I am a twin. From the point of my conception, I’ve always had company. That can be a good thing – constant companionship – or a bad thing – lack of my own space. This duality plays out in my personality. I’m a classic ambivert, delighting in time with others while needing restorative solitude in equal measure. Perhaps that’s why my time at Mayyim Hayyim is always so perfect.
Coming to immerse each month allows me to find sanctuary in the beautiful space, the predictable ritual of preparation, the sparkling water embracing me, and the quiet time alone for whispered, heartfelt prayers. Yet my time at Mayyim Hayyim also connects me to others in an intimate bond like no other. I feel close to the gracious Guide who warmly welcomes me upon my arrival and quietly pronounces my immersion kosher. In a broader sense, I feel linked to Jewish women spanning generations past who also immersed monthly in mikvaot (ritual baths) around the world. Mayyim Hayyim also helps me encounter men and women fashioning new rituals for today, where immersions mark milestone occasions like healing from illness, family celebrations, personal passages, and even preparation for hospice care and departure from this world.
I was thrilled to be part of the tenth cohort of Mayyim Hayyim Mikveh Guides – 16 men and women who have been training for the past two months to be stewards of this precious space and shepherds of all those who enter it. We will now be tasked with preserving the beautiful duality of the mikveh experience – ensuring that all who enter feel confident in their personal journey while supported by their Guide, the Mayyim Hayyim community, and the Jewish people.