Nisan 5785 ניסן
Sunday morning, March 30, 2025. After a blustery couple of weeks, we were rewarded this morning with warm, if wet, weather. The air was fresh and there were green tips and buds, and birds singing a symphony. Yes, spring is actually coming, we are sure of it now! We can see the end of the long winter ahead of us. We talked about the weather in the middle east, where spring is in full swing – trees are in bloom – olive, pear, apple, and cherry – and the almonds are setting fruit. The first crops of the year – barley, peas, lentils and vetch — are actually being harvested, and millet, sesame, and vegetables are being sown.
Nisan marks the turning of the year – according to our sages, from Rosh Hashanah onward we have six months of material and earthliness – and starting in Nisan, we have a second New Year as we turn over into transcendence. There is an energy of renewal and pending freedom, as we head toward Passover in just two weeks.
This morning, we noticed a family of deer, the young male’s head heavy with antlers, striding through the marsh. We noticed faint stretch marks in some trees’ bark, as they wake from winter slumber and begin their year’s growth. And we noticed the breath of the world, as the warm breeze filled our lungs and reminded us of the Breath of the Divine Name, yud-hey-vav-hey. As we walk together toward Passover freedom, may we overcome the constrictions that bind us, bear well the stretch marks that we may experience as we grow, and sense the breath of the Source of Life as we move into freedom. Chodesh tov, and Chag Sameach! — K. Miriam
Our next Rosh Chodesh Walking Meditation will honor the month of Iyyar, Tuesday, April 29, 8:30 am. Contact us for location.
Rosh Chodesh Cleveland 