5780 Chanukah - Or Ahavah: Sitting in the Light of Love

The Power of the Spirit
Meditations for the Days of Chanukah
Sitting in the Lights that Echo from Beginning of Creation

 Chanukah Day 1

Or Ahavah: Sitting in the Light of Love
 
Love flows from trees, sky and waters.  Love flows through birds, plants, animals and stars. The web that connects us all is love.

On this first day of Chanukah we set an intention to sit in or ahavah, opening our awareness to the infinite love that unites us all.
 
Taking our seats, we bring gentle attention to the breath, noticing the movement of the body as we receive and release each breath. After a few minutes we imagine the breath as light, carrying and bestowing love. Gentle, present, soft, kind, each breath carries the light of love. Each breath brings love that flows through the universe, connecting us to each other and to trees, birds, earth and sky.

As we notice the mind wandering, objecting, getting stuck or wound up, we do our best to send loving breaths into these thoughts and return our attention to or ahavah a shining infinite light of love. We might want to repeat the phrase or ahavah as a way to anchor the attention and direct the mind.

At the end of the meditation we give thanks for setting aside this time to sit and close with the blessing:

Brucha at Yah ohevet kol ha’olam

Blessed is the love that flows through all the worlds.

—Rabbi Yael
25 Kislev 5780
 

We are grateful to offer resources for Chanukah. Read Introduction to daily teachings.

You can also find Blessings and Intentions for the lighting of candles for each night of Chanukah on our website:

Lifting up the Lights: Chanukah in Challenging Times

Shining the Lights: Sending Forth the Good

If you are looking for a Chanukah gift for a friend or family member, please consider my book: Directing the Heart: Weekly Mindfulness Teachings and Practices from the Torah. Learn more and purchase.

I will write a personal note to all those who receive the book as a gift. Send your name and the name and address of the recipient of the gift to me at rabbiyael@awayin.org and I will send a Chanukah card with a photo and psalm verse to them.

If you find these teachings useful, please donate to A Way In Jewish Mindfulness to keep them free and available for everyone.