Whether you are Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jewish or Muslim, ancient religions have the potential to teach us lessons rather than simply decreeing old dictums for our modern lives.
In Judaism, days don’t begin at dawn, but rather at sundown. And tonight begins the holiest day of the year for Jews known as Yom Kippur, which translated means, Day of Atonement. Like all religions, Yom Kippur seeks to help followers connect with their god. But unlike other holidays, this one seeks inward reflection, strengthening connections with the people in your lives, and most importantly, forgiving yourself.
The cornerstones of the day are to acknowledge you are imperfect and have done wrong to yourself and others in the past year, that you need to make amends and apologies for those wrongs, and then finally, when the day ends at the following sundown, you can start fresh without burden or guilt, so that you can be a better person and have joy in the year ahead. Every year, but particularly this year, Yom Kippur offers a timeless message.
