not explain in this teaching why God chooses to engage in a more revealed or concealed manner during different periods of Jewish history. However, in other teachings he explains that tzimtzum offers the devotee the opportunity to become a more active participant in shaping a life of holiness and to work with the Divine to sanctify all of existence. In othe words, God's concealment is an invitation to us to take greater initiative.

I can imagine the Berditchever standing before his Hasidic community on a cold night in early December with a Hanukkah candle in hand, gently reassuring his followers that the Eternal is with them today just as God was present to the Maccabees long ago; that despite the darkness they may experience individually or communally, the search for divine light is not in vain. As the Berditchever stretches forth his hand to light the hanukiah (holiday candelabrum), he reminds his flock that this sacred act is itself emblematic of the Divine-human partnership: God provides the original light and we must channel it through our actions.

What I appreciate about this teaching is the creative way in which Rabbi Levi Yitzhak imbues the ritual of candle lighting with a spiritual message of hope and inspiration, while also acknowledging the mystery and complexity of the religious life. By offering his community an alternative reading of the second blessing over the candles, he seeks to provide them with a compelling theological vision that they can internalize through this embodied ritual.

Having said that, I must also admit that I struggle to understand the nature of the Divine-human relationship. While I am attracted to the Berditchever's language of the miraculous within the mundane, what do I actually mean when I say that God is involved in the workings of the world in a veiled manner?

Is this an affirmation of my belief in a Divine being who intervenes, however subtly, in historical events and individual lives? Is this a poetic expression of my faith in the capacity of human beings to transform the world? Or do I mean something else? To be honest, I don't know. At this point in my life I have many more theological questions than answers.

What I do know is that the religious language of Divine-human partnership, of tzimtzum and of hidden light has helped me to cultivate a sense of personal responsibility, of humility and of hope. I know that the world is broken and that I must play a role in healing it. I know that my role will be limited, but that I can make a genuine contribution to this sacred project. And still, I yearn daily for greater spiritual clarity.

As I stand with candle in hand, preparing to light my own hanukiah, I try to bring my whole self to this ritual act, including my questions. One of the traditions of Hanukah candle-lighting that I most appreciate is that we are not to use the light for any purpose other than to bask in its beautiful and mysterious glow. For me, this is a precious opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the symbols and stories of this festival of lights during these dark days of winter.

Rabbi Or Rose is an associate dean at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. He is the co-editor of Jewish Mysticism and the Spiritual Life: Classical Texts, Contemporary Reflections (Jewish Lights 2010).

Bodhi Day: Celebrating the Buddha's Enlightenment by Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara, Ph.D.

Today, all over the world, Zen Buddhists are celebrating the day of the Buddha's enlightenment. Known in Japan as "Rohatsu" (literally, the 8th day of 12th month) this Bodhi Day marks the defining event in the legend of Shakyamuni Buddha: his enlightenment experience.

After sitting through a night of doubt and temptation -- in the form of the many kinds of mental obstacles that cover the whole gamut of unskillful thoughts and images that the human mind is heir to -- Shakyamuni Buddha looked up as the planet Venus came into view, and gazing at this morning star, broke through the agony of the nightlong struggle, and realized the nature of the self, the cause of mental suffering and its remedy.

In honor of this momentous awakening, many Zen Buddhists sit in meditation for an entire week's retreat, culminating with an all night sitting on Dec. 7 into the dawn of the 8th, watching their minds. As the minutes, then hours, go by, the mind becomes quieter, and they are able to bear witness to the marvelous quality of being that Shakyamuni experienced: an embracing of reality as it is in each moment. In a sense, this very intense annual ritual helps each of us to realize that it is not so much what happens to us, but how we respond to what happens that determines whether or not we create suffering -- our own and that of others.

The legend says that as he gazed at the morning star, he said, "How marvelous, I, the great earth, and all beings are naturally and simultaneously awakened." This phrase teaches us the great lesson of interdependence, that we are not separate from all that is, but rather we are interconnected, a piece of the grand whole of the universe. And at the same time, this very piece, this "I" sitting here is an integral and vital component of the whole. When we take care of this "I", we can take care of the whole universe.

So, even if we cannot devote a week or a full night but are only able to meditate for a few minutes on Bodhi Day, it can be a reminder of the wisdom that is naturally available to us, the wisdom of cultivating our minds and recognizing our relation to the whole.

2010 Sangha Holiday Social, Pot Luck & Movie Night! Please RSVP!

Many thanks to our own Susan Warner for creating another beautiful holiday social invitation!  If you will attend, please email Tanya to let her know and you will be provided with directions.  Hope to see you there!  --COF Administration