Rosh Chodesh Adar (head or beginning of the month) begins on the evening of February 24, 2020. The word Adar comes from ancient Babylonian and Hebrew. It means “to be darkened” or “eclipsed” and also, “majestic” and “wide”. Joseph, who was made a ruler in Egypt, and his two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, represent Adar. During leap years, Ephram and Menashe represent Adar A and Adar B. The constellation Pisces, which rules Adar, is said to represent luck and repel the evil eye. Joseph is represented by the color black and the stone onyx.
Adar is the month of luck and fortune (mazal). The letters kof ק and gimmel ג correspond to Adar. Gimmel represents abundance, prosperity, and good luck. Kof represents darkness. The letter kof also represents laughter, joy, and the masquerade, which is acceptable at Purim.
Ephraim and Menashe are tribes of the West. In Shamanism, the west is represented by the jaguar. Jaguar represents prophecy, shapeshifting, and secrecy. These are key components of the Purim story. Ephraim and Menashe, while not sons of Israel, represent their father, Joseph, who is. The three together represent Adar, (and in leap years Adar A and B). Just as in the story of Purim, they represent things not always being as they appear.
Adar is a time to revel in our good fortune. It is a time to reveal the secrets we have been keeping and rejoice in the new directions our lives are taking. Adar is a good time to shake off the seriousness of life and laugh at the face of darkness and evil that tries to thwart our path. Maybe we need to embody the characteristics of the jaguar and shapeshift our way into a positive future. No matter what life holds in store for us, there will always be shifting from darkness to light.
Back in 2018, I wrote a blog post calledMagical Mindsetin which I spoke briefly about why I don’t use the letter “k” that so many witches do in regards to magic. I said that it doesn’t matter because magic is a mindset and that these days we all know what is meant when someone says magic. This is still true, but my refrain from the k has become more of a political statement since then, and while I don’t dislike those who do use the k, I think it does matter whether or not you do.
The history of the word magick (with the k) dates back to Aleister Crowley. Crowley was a celebrated and well-known occultist of his time and was the founder of Thelema, an esoteric philosophy/religion that rests on the will of the person. While the spelling of magick did not originate with Crowley, (it’s a much older and archaic spelling) it is one that he embraced and promoted with his ceremonial magic and writings.
Crowley began using the archaic spelling of magic in order to differentiate the occult and ceremonial usage from stage magic which was highly popular at the time. I don’t have a problem with the reason he chose, as many magical practitioners still choose to use this spelling for that reason. However, I don’t think it is necessary, and I often wonder how many people choose to use it without knowing about the connection with Crowley.
Aleister Crowley has often been called the most evil man on earth. His personal lifestyle was certainly considered evil at the time, although not so much today. He also enjoyed controversy very much and would go out of his way to sound and appear more controversial than he may have otherwise been viewed. However, one thing that is not questionable is his racism and hatred of Jews. I find this anti-semitic approach quite ironic considering he studied and embraced Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) and incorporated it into Thelema.
I’m not going to go in-depth into Crowley’s racism and anti-Semitism. You can find evidence of it quite easily online in his writings and various articles about him. I have, for your convenience, linked four such articles below. There are many more.
Do I think that Aleister Crowley was the most evil man on earth? That’s not for me to say. Do I dismiss anything associated with him because of his beliefs and teachings? No. So why do I refuse to add the k to magic? Because the use of the arcane spelling of magic today is directly related to Aleister Crowley and his teachings. If it was necessary to differentiate spiritual magic from stage magic I could possibly see it. I don’t think it is necessary now, and I don’t think it was necessary for Crowley’s time. I choose to believe that people are smart enough to know the difference when we are speaking of magic. Because it isn’t necessary to use a special spelling for people to know what we are talking about, I think it matters which spelling we do use. I personally choose not to use the k in magic. By not using it I’m showing that I don’t agree with Aleister Crowley’s racist beliefs and standing against his teachings.
Environmentalism plays a large role in modern Judaism. While it is a year round focus, one day of the year is devoted to trees and the environment- Tu B’Shevat. The name literally means fifteenth of Shevat, and falls at the full moon of Shevat. Falling in either January or February, it is one of several new year days on the Hebrew calendar. I wrote a post last year that gives a brief overview of the holiday, which you can read here.There are many different ways to mark Tu B’Shevat. Here are a few that vary in levels of observance and time.
Plant a tree. Tu B’Shevat is the new year of trees. In Israel the holiday is marked by planting trees. You can plant a tree yourself at home. If it’s not the appropriate climate to do so where you live, consider planting a tree indoors and transplanting it later. Alternatively, you can have a tree planted in Israel on your behalf. There are many organizations that do this. One such organization can be found here.
Plan Your Garden. Tu B’Shevat is a great time to plan your vegetable garden for the upcoming planting season. If you haven’t done so already, break out the seeds you saved from last year or the seed catalogs you order from and start planning!
Do something for the environment. Tu B’Shevat is like a Jewish Earth Day. Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Host a community educational event. Reduce your waste. There are numerous ways to celebrate Earth Day. Tu B’Shevat is another day to honor and remember our planet.
Host a Tu B’Shevat Seder. You are probably familiar with the Passover Seder (or if you aren’t Jewish you may have at least heard of it). Well, some people mark Tu B’Shevat with a seder as well. Seder simply means order and it refers to the order of the ritualized meal for the holiday. A Tu B’Shevat seder includes learning about the importance of the holiday and eating seven different species of fruits. You can find the order of a beautiful Tu B’Shevat Seder here.
Learn about Asherah. Back in the days when the Hebrews first entered Canaan, they came into contact with the Canaanite deities. Asherah was the mother Goddess, and she was represented by a tree. Many Israelites began to honor Asherah, and even planted trees in their sacred sites next to the representation of El. You can even find traces of Asherah in modern Judaism and Kabbalah with the Tree of Life and even with the Torah being referred to as a tree. You can read more about Asherah here.You can also read my poem about the current return of Asherah. It’s found here.
No matter what you do, you can find a way to commemorate Tu B’Shevat. What are your favorite ways to celebrate our mother Earth and take care of the environment? Leave a comment below. I’d love to know what your traditions are.
Music features prominently in this week’s Torah portion. In fact, the sabbath that falls this week is called Shabbat Shira (the Sabbath of Song) because it is the week when we read a particular Torah portion: Beshalach. During this week we read of three different songs by or about three different people: Moshe, Miriam, and Devorah.
Song of the Sea
During this week’s portion, we read of the Israelites crossing the Sea of Reeds when fleeing from Egypt. After they reached the safety of the other side and Pharoah and the Egyptians were swallowed by the sea, Moshe sings a song of praise and thanksgiving to G-d for their deliverance. The song appears in Exodus 15:1-18.
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD. They said: I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.
The foe said, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall have its fill of them. I will bare my sword— My hand shall subdue them.”
Terror and dread descend upon them; Through the might of Your arm they are still as stone— Till Your people cross over, O LORD, Till Your people cross whom You have ransomed.
You will bring them and plant them in Your own mountain, The place You made to dwell in, O LORD, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands established.
יְהוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃
The LORD will reign for ever and ever!
Miriam’s Song
Immediately after the song of the sea, we read about the Prophetess Miriam. She led the women in song and dance throughout the night. Her song is much shorter than that of her brother but no less poignant. Miriam’s song is found in Exodus 15:20-21.
And Miriam chanted for them: Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.
Devorah’s Song
In the corresponding Haftarah reading this week we learn of Devorah and Yael and how they helped defeat the Canaanites. Devorah was Judge and Prophetess in Israel. After her people cried out to G-d for deliverance following years of persecution, Devorah told Barak to go up Mount Tabor and battle Sisera, King Yabin’s military commander. She told him that G-d promised his victory. Barak responded to Devorah that he would go only if she went with him. Devorah agreed to go, but told Barak that because he refused to go on G-d’s terms he would not receive credit for the victory- instead, all credit would go to a woman. This is just what happened. Barak led a great victory campaign, but Sisera survived and fled. He ran straight to Yael’s tent because he thought that she was a friend. She gave him milk to put him to sleep and then drove a tent peg into his temple, killing him as she pegged his head to the ground. Yael and Devorah received credit for defeating Sisera. These events are outlined in Judges 4, and Judges 5 records the battle hymn of victory known as Devorah’s song. You can read them here.
These are not the only three songs that appear in scripture. What makes these songs so prominent is that they all fall into one week for reading and study. The Song of the Sea and Miriam’s song have led to a prominent Jewish prayer, Mi Chamocha (below). Miriam and Devorah are celebrated for their contributions to Jewish history and the songs they left for us.
How does song play into your life? Do you compose your own songs and poetry to commemorate important moments in your life? Does your mood determine the types of music you listen to? What role does music hold in your spiritual life? I would love to hear from you on this. Please feel free to comment below.
The month of Shevat is associated with Asher. Asher is represented by the color blue-green and the stone chrysolite. Just as it is unknown exactly what stone Leshem istoday, it is unclear what exactly chrysolite it. It has most frequently been said to be peridot or topaz. Because Numbers Rabbah tells us that the stone of each Tribe corresponds to the color of their standard, the stone would need to be greenish-blue in color. With the symbol of Asher being an olive tree, it is my belief that peridot is most likely chrysolite.
Shevat is the month of blessing and righteousness. The letter tzadi צ corresponds to Shevat. Tzadi (especially in its final form ץ) resembles a tree. The Tree of Life represents knowledge and righteousness. The letter tzadi צ also represents the tzadik or righteous person who is full of knowledge. In symbolic terms, a tzadik carries Torah to the people. The tzadik brings refreshment to our parched souls.
Asher is a tribe of the North. Asher is meant to bear light to Dan’s darkness.In Shamanism, the north is represented by the hummingbird. The hummingbird is the archetype of an epic journey. It represents our soul and the journey each of us takes in life. Asher, the water bearer, brings us knowledge and water to help us on our spiritual journey.
Shevat is a time to examine our lives and motives. It is time to see what path we are on. Perhaps we need to take up the pail and carry water to our parched friends and relatives. Maybe we need to embody the characteristics of the hummingbird and guide ourselves and others deeper into our spiritual journey. No matter where we are in our lives we can embrace being a tzadik.
Today I wanted to discuss more regarding the month of Tevet. Specifically, I wanted to discuss the month in relation to the tribe of Dan, astrology, and gemology. I thought this might lead to an interesting recurring theme over this year. I began by looking up the gems that correspond to each month and tribe. I couldn’t find anything specific to the months but did find plenty of sites regarding the gems that correspond with the 12 Tribes of Israel.
Anyone who knows anything about biblical history has heard of the Breastplate of the High Priest. The breastplate was set with 12 stones, each one corresponding to a particular tribe. In fact, the tribal name was inscribed on the corresponding stone. With each tribe corresponding to a month, the tribal stone would also correspond to the month.
Easy enough, right? Well, not quite. You see, the names of the stones, as recorded in the Bible, are not the same names we use today. There are all kinds of thoughts on what the stones are/were. The stone associated with Dan was called Leshem. I have seen it said that Leshem is opal. I’ve also seen it said that it is jacinth, amber, and lapis. That’s a pretty broad spectrum in terms of gems! I decided to look to the Jewish sages to see if I could find anything out.
According to Midrash- Numbers Rabbah, each tribe was set up with a standard, the color of which corresponded to the color of the stone. Numbers Rabbah goes on to list the colors of each tribe’s standard. For Dan, it says, “Dan’s banner had the color of sapphire, and an image of a serpent in its center.” Can we say, then, that Dan’s color is sapphire and that Leshem is sapphire? Not really because sapphire is traditionally seen as being the stone of Issachar. Numbers Rabbah says, “Issachar’s banner was blackish, and had in the center the picture of the sun and the moon.” Notice, it doesn’t say black, but blackish. Sapphire is said to be bluish-black. It is the stone from which the tablets were carved, and due to Issachar’s renown for Torah study, that gem has been associated with that tribe.
What else can we glean from the sages? Dan’s banner (and therefore stone) was the color of sapphire. It’s not sapphire itself, but it’s the same color- blue. That rules out some of the speculations already. We are looking for a blue stone. Lapis fits, but so do many other stones. What other information can we find? In other reading, I learned that Leshem has streaks in the stone. Lapis does. Sodalite, which is similar in appearance to lapis, does as well. I decided to look at various blue stones and see if anything spoke to me. One stone that I personally never saw as a possibility for Leshem stood out. Kyanite is a blue stone with white streaking throughout. One sentence I came across really struck me. “The most desirable kyanite gemstones exhibit a sapphire-like blue color, but most stones will display noticeable light and dark color zoning, along with some white streaks or blotches.” Wow! Sapphire like blue color. Color of sapphire.
I’ve narrowed my thoughts down to Leshem being one of three stones: lapis lazuli, sodalite, or kyanite. I turned to what I know of the spiritual and metaphysical properties of each stone to see if any of them resonate with the month of Tevet (since Dan corresponds to Tevet).
Lapis Lazuli- known for wisdom and truth; corresponds to throat and third eye chakras
Sodalite- intuition; corresponds to the third eye and throat chakras
Kyanite- corresponds to and aligns all seven chakras; strengthens will and vision
The month of Tevet is a month of anger and change. Last week I wrote about Tevet and change.Tevet is ruled by the liver which is seen as representing anger. Dan is seen as angry and immature but grows up to a man of maturity. Dan means “to judge”. Judgment corresponds to the evil eye, but when Dan grows up, the evil eye changes into the ayin tov. Speaking of ayin: the letter ayin means “eye”. You can read more about the meaning of Tevet here.
You could say that either any of these three stones are the biblical Leshem. After my research, I believe it to be kyanite specifically. Kyanite is a blue that looks like sapphire. It has white streaks in it. Kyanite balances all chakras (immaturity to maturity). But one last characteristic makes me think of Leshem as kyanite. Kyanite forms in blades. With Tevet being a month of hostility and change, and with Dan meaning judgment, it’s only fitting that Dan is represented by a blade.
So there you have it. My opinion is that kyanite is the stone corresponding to Leshem. It is the stone of Dan- the stone of Tevet. With my birthday falling during Tevet, you could say that it is my birthstone. I’m ok with that. Kyanite has always been one of my favorites.
We are currently in the Hebrew month of Tevet and the Gregorian month of January. Tevet began at the new moon in December and will end at the new moon in January. The lights of the last days of Chanukah are the brightest spot during Tevet, with the long, dark nights of winter making up the remainder of the month. Aside from those waning days of the Festival of Lights, there are no holidays during Tevet.
Tevet is a month of spiritual darkness as well. The fast day, Asara B’Tevet (10th of Tevet), commemorates the beginning of the Babylonian exile when Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem during the First Temple period. This was the beginning of an exile that still continues today despite the fact of the Second Temple period. Just like today, not all Jews live there and call it home.
This month also marks the finality of the Septuagint- the translation of Torah into Greek ordered by Ptolemy. This 70-man translation was completed on the 8th of Tevet. We might ask why translating a holy book into a common language is a bad thing. As with everything else in life, the issue lies with intent. There would have been no problem had Ptolemy’s intention been to provide a translation so that more people could learn from the Holy Book. Instead, the sole purpose was to treat Jewish scripture as any other book- instead of elevating humanity to the scripture, he wanted to lower scripture to humanity. It doesn’t matter what scripture, if any, you follow. All scripture exists to bring humans to a loftier purpose far beyond our mere capacities.
It’s all about change. Tevet marks a month of change. Change, however, doesn’t have to be bad. It can be, as we see from the 8th and 10th of Tevet. It’s also a catalyst for good. Tevet coincides with January which is a time of change. Many people use this time of the new year to make positive changes in their lives. The month is one of darkness, but we can transform that darkness into light. We can be aware of how change can create turmoil, but we can take that turmoil and chaos and transmute it for our good.
Lunar energy exerts a strong influence on our lives and has been sacred to various spiritual traditions throughout the ages. Farmers have traditionally worked with the phases of the moon in order to plant and cultivate their crops. Working with the moon’s energy is as simple as timing your work to coincide with the phases of the moon.
Beginners can start by focusing on the two periods of the moon- waxing, and waning. The waxing moon lasts from the new moon until the full moon. This is the half of the moon cycle when the visible portion of the moon grows larger and the light reflecting off the moon is growing brighter. The energy that comes from a waxing moon is great for planting, growing, and drawing things in. The opposite half of the moon phase- the waning moon- is good for repelling things. This waning period lasts from the full moon until the new moon. During this time the visible portion of the moon diminishes, and the light is less each night.
Once you have spent time with the moon periods and have grown accustomed to working with the major energies of birth and death, you can deepen your lunar work by aligning specifically with each of the eight moon phases. How you do this will depend on your work and whether it is a short or long term goal. Short term goals can be fully realized within one lunar cycle.
Growing Period:
New Moon– During the dark phase of the moon begin by setting your intention.
Waxing Crescent– During the next seven days communicate the intention you set during the dark moon.
First Quarter– Approximately seven days after the new moon, we enter the first quarter when the moon is halfway between new and full. This is the period for taking action towards your intention or goal.
Waxing Gibbous– During the final period of time during this period, gather your results and analyze where you are at.
Waning Period:
Full Moon– When the moon is fully illuminated complete your work or make adjustments.
Waning Gibbous– Once the moon starts to wane share what you have learned.
Third Quarter– When the moon is once again halfway between full and new, complete any remaining work for this goal.
Waning Crescent– As the moon cycles back to new, let go of everything. Close your work and rest.
If your goal is something that can’t be reached in one lunar cycle you will be better served to follow a cycle as detailed below. You would repeat this cycle for as many lunar phases as necessary to reach your goal.
Growing Period:
New Moon– Set your intention or goal in a way that focuses on drawing something in. (ex: bring in money)
Waxing Crescent– Communicate your intentions.
First Quarter– Take action steps to draw in your desire.
Waxing Gibbous– Gather your results and analyze where you are at.
Waning Period:
Full Moon– Take the intention you set during the new moon and rephrase it to repel something. (ex: reduce debt)
Waning Gibbous– Communicate your intentions.
Third Quarter– Take action to decrease what you are wanting to remove from your life.
Waning Crescent– Gather your results and analyze where you are at.
Working with the phases of the moon will deepen your work by drawing on powerful lunar energy. The same energy that controls the tides can be harnessed for your own work- it just takes intention and planning.
With the year coming to a close I wanted to take a look back at some of the major lessons I learned this year. I have five lessons that really stood out to me in 2019. I can’t say that I learned them this year because honestly I learned them a long time ago. But, these are five lessons that came back to me this year. I guess you can say I re-learned them. The universe does that sometimes. We don’t necessarily forget the lessons we learned, but life has a way of bringing them back around if we start living without integrating them. I’m going to use these five lessons to guide me into 2020.
Self-Love is more than simply not hating yourself. I recently had one of my coaches (Yes, coaches need coaching too!) ask me if I love myself. My automatic response was that of course I do. Since that session, though, I’ve really been thinking about how I love myself, and the answer isn’t great. If I’m being honest with myself the way I’ve been loving myself is to not hate myself. Lack of hate does not equal love. Also, self care does not equal love for self. I stumbled across this article that gives some in depth ideas on what self love is.
Health is more than a number on the scale. My word for the year in 2019 has been “refuah”. It is a Hebrew word that means healing. I have focused on healing a lot this year. One area I have always struggled with in terms of health is weight. I’ve always been a large girl- even so much as to use the word fat despite well meaning people trying to tell me not to be mean to myself and use that word. One thing I’ve really dealt with over the years- even now- is medical professionals resorting to fat shame me in to losing weight. Fat shaming does not work. And health is not defined by a number on the scale. There are plenty of healthy fat people and unhealthy thin people. Body mass does not determine your health. There are other metrics that are much better at defining health than how much mass you have working with gravity. This year I have started seeing a holistic doctor in conjunction with my primary care physician. My holistic doctor provides me with a much broader scope of service than I get with my primary. She has also helped me focus on general wellness as well as mental health. And guess what? I’m still fat.
Mental health is paramount to good health. That mental health my holistic doctor is working on me with is crucial to good health. You can eat right and exercise all you want. You can be thin. You can be whatever. But, if you are struggling mentally then your physical health is going to suffer as well. Our mind directs our bodies. If our minds aren’t healthy then there is only so much we can do for ourselves physically.
Connections on social media are not worth sacrificing mental health. Social media is a fantastic tool for connecting with others, but it’s just social media. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Even if you know your connections in real life, the connection on social media isn’t all that important to real life. I have had several real life friends who have started being less than kind to me on social media this year because I’ve started being more vocal about my opinions and beliefs. I’ve let their comments slide even when I’ve been deeply hurt. I let it slide because we are real life connections and I value their friendship. But, I am learning to value my mental health more. And, for 2020 I’ve decided I will no longer let it go.
Life is meant to be lived without fear. Life is too short to live in fear. Our mental health depends on not living in fear. I have lived in fear for most of my life- fear of what other people would think, fear of not being loved- fear of dying alone. I’m focusing now on transmuting that fear into living my vibrantly authentic life. I will be stepping more and more out there and putting my face and voice where people can see and hear me. The absolute worst thing that can happen is that someone rejects me. But, by not putting myself out there, by being in fear of shining my truth, they already aren’t accepting me for who I am.
What lessons did you learn or re-learn this year? What truths do you plan to take into 2020 with you? Comment below and let me know.
There is a common misconception about grief- time heals all wounds. This is not true at all. Time does not heal grief. What time does is lessen the pain. Time makes grief less intense or less frequent, but it doesn’t heal. If time healed all wounds, then after the passage of a certain amount of time we wouldn’t have to worry about the pain of grief. But the plain truth is that grief never goes away. It is a wound that never fully heals.
This photo showed up in my Facebook memories this week and I shared it to my timeline. It’s my previous husband, Jeremy, and myself at Christmas 2010. That was his last Christmas. He died in May 2011. It has been 8 1/2 years since he died and the wound is still there. It’s not a fresh wound. I don’t feel it most days anymore. But, whenever there is a reminder or any reason that I think of him, I feel the familiar twinge of pain- loss, loss for what I had, loss for what I’ll never have. Loss. Raw. Intense. Pain. And sometimes I cry.
This photo is of my grandmother (standing with dark hair) and her sisters when they were little girls. Grandmother raised me and was my best friend. She passed away in February 1999 when I was 19 years old. I will never forget the last time I spoke to her. I was a Freshman in college and it was Saturday night. I called her while I was getting ready for a party. We talked awhile, but I was eager to get off the phone and go out with my friends. She died on Monday morning. It’s been nearly 21 years since she entered her silent sleep, but the grief still gets to me. I no longer live near where I grew up- where she is buried. My promise to myself is that the next time I go down there I will visit the cemetery, lay on her grave, and pour my heart out about the last however many years it has been.
This photo is of my current husband’s mother (on right with white shoes) and her mother and niece. Grief is not something that can be shrugged off after 30 days or a year or even a decade. When he lost his mother in 1983 he didn’t find out when it happened in May. He found out in December when the Christmas gift he sent her was returned. Since then all holidays have had something missing. He has a constant yearning to speak to her and ask her advice on everything important in his life. He truly wishes he could have a do over on so many things with her.
We all have experienced some level of grief in life. If you’ve not lost a close family member or friend, you’ve probably lost an extended family member. Or, you’ve experienced the loss of a relationship or life dream. It doesn’t really matter. The grief is the same. It doesn’t matter how long ago it was. The loss could have happened 30 years ago, or it could have happened this year. There will be moments of pain from the grief. Let it happen. Don’t fight it. Go with it. Feel it. It hurts. It’s painful. But when it passes you will feel better- lighter- cleaner. Make sure you take time during this holiday season to honor the grief in your life.
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