How to Practice Jewish Meditation
Jews have a long history of using meditation for spiritual enlightenment, dating back at least as far as the writing of the Torah's Book of Genesis. In modern times, Jews and non-Jews alike have turned to the practice of Jewish meditation to achieve respite and tranquility in a stressful world. Meditation is the technique of focusing the mind while relaxing the body, and many claim it can be used to treat everything from anxiety to insomnia.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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Understand the Purpose of Jewish Meditation
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Know that Jewish meditation is sometimes performed simply as an intellectual exercise, to focus the mind and attune it to important lessons in Judaism.
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Use Jewish meditation to nourish your soul. Ancient Jewish beliefs hold that meditation is to the soul what food is to the body.
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Practice Jewish mysticism alone, or enjoy group meditation. Group meditation is often guided by a knowledgeable, experienced practitioner or rabbi, and it can be an excellent way to meet like-minded people.
Know the Different Jewish Meditation Techniques
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Understand that Jewish meditation is not codified. There is no single right or wrong way to do it, and many of its great teachers use differing approaches. Get an overview online (see Resources below).
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Talk to an expert. This is particularly important if you're interested in the more advanced techniques used in Jewish meditation. The major techniques are presented in this section in approximate order of difficulty.
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Chant psalms, prayers and verses from the Torah. Focus on the meanings of the words as you repeat them.
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Sound out Hebrew letters and/or vowels. Concentrate on their sound, and nothing else. Repeat until you are aware of nothing but the sound you're saying.
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5
Learn a walking-, dance- or movement-based form of Jewish meditation. This is ideal for people who like to focus through physical activity, but will require instruction from a knowledgeable person.
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Try to achieve "Eyin," a state of mystical enlightenment that is really like a state of nothingness. This technique focuses on silence and breathing.
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Practice every day. Meditation becomes easier--and more effective--the more you do it.
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Tips & Warnings
The costs involved with Jewish meditation practices are generally not cumbersome, unless you want to receive professional instruction. It would be helpful to purchase an authoritative instructional guide and a copy of the Torah at minimum. Both will be inexpensive.
Guided instruction from a qualified teacher of Jewish meditation may range from moderately priced to expensive, depending on the teacher and your geographic location.
Contact your local synagogue. There may be classes, group meditation sessions or instruction in Jewish meditation offered through it.
Meditation is considered a secondary means of treating stress-related disorders, and it should not be used as a substitute for the care of a qualified doctor. Talk to your doctor if you experience a sudden onset of anxiety or depression that you believe may be stress-related.
