Loose the cords of mistakes binding us, as we release the strands we hold of others' guiltWashboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn) aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l'khayyabayn.
Greetings Friends – During this Michaelmas Season, as we head towards All Souls, a shift occurs within - echoing outside of us in Nature - reflected in the Stars - & embodied in various cultural expressions & traditions.
Yom Kippur is a day of inner purification - It is the milestone moment in time to dedicate mind, body, & soul to reconciliation – with The Divine - with the Kingdoms of Nature - with our fellow human beings - & with ourselves - A time to turn to those we have wronged, acknowledging the pain we might have caused - A reminder of the frailty of human existence - & a call to be our Highest Self - To enact our Divine Duty to help each other. This ancient tradition is just as important now as it was for our ancestors, even more so – since the Holy Land continues to be a killing ground - Can we practice a Universal Reconciliation that makes Nationalism obsolete?
The inspiring, yet sobering, words of Isaiah 58 are read publicly in the synagogue on Yom Kippur: “This fasting I have chosen,” says the prophet Isaiah, “Is it not done to loose the chains of injustice & untie the cords of bondage? To set the oppressed free & break every yoke? Are we not meant to share our food with the hungry & to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, you must clothe him, & not turn away from your fellow man?” May the words of the Prophet become for us the Living Logos - a motivating admonition inspiring a personal & Universal Practice.
At the same time, we must be being willing to Forgive - to let go of past offenses, & the feelings of resentment they provoke in us. This practice for both seekers, & givers of pardon, mirrors the journey the human soul takes after death.
There are number of customs & traditions associated with this practice of purging for the Holy Day of Yom Kippur. For example: the mikvah, or ritual bath. The scripture says “You shall immerse yourselves in water & be purified.” It is from this ancient practice, that Christian Baptism originated, symbolizing absolution & regeneration, as well as chance for new birth, thru repentance.
Another custom is to greet each other by saying ‘May your name be inscribed in the Book of Life’ Gmar Chatimah Tova. The High Holy Days are divided into two parts: The first is the inscribing which begins on Rosh Hashanah=The Head of the New Year, & finishes on Yom Kippur when the final “sealing” of fate takes place for the year. Parents customarily bless their children with the priestly benediction:
“May it be the will of our Father in Heaven to put into your heart love & reverence. May your eyes be directed, may your mouth speak wisdom, & your heart strive for holiness. May your hands be occupied with good deeds, & your feet hasten to do the will of the divine. May He grant you sustenance without stress, & with profi out of His hand that is open wide. May you be inscribed & sealed unto a good, long life. And so shall it be. Amen.”
Every one of our names are inscribed into the Mother Earth at the time of our birth. And thruout our many lives we add to this imprinting – Thru our thoughts, words & deeds – thru our interactions with other people, we create a trail that we traverse. And this pathway makes its mark. So what happens to all that we inscribe?
I think of the tale of ‘Eros & Fable’ by Novalis. In it there is a wise woman, named Sophi (of course) who has a bowl of oracle water. When a scroll is immersed in it, all the non-essential writing is dissolved, leaving only what has lasting significance. Then this inscription is set into the great book. But what happens to the rest? Does it become food for the dragon? At this time of year we can imagine that our life story is dipped into this chalice. Our true name, our true eternal Self is not dissolved. But everything that must be dispeled represents how we didn’t live up to our true name – How we ‘missed the mark’. And so it is that the question arises for each of us: How much of us is junk food, & how much of our divine nature can be inscribed in the Book of Life?
During this season it is customary to walk to a body of fresh water & recite a special prayer, symbolically casting bread crumbs into the waters, a token of our sins: those actions that have ‘missed the mark’
It is also customary to give extra charity - & to light memorial candles for our dearly departed family members. As with all Jewish festivals, the woman formally ushers in the holiday by lighting the candles at sundown. Evening services commence with the recitation of the Kol Nidrei prayer, a plea for absolution from any & all unfulfilled vows a person may have made in the course of the year. Interesting to think how Spiritual Science tells us that when we have unfulfilled resolves it weakens our etheric body in the next life.
Yes, there is deep shallow work that we can do now - & yet contrary to surface-belief, Yom Kippur is a day of hope & optimism, in addition to a solemn day of soul-searching. The Day of Atonement provides a unique awareness of one’s own character, a track record, as well as the opportunity to upgrade relationships with relatives, friends, associates & the community at-large. Yom Kippur’s focus on forgiveness, highlights humility, fallibility, compassion, soul-searching faith, thoughtfulness, being considerate, & accepting responsibility
Cabalistic tradition states that the first human being, Adam Kadmon, was created on Rosh Hashanah. And so it is that Human-beings are given an opportunity to re-create themselves spiritually, each year, on Yom Kippur. This holiday is celebrated when the constellation of the scales give way to the Virgin as herald in the Heavens. Libra & Virgo symbolize key themes of Yom Kippur: Justice, balance, truth, symmetry, wholeness.
Libra is ruled by the planet Venus which reflects the beauty of love, & Virgo is ruled by Mercury the god of communications.
And now, at the risk of mixing metaphors, I’d like us to mention a powerful, yet simple Hawaiian ritual of forgiveness, called Ho‘oponopono – It stems from an understanding that everything in the world is connected, in spite of our feelings of ‘separateness’. To heal the planet, we first have to heal ourselves; to do this, we will rely on four magic sentences: I am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you. x4 What we do to ourselves & others has repercussions. Because of this unity everything that occurs in our own little world creates a resonance in others, & in society as a whole. In earnest wakefulness & practiced Peace – ~hag
Enjoy a podcast & some video’s on the theme of Michaelmas: the Festival of Inner Light: Video: Autumnal Equinox / Michaelmas Festival w/ Mysteria Mystica Americana Video: Michaelmas: Festival of the Future Video: Michaelmas Musings The Anthroposopher podcast – Preserve the Light
Zinniker Farm has harvested Biodynamic Pfeiffer Wheat - If you are interested in signing up to receive a share of the harvest - Supplies are limited - Contact the Family Farm Initiative
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Greetings Friend, you currently a free subscriber to Cognitive Ritual. Thank you for receiving my workings freely offered. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. ALL donations go to support Zinniker Farm - The oldest Biodynamic Farm in America! Together we can spiritualize the Universe. XOX ~hag
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Wednesday, 1 October 2025
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us, as we release the strands we hold of others' guilt
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