by Lee Degani
It has been eleven or twelve years now since I first called on the children I teach to help me. As children receiving their spiritual education they were used to prayers, both prescribed and from the heart. But this would be the first time I would ask them to accompany me on a journey into the spiritual realms. I was at first reluctant but the message from Above came through loud and clear that I was to proceed.
I spared the children the gory details of the annual slaughter of the baby seals for their fur and just said we needed to protect them so they could stay with their mothers. I don’t remember too much about that first journey. But I do remember us working together to build fences made of electrical light around the seals.
What amazed me the most was not only that the children instinctively knew what to do. I was also amazed at the results of our work together. That very first night after our journey, sealing boats were not able to get to the seals. Each time we would journey together there would be a similar situation.
Throughout the years I have called on the children to help with various “projects” and have so many amazing stories I could share. Two years ago with AAMichael’s Peace Initiative I told the children they were once again needed and they would be joining with many adults to help AAMichael. They of course loved hearing this! In addition to our journeys the children also shared their own visions of peace which we later made into a school song. Everything just fit together so perfectly as the name of our congregation, Shirat Shalom, actually means “Song of Peace!”
I was looking forward to sharing with my students that this year “International Peace Day” and the holiday of Rosh Hashanah (a major holiday) both fall on the same day! Since the Jewish holidays follow the lunar calendar and fall on different secular dates each year what are the chances… this has to be a special message for us! But I haven’t had a chance to see the children for a few weeks due to Hurricane Irma.
However I did have a chance to speak to them along with the entire congregation this morning at our Rosh Hashanah service. When it came time for the Peace Prayer all four hundred of us, children and adults, meditated on visions of Peace, each person in their own way. I could feel the power of the children as Peace was brought into the room and all I could do was cry. It took me a few moments afterwards to compose myself and continue with the service.
Perhaps now more than ever, I understand the power we all have when we gather in community. And when we include the children…. well, it seems they are leading the way…
(You tube Video – Visions of Peace by the Children of Shirat Shalom -httpss://youtu.be/9_aRPkJKUSE)
httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_aRPkJKUSE&feature=youtu.be
Lee Degani
Director Infinite Child Institute
www.connectiontohealing.org
We are all Infinite Beings with Unlimited Possibilities!