The Embodied Jewish Woman with Rena Reiser

Serving Hashem with Joy

Rena led a guided meditation session focused on mindfulness and emotional awareness. She instructed participants to focus on their breath, the sensations in their body, and the sounds around them. Participants were then guided to notice their thoughts and emotions, and how they relate to their overall mood. Rena suggested that participants imagine serving Hashem with happiness, exploring what that would look and feel like. The session ended with an exercise in holding both the participants' current emotions and the idea of serving Hashem with joy, highlighting the paradox of opposites coexisting.

Inner Connection Practice Rena guided the participants through a meditative exercise aimed at relaxing the body and connecting with inner sensations. She instructed the participants to focus on their breath, gradually relaxing different parts of the body and noticing any areas of tension or discomfort. She then suggested a dialogue with these sensations, approaching them with curiosity and compassion, and asking them about their feelings, needs, and what they would like them to know. Finally, she suggested connecting with Hashem, the Source of all energy, for further support.

Meditation for Feeling Supported Rena guided the participants through a meditation focused on feeling supported. She began by encouraging a deep breathing exercise to help relax the body. Then, participants were asked to visualize someone in their life who had always been supportive. The exercise involved recalling what it felt like to receive support from this person, followed by imagining Hashem providing that support multiplied infinitely. The aim of this exercise was to bring a sense of comfort and support from Hashem to the body and mind, which could be called upon whenever needed.

Mindfulness and Body Awareness Meditation Rena led a guided meditation focused on mindfulness and awareness of the body. She began by inviting participants to take deep breaths and focus on their physical sensations. She then guided them through exploring their emotions, tracing the borders of these sensations, and finally focusing on the space around them. Throughout the meditation, she prompted participants to find words to describe their experiences and reflect on the effects of each focus on their bodies and minds. The meditation concluded with participants staying with their physical sensations for as long as it felt comfortable.

Meditation Exercise: Felt Sense and Breath Awareness Rena guided the group through a meditation exercise. She encouraged participants to take deep breaths and focus on the sensation of their breath, allowing their bodies to provide support. Participants were then asked to observe their body's mood, expressing it through their 'felt sense', and to compare this with the sensation of its opposite. Rena suggested that participants stay with these sensations at a comfortable distance, describing the sensations, and noticing their effects on the body. She reminded the group that they could control the pace of the exercise and that she was only there as a guide.

Mindfulness Meditation and Tension Conversation Rena led a guided meditation focused on mindfulness and relaxation. She encouraged participants to take deep breaths, focus on their bodies, and notice areas of tension. Participants were then guided to visualize these areas of tension as separate entities and engage in a conversation with them, asking questions such as how they were feeling, why they were feeling that way, and what they needed. The exercise concluded with participants offering support to these areas of tension and identifying a word or phrase that summarized their experience.

Meditation on Personal Struggles and Support Rena guided a meditation focused on personal struggles and feelings of support. She encouraged participants to focus on their breath, ground themselves, and think about potential worst case scenarios in a controlled and responsible manner. She then invited participants to consider Hashem's infinite capabilities and sense His support, visualizing Him holding them and supporting them through any situation. Towards the end, she asked participants to focus on the felt sense of Hashem's support, find a word or phrase that describes this feeling, and use it as a reminder throughout their day.

Meditation Exercise Guidance Rena guided the participants through a meditation exercise. She began by leading the group through a series of deep breaths and visualizations aimed at relaxing the mind and body. She then encouraged the participants to explore the space around them, both physical and internal, noticing the size, shape, and sensations of objects and internal experiences. Finally, she invited the participants to continue this exercise for as long as it was beneficial to them.

Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness Meditation Rena led a guided meditation focused on mindfulness and emotional awareness. She instructed participants to take deep breaths, pay attention to their bodies, and identify any stuck emotions. She suggested placing a hand on these areas for support and comfort. Rena then asked participants to imagine the opposite of their current emotion, bringing this 'opposite' into their body and observing where and how they felt it. She guided the participants to shift between their original emotion and its 'opposite', noting any changes in sensation or emotion. The meditation ended with Rena encouraging participants to stay with their emotions for as long as felt right for them.

Connecting Body and Emotions Rena guided a meditation practice to connect with the body and emotions. She instructed participants to breathe deeply and focus on their physical sensations before identifying any present emotions or sensations. She then suggested a series of questions to ask these sensations, such as how they were feeling, why they were feeling that way, and what they needed. The goal was to reflect back the responses and observe the feelings in the body, using this information to offer support to the sensations.