Four Steps to Kiddush Consciousness and Four Levels of Shabbat

Four Steps to iddush Consciousness In the biblicalaccount of Shabbat, we find four acts of Shabbat-ing, culminatingwith Kiddush, making holy. These four acts represent four developmental levels of possible Shabbat consciousness for each of us, of which, Kiddush - sanctification of all the four levels of our being - is the goal. Vaye hi erev vaye h.I boker After the sixth full wave of creation, the birthing 0 ~1 Yornhashishi. hasham~-yim v'ha-aretz v'kholtzva-am. convulsions of the heavens and earth COMPLETEd themselves, including all the forces and elements which were to constitute the universe. The creative energy RELEASE d itself from the urge to create with the beginning of the7th cycle. The creative force RESTed upon the 7th wave,basking in the bayom hash'vi-1m1kolm'lakhto array formed by its great surge of creativity. The Creator ':1i::i."':J Elohimat yom hash'vi-i BLESSed the rhythm of seven cycles, infusing the seventh complete cycle with holiness, ·= oto. Ki vo shavat mikolm'lakhto MAKING SACRED its character. asher bara elohim la-asot. For following labor, God rested and consolidated the creative acts which set the universe on the path of its destiny. Translation/Commentary based on the Aquarian Minyan Friday Night Siddur first stage of making Shabbat is to release one)Jj•·· "),: - RELEASE& ,CEASEThe self fro~ the cycles of p~oducing <?nall four levels. 1) Physically, to stop bemg so active. Va-y khUIU Va-y'kha/ 2) Emotionally to stop generating anxiety about deadlines and pressures. 3) Mentally to actively interrupt the thinking process through chant and meditation. 4) Spiritually, to stop drawing down new sparks of light and begin to reflect on the treasures of the accumulated light. REST, REVIVE, ENERGIZE To rest goes beyond mere cessation. To rest is to recharge, to raise the potential energy level, to store vital life energy within. Vayishbotis the verb of Shabbos-ing. I Shabbos; you Shabbos; he Shabboses; she shabboses; we Shabbos; they Shabbos. 1) Physically, to store physical vitality. 2) Emotionally to heal from stress and recover one's full range of feelings. 3) Mentally to restore clarity of mind and ability to stop thinking. 4) Spiritually, to absorb the fullness of accumulated light. 11~;) EXPAND&STRETCH, kh a-y vare Resting and recharging can be done unconsciously. By invoking blessing, we bring awareness and draw special energies into our rest. ........ ·······. 1) Physically, we bless our body's ability to heal. 2) Emotionally we bless the cycle of feelings, knowing that transformation and blessing is hidden in each feeling. 3) Mentally we bless our capacity to know and internalize the universe. ·,;::if 4) Spiritually,we acknowledge our capacity to bring t\ .,,,' transforming energy to those ready to receive. RE-IDENTIF~Y -Va-y'kadaysh Holiness adds another dimension~ the blessing. Although a blessing adds consciousness, awareness, a sense of fullness, and so on, it stops on this side of the holy. By making our experience of the Shabbat "Kodesh" - by making sacred the Shabbat - we add a depth of stillness a dimension of holy vibration which opens up the soul to essential healings from unfathomable realities This experience caps all the others, bringing sacred quality to them all. Four Levels of Shabbat "Observance" BOTTOM LINE SHABBAT This is the "bottom line, below which Shabbat is just not Shabbat in any real, pragmatic sense. Va-y'khal Complete - the many tasks Complete- the one driving force ( RELEASE & CEASE BASIC SHABBAT This is the "basic line," the common understanding of Shabbat which goes beyond the "not doing" of the Bottom-line Shabbat. At this level, Shabbat is experienced as a physical and emotional recharging period. ll)~ ~~l Va-yishbot ( REST, REVIVE, ENERGIZE Rest ADVANCED SHABBAT This is the "advanced line," the sophisticated practice of Shabbat which goes beyond the "receptive" patterns of Basic Shabbat consciousness. At this level, the Shabbat harmonies cause one to fill with spiritual satiation to the point of radiance; to an emotional and psychic overflow in an automatic transmission of loving, blessing consciousness. 11~~1Va-y'varekh (EXPAND & STRETCH Bless HIGH POINT SHABBAT This is the "high point," of Shabbat realization which goes beyond the "radiating" patterns of the Advanced Shabbat consciousness. At this level, Shabbat is like a magical fog of pixie dust which transforms everything and everybody it touches into an other kind of being, an other kind of energy, at once familiar and yet silently awesome. One's ordinary sense of self-body-personality with its personal history time-line and habitual background of the space-time universe is suspended. The mystery is glimpsed, even if for a second. This glimpse/experience/hunch of a feeling may pass in a moment but it is an authentic moment, a real moment. For a moment we are not who we thought we were, but something holy with power, wisdom, and awareness. After this moment there is a next level of spiritual satiation, going beyond the emotional satiation which caused us to bless and include others in our blessing. This spiritual satiation causes a whole, new level of rest, relaxation, acceptance, forgiveness, trust and completion which could last for a month. Hopefully, within that time, one will experience another moment of "Kiddush" of "HighPoint" consciousness which will refresh and build upon the first feelings. \U1\?~1Va-y'kadaysh ( RE-IDENTIFY ) Make holy