{"id":59723,"date":"2024-07-29T08:31:09","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/?p=59723"},"modified":"2024-07-29T08:38:10","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:38:10","slug":"as-michelangelo-said-im-still-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/?p=59723","title":{"rendered":"As Michelangelo said, “I’m still learning.”"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Mountain Summer Moon<\/p>\n

Monday gratefuls: Ruth, the young woman. Alan. Cheri. Rabbi Joe Black. Eitan Kantor. David Ross. Jewish music. Downtown Denver. Walking. Breathing. High Summer. Lugnasa on its way. Stoic and Genuine Seafood. Oysters. Fish and chips. Union Station. Restaurants. Amtrak. Destination for the W line. And the A line. And all the RTD lines. Getting back home, up the hill. Cooler and cleaner air.<\/p>\n

Sparks of Joy and Awe: Ruth, the soon to be college student<\/p>\n

One brief shining: The server put a small metal ring on our table, then brought a platter filled with shaved ice, four Granite Bay oysters, two small dishes with melted garlic butter and horseradish in ketchup; Ruth said, I feel awkward since she had never eaten an oyster but we put the horseradish\/ketchup sauce on, slipped the oysters down with a gulp and she said, it tastes like the ocean.<\/p>\n

Kavanah for the day (intention): Charging the heart with Responsibility<\/a> \u2013 Achrayut <\/em>(\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A bit of explanation is in order here. Since becoming a member of CBE-well before my conversion-study has marked my path. Kate and I went together to mussar on Thursday afternoons and to the MVP group once a month. Mussar means discipline, instruction, ethics and it focuses on developing character traits* as a way of living a holy life, a moral life.<\/p>\n

Practicing mussar has three potential elements. The first is a kavanah, an intention, for the day. This means throughout the day we seek opportunities to engage the character trait named in our intention. Today, for example, I plan to focus on some financial matters I don’t want to deal with. But need to. So my overall intention focus will be responsibility.<\/p>\n

This will encourage me to pay attention not only to working all the way through the financial matters, but also to seek opportunities to do something for someone else. When we have an intention, we also have a practice. That is, I will look for chances today to be of service to someone or I will create chances. The practice is the second element.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The third element is journaling about my experience in the evening. I want to become more intentional about my mussar practice, so I’m adding my daily kavanah to Ancientrails.<\/p>\n

There are three other areas of intensive study. Kabbalah. Torah. And, the study I did for my conversion sessions. I studied kabbalah for a while, then stopped. Will begin again in the fall. Now doing Torah study with Gary Riskin as a Men’s Torah Study and once a month with Rabbi Jamie.<\/p>\n

Can you see why Judaism appeals to me?<\/p>\n

One more thought: Judaism has a layered understanding of the soul. Two layers jump out in this conversation. The first is neshamah. The neshamah notion is equivalent to buddha nature, I am, made as sacred reality. We are a neshama, a pure and sacred soul. Nothing can change this because the neshama represents the very way you are part of the ongoing becomingness that is all reality. The nefesh is how the particularity, the uniqueness that you are as part of that becomingness, develops itself in and through your life. The nefesh is the seat of mussar practice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* There are many lists of character traits. Here’s one from the Mussar Center:<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

1.\u00a0 AWE\u00a0 Yira (year-AH)\u00a0 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 BALANCE\u00a0 Izun (ee-ZOON)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d6\u05d5\u05bc\u05df<\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 BEAUTY\u00a0 Tiferet (tee-FAIR-et)\u00a0 \u05ea\u05b4\u05e4\u05d0\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 BROTHERHOOD\u00a0 Achava (ach-ah-VAH)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 CAREFULNESS\u00a0 Zehirut (zeer-OOT)\u00a0 \u05d6\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 CLARITY\u00a0 Tohar (TOE-har)\u00a0 \u05d8\u05b9\u05d4\u05b7\u05e8<\/span><\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 COMPASSION\u00a0 Rachamim (raw-chuh-MEEM)\u00a0 \u05e8\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/span><\/p>\n

8.\u00a0 CONSCIENCE\u00a0 Busha (boo-SHAH)\u00a0 \u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

9.\u00a0 CONSIDERATION\u00a0 Adivut (ah-dee-VOOT)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

10.\u00a0 CONTENTMENT\u00a0 Histapkut (he-stop-KOOT)\u00a0 \u05d4\u05b4\u05e1\u05ea\u05b7\u05e4\u05b0\u05bc\u05e7\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

11.\u00a0 COURAGE\u00a0 Ometz Lev (OH-mets lev)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b9\u05de\u05b6\u05e5 \u05dc\u05b5\u05d1<\/span><\/p>\n

12.\u00a0 DECISIVENESS\u00a0 Charitzut (char-ee-TSOOT)\u00a0 \u05d7\u05b2\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05e6\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

13.\u00a0 DEVOTION\u00a0 Chasidut (chah-see-DOOT)\u00a0 \u05d7\u05b2\u05e1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d3\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

14.\u00a0 FAITH\u00a0 Emuna (em-oo-NAH)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

15.\u00a0 FAITHFULNESS\u00a0 Ne’emanut (neh-mahn-OOT)\u00a0 \u05e0\u05b6\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

16.\u00a0 FLEXIBILITY\u00a0 Gemesh (GEM-esh)\u00a0 \u05d2\u05b6\u05de\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1<\/span><\/p>\n

17.\u00a0 FREEDOM\u00a0 Chofesh (CHOE-fesh)\u00a0 \u05d7\u05d5\u05b9\u05e4\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1<\/span><\/p>\n

18.\u00a0 GENEROSITY\u00a0 Nedivut (nid-ee-VOOT)\u00a0 \u05e0\u05b0\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

19.\u00a0 GOODWILL\u00a0 Ratzon (ruts-OWN)\u00a0 \u05e8\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span><\/p>\n

20.\u00a0 HOLINESS\u00a0 Kedusha (kid-oo-SHAH)\u00a0 \u05e7\u05b0\u05d3\u05bb\u05e9\u05c1\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

21.\u00a0 HONESTY\u00a0 Yosher (YO-share)\u00a0 \u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8<\/span><\/p>\n

22.\u00a0 HONOUR\u00a0 Kavod (kuh-VODE)\u00a0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3<\/span><\/p>\n

23.\u00a0 HOPE\u00a0 Tikva (teek-VAH)\u00a0 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

24.\u00a0 HUMILITY\u00a0 Anava (ah-nuh-VUH)\u00a0 \u05e2\u05b2\u05e0\u05b8\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

25.\u00a0 JOY\u00a0 Simcha (SIM-chah)\u00a0 \u05e9\u05c2\u05b4\u05de\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

26.\u00a0 JUSTICE\u00a0 Tzedek (TSEH-deck)\u00a0 \u05e6\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05e7<\/span><\/p>\n

27.\u00a0 KINDNESS\u00a0 Chesed (CHEH-sed)\u00a0 \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3<\/span><\/p>\n

28.\u00a0 KNOWLEDGE\u00a0 Da’at (DAH-aht)\u00a0 \u05d3\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

29.\u00a0 LOVE\u00a0 Ahava (aha-VAH)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05d1\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

30.\u00a0 MERCY\u00a0 Chemlah (chem-LAH)\u00a0 \u05d7\u05b6\u05de\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

31.\u00a0 MINDFULNESS\u00a0 Metinut (mitt-ee-NOOT)\u00a0 \u05de\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

32.\u00a0 MODESTY\u00a0 Tzniut (ts-nee-OOT)\u00a0 \u05e6\u05b0\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e2\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

33.\u00a0 ORDERLINESS\u00a0 Seder (SAY-dare)\u00a0 \u05e1\u05b5\u05d3\u05b6\u05e8<\/span><\/p>\n

34.\u00a0 PERSEVERANCE\u00a0 Netzach (NETS-ach)\u00a0 \u05e0\u05b5\u05e6\u05b7\u05d7<\/span><\/p>\n

35.\u00a0 PATIENCE\u00a0 Savlanut (sav-lah-NOOT)\u00a0 \u05e1\u05b7\u05d1\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

36.\u00a0 PEACE\u00a0 Shalom (shuh-LOME)\u00a0 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b8\u05dc\u05d5\u05b9\u05dd<\/span><\/p>\n

37.\u00a0 PLEASANTNESS\u00a0 Noam (no-AHM)\u00a0 \u05e0\u05b9\u05e2\u05b7\u05dd<\/span><\/p>\n

38.\u00a0 RESPONSIBILITY\u00a0 Acharayut (ach-rye-OOT)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05e8\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

39.\u00a0 RIGHTNESS\u00a0 Tzedaka (ts-DAW-kuh)\u00a0 \u05e6\u05b0\u05d3\u05b8\u05e7\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

40.\u00a0 SELF-CONTROL\u00a0 Perishut (pree-SHOOT)\u00a0 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

41.\u00a0 SERENITY\u00a0 Menucha (min-oo-CHAH)\u00a0 \u05de\u05b0\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc\u05d7\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

42.\u00a0 STABILITY\u00a0 Yesod (yee-SODE)\u00a0 \u05d9\u05b0\u05e1\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3<\/span><\/p>\n

43.\u00a0 STRENGTH\u00a0 Gevura (g-voo-RAH)\u00a0 \u05d2\u05b0\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

44.\u00a0 THANKFULNESS\u00a0 Hod (hode)\u00a0 \u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3<\/span><\/p>\n

45.\u00a0 TRUTH\u00a0 Emet (em-ET)\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b6\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n

46.\u00a0 UNDERSTANDING\u00a0 Bina (bee-NAH)\u00a0 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

47.\u00a0 WISDOM\u00a0 Chochma (CHOCH-mah)\u00a0 \u05d7\u05b8\u05db\u05b0\u05de\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/p>\n

48.\u00a0 ZEAL\u00a0 Zerizut (zree-ZOOT)\u00a0 \u05d6\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05d6\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Mountain Summer Moon Monday gratefuls: Ruth, the young woman. Alan. Cheri. Rabbi Joe Black. Eitan Kantor. David Ross. Jewish music. Downtown Denver. Walking. Breathing. High Summer. Lugnasa on its way. Stoic and Genuine Seafood. Oysters. Fish and chips. Union Station. Restaurants. Amtrak. Destination for the W line. And the A line. And all the … Continue reading As Michelangelo said, “I’m still learning.”<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4381,4382],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-judaism","category-mussarkabbalahhebrewtorahtalmud"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=59723"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59723\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59735,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59723\/revisions\/59735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=59723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=59723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=59723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}