The Embodied Jewish Woman with Rena Reiser

From Holding Tension to Feeling Held In this episode, I guide you through a gentle yet powerful somatic mindfulness practice, inviting you to connect with your body in a new way. Together, we'll explore tension, not to force it away, but to meet it with curiosity and presence. With the support of your own hands, you'll learn to tune in to what your body is asking for—whether it needs containment,...

Holding Yourself with Mature Love: A Guided Somatic Practice In this guided practice, I invite you to settle into a space of gentle support. With one hand over your heart and the other on your stomach, we begin by connecting to the breath—just as it is—without needing to change or force anything. Together, we explore what it feels like to release just a little more, to feel the support beneath you...

Held by Generations: A Guided Practice in Support and Connection In this guided practice, I invite you to settle into a space where you feel most at ease. Through breath, awareness, and connection, I guide you to soften into the present moment, allowing your body to release even just a little. As you breathe, you are reminded that Hashem is breathing life into you with each inhale, sustaining you...

Finding Balance Between Tension and Ease In this episode, I guide you through a gentle somatic practice to explore both tension and ease in your body. By bringing compassionate awareness to these sensations, moving between them, and holding space for both to coexist, you'll expand your capacity to connect with your body and its wisdom. This practice invites you to meet yourself as you are and noti...

In this week's episode of Parsha, Parts, and Polyvagal - Connecting Torah Insights to Your Inner World and Nervous System , we delve into a powerful insight from Parshas Va'eira. We explore the pasuk: "But they did not listen to Moshe, because of their shortness of breath and hard labor" (Shemos 6:9). Together, we unpack the layers of meaning behind this pasuk through the lens of Rashi and the Mah...

In this episode, I guide you through a somatic mindfulness practice centered on exploring your relationship with space—both expansive and contracted. Through gentle breathing, movement, and visualization, we'll notice how your body responds to taking up more space and to drawing inward. Together, we'll create a safe space to explore the emotions and sensations that arise, allowing them to simply b...

In an effort to bring the power of Transforming Touch® to the frum world, I invited my teacher, Dr. Stephen Terrell, to be interviewed on this podcast, which is made specifically for Jewish women. My main question for Dr. Terrell is: Why is Transforming Touch® so disproportionately popular in the frum world? Here are some of the things we discuss: Dr. Terrell's journey as a trauma therapist and th...

In this episode, I guide you through a grounding somatic mindfulness practice that invites you to connect with the intricate systems of your body—your heartbeat, digestion, breath, muscles, and bones. Through gentle awareness and intentional focus, we'll explore how each part contributes to your aliveness and support. Together, we'll offer gratitude and care to the body, noticing how it feels when...

In this episode, I guide you through a gentle somatic mindfulness practice to help you reconnect with your body, breath, and inner sensations. Together, we'll explore how to slow down, tune into the support beneath you, and ask your body the compassionate question: "How am I doing right now?" This practice invites curiosity and acceptance as we listen for subtle answers from within, offering your...

In this episode of Parsha, Parts, and Polyvagal: Connecting Torah Insights to Your Inner World and Nervous System we explore Yaakov Avinu's poignant moment as he gathers his sons to reveal the time of the Geulah—and why Hashem prevents him from doing so. What was Yaakov's intention? How does it connect to our lives today? The Sifsei Chaim offers a powerful analogy: just as a doctor explains every...

This week on Parsha, Parts, and Polyvagal: Connecting Torah Insights to Your Inner World and Nervous System w e dive into the story behind the Greeks' decree for the Jews to inscribe on the horn of an ox that we have no portion with Hashem. As we unpack its meaning, it becomes deeply personal and relevant to our inner world. The Greeks misunderstood something crucial: that no sin, no mistake, no f...

In this first episode of Parsha, Parts, and Polyvagal , we explore Parshas Vayeshev and Yosef HaTzaddik's journey—where even in his darkest moment, Hashem's kindness showed up in the smallest detail. Yosef couldn't control being sold to the Yishmaelim, yet the pasuk tells us something striking: the caravan carried fragrant spices instead of the usual foul-smelling cargo. A seemingly small kindness...

Exploring the Block to Forgiveness In this meditation, you are invited to explore the path to forgiveness, focusing on a situation that carries a moderate emotional charge. Guided by Rabbi Jacobson's 60-Day Journey, this session gently helps you uncover what stands between you and forgiveness. You'll bring to mind a situation where someone has hurt you, notice where and how the pain is held in you...

The Gate of Tears: The Path to Repair In this meditation, you are invited to connect with a place in your life that feels broken or in need of repair, gently acknowledging the emotions that arise. Guided by Rabbi Jacobson's 60-Day Journey, we explore the concept of the Gate of Tears, a path to healing even when something feels irreparable. You'll reflect on a situation that feels beyond mending, w...

Aligning with Your Elul Intentions This meditation invites you to pause and reflect on your journey through the month of Elul. You'll begin by taking deep, grounding breaths, allowing your body to gently settle into the moment. As you relax, you'll connect with your progress during this sacred time, without judgment, simply noticing what arises. Through mindful awareness, you'll explore what you n...

Unmasking Your True Self This meditation invites you to explore the spaces in your life where your inner self and outer actions may not align, helping you gently unmask your true essence. Through deep, grounding breaths and mindful awareness, you'll reflect on moments where you felt a disconnect between what you intended and how you actually responded. By tuning into the sensations in your body, y...

Creating Space for Patience This meditation invites you to explore your feelings of impatience and bring a sense of calm and patience into a situation in your life where you've been longing for change. Grounding yourself with deep breaths and mindful awareness, you'll gently connect with the sensations of impatience in your body, noticing how they manifest. Through compassionate listening, you'll...

Connecting to The Part of You That is Holy In this meditation, you will be guided to explore what lies between you and your connection to your holy self. Inspired by  Rabbi Simon Jacobson's 60 Day Journey , this practice will help you tap into any emotions, sensations, or memories that reveal the obstacles standing between you and the part of you that is sacred. With compassion, you'll allow these...

The Power of Letting Go This meditation invites you to explore the power of letting go, inspired by the 9th of Elul and themes from Rabbi Simon Jacobson's  60 Day Journey . You'll begin by grounding yourself through deep breathing and relaxation, then reflect on a time in your life when you gained something valuable by letting go. As you connect with this memory, you'll notice how it feels in your...

In this meditation, you will embark on a gentle journey to meet Hashem in the field, allowing you to connect deeply with your inner self. You'll begin by relaxing your body and becoming aware of the sensations, emotions, and thoughts that arise as you prepare for this sacred encounter. As you approach Hashem, you'll explore what your heart truly desires to ask of Him and notice how this request re...

In this meditation, you will be guided to connect with both yourself and others through the power of compassion and consolation. You'll start by relaxing your body and grounding yourself in the present moment. Then, you'll bring to mind someone in your life who may be going through a difficult time, offering them your presence and understanding. As you console them in your mind, you'll notice how...

Teshuva: Finding What's Missing This meditation invites you to slow down and connect with what's truly in your heart. You'll begin by gently relaxing your body and reflecting on a recent situation where you didn't quite act as your best self. Through mindful awareness, you'll explore the sensations in your body connected to that experience and uncover what you really needed in that moment. As you...

Rosh Chodesh Elul Renewal  In this special Rosh Chodesh Elul guided somatic mindfulness practice with Rena, you'll be gently led to connect with your body and explore how it's holding the challenges in your life. Through simple breathing and relaxation, you'll create space to just be with these feelings without trying to change them. As you settle into this awareness, you'll also be invited to sen...

Mindful Week Completion In Rena's guided somatic mindfulness practice, we started by taking deep breaths, allowing our inhales to go as deep as our bodies were willing, and extending our exhales. We tuned into our bodies, feeling the support of the surface beneath us, and allowed ourselves to sink into it. We then brought to mind everything that needed to be done to finish off our week, noticing t...

Embodying Relaxing and Trusting Hashem During our guided somatic mindfulness practice with Rena, we took a journey inward to become more embodied. We began by taking deep breaths, inviting our breath to signal that it was okay to slow down, relax, and let go. We allowed our bodies to settle into the surface beneath us, feeling thoroughly supported. Rena asked us to recall a time when we struggled...