The Advocate

(Art by Ashvin Harrison) “Are you happy?” “In all honesty? No. But I am curious – I am curious in my sadness, and I am curious in my joy. I am everseeking, everfeeling. I am in awe of the beautiful moments life gives us, and I am in awe of the difficult ones. I am transfixed by grief, by growth. It is all so stunning, so rich, and I will never convince myself that I cannot be somber, cannot be hurt, cannot be overjoyed. I want to feel it all – I don’t want to cover it up or numb it. So no, I am not happy. I am open, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” ― Bianca Sparacino, Seeds Planted in Concrete Take note and take care.

Devekut : literally means dedication but traditionally refers to cleaving to God. In ancient Hebrew, to cleave is to become close, to join with, to adhere, to abide fast together, to follow. In religious Judaism and in academia, it's most commonly associated with the philosophical and mystical understanding of cleaving or attaching oneself to God in all areas of life. It can also refer to a deep, trance-like meditative state attained during prayer, Torah study, or when performing the 613 mitzvot. While it's particularly associated with the Jewish mystical tradition, in modern Israeli Hebrew, it's also often a synonym for dedication towards a particular goal. Devekut is that moment of silence when your mind is completely open, listening to your spirit harmonize with the world around you. It can appear as a sudden flash or a quiet realization, and all your misconceptions fall away until the only thing that remains is a feeling of pure connection with whatever you choose to fo