Heart, Body and Soul Guide for the High Holy Day Season - Sukkot

SUKKOT : Building 
Consider: The High Holy Day season does not end after Yom Kippur but continues with Sukkot, when we build booths (sukkot, or in the singular, sukkah) where we sit, eat, and some even sleep!  

​One of the requirements of a Kosher sukkah is that the stars must be visible through the “roof.” In other words, this is not a typical dwelling place, completely sheltered from the elements. But this change enables us to look at our world differently. 
Reflect: What do you hope to build in the coming year?  It could be something physical, or a personal practice, or something else. 
What might you look at differently in this new year?
What stars have always existed in your world, and how can you make more time to look at them?  How might exploring the natural world impact your ideas about what you hope to build? 
Act: Take a walk in nature.  Notice how trees provide shelter, shade, and habitat.  Consider how animals, and other humans, experience this environment.  What natural shelters exist without us, and natural processes rely on us? 

To expand this activity and explore with your family, use these prompts to begin a conversation while on a nature walk: 
What is the role of the trees, birds, and animals in this natural space?  Where do we see them? 
What is our role in this natural space? 
What can we do to care for this and other natural spaces around us? 
If you do any of these activities, let us know by sending an email to hello@sanctuaryny.org !