The Center for Jewish Mindfulness Chicago
When we began the Center for Jewish Mindfulness in April of 2011 we knew that this practice had the potential to reach many people across the diverse Jewish community of Chicago. What we had no idea of was how many different synagogues would want the CJM to offer programs in Jewish mindfulness practice at their shuls.
Since beginning, in addition to having regular Jewish mindfulness meditation groups in Chicago and the suburbs, that are attended by people across the denominations, forms of observance, ages, and genders, we have run programs at Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Orthodox and non-denominational communities. We find that at each synagogue, it makes sense to make the practice manifest in a different way appropriate to the culture and norms of that community. However, in each community the practice is still the same: Jewish living as a mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness itself is not a practice that is specific to any religious tradition. Rather, mindfulness is a human capacity. At the CJM, we harness the powerful techniques of mindfulness with the profound intellectual, ethical, and spiritual sensibilities of Jewish tradition. This approach, which we call Torah and Mindfulness, facilitates a lived Judaism that is grounding and inspiring, while spurring us to grow ethically. We believe that Jewish Mindfulness must open us up to others and eventuate in engaged action.
Mindfulness is a way of directly relating to, and working with, our moment-to-moment experience. When we are mindful, our awareness is flush with the ever-unfolding present moment. Over time, we cultivate a capacity for staying aware, awake and responsive. We teach people how to develop this capacity during periods of meditation but that the ultimate practice of mindfulness occurs in our everyday lives.
What we are finding is that across the Jewish community of Chicago, no matter how people are affiliated (or non-affiliated) there is a hunger to find Jewish living that really speaks to, and supports the experience of being a human being.
Jewish mindfulness practice responds to this hunger with a practice that is accessible and effective.
