| Sign | Name | Sound | Movement | | :------------------------: | ---------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ![[alef holam.png\| 100]] | חולם - *ḥolam* | *Oh* as in "Joe" | For each movement, imagine that your head is the *alef*. You begin facing forward. With each exhalation you vocalize one vowel. As you do that, you move your head in keeping with the place (and sometimes shape) of the vowel in relation to the letter *alef* (which is your head). The *ḥolam* is placed above the letter at the front. To move your head in keeping with the *ḥolam*, exhale slowly while gently turning your face up towards the sky until you reach your maximum comfortable height (at which point the *ḥolam* is just above your nose). The end of the motion should coincide with the end of your exhalation. Before you vocalize the *ḥolam* (or the other vowels), center yourself in awareness as described above. | | ![[alef kamatz.png\| 100]] | קמץ - *kamatz* | *Ah* as in "Ahhh!" | You begin the *kamatz* like the *ḥolam* by centering yourself in awareness, so you are facing forward. To move with the *kamatz*, after you inhale, hold your breath and face to the right. Now, exhale slowly while gently turning your head all the way until you face to the left. Then, while still exhaling, turn your face back to the center, and then down towards the earth. Finish exhaling as you finish facing down. Then, holding your breath, return to the center, and inhale. (This is the most difficult motion of the five and it will take a few tries before you get it.) When you make this motion, you draw the shape of the *kamatz* with your head. | | ![[alef tsere.png\| 100]] | צירה - *tsereh* | *Eh* as in "meh" | Start as before. After inhaling, hold your breath, and turn all the way to the left. Now, while slowly exhaling, gently turn your face all the way until you are facing right. The end of the motion should coincide with the end of the exhalation. Then, hold your breath, return to the center, and inhale. This motion touches on the *tsereh*'s two points on either side of your head. | | ![[alef hiriq.png\|100]] | חיריק - *ḥiriq* | *Ee* as in "weee!" | Begin as before. After inhaling, exhale while slowing turning your face down towards the earth, where the *hiriq* lies, under the letter. | | ![[alef shuruq.png\|100]] | שורוק - *shuruq* | *Oo* as in "zoo" | Begin as before. After inhaling, exhale while extending face forwards while keeping your face level. Then, continuing to exhale, extend your neck backwards. Thus you have traced the shape of the vowel, which extends forwards and backwards, with your head. Once you finish exhaling and extending your head backwards, hold your breath, return to the center, and inhale. |