Meditation - What's Your Color?

I did it!  I led my first meditation yesterday.  Inspired by the story of Noah, I used the colors of the rainbow as the sequence to lead our group in a thoughtful meditation.  I began with a chant that I found on Rabbi Shefa Gold's website - www.rabbishefagold.com 

"Raba emunatekha"

How great is your faithfulness!

As I started the guided meditation, I asked everyone to imagine a storm that has just ended and now you can see the rainbow.  As I guided through each color of the rainbow, I gave some specific examples of objects of color:

Red - apples, pomegranates, red hills, bricks, and roses.

Orange - carrots, flowers, goldfish, pumpkins, the flame of a Shabbat candle

Yellow - lemons, sunflowers, warm sunshine

Green - plants, leaves of a tree, grass

Blue - all the shades of the ocean, beautiful dolphins jumping in the ocean, waterfalls
Violet - lavender, juicy plums, grapes on a vine

To complete the meditation, I asked everyone to select the color that calmed them the most and to wrap themselves in it like blanket.  

 What is your color?  Which color comforts you?  

Following the meditation, I used the text from Rabbi Shefa Gold's Torah Journey's (which can also be found on her website) for our discussion.  Below is her "guidance for practice" which I encourage you to use. 


FAITHFULNESS CHANT AND MEDITATION

There is a sacred phrase in the morning liturgy:
"Raba emunatekha"
How great is your faithfulness!

With this prayer, I acknowledge God's profound faith in me.  God's faith in me soothes the trembling in my soul and awakens my own faith.

CHANT THIS PHRASE for a while, directing your heart towards a loving Presence.

AFTER SOME TIME, sit quietly and bring your attention to the soles of your feet. Feel God's loving attention seeing and knowing and loving every inch of your body, moving your attention up to the ankles, calves, knees, thighs... letting yourself be completely seen, known and loved... releasing any shame or hiddenness... allowing every part of you to be accepted by God's loving attention... moving your attention up to the genitals, belly, hips, waist, chest, arms, hands... letting God's gaze touch every wrinkle and crevice with complete acceptance... completely seen, completely known, completely loved... moving up your neck, face, between every hair on your head.

WHEN YOU REACH the top of your head, bring your attention to the breath, and imagine breathing in and out from every pore at once, your whole body alive with God's attention in you.

COMPLETE THE MEDITATION by chanting "Raba Emunatekha"

It was a wonderful experience and I am grateful to our group for allowing me to guide them.  This experience will carry into my week and in case you are curious, my color is blue.