By Jill Housen

Counting the Omer, or the 49 days between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot, is special for me. It is one of the few times I intentionally slow down and make space to prepare my mind and spirit to receive the Torah. 

This year was more challenging than others with new responsibilities added to my already busy schedule, and sometimes I did not meet my set time for prayer and counting. What I learned through this experience was to let go of expectations of perfection and to be more engaged in what was happening during the process of the actual meditation.  

I questioned if it was possible to infuse this spiritual nourishment into my everyday life. This year I purchased a workbook, a 49-day self-care immersion. I found this grounded me while counting the Omer. Every day there was a prompt with an activity tied to the teaching.  

Linking action to the teaching helped me incorporate my meditation into making lifestyle changes. I hope next year those who have not experienced counting the Omer will join me on this 7-week journey of growth and transformation.