A Mikvah is a pool of water used for the purpose of ritual immersion; a place where one moves from a state of Tumah; impurity, blockage and death-- to a place of Teharah; purity, fluidity and life. In SECRETS OF THE MIKVAH, Rav Pinson delves into the transformative powers of the Mikvah with his trademark all-encompassing perspective that ranges from the literal, Pshat observation and Halachic implications of the texts, to the allegorical, the philosophical, and finally, to the deep secrets of the Mikvah as revealed by Kabbalah and Chassidus. This insightful and inspirational text demonstrates how immersion in a Mikvah can be a transformative and life-altering practice, and includes various Kavanos--deep intentions--for all people, through various stages of life, that empower and enrich the immersion experience. סודהמקוה SECRETS OF THE MIKVAH: Waters of Transformation (From the Opening of the Book) There is something magical about water. As an element, it both cleanses and quenches, floods and drowns. As a symbol, it implies a state of dream-like fluidity, as well as a sense of hidden depths. When scientists search for life on other planets, they first look for water -- without water there is simply no possibility for life as we know it. It is no coincidence that both the earth's surface, and the structure of the human body, are comprised of around 70 percent water. This symmetry between the planet and the body explains why we are so drawn to oceans, rivers, lakes and springs. Natural bodies of water stir and stimulate the inner worlds and imaginations of children, sailors, mystics and poets alike. They are magnetic and mysterious, simultaneously beckoning and frightening, relaxing and even upsetting for some. Water is our primordial origin. It quietly calls us and all Creation back to the fountains of life deep beneath the surface of consciousness. For the first 40 days of life, an embryo is called Mayim b'Alma / simply water ( Yevamos , 69b). As a fetus in the womb, our life force is submerged and swims within a sea of warm amniotic waters. Only later, when the waters break,are we birthed onto 'dry land'. This is similar to the Torah's account of Creation. In the beginning, water covers all. Only later do the waters separate, allowing the earth to emerge as a distinct entity, like a tender child. As water is within us, we yearn to be within it. Entering water can feel like coming home, sinking down into our subconscious mind, or perhaps even unifying with our inner essence. Whether in constant motion or perfect stillness, each body of water elicits a unique response. Some waters awaken, while others soothe.Similarly, some people are overwhelmingly drawn to water, while others are inexplicably repulsed. In either case, water is undeniably powerful and should therefore be connected to consciously. Towards this end the Torah contains a multitude of Mitzvos / Divine precepts and practices that put us into sacred contact with water. Primary among them is the practice of immersing in a Mikvah. According to the Baal Shem Tov, every transformation and successful leap of progress demands three steps: 1) Hachna'ah / submission, then 2) Havdalah/ separation, and finally 3) Hamtakah/ sweetening. We will explore this paradigmatic process in relation to the Mitzvah, and experience of, Mikvah. Hachna'ah Hachna'ah is the humbling stage of submission and acceptance. This is the process of looking honestly at your life up until this present moment and fully acknowledging and embracing all of yourself as you are. This includes not only your body, identity, status, thoughts and feelings,but also all of your past mistakes and shortcomings. Hachna'ah is to humbly accept all aspects of yourself as your own doing, and part of your being. Who you are in this moment is the sum total of the ways you have been manifesting yourself in the world up to this point. Performing a Cheshbon haNefesh / accounting of the soul is the first step in Mikvah immersion.This is the spiritual in-gathering and owning of your own life, how ever uncomfortable it may be. This internal process is analogous to the physical experience of stepping into and finding your footing on the floor of the Mikvah. The submission of Hachna'ah is to acknowledge who and where you are at, in the present moment, as well as what your current ground of being is: your 'floor', your Adnus . Honest assessment and acknowledgment of who we are, and how we got here, is required for us to move on in a meaningful way. This is because we cannot forget, let go of and move beyond that which do not remember. We therefore must begin our Mikvah immersion by contemplating our 'floor' level of being. As you stabilize yourself on the ground of the Mikvah, think about where you are in the course of your life. While standing in the water, before immersing, ask yourself: 'What type of thoughts do I have most regularly? Are my thoughts holy and pos