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

YOM KIPPUR: Letting in Forgiveness 

Consider: On Yom Kippur, we reflect and apologize so that we can start the year anew.  Of course, starting over has no magic power in and of itself- it relies on us putting in the work to reflect on how we want to change.  But - oh, when we do so, starting fresh brings new energy, joy and hope!  

Repair and forgiveness are each personal and communal acts.  On our own or in community, we are aware of the need for us to be both gentle and open in order for true change to emerge.  We seek to balance taking responsibility for our wrongs without battering our souls so much that we are unable to move forward anew. This tender message is mirrored in a passage that we read in the prayerbook on Yom Kippur: 

“Adonai, Adonai - 
God, compassionate, gracious, endlessly patient, loving, and true; 
Showing mercy to the thousandth generation; 
Forgiving evil, defiance and wrongdoing, granting pardon.”  

Reflect: How does this description characterize God's forgiveness?  
What are barriers to forgiveness?*   
How can we mimic God's compassion, grace, patience, and love?  (If such a thing is even possible! Yet, we might call on this thousand year old text, and try).
What might we forgive in ourselves? What might we forgive in others? 

*Note that Jewish tradition does not obligate us to forgive someone who has not asked for our forgiveness.  

Act: On a blank piece of paper, write your responses to the above reflection questions. 
Alternately, or in addition, take 10 minutes to explore this Lovingkindness meditation with Sharon Salzberg. 

To expand this activity and explore with your family, use these prompts to begin a conversation:  
How does each of us apologize to one another?
          Do we use words? Actions? A combination? 
How do we accept one another's "I'm sorry"s? 
           Do we use words? Actions? A combination? 
What makes an apology feel good - for the giver? For the receiver? 

Please feel free to share your experience with these activities with us by sending us an email: hello@sanctuaryny.org !