Q05

Have you had any particularly spiritual experiences this past year? How has this experience affected you? "Spiritual" can be broadly defined to include secular spiritual experiences: artistic, cultural, and so forth.

I had some issues sleeping this year (quelle surprise). When I was trying to fall asleep, or when I was lying awake in bed, it was always nice to look over at Lucy and see her asleep next to me. This whole person that chose to spend her life with me. It makes me feel lucky.

The community gathering ater Oct 7th. So sad and potent, yet I really appreciated the importance of our Jewish commuinty in such tragic times.

The past year is my second year of regular shul-going, but some of the most spiritually intense moments have come at events of public mourning and protest, like the Channukah for Ceasefire at Columbus Circle, the Seder in the Streets for Affordable Housing at Tomkins Square Park, and the October 7th memorial in Union Square just last week.

My most spiritual experiences have been stopping into st Michael’s church in old town in Chicago just when I’m walking around the neighborhood. I love the music and contemplative space and the tall ceiling and the open doors. It’s very inviting and always makes me feel connected to people and spirit. My dance class, when I’m stretching at the end, feels spiritual and free and delicious. Being on a private tour of st marks basilica in Venice was once in a lifetime. I’ll never forget the lights off and then flicked on one by one revealing the gold above us. Sometimes when im on the bima and leading services and we have a moment for silent meditation or im facing the ark and we’re singing the barchu, I feel my grandfathers presence and my childhood and some long communal drone. The few hours I took a women’s sailing pleasure cruise with a bunch of queer ladies bobbing around in Lake Michigan. Looking at my sweet babies’ faces when they’re sleeping or laughing is pure cosmic love.

My time in Provence was profound and it built upon work I was already doing to bring gratitude and mindfulness into my life in a predictable, consistent way. I realized that I can choose to find joy even in the midst of a routine day or when faced with difficulties. This moment is my life. And the next. And the next. I can choose joy and gratitude in each and every moment.

I finally had the opportunity to celebrate the High Holidays this year, for the first time in many years. I felt very spiritually connected when observing in the synagogue during these days, but I also really felt some sort of strange spiritual connection to all my losses over the past year. They were oddly timed and had auspicious warnings (in my opinion), but I could tell that there was a Greater Force at work, putting these events into play at the time they did, for whatever reason. I do feel that something greater is out there for me, and that I am on the right path, even when it includes suffering. Despite everything I've been through in the past year and a half, I think I am more myself than I have ever been, and I feel that on a very spiritual level.

Learning about hypnobirthing and reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth put me in a confident and connected (to other women, to my ancestors, to myself and my body) state of mind for the birth of my baby, which was absolutely an experience that was so empowering I would call it spiritual. I did the thing God intended me to do to give life and I did it because I had faith in the process and all the women who came before me.

I think the time I had in Spain with my mom was really really special, and the solo day I had in Portugal was also really special. I’m especially grateful for those experiences in light of how my Q4 is going vis a vis cancer.

This year has been emotionally decimating. There is a paradox in loss like this, being left, of becoming more interdependent and also less dependent, stronger and angrier but also more kind, more in control of how I treat another person? Also meeting this patient with 2 years to live who is trying to figure out how more to be an addict and I get to help her dig into her relationship with herself. What? How do I get to do this? Her open frankness and doubts and questions speak to me every time we talk.

I had such a wonderfully spiritual Easter! I'd never observed Lent and Holy Week as closely as I did this past year and Easter truly felt like a holiday to me in a way it almost never does. I remember waking up on Easter and feeling truly joyous--Christ has risen!

As always, fall con was an experience of connection, restoration, sacred silliness, shared griefs, and doing the work in community.

Well, this is maybe stretching “spiritual” a little bit, but absolutely going to Paris. Challenging and terrifying at first, scary and lonely at times, but the most peaceful open and joyful I have felt all year. Well maybe that’s not true…I had serious joy performing lifespan of a fact. But wow, Paris blew my mind. Being there alone was so good for me. Whether or not I stay married, I want to continue traveling alone. It was such a thrill to learn that I love to learn just for the sake of learning itself. To take belly dance class and French class and just to expand my mind. It was truly paradise and made me feel like a new free person. I had felt like the world was closing down - getting older and things getting harder and harder. But Paris made me feel - in those two months - that life is full of possibilities and who knows what wonderful thing might happen next.

Yes. I had a day when I suddenly got the import of both gratitude and the fact that it is the energy signature of my field that takes form in my body. Those kind of melted together with the realization that how I feel in meditation is how I really want to live! So can I make that time the center, and aim/dream/imagine myself touching that as often during the day as I can? I also am just publishing an essay about a spiritual experience I had in February 2020, and each time I proofread it I find myself thinking Wow, did that really happen? Even though I know it did. So it shows me that it continues to be a little bit of a challenge to stay connected on a spiritual level when living a modern human existence.

I got quite moved by the aftermath of an event called football x fashion, where all performers and public and artists were dancing afterwards on a basketball field. I also got moved by a talk in New York City, about ancestors and archives and who are our teachers in life and how our friends are our teachers every day too. I guess in both of these, connections with the people around us are for me spiritual.

I always have trouble with this question. Maybe spirituality is something that I should try to define in the next year. I probably won’t, though, if I’m honest.

I "fell in Love" at Love Burn. What can be more artistic, cultural, and spiritual than that? The burn was everything I wanted it to be. Acro, grilling, dancing, walking, performing, making new friends, seeing cool things, dealing with crazy weather. However, things always snap back to reality after a while. It took a few months for everything in my life to "go back to normal". It was an enjoyable and pleasant experience. Not sure how else it has affected me, but I do want to go back, despite my love not lasting.

Holding my kids and smelling their hair, feeling their smooth skin, knowing that they won't want to be held forever but relishing these moments of closeness. Soaking in the wonder of parenthood, children, family.

In February, my father presented me with a journal entry he had written in 1986. I was 3 and a half, with a new baby brother. My father reflected on how violent he was with me. He called me willful and explained how I only responded to violence. This letter was so hard for me to receive and process, and it was an invitation for me to speak to my inner child in a new and powerful way. I wrote to my younger self, acknowledging what she wanted and needed (to be seen as "good," to be loved, to feel safe). I feel more spiritual than ever. I feel a deep connection to something bigger and beyond words. I feel protected and cared for, and that I will always be ok now. Here's his letter: I just hit my little girl – again. A trifling matter started it, as usual. But, as is so often the case, she would not take a simple “no” for an answer. “No” was followed by tears, insistence and then hysteria, screams that followed me wherever I tried to go to evade them. Repeated, quiet, calm, “no’s” had no effect. Maybe by asking her not to persist until I got angry, I let her see how vulnerable I am to her. Regardless, she would not let it go. When I finally raised my voice, she just cried louder – but did not stop her demands. So in utter frustration I hit her and took her to her room, where she is still howling, although more quietly by now. I can’t stand this routine we go through all too often. Why won’t she obey until I explode? She has never gotten her way by wheeling or throwing tantrums, yet she persists in trying until and after I am furious, when only physical fear restrains her, I do not want physical fear to be the final arbiter in this house, but nor do I want a willful undisciplined child who thinks she can have her own way if she only carries on loudly or long enough. There is no doubt that the birth of her brother has been a rude shock to her, as expected, but we do make concessions to that fact, and the problem antedates Daniel’s birth anyway. She is only like this around her parents – but she is frequently like this around her parents. What do we do that set up and perpetuates this pattern? We have now hugged, kissed and talked about it. We’ve agreed that we love each other very much, and that we don’t understand her need to push me to anger. But she’s only 3 ½ - it’s ok for her not to understand. I hope I can fathom it before it gets entirely out of hand and causes irreparable harm to her and to our relationship. Just now for some reason she started to sing a song I hadn’t heard – “There’s only one me…” What a delight that one is to me, when she’s being her delightful self it is difficult for me to believe I ever have to – or am able to – lift my hand against such a lovely child. There must be another way, and I must try to find it.

not really, just treading water, or listlessly floating in purgatory

Yes, I attended a week long Tantric Retreat which has given me a complete spiritual and emotional reset.

Having a full-body orgasm & entering a state of absolute stillness and silence. This has changed my experience with my body, mind, soul and how I experience simply being.

Being in nature - especially near the coast and in the mountains is always spiritual for me. It helps me feel more grounded and connected to life’s purpose which is to experience joy and wonder and magic and be there for each other.

The NOVA immersive experience was absolutely excruciating-and so critical to see and witness. I'll never forget it-but I also don't want to. It broke my heart.

I’ve spent time out in nature, walking and hiking and being quiet. Life Is A Verb Camp Oct 2023 was a holy creative fun and stretching time. Art, music and Ross Gay true highlights. I’ve reconnected with the New Testament reading John and Luke. I’m trying to pray/read/write daily but also trying not to stress and feel pressure about it. I’m trying to listen for what is next in terms of service to the world but have give myself permission to rest from all the doing.

Listening to God more and knowing that the energy of the universe is right here I don’t have the answers I have unconditional love I have my brilliant brain

Working throughout the spring, summer and autumn outside has affected my capacity to experience change to listen to my surroundings, to do things I don’t feel like doing, to develop skills over time

Going to the Mikvah before the high holidays this year was very spiritual. Immersing myself in the womb of the earth via the Pacific Ocean at Baker Beach was truly special. It helped me connect with the Earth, with God, with my body. When that warmth rushed over me I knew I was experiencing something bigger than myself and the ocean.

I had an amazing connection to the people, to the land, to family haven’t seen in years, when I went to El Salvador on a Jewish Latin retreat this past November. It got me after 20+ years to see how much El Salvador has grown and recovered from war-torn country to a tourist must visit destination. Every day, starting with taking care of myself, centering myself, to challenging myself. Was both exhilarating and rejuvenating. Overall, it was an amazing experience. I hope to have more of in the future. To experience the beauty in the world from even places that people overlook. El Salvador is a small country, but it’s a country full of pride and culture, and I am proud to be part of it. Be able to be fully open as a Jewish Latin/ Hispanic woman connecting to family’s country roots. Seeing that it’s thriving and being able to be a witness to that, was a g-d sent gift. Now my mom is there for first time 10 plus years living her best life. That’s prayers had finally answered.

I feel very lucky in a serendipitous way. I am blessed for being able to survive and to be happy enough. I miss my [deceased] son.

The love and support of my friends has felt almost spiritual at times. Also, the solace I've found in music and theatre.

I do try and go to mass each week and I do get a lot out of it although am not particularly devout. However this week as I grappled with a personal crisis in my family it occurred to me that I could try saying a prayer. It was a comfort and has given me confidence that it might help me in the future too.

This year, I discovered discord and gained lots of support systems for when I need to talk to someone about topics that are hard to talk about with my family ad friends. I had a rough year with some of my friends almost getting me to completely abandon one of my hobbies that brought me so much joy but because I was able to vent and talk to people that had similar interests and some with similar experiences, I was able to stop myself from doing something that would really have hurt me (not physically, it would just have been really bad when I finally realized that I'd done it) and I was able to break away from these people instead.

Not to be a broken record, but our wedding ceremony was an amazing, transcendent experience and easily the most spiritual experience of my year. Standing outside in the Sonoran Desert, under the most beautifully decorated chuppah covered by Jay's tallis, with Theo, Maia, and the energy of our ancestors and God all there was one of the most profoundly spiritual experiences of my life. There was an issue with getting photographs of our deceased loved ones to the venue for the remembrance table (thanks Mom & Dad!!), news of which was shared with me right before walking down the aisle and it totally threw me into a tizzy. My parents were doing their best to sensitively deliver tough news but nonetheless I was very upset to hear that as the remembrance table was important to me from the very beginning of wedding planning. However, it prompted Lena to comfort me by saying "you'll feel them in the wind." Lo and behold, there was a beautiful, calm, gentle breeze at several points in the ceremony where I felt their presence and knew their spirits were under the chuppah with us. It was an incredibly golden, special, once-in-a-lifetime experience. In the beautiful sunshine of that day, I felt completely surrounded by God and my community's love. It will forever be one of the best experiences of my life.

I don't have spiritual experiences and I don't like redefining the word so as to include anything personally meaningful.

Seeing that people can at least try to change their spots, and believing that they can be successful.

a few dance classes with henry. sometimes he chooses such beautiful songs and then says things like "If war didn't exist we wouldn't have music like this" and i feel it in my body. not much besides that. during yom kippur services i was reminded that singing "Ayekah" in the park for pre-HH song circle was a profoundly spiritual experience. i think we were all in tears. and it was spiritual, again, singing it at yom kippur (which was technically in the new year)

I sat in the park recently crying. I was thinking about the future and scared. I looked to my right and through the trees saw the sun setting, shining through the overlapping branches and leaves. I have been trying to pray this last few months of hard times. I failed so many times asking God to save my partner's life, and promising in return to be better as a person. None of this was praying. I sat on a high stool one night, bored, and looked at the window at nothing. There's nothing in my city, or where I live. Just a blur of concrete and mental people with knives and beer cans, barking in your face. When I looked out, I managed to achieve a vacant state and pray, and instead of asking for anything in return, I somehow managed to achieve some acceptance for my situation and not ask God for anything, but had a conversation about my terminally ill partner, life, feelings, why I never prayed, and stumbled upon the epiphany that this was why people pray, to feel a fleeting moment of peace and comfort. I don't believe in God, but I'm trying really hard. I read an interview with Michael Houllebecq recently, he said he went to mass because although he didn't believe, he felt that being integrated into the praying, singing, penance helped move him along the path towards some kind of belief. I feel this way.

I think every time I've been at the beach has been a spiritual moment for me. It allows me to fully disconnect from the world and feel my feet in the sand, listen to the waves crashing to the shore, the birds screaming over the water. It is a place that I feel both completely disconnected from society yet completely connected to the earth. I am fortunate to have gone to many beaches this year, including home, Wilmington, NC, Outerbanks, NC, and Rehoboth, DE.

My father died on February 22, 2024. I was not there, but was on the phone as my mother and sister rushed to the hospital he was at to be by his bedside. As a family we decided that the memorial service would be in April so that all family could attend. He wanted to be cremated, so we went ahead with the cremation. I had never participated in a cremation, and final farewell. The mortuary that conducted the cremation hosted the farewell. At first I thought it was just a time to view his body, which I wasn't sure I needed, but my mother wanted to see him "at his best" as her final visit was after he died and his mouth was open, and was not as she wished to remember him. I went along with the need for the final farewell in support of my mother. What I experienced was a beautiful and meaningful time with my father's body and reassurance of his transition and the cremation of his body. The mortuary had a time all family could visit with my father's body, and had washed and dressed him to "look his best". Prior to that family event my mother and I got to preview and let them know to unbottom the top button his polo shirt and other small adjustments. During the family time, his brother and wife joined us, along with my sisters and our family. It was a pleasant and spontaneous experience, we sang and remembered him. I was reminded by my friend's mother's service, that the body is just a vessel and that upon death the person is returned to God (or heaven or whatever you believe). So I was able to experience his body as just a vessel and reminder of who he was during his time here on earth, his time with me. We then proceeded him, immediate family members in a processional, in the box his body was in, to the crematory down the hallway. I thought at first this was strange and would be awkward. We got to the crematory, and my sisters chose to push him/the box into the crematory as directed by the mortuary. On one level this was assuring the ashes we received were indeed his, and it also allowed his family to be with him as his body was cremated to the end. I will remember this time as one of closure, yes my father is gone. And it will be a reminder that his body was just the vessel of his spirit, and that his spirit remains with me forever.

Honestly, safety has felt spiritual. I feel constantly seen and safe with my partner. I didn't know love was supposed to feel like that. It's never felt like that before, not even growing up. I've never just been accepted and celebrated for being myself, flaws and all. So while it's not one experience, but many small moments, that would be my answer. The safety I feel every day is pretty spiritual for me.

I have felt less spiritual this year. It has been one of those "busy" years like the year we moved onto the homestead. I still plan to be busy for several months as I learn new job skills and finish writing my first book. I plan to slow down and connect again after spring planting and into summer. I also feel that some of the solitary chores of my new job at Mary's will give me time for reflection too. I am moving into a simpler "slow-living" lifestyle with this job. I am weary and ready to slow down. I hope that those solitary moments will give me time to connect with my Creator more.

I had a lot of moments of flow. Getting over the Cascades and the blue of the sky so vivid, almost ethereal. Many lovey moments of feeling alive and synchronicity that I can’t pinpoint but they felt meaningful. The psychic reading behind the tea shop that felt like a transmission. I’m confident that the energy is there, doesn’t require a specific religion.

One of the most spiritual experiences I had was being with Munkers (my cat) as I helped him transition to the next world. Being there, singing to him, holding him, and loving him as I helped him exit was profoundly spiritual and one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. When he passed, the sky opened up, and it poured, already sunny by the time I left the vet's office. I feel him everywhere with me, every day, and I will never stop missing him.

I have been meditating before bed and before breakfast more often. This has felt somewhat spiritual--grounding and sometimes like I am connected to Reality as a whole. I sometimes share my thoughts with HaShem.

The most centrally spiritual moment was hearing the idea that the creator is "truth". It put every other little web of wisdom into perspective. The understanding that truth/authenticity are holy and central is in many ways the keystone in the foundation of all the other webs of wisdom (an example of a web is that the only thing a person can control in life is themselves, and even that is next to impossible. Another example is "understanding" is the ultimate knowledge). A little addition I like to think of to the idea that the creator is truth, is that angels are understanding. Understanding anything can take multiple paths. That is to say there are many way of understanding one truth. The role of the angles are to help guide us towards the truth, just like understanding does.

I continue to investigate Buddhism, and find a few teacher's podcasts immensely grounding, illuminating and centering. I should probably do more in this arena, including returning to a regular yoga practice, which while not exclusively spiritual does promote a mindfulness conducive to the type of meditation stressed in Buddhism.

Yes, I was delighted to learn about a Bible group at work! We meet every Friday morning and it’s been a such a blessing to connect and bond with other believers in the workplace, something I’ve never experienced in my career in nonprofit, and didn’t expect in the new corporate sector I’m in. It’s so refreshing. We study the Word and present on various topics. I co-presented on hospitality since we just moved and tend not to host gatherings at home, it’s our sacred quiet space, so wanted to explore how to be more comfortable opening up our new home to others. I also belong to a church that does Bible studies at home - we were blessed to have a couple host them who is a wonderful model of hospitality and lived near us in Jersey City also move to our new county around the same time, so that our group hasn’t been interrupted.

I've been doing a lot of Tanach learning, and also read up on Biblical criticism. Meaning I read two books on the matter. My mind has finally finally finally become capable of understanding higher-order cultural and historical information and analysis, and I cannot express how happy that makes me. I always assumed I just wasn't smart enough to understand and contribute in the kinds of ways that my philosopher husband could, to the intellectual life, but now, at 35, my brain has experienced a blossoming the likes of which I could not have predicted. It's as though a dam has been unlocked and all the knowledge and thinking I've been doing up until now is finally rushing in to fill the space called "Critical thinking." I am finally assimilating information together and making links and recalling references that previously were just nebulous, unformed, and unknown, or at least, unrecalled. It is highly satisfying and I can anticipate a future where I actually can contribute to the Jewish intellectual world in a way.

It's been a year filled with spiritual experiences in nature: the total solar eclipse, seeing the aurora borealis, watching the sun rise at the Grand Canyon and seeing shooting stars cross the Milky Way. I'm grateful to have so many opportunities to really feel my relationship to the universe around me.

I hosted my first big girl Shabbat dinner with I loved. Feeding my friends and bringing people together was so exciting for me, and it was such a last minute decision after learning some of the hostages were assassinated. I miss connecting to Judaism through song. I want to utilize my volunteering with BBYO and Hillel to re-experience this in the coming year.

Chris’s brother was cremated and the ashes were split four ways between Chris, his brother, his sister and his parents. Chris scattered his share of the ashes in the sea at Ynyslas, our favourite beach, with his parents watching. It’s nice to think that he is there with us every time we go swimming or walking there. We also were there when Laura, Chris’s sister, scattered her set of ashes in Ireland. She organised the whole ceremony (she has trained as a humanist celebrant) and it was really powerful. The idea of a soul being intermingled with the wind and the sea, being everywhere and nowhere… We will go with Richard and Zoe to scatter their portion of the ashes next year, and it feels like a privilege to have been involved in this. As a sidebar, we had an amazing trip to Ireland and some really great Nature - again that feeling of being on the edge of the world. I have also started reading tarot, which I am really enjoying. I’m approaching it in a secular way but however you cut it, there’s something really on the money about it. I did some readings for Laura and Zoe when we were in Ireland together, and Zoe’s cards in particular were spot on. My tarot guide is a book called Wild Card, which is one of the wisest and kindest books I’ve ever read. Culturally, the best thing I consumed this year - possibly ever - was the new Sally Rooney novel, Intermezzo. It was quite a lot longer than her previous books and very densely written but I loved every single beat of it. I would give my right arm to be able to write like her (and I always say I'd give my left to be able to sing like Jessye Norman - it would be worth it).

I experienced a health moment where my body communicated a “you better stop or else”. I had never felt what happened before. I lost weight (still have more to go) but feel better. Reduced my red meat intake and I am moving more.

I have tried to do mindfulness again and am enjoying relaxing with drawing thanks to a good friend encouraging me!

I continue to be grateful for zoom shuls and online streaming of services that are meaningful even though there's no actual connection or community it's just in my mind that I know these people and these leaders and this clergy.

This past year, I had a particularly spiritual experience during a local art exhibition that showcased works focused on themes of nature and humanity's connection to the environment. The exhibition featured various artists who used their creativity to express the beauty of the natural world and the urgent need for conservation. As I walked through the gallery, I was struck by the emotional depth of the pieces. Each artwork resonated with me on a personal level, prompting reflections on my own relationship with nature and the significance of preserving it. The experience felt almost transcendent, as the art sparked a sense of awe and appreciation for the world around us. This encounter with art not only deepened my connection to nature but also inspired a broader understanding of the role that creativity plays in conveying important messages. It reminded me of the power of artistic expression to evoke feelings, provoke thought, and inspire action. Overall, this experience enriched my perspective and encouraged me to seek out more moments of beauty and reflection in my daily life. It reinforced the idea that spirituality can manifest through various forms, including art, culture, and the simple act of being present in the moment.

Some spiritual experiences I’ve had have been with my personal growth. Seeing that more opportunities present themselves when you let go and open up to believing anything can happen and everything happens for you in the time it’s supposed to. Believing this and knowing nothing misses me I feel more centered and ready for the best to continue to happen

Ve been very aware of my mortality and my interconnectedness. The impermanence of everything as it is, but the ongoing system of which I am a part.

Nah... Nothing like this yet again. Do I need to seek more of this out? Do I need to redefine what "spiritual" means? Do I need to be exposed to more cultural, artistic, etc. experiences? YES.

Reading The Way of Integrity, falling in love, and painting again have all felt like spiritual experiences to me.

-Aurora Borealis/ green sky, black water -Being saved by Tecumseh -20 days at the cabin, gold, russet, orange, peach, vermillion, chartreuse, red - I met Lots of new plants

Only anti-spiritual experience, in that what is the point of praying? What is the point of thinking about the past, or having emotions? There is no point to art because it just becomes trash. There is nothing new under the sun. The closest thing to spiritual is the Mets.

Being in Chicago this year was a recent spiritual experience. My friend Soo got married - and witnessing the love that poured out of her friends for her - and vice versa - was really moving. It brought me to tears multiple times. I went back last week to spend more time with my dear friends. I felt so inspired, and lucky to know so many amazing people. It has inspired me to spend more time daydreaming - and envisioning for myself.

Continuing from last year, one insight that I had on the 4-month cruise was that I really liked being without obligation. I had stepped away from most of my responsibilities 'at home.' That meant not being involved with Rotary, Temple Israel, MAP, and other assorted involvements. There were plenty of events to take my attention and stimulate my mind, but besides going on the excursions and keeping my body together, the time was my own. I did not spend the time sitting around doing 'nothing.' I did not take the time I thought I would focusing on writing my thoughts about my life and in general contemplation. We went to music events, theater, and other lectures. I could not go to the movies since they were not captioned, nor were the TV shows. So, while I recognized the positive nature of not having obligations, I did not take it as a sign that I should do nothing when I returned but rather be more selective and not overcommitted. My cognitive abilities are waning, and my hearing loss does not help that. Hearing and compression is terrible in situations with loud background noise. This was true on the ship and is true here in Omaha. I am working on getting more technical help, but I don't have it yet.

Life has coarsened since Covid. There's more traffic, more crankiness, more disregard of the rules. So, spiritual? Last summer's visit with my daughter and son-in-law? Talking chummily with my son? Knowing that, with luck, their lives can be full and satisfying. They're good people who should leave the world better than they found it. Who can ask for more? Music is still the divine thing, singing it, hearing it..... And enjoying the world. Even with the heat, I see the flowers and plants growing in my yard. Seeing the cycles of the seasons, day to day, week to week, that's spiritual.

No spiritual experience. Just cancer.

Sitting at Kol Nedrei services this year I was surrounded on every side by family and friends and it felt so great to have such a nice community. And what a SUNSET! You truly couldn’t ask for something more beautiful to look at as we gathered in song.

As I move into my 70s, I have an increasing sense of wonder and appreciation for what a privilege it is to be alive. My heart is full of gratitude for the beauty of the world we live in.

A late night drive along a darkening A14 comes to mind, as I ventured back from a wholesome weekend at home in Norfolk. I always strive to listen more than I talk and to take in other people's perspectives. It helps me to shed light on my internal struggles and to puzzle my way out of them. I was listening to an audiobook about the 'regrets of the dying' - accounts from people who reached a great age or who were undergoing the pain of a terminal illness. Many of the stories were distressing and harrowing and some of the specifics did stick with me. But mainly after I stopped listening I was left with such a deep and appreciative feeling for life and the present moment. It sounds like something from a self help book, but I really felt it. It is a miracle that I am even here on the planet and to be human and to have the opportunity of living is in many ways enough. Every moment of every day is precious. This year I made a paradigm shift into spending more time outdoors. Born from natural curiosity but definitely spurred on by Amy and the example she sets - she is many things, but primarily a great friend in how she encourages me into new endeavours. There have been many special moments on my adventures around the UK, yet one stands out as being particularly spiritual. It was during a solo walk on 10th February, from Derwent Dam up to Alport Castles. Although some folk find solo hiking odd, it works wonders for me. After trudging through a boggy and pretty bleak plain I was greeted very suddenly with a view of the valley. A sweeping landscape that just took my breath away. The vast space has been carved out by an ancient landslide with jagged cliffs and great rocky towers clinging on, covered in a waning blanket of snow on that day. Thick pine forests stretching beyond sight. I found a spot to sit down and admire the view and it took my breath away. Those moments when you appreciate living and your mind is temporarily free of other thought or hindrance. Those are the moments to live for.

I am coming to terms with facing my limited lifespan

I felt my grandmothers spirit and presence around her birthday this year. Around making the choice to live and go to NYC spontaneously vs. sitting around disappointed or waiting for an invitation. I felt her in the church when I got off the bus, on the highline in the metal sculpture with her favorite calla lilies, inside the Whitney in the exhibition on love and loss and dates- October 13. And as I watched the Basquiat and surfing films, and wandered the city and remembered how she flew to Brooklyn to be by my side when I was struggling. She was 93! And took the city and the 3 flights of brownstone steps without pause. She sat with me through everything and I’m forever grateful.

I had been wavering in my Judaism - feeling like an imposter for not practicing or attending synagogue. But October 7 was so shocking and at the same time an event that brought my love of Judaism and the Jewish people into clarity for me. I cannot explain to someone who has not experienced something similar, but emerging from the Mikveh as Jew was clearly not just symbolic - it meant something, and continues to mean something, even when I am not consistent in practice or attendance.

Connecting to Palestinian activism from a Jewish framework.

My spiritual moments are often fleeting glimpses of time, either past or present. Sometimes reverie intrudes upon the present and gratitude wells up for the almost forty years shared with my incredible wife. Then there are early morning walks that reveal a stunning gradual illumination of nearby mountains, or walking along hillsides overlooking the river. Most of life’s hardships are in the rear view mirror. For the moment, life is good.

Going to early IfNotNow protests gave me a sense of healing I hadn't felt since October 7. Immediately after the attacks and during the initial carpetbombing my social media feeds were chock to the brim with people litigating whose deaths deserved sympathy. It was overwhelming and exhausting partially because it felt so disconnected from our humanity. Though I did not before and still do not feel IfNotNow before fully represents me (as if anything could), their events were the first thing I deeply experienced that simply put our collective humanity first. One that mourned Israelis and Palestinians together, not to make a point about anything being equal but to remind us that every life is a world. It was meaningful to have that be in a specifically Jewish context and for me to be reminded that the values I hold dear that lead me to oppose supporting the state of Israel in committing atrocities are Jewish, at a time when when so many Jews I know and major Jewish institutions were vocally supporting a "right to defend itself" that implicitly included a right to commit atrocity on another people. But that's not the Judaism I want to be a part of, and IfNotNow reminded me it's not the only Judaism that exists.

The ball of energy that I play with while doing qigong, as well as at other times, is my spiritual grounding. For some reason I’m lax with my qigong practice, however when I do it it’s a lovely experience. I received my certification from Daisy Lee to teach Radiant Lotus Women’s Qigong (yay!). When I follow along with the Videos of Daisy from our certification course it’s a most lovely spiritual experience.

I continue to find my most spiritual moments in nature, doing my nature photography, in being with my family, and also in worshipping with my congregation as a rabbi and in providing spiritual pastoral support, which seems to come from a deeper well of spirit. I also feel spiritual when I give someone a blessing; I often feel it coming through me. Recently, I felt a very spiritual moment practicing with the Cantor for the High Holidays. She sang a prayer with a melody composed by her great-grandfather, and I just got chills - like she was chanelling him and connecting to generations past. I have also had some powerful spiritual moments at the junction of dreaming and waking up, especially on Yom Kippur this year (5785/2024).

Definitely those days between finding out I had cancer and my first appointment with Dr. Rutherford. It was SO SO scary, I turned to prayer a lot. I've never experienced anything like that before - I felt pains all over my body. I remember I couldn't sleep the night before the appointment, and just laying in bed listening to the rain, reading prayers from Rabbi Sara's healing service over and over again - feeling like the rain was G-d crying alongside with me. And then when I found out how good my prognosis was, reading the prayer for receiving good news. Even throughout my cancer journey, I brought the Blessings for the Journey book with me to every appointment and treatment session. I didn't even read it most of the time, but just having it with me brought comfort.

I feel closer to the Jewish people. In all our diversity, I feel a strong pull to our sameness. I wear the Jewish star proudly that Les got me for my birthday. I feel a need to publicly identify, although I admit there are times when I tuck it into my shirt.

My spiritual experience was to share in the illness and death of a dear friend. I had my first experience with visiting a friend in hospice care. I visited her twice before she said no more visits. She died about two weeks later.

I crawled into Green River and immersed myself 3 times and said prayers and emerged a Jew. It was beautiful and moving and it was wonderful to be recognized as Jewish by my friends.

When my beloved dog died, he came to visit me in dreams that felt like I was awake and through sounds that I could only associate with him. I asked him recently to let me know he was still with me, and he did by vibrating the door stopper--something he did in his earthly life that use to wake me up (and irritate me). I now am overjoyed to have heard it.

Well, I am writing this the day after Yom Kippur so the services are spiritual and a gift. My rabbi is amazing. During services, I looked around the room and realized, these are my family. I always feel awkward and like I don’t belong even at the shul I have attended for 17 years. Seeing everyone as my family was startling and suddenly made me feel connected. And then I realized that there will be people I do and don’t like - because that is family! - and that I do belong. Just wow.

Yes. I have learned more about the power of crystals, nature walks, listening to my surroundings. I find calmness in the midst of chaos. I learned to play African drum.

Riding my bike on the Erie Canal I came across two different groups of people on pilgrimages. One was a group of Catholics (more than 150 people) walking for 3 days to 10 miles to get to the Shrine of the North American Martyr. They were walking and singing and praying and in fellowship. That looked like a beautiful version of Christianity. The young men at the front were passing around a giant cross and the large families in the back had shirts on with big sis and other similar sayings on them. It looked amazing. I also met a woman walking the opposite direction who was praying and walking to decreased christian nationalism's hold on the US. She also is a Christian and wanted to walk with her dog to pray. And, again, what an amazing way to be a Christian. I think this part of the country is really interesting for that, I have seen many mass baptisms in lakes or the ocean when I'm on runs. I know that it's a cliche that people here don't believe but it looks to me like people here believe with giant hearts.

DIVING!!! Getting my license. It felt so bloody hard. And the wonderful community around it. I didn't feel like I was travelling solo at all. What an absolutely gorgeous experience. And trekking through beautiful Ladakh for my birthday. And that I witnessed my first ever mini snowfall. On my birthday. If there is a god, she is in nature :)

As I have for several years now I truly continue to grow spiritually I love seeing the beauty in life ever day that is all around me. I feel a deep sense of wanting to learn and be able to see more into the spiritual world to really find my inner peace. I think it will help me to be at peace with whatever life throws at me

7 October made me want to never relate to either left or right wing political activists ever again; it really left a gaping crevasse where trust used to be, i have friends i'll never be able to trust or think of the same way again... reading microeconomics has been a welcome relief, also economics could be spiritual if you consider the study of human behavior to be a spiritual endeavor, which I do

Certainly in Vietnam. During the ceremonies at the root temple Tu Hieu, I became moved and entranced by the chanting of hundreds of monastics, surrounded by thousands of people. I had hands in prayer like a statue and a well of emotion spilled throughout me as I felt a spirit voice inside me say “you are loved” again and again. This was the message that was given to me, and for me. I felt it was Thay’s energy visiting me, moving through the temple grounds and to each of us. It touched my core wound with love. Precious spiritual rain. I will always remember that feeling. More - the company summit at Deer Park and our emotional release together, hugging Hisae and crying. Knowing I am putting myself in a rare and healthy part of society. A moment after being in the hot spring and laying down cold plunge in the Matilija canyon river, standing under the moon and stars and mountain. Feeling that I connect profoundly with nature. I am a vessel for these peak experiences because I seek and open to them and love them. And the essence of the world loves me back.

I've had some beautiful moments running on the beach in Hull this summer in the mornings, and the arb/on the golf course here at Oberlin.

Devoid, and I dearly need and want spiritual connection again. It's missing from my life. :( I need it.

If I find spirituality, it’s in little moments: hearing the rain at the cabin, snuggling with the kids, hiking in the woods, reading a poem I wrote 20 years ago and feeling moved to tears, laughing just because something is funny. I just want to try to be present enough to have more of those moments in the coming year.

Being at camp.

not really to be honest. pretty un-sublime year. which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just has been.

One day I woke up in a strange bed and felt like I was at home for the first time in a long time. That makes it extra hard to reconcile my future plan for happiness.

Two things I might consider spiritual are the kindness of strangers I’ve experienced as my husband was being treated for cancer and my reaction to two pieces of art. In a crisis, the smallest gestures of kindness are magnified…opening doors, listening, a playful exchange, a compliment, a genuine hug, a hand of support on the elbow What made all these stand out is the contrast with these times of division, rancor and violence. That, and that the majority of these gestures came for people of color toward a white woman. At a time in my life when I had decided I should be culling, I saw two pieces at a local art gallery that stirred me so deeply I couldn’t get them off my mind. I went back to the gallery several times to see if the effect was still as strong. It was, but even then I hesitated. Yet, joy is what I’m feeling when I look at these pieces. It was magnified by the difficulties of the past three years. I bought both of the paintings, and every time I look at them, the light bubbles up out of the darkness.

At a particularly confusing therapy session where I was telling Ariella about my Jewish identity and what it's historically meant to me; how it's helped me feel connected to ideals of social justice, humanity, and responsibility/accountability, she was kind in explaining that I just happened to associate these values with Judaism, but in fact, they are universal human experiences. They're not unique to Judaism or even any religious order. You can be agnostic and come to these exact same conclusions. It felt a little disappointing to think that my Jewishness wasn't anything special, while simultaneously, reminding me that I am part of a broader community of people who share similar values, hopes, and engage in activism, from all backgrounds.

This question always bothers me, because no answers ever come to mind, maybe because of my own definition of spirituality. If I think about spirituality as things that make me recognize my role in or relationship with the universe or even my family or community, then I have these experiences during yoga class, during Shabbat and High Holy Day services, when I go to a knitting group at the library, when I watch the news. This year in particular, the community gatherings in response to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel have been "spiritual" in that they provide a sense of community both local and worldwide. I have also been working like crazy on election-related activities, like texting and postcarding into swing states.

um...not really...but dad told me that I cant have a batmitzvah party if I dont start to get more invloved with my jewish identity so I had better get on that...! But I dont really get what he wants me to do...date my identity or something?

You have spiritual experiences everyday. The affected you by realizing that you're stuck in the same place spiritually and have neither moved forward or backward. We did recently see the northern lights. We would like more of these experiences.

I took my little brother to Berghain and showed him the space and introduced him to my friend group. It sounds made up but it felt close to a spiritual experience to see him letting go, being free, enjoying, dancing, connecting and at the end 100% understanding my love for this club and my safe space.

Asked to lead the web redesign project and to join the committee on ministry - indicators that I am valued and trusted.

This year amid the atrocities of October 7th, my friend and colleague died on November 1st. She had a long battle with cancer, and I only got the chance to know her in the last couple of years. I'm glad I had the opportunity to become her friend and learn from her. Even though I only knew her a couple of years, she had a big impact on me and death was very difficult. I missed her deeply as a person, and even more as a school and community we desperately missed her presence as a leader and teacher. Both of her children were my students in performing arts, which is something that her I immediately bonded over and shared a passion for. Throughout rehearsals, I had so many questions I wanted to ask her, things I wanted her opinion on, but most importantly, I wanted her to see the amazing work of her kids on that stage. I have to believe that she did and does now in our next play. I see her in each of them and how they both shine and thrive in theatre. I never really thought that after people died, they had a role with those who are living, but I have to believe now that she does. She was too young to be resting eternally, and I believe, I need to believe, that she still sees all the amazing things her kids do.

The level of connection, appreciation and gratitude in response to volunteering. I want, need more of that. Of the dopamine and other chemicals jolted by DOING kind things. Make more time for kind. Explore more opportunities. Take more chances.

Exactly this time last year, I went to the full day of Yom Kippur services for the first time and challenged myself to immerse myself fully. I fasted, which scared me, and I wore a tallit, which felt foreign yet comforting, and I even fell prostrate. I wanted to fully immerse myself in the day. And it was AWESOME! Like, awe-some. I said the barchu and felt something--peace, holiness, shelter, wash over me. I was fuzzy from not eating but the day felt clear. My soul felt clear. I absolutely loved it. I also went to the mikveh before my wedding and that was a spiritual experience. The thing I loved most about it was getting ready: washing every inch of my body, taking off all my jewelry, and even not doing my hair so it was slicked back yet frizzy. I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw my 7 year old self, my 15 year old self, my college self, and now, my 27 year old self, all at once. I am all versions of me all the time, and I carry her with me wherever I go. When I immersed, I felt like a baby in a bath, but I also felt very old in participating in the ritual of WOMANHOOD. I wish I lived near a liberal mikveh because I would do it monthly.

Just this afternoon, I went to a Jewish Voices for Peace tashlich / action related to Palestine, and it was - for me - decidedly NOT spiritual. Nor did it seem to include peace for suffering Israelis. However, the event moved me closer to what my sense of spirituality and Judaism mean to me: the joy in pain and pain in joy.

I've felt a spiritual connection to my husband who is kind and caring to me. This makes me feel closer to him and safer with him.

I've been very unspiritual this year. I can barely handle the physical world right now. Being alive is challenging mentally and physically when your health is so fragile or nonexistent. I dropped like 30 pounds. I had to confront my own mortality. I realized that I don't want to die. I have so much love to give. I am not done loving everyone here. I'm not done loving all that this planet has to offer. I guess that's pretty spiritual afterall.

When I'm alone I talk to Kyle; this seldom happens, but I love when it does. More often, I get a little high, as I am tonight, on a low-THC joint, and this enables me to slow down and hear myself think more as a result, I feel closer to God and my higher self when I am slowed down in this way.

Learning to leyn Haftarah didn't start out as a spiritual experience but became one. Learning to leyn trop was a fun challenge for me and I could feel myself catching on and getting more comfortable with it. When I actually did it, I was really in the groove and got a spiritual high I wasn't expecting. I look forward to doing it again!

I've had occasional dreams with my mother in them. In a recent one she was standing up on her own and I was giving her a sideways hug and she felt about as squishy as normal, and I was struck by the intensity of my senses while maybe talking to her (?). I could see and feel her so distinctly. I knew that she had died and so I must have known that I was dreaming but it was one of those dreams where the ease of access to what felt like a real-life visit was striking, and equally striking was the lack of annoyance or resentment. I woke up in a good mood with a feeling of "Oh, okay, I guess we'll still be visiting then!"

What's weird is that I haven't had any spiritual experiences this year. That's not normal for me. Oh well maybe next year.

If spiritual can include artistic or cultural I count my work as background in film. It really keeps me going. I love the work, I meet new people, I get out of the house; it’s been a life saver from the loneliness of life in the country.

I was in Cambodia this year and the time and space I had to walk around Phom Phen reminded me of what makes me happy. Staying in a hostel and walking and learning, and engaging with life. It was uplifting for the soul and I don't do it enough to keep myself whole which is disappointing - I need to treat myself better

Last fall I did a deep dive into Jewish liturgy for grad school and I did it in partnership with a Buddhist classmate who was doing her own deep dive. It was an extraordinary pleasure to learn from her and learn for myself and to be able to place myself a little more clearly within my own tradition. That study continues to reap benefits now.

Not really. spending time in nature - hoping to see my beloved whales. Actually - we have had a few spectacular nights of the Aurora Borealis - there are no words that can capture its magnificence - and because it is so rare it is such a blessing.

Alone at services for Rosh Hashanah this year was different but wound up meeting some really great people. Still didn't feel like it has in the past when I'm with friends and family.

I reread some Vonnegut early this year, and analyzing his philosophy has made me rethink the way I experience some smaller, everyday things. Since then, I’ve had quite a few “mini” spiritual experiences where I’ll be doing something (usually singing, dancing, or laughing with loved ones) and I stop and think “if this isn’t nice, then what is?”. This has reshaped the way I feel about a lot and has made a vast difference in my attitude.

I'm a musician so it's a short hop. I'm grateful at how easy it is for me to turn a beeping elevator into a bija mantra, lift off with a note, or a space between two of them, find a universe in breath. And while I avoid dogma and dharma, I keep studying the history of human belief systems. I keep discovering how I map to Jewish values: operationalizing, as they say.

Last Fall, spending time at Glacier National Park, I was in awe of the surroundings and the beauty of the landscape. It is so nice to dive into those pictures and feel that again and again!

Having a child. I can’t really overstate how much this changes you in all aspects of life, especially spiritually.

We continue to go to services most Friday nights and I find it a fulfilling and calming spiritual practice. I enjoy the ritual and routine of it all and appreciate feeling connected to Jews all across the world and across time.

I haven't done Reiki as much this year… shelby stopped coming as regularly to campus. I'll say that studying abroad in Eastern Europe was a spiritual-adjacent experience. Out of the anguish of communism, many individuals were able to find meaning through artistic expression. It affected me by having me realize that I should not take the privileges in my life for granted. For as many flaws as I see in American society (particularly after visiting Europe), it's amazing to be coming of age at a time of so much opportunity and possibilities.

I certainly had spiritual issues. The week I went into the hospital with the first chemo fail. I just kept getting signs. Rhiannon's banjo, Mom's birthday, Ashley and all the other nurses who recalled Mom. And the nurse who gave me a "come to Jesus" and got me to get going. Admitting I could not tackle cancer like learning a skill and instead learning how to ask for help. My brain isn't really letting me be the boss or human internet or the expert. Most importantly, it was that I learned, I have to give myself grace and that includes with my writing or anything creative, everyone says how talented I am, but no one ever sees what I do I don't really think that I'm not telling it, but if I'm gonna try to be I need. To give myself the same amount of times to Mess up and redo as I do for my students. Basically, lots of lots of growth, intentional, or unintentional.

At the Well's retreat a little over a year ago is still beating in my heart. The mikvah experience - I'll never forget. And the dancing as prayer - I've never had a more filling spiritual experience. Embodied prayer and embodied Judaism is one that I still ache to experience again.

No not really, but definitely a move of self to encompass more on the holistic balanced side and add to my repertoire of the studio. Everyone is so stressed that stepping back a little to breath, connect with one's own body and using different tools to do so is becoming more and more apparent. My new "tool" to investigate is "sound bath"

I’ve never felt so closely connected to my community. I’ve shown up and been present for everything. I’ve never been prouder to be Jewish.

I talked about being in Oaxaca during Day of the Dead in Question 1. A truly spiritual and immersive experience. I’ve had more of a year struggling with the evil in the world - maybe an anti-spiritual experience. The attack on Israel, the devastation in Gaza, Putin’s belief he is entitled to simply take The Ukraine, the human-created famine in South Sudan, and of course Donald Trump and his hateful rhetoric around the migrant, the other. I’ve repeatedly experienced this brainwashing, or voluntary decision to follow this course, this year - most stunningly from Bill when it was clear he didn’t think of January 6th as a big issue. I think I need to break things off with him and I’m trying to decide how to minimize the pain and hurt to him. At the same time, wondering if I am making a mistake - but this was such a clear attempt to undermine democracy, and he can’t see that at all. And hadn’t seemed to be curious about the details. I’ve seen Suzanne’s life impacted by this division - will be providing support to her over the next few months. Such pain for so many families.

The most spiritual I ever feel, always, is when I’m on drugs. I can absolutely see why shamans and holy people in so many cultures use drugs to assist in their visions. Not only does it distort reality, but it makes you feel like you can see the “real“ real world. Idk, it’s so hard to explain unless you’ve done it.

Seeing the northern lights and seeing the eclipse. I’d never seen a total eclipse before, and I’ve only seen the auroras once as a very small child. Getting to experience both this year was tremendous, and unexpected.

When I ended this school year I had a moment of cathartic reaction to yet one more praise email and gift card from a parent. I broke down and started crying and felt like I had to dive under my desk with everything else that had happened over the last few years. I kept thinking I was going to leave teaching and then I realized I may be decent at this thing and I felt less sure about things. It was a hard moment because I felt confusion and lack of clarity about my direction for the future. Could I just be ok with being a high school teacher my whole life? Did I have aspirations for something greater ? Maybe there isn’t something greater? Maybe I’m where I need to be.

I joined a Jewish music choir and enjoyed singing well known Sephardic songs in Ladino, and learning some tongue-bending Yiddish Klezmer ones. It had its ups and downs but overall it was a fulfilling spiritual experience. Another strong experience was a concert/performance by two women who are minorities in the country they live in, the story and the music moved me so much I was in tears the last part of the event.

I let YouTube astrologer hype-beasts be my cheering section while I studied for, and passed, all the exams to get my new credential. It was a brilliant tactic to stream non-stop over the top positivity into my brainmeat so I didn't get overwhelmed by anxiety.

Accessing spirituality has been more difficult this past year than any in the last decade. I have been seeking little pieces of it, where I see them gleam between branches, shimmer in gutters, glow subtly at the heart of other light. I have been having a crisis of faith. But I am grateful to be reminded about what sits at the core of mine: the sacredness of life, and our responsibility to it.

I have stepped more strongly into leadership since my ordination as a Shir Hashirim Rabbi. I lead more strongly, and from a deeper place. Cultivating Love, Presence, and Awareness agrees with me

Walking on Chesterton beach in Tofino. Nature. Dogs. Kids. Families

While on vacation, I had a terrifying panic attack that had me question all the decisions in my life. Months later, it has stayed with me and I can't shake it. I know it was just a horrible moment, but it hit me so hard and I hadn't had anything like that in a long time. It was an important reminder to be honest with myself and my family, to do what I want and to listen my feelings.

Making and listening to music has been my spiritual refuge this year and before.

I feel I've actually got less spiritual. I turn in towards myself out of habit and I know its a bad habit. I have a hard time believing anything or anyone may care about me

This year, in my meditation practice, I got really into chanting mantras. I find it to be a really deep practice that grounds me into the room, the group, the body, all of it.

It was mind expanding to see the curvature of the sky in Minnesota farm country, the badlands of the Dakotas, the Beartooth Highway, and Yellowstone by motorcycle this summer. I usually don't have any reaction to nature. I take it for granted. These places moved me. That doesn't happen often.

None that stand out to me.

For me, a walk outdoors is spiritual. I find both peace and renewal in a daily walk to get my "steps" and to find the little ways that nature moves along through the year. We also have a 180 view of the lake and the east which allows us to see Mt. Rainier in cloudless days. With the sunrises and sunsets, there is always a new breath in the day which makes me feel closer to the universe. Walking with my grand doggie is also a lesson in as I see him be exuberant and interested in the world we are seeing. Walking gives me joy in chatting with neighbors and see the growing babies and toddlers. I also found myself asking myself questions about my religion and the how it affected spirituality and realizing that I had realized early that God is in me so I undertook to look to myself for awe, not in prayer. I eventually settled on ethical life is spiritual.

I went to Ireland in May 2023. This was an interesting experience. On one hand, this is a beautiful country with lots of history, lots of natural beauty, lots of culture. On the other, it is rather antisemitic. I could see it in the murals. Palestinian flags, subtle hints. It was everywhere Maybe I was more sensitive to it because of the war in Israel but it struck me and I could see it. I could not reconcile how beauty, history, culture can live side by side with such hatred. I do not think I will ever go there again despite its natural beauty and rich history...

My time at Chautauqua is always enriching and spiritually uplifting. This summer I felt particularly grateful for the beauty of God's creation and my opportunity to spend a week in such an enlivening place.

I participated in a leadership course based on Archtypes and Astrology. Leaning into the Woo Woo of it all, remembering the fun parts of superstition in Judaism, learning to realign myself and my thoughts to welcome in positive change and abundance and manifestations for good. There is still so much to learn.

Since I’ve started attending the Sugarland Vineyard, I feel like I’ve really sensed the Holy Spirit a lot more. I guess I started attending three different churches at the beginning of the year trying to figure out which one I wanted to attend. I didn’t like any of the sermons because they were seemingly too mundane or too convicting. When I decided to go ahead and A. Again, B. Repent and not feel condemnation, and see. Commit to a church, things started to turn around for me. I had felt like part of my heart was numb since my heart attack. I have felt that It wasn’t fully experiencing my emotions. But my first weekend at Sugarland Vineyard, I felt the Holy Spirit in the worship service and had a wonderful vision of dipping my hand upward into almost solid, or a cloud, a golden cloud of worship it was palpable.

I wouldn’t say so.

Nili Salem, a spiritual women who went to happy minyan. She taught me my true meaning in this world, bringing Mashiach. Plus, she also made me feel special and loved.

I am having difficulty connecting with my house of worship. I’m not sure they are as much of a religious organization as a social action organization. And then the Rabbi wants us to connect with Torah and the Prayers for the holidays when there is no focus on Judaism as a religion.

Yeah we did. The Universe has been giving us signs over and over. Everything we seemed to do or go through seemed divinely orchestrated as we were so on par with the planetary changes and moons, to the point I thought I was going crazy. But I'm not alone, Luke sees it too and so do some of the astrologers on IG. It's definitely made this whole year easier by intuitively knowing that we are on the right path and we're doing the right things. We've manifested this house for us. We've manifested this whole life. After having envisioned it for so long. <3 The Universe saw our vision boards and was like, We've got you. Let's go get it, but RIGHT NOW.

No. I wish I found deeper spiritual fulfillment in anything. I find joy and enrichment in tons of ways, but a deeper spiritual connection to anything seems adrift right now.

Hm. Everything is about my grandmother. Duh. The day she passed, I spoke to my camp at Havdallah, describing to the camp how every life is an entire world. I meant to say every life is a universe. That spiritually grounded me, I felt...just, anew. It was really kind of incredible. There were other concerts, seeing underscores live in a crowd full of trans people, but that really stands out to me. This experience affected me by giving me something to hold onto.

Hmmm...perhaps Hadley's college graduation and three family weddings have marked transitions for me, for our extended family, that have given me pause. A new generation starting their life journeys, I have reflected where I was at that time and what my dreams were.

I am an agnostic person. I have taught myself to be humble when it comes the questions that have no answers. I am not spiritual at all. I don't believe in anything. Believing is antithetical to knowing which itself is suspect. I live in the moment and find it inspirational.

Even though I had too large of a dose of THC before the AJR concert, leading to intense paranoia and feelings of self-loathing, the concert itself felt like a spiritual experience. I have been wanting to see them for years, and The Maybe Man tour was such a special show to experience. They are incredible musicians, performers, and storytellers, and it was such a magnificent, immersive experience that at times made me question what was real and what wasn't. Whose to say if that was the show or the high? (it was definitely both)

Visiting the Arctic Circle, and the fjords of Norway, I thought that I was on the top of the world. They were all tremendously beautiful. Also, finally visiting France and the beaches of Normandy were so powerful. I never expected to be moved by the cemetery the way that I was.

I would say that overall, I am spending more time *with* my spirit this past year, and I hope it continues. I've been trying to commune, journal, feel gratitude, and spend time thanking. If I wake up and feel moved to do something to nourish my spirituality, I've been listening more and taking those actions. I'm feeling very good about this. I've wanted this in the past and now I'm finally doing it. I hope I can continue, because it does feel good to nourish one's soul.

I guess art has been my spiritual practice. Seeing the world through an artist’s eye is revelatory. I really enjoyed the art workshop in BC and the support of my art buddy. I am looking forward to a new phase in my art by joining the Firehouse Collective.

So, my sister is in another city. At 91, she has chosen - with a clear, crisp mind - to complete her life at home, with hospice care. It will be another five days before she dies. My husband and I are having lunch outside in a neighborhood cafe on Broadway, on New York’s Upper West Side. Four lanes of traffic are whizzing by. And a dragonfly lands on his folded walker. We have never seen a dragonfly on Broadway before. The dragonfly is a beautiful plum color, with black accessories. My sister has a lovely wool jacket exactly the same color. At 80, my eyesight isn’t that good, but I’m sure that dragonfly has a perfect mani pedi and a hairdo fresh out of the salon. Good-bye, my darling Mary. Thank you.

I have been thinking a lot more about how spirituality is your tool for death and how it is the only thing that arms you to walk through the door into the afterlife because there is nothing from this world that you can take with you. People can be around you and with you at the moment of death but you still have to take the step entirely alone. And spirituality is the only thing that can prepare you for what could potentially come afterwards.

I went to the mikvah for the first time. It didn't feel overly spiritual at the moment, but as time has passed the memory becomes holier. At the time it was warm and dreamy. Now, in the past tense, it feels as if I was being held in the womb of God.

I volunteered at a food bank one random Saturday after 4th of July. It made me think about how lucky I am and the world.

Reconnecting with Judaism not as a religion but as a people, an ethnicity, and an indigenous culture has been the most spiritual experience for me this year. Learning from historian Nurit Siegal about the external pressures and double binds that led to my ancestors, distant and recent, shedding their "tribal" ways and assimilating away from expressions of indigeneity has been so revelatory. Realizing that the way I express my Jewishness today has been shaped by the forces of centuries of antisemitism unlocked inside me a small window into who else I could be.

I don’t know how to think about this, but I can’t think of a single spiritual experience - religious or secular over the past year. Nothing external, nothing unusually inspirational. So I looked at myself and I asked what has elevated my spirit and soul over the past year? I have been traveling solo for the first time in my life. Traveling solo shows you a lot about yourself. I found my own courage and bravery. The desire to explore, the desire to discover and the courage to do it in places that are unfamiliar and in which you don’t know what you are going to discover. I found long-lost passions. When you have to make decisions entirely for yourself beyond the guide books and programmed tours and choose where to focus your time and energy, you learn your priorities. I deepened my passion for music. I re-discovered my passion for dance. I also found my needs - and my limits - of human connection. I found ways to connect that I had not considered and also, in the times I did not want to connect, the limits of what that connection brought me. In all of this...and probably a lot more that I have yet to articulate...I reconnected with my passions, desires and needs. In other words, with my own soul.

Watching flowers bloom one at a time on the same long stem.

Hmmm... it would have to be during our time last spring in Venice. Not in a church, lol, but marveling at an enormous city filled with history, art, architecture, and people -- in the middle of a lagoon! It was just breathtaking. As was so much of the Italian scenery, especially the Amalfi Coast!

07.Oct mandated a closer look at the ways the assumption of assimilation plays out in my life. Before that, I would have said maybe not so much. Afterwards? All the ways were made very clear. Losing (read: being abandoned) by those I thought were close friends & colleagues was painful & eye opening.

Yes, indeed volunteering in hospice and finishing my training as spiritual assistant in palliative care (chaplainship) has been and is an intense spiritual experience.

As is common for me, I feel closest to the universe when I am in the ocean. I did not swim in the ocean until August this year. A mix of time constraints (working Saturdays), financial issues (dentist trips, my sister's wedding, buying household appliances necessary for everyday life) and illnesses at the start of the year kept me away. Perhaps why I have been feeling less connected to a secure sense of self this year. I swam this last Sunday in the sea at Sitges, and I was hesitant to even enter the water, which is unusual for me. Once I was in the water was rough but bracing, embracing. Once I got past the breaking waves it settled down but was still powerful. I was left breathless and a little bashed, feeling worn out and cleansed. May the ocean and moon guide me in the future year.

I felt a sense of community. Just less than two weeks ago. My friend has put a picture online that was taken of her brother and her husband laughing at a shared joke at her son's wedding this summer. Not that long ago. Then last month or the month before that, her brother passed away. Then, less than two weeks ago, her husband also passed away. I went to the memorial on a Sunday night at our temple. I don't attend temple in person anymore because I have Meniere's Disease and traveling in a car and exposure to music or even a group of people singing--I can't tolerate it. So I do Zoom or Facebook with my congregation once a month and for holidays. (My congregation is so small we don't have a full time Rabbi. We usually have a student rabbi). I saw people I haven't seen for ages and met newer members of my congregation in person. I leant support to my friend whose husband passed away. I was able to attend because there was no music. We ate some (I ate very little as I have become diabetic) and mostly listened to very close friends and family give little speeches and then lots of talk. It was good to be reminded that I still belong and I can still offer something, giving emotional support to my friend. Belonging to a community is very much part of our tradition and foundation.

all my experiences with my osteopath. he discovered that my neck problems and temporo mandibular dysfunction were due to a vertebra twisted 40 years ago. he twisted it and put it back. he says that 40 years ago I fell at school. At another appointment, he made me relive my pre-death experience at sea. He has very different and effective approaches, there's something magical about him, and psychic.

I've developed a new connection with Judaism, or maybe more accurately, the Jewish people. I feel so rooted and solid in who I am. Very moving moments happened for me when I was in Jewish spaces, going to services, or rallies, singing HaTikvah. Seeing Eden Golan singing Hurricane was so touching for me. That song, and her performance just expressed my feelings so perfectly and powerfully.

I wish I could say I have. That I've had experiences so memorable and so meaningful like in past years, but the spiritual "experiences" this year were mostly in isolation, in the own quiet of my heart. I continue to practice coming back to the quiet, still, yet incredibly vast and expansive presence that is cultivated through formal seated meditation practice. Trying out different teachers and dropping expectations and truly coming to know that awareness, that awareness of awareness, that pure consciousness, the divine, presence. I'm learning to trust it, to rest in it, through feeling it, through being it. Teachers that have helped me remember are Adyashanti, Krishna Das, Publio, nature (the birds, the ducks, the squirrels, the oaks, the running stream). I had a big spiritual experience on the EMDR+Ketamine training at Mount Madonna. The set and setting, the sacredness of that mountain--the land, the medicine. My ketamine experiential was incredibly beautiful. Bilwaj came to me and the teachers asked me to join them, asked me to question the hierarchy that I hold in my mind. Publio was there, the teachers want to lift me bc when we lift we help others rise.

Adam’s Bar Mitzvah at CYJ the weekend after Oct 7 was an incredibly spiritual experience. Waking up to Israeli flags all over the grounds of the camp, being together with family and friends for an entire weekend, enjoying the solar eclipse that happened to occur on the day of our simcha and celebrating our amazing Bar Mitzvah boy and the beautiful job he did chanting his Torah portion and Haftorah, was the best way to spend what was an incredibly difficult time and in many ways was an extremely spiritual experience.

I finally officially converted to Judaism. I have always felt connected to the Jewish faith, and it felt like a home coming after formalizing my conversion. In the midst of all of this, I have been researching my mother's family of origin, and learned that her grandmother came from what was formally Russia, and DNA testing as shown I have family in Eastern Europe (Poland/Romania) as well as Israel, so may be her family of origin was Jewish? And my soul was just returning home

I don't know, but I have been quite moved by the natural environment of Pennsylvania. I almost think I felt the lack of spiritual in Grandma Jeannette's funeral. She had been so deeply involved in the church (especially in supporting those in grief), and the people in charge didn't care a bit that she too was dead. The priest had his eyes closed the whole time he spoke. But we had catered Olive Garden for a lunch after in her honor, and that was lovely.

Before my dad passed, we agreed he'd send me screws as a little hello and to let me know he was still around. I've been showered with them in perfect moments and random times and in really big ways. so for that I'm grateful and awed to still feel his love from so far away.

I've heard the shofar many times in my life during the High Holy Days. This time, it hit different. I closed my eyes, forearms parallel to the floor and palms facing up. Tekiah. Shevarim. Truah. Tekiah gedolah. Each sound wave passing through my body and shaking my soul...the tears came out. I was taken back to my time in the U.S. Army, missing my family, sitting in the desert, wondering what my life will look like after my contract. I had so many hopes, dreams, and questions. I wondered how many young IDF soldiers were in the dirt right now, inside cold tanks that are powered off to avoid detection, running towards an outpost in "full battle rattle." I opened my eyes and wiped my tears. The shofar is a reminder of so many things for us. For me, it was that I was grateful for so much and that my heart was in Israel.

I have had "minus" spiritual experiences this year that I'm really proud of! I don't beleive that there's any spirituality (as in spirit). There are ephemeral and plenty of unknown phenomenon and dimensions but none of them are spiritual. Meditation is great and psychologically healthy for me but I don't categorize it as spiritual. I have had a very productive and growthfull year in many regards and I'm proud of the steps I gave taken to propel my life forward in a healthy manner. I've done a lot of work and none of it is spiritual.

I took a women’s workshop-paint pouring with intention. It was an amazing experience! I created a beautiful painting that I hung up. And I have started painting on my own. It’s a very peaceful, feel good activity.

Going to Maine for the solar eclipse totality in early April and being in Maine in August were both spiritual in the sense that both experiences gave me a feeling of how inconsequential any individual is on both the global and galactic scales. It is perspective creating and helps remind me that none of it revolves around me while at the same time from my perspective everything revolves around me. I am cautious about overestimating my impact on my immediate surroundings (including relationships). However, I would like to develop a realistic sense of what sort of impact I have, where I have an impact, and with whom I have an impact.

I had a dream I was up for judgment. It shifted my way of thinking and how I feel about god and free will.

This one always stumps me. Other than the times I have sat quietly outdoors and appreciated the relative peacefulness of my surroundings, I don't think I have had a spiritual experience.

Giving birth was the most in my body I've ever felt. Labor was so hard and yet I was prepared, I worked with it and have never felt so strong. I dropped into another plane - wasn't talking much, just went internal. It's hard to describe that place, just focused and determined, trusting the wisdom of my body to do what it needed to do to bring forth life. Trusting myself to make decisions, trusting my team to guide the way. The feeling once she was born was magical. She was healthy and in my arms and I had succeeded! I felt that connection between worlds, the world of the living and the not, and faced it. Oh! I almost forgot to add in the hearts. Right after delivery, someone noticed that the umbilical cord had made a heart on top of the placenta. And then there was a little heart blood on the sheet after I moved! A message from beyond? A connection to abba or Zahava? I’m not sure but it felt significant and spiritual in the moment.

I’m not sure that I can pinpoint any specific “experience” – it’s more an overall feeling that God is in the little things. He has gifted me this beautiful life that I love. Even with the upheaval and changes, He is in it. I believe that Joshua is the man God intended for me and that I am on the right path. I believe that God has seen me through these various work and life changes, and that He will continue to be by my side through all of this. I feel as though spiritual thoughts and ideas come to me in small bites, that my current path isn’t “bold” or “loud” or “large” but that it is slowly churning and forming in my brain, taking hold bit by bit.

Floating on the warm Caribbean Sea in Aruba, face down holding my breath gently and comfortably, made me feel at one with the world and at perfect peace.

Very recently I read the book Lent, by Jo Wharton. It made me think a lot about the idea of a personal G-d, an idea I abandoned around age 12. I'm still thinking.

Last April, I traveled to France with my extended family to retrace the steps of my grandfather and his brothers, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins as they fled the Nazis during WWII. We visited their neighborhoods in Paris and saw their schools and their shul. We met up with our remaining French family - over 30 of us all together in one room. We then traveled to Luchon, where I (against all odds) joined my family in hiking to the top of the Pyrenees mountains, taking the same path they took in the middle of the night in 1941 to escape being sent to the camps the following day. My body should not have allowed this. Between my knees and my back and my weight and my weakness, I never should have made it. But I did. I made it the whole way to the Spanish border. And it was life altering.

The opportunity to be in community with Muslim and Jewish women throughout the continuing war. It has given me hope and supports me in not having a side. Reading Aperigon— the same. Returning to The Chapel of the Bones: the way time did not distort my memory of it, the grounded way I felt there. The view of what remains from all of us after death. A homage to mortality.

I had a spiritual experience at CHURCH. I went to the Ebenezer Baptist Sermon and watched Rev. Warnock speak-he gave a visual sermon and it was INCREDIBLE. The energy and excitement of the service was uplifting. It was a definitely highlight to our Civil Rights Congregational Trip.

No. Since October 7, I feel far from G-d and my fellow Jews. I feel ashamed of being Jewish, and desperate to make my Jewish practice feel good again.

Traveling to Caribbean islands and South Africa and understanding that people have the same basic needs to have enough to eat, to have shelter, to find purpose, to be loved and valued, no matter where in the world they live, has been profound for me. I once said the words that I would go to South Africa, years ago. Now, I see the fruition of my intentions and curiosity and the impact of my words and thoughts. I have manifested my own opportunities by deciding to have them, even though it took me a long time. It demonstrates to me the power of intention and positive energy.

I think birthing my son at home was incredible. I don’t know exactly what I’d call it but it helped me heal after October 7th. It was a transcending experience.

I am on a continuing search for ways of prayer or meditation that will help me to connect with God. I'm a pastor, and so much of my religious life is as a leader, I find that personal prayer is a challenge. I've recently realized that music can help me to find that place of connection I'm seeking. I've had some experiences using music in my prayer time that I would say have opened the space for spiritual experiences. I'm grateful.

Gosh. This year was full of spiritual experiences. My dad's passing - being at his bedside and spending the night with him the night that he passed. Aunt Lisa's funeral. Watching the Chiefs win the Superbowl with my Mom and Dad. But probably the one that I want to hold on to and remember is singing "Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight" with the Choral Society at UIS. It was an incredibly powerful piece written by an African American woman in the 1940s. It was strangely pertinent today. It was set in Springfield - right here in our hometown - and was the story of Lincoln's ghost walking around the town and mourning the way that we are still at war in so many ways. It was a found work, just recently discovered at the house that Price had retired to. It was just absolutely incredible to make that music with other people. It was probably the first time the work was performed in the state of Illinois. What an honor to bring that piece to life.

Friday For Future that Zadie and me started at school!

Aside from being on the sides of various mountains of coffee farms in Colombia for research, I'd say there's one point I could specifically point to that also is shaped around community. My time in Colombia was when Purim and Pesach were celebrated. I was able to connect with a synagogue in Bogotá in order to go to their Purim play as well as join their seder. It was the second time I went to services in a non-English speaking country and the first time in 25 years. The idea that we are all Jewish and continuing our oral traditions together and singing from the same liturgy with most of the same melodies despite not speaking the same native tongue? That to me is immeasurably more important to Jewish survival. To me, that is more "am yisrael chai" than is having a nation-state. To me, that implies our survival more than necessarily a political claim to a homeland.

The short answer is no. After last year's spiritual high, this year has felt flat. It has felt especially hard to pray after October 7th. My prayers feel hollow. I feel sure that they will not be answered. Last year I believed that miracles were possible. This year I don't. I try to remember to have moments of gratitude, to notice a beautiful day, my healthy children. But it feels like a deliberate practice, rather than the spontaneous overflowing well of gratitude that I felt last year. I did have one very moving moment this year that was out of the ordinary, and that was seeing the total eclipse. I can't exactly remember the emotions that I felt in the moment that the world became dark and the stars came out. I remember being close to tears. On the drive up to the eclipse, we had been researching -- what blessing do you say upon witnessing a solar eclipse? The surprising answer was, you don't. There is no blessing for an eclipse, because an eclipse is a bad omen, a sign that the King has taken His lamp away from the feast that He prepared for His servants. I didn't feel that way. I wanted to blessing to be able to say in that moment, because I felt that I was witnessing something glorious.

1. My rosh chodesh circle - the grounding meditations and spiel on the Jewish month and rhythm. I've been frequently surprised at how relevant the themes of each month are and how they resonate with what's going on in life. It helps that we're all in such a similar life stage, which fosters so much commonality and supports connection. 2. Reflecting on one definition of spirituality: 'relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things' ... the recognition of how powerful my friendships are that people would show up so wholly in my time of need felt almost spiritual. The kindness and generosity shown to me by such a wide range of people was overwhelmingly humbling, to the point it felt somewhat spiritual. It's an incredible feeling to be so 'held' by community.

Last year during the high holidays I went to in-person services at my local temple for the first time. It was an incredibly moving, spiritual experience. I felt connected my community, my ancestors, and my self. Now I am without that, as I cannot do my own spiritual cleansing and healing at a place that supports genocide.

I’ve had a great baseline of spiritual experiences but can’t think of one keystone experience. I’m grateful to my commitment to meditation, psyched that Max motivated me to chant more Torah, and have been reallllly grateful to prayer in this sad sad year. I’m so proud to have shared some spiritual and personal messages from Tony with the entire 20th anniversary party. It was spiritual for me to trust Justin and open my heart and really be my true self with him. And it was spiritual to get through that with my own strength and spirituality, and the support of friends. Journeying to Iceland with Toni was a fun and a spiritual journey for which I am SO GRATEFUL. Loved how I showed up to Toni and Bacons wedding and blessed them with a prayer, and left it with them. Moving more into my art, dance, music, public speaking, writing, party planning self has felt like a lot of important creative energy that I’m so proud of and def want to cultivate more of. Spiritual goals for the coming year: astrology readings for myself and both kids. Torah chanting 4 times in 5785! Routine moon prayers.

Surprisingly the most spiritual experiences I’ve had this year have been with my grandchildren. To have an entire week or weekend with them and during that time to be focused on their individual essences has brought me to a place of hope and peace.

If we can consider love as a spiritual experience i had one. I guess it hit me deeply coming from years of loneliness.

Shifting Morning Pages to be Letters From Unconditional Love. The effect has been increased sell-love and acceptance.

Around the breakup I went to the kotel for hrs night before shavuot and spoke with God for a while and there made total decision to break up with naomi. There was something very intimate then speaking with go's and feeling no-one else in world was with me except God. Like very alone but also very close to hashem. After that, screaming exercise with erel was very powerful. Felt like moshe at the burning Bush and on my own adventure with hashem as his shaliach in this world. And rosh hashana and yom kipppur in konstanz is meaningful. Being mamlich hashem.

The experience itself was extremely embodied -- getting a new IUD because the old one was impinging on my cervix -- but the pain of that procedure necessitated me to draw upon my meditation practice and while the practice itself has been largely sporadic, it turns out that it _has_ been powerful and I _was_ able to draw upon it (particularly the breathing skills I've cultivated) even in distress.

Not spiritual exactly. I saved someone from killing herself. I knew she was very depressed, and she knew I had previously been suicidal so she could talk to me about her mental health in a way she couldn't to her family. I made an effort to stay in touch with her, and she told me she had tried to drown herself in the bath, and she knew 'how to do it properly next time'. It sent shivers down my spine. I rang her GP, and then messaged her sons. She was admitted to a psychiatric hospital the following day, and was an inpatient for over a month. She gave me a card saying "Thank you for saving me from myself". Having spent all my teenage years suicidal, and a lot of my twenties, I never felt I had found the reason I was on earth. I never felt I had justified my existence. If saving the life of this woman is the purpose of mine, that is fair.

It's the most recent one that comes to mind; just a few nights ago lying on my back deck looking up at the northern lights while wrapped in a blanket (it wasn't crazy winter cold yet), listening to the coyotes yipping, and with my own dog lying beside me. Just enjoying a natural wonder and feeling very privileged to be able to do so in health, comfort, and safety.

My nieces (daughters of my cousin) graduated from high school this past spring and I kept feeling the presence of their grandfather who passed away. I could feel his pride exuding throughout their graduation weekend.

My wedding and honeymoon. The wedding was such a happy and yet ephemeral day. The honeymoon was the first time my husband and I travelled with just the two of us. It really felt like passing a spiritual threshold.

Yes. I remembered what a lovely relationship I have always had with God. I knew from the time I was a small child that God would always be there for me and care for me. I now understand I just have to ask. I have played chicken with God and God always wins. I'm glad. I will continue to pray and not to ask for my will, but I ask for God to reveal God's will.

No single big moments come to mind, and I'm ok with that because I don't think a day goes by when I don't feel some connection to or inspiration from something larger/higher/infinite/beautiful....

No one particular time, but I usually take a moment at the end of my yoga/PT session to just be. It is a grounding experience, helping me to feel settled and whole.

I do FEEL more spiritual this year, attempt more meditation, more regular periods of quiet. I include my time on that cruise which gave me lots of time alone. My time on the river is very contemplative as well. And sometimes when I'm playing my klezmer music, I feel a channeling of Yiddish ancestry.

My experience is with mortality. My parents'. Specific friends. Opportunities. My past selves. Mine. How acknowledging mortality leads me to think about freedom, but also mourning.

Nope.

I've had uncountable moments of transcendent joy this year: watching M crawl for the first time; the primal contentment of my baby, safe and asleep in my arms for so many evenings and nights; watching their perfect smile spread across their face when they see me through the window; breathless tickling and wrestling matches; laughing together over breakfast, telling jokes without speaking the same language. Falling in love with this tiny soul, falling in love with this new configuration of our family, the pride I feel in the way we're doing things. This parenting journey is a joy, so far, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I have had the spiritual awakening that I must challenge every one of my beliefs - especially the ones that I believe are “good”

I brought my 12 year old to Broadway this year. She loves music and musicals and has aspirations of being a professional singer. Watching her experience a spiritual connection to the music really resonated with me and brought tears to my eyes. The joy of children!

Since a lot of my spirituality is tied to my music, our Portugal tour last month was very moving and spiritual for me. So many beautiful moments I will always treasure!

I've gotten the Hallow app and have been praying more. I listen to Saint stories if I can't fall asleep. Trying to become more mindful. I think Willa is looking for Zenny inside my house, and it makes me wonder if she is about to die. I hope not.

I don't know if I would say "spiritual," but taking ASL classes has been expansive and powerful for me. It has me thinking about communication, language, access, and culture in new ways that feel both affirming and challenging. Also, joining with friends in a Gaza Solidarity group has been so essential and sanity-saving for me.

My husband does "Poetry Church" inviting poets to share poems on how the Divine touches them in whatever way. Our devotionals in our home where people bring any quote, song, prayer or poem that inspires them have been a joy. Sharing a prayer with Sheryl our neighbor was wonderful.

My evening yoga practice has become quite spiritual for me this year, as my meditations feel deeper and more insightful. I've also felt a deeper connection to myself through that and through my music over the past year. The connection to myself feels like I am often also connection with something "other", like an energy that connects all of us to this planet. I feel a greater sense of calm despite all of the turmoil and selfishness in the world around me.

There have been very few spiritual experiences this year. I had the chance to discuss my religious upbringing in a therapy session and that was extremely eye opening. I had a chance to dissect my own reactions to prayer and worship. I think in 2025 I will be more open to spiritual experiences.

The times I took mushrooms with Julie this summer were all great, but the best one was the lake house evening with the fireplace. I felt bliss coming from my heart and expanding to my whole body, so much gratitude and love for this life. The beauty of everything I worked so hard to reach. It felt amazing, not to mention the early moments of our trip when we laughed so freaking hard...I connect with this woman on such a deep level without any substance, so the added effect of our high was just incredible. I also felt like I was going to other dimensions when I closed my eyes, I lived situations I knew were not really mine, as if my mind was shadowing someone else's view and I was safe but witnessing crazy situations. I had to remind myself it wasn't really me living these things and I really wonder what this was, where I went. I loved it.

Nothing springs to mind at the moment that I haven't already written about: scattering Gregory's ashes an Ynyslas and Broadstrand; watching Scotland beat Wales in Cardiff and England at Murrayfield. The closest to a "spiritual" experience have been my occasional dreams of Gregory. The most recent one was a couple of nights ago when he appeared as The Joker in an amateur stage production at my old school, Belmont Academy. I was also in A Block, the Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Techy, and Art building. Sometimes these dreams linger with me for the whole day. I tend to share these on the "Just wee 6" WhatsApp group. I have dreamed of him in his yellow swimming shorts; being taken hostage in the back of a yellow van and we had to rescue him from Carlisle (where his death was registered); I gave him a hug standing up; he took us up a tower like the Berlin TV tower to look down at his black and white graffiti art on the ground surrounding it; he broke both of his legs and was missing when we went to visit him in hospital, then we saw him hobbling down the coridor wearing a pair of khaki fisherman's waders and I ran up to him, joyfully shouting "You fucking break!" because he shouldn't have recovered so quickly after his operation - he was smiling and had a glow about him with a big bushy fisherman's beard - he was mute; I was visiting his university during a conference and it ended with him disrupting my viewing of the Super Bowl by putting on an alternative Nickelodeon-style broadcast and then trying to buy the Spice Girls movie - he was an agent of chaos; he was sitting quietly in a little pink dress; he wouldn't join us on a family camping trip because he wanted to watch an opera on TV with his girlfriend; he was driving us up a steep icy slope towards some kind of natural disaster that Moira was keen to see up close (like an explosion in an icy mountain) - I urged him to shift into first gear when it got really steep (back-seat driving); we were visiting him in his flat (much nicer than the real one) - Scotty was there with a new haircut - when it was time to say goodbye, we knew it would be the last time - I gave Gregory a big hug with his head on my ribcage; we were again visiting his flat (more grotty this time) - I had a bath and when I let the water out I could see lots of hair shavings in the bottom, some of which were mine - then I noticed there were lots of minnows in the bottom of the bath as the water was running out and all over the carpet - I wondered if they had swum up the pipes from Bristol’s sewers - Gregory sheepishly revealed that he’d kept them in a plastic tub in the corner of the room where there were lots of discarded takeaway bags - I then had to rescue a white pet rat that was drowning in the bath water - this turned out to be Milly, who when I woke up was soaking wet from the rain and needed to be touched with a towel. He seems to visit about once a month on average. They are a mix of love (giving him hugs) and sometimes fear of his agent of chaos mode. He's obviously still on my mind a lot and I think about him pretty much every day. When the dreams linger with me, I tend to have a less productive day. It makes me mindful and I like to hold on to them for as long as possible. But I'm glad I've written them down because I'd already forgotten some of them.

In a guided meditation as part of my process to heal from a painfully pinched nerve, I connected to my inner voice that gave me info about deeper healing I still need to do. I have tried to continue to listen to myself and pay attention to what I know inside that can guide me if I stop my perpetual ‘busyness’. I felt particularly powerful when I did Tashlich ceremony (in Hebrew, English and French) at the river by my home in Lutry Switzerland.

The past Chanukkah was the first time that my very assimilated and now multifaith family lit a Chanukkiah since 3 generations ago. The last time the 9 lights shone was in the Pale of Settlement, on a place that now faces war again in Ukraine. And we lit them up after 10/7 and family tragedies took their toll on our hearts and souls. The darkness felt so oppressive, and we needed the tangible reminder that sometimes miracles happen, not the oil itself, but teshuva, returning. As my mother and I chanted the blessings and lit the chanukkiah, night after night, it was almost as if I could feel the light of HaShem filling our dark house, pushing back against the darkness. But it also felt like my ancestors were there with us too, and the spirit of every Jew who had died and fought to be free to be a Jew. From the last night on, there were moments were I could feel them, living on in my heart and giving the courage and strength to make it through this year of heartbreak.

It took me a while to think of something that really stood out, but I just remembered one that shook me up a bit. This year when I went to Burning Man, I camped with a group of people who did a lot of offerings around healing. I volunteered to do the self-care pop-up on Thursday morning. We had people come in in groups, and we gave them foot baths and facials. It was really nice to take care of people in that way, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. It was especially nice to see men allowing themselves to be cared for. Off to the side of our self-care pop-up, one of our other campmates was offering reiki. As we sent groups through, I would often grab one person who seemed to be particularly in need of more help, and send them over to get a reiki treatment. At the end of our last group, a woman grabbed the reiki spot. There was a young man sitting next to her, and I asked him if he was interested in getting a psychic healing from me. He agreed. I've been doing this type of psychic healing on and off for about 35 years now. It involves a spirit guide who is a healing master using my hands, which then move around a person's body and remove unwanted energy from their chakras and auras, getting things moving again. It's a hands-off treatment, and takes about 10 minutes. At the end of the healing, the person bends forward and puts their hands on the ground to complete the session. I gave this guy a healing, and when he went to put his hands on the ground, he burst into tears, and began sobbing loudly. I have NEVER had that happen before. He stood up, and I asked him if he wanted a hug, and he said yes. I held him in my arms for a couple of minutes. I then suggested that he go lie in the shade for a bit to rest before he returned to the craziness of the event. He napped a bit, danced around a bit, and got up to leave after about an hour. I checked in with him before he left, and he looked much better. He said he might try to come back, but I didn't see him again. I hope he's doing okay, and am still humbled by the thought that something powerful happened to him that day, and I was the catalyst for it.

I did have a somewhat spiritual experience this year! I was invited to a faculty appreciation Shabbat dinner and decided to go to the service beforehand, as well. I've never participated in a Jewish religious service before, and the fact that the prayers are sung felt very moving. At one point, the Rabbi asked us to think of someone who needs healing, and then she went around the room and made eye contact with each of us. When she came to us, we were able to say our name out loud so that everyone in the room could think of them. For some reason, I burst out into tears, like on a sobbing level. It was a little embarrassing, but very powerful.

I have had many. I broke my ankle in March. I was immobile for 6 weeks and spent additional months on my front porch. There was peace in the stillness. It was a season of revelation and intimacy with Abba. Sampson found honey in the lion's carcass. I have learned to look for times of wonder in the worst situations. HE wastes nothing. He was with me so faithfully during this season.

During a summer program in Japan, we visited city devastated by the 3.11 tsunami called Kamaishi. The coordinator told us the story of that day from his perspective, then we walked to the place where he evacuated. After telling us more, he pulled out a laptop and showed us the video he recorded with his phone just when he thought it was safe, and the tsunami roared into the picture with people screaming as they fled. Like every disaster, the event takes on new meaning when you hear about it from a survivor, a real human telling you their story. After hearing the story, I walked up the mountain to the evacuation spot where he and the other survivors camped out over night. I wanted to get a feel for their journey and their struggle. The monuments in the town are dedicated to not forgetting and being better prepared. That somber experience was the highlight of my summer.

Looking out over the vast landscape from atop a mountain in Antarctica.

This year at Rosh Hashanah services. I got to carry the Torah around and let people touch their books to it and touch it with their fringes their tiztizit. It was truly a special moment. I heard the shofar blown on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and was moved to tears. This tradition carried down for centuries, a wake up call. I think Hashem is giving me signs to keep going and rewarding me for my perseverance. Can't wait to see what next year brings.

Yes -- my spiritual practices have kept me centered and motivated to move forward. The classes I lead in meditation and mindfulness help me help myself and others. My psychotherapy practice requires me to do my own inner work so we can be present together. My partner and I have found a local jazz club which fills us with music and an inner contentment as it has become a gathering spot where we feel more "at home" in ourselves, with each other, and in the community. We love it!

St. Anthony and St. Expedite came through for me on getting me a job. ESPECIALLY THAT. It took a big ol' miracle to get me out of my old job and get me into a new one just in time before I would not have been able to.

I almost always have trouble with this one, even when I broaden the definition. I have managed to spend a tiny bit of time in the park this past summer. Not much, but more than in the past. Maybe more importantly, I've been putting in more effort to once again practice tai chi on a regular basis. I went from 5-6 times a week to 1 or even zero, on average. So this year I made the decision to create space in my day for it again and this practice brings me into contact with my body, with my balance, with my breathing. It's never perfect, but that's why they call it a "practice." It's also pretty inconsistent, still. So there is room for improvement. I'm okay with that.

My chief spiritual experiences have been artistic. Whether my own participation in theatre (directing Leading Ladies, being in TWO Fiddler Productions, and the Wisdom of Eve), or enjoying Karen’s star turn in Fiddler. From the audience, Vampire Weekend put on a tremendous show, and I shall never forget how St. Vincent out her heart and soul into every song she sang when we saw her at the Greek. Janelle Monet's concert was amazing, but Peter Gabriel tours very infrequently, and is always such a terrific performer! He didn't disappoint!

A year ago today, I finished my hike on the Camino de Santiago and then I got sick and had a cough for MONTHS. I had so many tests done to determine why I all of a sudden had this horrible cough and was so tired. An MRI showed that I had a cyst on my pancreas (unrelated to my lungs/cough). The odds of the cyst turning into cancer was high and I was told to remove the cyst. I lost my spleen and half of my pancreas as a result. When I woke up from surgery, my cough was gone. I can’t explain it. But the cough I picked up on the Camino may have saved my life.

I do not think that I have had any particularly spiritual experiences this past year. I do feel more positive because I choose to listen to and read uplifting stuff. I also don't watch the news which really helps to keep me feeling more even. I am choosing to focus on what is right instead of what is wrong.

Some really powerful meditations this past year for sure, especially Dr.J /source alignment ones and ecstatic cacao dancing joy!! Feeling more and more the joy of living sober (substance free) but high on joy, love and appreciation vibes. Enjoyed some shows - Alannis, Mose, snatum Kaur, WCC girls fun times out/tubing, lots of reading/listening to books.

Standing with 300,000 people on the Mall in Washington DC for a rally in support of Israel and calling for the release of the hostages was unlike anything I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. I’m not sure if this counts as spiritual per se but there’s something amazing about hearing such a crowd singing Acheinu or running into people you know from across the country showing up for a day in one place. While I wish the circumstances were different, the power of community was never more apparent than on that day.

Sometimes I see things before they happen. I hate it!! It's horrifying and I can't turn it off.bnor can I do anything about the things I see.

Singing in a group seems to bring on deep, often unexpected emotion. I find myself on the brink of tears, especially in certain contexts. Not sure what the link is, nor do I think I need to understand it. I accept the wave of feeling, marvel at it, and try to continue singing. I would also add what I said last year, about nature and the sky and beauty and love (human and canine).

In continuing my nature theme from last year, I think my most spiritual moment was watching the sunrise off the New Jersey coast. I'm so rarely in a place where I can watch the sun rise over the ocean and it was just glorious and beautiful and there were lots of lovely little birds that reminded you life is a very precious thing. Stillness, too, is precious.

Yes! Just yesterday in the wee hours of the morning Wayne and Little Karl were in a serious automobile accident near Abilene Texas. Wayne was driving. He remained awake and able to talk. They let him call Angie, his wife, from the ambulance. He said he was cut up pretty bad and had lost a lot of blood. His blood pressure had gone way down but it had come back up some. Kevin took Angie over there. It is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Andrews. An 18 wheeler had a blowout and was jackknifed in the road. It was in a curve and down a slight hill under an overpass and dark and he couldn't stop and hit the side of the trailer. Wayne ended up with deep cuts on both arms and had to have surgery on one of his arms. Little Karl was on a ventilator for a few hours but they were able to get him off of it and he is alert and talking. Karl also has a fractured hip but at this point we do not know if it will require surgery. These two are living muracles. There is no other explanation for why they are both not dead or critically injured. From the time of the accident about 1:30 in the morning until Wayne got released to go home was only 15 hours and this included him having surgery on one arm to have ligaments, etc repaired. And Jarl got off the vent in time fir Wayne to be able to go see Karl and talk to him before Wayne left to go home. AND, during those first few hours when all we knew was that Wayne had lost a lot of blood and his blood pressure was dangerously low, God gave me a peace about it all that can only be described as "the peace that passeth all understanding" that is mentioned in the Bible. This whole situation has reminded me and shown me exactly how very real God is and how real the Bible is. Also, Wayne called last night and kept breaking into tears several times saying hiw he knew it was only the hand of God that saved them. I have prayed fir a long time that Wayne would be delivered from his Meth addiction and stop soending do much time with Little carl who is his supplier. My hope is that thus accudent will be the catalyst for that happening. PRAISE GOD! HE IS SO GOOD!

I'm too sad to even give an answer to my spiritual growth.

No. No no no! No. Nothing. Is that why my life feels so empty?!

On April 9th we witnessed the total solar eclipse from the shore of Catamount Pond in the Adirondacks. I was totally mesmerized and in awe of this incredible event and grateful that I was able to witness it. It was truly a spiritual experience.

No. The closest I have come, oddly, is the pleasurable reaction I have had to a British television series: Breeders. There has been for me a deep satisfaction in how cleverly and convincingly this comedy drama shows the fragility and uncertainly of human life by the ever changing seas of emotions on human faces.

My spiritual experiences have all been with my baby daughter. She’s been such a balm to my soul. Sometimes when I hold and look at her, I feel like I am having an out of body experience because the joy is so overwhelming.

I don't think I have anything particularly spiritual, I have had a few times where I have been grateful for hashem but I don't think I've had anything profoundly spiritual. However, I did see Phish 3x this year and that was awesome and pretty close to a spiritual event.

I have had, and continue to have spiritual experiences, usually small moments of connection with a tree, a bird, or a plant in my garden. Especially the burr oak in my backyard. It is a dance with the divine. This year I had a rich experience dancing with turkey vultures while hanging out with my friend Joe in rural Ohio for a few days. The dance took me away from all the busy-ness of the human world around me and led me to a dance with the divine. It's as if God says, "May I have this dance?" And I do.

One of my favorite things is to just sit back, stand back, walk behind... my now-grown kids while they're having a good time together. Just watching, maybe listening sort of, but seeing them enjoy each other's company.

Not particularly. I have continued to work on my spiritual health. I find guidance and comfort in having people around me who hold the same values, including my adult son.

Seeing the Hand of Hashem in my job search. It drove home how we don't know the path, but there is one.

Being pregnant feels spiritual. I feel connected to this community of mothers, to history, to my baby, to the future. I can't believe I'm having a daughter. When I feel her kicking, my heart soars. I can't wait to meet her and to show her this world, to protect her, to love her, to expand our lives.

Probably not being able to walk for a lot of the year and particularly post surgery meant I had to find peace in myself and not outside myself, by distracting myself and keeping busy .

So many to count, but one in particular was the experience I had at Burning Man dancing at the October 7th memorial surrounded by my Jewish and non-Jewish brothers and sisters. We danced to the same DJ that played during the attack, at 6:29, the same time the music was turned off as rockets began pouring in. I felt the collective unity of my people, and when we set our mind to something we do it. WE DANCED AGAIN! <3

Since 7 October I’ve had a mixed relationship with the arts and culture, especially live music, that has always been there to nurture, feed and even heal me. I had tickets for various shows that I no longer wanted to attend. Having been left wing my entire life, many of the artists I’ve enjoyed have also been left wing and sing or talk about subjects that many consider ‘political’. One night my spouse and I got dressed up and ready to head to a show. The show was taking place at a favourite, recently renovated venue and I was picturing how wonderful it would be. And then suddenly I thought about the types of comments the artist would make and what they would talk about between songs. And I realized I’d better check and see if they had weighed in on the war. And they had. And they reposted the vile comment about removing Israel and Jews from the river to the sea. So I told my spouse I didn’t want to go. I took a bath. Read my Lilith magazine and a book by a Jewish offer. Since then, I have given away many tickets I purchased in advance and have avoided attending any shows where it might feel emotionally and physically unsafe. When it’s even remotely questionable I make a plan with the person I’m attending with about what we’ll do if it comes up. I usually plan to stand up very obviously and leave. I don’t plan to lose my cool - but I probably will. Shout. Loud. But!!!! I have recently begun to enjoy the opera and this has been almost spiritual for me! As close to spiritual an experience I’ve had in 5784. I can guarantee that for the length of the opera I will be almost completely focused on the stage: the voices, set, costumes, the orchestra - I love it all! Time flies and it’s as though I’ve had a small holiday. I look forward to this each and every time so the build up is now a wonderful part of the experience for me!!!!

I feel that most mornings, my dog walk has a spiritual component. In our new home, I am surrounded by trees and there is a close nature path to enjoy.

My Jewish spirituality has been uplifted by going to Torah study every Shabbos at my friend Simcha's house. That, along with many other things (like remembering God when I touch the Mezuzah on the doorpost of my bedroom), has given me more spiritual strength as a Jew and made me feel closer to God.

Nope. Just the one big insight to literally die for.

Yes! When I went on my Adamah Retreat at Isabella Freedman and chose the more "wooey" option for Shabbat, a silent walk in the woods. It made me realize I don't have to follow "shoulds" in Judaism, like the Modern Orthodox way that has been so ingrained in me the past few years. I can choose my own adventure and make Shabbat what I want. I also connected to singing and song circles more.

This has probably been the most spiritual year of my life. I began by going to shul for the first time in decades, which I was grateful for, but I was also clear I wasn’t in the community for me. I had my second Spiritual Crisis, which was challenging to me and others around me, but very quickly became deeply healing. Familial relationships suddenly improved and I felt a whole new confidence and sense of self, underpinned by a sense that my spiritual capacity is and always has been part of me, and I can cultivate it. This reached its most beautiful realization when I spent 6 days with 100 other queer Jews studying, praying, laughing & grieving. I wrapped tefilin for the first time and felt deeply connected to the men in my family line, for the first time. I feel committed to prayer, movement and other practices that help me develop this part of me. And I want to keep finding deeper senses of community for my practice.

I try to see where God works in my life each day. I am a divine spark of life from God. Letting go of past stories has been a way to heal.

I felt grief lift. I was happy before, but now I'm more calm and content in addition to being happy. I'm starting (slowly) to feel safe from calamity. I can hold both things: that calamity IS going to happen, and that I don't need to prepare or worry about it every moment. I do feel she is still around, as a guardian angel, but she's also expanded into the entire universe, so that I have complete freedom and space. I do not feel confined to the widow status.

When I went to Telluride for Ian’s wedding, I got into a huge fight with Drea. I also knew that my mom was not well and was about to die. I decided to channel my anger and heartbreak into a hike up to as high an altitude as I could get. I went by myself while Drea was sleeping, and it felt very therapeutic. Not only is the air so clean (even if thinner), but it was just such a peaceful moment amongst such looming trauma. I would say this was the closest thing that I had to a spiritual experience this past year. It really helped me clear my head to face the month of strain on my siblings as mom started to go downhill.

Every year I have to think extra about this because it's usually already covered in my answer for significant event. And again I think that is the most correct answer for me. But while I personally wouldn't categorize it as spiritual per se, I would say that the philosophical conversations I've had recently do apply. They have a certain measure of introspection. And of assessing how I see and experience the world, and how I try to communicate that to others. How I see the world has been nudged in a small scale by a friend pointing out different signs, making me notice the various signs around me more instead of tuning them out. I continue to be stumped by transhumanism, by what makes me me and whether I am always myself or never myself. I get frustrated by the limitations of experience. Some say you're never alone but aren't you always alone? No matter how close you are to someone, they never see the world like you. They live in their world and you live in your world. I can try to explain my world to them but they can never really experience it, the air isn't even breathable to them.

This past year, and for several years now, I have felt much closer to the Lord. I attribute this to reading the Bible daily and how much I love my church. Knowing the peace and joy that come from having a relationship with Him is absolutely the best part of life.

Maybe in the sense that I could save my dad’s life and that my kidney worked right away in his body like it was a part of him. A true miracle indeed. The fact that I was healthy and compatible, a perfect match seems like a Godwink to me!

I truly loved seeing the tulips when we went to the Tulip Festival in Washington back during spring break. Was that spiritual? Or were the moments I walked on the beach each morning at sunrise this summer? Or was it when I was listening to the radio and heard one favorite song after another, all on the same station. All of these can feel that way to me and often put me in the same head space, which in an increasingly chaotic and scary world, it's a head space I wish I could be in more often.

I feel like I believe in gd more and feel more connected to jewdism that I am very proud of. I love my religion and how small it is. It pains me that so many people wish to destroy it.

Since 7 October, I feel more emotional than spiritual. Listening to new music from Israel almost always brings tears to my eyes. I have always been spiritually connected to Israel: this connection is even stronger now.

My landlord and I are ghost hunting (still...). I think he is just slowly losing his memory in most cases and blames it on spiritual activity, but there's been a few instances where he might have a point. His quest for answers have also helped me make friends around town, which has been a big positive for me.

I do not think that I recall any, yet, there have been moments when I found some emotion over good things that happen to people.

One moment that stands out for me was a dinner I had with my step-mother - and her sharing with me some deeply personal perspectives about our relationship and her pursuit of making a difference in the world. It’s stayed with me as some sort of beacon - perhaps we’re on the same/similar journey - and perhaps we can collaborate on the mission together. Maybe Dad is above sprinkling some sawdust on us. :) It’s a good feeling - I lean into finding some truth for me so that it inspires me to explore more, stay more connected, etc.

Enjoying going to temple; as members now.

I feel more solid in my faith then I have felt in years. The current state of mixing faith with politics really was depressing for me for several years and made me question my faith. But this year I feel very adept at handling the crazy.

Leaning into the work of Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein has been rewarding and well worth the effort, which was not on insignificant.

I continue to find meaning and purpose through my work, my connection to my animals, and my yoga practice. The unending spiritual work for me is to accept the unacceptable. By this I mean those things that fall short of beautiful, fair and just. I continue to get through the truth that progress is an illusion. All we have is the present moment.

Today is the 1 year anniversary of the day that barbaric Hamas terrorists ransacked Israeli towns, raping, murdering, and taking hostage innocent Israelis, including children and the elderly. And the response on college campuses from "liberals" in the US was to castigate Israelis. I have no love for Israel's right wing government and I mourn the loss of innocent Palestinian life. Yet, it's clear that antisemitism remains mainstream in the US. I pray for the remaining hostages to be returned immediately, unharmed. I pray for a day when terrorists are brought to justice and immoral politicians are voted out of office. I pray that Israelis and Palestinians can live as neighbors with security, economic prosperity, self determination, and peace.

In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks and the start of the war in Gaza, I led several listening sessions for friends and friends of friends. These were simply structured: each person got 5 minutes to talk, uninterrupted, about their feelings and thoughts. These sessions took on a spiritual quality for me, because they fostered so much connection across deep differences.

No, but I noticed that I miss the connection to G-d I felt when I attended Al-Anon more and I want that again.

I'm going to go with emotional here. I'm a very stoic person. I rarely cry (learned behavior from 1st marriage). My husband's cancer diagnosis just about broke me. Even though it has a 90% cure rate... the treatment & side effects are horrendous. The thought of this wonderful man having to endure all of this broke my heart. For weeks, I could not control the tears. Treatment starts in 2.5 weeks. I think I've gotten a handle on this. It's my turn to be the caregiver, and I need to be clear-headed. But it was oddly comforting that I could truly cry.

Yes, I had some spiritual awakenings this year while doing Ketamine and at the Burn. Mostly the 10 principles really spoke to me about radical inclusion, community, spontaneity, and radical self-reliance.

No? Met some Minnesotans half way across the world. We went together up to Skellig Michael. They gave us a ride afterwards. It was nice to see that Midwestern kindness all over the world.

The eclipse wasn't half bad, and sending my kid to summer camp by herself for the first time (just 2 nights) was also pretty neat... but that was more for her than for me. I do a lot of facilitation lately. Sometimes just getting through the day with two young kids feels like a spiritual experience.

I leaned into the pagan beliefs of my ancestors quite a bit earlier this year and was really digging that - I visited with some crystals and gemstones most days, applied some protection via a roller on tough days. In a pinch at a kids' party, I let my gem stones go to the backyard, lost a couple, and fell out of the practice. This is a good reminder to get back to those witchy ways, and maybe find some more connection. (The genesis for this move was the excellent book The Seven Circles by Chelsey Luger & Thosh Collins)

I reconnected with my art in a major way by creating several finished art pieces, which is something I’ve been wanting to do for years. I feel like creating art is is becoming more and more a critical part of my identity and well being, and I’m ok with that.

My spiritual moment was my Bar Mitzvah. But the exact moment was actually a little before. It was during our rehearsal. The first time that I actually held the Yad and touched it to my portion and read from a real Torah. That was amazing. I felt it connected me to thousands of years of Judaism and I filled an spot in my heart that had long been empty.

I can't really think of any experience, but lately I have been feeling a little disconnected. I feel like I'm just going through the motions a bit and although I read my Bible verses every night and do my Sacred Space prayers every weekday morning, I don't think I spend enough time in actual prayer. Just talking to God, not just reading through a website. But I think faith is like that, there are ebbs and flows.

One exquisite moment was at the lake cottage this summer. The day was the solstice, the longest day of the year. I went into the lake by myself (family was occupied with something else). As I floated in the sweetly warm water, I closed my eyes and let the ripples of light flickering across the water's surface seduce me into a trance. It was bliss.

Ah, it's all about human connection again. It was the moment when I said to Roger, people don't remember what you said, they remember how you made them feel. It was the male voice choir, singing Calon Lan at the top on Snowdon. It was the time I got baked on marijuana with Ben's friends at the cider festival. It was hanging up the washing in my beautiful new garden. It was the breathtaking splendour of the countryside around the Tyndale monument, or the view from the Severn bridge. But in general, I've had far fewer spiritual moments this year. I've been too fucking busy. And maybe what spiritual means to me has changed. I'd like to take a moment here to comment on my family's first Havdalah. It was nice that we took that step of doing another Jewish thing together as a family. BUT the whole time, I knew I was only doing it because I felt I needed to get on with using Saturday evening to do important busywork. Which is the opposite of spiritual, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe that's why I feel spiritual when I'm hanging out with Roger at coffee break. It's the only time I let my spirit out of the little box I stuff it into when I'm busy. Ha. Was it spiritual hanging out at the playground drinking beer in the sunshine during/after Julia's birthday party? Yeah, probably. Ha, and the moment I throw the children on the bed after I give them an upside-down taxi ride upstairs to bed, that's pretty special. Oh, and when we went to see Hamilton, that was life-affirming.

Every year this question gets asked, and every year I come up empty. I'm just not a spiritual person. My dad once told me that half of people have the spiritual gene and the other half don’t. I remember asking him, “So is it a bug or a feature of the human experience?” Which side of the population has the defect? I don’t know the answer. But on the flip side, I have been moved by certain things this past year. Every time I see a particularly stunning vista or sunset, I take a breath and pause. There’s something about the beauty of the natural world that makes me stop and reflect, even if it’s not in a spiritual way. And then there’s the feeling of bashert—like meeting Cristina, which feels like it was meant to be. Does that count as something spiritual? I’m not sure. I don’t have all the answers when it comes to spirituality, but I do know that there are moments that make me feel something deeper, even if I can't quite define what that feeling is. Maybe that’s the closest thing I’ve got to a spiritual experience.

I’ve tried hypnotherapy to help me with my health, it did help at first but I need to see if it will help more if I keep working on it.

There's the usual: meditation, hiking, love, domestic tranquility. But I would say this, 10/7 reminded me that there really is no god in a pratcical sense. We daven all year about a powerful, particular god, and it seeps into our spirit. But sadly, the god that exists is us. All of us. And god will be as good, bad, weak, powerful, happy, angry, jealous, vengful, peaceful, calm, and cranky as we are.

Laying under the c-section drape as I greeted my longed-for daughter, remembering the son I lost, all the while thinking of the women in Gaza who at that very moment were also also birthing - but without any anesthesia, in tents, starving as the Israeli military bombed the aid trucks. My personal moment of joyful celebration, inseparable from my awareness of the bereaved Palestinian mothers walking a tightrope between life and death.

Backpacking just this past weekend was AMAZING! I can't wait to do it again. I love connecting with nature and with the people I love. We were open to strangers helping us, which was also really beautiful.

Of course! I have been training to be a spiritual director and have had the privilege of companioning folks in this regard for the past year. I am only six months away from finishing this program. My trust in my gut and awareness of my own emotions and thoughts has really effected the kind of spiritual director I can be. I have also started to dive into my thesis research which is related to spirituality and continue to interact with my spiritual self for my own need/fulfillment but also in the context of analysis.

I mean graduating was pretty spiritual- it made me think about what I really wanted when all that was familiar to me was removed. I feel like I have so much more autonomy over my life and what I do in a day that I have to ask what I really want out of my time and in my day. I miss having a routine, but I might not get another period of unemployment and freedom to figure out what I want to do as I am now. Getting diagnosed with ascus-hpv was really scary too. It was something that made me realize I was not invincible and being diligient about taking care of myself is so much more important that I thought. Before I got tested again, I was convinced that it was the end all be all and I spent nights praying and meditating in ways that I had not experienced in years. I think I've carried that on, and have really focused on gratitude and thankfulness- for the little things and the big things. Getting diagnosed felt unfair and so frustrating, but its easy to feel that way when we don't think about all of the amazing parts of my life that have been gifted to me, much of which I don't deserve.

Nothing particularly spiritual has happened this year. Janice is convinced that Mommy Elaine guided Dr. Jones to me to perform my surgery.

Nothing major, just the usual while chanting.

My faith is still an ongoing part of each day's thoughts. I have found some comfort and joy in the men's group and my daily short meditations, but I would still like to feel that next rush of Presence that I have felt only twice over my life.

Spirituality has been so hard for this past year as I watch a genocide unfold. So much to process before I can even get in the headspace of spirituality. Even has a done more spiritual/Jewish things with other anti-zionist Jews, I don't think I feel that higher level of connection because of the overwhelming sadness and lack of the ability to change things. Our protests aren't doing much to stop the US from sending more bombs. Therefore, I'm not sure I have. This is sad.

No. I'm sorta in a weird place with my spirituality. I didn't attend services much in the last year . . . none of the minor festivals or holidays, etc. I'm feeling sorta disconnected and overwhelmed lately. It is hard to recognize calls to the spirit in this headspace.

I'm turning 60 and beginning to deal concretely with planning and aspects of the last quarter or so of my life. I don't know if Americans would typically call that spiritual, but for me, it's simply comforting that I'm not afraid of death, nothing like my parents whose coping method is denial. I focus on the here and now, on gratitude, on simple things that make me happy. It's a good place to be. I feel goddamn lucky not to be like so many classmates and friends already gone, and I still have both of my parents as well.

There is no Jew alive whose soul was not affected by October 7th. Today I write this on the one year anniversary of the massacre and kidnapping of our people from their homes and from the Nova music festival. I have never felt more vulnerable. Or more determined. Am Yisrael Chai

My sister created a ceremony to welcome my daughter and my friend's daughter into our new moon circle, and it was one of the most beautiful special things I've ever experienced!! She had music, thoughtful words, and a beautifully decorated picnic blanket. She incorporated our ancestors, our Jewish traditions, and a little magic. It was spectactular and I'll remember it always. <3

I feel a lot more skepticism and dislike of folks who are deeply religious. Funny what a dog whistle seeing a Jesus or church shirt is for me. I love introspection and deep consideration of my place in the universe. But taking the bible so seriously (when you're reading the transcription of some oral histories, that was translated out of context, all by men with their own agendas and lenses on the world), acting like the word of God when it is just some deeply flawed book from men. It seems absolutely insane. And so many people in the south are so manically religious... they just don't seem very smart, or intellectually curious. Buddhists are all going to hell? Seriously? Absolutely bonkers. And then churches using all this money to have beautiful sanctuaries when it could be going towards people who need it; the most religious people seem to all be the farthest from God. I like to believe there is some big unknowable force out there, would like it to be a force for good (not sure how one defines that, as "good" is part of a cultural context that changes over the centuries), but pretty sure that when we die that's it. And maybe that's okay, gotta make the most of our time and the people we're with.

Being at Ikar in Los Angeles last year for Yom Kippur changed how I feel and experience Yom Kippur. I also forgave Steve Chentow right before YK last year and it lifted a immense weight from my heart and I can see how not carrying that changed me. And every Ikar Morning Minyan, 2+ years later of creating this daily habit has created a spiritual habit that has deepened my relationships with others, myself and Hashem.

Earlier this year our friend reached out and let us know she has sobered up and we decided to keep it shallow to start and she is now one of our close friends.

This happened quite recently, and it's a little silly - but it was actually a watershed moment. I was on my bike and rushing to get to an appt (I hate being late!), listening to a podcast, checking my phone constantly to check what minute I would get there. And then, I got a flat tire in the middle of the park. I was forced to slow down, to acknowledge that now instead of being 1 minute late, I would be 15 minutes late. I turned off the podcast and started walking. There was no point in rushing, or feeling stressed, it wouldn't get me there any faster. Instead, I thought about the recent writings from my synagogue about Elul, about this moment of brokenness, and how to reach for repair and find light in it. It started opening up my mind and heart to the holidays. I'm so grateful for that flat tire!

I've started my conversion this year, so there have been a lot of moments of connection that I don't know if I would classify strictly as spiritual, but they could be. A big change I've made that I think has facilitated that is to have Shabbat dinners with my partner. It gives us time to pray and be close.

This last year has left me spiritually numb.

I'm not even sure how to define spiritual, anymore. Spooky? Synchronistic? Transdimensional awareness? I think my moments of spiritual experience are fleeting and always, only, serendipitous. The morning of my birthday was a new moon and a solar eclipse; that evening was Rosh Hashanah. I was ready to experience something extraordinary, spiritually. As it happened, the most beautiful and "spiritual" part of the day was the five minutes I spent drinking my coffee, standing in the yard, looking at the light rising over the mountains, while the frost melted onto my feet, and my breath hung in the air--astonished by the beauty of ordinary things, while I wait for revelation.

This is always a tough question for me. What's "spiritual?" A growing group of residents at services is wonderful and brings me ... joy? I'm proud of what I bring to these older Jews, and I need what they bring to me. I'm getting close to the numbers from Arbor Glen in this tiny Jewish community, and I celebrated 20 years of leading this service in March. This service has always been so good for me. And now that there are regularly more participants than leaders and we get a real minyan - it's ... I'm not sure of the right word. Wonderful. So cool. Great. Impressive. And meaningful to me.

My daughter, granddaughter, and I attended Central Synagogue in NYC the first Shabbat after October 7. It was full but for a few seats above. It was a deeply moving service and Rabbi Buchdahl's words were what I needed. I was not a bright spot, but it was comforting to be with my people and my family.

If I take the year as 2023, I experienced plant medicine for the first time in an Ayahuasca ceremony in Colombia. It has changed me. It opened up a path to my subconscious and made me be more open and true to myself. It didn't give me answers that weren't already there - but it allowed me to admit things to myself. I am now more honest about my feelings and beliefs - even the ones I know I need to change. I also experienced a mushroom retreat which was fun and liberating. I don't use any recreational drugs (drink only socially) - so this helped me demystify the idea I had of "psychedelics". If used with intention, they can be great at creating new connections, open memories and sensations and bring you joy.

It’s been an amazing year for spiritual hunger. My journeys, my Wonen’s Within circles and my connection with my bamboo roots has opened me up to further exploration. I am searching for the right tarot deck. Still I long for deeper spiritual connection so I proceed and set my intentions.

Visiting where my family is from was a spiritual experience. Being in Poland, Scotland, seeing where they are has been powerful, and I got to sing in their synagogue. It was a bittersweet moment, as we were constantly aware of how they were unceremoniously expelled or killed from the community. It made me feel closer, somehow, to my Jewish line, to Poland, and also alienated from it all at the same time.

The entire experience being in Israel. Connecting to my Judean siblings across and around the world. Only just beginning to understand the stories we were told about our ancestors’ resilience. Starting to engage with community again after a too-long absence.

Lying in the middle of Lake Garfield on my paddleboard looking up at the sky - just being.

I think this was the year that I renamed my HP to the Funky Cool Creator Lady. Maybe that was last year. I've made some progress in WA and know that I need the Lady to keep going.

I went to Medjugorje in Croatia where I joined many Catholics in prayer and I walked part of the Camino de Santiago. Both of those experiences did not make me want to be a Catholic but they did allow me to mentally be closer to God. I wish I could create a world religion where none of us focused on the different ways we believe but instead focused on the moral teachings of our religions and our personal relationship with God. Perhaps there would be less wars if we could find the good in others.

I miss my family. I feel lonely a lot. I feel full and loved with them. Running a 5K with my dad and sister made me realize how much I need their active presence in my life. I don’t run as a normal form of exercise, but I did it because it was with them. I feel stronger and braver and more present in my life when I am supported by them.

Bueno, el que el algoritmo de FB se haya alocado y me haya conectado con tanta gente en un mes me impactó. Y me impactó que de pronto, así como empezó, paró. Yo había estado mortificada porque no sabía cómo conocería gente, porque tenía un hambre brutal de ser tocada. De la nada se puede dar todo.

I immersed in the Mikvah of Monterey Bay at 6 am with the blessings of Tzimtzum queer Rabbi Chel to mark my rebirth as woman

My whole life is a spiritual experience. I don't mean this flippantly. I can name a few things that have happened this year that are mysterious and brought me to a sense of wonder. Finding Betty's wedding ring, as I was preparing to bury Joe's granite desk nameplate. The motorcycle wingman who showed up as I was heading alone to the Boat Festival. But really, occurrences aside, it is the solitude, the meditation, the intentionality of my life, lived in love, that guides me. Having my horoscope done in November has also been a immensely helpful guiding light, because the guidance was to let the river come to me, to rest in letting my new life, my new self unfold as it will. No effort required. And it has proved true. My book writing and launch, my teaching, my art making, and now the house move have all unfolded easily, wonderfully. No controlling, no pushing. Just listening and then responding.

I have two answers here. The first is a sense of spiritual connection to nature, which is how I get most of my spiritual experiences. I was hiking the Lost Coast Trail in northern California, and I found myself camping on the beach, nearly out of sight of any roads or towns, with incredibly steep, forested mountains on one side and the Pacific on the other. The power of that place - of the ocean, the mountains, the debris flows cascading down, the storms that come sweeping off the sea, the earthquakes that rumble out from the plate boundary a few miles west and raise the mountains higher - I felt a sense of that power and was giddy with the experience of being in that place. It was a uniquely intense sense of connection to and appreciation for the place I was in. My second answer comes from my work in Hawaii. I got to learn about Hawaiian culture in a way I wouldn't have done as a tourist, which included participating in a morning pule (prayer) before starting work. It was my first time participating in a prayer that was not Jewish, Christian, or Buddhist in origin and not in Hebrew or English. Being a part (albeit temporarily) of a culture so different from my own gave me an appreciation for how Hawaiians view the world, both as devout Christians and as an indigenous people with a non-Western worldview. It also gave me a greater appreciation for the culture and the land of the islands. My two spiritual experiences came together to some extent when I visited the summit of Haleakala. I could appreciate why that place is so sacred to Native Hawaiians, partially because I tend to have spiritual experiences in nature but also because I'd had the opportunity to learn about Hawaiian culture and religion.

No - it is sad. I just feel so disconnected. I miss those moments.

This past year, I’ve been deeply focused on personal growth, particularly in being authentic to who I am. I wouldn’t describe myself as spiritual, but I’ve been reflecting a lot on my decisions and making sure they align with my own values, rather than anyone else’s. Part of this journey has been about building more authentic friendships, surrounding myself with people who lift me up, and creating opportunities for those relationships to grow. This process of intentional self-reflection and connection has been really impactful in helping me feel more grounded and true to myself.

This year has been one of confirmations of my spiritual beliefs. My current spiritual posture is one of knowing what I want, accepting that it will happen, and patiently awaiting its realization. This year I really started to notice that many life desires I've had did materialized, big and small. I believe it is because I've gone from anxious yearning for things to confident patience. This is the next stage of my spiritual journey and I hope for more. It is changing my life.

I have had spiritual experiences! Through IFS, I had an experience where I met my maternal great grandmother. It’s hard to know what’s “real” but I really felt and believed that she came to me. This had deepened my spiritual beliefs and opened me to believing that there is “more” out there. I’ve been consciously cultivating more spiritual practices including prayer and meditation.

Two things spring to mind. In the aftermath of 10/7, I've become somewhat less secular. I still live a completely integrated, modern life, don't keep kosher, seldom go to synagogue, but it because more important to me to light the candles and recite blessings, at least some of the time; sometimes we're not home, and I just don't worry about it. When my husband proposed, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted a ketubah and a chuppah, despite the fact that my family doesn't do those things. It because important for me to connect with Judaism in a way I had not done before. Now, for the other part. I'm a photographer, and while much of my practice has been very urban and gritty, and I have a body of work in abandoned buildings, I found myself desperately seeking the good and the beauty in people, and becoming more interested in photographing people. Street portraits, formal portraits, people doing things. It because important to me to find ways to show the inherent goodness in people, an idea I cling to in the occasional face of evidence to the contrary.

Something broke in this area, though I don't feel worried or traumatized by the break. I don't feel alone. I feel more lonesome, which may be good. I don't do my (anxious?) talking to god all the time thing any more, or I guess as much. It feels unnecessary. And I'm not drinking even half as much alcohol. Related? Yeah. All one journey. Change of perception mostly.

A "particularly spiritual experience", you say? ...nothing pops to mind right away. I will say I was grateful for the opportunity to attend Trybal Gatherings this year. It felt really great to be in a warm and welcoming environment with other Jewish people close to my age looking to make meaningful connections with each other. I have done my best throughout the past year to attend other gatherings of young Jewish professionals whenever feasible (primarily due to driving distance), but it remains seemingly impossible to recapture what we once were extremely fortunate enough to have in the form of the Valley Ruach community. I know I look back on that time with rose-colored nostalgia goggles to some extent, but being a part of that community has been the closest I have felt to belonging to a synagogue. I know I have attended services at Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford for years before and after moving back and forth from LA, but I have never really felt like I am part of that community as there has been hardly anyone my age there ever, and while I know some people there because they are friends of my parents, I have never made any lasting friendships there. What is unfortunate about Trybal Gatherings is that most of the people I connected with there live at least an hour or two away from where I live currently, so while we may keep in touch with online messages here and there, it's definitely not the same as being able to go over someone's house and visit or go out to eat on the regular just to hang out. As it happens, shortly after attending Trybal Gatherings, the founder announced that the organization is seeking a new Program Manager, so I applied to the role, and I have been praying that I get a call inviting me in for an interview. I know right now is High Holiday season, but during these weekdays between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur where we are right now, I really hope I get some positive news on that or one of the other many jobs I have applied to as of late. I certainly hope that by the time I read this last year, I am gainfully employed once again, working in a much more sane and reasonable work environment, doing work that is fulfilling, creative, and meaningful.

A lot of our trips involve a nature component, so my version of the spiritual flows from there. One was the awe I experienced eating pizza with the family in Yosemite, looking up at the mountain from its base. It was beautiful and made the somewhat decent pizza into a more magical experience. Another was looking over Lake Michigan from the top of one of the dunes at Sleeping Bear National Lake shore, just looking at the placid lake and the reflections of the clouds and the gargantuan piles of sand dumped there by the glaciers at the last Glacial Maximum. Looking at nature with that sense of awe you really start to understand the Hawai'ian 'aina; the love of the land itself, and the idea that your sense of place and being is tied in so much with the lands we inhabit.

No. Or everything is spiritual for me, which is the same as no. Life itself is a spiritual, divine struggle against entropy and chaos.

Yes! I was in the mountains of Oregon the day I lost my job. I was able to absorb all of the changes and healing and chaos from the last year while leaning into God’s provisions for my life. I was not sure where I was going to go next, was on a vacation that I suddenly wasn’t paid for, and somehow had to figure out how to make ends meet. But I was at peace because I knew You were providing, working things out for my good.

It took me a beat to think if I had anything, but YES - seeing Taylor Swift in concert. It was the most joyful, full body, spiritual experience I have had in years. This feeling of leaning into joy, of being part of this huge mass of people celebrating and dancing...and it kicked off a real shift for me of leaning into that which brings me joy - me, singularly, not with my family or others. Going solo to Broadway and to concerts because it brings me joy.

Probably the most spiritual experience I had this year was singing Hatikvah with 1600 people at the Noa Tishby event in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

We went to Laos, where life seems simpler and probably is not. The Mekong flowed. The air was hot and smoky. The days passed in the place where we stayed, a city of monks. Undistracted by such several distractions as cars and appointments, gun shots, the grim voices of reporters, I wondered about this cycle. Why did he suffer so? What shall I make of all my gifts and my talents? How do I lift this calm and bring it with me to feed myself and others? I read about this more and I practice. It's like anything else. I eat a little and feel better. And then I eat some more. There is some art in it.

Nothing comes to mind? The solar eclipse in NY near Potsdam with friends was lovely but not spiritual? I loved seeing so many friends I have not seen in a while.

My interactions with Tim McShane around his life and death. When I found out Tim had Cancer, I reached out for his address to send him a card. He called. In our phone conversation, he thanked me for my positive attitude. We had a wonderful talk. I then wrote him a card detailing how his positive view of life and upbeat attitude had impacted me. While he died 5 months later, that exchange was very meaningful and spiritual for me.

I was a lay leader for my synagogue in the absence of our rabbi. It was very spiritual, and the comments from those in the congregation made me think that, should we be without a rabbi due to dwindling numbers, perhaps I will lead the congregation (with lots of help from others!)

Tried to get closer to God. Not thinking i did.

I have spiritual experiences all the time. They usually come in the form of epiphanies and kismet occurrences. Things are always taking place that makes me think of divine timing within the universe. I pay close attention to those things and move accordingly. When I make my decisions from spiritual places, I tend to have little to no regrets.

No.

I went on a personal retreat in the Laurentians when I brought Aurora ro Guide camp. It was great to spend this time away, and even better that I had no work to do for anyone else during that time. I may do that again next year.

I think I've been a little more attuned to signs from the spiritual realm since mom's death, particularly things that feel like little signs or visits from her. I went to a Jewish "Death Over Dinner" event meant to discuss death in deep ways that we often avoid, and one question raised was about whether you have experienced something that leads you to believe in the persistence of the soul after death. It included a passage from Rabbi Elie Spitz's book Does the Soul Survive? "In funeral eulogies many rabbis speak of immortality only as the perpetuation of the memory of the departed among the living. Even some of our best rabbis avoid talk about God or reduce God to the best expression of natural processes. There is, however, a growing trend of pausing to reflect on seeming coincidence and the possibility of other realms of human awareness. As a result, there is an increasing faith in the existence of a soul, of an essential part of us that endures." The day I moved my dad into his new residence in Teaneck, I noticed something right outside his bedroom window that I had never seen: a beautiful little nest with three, bright turquoise jewels inside - three perfectly in tact little robin's eggs. And then their momma bird came to protect them as I watched. And I absolutely lost it. Not only did *our* mama bird also have three babies, but the famous Bob Marley song "Three Little Birds" is the one that goes "Every little thing is gonna be alright." A message I desperately needed to hear as we transitioned my dad into this new phase of life. Was this a wild coincidence? Am I looking too deeply into it? Maybe. But I prefer to think of it as a message from my momma.

I have not had anything spiritual happen. I have had many dreams that I cannot understand, and have had some beautiful moments in nature, but nothing spiritual. I keep waiting for such an experience with an open mind, however.

I was very moved by the explanation of Jonah’s names that followed his bris. While I already knew he was being named for my Mom, and both for my Mom and Bob’s dad with his Hebrew name, Adam’s explanations of his names and the people he was named for were was incredibly moving to me. I understood in a new way how our Jewish tradition of naming after person who has died can truly sustain the memory of a person.

I've been struggling with this question the past few years. I think I've once again found spirituality in nature, while hiking and camping. Being so immersed in nature is spiritual to me, and witnessing the vastness and beauty of the Rocky Mountains for the first time was definitely the most spiritual part of my year.

Spent more time reading tge bible ans am getting back to going to church in person

When giving birth I truly physically and emotionally realised what I means to be willing to die for someone, made me get Jesus and laying your life down so much more.

My partner and I took a roadtrip to Michigan's UP and I got to see Pictured Rocks - and I couldn't stop crying. because, as the sun was setting, it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. And the fact that I was there, seeing it, was the end result of so many choices and I just felt this amazing sense of peace.

I’ve had some new awarenesses that have enlarged my living space and I’m very grateful for them. I consider these a sort of spiritual experience, albeit very different from other spiritual experiences (e.g., feelings of oneness with all) I’ve had in the past.

I connect with my Higher Power every day several times a day to get me çloser to the version of myself I want to be in the world for others. I love my robust morning practice that gets me in touch with my body, mind, spirit, soul, and heart. It helps me find my daily intentions for myself, how I want to be in the world, and to show me where the gaps are and what I want to strive towards. The rewards of my daily practice show up in my work, my coaching, my interactions, my artistic endearvors, every aspect of my life.

Still thinking about the Ayawaksa ceremony - I feel even more connected to the universe - there are little signs all the time, but the biggest one was when I went to church after my presentation and asking jesus to clear a path...that was crazy and I know something was going on

No, nothing significant. Well, run that back. I feel like I’ve cleared myself from a Karmic cycle. I don’t fully know how to explain it, but it was a whisper that has always popped up from time to time while I was seeing Claude. He reminded me of Tesfa. I hope it’s over and I can finally move on to something better—definitely healthier.

No, in fact I've drifted even further away from God. I did a retreat in the spring that I thought would help bring me closer to Him, but it didn't work the way I hoped it would.

My husband and I recently traveled to Norway, and the experience was incredibly moving. The scenery, especially the fjords, was absolutely breathtaking. It’s amazing to think about how much time it took for nature to carve them out, and it really gave me a sense of awe. Traveling and talking to people from all over the world also made me reflect on how unlikely it is that life unfolds exactly the way it does. Where you’re born, how you grow up, even the language you learn—it all shapes how you see the world. I don’t know if that qualifies as a spiritual experience, but it definitely stirred something in me.

I was gifted a sound bath at a yoga studio by my sister. It was a lovely experience, and I went into it trying to be intentional. I lay down, arranged myself on pillows with blankets and said to the universe, "I am open to any helpful insights and wish to release what no longer serves me." During the event I received many images and thoughts that passed through. I remember wishing I had written them down as soon as I left. One that stuck with me was the image of a red ball, glowing light, within the lower part of my stomach. I looked this up later and found that this is the color of the root chakra. I normally would have no interest in chakra related information. I don't know why but it always conjured too much "new age woo-woo" for me. But looking at the meaning and what the root chakra represents, I realized this was an area that I needed to look closer at. The root chakra is related to our survival instincts and our sense of grounding and connection to our bodies. I definitely need to heal my connection to my body and rise up above my survival instincts - to feel more grounded, and safe. I ordered a book on line and have started a few meditation videos that focus on this chakra.

Yes. I watched a "healing with tattoos " program from Israel that made me consider my opinion against Jews having tattoos.

Well, I was born and raised catholic, I've been baptized and made my 1st communion even completed my seven secernments except the married one. Being sent to war and experiencing life and the struggles of life and being beating down and even losing a daughter with no help or comfort from the church I questions my faith a lot. Even stepping away from the belief of a God and being spiritual. I've grown in my own way to figure out I don't need a religion to have faith or to even be spiritual. I married a strong women who herself has a strong foundation in faith. So I have learned to have faith once again without the religion aspect. I truly haven't had a spiritual experience lately and hopefully this will change but as of now, I am just coasting by.

The only spiritual experience I’ve had, and am still having, is questioning why my wife is going through the extremely difficult times at her work. It is not fair and she does not deserve it.

Hearing the warplanes shaking the entire land, then nearer, the ethereal voices of the Islamic call to prayer swelling, ringing the horizon around the settlements that were ringing the village with their floodlights and police lights, feeling myself awaken... then just weeks later saying the Shema in a tight ring, calling our people in to listen to our inter-being, arm tightly linked in arm with my friend, saying the Shema directly to my friend to give them strength, covering our eyes as the sound of zip ties could be heard approaching behind us, ready to face what was coming together, not leaving anyone behind.

I don't know. And maybe the absence of that is telling...

It has been a challenging year for my soul and spirit. Realizing my autism at a deeper level has both been connecting and moving me apart from others. I feel raw and hurting. My internal spiritualism is still there - guiding me and helping me lean into my subconscious. In addition I am finally looking at how I have been hiding from Judaism due to confusion about where I fit in. I would say overall this has been a year of seeking and feeling.

I think doing watercolor has beeen. As always, going to Israel has been, I always feel restored after. Praying with more intent has also felt so freeing and rewarding.

The day I was looking for a ring for linden, the first person I called, pointed me in the direction of a really spectacular ring… it was affordable, beautiful and way bigger than I had in mind. I literally was just calling to get advice. I was thinking it was going to take weeks or months to be able to afford a ring, much less one as nice as what I ended up getting. That was God doing for me that I could not do for myself! The day after getting my future father in laws blessing, I ordered a ring. The day it came in, I was near where I used to live, when they told me it was in. I drove to St. John’s the Divine, in the middle of a rain storm, and I got out and kneeled at the cross. The church bells told, I believe 12 noon. I wept tears of joy and gratitude as I prayed and thanked God for this amazing woman and opportunity in my life! Trusting God really counts, when you don’t want to! I didn’t want to ask for help most of my life…. But that’s exactly what God wants us to do…. Seek him and his people.

I finally made it to Uluru! The sheer scale of the place, the ancientness of it - a trip I will be forever grateful to have had.

I went to a conference in Utah in May, and as I was walking around downtown Salt Lake City, I came across a Family Search museum and I went down a rabbit hole of finding documents related to my grandparents and relatives. Seeing their Israeli naturalization papers and having my friend help me translate and give historical/geographic context, felt spiritual in the sense of feeling connected to my heritage and the struggle and strength of the Jewish people. I also read part of my great aunt's memoir, which was difficult but still made me feel more connected. Watching the show We Were the Lucky Ones also strengthened this identity. I also felt more connected to nature when my best friend and I tried camping on our own for one night, and that was probably one of the most peaceful nights I have experienced.

Did the aurora happen just this year? I felt an overwhelming sense of awe.

Visiting South Africa, both the safari immersion into the wild, natural world and the urban time learning and experiencing more about apartheid history and contemporary issues. Swimming outdoors regularly in the beautiful waters of Maine

I had an amazing co-incidence that I see as spiritual cuz no other way to explain it. I was almost hit by a car when I was crossing the street with the pedestrian light. The car came within a foot of me. The amazing thing was that my best friend just happened to be stopped at a light and witnessed the whole thing! She called out to me and gave me a ride home. I was also able to help her into her house with hwr groceries bcause she is disabled.

I was moved by the Shabbat hosted by Beth Am Cantor Jamie as part of only a few in person events for the intro to Judaism class that Hilary and I attended over the year. I felt great joy in being present with classmates and clergy that I didn’t yet know well. I ended up enjoying it greatly with Hilary, more so than most of the content based online classes.

I feel like God has been talking to me a lot more - - when I confront things are upsetting me, I recognize that while it might be that this situation upsets me, if I were presented with the same circumstances in another situation, I would be just as upset. IE, I guess what I have to say about this is that I'm finally recognizing who I am. Wow! I didn't think that's where this sentence was going to end - - but that's it. I'm finally allowing myself to be who I am completely and fully, no judgment, complete acceptance. And it's fabulous.

Nope. Been a pretty bleak year.

I think my continuous connection to nature. Nature has guided me through this year. It has aided me a breath, healed me at times, held me, inspired me. Nature has played such a valuable role in my growth this year. I am so grateful for it and it has made me so grateful for the area I live in. Nature is beauty and my appreciation only strengthens every day for it. I will always be in awe of her and her ways, and I will do everything I can to protect her.

I was with my mother on her last day of life. I had also been with her the previous few days when she seemed a bit confused and agitated, but that last day I saw and felt a change in her. She wasn't talking anymore, but she happily enjoyed eating every bite of the ice cream I had brought her. She couldn't feed herself anymore but was fine with me feeding it to her. She seemed so calm and at peace, and at times seemed to be looking just beyond me when I was talking to her. I took one last picture of her, and in that picture she was looking right at me with a very peaceful smile on her face. It didn't occur to me that any of this meant she would die later that night, but in retrospect, I realize that I too felt a new peacefulness that day. Seeing her that way and sharing that last time with her definitely helped me be at peace with her death. I am forever grateful that I was able to be there.

The car accident. Some people are saying I was protected by a variety others are saying I was protected by my dad. Across the board the girls, pups and I were protected. Gods WILL for us was not complete.

I was given a calendar with 24 doors, each with a gift related to witchcraft. I used each: used smoke to cleanse an area, a spell candle to bring courage and a specific rock that kept me grounded in the present. These small, conscious actions formed kind of a habit of belief

Nothing especially stands out to me this year. However I continue to have an abiding feeling for the Spiritual in the Universe, in our world and in human life. I am finding that friendships are more and more important to me, friendships that recognize the spiritual, and reconnecting on a deeper level with people whom I have known over the years and yet have not really known, but now exploring who they are and what had connected with us in the past: ie. Leslie Jones, Boel Neville, Song Cornell, etc.

I am finding many opportunities to engage in full-body prayer. So far there’s no such thing as enough.

My bully Chato passed this year. He was a foster fail for me, and we left him in the US, with my brother in law, because they adored each other. But every so often, we brought him to Mexico, especially to see the vet. The last time we brought him down, we saw he wasn't very active. We expected him to just lay around. I was upstairs working, and heard snoring. I thought that was extraordinarily loud and went looking for the source. What I found was that Chato had made it upstairs and was happily snoring in our bedroom. After that he found ways to make it upstairs to be with us every chance he got. As if to give us as much time as possible. He passed shortly after I brought him back home, but I'm forever grateful for those special moments with him

I'm a regular at my synagogue, and seeing how many other people have started attending to more strongly identify with their Jewish roots is incredible. The Jewish people have always been divided throughout history, but this increased unity is so special, even if it came about through something completely awful.

I am consistently moved by the beauty of nature and this beautiful planet upon which we live. There have been so many beautiful sunsets. I stop frequently and give deep and profound thanks for being surrounded by such beauty.

I think the most connected to God/The Universe I've felt this year was at Nationals with my mom and close friends. Not only did I win my division with my partner Ken, but my friends and I had so much fun being together, playing together, and creating a lot of laughs. Team Gremley was born this year. There's a part of me that thinks the joke might eventually turn into something later. To add to this, Thomas' birthday was the other day. I said a little prayer to him thanking him, telling him I missed him, and that I wished I could talk to him. The following morning, Chris Devins sent me a message in Insta. Chris is an incredibly creative, thoughtful, and insightful person who also happened to have some conversations with Thomas along his way. The timing was uncanny; I really felt like that was Thomas saying, "I heard you and I'm still here."

When I stared into my wife’s eyes under the chuppah. I was transported to a metaphysical plane of spirituality, unfamiliar to me but it felt like the most center place of all existence. Nothing like that has ever happened to me ever before.

Right now, the stand out 'spiritual' experiences are the several times when I felt a profound sense of my (and everyone else's) connected-ness to other people. Writing those words reminds me of the Kurzgesagt video 'The Egg' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fcK_fRYaI

Just two days ago I got to walk an 11-circuit labyrinth, probably for the first time in almost twenty years. My first encounter with one was at a place then called Angels Nest Farm, where I met the woman who was to become my most significant spiritual teacher, Doreathy. My wife walked the inward journey with me and we talked about Doreathy, whose whereabouts we no longer know. We fear she had passed (was over 80) but don't have contact info for her son. But still, it was worth reflecting on the pure chance that led me to her and the way in which my life changed and evolved as a result. I am certain that I was guided to her. Now I have to wonder, what meaning is there in my happening on that labyrinth now?

I’ve been co-writing a movie with a friend, some scenes are non-fiction with moments borrowed directly from my life. Experiencing the catharsis of letting go after moving past the trauma has drawn and redrawn new lines in the sand. My entire life has become one big grey area.

Having the spiritual weight lifted knowing that I have no regrets with the passing of my mother. Was know that The Almighty made my heart feel light and full of love.

Nope. Going further off the derech. It's time to go back home

Some of the special sermons at IKAR; spending Passover in a fully religious environment. Seeing special natural wonders such as Crystal Cove in Bloom and Torey Pines.

Being on a dream trip to Japan for JaPow, the spiritual experience therein was a bluebird powder day to hike and ski Mt. Yotei including skiing into the crater. It was truly special in all the ways!

I can’t say I had this kind of experience this year. In the past, I’ve felt that kind of connection when I’m in nature, beautiful views, time to be at peace with myself. We did a fair bit of traveling but nothing that really sparked a spiritual note for me.

On my sons 3rd birthday, his teacher sent me a video to him dancing to the Toy Story song you’ve got a friend in me. He was supposed to be kicking balls in the gym but decided to dance instead. I rarely get video from school also so it wasn’t the norm. This song is from my best friends favorite movie. She passed away when we were 18. It made me really listen to the lyrics… It felt like a major sign from her and feel so grateful for it. You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me When the road looks rough ahead And you're miles and miles From your nice warm bed You just remember what your old pal said Boy, you've got a friend in me Yeah, you've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me If you've got troubles, I've got 'em too There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you We stick together and can see it through Cause you've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me Some other folks might be A little bit smarter than I am Bigger and stronger too Maybe But none of them will ever love you The way I do, it's me and you Boy, and as the years go by Our friendship will never die You're gonna see it's our destiny You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me

I experienced an amazing spiritual experience on Rosh Hashanah this year. While on a psychedelic substance I attended a service with lots of music, singing and dancing. I feel that I understand “ecstatic religion” and realize how much these substances can enhance spirituality and one’s connection to God.

Driving and camping cross country with Jon last fall, especially visiting National Parks: Arches, Bryce, Zion, and Petrified Forest. The natural beauty and vastness was awe-inspiring.

No, just the usual, such as when I was in a class at the synagogue today and a person said they don't know whether they believe in God, and I looked around the room and could sense God everywhere.

Oh absolutely. That trip to Israel was huge for me -- and in so many different ways. Just being able to see the different aspects of Israel and the people who live there and how they connect to the land, and why. But mostly, it was Rosh Chodesh with Women of the Wall. That was so incredibly powerful. All my life as an American Jew it's been encouraged for me to feel connected to Judaism, to read Torah as a Bat Mitzvah, to get involved in a way that feels meaningful to me. And as a Conservative Jew that's how it's always been phrased -- I get to choose what is important to me, and how to connect with Judaism, not someone else. Participating in a Torah service at the Wall, having my father and brother come with and stand in the back section protecting me and other women, having my own Jewish sisters hurl insults at me, and men scream anger in languages I could and could not understand...all because I wanted to participate in an aspect of Judaism that I was always encouraged and safe to do so in my home shul (should I ever want to). It was eye opening. I remember almost crying -- tearing up--just being there because of the spiritual connection I felt. I remember a woman seeing me and immediately asking "are you here for Women of the Wall" and telling me where to go and kindly explaining to me who to avoid. I remember walking out with the group of women and crowds of people yelling insults at us, and me trying to find my family in a way that was safe because I was afraid if I broke free of the crowd, an angry protestor --my fellow Jewish kin--could hurt me. I've meditated on that experience often. I crave it, and the connection it brought me.

There have been multiple instances of Spiritual engagements with people in my community, within our family and deepening with my spouse. Becoming more involved in my spiritual path has deepened my relationships and has created boundaries to be a more healthier person.

I’ve felt further away from and closer to my faith or spirituality this year. As I grow older, I feel more strongly that I know what is right and wrong. I have not been attending church or working to be closer to God this year as I should. I pray regularly, if not daily, but don’t back up my requests and thanks with action required on my part.

My New Orleans New Jersey Manhattan Brooklyn then Maui Journey for a total exceeding 6 weeks away from home was one of those secular spiritual experiences that involved artistry call sure and so forth. One spiritual part of it was manifesting all of these paver stones from the neighbors into my daughter's backyard. Another was manifesting a shelf and drawers and all of the work that I did in my daughter's new gallery. Flying on my son's trapeze rig, seeing jazz around New York, breakfast in the village with Ken, cycling thru Brooklyn with Zak, diving and swimming in waterfalls in Maui what wonderful spiritual weeks away. The experiences refreshed me with meaningful.perspectives.

I am trying to feel this experience. There is one job I want that I have had 3 interviews. I have prayed to G-d and trying to believe he is making my path with this position. I will pray to G-d tonight and I just need him to hear me! I will be forever grateful!

I've been thinking a lot about our hopefully future baby. The names we could call it, what its personality may be like, who it may look like. Thinking about the love I want to give it. On the one hand it doesn't feel spiritual, on the other, how could it not be?

Going to Israel this summer was a completely spiritual experience. It sounds strange but my most spiritual experience was when I finally landed in Israel. I was home. Israel was at war but I felt safe and home. Avi the hotel concierge was wonderful. I showered, played a Kabbalat Shabbat playlist and had one of the best naps in my life, in my tiny Yaffo hotel room. How lucky I was to arrive in Yaffo on Yom Shishi. How I yearn to go back.

This year with October 7th has definitely linked me to the Jewish people. I was always like this but I see how we are a small group and supporting Israel is so important. I think while religiously I am less observant and believing, I feel more attachment to the Jewish people and Israel than i ever have.

I feel like my whole life has gotten more spiritual. Maybe it's 10/7, maybe it's the work I am blessed to do. I'm more aware of needing to care, more aware of connections. I'm trying to use this to be less critical, of myself and of other people. I wasn't to be better inside.

Hmmm. Good question. I think that my most connective moments have been in nature. I can't pinpoint one exactly, but nature is where and when I feel most spiritually connected and grounded.

After my brother's death, taking joy in seeing an employee bring in her baby, photographs of the child of another employee for the first day of school, seeing a random assortment of parents and kids on my block as I was arriving home.

I’ve been getting more serious about playing music, to the point that we occasionally play in public. These shows force us to learn the songs and lock in during the performances. If there is spirituality for an atheist/agnostic like me, it’s in these “theta state” moments when I’m totally in the moment. I wouldn’t call it spiritual, per se, but it’s a beautiful release akin to singing during a religious service. I feel so lucky to have it.

Actually, this year has perhaps been the most spiritually filled year I’ve ever experienced. And that includes when I was more actively in church. I purposed to get closer to God this year as I focused more on therapy and healing my mind. I recognize God is the center of my life, prayer and meditation ground me when I am at my most unregulated. Along with exercise and running, which are great for mental health, running toward a quiet space and allowing the spirit inside me connect with the source of all spirit, it has allowed me to sit with my uncomfortable emotions and process all that I have experienced and has affected me negatively, and has even allowed me to re visit experiences to glean the good from them. The most impactful was a recent meditation session where I recognize that I have been living afraid to be alive. And by recognizing this during my spiritual meditation, I was able to step into myself fuller and come out of that moment more aware of how much of a blessing life is, and being alive and being a human in this world. I have struggled with wanting to be alive in as much as not understanding the purpose of being alive, and in this moment I realized I’ve been so afraid to exist and be alive that I have been focusing on the wrong aspects of living. I’m far from enlightenment but each moment alone with God strengthens my spirit which in turn heals and sheds my negative limiting thoughts.

My life is a spiritual experience. This year I have worked through a lot of generational trauma and gotten to the root of unhealthy patterns in relationships. I have learned how to drop the rock. I’ve stopped looking to people, places and things for a sense of security and have started looking within. I have discovered a great sanctuary inside of me where there is eternal peace. I have found my hearts desire.

I am writing again and this time I am taking my inspiration from the rom coms that fill me with joy---especially Emily Henry. I am writing as often as possible every week and making significant progress. I even started composing a query letter. I am filled with joy at the process and confidence I can make this one a book I can share with the world. I went home this summer and looked at the manuscripts I churned out when I was 12 and 15 and 16 and 19 and 21 and they're good. I'm good at this. I always have been. I want to enjoy this for as long as I live and I am hopeful I might be able to get my name on a published book one day.

I had one moment in an empty cathedral in Riga, where I escaped the noisy tourist bustle and sat under a vaulted ornate ceiling. A medieval hymn played softly from small mounted speakers. I was oddly moved and walked back into the sunshine, ebullient. The Soviets did away with most religious practices, and Riga has only been independent for thirty-two years, so the church was mostly an event space for weddings and concerts. Still, something sacred nestled in me, and I find I’m able to meditate better by finding that sweet cocoon in my mind again.

Hiking above Stoos was a spiritual experience. At one point some trick of light created a rainbow halo ‘round my shadow as I took a photograph of it. I wish I could paste a photograph here….to hike alone high above the clouds at dawn, watching the mist roll in over the footpath, the breathtaking rows of teethy mountains… I could walk along that trail for the rest of my life. That hike has given me a reservoir from which to breathe peace when I need it. Grateful for that.

This year I rejoined the Jewish community. I went back to synagogue and read the Torah week by week. I kept Shabbat most weeks and even started doing Havdallah.

Not an experience. An idea: How can a person be a spiritual leader without his/her imperfections ruining everything? Without letting control/power, condescension, sexual longings, hunger for material stuff, laziness, etc., muck it up? I think if you held onto the fact that each soul has the same value and it was up to you to serve (not save) each one you encountered - “What ails thee? How can I heal thee?” Over and over, with every person you meet, as your life’s work. That might work. But the institution (church) must provide for its leaders’ own problems to be solved. Every deep desire accepted - not denied, however perverse or complicated. Can we preserve the overlay of moral teachings and the need to protect people from exploitation if the leaders had this kind of freedom from shame? Would an actions-are-off-limits, not-thoughts” policy be enough? All questions, no answers…

Through counselling I became aware of a core belief about myself that was well hidden in the depths of my being- I did not believe that I had value! Even though I knew that Scripture taught otherwise, I was treating myself as if I didn't - not worthy of being loved, always taking a back seat to others, giving, giving, giving - and losing myself. Depression and anxiety was the result. Living now, knowing how much I am loved and valued by God, my Creator, Redeemer and Friend!

Spiritual is not generally part of my vocabulary, so I'm going to approach it using the broad definition above. 1. Going to see AJR. It was exaltive, releasing tension and emotion. It was like going to (a Jewish) church, from call and response to soft and internal to exalting again. It was incredibly cathartic. 2. Having Regina Spektor unexpectedly performing the most beautiful version of Alvinu Malkanu I've ever heard in the middle of a secular concert. It was transporting and grounding at the same time. 3. Creating community at the ballpark. Going to the Giants games and having people to share it with, even if they were rooting for the other team, again allowed such a release of energy and a sense of community. If I ask myself what makes it spiritual, it is being with people and having a shared experience. 4. The movie "All of Us Strangers" was absolutely exquisite, transporting, moving, imagistically gorgeous, and both happy and sad at the same time. I've never seen a movie like it. This begs the question: why do most of my answers require other people to be involved? I suspect that, for me, spirituality is rarely, if ever, a singular experience, aside from last summer in Scotland. I just realized I missed what should have been the biggest one: sitting vigil with Bob. But somehow, that doesn't feel spiritual as much as sacred. I was in a sacred space and in the moment as much as I could, but I wasn't transported anywhere because my brain was always working. This isn't to minimize the sacredness of the experience, but I was always aware I was working.

I haven't had any particular spiritual experiences this year. I haven't felt deeply connected with spirituality in any way. Though I will say I find myself humming the hatikva when I feel sad.

In my worldview, creativity is the closest that we humans come to divinity. In addition to releasing my debut record album, I wrote three new songs and attended my third songwriters retreat at a vineyard in California - this time as an instructor as well as a participant. Glorious only begins to describe it.

Everything I experience is spiritual. I just took Lev outdoors, and after a few days of diarrhea, he’s now pooping nothing but blood. I’m terrified about what this might mean. And at the same time, I know that both he and I are spiritual beings. I’m wearing a human suit, and he’s wearing a dog suit. I’ve always figured his time would be up before mine, and in this situation, like many others, I will choose to trust Life to carry me. And Lev. Somehow. I was going to meditate all day tomorrow, since it will be October 7. But it looks like I’ll be going to the vet.

Surviving a near-death experience on the operating table was a sobering experience that made me especially thankful to be alive.

I attended a Shirei Nechama online, led by Mich Sampson from Queer Yeshiva, and their voice and the melodies they sung made my soul feel held and soothed.

One experience I had this past year was sharing the bima with my daughter and watching her song on Broadway Shabbat, 2024. This experience reminded me of the power that music has for everyone, and how it can uplift and connect people.

I identify most as a secular humanist (if "human" means "life on earth"), so my spiritual moments tend to be when I have hope in person-kind: this can be little social media stories about kindness, or feeling a good "vibe" with a group of people (like my new staff cohort, with my girlfriends, at Porchfest in my neighborhood, at a concert, meeting my son's college house-mates, etc.), or a vibe with my environment, like when I plunge in the Salish Sea--sharing the water with the harbor seals and river otters and salmon and orcas (though I think I might be the only person from the PNW who has never seen an orca in person). I feel this when I watch the Great British Baking show or an episode of the Muppet Show or see something whimsical, like the woman the other day walking a string of bananas down the sidewalk. I feel this when my little orange cat looks upon me with adoration. Our spirit is in our humor and delight, in our kindness, in our open heartedness, in our vulnerability, in our deep chats. And we need it in spades in the next two months, eh?

What comes to mind is my new fascination with the full moon. I participated in a full moon ritual and set outside some jars of water to "charge." The universe, the moon, and the stars have all been speaking to me in 2024. I look forward to more full moon rituals.

Boy…not really. I kind of avoid thinking about the kinds of things that move me the most. They’re things in the past, people I can never meet, experiences I might never have.

I've wished for some big "aha" moment, but this year has just been gradually more spiritual. I suppose that feels more sustainable, and it's been a comfort. Ritual means more to me than it used to, and I realize that one thing that makes me feel connected to something bigger than myself is when we tie our rituals to ancestry and the sustaining power of Jewish life. I feel tied to thousands and thousands of people, outside of time, when I light shabbat candles, or recite a prayer in a minyan.

Honestly, I don't think so. I've not particularly been anywhere or really done that much so it's not that surprising that I've been in the very mundane day-to-day this year. I am hopeful for some more opportunities in the coming year though.

We hiked acadia national park this summer. Seeing what nature can create was truly spiritual. It was gorgeous. Watching the sunrise on cadillac mountain was one of the most magical experiences of my life.

Every day! The universe always brings something miraculous, if we are looking. The fact that my trillions of cells worked together so I woke up this morning. Awesome! Always something to be grateful for right in front of us!

Awwwww fuck not really. That’s how bad this year had been. My spirituality just hasn’t been accessible. I hate it so much. When will things get better?

Not especially. i don't consider myself a particularly spiritual person. The closest I could come is listening to a piece of classical music, which really transported me out of my ordinary mind.

I bought A new guitar to play for the first time in 29+ years. Steel string sound glistens. I am learning all over again. Once i pick it up i lose myself for hours and when I stop every time i can feel Myself smiling

Like last year, the spiritual experiences that most readily come to mind involve being in, on, or next to the ocean. We have continued our open water swimming which fills me with such joy and wonder whenever we are able to also observe the communities of organisms living along the rock walls and eelgrass beds we pass. Those swims, along with the kayaking I did, the numerous shoreline visits we had, and even times on the ferry during commutes, deepen my sense of place and belonging to this island.

To be very candid this has been a very non spiritual year, I guess the less spiritual of them all - and then the war happened which made me anxious and scared. That's truly sad.

My most profoundly spiritual experience was doing MDMA with my partner. There is a pulling back of the veil that separates us from others when the drug starts to take effect that is profoundly liberating. I felt released from the chatter that incessantly plagues my waking moments and robs me of my sleep. It let me feel, for the first time really, that I was truly with the person in front of me, seeing her fully and allowing her to see me. I am so saddened that this life-changing medicine is not going to be available legally to the patients who so sorely need it. And I count myself among them.

In the midst of my dad’s mesh plate operation, I went to Trinity Church. As I sat in the pew, I got the news that the operation was a success. I could feel the tears coming and the bells chimed. This moment reminded me that life is so precious and needs to be treasured.

In April we drove 6 hours to a small town in the zone of totality. No events, no big crowds, just a handful of locals and out-of-towners in a small park. I read somewhere that the difference between a partial and a total eclipse is “oh, cool” and “OMG they broke the sky.” During the 4 1/2 minutes of totality time stopped and sped up, I was looking at a hole in the universe directly above me, my daughter hugged me while we gazed upward. I felt so small, so fleeting, so insignificant but also vitally connected to the universe and my place in it.

We came to the difficult decision to euthanize our dog, which was particularly hard because we only had him for about 16 months. He had a neurological disorder, basically ALS for dogs—and my mom died from ALS. I couldn’t be with my mom as she died, but to be in the room with our dog, Sam, as he took his last breath allowed me to untangle my grief a bit and say goodbye to both. Sam had been in so much pain, that he didn’t want to be held or cuddled, but when he was finally at rest, and no longer in pain, I could hold him. And thank him. And apologize to him, because we couldn’t do more for him. That day, and that moment, stays with me and I feel that was the most spiritual experience I’ve had this year.

Every day is a spiritual experience when I get to spend time with my sweet children. I cherish each moment with them even more knowing what happened to so many innocent families on 10/7. More broadly, seeing miracles unfold in Israel like the incredible protection from the Iron Dome and from G-d when the Islamic Republic of Iran launched hundreds of missiles indiscriminately twice this year resulting in little to no casualties. This has been nothing short of a miracle.

We went to the cathedral of Yosemite National Park. In the Valley, surrounded by carved granite millenia in age reminded me of a line from a poem by William Blake: "What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

I think for me is seeing the miracles The Lord works in the quiet places. Seeing sister Angela defying they doctor's prognosis. Seeing soo many women of God going home to be with their families after prison changed them for the better! Watching my mom change & grow slowly, but surely. I've seen the multiplying of food, the stretching of monies & the appearance of provisions that make no earthly sense. In places & ways that can be missed for the "normal/everyday" circumstances. When the food should have run out, but you feed everyone & extra. When the total of what you bought is under what you have significantly, but should have been over, so you can do extra! Watching the transformation of my life, person & existence. Even seeing how the enemy's tactics don't even feel the same, because I've seen so many quiet miracles, that I know God is in the midst of even the mundane life experiences we take for granted. Not only have I changed, but I have seen how my change has changed others.

On March 24, my mother’s birthday, she heard the phone ring in what had been my father’s bedroom in his final years. The phone is a landline, so the other 2 phones in the house should have rung as well. They did not; only the bedroom phone. It rang twice, then my mother answered it, but no one was on the other end. One week later, on March 31st, the same thing happened. My parents’ anniversary was March 30th, but for decades, for whatever reason, my father always thought that March 31st was the date.

The Creator continues to remind me, at top volume, of his/her existence on a daily basis. So many episodes of things coming out "just right," so much help in the studio creating dances, working with people, going into a room prepared but not knowing, and so many instances of feeling the Creator pushing me along like wind in the sails, or working right through me. I felt that with how the Vassar course went last semester, and am feeling it again -- in such a different way! -- with the group this fall. I felt it creating my piece for DDC, for the CATS production this fall. I could hear the Creator speaking to me when we were making the decision of whether I should go to Colorado or not when Jan went to the ER. It's like the voice is in another language, a language I know, but have to translate. It's funny because for all my existential doubt and fear, I completely, totally, and unquestioningly believe in the power, presence, and collaboration of the Great Creator. There is proof at every hour sometimes! The more secure in this belief I become, the more I am feeling a certain sort of relaxing take over. The power of that deal we've made: I'll take care of the quantity, you take care of the quality -- this permeates everything I do. How good my work is, is not my problem! That belongs solely to the Creator, and is for the glory and benefit of the Creator solely as well. I do this work to add to God's creation, to use the gifts I have been given to give back, to offer. I feel it is so true: when we come closer to our dreams we come closer to God, and when we come closer to people who are living their dreams we come closer to God. In the latter half of that statement I am rich; my work with dancers, actors, students, artists all puts me in closest contact with people coming closer to their dreams, it gives me the closest seat, I'm holding their hand as they climb toward it. The thing I'm searching for is, what is *my* dream? I feel like it is cloaked, like it's huge and I can see the form of it but have no idea what it is. Pineapple? Porcupine? It almost feels like suspense, like this is going to be revealed to me eventually, similar perhaps to how Phantom was not my dream before it was revealed to me by coming true in my life? It feels fine to be patient, almost delicious. I am in a "before." Before what? I have no idea. My next dream is out there. And I AM coming closer to it. The Creator is whispering it to me in that language that I know but do not completely understand. What will it be?

I think I found my place spiritually , but I am not sure if it will work. Nothing is set in stone. I think I need to be tweaked. Let’s see .

Spiritually we feel Jared’s presence. Almost paranormal events with his bedroom light going on, hearing him sing, noises in the kitchen where he would bang cups when he wanted a drink. While we could downsize homes we won’t because we feel his presence here. Crazy, right. Rabbi Pinkwasser said it was the feedback he’s heard from many people who lost spouses and children. We attended Kivor Avot and visited Jared. We cry every day I think but these Jewish holidays are focused on remembering. Yizkor and his birthday are coming up. Also — we just spoke to Judy’s sisters in Israel- they are going through a tough time, one son ready to go into battle we’re pretty sure. God protect Israel and curses on those that want to destroy them. Tonight we have an October 7 memorial ceremony.

I'm just going to list things that touched me deeply Grandkid hugs Paul Simon's psalms Breakfast in the Plains of Abraham Being freed to be more open with people and the positive responses I have received Singing at shul and to grandkids The feel of a small child's hand in mine

Learning more about Judaism and exploring my faith, how it ebbs and flows. I used to think I was set in stone, static and unchanging. Learning who I am at this stage of my life has been profound.

Ugh no this question is the worst

Watching beautiful sunsets, the waves of the ocean, and the birds feeding in my backyard are all spiritual experiences for me. They remind me of my connection to the earth and all on it, giving me a sense of awe, and gratitude for this moment in time.

I am finding synchronicity all over the place. Yesterday I stopped at a garage sale that had a collection of bells. My mom was the only one I know with a bell collection. In speaking with the woman I learned she lived in the same apartment complex as my friend about 40 minutes away from me. And a man at the sale worked at the store, Sprouts, that I had just come from. It was a lot to take in at one time. Have to wonder what it means. To me spirituality is a "nod from God" that tells me I'm in the right place at the right time.

I am one of the shofar blowers at my synagogue. Usually I think of nothing when I pray, even when I plan in advance what my intention will be. This year, the intro was about the shofar as siren & I suddenly was full of rage & defiance. Take that, antisemites! It felt as physical as a punch.

I have been watching and listening to a very angry Mother Earth and seeing its impact on our whole civilization. Between this and the recognition of the shortness of my expectancy, I need to make plans as well as enjoy each day.

I feel the presence of my son and his father very strongly at times. When I do, there is often an accompanying occurrence- finding a shiny penny on the ground in front of me, having a butterfly land close by, being approached by a very curious bird or squirrel. I find comfort in their presence around me, and am grateful for the connection.

The closest thing to any sort of spiritual experience I've had this year is the discovery of the abilities I have to learn, grow, and stretch. And moreover, what seems to be a somewhat innate sense of how to build a business and be pretty darn good at it. Apparently, I have better than average instincts and the ability to actually do the things I've never before allowed myself to dream.

Giving birth to T. and the first several days/nights with her were magical and grueling and amazing! She's the tops :) What a great kid! Meeting her was amazing and I think about it almost every day.

Discovering the Kenwood Ladies' Pond and swimming most days during the summer - I always knew I loved wild swimming but wild swimming in a women's only space has been so healing to my soul!

My husband and I experienced a miracle this summer. Our eldest daughter who lives 15 minutes away called to say they were experiencing a flood in their basement and did we have large garbage bags and fans they could borrow. Right away thoughts came to my husband about where some construction bags he bought were stored and as he went ;looking, I searched for the two portable fans that I knew we had. As we searched we sent up unspoken prayers and they were heard. We experienced a miracle to show us that God listens. We simply could not find one of the two fans we had. We looked high and low, inside and in sheds to no avail. We decided we'd head out with what we had. As we approached the doorway to the vestibule to leave to our complete astonishment we saw the lost fan sitting in front of the outside door. The cord was neatly wrapped around it's base not at all like we'd left it the summer before. It had a feeling about it that had us knowing our prayer had been heard and our answer was right in front of the door waiting for us to take it out. My faith was strengthened as was my desire to be thankful and to recognize that the Lord knows our needs and answers our prayers in everyday ways that we need.

As usual, I don't tend to think of experiences in terms of spirituality. I did have wonderful and heart-warming experiences at my 50th college reunion less than 2 weeks ago. It was the first reunion I returned for, and no-one else I had been close to during my college years was able to attend. Despite that, my husband and I met new people, I met up with people I had known more peripherally who knew and remembered people I knew, and remembered events and activities I was involved in during college. We heard speakers, attended concerts and meals. On the last morning, we went to an alumni brunch for a women's a cappella singing group I was a member of, and I sang along with the current members of the group. Good memories, and a lovely experience.

I think the most spiritual I felt was at the Passover seder. As always, I felt as one with all the Jews who crossed the dessert, who received the Torah, who suffered in the Inquisition, the pogroms, the Holocaust, as well as the Jews who are yet to be born. I felt as part of a chain. It's one of the best parts of Passover for me; certainly the most meaningful. This year, I have felt more dedicated to Judaism than ever before. I won't let the bastards take it away from me.

Spiritually I feel more connected I feel confident but I have been doing less of the habits expected typically.

We just went on a bucket list trip to Alaska and Rocky mountains where I felt as one with nature, with my childhood which was definitely non religious as my father a holocaust survivor didn't believe in God. Yet now as an adult I have chosen to be close to God, I prayed and thank him daily for us to be healthy, to be able to enjoy this lifetime trip, and as I prayed, every day I felt close to God, and thank him every day for all he gives my and my family in health, and happiness.

Family vacation to Banff National Park Stanford Jewish Alumni Network in-person events Family Celebration in honor of my Aunt's 95th birthday

I mean, today at 5:45 AM … I started shaking and tearing up when RUNAWAY by Kanye West came on the shuffle. I wish more songs would do the most with stereo sound so that it works in the car, like how “Who gotcha” is not only louder on the right speaker on the third pass but it’s the loudest part of the sample. I wish I was more of a scumbag this year! I’ve been too forgiving.

Several. The eclipse was certainly one. Logically, I knew what to expect, but experiencing it was something else. Listening to birds go silent, feeling the wind come up and the temperature drop and that moment of absolute awe - I know the universe is a miraculous place and I am only a tiny part of it. Yet, working the Twelve Steps has brought me a closeness to a spiritual force that works from within my body. We walk together down the road of life, very comfortable with each other. While I don’t often pray in any usual sense of the word, I am aware all the time.

I have a growing awareness and appreciation of ordinary moments - the sky changing, the little birds cahttering to each other by the feeder, the feel and immediacy of it all.Maybe it it the knowledge that I will be gone from this spot by this time next year, maybe it is the awareness of how fragile it all is but I have a daily sense that calls " Stop. Notice this. Pay attention to it all".

My daughter was looking at her old copy of The Diary of Anne Frank last summer, and found a very old flyer from the Jewish Learning Experience for a class in Spiritualism. She happened to be visiting me and we decided to call and see if they were still meeting. We went and thought it was an interesting experience. I returned alone because she doesn’t live nearby. The rabbi is the nicest young man, and was so welcoming patient and kind to the few women who attended. We started a book by Rabbi Abraham Twerski on spirituality. I attended two or three more times, and though I knew I “stuck out like a sore thumb”, I enjoyed these sessions, finished the book, and have now been reading about reincarnation and Kabbalah. Also, this past spring I noticed a robin always seemingly waiting for me as I began my walks. He or she has been a presence almost daily. It probably sounds like “mishegoss”! I am hoping the Rabbi will commence the class at some point.

Being involved with the Chevra Kadisha has been very meaningful and spiritual for me. Touching a body, preparing her for her final journey, washing tenderly, dressing her. It's intense. Also - I need to mention Mishkan. Being at services, surrendering to the gorgeous music never fails to transport me. Also- sharing my writing. The responses I get are always so unexpected and moving.

Have been praying each day often more than once per day, for the safe release of the hostages. It has made me feel more close to good strong people around the world. I also met a leader from CUFI which gave me hope through their allyship.

Here I am playing about trying to d/l ESV study bible app to no avail. With the god-shaped gape in my soul, third eye, two eyes, four eyes. Musing if I can vow to be a lay Franciscan yet seek a gilgul that 36 yew ago found me in my beshert. What denomination don't I check? Waiting for Mogen D from Eretz I, the prepping for life in the World to Come of my Irish Jewish Catholic druid wandering spiritual dilettante she dubbed my addled soul z'l

In the sense of feeling connected to others, I’ve been meeting people with a shared interest in KDramas, and the fact that the point in common originated in Korea (aka a distant third point) reminds me how connections are not about geography, tribalism separates, and embracing a shared love in art not only connects people but also makes our time meaningful.

I feel like reading has been very impactful for me this year. I read Yoke by Jessamyn Stanley, where she gave me the idea of having your own "Sacred Texts" alongside your religion's texts. I have been exploring which texts would serve that purpose for me. Ross Gay has been huge, as well as Sarah Smarsh's Heartland. This has been a really nice perspective to view books as and feels very spiritually fulfilling in the sense that I can define what sacredness means to me.

Swimming in a deserted sea with my partner at midnight in Greece. Gazing up at the stars in the still water felt pretty close to heaven

My friend Joanne Fink moved back to Philadelphia. I thanked her for her continuing friendship and told her I had learned about kindness and living with gratitude from her. The Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design filled me up and I still wonder at the effects of that exhibit.

While I haven't had any specific spiritual experiences this past year, I have become more attuned to my spirituality. I've been focusing on deepening my connection to my culture and spiritual identity as a Jew. One of the most impactful decisions I made was to refrain from using social media and checking email during Shabbat. This practice has greatly improved my mental health and has allowed me to embrace a more mindful and reflective way of living.

Visiting the Nova Festival exhibit in lower Manhattan was an incredibly spiritual experience. Seeing the pocketbooks of the victims, with their personal items laying on the table was jarring. The port-a-potty with bullet holes, the burned cars, the tents were visceral. The videos of survivors was jarring as were the video of the Hamas terrorists shooting at the shelters as people gathered inside. The exhibit bore witness to the horrors of that day.

The Green Day Saviors Tour (with Smashing Pumpkins) in Portland, OR was spiritual for me. The first time I attended a true rock concert, and I got to go with my son, and we got to be on the floor. Both the music and the musicians were incredible! I was carried away by the whole experience.

I don't really know, nothing is coming to mind. I didn't experience any new cultures, really. I didn't go to any art shows, but I did go to Colorado and experienced the Rocky Mountains which was pretty spiritual in it of itself. Seeing the mountains and the sunrise was beautiful, sitting under the stars was incredible. I would say this was the most spiritual experience I had. It affected me in that it inspired those feelings of awe and wonder, it sparked that imaginative feeling and connected me closer with God and nature. Experiences like that open my eyes to other ways of living and being.

The way this house arrived in our lives at the perfect time. It's R4500 more expensive than our old house but I started paying my husband R2000 of what our daughter pays me towards rent and board, which means he still has to find an extra R2500. Then, from worrying whether or not I was about to be retrenched, I received a promotion, got taken on to permanent staff - and the salary increase is R2500. If that's not God, then I don't know ....

I am recalling spiritual experiences I had on hikes this year. It slows me down and clears my head of thoughts. It is like meditating. Afterwards, I think I operate with a new slowness and intention.

Between transition and ADHD treatment I realized I've rediscovered the magical feeling of going for a walk at night and smelling the many scents in the air and feeling alive

I had a ketamine trip (performed for medical reason via doctor) that took me on a train through time to experience the history of my ancestors, and all of the struggles and genocides they experienced. It brought me an eerie sort of comfort to know that even through time, I am not alone. I am part of a people who understands the fear and pain I am experiencing, and who did their best to leave me traditions to help me cope.

Overall, I have felt more distanced from my spirituality this year than ever before. However, there was one moment during Rosh Hashanah day one services that did feel a bit spiritual. There was raucous singing, jumping, and dancing happening, and all of a sudden I wondered what my grandparents would have made of a service like this. On the one hand they would have been incredulous that I was participating in this non-traditional way, and yet they would have been so happy that I was carrying on Jewish observance (since nobody else in our family was particularly religious). The connection with their memory moved me to tears and is what felt spiritual to me.

My most spiritual experience has been singing in the choir for Erev Rosh Hashana (and in a few more days, Kol Nidre). I love how the music washes over me during the service and it's so moving for so many people. It's also the communal feeling of not just the choir but the entire congregation.

Seeing Joanie the clairvoyant. I didn't get a reading but it was an interesting experience.

After mom died, I lit the Memorial Candle - the one that lasts all week while we should be sitting Shiva. I was in mom’s apartment that week, giving all her things away and packing up to move out. At night I could see the light of the candle flickering from the bedroom into the kitchen ( where the candle was located). Seeing that candle shine made me feel mom’s spirit was still with me and I found that very comforting. I was sorry when the candle was gone and the flame went out. Mom is always with me though- in my thoughts and memories and within the love I hold for her.

Finalizing my conversion to Judaism was extremely spiritually fulfilling. In light of all that has happened, it has been one of the most centering and peaceful experiences of my life, not just of this year alone.

I've been having a moment with live music recently, seeing and enjoying a plethora of great bands. There's something spiritual for me in having these experiences with friends as well as in community of other fans, being in spaces where I can revel in and celebrate my queerness, and just appreciating the art and talent of it all. I think this has opened up these consistent moments of pure joy and a sensation of ~living life~ that bolsters a feeling of contented, calm, warm presence. I feel grateful to have this access and be able to prioritize this.

I think that perhaps the greatest spiritual experience I had this year was going to China. There were several times when I had to stop, look around myself, and say, "you're here. you are finally, really here." The excitement of having a new portal on the world open, to be in a new cultural space with so many discoveries to be made... it was a kind of rebirth after the little "death" of retirement.

I haven’t had any significant spiritual experiences, but I do think treating the people we love with care and compassion falls somewhere within this answer. One doesn’t need spiritual guidance or religion to be kind and moral. Thinking about the ephemeral nature of life can help us make our time in the world count. How we treat others can impact the next generation and leave a lasting legacy.

Leading morning minyan tends to focus me the most. I’m able to find a depth of spirituality that I can’t when I’m Praying as a minyanaire.

Toomany to describe. I'm not good with words. The world has changed and everyone in it.

i attended my first shabbat service, and my first jewish religious service in general. i also have attended my first of the high holidays, namely selichot and rosh hashanah. yom kippur is next week. each experience i have at temple concord feels profound, and “meant to be”. i feel welcomed and like this is where i belong

a terrible year but still some spiritual times- in nature, in my synagogue , with family and friends - seeing many famous cultural locations-

Just over a year ago, I had a moment at the Beyonce concert in which the vibrations of the crowd were so perfect that I levitated. More than once at the concert, I felt God's presence in my body, but that levitation was astonishing. It was power.

As our children grow and leave the nest I’ve really started thinking about loneliness and my own morbidity. I’m getting older and time is speeding by so quickly with each blink. It really is true when your parents say, “one day you will be old and you will appreciate all the things that came so easily to you at earlier stages in life!”

The solar eclipse was such a special time out of time. To be able to spend over an hour outside and watch the world change and stop for such a brief period of time was miraculous.

Yes! Definitely. I've been getting into daily meditation, and also going deeper with doing something called Hemi-Sync where you need to wear headphones because it's binaural and you use this method like hypnosis and meditation to mind travel and try to communicate with your higher self. I'm a beginner at this so I'm learning techniques. I also went to a sound bath/Reiki session for the first time and LOVED it. I have another one I'm going to in a few days from now. I've been making it a regular habit to have my morning coffee while sitting in a chair in the backyard, with my bare feet in the grass, watching the birds and lizards and nature in general. It's for 'grounding' and just relaxing and I really love that too.

Getting into my artistic zone. Writing the book, making the "potheads" fully embracing my artist self. LOVING IT LOVING IT Running the Freedom Fest --- re- envisioning what Passover is about.. bringing people along from different countries and cultures. WOW so fun and broadening.

Yes when doing freaking Friday that realize my passion for theatre had come back. I can do anything I put my mind too.

Yesterday my son, Mitch, got married. Sadly, the bride’s mom, Christine, died 3 months ago. I knew her and it is a huge loss for all of us. It greatly affected Mitch and Jenny’s excitement for the wedding, but they went through with it and included a remembrance during the ceremony. I was to speak right after the remembrance and I was very nervous. During the moment of meditation and reflection, I looked up at Christine’s photo and asked for her help. I told her that I wanted to do a good job of representing us both and asked for peace. Immediately I felt calm and ready. I know it came from her.

Just sticking with my meditation and going back outside and taking more quiet and downtime on the porch. It's in the little quiet things.

G-d has a special place for mean people, and G-d makes me strong

My first reflexive response to this question was "no," but then I realized that's not true. Spirituality isn't something separate from regular daily life, and nowhere is that more true than when you have a toddler. No, I have not had a lot of free time for quiet reflection lately, nor any intense experiences of spiritual ecstasy. But there have been a lot of moments, through the daily slog of motherhood, where I've experienced the wonder of it all, the miracle that is a growing child. I'm trying to include our son in my spiritual life, even if it's just something as simple as lighting the shabbat candles with him each week. We might not have hours to attend services but we can spend that minute or two being present. That being said, I was so moved by Rosh Hashana services this year that it made me realize I've really neglected my spiritual life and let my connection to my temple community atrophy- and that's something that's important to me. I'd like to focus on making that more of a priority in the coming year.

being on the vacation of my dreams and staying inside for 3 days vomiting from the stress of the weeks leading up to it. being so afraid of vomiting and being sick abroad, especially on an island with no hospital. choosing to not watch tv or scroll my phone, but stay cuddled on the couch and watch the gorgeous view shifting from moment to moment out the window. realizing this is the vacation i needed maybe; how burnt out i was and how i brought myself here. waking up on the 4th day with the most amazing feeling of no pain or discomfort. realizing that's how i wake up most days and i take it for granted. feeling its bliss and weightlessness. going outside.

The closest thing to a spiritual experience was probably bobbing in the lake with my husband and children this summer. I felt in touch with nature and at peace.

I have not been spiritually inspired this year! My faith is constant but I worry that the world is rising up to fault me.and my family.

Every day as I wake up I smile and thank Hashem for 5 things from the previous day. It has made my life better since I started.

I can't say that I recall any particularly spiritual experiences, unless you count figuring out that a substantial number of people who claim to be Jewish actually hate Jews and support the extermination or expulsion of all Jews in Israel (and elsewhere, let's be honest). To that I can only say "useful idiot" and collaborator is only a temporary job. Being last on the list instead of first won't save you from the pogroms, deportations, and executions. Not you, nor your family. Never has. Never will.

I would say that recognizing that I could have (should have?) died in that car accident, as so many people have told me, has made me realize that God must have a plan for me because I am still here. I believe God has a purpose for me, though I'm not sure what that is. I now feel closer to God, for which I am grateful.

In a way, ethical challenges are spiritual experiences because they connect me to vast swaths of humanity -- in this case the huge majority of the planet that rejects apartheid and genocide. It is alienating from the Reform Movement as it is on the wrong side, that is the side of evil.

One two occasions I prayed for myself rather than other people. When my prayers were answered I gave to charity.

I cried when I saw the Duomo in Florence. It just took so much work and artistry, and it's so beautiful. Plus we were there on a special holiday, so a group of Hare Krishna followers were parading around singing and playing music, which added a level of connection to beliefs of the past bleeding into the present. It was all very beautiful.

I was at Nowhere. It's always spiritually healing place, where i feel peacefull and in harmony with the world.

Yes, I find that being in the sea is very spiritual and meditative. And when friends join. And when I focus on a workout. Moreso than usual for some reason.

I went out dancing on a work trip. There was a smoke machine, coloured lights and I was vibing like crazy. I felt like I was all alone on the dance floor, it felt like I was high, even though I didn’t do drugs or alcohol. Later a friends said I was the epicentre of the dance floor. I found it funny when he said that, but tbh it was exactly how I was feeling at that moment.

Mom had just passed, with myself, Lamarque, Stevie, Barb & Mike, and the wonderful hospice nurse by her bedside. After some time we all dispersed from the bedside, and I walked to the sink to get a drink of water. I then felt a hug and heard Mom's voice: "See ya later, kiddo."

My spiritual experience relates to the car crash. As a result I now believe in modern day miracles and angels. This has substantially shifted my spiritual perspective.

Seeing the aurora borealis — something I never thought I’d see in this lifetime. Natural phenomena like that always help me remember that I’m part of something much larger and that the world does hold a lot of beauty even if it’s sometimes hard to see.

My vacation in Wales qualifies. To walk and hike in this wild and untamed landscape with it's ever-changing weather created an almost Zen-like experience. It's like a reminder of what is important and what isn't... and a lot of things just aren't.

I think my experience has been ongoing- as I use my siddur during Shabbat services, I'm struck by all the visualizations that happen while I'm reading. It is my hope that I can pursue artistically the joining of text with the images the words evoke. provoke.

A few weeks ago, upon opening the window shade, I witnessed the beauty of nature strongly in that moment. The mix of early morning sun and lifting fog defined the sunbeams through the trees. It was poetic; a natural expression of how I have felt for some time now, a juxtaposition of clarity and beauty in life with some cloudy uncertainty. And G-d said, Let there be light and G-d created and saw that it was good. I need those kinds of natural reminders.

I guess the answer would be that I have decided that I don't believe in the faith of my childhood or of my family. So, an "un-spiritual experience", I guess. This "dis-entanglement", as it is called, has been coming for a long time. I would call myself agnostic at this point, rather than atheist.

I feel like I’ve leveled up. I’m leaning into a deep trust and flow of the universe. I no longer need to play the game. I’m living by my own rules. It allows forgiveness and peace. I hope to spread it, share it.

Singing in shul, especially Acheinu and arts Chaim Hi; visiting the Nova site

Yes, a Dream retreat with Toko-pa Turner in Salt Spring Island. Brought me back to the surface, where life is ideally lived.

My morning routine at the beach in Tamraght was a spiritual experience that brought me to stillness, my voice. The whole artists way process, was a spiritual experience that unfolded my connection to a higher power greater than myself.

I attended a service at our shul run by Rabbi Golan, who practices Jin Jui (sp?) He used movement in prayer to help enhance the prayer experience. It was magical and took me a while to come back to myself. I felt inspired, relaxed and renewed. I have also been moved by deep conversations and by my study in chevruta.

Because of my health challenges, I’m ever more aware of becoming closer to moving off planet. This is an interesting process. It has moved me to deeply treasure every granular sensory aspect of living in an animal form while at the same time having multidimensional cosmic conscious awareness. At this point in Life, one takes nothing for granted. The purr of cat, sweet juiciness of peach, smell of cinnamon rolls baking, the songs of trees and colorfully feathered birds, along with the beauty of fine art, the best of human creativity, all this one soaks up deeply so as to return to the quantum plasma with as much experience as possible. Thus, the sea of potentiality becomes ever more enriched!

I think it's been powerful to take a closer look at Jewish values, in having to defend how they don't, in fact, endorse genocide. I've given some speeches and workshops over the last year, and created an anti-genocide, anti-Zionist Passover Haggadah. I don't know if these experiences have been moving in the classic sense of spirituality, but they have been religious and textual in a way that has always fed my sense of Jewish identity.

All have been connected to travel. Specifically seeing the giant Buddhas of Seoul, walking through the temples of Kyoto and being in the Sahara.

Illinoise. All 3 performances.

Yes. In July, my husband died. We were not each other's first marriages. I am divorced. He was a widower. His older two children never accepted me, there was a lot of misunderstanding on both sides. His younger son and my son were the same age. I raised him from the teen age years . When my husband was taken to the hosputal, i called. They came. Over the 6 days, we all shared stories of him. Different perspectives of the same man. My friend, a medium, performed something that moved us and connected us. A surpising occurence. We came to realize the misperceptions we all had. We talked about personality types, our judhements. They learned how strong I am. I learned that they werent these cold people that i thought they were. Their husbands both talked to me about their exoeriences with their wives. It was insightful. Over thec6bdats, we became a family. United. So on the 5th day, when hospice denied us, i made a phone call. In 10 minutes we had hospice. They saw my strengths. Soon after hospice brought in snacks. We sat. All.of a sudden all of us rushed toward them. We had become a family. We joked. We knew likes and dislikes, we were okay with silence, we took turns speaking to staff, we took breaks...paired up, grabbed coffee, taking walks, playing with kids. Sometimes, my husband, who had never opened hisceyes, would grunt and jerk as we told stiries about him. We laughed. But agreed he was commenting on his dislike of the watmy we told our story. We knew he was listening. We knew that he knew we were finally a family. So on the last night, as the younger daughter and I took turn holding his hand, we heard the gurglin grow more intense. We watched the vitals. She told me to take his hand. She took a walk. I spoke to him. She came back. I looked at him. I saw a gray film pass over his face. The gurgling stopped. He passed. We truly believe that he has peace. He knew we were a family.

The experience of becoming a mother-- that profound, dramatic identity shift, and the experience of learning how to be a parent, a mother. After having felt anger and frustration at my own mother and the ways I felt she wasn't able to show up for me the way I needed her to after M's birth, I had moments of holding and comforting my son and tapping into what my mom must have felt all of those years ago when I was a baby. Tapping into that universal, cyclical thing we now shared.

Nice to read my answer from last year. My answer for this year is very much the same. Nature. The everyday way that I get to have small moments of grace. Our daily hikes in the preserve. Being out in the garden. I like to be the one to take Franklin out at night when we are ready to go to bed. The sound of birds always does it for me. I have a picture of Mary Lea in my office that Busy sent me. Sometimes I stop to chat with her. Sometimes I feel Dad's presence. I have started with my Fellows and have had a few moments of coaching trance. I feel very lucky (blessed?) to have the life I do.

As much as I "feel" my Jewish culture, I also feel that there hasn't been ONE positive experience I've ever experienced from the Jewish community. From what happened to my dad in Florida, to the way Michelle was treated at her temple, to being FIRED TWICE by anti-semitic staff THIS YEAR and I could go on and on - which is why I'm still a devote ATHEIST - that being said Am Yisrael Chai!!! I will say I'm very happy that I SAVE so much MONEY NOT buying all the Christmas crap!

It gets harder and heard each year to hear that spiritual voice or guidance. I don't know if that is age, or knowledge or maybe I needed it much more when I was younger then my age now. But when I do feel that quiet...or that time when there are everyday miracles...or that peace in between the hecticness...that is my spirituality and it is still as valid as when I felt it more strongly in my youth.

Apparently I've taken on a mantra. We all have. I've never had the discipline to do that before. Here it is: "why? How long?"

Yes. I gave a sermon/presentation on Courage. I found through that experience that I am not as empathetic as I would hope and yet that I am more courageous than I expected.

We traveled to India, Nepal, and mostly Thailand. In each of these places there were moments of awe. We watched the sun rise over the grand Himalayas and ran into the Taj Mahal looming across the river as we turned the corner (life list, check!). Thailand gets its own sentences. Exploring Buddhism and appreciating its democratic ways - Buddha is not a god to be worshipped but a teacher, a leader to be revered - with btw statues and altars all over. And we fed and bathed rescued elephants, G!d's fabulous creations.

A student of the practices of New thought Ageless Wisdom Daily spiritual encounters Leveling up and expanding daily

I would say the same as last year: being in nature and praying in the synagogue. More than ever, we need each other in our community and praying together is solace during these frightening times where we feel alone.

This year, I'm looking at much more varied types of art, mostly through social platforms. It gives me such joy to see others' creativity! Inspiring!

Not really.

Yes, I'm in the Executive Masters program at HUC for Jewish Ed Leadership, and when we get together in person for Intensive Ed classes, the services we build are emotionally safe spaces for being spiritual and reconnecting with ourselves. It helps to be with people who care about Judaism in the same ways.

I got to see the total solar eclipse (including SOLAR PROMININCES) in April! Holy cow it was spectacular. Also the northern lights in May. How fascinating to be so beautifully reminded that we live on a speck of a speck in the universe.