Writing Ourselves in the Book of Life: A creative exploration of the fall season
7 – 9 pm ET, Sunday, September 22, 2024
When do we begin?
We could start our accounting of time at almost any point in the year. Should we begin with the point of quiet, when the natural world lies dormant? Or from the beginning of buds on the trees? When the first lambs are born in the spring? When we gather in the harvest? At the darkest time of year, or the brightest?
The Jewish tradition speaks of several different new years, a recognition of the different ways of marking time. Where we begin depends on who we are, and where we choose to focus.
The Jewish calendar begins our marking of human time with the New Year celebration at Rosh Hashanah, near the autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere. It is a point of balancing, when the length of day and night are equal. It seems fitting then that the Zodiac symbol for this time, Libra, or Moznayim in Hebrew, is the scale. The season invites introspection and taking stock of where we are. Where do we find balance? How do we recalibrate our scales?
We will gather for an exploration of ancient and contemporary teachings related to the themes of sacred time and balance. We will have time for discussion and reflection on our personal experience of the season. Then, we will participate in a guided creative writing activity inspired by our exploration. Participants are encouraged to share their writing or reflections on the process in a supportive space.
Please bring any writing materials – pens, paper, notebooks – that you enjoy using.
