Setting Fire To Your Fears
In anticipation of Passover’s ritual cleansing and rebirth, Jews scour their homes to remove every last crumb of leavened bread (Chometz), donating or burning things that they find. Spiritually, Chometz is associated with elements of the ego or subconscious that keeps us constricted or bound. Part of our inner work during Nissan is to burn off all our psychological Chometz.
This Well Circle activity is an act of ritual purification that will guide you in burning your inner Chometz.
Materials
Paper or notebooks
Ceramic mug or bowl
Matches
Pens
Ask everyone to make a list of fears, attitudes, anxieties, or habits that are in some way keeping them hostage.
Put some blank paper in the ceramic vessel and throw in a lit match to start a little fire. When it’s burning, invite each woman in your Well Circle step up to throw in her “little Pharaohs.” (You may want to do this outside.)
As you throw your paper into the fire, recite the following:
If you are the Nissan facilitator, encourage everyone to check in with their bodies as they purify themselves of their “narrow thoughts.”
Some guiding questions:
How does it feel to let go of these limiting beliefs?
Is there any tightness in arms, shoulders, chest, stomach, or fists?
After letting go, how do sensations in the body shift?
Be honest about what the body feels: numbness or other “undramatic” sensations are okay.