Elul 5. Preparing ourselves for a healthy New Year

Rabbi Stephen Roberts recently shared the following on a rabbinic listserv and, with his permission, I share it here. He writes:

For many years one of my "spiritual" practices during Elul has been my annual physical exam. It is a good way for me to make sure that I keep taking care of my body "religiously." I encourage you to incorporate this into your own spiritual practices.

What good advice! It's advice that I need to hear - I left it 4 years before finally catching up on medical check-ups last Fall.  The Jewish New Year is a time to re-center, return to our core, and find our way back to a balanced life. Taking responsibility for our physical health, particularly with preventative measures, is so easy to leave for ‘when we have more time.’ But ‘if not now, when?’ Elul is a good month to take the time to care for mind, body, and spirit.  To enter the New Year rededicated to living a centered and God-connected life, we need to do whatever we can to maximize the health of our bodies - the holy vessels that enable us to do our work in the world.

If you have other suggestions of activities and practices that can help to re-center our bodies – practices that have helped you, please share your stories and ideas here, by clicking on ‘comments’.
Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz