Although I am not Jewish, I have found much nourishment in studying spiritual aspects of Judaism, in particular the Hebrew Alphabet (Aleph Beit). Jewish mystics and scholars believe that God used the letters of the Aleph Beit to bring about creation. Consider the power of the Word.
This morning I spent time with the letter Kaph. It means “palm” as in the palm of the hand. There is power in the hand–we raise a hand in blessing, we use our hands in the act of creating, through the hand healers channel their healing energy–think of Jesus, or Reiki Masters. It is intention, kavannah, that enables this power. Kaph is the first letter of kavannah and, as such, invites us to bring intentionality to our daily actions.
A few hours ago I spent some time doing the domestic thing: folding laundry, doing the dishes, a quick “pick up/put away storm” around the house. The idea of kavannah came to mind and, as I was making the bed, I realized that I can do it grudgingly or with grace. Bringing the intention of love to simple chores transforms them–making our home a blessing. It’s true that this is something I learned at an early age, but it’s something I have to continue to strive to remember. It’s so easy to slip into unconsciousness and go through the actions of every day without awareness.
So, we write. How can kavannah/intention affect this part of our life? What happens when, before we put our palms on the keyboard, we remember that we are instruments of the divine creative Spirit?
This is a re-blog of a post I wrote in July of 2010. As I’ve become more involved in poetry communities, I’d like to add one more thought–the importance of bringing KAVANNAH/INTENTION to our comments. Are comments just to attract more hits, or are they truly there to encourage our fellow bloggers?
Have a wonderful week.
Reference: If you have any interest in learning more about the Hebrew Alphabet, there are a number of books on the subject listed on Amazon.com. The one by Richard Siedman is very accessible. A very erudite scholar, Michael Munk, wrote an in-depth, volume the include Gematria, the study of sacred numbers.
– Victoria C. Slotto
© 2013, essay, Victoria Slotto, All rights reserved
VICTORIA C. SLOTTO (Victoria C. Slotto, Author: Fiction, Poetry and Writing Prompts) ~ is an accomplished writer and poet. Winter is Past, published by Lucky Bat Books in 2012, is Victoria’s first novel. A second novel is in process. Jacaranda Rain — Collected poems, 2012 is available on Amazon, as is the hot-off-the-press nonfiction, Beating the Odds: Support for Persons with Early Stage Dementia. Victoria’s poetry collection and non-fiction book are free to Amazon Prime Members. Link HERE for Victoria’s Amazon page.
The BeZine 
I enjoyed this very much. Victoria, it strikes me that “Intention” is again another way of reminding us of the important place of “mindfulness” or “praciticing the presence” or “living in the now” (living in the moment) in our lives and another demonstration of how a certain basic wisdom is held in common by the many belief systems though culture, language and ritual may differ. A Unity minister with whom I studied years ago when the quality of that movement was very different: the esteemed Eric Butterworth, now gone – once told of going to an interfaith conference in Europe and of how the teachers/ministers/priests et al had endless discussions of this and that but how the monks/contemplitives had no need of discussion. Their understanding, respect, and solidarity arose from their intention and silence, not debate or speculation.
I suspect that presence/intention in the practical things in life is difficult for some creatives. We are always sitting in the lap of our art and craftiness.
The issue of mindfulness in making blog visits and comments is a serious one for hobbiest bloggers to think about. You’ve addressed this before in your work back in our Jingle days (that seems like a lifetime ago) when I interviewed you for my column and then, as now, you were honest and direct. I have always been warmed to read your well-considered comments left behind on the blogs we both follow like perfume on the wind. You, John, Priscilla, Deb, Leslie White, Amy, Liz, Naomi, Blaga (when she was more active), Charlie and Marilynn, and any number of others have a gift for this – and never self-involved.
Thanks you for another lovely contribution.
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Wonderful. I find that performing mundane tasks with loving presence makes your experience one which is full of love. A lovely way to spend your day.
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Thank you Gretchen and Jamie. It amuses me to think that this posted today when I’m having the same sort of day as when I wrote this…laundry, gardening, had to take a dog to pet emergency last night (she’s okay, as of now) and running around un-mindfully. So this is a reminder for me to invite Kavannah in. And I do believe this is the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days, so I wish all my friends (I have many) of the Jewish tradition (and those who descend from them) blessings, Shalom.
Thank you, Jamie, for your thought-provoking comment. You tie it in so well to the recent post on Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God–let’s do it!
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I think that “intention” is lost too easily within the flow of days of people, in general. We allow routine to reign and guide us and then we look back and complain that time flies too fast – without realizing that we let it fly that fast also by not filling it with our intentions. What we fail to understand is that intention and love together are the source of life. The power of a thought, the power of a word, is often underrated – the concept of “being” is lessened and impoverished of its grand attributes when instead of “living” we merely “survive”. The idea of “waking up” thus gains, at least from how I see it, new valences.
You made me think this morning Victoria :). And I thank you!
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