In ancient Southwest Asia (the “Middle East”), people considered forty days to be the time one needs to receive a genuine inspiration or vision, to release an entrenched memory, or to make a radical change. For instance, Moses spent forty days on the mountain top, and Yeshua spent forty days in the wilderness following his baptism by John.

Each day has a short, guided contemplation that invites you to make the “thought for a day” into more than that—something you experience within and around you in your life, then act upon. Various themes appear and reappear, like musical motifs. They open the opportunity for light and insight to appear suddenly. Trying to “figure things out” tends to push such experiences away. The contemplations, which use breathing, sound, and body awareness, are essential to receiving the full benefit of what Yeshua is offering us.

You can also use the appendices or index to look for particular subjects, then follow one particular thread, for instance, sayings on light. The book is meant to spark your intuition. Don’t worry about “doing it right” or needing to know the exact pronunciation of Aramaic words. These are both well-known diversions from Yeshua’s heart path.