May, 2012

I hope that this newsletter finds you well. These days the birds outside my office sing enthusiastically throughout the day and even part of the night. At the same time, life somehow seems  increasingly complex with each passing day. Does this feeling resonate for you?

In the Jewish world, the month of April included final preparations and then the celebration of the week-long Passover holiday. The preparations were both physically and spiritually intensive, and yielded rewards in both dimensions as well.

The following week we observed Holocaust Remembrance Day, the week after, Israel’s Memorial Day, and  the next day, the 64th anniversary of Israel’s Independence Day. The transition between Memorial Day and Independence Day invariably feels abrupt. We move from a state of mourning to celebration with no time in between.

A friend remarked that this is not unlike life, which often doesn’t offer us time to process the many transitions that affect us, regardless of whether we’re conscious of them.

Transitions, including those experienced on a national, community, or simply personal level can contribute to an increased sense of complexity in our lives.

Plus, we all know that transitions can be stressful.

Yet, we don’t often have tools for coping with such changes, let alone for how to integrate them gracefully into our lives.

As I discussed in an article I wrote on Transition back in 2003, I’ve found Focusing to be invaluable in dealing with many of my own personal transitions.

My Own Personal Transition

12 years ago, I returned to my home in Berkeley, CA from my first trip to Israel having decided to move to Jerusalem. After moving, I found what turned out to be a wonderful home/office for myself.

Now, after 9 1/2 years, my apartment has been sold, necessitating another move. As apartment rentals in Jerusalem go, some say I’ve been quite lucky to have been able to stay in the same home for so many years.

This doesn’t, however, make the prospect of my imminent move any easier. As my breathing tightens, I remind myself that it’s time to do some Focusing– to sense inside, to give myself the time and space to better understand what my present concerns of the moment actually are, as opposed to what I might think that they are.

Sure enough, as I allow my inner thoughts and feelings to bubble up, sitting with them in a respectful, spacious manner, clarity comes, somehow simplifying what had previously felt like a convoluted collection of thoughts and worries. And with clearness, comes a welcome sense of solidity.

Are you going through a transition? Please click here to learn how Focusing might help you to grow and heal as you traverse whatever challenges you might be facing at this time.

I wish you all the best in navigating whatever transitions you might currently be facing in your life.

Some Quotes on Simplicity
Following are a few quotes on the value of simplicity, that can serve as helpful reminders when life threatens to feel overly complicated.

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”    Albert Einstein

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”    Yiddish Proverb

About the photos
All photos were taken by the author in Jerusalem area parks in the Spring of 2012.

The photo of the tree was taken at Har HaRuach (Spirit Mountain) a nature area near Jerusalem