Our contemplative circle, held the first Saturday of each month at HAMAKOM, is a sacred and serene space where we gather together to engage in deep introspection and mindfulness practices. It is communal in nature, and is designed to promote peace, self-awareness and spiritual growth by targeting the heart, spirit, emotion and body. We gain access to our inner landscape through meditation, chanting, study, gentle movement, breath and prayer.

 

Led by Rabbi Richard Camras, Hazzan Mimi Haselkorn, Cantor Jenni Asher and Valerie Edwards. 

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Our next circles will be held on:

In this introductory course in the Wise Aging Series, we explore the key background concepts that will enable us to profoundly change how we view the later stage of life. Instead of seeing aging only as a time of inevitable decline and loss, we choose instead to view this stage of life as a time of opportunity, spiritual growth and deep meaning. We engage in the powerful practices of mindfulness and life review, as well as the cultivation of spiritual qualities, in order to transform our lives into a rich journey towards becoming Wise Elders. We draw on text study, discussion, meditation, journaling and other practices that help us on our way to finding our most authentic, joyful and mindful selves.

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Study texts will be provided. Participants may wish to acquire their own personal copy of “Wise Aging: Living With Joy, Resilience and Spirit” by Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Dr. Linda Thal, from which much of our Wise Aging curriculum is drawn. This spiritually and emotionally uplifting book will enable you to deepen your experience of this and subsequent courses.

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This course (or its equivalent) is the required prerequisite for taking all the other Wise Aging courses in the series.

What does seeing the world through the eyes of animals teach us about community, courage and destiny?

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In Australia, Babe, a young pig, watches wistfully as all the other pigs are trucked away, never to return. They are going to Pig Paradise, he thinks: “a place so wonderful that nobody ever came back.” But Babe is spared this fatal trip to the slaughterhouse when Farmer Hoggett wins Babe at the county fair... and something passes between man and pig that hints at a common destiny. And so Babe comes to live on the Hoggett farm, where he is adopted by Fly, Hoggett’s female border collie, and raised as one of her puppies. Babe lives happily among the sheep, ducks and other animals on the farm, until Farmer Hoggett notices that Babe seems to have natural herding abilities. Cautiously, Farmer Hoggett begins to experiment with Babe’s talents, until he makes a decision that leads them both towards an unlikely, but magical, destiny.

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​​​​Watch the film on your own, then join us for the discussion, hosted by Valerie Edwards. This event is free and open to the community.