From the author of One God Clapping: The Spiritual Path of a Zen Rabbi comes an examination of the Jewish ritual of the Days of Awe, celebrated approximately from mid-August to mid-October. Allan Lew's insight as to the dark shadows of the soul is applicable to people of all faiths; too often those dark places are ignored, not examined, certainly not accepted. One cannot overcome what is not acknowledged. Instead, people worldwide tend to project their own shadows on groups they label "other," be they gay, lesbian, the homeless, people of other races or beliefs - whatever group we pick to demonize.
Lew,
a self proclaimed Zen Rabbi, takes his readers through rituals that acknowledge
the flaws inherent in each of us, the acceptance of which stops the feeding of
those failings by putting energy into their denial, ending in a renewal that
fills the individual with new hope for the coming year. He fills his books with
rabbinic stories and Eastern mysticism for a wonderful blend of the best of both belief systems. For anyone with the slightest interest in spiritual improvement, this book is highly recommended. Lew's style is easy to read and will impact the reader in a profound way.