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Full manual adapted from Ophanim: Yoga of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet — A Practical Guide, Book One, with permission and attribution retained throughout.
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Elemental Letters · Tevet
ע

Ayin — Monthly Letter, Tevet (Sitting Letter)

Attributes

Ayin is a Hebrew word that means both “a source” and “an eye”. This relationship is explained by the fact that the eyes reflect the mind, which is the source of understanding. Ayin is connected with the attribute of wisdom. In current use, Ayin has no pronunciation.

Ayin is related to the first month of winter, the Hebrew month of Tevet. Its sign is Capricorn. It is the third level of Earth.

There are two orientations of Ayin: right and left.

How to do the letter

Right orientation

The Ayin is a version of a spinal twist. Start by sitting on the floor with the left leg folded so that the left foot is placed under the right thigh. The right leg is lifted over the left thigh vertically, while the right foot is planted on the floor with the right knee pointing upward. Twisting your torso to the right, place your hands on the floor on either side of the left foot. The head pivots on the left shoulder to face forward. In that position, do the inner exercise 3-5 times.

Left orientation

To reverse the position of the Ayin, sit on the floor with the right leg folded so that the right foot is placed under the left thigh. The left leg is lifted over the thigh vertically, while the left foot is planted on the floor with the left knee pointing upward. Twisting your torso to the left, place your hands on the floor on either side of the right foot. The head pivots on the right shoulder to face forward. In that position, do the inner exercise 3-5 times.

Additional Points to Note

As this is one of the more difficult letters please note the following points:

  1. It is important to keep your hands flat on the floor on either side of the foot.
  2. If you can not place your hands flat while keeping the other leg upright with its foot planted, relax the pose, bending the upright knee down and resting its foot on its edge.
  3. Work on directing the flow of attention to the ten parts of the body, keeping in mind the additional twists involved.
Photograph of a practitioner performing the Ayin twist, left view, seated with one leg folded and torso twisted.
Ayin: right variation (left view)
Photograph of a practitioner performing the Ayin twist, right view, hands planted on the floor beside the foot.
Ayin: right variation (right view)

Benefits

Doing the letter Ayin provides these benefits: strengthening of the liver and eyesight.

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Text and photographs adapted from Ophanim: Yoga of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet — A Practical Guide, Book One, compiled and edited by Zvi Zavidowsky, Nefesh Haya School of Ophanim and Jewish Prophetic Meditation, Jerusalem, Israel. © 2019, all rights reserved. Published here with permission.