This is the Order of the World
The Sages taught: On the day that Adam the first man was created, when the sun set upon him he said: Woe is me, as because I sinned, the world is becoming dark around me, and the world will return to the primordial state of chaos and disorder. And this is the death that was […]
Pay Attention!
by Melanie Gruenwald This semester, I am teaching the Base Awareness and Kabbalah of Mitch Albom classes for Kabbalah Experience. I always love to see how classes overlap. (Paying attention to what’s showing up definitely helps inspire blog posts!!) In Base Awareness, we’re working our way up the tree of life- starting with Malchut. […]
Creativity in the Tree of Life
by Melanie Gruenwald This summer, I created and facilitated a course called Isha al Achota, As a Woman Faces her Sister. It has been a wonderful process of discovery– exploring primary texts and contemporary voices, which bring alive the spirit and the energy of women in our tradition. I am particularly struck by Rabbi Tirzah […]
Tree of Life: Malchut
by Melanie Gruenwald The Tree of Life is constantly surrounding us. We just have to be aware of it. I’d like to start with two stories. Several weeks ago, our family was cycling in the Courage Classic, a bike tour in the mountains of Colorado, to raise support for Children’s Hospital Colorado. I […]
Five Sacred Minutes
by Melanie Gruenwald I recently re-started a practice of journaling every day for five sacred minutes. I sit with my journal, some pens that bring me joy, set the timer on my phone and write uninterrupted for five minutes. I started this practice when I was reading The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. The […]
Urgent Gratitude.
Summertime is in the air. As we wrap up our fiscal year, I would like to formally express our gratitude to you- the students, supporters, and community of Kabbalah Experience. We had an amazing year. In 2022/2023, Kabbalah Experience: Provided support to the Afghan refugee family that our Welcome Circle settled in Denver (March 2022) […]
Time flies.
by Melanie Gruenwald At Kabbalah Experience’s Time and When are you? classes, we explore the concept of time as a construct. We agree we’ll meet at 3:30pm. Three-thirty of what? Mountain Time? Eastern time? It’s like saying, “I’ll meet you at the corner of Amsterdam and 189th.” Those streets were given names that way (by […]
Omer Reflections
by Melanie Gruenwald The period between Passover’s Second Seder and Shavuot is an auspicious time of counting for the Jewish people. We call this seven-week period, ‘Counting the Omer’ Kabbalists have connected this journey to a journey through the bottom seven sefirot- seven weeks, seven days in each week– seven sefirot informing each step of […]
Nisan reflections
On March 22 at sunset, with the new moon, we mark the beginning of the Jewish month of Nisan. Rosh Hodesh Nisan Reflections A Poem by Melanie Gruenwald While we are planting seeds and sweeping corners liberation taunts the narrow thoughts that hold me back Burning the chametz that weighs me down […]
Celebrating our differences: Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM)
In February, we celebrate Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month. (JDAIM). As the Executive Director of a forward-thinking organization, and having had a son with disabilities, I often feel like I know of what I speak. However, a well-meaning student highlighted ‘ableist’ language in a curriculum I shared, and it gave me pause. First, […]