Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We begin by gathering around a single question: What do we need in order to sustain our sacred purpose?
- I received Kohenet smicha from The Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute in July 2017.
- The chorus of voices affirming that I am a Kohenet was recorded during the ceremony.
- The Torah reference about ceasing from work comes from Breishit 2:2.
- My understanding of Jewish people as “people of the book, body, and earth” has been informed by a number of sources and teachers; notable among them is Rav Kohenet Taya Mâ.
- Though I have come to understand that many somatic therapists and practitioners have written about the way that trauma can cause people to dissociate from their bodies, I learned it from a variety of sources and forums, none of which credited a source.
- The Kabbalistic concept of the Four Worlds is outlined in greater depth here.
- Octavia Raheem is an embodied practitioner and author who you can learn more about here.
- Asher Yatzar by Dan Nichols
- Helen Marie is a psychotherapist who you can learn more about here.
- The story of Reb Zusha is paraphrased from Martin Buber's Tales of the Hasidim.
- I learned the concept of makom kavuah (our fixed place) from Rabbi David Jaffe, Founder of Kirva, during a session about the Mussar concept of anavah (being right-sized).
Check out the Rest to Return webpage for photos, info about the Rest to Return retreat, and more!
If Rest to Return has evoked something in you, if these episodes have helped you slow down, breathe a little deeper, or reconnect with what matters most, you might be interested in Rest to Return: A High Holiday Deceleration Retreat, which I'll be co-hosting this September. Nestled amidst New England beauty, 25 Jewish leaders - some Jewish professionals, some people who are Jewish and leaders - will gather for a retreat centered around rest as a form of teshuvah, returning to ourselves. Through creativity, reflection, and connection, we'll immerse in slowness and spaciousness as a way to prepare ourselves for 5787. If you're a Jewish leader and you've been longing for something like this, check out www.keshirahalev.com/sacredpause to learn more and express interest before July 10.
This episode is brought to you by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rest to Return exists because we believe slowing down is a spiritual act. IJS believes that too. For over two decades, IJS has been helping people go deeper, through Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative prayer, sacred text study, and embodied practice. Their offerings range from online courses and silent retreats to immersive cohort programs for seekers of all experience levels, clergy, and spiritual leaders who are ready to live and lead from a more grounded place. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is part of IJS’s core faculty, and the wisdom you'll hear in this series is very much in that spirit. If this podcast is stirring something in you, IJS is a place to go further. Explore their programs, and more ways to learn and practice with Keshira, at jewishspirituality.org, including:
- View the latest offerings from IJS in our program catalog
- Join Keshira and others on retreat this August: Returning Anew
- Learn more about Shevet, IJS's community for younger adults (20s-30s)
- IJS has several online free practices with Keshira and our other faculty including our live Daily Sit, our weekly Shevet Sit for younger adults (under 40), and monthly Affinity Sits for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information.
- Join our mailing list to be notified about our upcoming fall courses, including Keshira's Earth, Moon, Mindfulness year-long class.
