The Embodied Jewish Woman with Rena Reiser

Rena guided the group in a meditation focused on grounding and connecting with the body. She emphasized the importance of finding a comfortable position and adjusting it as necessary. She also led the group in an exercise where they focused on their breath and became aware of the overall mood and emotion in their body at that moment. She encouraged the group to stay with the felt sense and to listen with compassion to what it had to say. The goal was for the group to offer compassion and understanding to their body's current state.

Rena guided a relaxation exercise, encouraging participants to become more aware of their body's state and to focus on the sensation of joy, feeling the sense of serving Hashem with joy. She then invited participants to connect with any other emotions present, and to hold both the joy and the other emotions simultaneously, before letting go of the latter. The goal was to create space for both joy and whatever other feelings were present, and notice how by doing so the nervous system shifts into a more regulated state.

Rena led a guided meditation to help participants relax and connect with a sense of security. She invited them to focus on their breath and release tension in different parts of their bodies. She then invited them to imagine themselves being held in Hashem's loving arms, a place of security and safety. Rena encouraged participants to bring their attention to any feelings of resistance or lack of security and to wrap those feelings with the sense of security they were imagining. She also asked them to find a word that captured the sense of security they were feeling, to help them revisit that experience later.

Rena guided a meditation and mindfulness practice. She encouraged the participants to connect with their bodies, focus on their breathing, and become aware of any tension spots in their body. She then invited them to notice the overall mood of their body and to form a felt sense from this mood. The participants were asked to compassionately listen to this felt sense and to ask it what it needs. Finally, they were encouraged to offer this felt sense what it needs, knowing that they can return to this practice at any time throughout their day.

Rena guided the participants through a somatic mindfulness practice aimed at practicing mindfulness and focusing the attention. The exercise involved alternating between intently focusing on a physical object in the room and an internal sensation, emotion, or thought, and then defocusing the attention to take in the surrounding space. Rena emphasized the importance of not forcing the breath or the focus, allowing it to go where it naturally wanted to. Rena then guided the participants through a deep breathing exercise and a body scan, encouraging them to relax and notice any resistance or discomfort they were feeling. She emphasized the importance of trusting and relying on Hashem's love and support. She also reminded the participants that they can always fall back on this inner resource of Hashem's loving presence whenever they need to. Towards the end, she encouraged them to continue focusing on their breath and notice any changes.

Rena guided the group in a somatic mindfulness practice to connect with their bodies and emotions. She invited them to imagine their breath going in and out of their heart space, and to release tension as they breathed out. Then, she invited them to bring the emotion of joy into their bodies, noticing its shape, color, and texture. Rena encouraged the group to become aware of any blocks to joy, and to spend time with these feelings. She also guided them in holding both joy and the other emotion simultaneously, returning to the imagery of Hashem holding them for a sense of safety and security. Finally, she invited the group to ask for anything they needed from Hashem, filling themselves with love and spreading it out to others.

Rena led a somatic mindfulness practice to help the group become more mindful of their bodily sensations and emotions. She encouraged the group to focus on their breathing, notice any physical or emotional tension, and cultivate a sense of compassion for their experience. She then suggested visualizing being held by Hashem for comfort and nourishment. The session ended with Rena inviting the group to check back in with their emotional state and to continue to rest in the supportive and protective space.

In this episode I interview Chaya Bluma Gedenyan, author of children's books, about her journey from hi-tech to doing what she always wanted and living with purpose.