Honest self-examination, communication with one's Maker, commitment to
become a better person -- all these are encouraged throughout the year
in various religious systems, but there is one day on the Jewish
calendar that is tailor-made for such activities: Yom Kippur, the Day
of Atonement.
Yom
Kippur is celebrated on the tenth day of Tishri, i.e., ten days after
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is the culmination of ten days
marked by increased levels of prayer, charity and other good deeds, and
the seeking of forgiveness from anyone one has harmed, purposely or
inadvertently, during the previous year.
This
day, the holiest and most solemn in Judaism, is also among the most
joyous, as it affords one the opportunity to rectify past wrongs and
face the future with a slate wiped clean.
Formerly
on everythingjewish.com:
...Everyone's reason is different, but what doesn't change, is the
acknowledgment of the power and awesome consequences of Yom Kippur. Yom
Kippur makes you stop and consider your behavior toward man and G-d.
Too often, our lives, our families and our businesses get in the way
the rest of the year. Immersing oneself in the day's prayers and
confessions helps to level the playing field.
In
the synagogue, you can sit next to the head of a giant corporation or
you can sit next to a clerk in a store or an office. It doesn't matter
to G-d, and that is something too often forgotten in the hectic pace of
life.
On
Yom Kippur, we are reminded that what we do for a living has no
correlation to our worthiness before G-d. Everyone is equal. The only
thing that matters is our behavior to our friends, our spouses, our
parents, our children, and our community. Succeed in these areas, and
the reward in the world to come and in your lifetime, will outweigh
even the richest and most famous.
Maybe
that is why Jews all over the world dedicate Yom Kippur to their
spiritual well being more than any other holiday in the Jewish
calendar.
[End of excerpts]
Atonement:
Amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong
Atone:
To make amends or reparation
Atone:
To bring into unity, harmony, concord, etc. (obsolete)
I
like the obsolete definition of atone. And my definition: Atone
= At One
Here
is something that I would like you to contemplate...
In
our prosperity work, it is often easy for us to recognize those hurts
and resentments that we harbor or have buried as a result of the wrongs
- perceived or real - that others have done to us. Lesson Four of the
Feel Free to Prosper program deals with the release and forgiveness of
the thoughts and emotions that prevent us from becoming open channels
to the prosperity that we want in our lives and that interfere with our
mental and physical health.
Do
we give as much thought to whom WE may have hurt in the past and the
effect it may have had on their own consciousness as well as ours? The
fact that we all have situations to atone for - and these may be minor
infractions or they may be of major consequence - means that buried in
our own consciousness are the remnants of those deeds and the negative
emotions (guilt, sorrow, unexpressed remorse, etc.) that also serve to
interfere with our ability to grow and prosper.
Do
we give thought to how we have hurt ourselves in the past and how the
lack of self forgiveness also interferes with our growth?
Isn't
this holiday a good reminder for all of us - Jewish or not - to "face
the future with a slate wiped clean?"
Sometimes
we can make physical amends and connect with those we have wronged in
the past. I have a good friend who told me last year about a situation
in high school when he had treated a female friend badly while they
were out socializing and it ended the friendship. Now in his 30s, he
couldn't stop thinking about what he had done, which was not in line
with his character, and he went on a search last year to find her to
apologize. I have great respect for him for doing that. His soul needed
to be free of the buried emotions connected with the event but he was
truly sorry for the pain he may have caused her. I recall the movie
Flatliners some years back that dealt with this very theme.
It
is not always possible to make physical amends to others if they are no
longer in our lives or have died, but we can atone in Spirit, ask their
forgiveness through Spirit, and release in our consciousness the
burdens that are holding us back. We are all connected in Spirit and
they will hear us in Spirit. And Spirit will smile on us. We will be At
One.
~
Marilyn
Many
situations in life can be resolved and healed, and peace and harmony
expressed, by a special spiritual practice known as "release." It is
the fastest, surest way to turn situations around in human
relationships - at home or in business - and also to "let go" to allow
the Universe to manifest our desires in all areas of life. Read about
the
Release is Magnetic Audio Program at
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/Release-Is-Magnetic.html.
