Elul - The Month of Inward Turning and Forgiveness

Elul - The Month of Inward Turning and Forgiveness

August 20, 2020 - In: Monthly Energy

This is the month best known for inward turning, the month of forgiveness, the month of embodying more of who you really are, the month of Divine Love and Blessing.

Chodesh Tov!

We welcome the month of Elul starting Thursday August 20th and Friday August 21st. This is the month best known for inward turning, the month of forgiveness, the month of embodying more of who you really are, the month of Divine Love and Blessing.

The month of Elul always begins somewhere toward the middle to end of August and continues to the middle or end of September. Even though the heat may still be strong in Elul, there is a subtle change in the quality of light upon the arrival of Elul. We begin to sense that fall will soon be upon us. In many places in the world, the days will become shorter, the air begins to cool, and the leaves will once again turn into beautiful colors before they fall to the ground. We will see before our very eyes the cyclical dance of nature. Some of us will greet these changes with joy and some with regret; nevertheless, the natural changes will occur. Nature will turn inward once again, and so will we.

As we both witness and experience the inevitable cycles of life, we are also drawn inward to the consciousness within us that does not change. Through the spiritual grace of this month, it is easy to get in touch with what is pure and constant within us. It is interesting to note that the astrological sign of this month is Virgo, which is symbolized by the virgin. This is the only astrological sign that is feminine. According to Kabbalah, the feminine is the capacity to receive. This is the month to open the channels to receive the blessings we want in our life and in the world. We often do not have what we want and struggle in life because we do not have the vessels to receive what we want. In Elul we let go of limiting ego voices of shame, guilt, and inadequacy that block the flow of goodness in our lives. This is the month of allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, to be humble, and recognize that we are not alone. There is a unique goodness that an inward turning person can receive during this month.

The Hebrew letter for this month is Yud. The smallest letter in the alphabet is simply a point. The Yud is the essential point. The Yud represents the self-nullification necessary for coming close to God. The first letter of the Divine Name is a Yud. The first letter in the name Israel is a Yud, as is the first letter in the word Jew (Yehudit). Meditating on the Yud this month supports the inner turning to the most inner point within us. Go beyond the stories in your life to contact the innermost place within, the pure soul within. Place the Yud on your inner screen, meditate upon it, merge with it, and let it teach you the secrets of the power of becoming small and humble. This is a powerful meditation. I did this meditation recently and had the most sublime experience I had in a long time.

The entire month of Elul is a love affair with the Creator. The first letters of the Hebrew verse "Ani Ledodi vidodi li" I AM MY BELOVED'S AND MY BELOVED IS MINE" (Song of Songs 6:3) spell out Elul, signifying that there is a unique, intimate, and loving closeness between God and people during this last month of the Jewish calendar. By the way, this is a wonderful mantra to repeat and sing during this month during meditation. Elul is the month of spiritual preparation for the High Holidays. The inner work of spiritual accountability and returning to one's true essence (known as Teshuva) done during this month affects our capacity to stand before God and draw down blessings for the coming year.

Historically, Elul is the time period during which Moses returned to Mount Sinai to plead for forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. Consequently, Elul is the month for us to work on forgiveness of ourselves and others. As we forgive ourselves and others, we open to a greater divine revelation. Much has been written about the benefits and importance of forgiveness. As difficult as it might be, it is often the best thing that we can do for ourselves. When we forgive, we let go of limiting thoughts and behaviors and open to receiving new divine blessing in our lives. Though forgiveness is a spiritual practice for the entire year, it is a major theme this month of Elul.

During this month, you may find that you are brought into contact with people you have not seen for a while and are now given an opportunity to heal and complete the relationship in a way that was not possible before. You may have unexpected telephone calls "out of the blue" as well. You may even find that you are revisiting places and situations that on a conscious level you would not have chosen to do so; nevertheless, these are opportunities to release residual negativity so you can truly go forward in your life. On the other hand, if you feel a desire to connect with someone you haven't had contact with in a while, listen to your inner voice and follow your heart. It is generally a good time to reach out to people you want to be close to and wish them a happy and healthy new year. Many of us will be brought to new levels of appreciation for the personal relationships that have nourished us in this last year and the accomplishments we were able to achieve. Others of us will be more aware of our unfinished business needed to heal relationships.

The shofar is traditionally blown every day in Elul, except Shabbat, in synagogues to wake us up, to tell us and remind us that we can change. During the moments of shofar blowing, it is easy to let of resentments and judgments that have previously limited us. This upcoming year can be a truly new and amazing year for us, even if the external circumstances surrounding our lives remain the same.

We continue to confront the challenges of life in the midst of the plague along with the uncertainty of how long it will last. This challenge is compounded by rioting, looting, destruction of businesses, the murder of innocent people, all the problems associated with the rise in unemployment, quarantine and now with the tensions of the upcoming elections. To grow and thrive this month we will have to learn how to find peace and well-being inside ourselves and by deepening our relationship with God and others in spite of what is taking place around us. The month of Elul is the optimal time to turn inward, to access our priorities, and to deepen our spiritual connection to our souls and God. Do not simply wait this time out, but make it a time of inner transformation.

If you are feeling fearful, angry, depressed, or simply want to better access the spiritual opportunity of the month of Elul, a Spiritual Healing and Counseling might be helpful to you during this time of challenge. Email me to set up a time for a free 15-minute consultation or go to www.Melindaribner.com.

What was written above has been mostly excerpts from my book Kabbalah Month by Month.

Chodesh Tov, Love and Blessings,

Melinda Mindy Ribner