Hello from Israel!
This is my third time in Israel, and it’s great to be back here. The first time I visited was when I was still studying Kabbalah and I joined the first and I believe, the only trip organized by Rav Berg to celebrate Rosh Hashanah in Israel in 2007. We were a huge group of 3,000 from all over the world with about a dozen from the Philippines. The second was when I was a scholar for the Mashav Workshop for Media Strategy in Haifa in 2009. While here, I wish to greet you all a Hanukkah Sameach!
Hanukkah is not strictly a Jewish Christmas holiday as some would think.
It is celebrated for eight nights from December 2 to 10. It is one of the most joyous events in Jewish history, commemorating how its people rose to the occasion to fight for freedom and a holy miracle from 2,000 years ago. This event goes all the way back to 323 BC, following the death of the Greek general and king, Alexander the Great. When he died, a power struggle broke out among his generals. After a century of fighting, the Greco-Syrian Seleucid kings triumphed and ruled the former territories of Alexander the Great including Judea, which is the present-day Israel. They spread Greek art, architecture and religion, which the local communities resisted. With the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem, a priest named Matthias and his sons rose up in rebellion. Judah the Maccabee took his father’s place in the revolt when he died. He won back Jerusalem and restored the temple, cleansing and rededicating it.
Hanukkah means “dedication” and celebrates the miracle of light that occurred when Judah rededicated the Temple. It is said that there was only one vial of oil left enough to light the Temple’s candelabrum for one day. But it burned for eight days. The miracle became the basis of Hanukkah to thank God and celebrate the victory of light over darkness.
For Hanukkah, ask yourself this:
“What do I want to re-dedicate myself to?” It may be a cause, a project, a practice, a goal, health, self-improvement…?
The timing is actually good because today at 3:20 is the new moon, this is a good time to set intentions and plant seeds for new beginnings. When the moon is new, the sun and the moon are in the same sign intensifying its energy. And for those who’ve read my past post, we want to harness this energy right now (Jupiter in its home sign of Sagittarius). You may want to declare your intentions to the universe by writing them down. As the moon’s light waxes, your intentions will manifest.
I’ll be back next week and will conduct one week of classes.
To start off is a Scent and Sound Healing to Complete your Goals on December 16 . Two Kundalini yoga classes to help you start 2019 right: Remove Obstacles on December 17 and Forgive and Set Yourself Free on December 20. And lastly, a healing workshop to Understand Chakras on December 22.
The year is almost over. As the old saying goes, “Fall down seven times, get up eight”. Wherever you are at, at this point in the year, keep on getting up and blooming on.
In loving service,
Rosan
