I have always seen myself as a spiritual being having a physical experience instead of a physical being who has a spiritual moment. Knowing that I am a living soul in a physical body helps me to go forth to make a difference in the world.
Thank you dear Alan for this eloquent, elegant explanation of the often hard to grasp concept of spirituality. I’m so loving your blog! Much gratitude and love!
At age 17, in a moment of despair, an experience of profound mochin d’gadlut was visited upon me. Yet I was too spiritually orphaned for it to interpenetrate my life. It has remained a lifelong struggle to overcome spiritual orphanhood despite engaging in spiritual direction, in 12 Step work, in Mussar, in Torah study. Something just won’t shake loose but also won’t let go of me. Most recently I have been looking for information on the process(es) of Jewish spiritual formation from an academic angle, which from what you’ve shared in this blog may not be as counterintuitive as it sounds. Thank you for this new opportunity.
It can be difficult to realize that sometimes, the search is the destination and our work is to be grateful to have discovered a meaningful path to search along. Indeed, in this life there is no destination. As my teacher, Rabbi Perr, once said to me, "The point is to be on the journey, not to complete it. The point is to be on the train. not to reach the destination." There is much to celebrate in learning and growing.
Thank you. The awe that Heschel wrote about is one of the more interesting and important inner states to perceive through a Jewish lens because the word YIRAH that gets translated as "awe" or in his terms "radical amazement" has two other additional elements in the fullness of its connotations: fear and reverence. English doesn't have a single name for this experience that comes with 3 strands braided into one unitary emotional experience. Once we see that the Hebrew corresponds to something we experience and know in our own lives, we appreciate that our sages understood us so well. And that there is more to learn.
Ramban (Nachmanides) at the end of Parashat Bo (in Exodus) makes a related point about the natural vs. the miraculous as these appear to us and as they really are.
I love the teaser -a spiritual experience is not the same as a spiritual life. And Gd willing, a spiritual life is filled with spiritual experiences ❤️
A spiritual life includes struggle and uncertainty and other human experiences that are, indeed, spiritual, but aren't what we ordinarily mean when we speak of "spiritual experiences." It's natural to love the high moments, but ultimately, they pass, and it is the step-by-step embrace of a spiritual life that connects us more to our Source in a lasting and fulfilling way.
I have always seen myself as a spiritual being having a physical experience instead of a physical being who has a spiritual moment. Knowing that I am a living soul in a physical body helps me to go forth to make a difference in the world.
Amen!
Here’s my responsehttps://open.substack.com/pub/jaynejacovafeld/p/god-in-the-water?r=3cvzql&utm_medium=ios
Thank you dear Alan for this eloquent, elegant explanation of the often hard to grasp concept of spirituality. I’m so loving your blog! Much gratitude and love!
Bless you, Annie.
At age 17, in a moment of despair, an experience of profound mochin d’gadlut was visited upon me. Yet I was too spiritually orphaned for it to interpenetrate my life. It has remained a lifelong struggle to overcome spiritual orphanhood despite engaging in spiritual direction, in 12 Step work, in Mussar, in Torah study. Something just won’t shake loose but also won’t let go of me. Most recently I have been looking for information on the process(es) of Jewish spiritual formation from an academic angle, which from what you’ve shared in this blog may not be as counterintuitive as it sounds. Thank you for this new opportunity.
It can be difficult to realize that sometimes, the search is the destination and our work is to be grateful to have discovered a meaningful path to search along. Indeed, in this life there is no destination. As my teacher, Rabbi Perr, once said to me, "The point is to be on the journey, not to complete it. The point is to be on the train. not to reach the destination." There is much to celebrate in learning and growing.
An excellent post. I am reminded of Heschel's concept of Radical amazement, I'm always finding the surprising and invigorating in nature.
Thank you. The awe that Heschel wrote about is one of the more interesting and important inner states to perceive through a Jewish lens because the word YIRAH that gets translated as "awe" or in his terms "radical amazement" has two other additional elements in the fullness of its connotations: fear and reverence. English doesn't have a single name for this experience that comes with 3 strands braided into one unitary emotional experience. Once we see that the Hebrew corresponds to something we experience and know in our own lives, we appreciate that our sages understood us so well. And that there is more to learn.
Ramban (Nachmanides) at the end of Parashat Bo (in Exodus) makes a related point about the natural vs. the miraculous as these appear to us and as they really are.
👍
I love the teaser -a spiritual experience is not the same as a spiritual life. And Gd willing, a spiritual life is filled with spiritual experiences ❤️
A spiritual life includes struggle and uncertainty and other human experiences that are, indeed, spiritual, but aren't what we ordinarily mean when we speak of "spiritual experiences." It's natural to love the high moments, but ultimately, they pass, and it is the step-by-step embrace of a spiritual life that connects us more to our Source in a lasting and fulfilling way.