Omer Day 19
4 Iyar 5780, Yom HaZikaron
Tuesday 28 April 2020

Omer Day 19: Splendor within Compassion, Yom HaZikaron

In today’s practice of Hod (humble splendor) within Tiferet (compassion) that aligns with Yom HaZikaron, the Day of Memory, we call in joyous memory of those who came before us alongside a body and heart opening movement practice from Chelsea Taxman, an herbalist, yoga teacher, and former JOFEE Fellow with Eden Village Camp and Hazon. This practice aligns breath, movement, and memory with option of adding sideways arm swings to give your spine a hug.

Chelsea can be followed on Instagram @moon.beam.dreams. Learn more about Chelsea and her work on her website.

☀️Omer Day 19 practice [4 Iyar 5780 | Tuesday 28 April 2020]☀️

  1. Find a place to either stand or sit with nothing around you. Look for a space where you have room to stretch arms out, forward, backward, and overhead without touching anything.
  2. Plant both feet on the ground, with a light bend in the knees.
  3. Take three slow breaths in and out of the nostrils.
  4. Continue to breathe while you gently swing the arms back and forth. Think of someone whose memory brings joy and warmth.
  5. Relax chest, shoulders, and soften tightness around the heart (both your physical and emotional heart). Allow each swing to correspond with deep sigh, melting away tension in the upper chest and arms. Continue to hold the memory of someone special.
  6. Optional: swing arms and body side to side while twisting the spine. 
  7. Find a standing position after you have finished. Pause and notice anything that arises in the body or mind. Keep breathing!

🌀Materials🌀

  • Quiet space with room to stretch arms in all directions
  • Timer

✨Practice Notes ✨

  • Depending on ability/mobility, this practice can be done standing or sitting. 
  • If standing or balance isn’t available to you, sit either on a stool or in a chair without arms to do the practice. Try to find a position that still allows full range of motion around you.
  • Remember to be gentle with yourself. This practice is not suppose to hurt!

☀️ This post is part of our Omer Wellness Series – a daily 7-minute opportunity for introspection and intentional focus on caring for ourselves, each other, and our environment in this incredibly challenging time. ☀️

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