à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Judaism
Remembering a Holy Maverick: Encounters with Reb Zalman (z”l)
The world lost one of its luminaries, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (z”l), in early July. At a moving celebration of his life last weekend, I recalled a few of the more powerful times when my life intersected with this amazing being, with a “heart as big as the world”, if not as large as the cosmos. Grief introduced me to … Continue reading
Feldenkrais and the Coleman Camp Stove
During my last minute road trip, I booked lodging in Polebridge, MT, on the edge of Glacier National Park, less than 24 hours in advance. That I found a funkily furnished ger, a round tent-like structure created in Mongolia, with a real bed, a private compost toilet and an outdoor shower on short notice, thrilled me. I could enjoy the … Continue reading
Feldenkrais and Freedom
“Without learning to know ourselves as intimately as we possibly can, we limit our choice. Life is not very sweet without freedom of choice.” – Moshe Feldenkrais Last fall, after a Rolfer advised me to wake up my left pinky toe to heal my tendonitis, I recommitted to daily foot exercises. Not long after, warming … Continue reading
Lessons from a Purim Mask
“There is a face beneath this mask, but it isn’t me. I’m no more that face than I am the muscles beneath it, or the bones beneath that.” ― Steve Moore, V for Vendetta Last night I celebrated Purim, the Jewish holiday commemorating the community’s survival in ancient Persia despite a plot to destroy it. … Continue reading
Budapest: Beauty or Beast?
It’s Halloween, a chance to contemplate what is more creepy: a truly beautiful person masquerading as a hideous beast, or an attractive costume that camouflages beastly hate? Two very different news items on Hungary, one on beauty, the other on beastliness, grabbed my attention in the last week. The first, the results of a Conde … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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