Eclectic Cleric

Shining Inner Awareness

Zehirut—shining inner awareness—begins at the center of the self and radiates outward in widening circles. In this meditation, we kindle the light within: noticing our thoughts, emotions, and intentions with clarity and compassion. From there, our awareness expands to our immediate environment—how we move, speak, and impact the space around us. Next, we extend our mindful presence to loved ones and acquaintances, noticing the quality of our relationships. The circle grows to encompass our town and region, sensing our place in the fabric of community. Finally, we reach outward to the world, holding all beings in luminous, attentive care. This is zehirut: living awake, radiant, and responsible in every sphere of life.

Bedtime Ritual 58

Welcome to this gentle meditation, here to help you wind down and drift into peaceful sleep. As we step into a new year full of possibilities—some exciting, some still unfolding—this practice invites you to let go of the day and ease into rest.

Inspired by the Jewish bedtime ritual and adapted for anyone seeking calm, these prayers offer comfort, reflection, and a soft landing at the end of your day—a bridge between the buzz of the world and the quiet of the night.

Settle in. Get comfortable. Maybe wrap yourself in a favorite blanket or find your best “I’m-done-for-the-day” position. Breathe deeply. With each exhale, release tension, to-dos, and that one awkward thing you said five years ago.

Feel calm wash over you, like the relief of finally finding your phone after searching… while holding it. Let yourself be held by stillness, tradition, and the quiet permission to rest now.

Sleep deeply. Wake renewed, ready to meet the new year with clarity, energy, and maybe a smile.

Walking meditation

Begin your walking meditation with gentle presence and intention. In this short guided preparation, you'll connect with your breath, body, and the earth beneath you. Release tension, quiet the mind, and set a clear intention for mindful awareness. This practice helps you shift from doing to being, so each step becomes an invitation into stillness and clarity. Perfect before a walking meditation session, whether indoors or out, this grounding preparation invites you to walk not to arrive, but to awaken—one breath, one step, one moment at a time. Suitable for all levels of experience.

Body Scan: Truth and Beauty

Leviticus chapters 21-22 lists physical “blemishes” that disqualify priests from offering sacrifices—a vision of holiness tied to outward perfection. This body scan meditation gently subverts that view, inviting us to encounter the sacred within every part of ourselves, especially those we’ve been taught to hide or judge. As attention moves from crown to soles, we bless each area not for its flawlessness, but for its presence, its story, its aliveness. Scars, asymmetries, pain, and softness—none are disqualifying. This practice honors the body as a living sanctuary, where holiness is not the absence of difference, but the embrace of wholeness. Just as the Torah invites us to elevate time and space, this meditation elevates the body—not in spite of its imperfections, but through them. We return to ourselves with compassion, reclaiming our right to stand, serve, and be seen as whole, worthy, and beloved.

Sacred Interiors

Begin outside, with the home—a space of shelter and belonging. Notice shifts in its texture or tone, gentle invitations to deeper attention. Move inward to the skin, the body’s boundary and interface with the world. Sense what it's holding, what it's expressing. Now enter through the eyes—the gateway of perception. Are they open with curiosity, or narrowed with comparison? From there, turn to the mouth, where words take form. How do they shape connection, trust, and truth? Finally, arrive at the heart, where desire is born—the deep well of longing that creates and nurtures life. This inward journey invites awareness, alignment, and compassion. From outer structure to inner source, you are called not to correct flaws, but to attune more fully to what is ready to grow, heal, and be expressed.

Bedtime Ritual 57

Welcome to this gentle meditation, here to help you wind down and drift into peaceful sleep. As we step into a new year full of possibilities (some exciting, some still figuring themselves out), this practice invites you to let go of the day and ease into rest. Inspired by the Jewish bedtime ritual and thoughtfully adapted for anyone seeking calm, these prayers have been reimagined to offer comfort, reflection, and a soft landing at the end of your day—a kind of bridge between the buzz of the world and the quiet of the night. Take a moment to settle in. Get comfortable—really comfortable. Maybe wrap yourself in a favorite blanket or flop into your best “I’m-done-for-the-day” position. Take a few deep, steady breaths. With each exhale, imagine releasing tension, to-dos, and that one awkward thing you said five years ago. As you listen, feel calm washing over you, like a gentle wave or the feeling of finally finding your phone after looking for it for ten minutes… while holding it. Let yourself be held by stillness, by tradition, and by the soft knowing that it’s okay to rest now. Sleep deeply. And when morning comes, may you rise refreshed, restored, and ready to meet this new year with clarity, energy, and maybe even a little smile.

Good News, Bad News

This meditation invites us to notice how we receive both good news and bad news, observing the ripple they create in our minds and bodies. We practice meeting each with steady breath and spacious awareness, allowing our reactions to arise and pass without judgment. In stillness, we learn to welcome joy without grasping and sorrow without resistance. Over time, we cultivate the quiet strength to remain centered, no matter what comes.

I Love You

Sit quietly and gently close your eyes, bringing your attention to your breath. With each breath, say to yourself, “I love you.” Let the words ripple inward, as if you're speaking to the deepest part of yourself with kindness and care. If your mind wanders, simply return to the rhythm of the mantra, allowing its simplicity to bring you back to presence.

Meditation in the spirit of Dianne Neiman

Meditation in the spirit of Dianne Neiman (https://schlossbergchapel.com/obituary/dianne-fay-neiman/) embraces laughter, absurdity, mischief, and joy as sacred pathways to presence. She understood that a smile can be a mantra, a joke can be a koan, and a bit of playful rebellion can awaken the soul. To meditate like Dianne is to welcome the unexpected, to hold life’s contradictions lightly, and to dance with the delightful absurdity of existence. It is a practice of seeing humor as wisdom and joy as a birthright. Rather than striving for stillness, this meditation invites movement—of breath, of curiosity, of delight. In honoring Dianne, we close our eyes, take a deep breath, and remember that sometimes, the holiest thing we can do is simply laugh.

In Distress? Rescue, Nourish, and Sing

This meditation guides you through a journey of distress, rescue, nourishment, and song, offering a path to transformation and renewal. Begin by noticing any tension in your body—any place where you feel stuck, uncertain, or burdened. Breathe deeply, acknowledging these feelings without judgment. Now, imagine standing at the edge of change. Behind you is what holds you back; ahead is the unknown. With each inhale, gather courage. With each exhale, let resistance soften as a new path gently unfolds before you. Feel the presence of nourishment surrounding you, offering exactly what you need in this moment. Perhaps it’s rest, clarity, or inner strength. Breathe it in fully, letting it sustain you. Finally, embrace song. Let your heart swell with a melody of renewal. Whisper, hum, or sing a note of joy, honoring your journey from struggle to freedom, from uncertainty to a deeper sense of peace.