T’shuvah visible looking down as again and again we carefully crossed the meandering brook, Autumn sun glistening on bright wet leaves, our boots and hearts imprinting prayers of our own with each step, sinking into raw umber mud.
As body, mind, heart and soul preparation for Yom Kippur, we took a Shabbat
T’shuvah hike, awed by Creation renewed for another year, blessed to
witness change with our ears, eyes, noses, inhaling the sweet scent of balsam,
the pungency of moldering leaves and fungi.
With each turn, another sighing release, maple, ash, birch, gracefully letting go, ever so gently without a hint of breeze to assist, just letting go; making space for prayers to echo through eternity.
Looking
up through the forest canopy I thought of Neilah,
and saw that heaven’s gates were not, are not anywhere near closing. That is
not to say chapters in our lives do not end, that life clothed in the fragile
vessels of our human bodies does not end, rather, while we are here, in
human form, the Source of all Being does not close gates, will not shut us out
or withdraw compassion. Yet is up to us to listen, see, smell, feel, taste;
immerse ourselves in the fullness of each moment we have been granted.
We must re-imagine "the gates," as an invitation to walk through, stand, sit, be, live with wisdom, courage and kindness, love fully, thankful for blessings, great and small, albeit sometimes hidden in challenges and sorrow, still freely given each day. When our hearts are open, it is clear that the gates are too.
*tefilot - Hebrew - prayers
davenen- Yiddish -praying
t’shuvah- Hebrew - turn/return
Yom Kippur- Hebrew - Day of Atonement (or At -Onement)
Shabbat T’shuvah- Hebrew - Sabbath of Return
neilah- Hebrew - literally "closing gate"
Neilah is also the name of the closing service of this Jewish Holy Day.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Welcome
to Week Seventy-Two of
I
Heart Macro
"Pure
awareness transcends thinking... It allows you to look at the world once again
with open eyes. And when you do so, a sense of wonder and quiet contentment
begins to reappear in your life."~Mark Williams and Danny Pennman, from Mindfulness An
Eight-Week Plan For Finding Peace In A Frantic World
It is time for YOU to share the love up-close with YOUR
I Heart Macro offerings!
Beautiful! As usual :-)
ReplyDeleteZQ
Beautiful thoughts around this time...and your images are so uplifting and spiritual...I also feature a dew covered flower.
ReplyDeleteYour photos definitely do justice to this beautiful time of year.
ReplyDeleteA lovely walk Laura, with many beautiful sights to see. Thank you for sharing your wise words with us and your always gorgeous photographs.
ReplyDeleteYour words and beautiful photos lift the heart, as always. I could feel your soul soaring as you rounded every curve and saw each new vision of beauty. Loved this!
ReplyDeletenice shots, the leaves sure do have some great colours now.
ReplyDeleteletting go to make space for prayers to echo through eternity...i like the thought of that...beautiful pics...
ReplyDeleteStunning photos!
ReplyDeleteWonderful autumn photos. I love the water drops and the leaves. I wish you a great week, Laura!
ReplyDeleteHi! Nice collection of colorful autumn leaf photos. Your macro photos are very cool. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous series of photos! Real autuum feeling!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots, a palette of nature's colors....
ReplyDeleteWhat a journey you taken us on. We don't have to look far to see the beauty all around us.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post Laura........your forest looks amazing.....thank you!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Ruby
Beautiful fall colors! Wish you a nice week! Greetings from Romania!
ReplyDeleteFall is certainly a time for celebration, and also self-introspection, and forming a new connection with our Creator. The flame-colored trees are magnificent, fall color has not come yet to my area.
ReplyDeleteYour post always an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by, Laura. Have a great week ahead.
You have excelled yourself with this post Laura.
ReplyDeleteLovely images! Thanks for hosting, Laura.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics Laura! Great talents in photography!
ReplyDeleteHank
Stunning shots - such works of art!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures and thoughts Laura. A lovely meditative blog hike. Thanks for it.
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos Laura. I feel like I have been on a beautiful journey!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed thoughts and gorgeous fall images.
ReplyDeleteVery nice captures! Andy
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour take on the fall forest feeds. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteA very nice photo serie..great job ...
ReplyDeleteBest regards, Karin
Thank you for the meditation Laura and for the beautiful Autumn pictures. I tend to feel like Autumn is an end to something, but your words and pictures make me realize that it is a new beginning.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting; I am happy to be back to this lovely meme.
Beautiful post, Laura!
ReplyDeleteLove the forest scenes and colors..Lovely images, Laura!
ReplyDeleteI never tire of observing the tiny details of creation that surround us.
ReplyDeleteI love your macros of the beautiful fall leaves and rain drops, Laura
ReplyDeleteSpeechless..... Incredible Shots....too good....:)
ReplyDeleteI love with your first shot!
ReplyDeleteI love this time of year!!
ReplyDeletegorgeous captures! love the droplets!
ReplyDeletei always enjoy your photos and your words.
I love all the leaves! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThose photos are incredibly amazing, the light and textures are great. I wish i can have access to an area like that here, but we have to go out from the city just for that.I miss the woods too, though we don't have much of your colors here in the tropics. Thanks also for the words of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely words on my blog and for your invitation to "I Heart Macro". I love to participate!
ReplyDeleteYour pics are gorgeous. My favorite one is the one with the red tree! ♥
Best,
Jessica
Great pictures and writing.
ReplyDeleteLoving your droplets and fall colors! I miss them so much!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully heartfelt thoughts and photos.....hug... Michelle
ReplyDelete"The love up close... We must re-imagine "the gates," as an invitation to walk through, stand, sit, be, live with wisdom, courage and kindness, love fully, thankful for blessings, great and small, albeit sometimes hidden in challenges and sorrow, still freely given each day. When our hearts are open, it is clear that the gates are too"....
ReplyDeleteYou have said words of great wisdom that touched me and I will gladly think of their meanings and I will like to quote them, (in one day) if you will allow me...
Have a sunny autumn for yourself and the whole family, too.
Incredibly beautiful pictures! Love all the ones with water drops!
ReplyDeleteDropped by for your sky shots but fell in love with your macro shots!!
ReplyDeleteWow...amazing...so much of natures own artwork...it can't be beat.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the invite to add my photos of the dragonflies...will do.
Stunning photos!
ReplyDeleteGreat autumn colours.
ReplyDeleteSydney – City and Suburbs
Beautiful as always, Laura. I love the droplets on the leaves.
ReplyDeleteVery colorful macro shots.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post Laura, you truly can find so much in nature if you take the time to look. Those photos of the leaves covered in water droplets are divine!
ReplyDeleteAs always, thanks for sharing with us at Reconnect with Nature. xx
Beautiful shot Laura, you truly can find so many things in nature if you take the time to look. The images of the water droplets on the leaves are divine!
ReplyDeleteAs always thanks for linking up with us at Reconnect with Nature. xx
Beautiful photos - all of them! Those various raindrops are so lovely.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post with lots of beautiful colours
ReplyDeletewhat amazing shots of an absolutely stunning spot! I especially love the water (dew?) on the leaves and the almost x-ray lighting on them too.
ReplyDeleteI love your post, Laura, I'm so fond of your pictures... I specially enjoy the one with a little star of light reflected on the water between leaves ; it touched my heart.
ReplyDeleteNo macro for me this week, I can't go out without my car (knee trouble in cause, *sigh*), and it is not vetry practicle to find subject for inspiration, using a car to go outside...
Very interesting these exquisite works Delicious autumn! I love the delicacy in the first.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful series of photos.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos once again, lovely also in BW
ReplyDeleteI thought I already wrote a repu, Lovely photos nce again, also in BW.
ReplyDeleteAwesome forest shots. Love the leaf photos..
ReplyDeleteLaura, your captures of autumn are brilliant, right down to the stars shining on fallen leaves. They encapsulate the very essence of the season.
ReplyDeleteAlways beautiful macro shots here and love how you incorporated the Yiddish meanings into the photography ~ blessings to you ~
ReplyDeleteartmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)