Schedule of Typical
Ophanim Workshop (Two-day)
Objectives of the workshop are to learn the basic inner practice and
all basic letter postures and sequences.
The student will be prepared to practice on their own, having done
all the letters required to be in tune with the creation in terms of
the month, the day and the eternal..
Hour 1--- Introduction to meaning of Ophanim ,
relation of breathing and inner awareness to postures. Brief survey
of basic ideas in the Sefer Yetzirah. Meaning of " yud-ke"
or 10/5 breathing, locations of awareness in body, mental vocalizing.
Beginning practice of breathing
Hour 2 ---Continuing breathing practice. Introducing
awareness of 10 regions in body while doing vav position. Introducing
mental vocalizing of "yud-ke"
Beginning to learn the letter sequences: " mothers",
"doubles" and "elementals".
(Note: "doing" a letter means mainly learning the correct
posture and doing at least ten breaths in each posture. Certain
essential qualities and benefits of the letter are also related.)
Doing the mother letter, mem, attempting to integrate breathing-awareness-
mental vocalizing. Variation on the mem, the "flying mem"
Hour 3--- Doing mother letter, aleph, in both
orientations. Doing the vav, working on integration of breathing-awareness-mental
vocalizing. Doing the mother letter, shin, in four orientations.
Return to do letter vav before going into weekday letters. Introduce
concept of "double" letters related to days of the week.
Hour 4---Do double letters: bet, gimel, dalet, and
chaf (extended practice to focus on integration of breathing-awareness-mental
vocalizing.
Hour 5---Begin with short daily routine of vav,
aleph, mem, shin. Do double letters: peh and resh. Do final mem. Do
monthly letter (for present month). Finish with vav. This is a
complete practice for the given time.
Hour 6---Do double letter tav and elemental
(monthly) letters: heh, zayin, and chet.
Hour 7--- Do elemental letters: tet, yud, lamed, and nun.
Hour 8--- Begin with short daily routine of vav,
aleph, mem, shin. Do elemental letters: samech and ayin.
Hour 9--- Do elemental letters: tzadi, moving heh
and moving yud, and final letter: nun.
Hour 10---Do final letters: tzadi, peh and chaf.
Review of any postures.
Hour 11 & 12(optional)---Practice doing the mem
(basic meditation) posture. Continued practice including the daily
routine. Personal initiations in advanced stages of Jewish Prophetic
Meditation (part of teacher-training).