The most powerful time of the year to reflect upon our spiritual work is in these days leading up to the connection of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah is the metaphysical seed of the year; not just a High Holiday but more importantly a window where we can go to the essence of it all, before the Creation of this world, of our souls; before time, space and karma. It’s a 48 hour period where the consciousness we have will determine our reality for the next year to come… individually and collectively.

To prepare for this great injection of Light that is on its way to each of us, we need to use the coming days to look back on our year and take serious inventory.

To ask questions like: What did I say I was going to do this year but I didn’t? What was I reactive about? Where could I have pushed myself to do more, to be more, to share more? How could I have been a better friend, spouse, parent, teacher, student?

I find it helps to make a list. Then, I picture how much more awesome my year would have been if I had done things differently—and finally, I make a vow to change.

This concept of spiritual repentance is called teshuvah. It’s probably something each of us should be doing at least once a week, but it’s particularly powerful in these days before Rosh Hashanah. The inventory we take of our negativity now and our commitment to change it, can determine the new person we will become in the next year.

It’s important to see what we’ve lost because of our own fears, limitations and selfishness—not so we beat ourselves up or feel bad but so that we can be inspired to change! In order to transform our negativity, we first have to really see it for all that it is and all it has cost us.

The wars in our life are always against internal enemies, never external people. Repentance assists us in finding the real enemy so we can battle it head on.

Let’s find some time to reflect this week and decide what changes we’re committed to making in the coming year.

“Rosh Hashanah can indeed act as a spiritual insurance policy for the entire year. We wish each other Happy New Year but will succeed in this effort only if we mean it and make it happen. Our lives depend on these two days of Rosh Hashanah.” – Rav Berg

All the best,

Yehuda

* For further preparation of Rosh Hashanah, watch Yehuda's new class on Forgiveness now available on Kabbalah University.
 

72 Name of the Week

I concentrate on these letters and ask the Light to show me where I can make improvements on myself.
Reactive behavior, my ego, all negativity—I want it out.
I will push it away and pay attention to the circumstances around me.
I’ll spend each day spreading Light and joy in the world, sharing with those around me.