"We are not meditating to become holy. We are holy already." Rabbi Avram Davis
JEWISH MEDITATION
Rabbi David Cooper writes: "Meditative practices have been deeply rooted in Judaism for thousands of years. Simple meditation practices of sitting quietly, chanting a few words in repetition, or singing to God while focused on thoughts of loving-kindness, forgiveness, gratitude or generosity are within the repertoire of Judaism. And these meditation techniques provide a new opportunity for modern practitioners to connect with tradition."
His book teaches twelve basic meditation techniques, from Mikveh to Hitbodedut, and also describes Jewish meditation retreats and fourteen Kabbalistic meditations.
Journalist Marcia Nelson describes a group Jewish meditation session in her book, Come and Sit. She writes: "As it sweeps the community, Jewish meditation is enriching worship. Deeply rooted in traditional practices, teaching, texts and prayers, contemporary Jewish meditation is a rediscovery of what was always there. It offers a fresh entry to ancient wisdom and practices, a way of keeping the name of God always before us."
Rabbi Avram Davis writes: "Meditation is designed to bring us to a direct experience of ourselves and of God." His book provides twenty-two articles from modern Jewish meditation masters, plus a summary of their best practices. He writes: "Three schools of meditation seem to be solidifying within Judaism, Ayin meditation, Chesed meditation, and Kabbalistic meditation. Ayin means 'nothingness' and 'the void' and it describes the state of complete oneness with God. The active form of Ayin is called 'Devekut' meaning 'merging' or 'cleaving.' Chesed is loving-kindness. Kabbalah is the most mental - it relies on fierce study, complicated visualizations and recitations." All three are described in Rabbi Cooper's book and in the articles provided by Rabbi Davis.
Rabbi Jonathan Ober-Man advises: "Find a community to learn Jewish meditation because the Jewish spiritual tradition is strongly founded in communal life."
Books Available from Amazon
Handbook of Jewish Meditation Practices: A Guide for Enriching the Sabbath and Other Days of Your Life, by David Cooper ($12). Rabbi Cooper shows newcomers and experienced meditators alike how Jewish meditation can be an integral part of daily life, and can refresh us in our day-to-day encounters.
Meditation from the Heart of Judaism, edited by Avram Davis ($12) In their own voices, 18 different Jewish meditation teachers comment and instruct about meditation practice.
Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide, by Aryeh Kaplan ($12) shows that meditation is consistent with traditional Jewish thought and practice, and presents a variety of meditative techniques including mantra meditation, contemplation, visualization, conversing with God, and prayer.
That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist, by Sylvia Boorstein ($18) Boorstein explains why her twenty years of Buddhist meditation have deepened and enriched her Judaism.
Links
Rabbi Jonathan Ober-Man has a Jewish meditation center in Los Angeles www.metivta.org
Rabbi Avram Davis founded Chochmat HaLev, a school and practice center for Jewish meditation in Berkeley. www.chochmat.org
The Omega Institute has retreat centers and meditation programs taught by many of the leading meditation masters of our day, including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Rabbi David Cooper, and others. Information, including teacher biographies and teaching schedules, is at www.eomega.org.
