Love. Kindness. Lovingkindness. Generosity. Extension. Light within Foundation. Bonding. Roots. Connection. Creation.
Today's writing inspiration can be attributed to another practice of mine - my morning meditation, also known as Quiet Time. Unlike the morning jog, this one is a daily 365 practice that I don't surrender under any circumstances, even (and especially) during an exhausting, exhilarating week of rock star life. I just sleep a little later, if the machinery allows - not always a given. It is my lifeline, my time to sit and listen, or just breathe and count to 4 over and over and over. It is a blessed 30 minutes of each day during which nobody gets to ask anything of me. Aaaaaahhhh....
Even as I write, I see that I could almost stop right there - such an act of Lovingkindness amidst the Foundational practices that keep me in a reasonably right relationship to the world. Although that's a nice note to start off on, that wasn't where I was going when I started writing. I meant to describe the image that materialized as I meditated on the words Chesed SheBiYsod. What I saw was an image of myself and my wife standing face to face, a light emanating from between us. I was reminded of the aspect of Yesod which is Bonding. To return to an image I offered early on, weeks ago, a building does not just stand on top of the ground, but is built into the earth.
My wife and I are coming up on our 14th and 13th wedding anniversaries (thank you Massachusetts!). We have been putting down Roots even longer than that. Our relationship has been very much characterized by Kindness all along the way. Sure, we have our differences. Who doesn't? In this lovely image I was given this morning, I was reminded of the extent to which the Kindness and Generosity we Extend to each other along the way has been so crucial in navigating tender moments.
I am also drawn back today to the way the sefirot relate to the days of Creation. Yesod connects to the 6th day, in which we humans were given form and had life breathed into us. Adam yesodo me-afar... (we all come from dust...) These words from the liturgy of our High Holy Days can serve as a reminder of the partnership we have with G8d in the continuous act of Creation. We were formed from the dust of the earth, and given the privilege and responsibility of tending to that Earth. We were given the gift of being able to perceive the flow of Chesed from the Source, and the ability to pass it on as we nurture our Connections both human and Divine.
May you be blessed today with the Light that fills the space between you and those with whom you Bond. May you experience the joy of being a Loving partner in Creation.