The Secret to Fulfillment Is Through Mindfulness (Ki Tavo 5782)

Mindfulness has become a pop word in modern culture. Made popular in the sphere of wellbeing, meditation and spiritual circles mostly dealing with eastern cultures. Let’s be clear, mindfulness isn’t a new practice. To be mindful is the simple act of bringing awareness to the moment, it’s the mental state of being present. So present in fact, that no feelings, thoughts, or opinions imbed the moment because once that comes in, you are no longer present in the moment. This week’s parsha Ki Tavo tells us the importance of being mindful, present. “And it will be, when you Enter into the land which the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it.” The meaning of the name Ki Tavo is “when you enter”, this is the essence of the parsha. It teaches us that when we come to a place, we should be fully there, we enter, possess it, and settle in it. It’s an immersive experience.

Present Mind and Body

If we want to fully experience life and elevate the parks of holiness available to us it is required that we are present. It is through this act of awareness that we come to appreciate our surroundings and everything bestowed upon us. The submersion of the experience allows us to connect, extract its purpose and elevate it to a higher potential. Entering the land, being present calls for showing up with a specific state of consciousness, the consciousness of the divine soul. To dwell in this act is to surrender the ego, the self. When this self, the emotional self, the animal in us, is quiet down, a true reality will come to light. This is what we all look and long for, to be able to see with clarity, to bring purpose to every moment and every interaction. It is a divine act to bring others, things and yourself to a higher state consistently. This takes a lot of effort. To constantly bring awareness to every moment seems like an impossible task. Yet, the Torah gives us the secret of bringing purpose into our daily lives, the secret to elevate sparks and be changed by the experience; to be present. When we enter everything, be mindful. The fact that is telling us to do this, means it’s achievable.

A Mindful Practice

Every day offers us plenty of opportunities to be mindful. It is not necessary to sit for 10 minutes to meditate. From the moment we wake, open our eyes, we can bring the awareness of being thankful for having woken up, recite the Modeh Ani prayer. Ki Tavo also tells us that this is the first thing we do, we bring the first fruits. It is no coincidence that it’s called that. “And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruits of the ground which you, O Lord, have given to me… Then, you shall lay it before the Lord, your God, and prostrate yourself before the Lord, your God.” When gratitude is the first thought of the day, the first prayer, we start with a positive and get our brain and consciousness to begin a connection. This flow of altered consciousness continues throughout the day with our prayers, bringing mindfulness to eating by blessing our food, having a good intention for our workouts, and smiling at everyone we come across.

Mindfulness Benefits

Having this awareness, to be wholeheartedly present in our day ignites our divine soul. This is how we bring it in and elevate the sparks of our interactions. Besides this holy act, the world is a mirror, if we smile at someone, the heavens smile back at us. We create the energy we want for our day. This is the message of Ki Tavo, Enter into every experience with full presence, with your divine soul. This will bring us to life every day. To master the self is part of the divine mission. Mindfulness is the secret tool to reach the holy land.