Elul Journaling + Other Sacred Practices

 

Chodesh tov! A happy month of Elul!

Elul is the month preceding the High Holiday season that kicks of with Rosh haShanah. Rosh haShanah itself is a type of Rosh Chodesh (new moon celebration) on steroids, of course, as it heralds the coming of the month of Tishrey (which of course follows Elul).

It is customary to use the month of Elul as a preparatory month for the season of t'shuvah (repentance). We use the 30 days to draw closer to God, human relationships and the self, often through the traditional triad of 't'shuvah' (repentance/return), 't'fillah' (prayer) and 'tzedakah' (righteous giving). Over the centuries, Jews have developed many different religious and spiritual practice to add meaning and luster to Elul and to enhance both their soul traits and the sanctity of the season.

Some of the classical sources identify reciting Psalm 27 and blowing the shofar daily as preparatory practices for Elul. Other people will use this time to make amends, offer apologies or fix relationships. This can range from sending an old-fashioned letter to making a phone call, to visiting with someone or even a social media post. Elul is also a time where many people like to send New Year's greetings or read special books in the spirit of the season. Still, another popular contemporary practice is Elul journaling. 

Elul journaling can take many formats: one can journal daily or occasionally. One can journal unscripted or freeform or through designated prompts. One can journal using Psalm 27 as a base or reflect on other texts and prayers. There are special calendars or (downloadable) Elul journals available, including digital 'vaults' where one can send prompted responses which are sent back to you the following Elul so that you can track your spiritual growth. So in this blog post, I wanted to talk about my Elul practices as well as share Elul resources with you. 

1. Journaling: keeping a journal has been an integral part of my life since I was 14. My journaling was never daily but often in response to an event, an experience or a personal or spiritual development in my life. Having kept a journal for 30 years (or rather, a box full of them) has provided me with an invaluable record of how I have grown as a person and journaling has always been a very powerful experience for me. During Elul, I will journal more intensively - though often using the same journal - and reflect on my life. I have used different kinds of prompts over the years: naming specific points of growth or specific relationships; delving deeper into particular theological concepts or using particular texts, such as Psalm 27. My journaling has not always been constant: it is particularly hard to prioritize as a congregational rabbi. Even so, I always have at least some record of what I have chosen to process in preparation for the Days of Awe. 

Instead of a journal, you can also choose to write yourself a letter, seal it and open it next year. 

2. Psalm 27: reading, singing and praying this stunning psalm is an honored Elul custom and there is a great app from the CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbis) to help in the practice. This will be linked in the resources below. Psalm 27 has a variety of themes but many describe the challenge of fraught human relationships and the comfort and grounding we find in the Divine. 

3. Letters and cards: I am a devotee of the handwritten letter and/or card and love both sending and receiving mail. New Year cards are excellent ways to draw loved ones closer or to cement relationships that you might have lost track of. Since I became a parent, I have started including a photocopied/printed detailed letter (with images) of some of my family's high lights during the year. This makes communication efficient, while at the same time I would customize the letter with a few handwritten sentences added onto it that were particular to the person I was addressing. Another format of High Holiday correspondence is the 's'lichah letter': a sincere apology meant to repair a relationship or initiate a meaningful conversation with a person you care about. These kinds of letters can vary in intensity from 'I appreciate you, miss you and would love to connect with you again' to 'I sincerely apologize how I have missed the mark through...' No external party can determine how you would compose and utilize such a letter; it is a deeply individual and personal process of discernment. Still, this can be a very meaningful practice, even if it can be an emotionally challenging one. (And yes, I have had a 's'lichah letter' backfire on me once when I started the practice. T'shuvah is real and messy, folks!

4. Shofar: it is customary to blow the shofar after Shacharit (morning prayers) daily during Elul as a spiritual 'wake up' call to rouse us from our complacency. I am a mediocre ba'alat tekiyah (shofar blower) at the best of times, but blowing the shofar is especially heartening with young children around. And let your children blow too: children have surprising innate shofar blowing abilities! 

5. Reading and study: reading special literature for the season, or revising Maimonides' 'Hilchot T'shuvah' (the Laws of Repentance) can be a power practice. Top tip: if you want to prepare for the lengthy and complex services during the High Holidays, try acquiring (or borrowing) a machzor (High Holiday prayer book) ahead of time for personal study; even if only to understand the key structures of the liturgy. It will enhance your readiness for the season.

6. Music: I enjoy finding musical suitable to Elul and sharing this on social media. This can be Jewish music or more broadly spiritual or religious music. In any case, music can be a powerful way to set our intentions and hone our sense of spiritual intimacy. 

7. Prayer and other spiritual practices: I try to be extra attentive to my prayer life during this season and daven (pray) with more regularity and intensity, as well as create a more immersive prayer experience through movement, music and other tools. I have also developed a private prayer practice specific to Yom Kippur that I will write about separately. If you are thinking about taking on a Jewish prayer practice, the month of Elul is an excellent opportunity. Another spiritual practice I have tried in the past is to go vegan for the entire month of Elul which was an interesting and challenging experience, especially with the rabbinic run-up to the High Holiday season. 

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Resources:

- App: CCAR Psalm 27 app and the corresponding, in-depth book. 

- Book: 'This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared' by Rabbi Alan Lew

- Calendar: Goldherring Jewish planner 5783

- Journaling resources: Elul prompts by Rebekah Lohwin, 'Find Your Way Home' downloadable journal from BJ's (congregation), writing prompts from RitualWell.org, 10Q (ten questions)

- Cards: Ritualwell.org Rosh haShanah cards, ModernTribe selection of cards

- Crafts for families: Days United Rosh haShanah box (good to have before Rosh haShanah starts)