Every year when we come to the month of Virgo, or Elul, we speak about how what we do in this month will affect not just this month, but also, the entire next year to follow. What we do in the month of Virgo, how we prepare and transform in this month, is what our upcoming year will be.
The month of Virgo is called the month of teshuvah, the month of transformation, a cleansing of things from the past… especially from the past year. And in order to begin this process, what we have to keep in mind is that the person we're meant to be over the next year is not simply a better version of ourselves. The person we are meant to be in the next year is not one who is just a little bit better and has a smaller amount of blessings, or one who is a little less angry or judgmental. Who we want to be in this next year is a person so transformed from where we are right now that we can't even imagine that person.
Forget about how you'll get there or when you'll get there; the seeds that we want to plant as we begin this month so that the next year will be a completely different year, have to begin with the view of ourselves and what we want to become that is beyond logic. Don't limit it by saying it makes sense that I'll be able to change a little bit in this way, or I'll be able to draw a small amount of blessings in this area, because the kabbalists say that our next year cannot be any greater than the seeds that we plant in this month. So, if our view of ourselves, what we want to change, and who we want to become is limited in any way during this month, then the next 12 months will be limited, as well.
Therefore, as we enter into this month of Virgo, we need to begin to view ourselves as completely different in all areas. If you're an angry person, for example, don't just see yourself as someone who is simply a little less angry next year; rather, begin envisioning yourself as a person who is completely devoid of all anger all the time. For every single one of us, whatever aspect of ourselves that we know needs transformation, we can’t just simply view incremental change in that area. We have to see the perfected state of ourselves in regards to that area that needs change. Because, again, the next year can only be as great as the view of ourselves which we create in this moment. That's why this month is so important.
At the beginning of this month of Virgo, and throughout all of it, we need to take the time to be introspective, to really ask ourselves what the aspects are that we want to not just make better, but to also change to such a degree that it is beyond logic. And then, we begin viewing ourselves in that state, not merely incrementally better, but completely transformed.
