Category: Counting the Omer

What do we do when our Jewish practices are painful, when instead of anticipation and joy one is filled with hesitancy and dread?

I’ve seen it happen to hikers on the trail: in the Grand Canyon, on Mount Rainier, on Mount Shasta. The length and weight of the trail can simply crush the will out of an otherwise capable hiker. Then, self-judgment finishes them off.

The most important aspect of engaging in an expressive practice for the Omer counting period is to give yourself as much compassion (hesed) as possible.

For seven consecutive years I have created a painting based upon a practice known as “Counting the Omer.”  

In Kabbalah, the current month on the Hebrew calendar, Iyar, is the month of healing. Its spelling—aleph, yud, yud, resh—corresponds to the first letters of the words “Ani Yud-Yud Rofecha,” “I am G-d your Healer.” As I prepare for the Jewish Healing Circle I lead each month at my synagogue, I am struck by what a powerful healing tool it has become.

I felt totally in my body, my mind quiet, connected to the tree, nature, and the Oneness of the Universe. I felt rooted between Heaven and Earth.

As we count our days, weeks, and months, we are reminded that in every moment we have the potential to recreate ourselves and the world around us.   

I pray that I continue to remember to prioritize both my spiritual and physical sustenance each and every day, even if only for the amount of time that it takes to recite a simple blessing. 

I think of the Omer—this period of time we are now in the midst of—as learning to count, learning to wait.

This practice of counting, of singling out each day, also serves as a reminder to make each and every day count.