Minding the Temple of the Soul : Balancing Body, Mind and Spirit Through Traditional Jewish Prayer, Movement and Meditation

This new spiritual approach to physical health introduces us to a spiritual tradition that affirms the body and enables us to reconceive our bodies in a more positive light. Using Kabbalistic teachings and other Jewish traditions, it shows us how to be more responsible for our own spiritual and physical health.

Each chapter explores the meaning of traditional Jewish prayers, providing a framework for new thinking about body, mind and soul. Simple exercises and movements help our bodies "understand" prayer, and show how the body's energy centers correspond to the Kabbalistic concept of the ten divine "rays of light," the Sefirot. And meditations and visualizations allow us to further enhance our spiritual awareness.

Using the structure of the Prayer Wheel, readers can move step by step toward wholeness of body, mind and spirit:

• Modeh Ani Awakening our body and our soul
• Mah Tovu Creating a temple for our soul
• Asher Yatzar Focusing on the gift of our body
• Bircat HaTorah Balancing our mind through the gift of Torah
• Elohai Neshamah Connecting with the soul using the Sefirot
• Elu D'varim Walking on a God-centered path

Clearly illustrated with photos and diagrams to guide readers, this active, creative approach allows us to tap the power of the Jewish tradition―to awaken the body, balance the mind and connect with the soul.

Tamar Frankiel, PhD, is recognized as one of the leading teachers of Jewish mysticism today. She teaches Jewish mysticism and comparative religion at the Academy for Jewish Religion, Los Angeles, and is the author of many books, including The Voice of Sarah: Feminine Spirituality and Traditional Judaism. She is coauthor of Minding the Temple of the Soul: Balancing Body, Mind, and Spirit through Traditional Jewish Prayer, Movement, and Meditation and Entering the Temple of Dreams: Jewish Prayers, Movements, and Meditations for the End of the Day (both Jewish Lights). She lectures frequently on topics of Jewish mysticism. Frankiel lives with her husband and five children in Los Angeles.

Judy Greenfeld is second invested cantor at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills, California. She leads the New Emanuel minyan, a weekly progressive prayer service.