In the spiritual cycle of the Jewish year, the months of Av, Elul and Tishrei hold a unique power to move, deepen, and subtly transform us. Jewish mystics call it ET RATZON, a time of expanded desire and fluidity, when the gates of the heart are especially open. We both work on the self and transcend the narrowness of the self, melting into the divine. Using kabbalistic and hasidic teachings as our guide, we will plumb the deep rhythms of this season: moving from the shatteredness of Tammuz-early Av, to the transformative dance of Tu B'av, to the deep healing and reconciliation of Elul, to the hushed, melting intimacy of Yom Kippur. We conclude by entering into the healing space of Sukkot: balancing the process of ingathering with the practice of letting go. Our learning will be multi-dimensional: combining text-study with spiritual practices that open the heart. This is learning you can take home: to enrich your own seasonal practice, to better hear the stirrings of the Heart.