As Thanksgiving approaches, we’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude. It’s an interesting practice to be thankful for our whole selves and whole lives—even the parts that cause us suffering and we’d rather do without.

Part of creating the JMC as a place in the neighborhood was to disconnect from the notion that spirituality is a rare and isolated experience. We want the sacred messiness of our lives to be reflected in our spiritual journey and exploration. We want to strengthen our practice so that we can hold that messiness in gratitude, to fully integrate the beautiful, perfect, pure moments of bliss and love and divinity with the complimentary brokenness and searching of daily life.

It’s our aspiration that as we connect to our breath, to community, and to God, we learn and grow and fill up with a sense of gratitude that heals our lives and hearts. It is a Tikkun Olam practice, from the inside out.

It’s been our experience that our generation wants a new kind of spirituality—a spirituality that focuses less on one central, charismatic leader, and more on multi-focal leadership and open-source collective resource sharing. We host weekly sitting meditation, meditation-infused happy hours, walking meditations across the Brooklyn Bridge, outdoor sits, “sit & knits” and ongoing, lively discussions and connections via our blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

We hope you’ll join us at the upcoming Winter Meditation Retreats at Isabella Freedman and at Jewish Meditation Center of Brooklyn weekly sits, guest teachings and events. Check out our calendar!)

We are also working with Isabella Freedman to bring more meditation options to the larger Jewish community, and we’d love your help: please reach out and contact us with any ideas you might have about what kinds of retreats or events you’d like to see in the future!

With much gratitude to the Isabella Freedman community, with wishes for a truly happy Thanksgiving, and with many blessings from Brooklyn,

Alison Laichter and Yael Shy
Co-Directors
Jewish Meditation Center of Brooklyn
www.jmcbrooklyn.org

In meditation at Lake Miriam.