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The Ladder



It took me a while to settle on using the ladder/prayer imagery for this week. I kept on fighting it because… well, honestly, I’m not very good at praying. But eventually time ran out and the ladder was the best shot I had. So I decided to animate what I think my struggle with prayer is.

The siddur is a pretty big book, considering how much of it we’re expected to recite every single day. It can be daunting, and thus, I’m often tempted to do the best I can, but basically just do a running jump straight to the top of the ladder. But since prayer is a process through which we move closer and closer to G-d, just Jumping to the top won’t do any good. We have to start at the beginning, look at the world around us and see how the entirety of creation praises the Creator. And slowly we move forward, step by step, rung by rung, and at each step taking the time to experience G-d on a more personal level.

Wow, It actually sounds beautiful to me just writing about it, but for some reason I’m still heavily relating to the stick man. But hey, learning to appreciate the process can also be a process, right? Btw -- perhaps those of you who have an easier/more meaningful time with prayer can give me some pointers.


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Latest Comments:
Posted: Nov 3, 2009
Prayer and praying?
Wow, I was thinking of this more biologically. Sometimes I get too caught up in the words (and sometimes the pronunciation) and forget the point of prayer, to send a message up to G-d, or through to G-d. So I have started praying by just feeling and using that as a communication point to converse with G-d. But, I am a girl. Through research, I have come to the conclusion, alongside those at Chabad, that for whatever reason, girls have an easier time at prayer than boys. I guess we are more inward and spiritual, and prayer is a very introverted thing. Blessings are a different story, though, being the opposite of prayer. :) Maybe you would start with getting inside yourself a little more? I don't know! It was a great animation, though. Profound. I really liked your explanation! :)
Posted By Pam, Hamburg, NY

Posted: Jan 19, 2009
Favorite Topics
Prayer has always been one of my favorite topics for thought and action too. I love this little vignette AND each comment has added something to my appreciation of what it means. Thanks one and all, and what could be better than 'free awesome stuff' except, maybe: 'awesome free stuff'' ;) Just the thought of it makes me want to daven Mincha!!!
Posted By Ednah-Sarah, San Antonio, TX

Posted: Dec 6, 2008
climbing
While there are so mnay obvious and connections between prayer and rising to loftier heights, sometimes i think we spend too much time caught up in metaphores. Perhaps we place to much emphasis on prayer being above us - attainable only through a process that contains, by its very nature, the risk of falling.
The place we are going is always before us and the Holy One of Blessing is always with us. . . so, we can remove the pressure of rising to what seems to be unattainable by placing that metaphorical ladder flat on the ground - focusing our next steps not on the ACT of rising (and possibly falling) but rather, on making each choice and action like another word of prayer. The sought height will be attained through acts, and prayer will be more powerful, as it will eminate not from the desire to attain it, but from within, as the connection would have been earned.
Posted By annonymous


 

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