Going Away for the Summer

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by dauer

Alexa,

Elat Chayyim, as a Jewish Renewal affiliated program, is very hippyish. I think it's all vegeterian food, and some fish. Big emphasis on being eco-friendly. Spiritually they focus on experiential spirituality. Each day begins with meditation and then either prayer or yoga. I'm not sure how the days end. Mornings in silence, as I said. The meditation retreats are entirely silent, except for Q&A and such with instructors. Shabbat has special programming. This is their site:

http://www.elatchayyim.org/

As an idea of what happens there for those who don't want to bother with the link, these are some of the course offerings, which are completely detailed on the site:

Jewish Studies out in nature: Enjoying the view

Sh'ma: Listening as a spiritual path

Oowee!-- My soul sings electric

An Introduction to Jewish Evolutionary Astrology

Meeting the prophets: selected haftorah portions

The mystical psychology of post-modern kabbalah

Sacred Dance: Embodied Prayer

The Organic Talmud: Stringing words like pearls

The Life Guiding Wisdom of Mussar

Kabbalistic Meditative Ecstacy

The Joy of Spiritual Drumming

Yoga: Standing before the Holy One

So I think that selection gives some idea of the type of stuff offered. Since some more traditional Jewish guests had asked, there is one week that will be geared more towards them. There are also different types of weekends, like the lgbt weekend, weekends with certain teachers, meditation weekends, the singles retreat, some dealing with specific content like conflict resolution, and then they also have some intensive, longer-term part-time training programs. There's a woman who recorded her experiences at elat chayyim on her blog, which I discovered just a few days ago. You can read it here. She also has some more recent entries on going there as well, but this is the first and clearest, also I think the only one from a week-long trip.

http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog..._at_elat_.html

edit: My plan is to keep a journal during the time I'm there. I'm not good at keeping journals but I think this experience will give me ample material.

...

Kaldayen,

that sounds awesome. What are you going to be working on? Is this what you're going to school for?

Dauer

Oh, I hope you enjoy! Keep a journal yes. But I gotta tell ya, I experienced a little of what you describe, when we approached the cliffs of Haifa from the sea. I didn't have three months mind you (only about three hours at sea detail), but the feeling was indescribable the the time (for more than just the approach to Israel).

I kept a journal (a daily really), while there and then let some read it. It knocked their socks off too. So keep a journal! Maybe you'll want to share some parts, maybe not. But you'll never regret putting your thoughts down. I suspect your family won't in the years to come either.

And as the Amish say "You watch out for them (english), while you're out there". (no offense to Great Britan).

v/r

Q

[dauer]

Quahom,

something that always amazes me about Israel is that it's considered a sacred place for so many people, and yet at the same time there is so much conflict. Maybe the two go hand in hand. I haven't been there yet but I have heard powerful stories... and not so powerful stories. I am not sure what you experienced at Haifa. Was it a quiet awe or something a little different?

And as the Amish say "You watch out for them (english), while you're out there". (no offense to Great Britan).

My approach, I think, will be to join the anglish (is that how they say it?) while I am there and fully integrate into what they do and then see what of it I can take back with me to my normal life when I leave. My thought has been to approach it almost like one would approach a rebbe, spiritually opening myself up to whatever teaching I might receive (and there will be many wise teachers there.)

I might be one of the anglish, but I think I'll find that out over the Fall when I'm readjusting to the regular year and digesting my experiences, or maybe not until Winter.

Dauer

[Pathless]

Three months! That sounds awesome, Dauer! And the daily schedule looks very interesting; I think I would enjoy that, and I'm not even Jewish! The drumming, the yoga, Kabbalah, the listening--Oy Vey!! (did I spell that right?) Looks pretty su-weet (sorry, I don't know the Yiddish word for that).

I hadn't really ever thought about Israel as being, well, Israel, before--to me, it's always just been that place where there's so much ridiculous religious strife; but I just recently picked up a book about a spiritual pilgrimage that starts with an approach to Haifa, then in Israel, and you can tell that the Holy City had quite an effect on the Jewish author. Anyhow, that's just a personal little comment I wanted to make related to what Quahom said--I guess my way of pointing at myself and saying, "Oooh, I read something about Israel recently--look at me!"

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by dauer

Quahom,

something that always amazes me about Israel is that it's considered a sacred place for so many people, and yet at the same time there is so much conflict. Maybe the two go hand in hand. I haven't been there yet but I have heard powerful stories... and not so powerful stories. I am not sure what you experienced at Haifa. Was it a quiet awe or something a little different?
Dauer

I didn't know what to expect Dauer. It is so different (your expectations or lack of), when one sees things on TV or reads them in National Geographics.

But as we approached and set sea detail, my view was from the focs'le and was unobstructed, with no distractions. The morning sky was an azure hue, but there was a sea mist diffusing the horizon before us. The sea seemed to blend in with the sky.

Then these shapes formed from behind the mist, and to me it looked like they were rising from the ocean (literally coming up right then)...they were the bone white cliffs of Haifa, and they loomed over our ship as if giants. They seemed to be quietly observing us.

It was a quiet awe, yes that is a good way to describe my thoughts at the moment. I felt as though the land was saying to me, "this place will be what you make of it..."

Haifa itself is a land of contrasts, modern next to ancient, next to modern. People from all parts of the globe living and working there, humor both subtle yet profound (a McDavids right next to a McDonalds for example).

There is so much to describe, but that is for starters.

I still have friends who when they come to the states, come stay with me, or we meet for an evening.

I highly recommend people go and experience for themselves this place and people.


v/r

Q

[alexa]

Originally Posted by dauer

Alexa, Elat Chayyim, as a Jewish Renewal affiliated program, is very hippyish. I think it's all vegeterian food, and some fish. Big emphasis on being eco-friendly. Spiritually they focus on experiential spirituality.

Thanks Dauer. That sounds really interesting. It's great you can go into a place like this, far away of this material world.

[InLove]

Shalom Dauer!

The day is getting closer! Are you packed, or maybe you don't need to pack for such a spiritual journey? Oh, well, take a journal to write in, for certain.

We haven't been involved in too many common threads so far (mostly because I am afraid to post on the Judaism board, 'cause I can't understand half the terminology and language yet). But I enjoy your posts, and you have been helpful to me.

Is that a new avatar? Now we can all see "a whole new side of you"!

Just wanted to chime in and wish you a great experience this summer. Hey--maybe you will finally get to eat flowers there, huh?

InPeace,
InLove

[dauer]

Inlove,

I take off next sunday. I'm not packed yet but I just took my trip to the ultramegahealthfoodstore (one of them) in town today to pick up my needed biodegradable, scentless personal care products (in case some retreators (retreatists?) have allergies.) I will be packing, lightly, but I will have plenty to stay comfortable. And I will definitely have a journal. The retreat center, although out of cell phone range, does have wireless internet access that I as an intern will have access to so while it may or may not happen, Brian is setting up a blog for me and I may or may not be posting to it. If I don't, I will be returning with my journal.

You shouldn't be afraid of the Judaism board. Some of the questions recently have gone off the beaten trail a little and I also try to make a habit of answering questions with any Hebrew terms also in English at their first mention, sometimes a couple times. I see you have a quote from Maimonides. Have you studied him or did you find him searching for a quote? I love doing that sometimes, searching for quotes by people, but usually I only do it for people I know about, like having a little taste of that favorite dish I wrapped in tin foil and stashed in the back of the freezer.

The avatar is new, the only decent picture for an avatar of me from my cousin's bat mitzvah. If you missed it, for pictures of various board members, there is this thread:

http://www.comparative-religion.com/...5&page=1&pp=15

Thanks for the well-wishes. I hope I get to eat flowers, at least some dandelions.

Dauer

[InLove]

Wow--great pics of everyone! Thanks (I had not seen it). Dauer, you actually do look something like I thought you would (in the second picture, not the first!)

You might be surprised how I found Maimonides. LOL--it had always been one of my favorites, and I was SURE that this quote was in Proverbs. So after I searched and searched, I googled the quote, and learned that it was not. Thus, it is a good and true saying, is it not?

As they say here in the Lone Star State--Happy Trails to You!

InPeace,
InLove

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by dauer

...Thanks for the well-wishes. I hope I get to eat flowers, at least some dandelions.Dauer

Dandelion leaves make an outstanding "lettuce" for salads. Just make sure to soak them in cold water for an hour before preparing and serving. Learned that from my neighbors from Italy...

v/r

Q

[dauer]

Quahom,

What happens if they're not soaked?

Dauer

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by dauer

Quahom,

What happens if they're not soaked?

Dauer

oooooh, rather prickly suckers...

[lunamoth]

Dear dauer, have a great summer and retreat! I'm sure it will be a great opportunity for growth for you and I hope you will come back to tell us stories about your experience. I'm outta here for about two weeks myself.

lunamoth

[Bandit]

Originally Posted by dauer

I'm going to be gone May 29th to August 23rd, doing a summer internship at a Jewish spiritual retreat, Elat Chayyim. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! So I'm gonna be gone then. It's an experiential Jewish Renewal retreat. I hope a crazy liberal Jew comes along to take my place on this board while I'm gone.

Dauer

Have fun there Dauer & be safe.

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, dauer!

I don't know how I missed this earlier, but have a wonderful time and a safe trip! I am sure we will all be looking forward to your return and hearing what wonderful stories you will have to bring back!

[InLove]

Or perhaps I should have wished you "Hippie Trails"? (giggle-chortle-snort) Sorry--sometimes I can't help myself...

InPeace,
InLove