Elul , Rosh Hodesh And High Holyday Writing Workshops

Holy Wholeness

Breath of the universe, 

In holy conversation.  

And every breath is a prayer.

 

Chevre!

Hello!  How are you?  I mean it, really, are you okay?  It has been a powerful and emotional year, with lots of feelings of grief, anger, craziness, relief and elation for all of us to sort through.  I sort through it by writing prayers and kavannot and I’m thinking you might want to do that, too.

For the last 15 months, I sat home and got a lot of writing done, (including a handwashing prayer that went, you should excuse the expression, viral). You can see a collection of that work here.  And I’ve been writing since last summer for every Jewish holiday as part of the ongoing Bayit Liturgical Artists Working Group.  

I did readings for Ritualwell and Haggadot.com, and taught via zoom at those sites and at synagogues in Brooklyn, New Jersey, upstate New York, Long Island, Vermont and Florida, worked with a Rosh Chodesh group in Cleveland to write and design their own Women’s Seder and ran workshops that included students from all over the world.

AND NOW I’m offering new workshops (see below) and hoping to interest you in those, or in workshops of your own design for your synagogues or organizations (email me!), as well as individual tutoring in the Kavannah of the Shabbat Liturgy. (DATES TBA, depending on participants).

Upcoming Writing Workshops - Prayers and Kavannot (Intentions)!

JULY - EARLY AUGUST, FOR THE MONTH OF ELUL

the month before the High Holydays, when you ask forgiveness for pain you have caused to people.

Using writing prompts, guided meditation and discussion, you’ll create your own holy conversations for Elul:

1) Prayers and kavannot about asking for forgiveness

2) Prayers and kavannot about forgiving

3) Rosh Hashana La Beheimot! Prayers and kavannot about pets, meat and domesticated animals for Rosh Chodesh Elul, which is the New Year for Domesticated Beasts. (If you are a member of Kolot Chayeinu, this session is free and if you want, your work will be shared by you during Shabbat services on the day.)

Take all three workshops for $100 (one class, $40, two workshops $75.)  

If you are are a Kolot member, you can take all three for $65.

All classes are half off if you are one of my Patreon patrons!

AUGUST - ROSH HASHANAH/YOM KIPPUR 

when you consider the pain and disruption you may have caused to God, whether you understand that as a Divine Being, as Holy Wholeness, as the divine within, as a nice intellectual construct or something you don’t understand at all.

• What does it mean to sin against God?
• Write your own versions of the prayers and prepare yourself for the days:
• Hineni (here I am), 
• Avinu Malkeinu (what is your name for God?), 
• Unataneh Tokef (contemplate your mortality), 
• Ashamnu (take responsibility for your actions)
• the Shofar Service (make a loud noise to your community). 

DESIGN YOUR OWN PRAYER WRITING WORKSHOP

Organize a session around an upcoming holiday, or different kinds of personal prayer writing, or work with a sad or happy event in your community.  References available upon request.

THE KAVANNAH OF THE SHABBAT LITURGY - One on One 

You and I will meet on zoom or in person and work our way through the entire service together.   This is especially useful for students who enjoy the music and traditions of the Shabbat morning service but want to understand the meaning of the prayers, somewhat traditionally but more what it can mean for them personally.  There’s recommended reading if you want it.  Mostly, we talk. References available upon request.

For me, the Jewish prayer service, and each rubric and prayer within it, is a story, in that the protagonist (the individuals or congregation praying) is or should be somewhat transformed at the service or prayer.  The service, if done with understanding, intention and kavannah, is an exploration of one’s body, soul, relationship to the community, understanding of and relationship with God (however you understand or don’t understand God), relationship with the Divine, understanding of oneself as a Jew and as a person with obligations to the world, the Jewish community, the family and to oneself, and all this as experienced in a series of holy conversations with the Divine.  

 

READINGS, RESIDENCIES

Zoom is easy and fun, but if you want me there in person, let’s talk!

Trisha Arlin

trisha.arlin@gmail.com

trishaarlin.com

https://www.facebook.com/trishaarlinwordsofprayer

@trishaarlin

PLACE YOURSELF: Words of Prayer and Intention