“Little by little, wean yourself.
This is the gist of what I have to say.
From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood,
move to an infant drinking milk,
to a child on solid food,
to a searcher after wisdom,
to a hunter of more invisible game.”
This is a quote from a famous poem by the Sufi poet Rumi that echoes the poetry of today’s psalm, the 11th of the Psalms of the Ascents, only three verses long - and one of my favorites.
This psalm includes the recipe for how to meditate and how to wean oneself from attachment to the past or to living in fear of the future: It’s about learning how to be here and now. But you’ll miss it from most English translations. It has to do with one word that is often - I think - misunderstood. And it makes all the difference:
שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ אִם־לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀ וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
A song of ascents. Of David.
O God, my heart is not proud
nor my look haughty;
I do not aspire to great things
or to what is beyond me;
but I have taught myself to be contented
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child am I in my mind.”
Ps 131:1-2
This is the classic translation by the Jewish Publication Society.
But I think it got it wrong by translating the Hebrew word ‘IM’ at the top of the second verse as ‘But’. I think it should say - ‘Had I not’ - which makes a big difference. This way, what the poet says is -- I would not have had the ability to see beyond myself, to see great things -- had I not cultivated the art of contemplation, as a weaned child upon the mother’s lap, so is my mind upon me.”
In other words - the weaned child is connected to the mother but is already individuating. So it is upon our mind when we learn how to practice the ancient wisdom of meditation- here referenced to by its Hebrew name - Shiviti.
My teacher and friend Emma Shamba Ayalon created a beautiful set of cards based on the Psalms - each one a quote from one of the chapters +her original art and translation. You can buy the Psalm Card Set HERE (It's a Hebrew site.)
I also like her translation of these two lines:
“Being! I will not demand elevation nor will I experience Your wonders as if they come out of me.
I will not walk arrogantly,
Seeing myself greater than the others.
Instead, I will hush my soul and free it from any addiction.
Like a weaned baby contently lying in its mother’s arms,
My soul will be weaned.
Then I will be able to experience Your wonders
With an even heart.”
As we move towards the Day of Atonement, in the middle of these painful days, the wise words from these poets are a calm balm, and an important reminder: We have the tools and agency to wean ourselves from inherited truths and attachments that no longer serve us, aligned with what we know will serve our souls, minds and bodies best.
Weaning ourselves from what no longer serves us is our sacred task, every day and especially during these holy days of awe and atonement. It helps when we know that we each get to do it together.
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