Being in the Moment

היום שנים ושלשים יומים שהם ארבעה שבועות וארבעה יומים לעמר
Today is the thirty-second day of the omer - four weeks and four days
נצח שבהוד
A day of endurance in a week of humility


One thing I have come to appreciate in my yoga practice are the transitions. Not just the transitions from pose to pose, but the pauses that are the transitions between the ins and outs of my breath. These transitions that are an integral part of the practice teaches us to be in all moments of our lives--stop rushing from one point to another. And if we pay attention in the transitions, we'll be more aware when we get to our destination.

Jewish prayer services have that same respect for transitions, albeit a bit more formalized. As we go from one part of the service to another, we say different versions of the Kaddish, a prayer in which we take a moment to acknowledge the Transcendent Spirit around us. Another reminder to be in the moment, reflect on where we are, before we move on. We also say Kaddish to honor the dead, who are now apart of the Spirit within us.

Meditation practice is all about transitions. Because the main focus of the practice is to be in each moment, you're always in transition--there is no destination, just new moments.

The whole world is in transition as we enter the 21st century. We need to look at where we are, not run away from it or even towards what will come next. We need to live these moments, build upon them to get to the next.