OM-er

The Omer is the 7 weeks (49 days) between Pesach and Shavuot. Among other things, the Omer is a time of inner reflection and growth. Each day is a meditation on being a better human being. Today is the first day of the Omer.

My goal this year, though I did write about it a bit last year, is to write every day of the Omer. It's like NaBloPoMo, but it's 49 days instead!!!

In Judaism, there are 7 seven emotional attributes in the human psyche:

1. Chesed - Loving kindness
2. Gevurah - Justice and discipline
3. Tiferet - Balance and compassion
4. Netzach - Endurance and efficiency
5. Hod - Humility
6. Yesod - Bonding and intimacy
7. Malchut - Leadership

Each week of the omer one should focus on this aspect of the psyche and then each day of each week one should focus on that part. So, for instance on Week 2 day 4 of the omer, one would meditate on Justice in Endurance (netzach she b'gvurah). Lev reads this meditation as the Eternity of Strength.

Today, as the first day is the meditation on loving kindness in loving kindness (chesed she'b'chesed). Meaningful Life (a Jewish meditation site) guides today's meditation asking:

What is my capacity to love another person? Do I have problems with giving? Am I afraid of my vulnerability?

Yep. You know what - I'm terrified. One of the most interesting things I learned as my friend's sons are growing up is that I wanted so badly to treat them appropriately. I didn't want to baby them and yet, I couldn't quite connect, because I wasn't letting them lead the way. So, I would try this and that - hoping that I wouldn't insult them...even when they were 2 and 4 years old!!! I was so self-conscious that I wasn't just loving with them.

Seeing my niece with her mommy is incredible. Both of them are so open to loving. Both of them seem to know what the other needs.

I am awed and inspired.