Turn the Gem

Life lessons from an ancient Jewish term

Jun 02, 2025

Turn the Gem. It’s an old, old Jewish term that rabbis used to describe interpreting scripture from different perspectives. It’s like the Bible is a big diamond (hello, I’m here for that) and as the light hits, it’s reflected out of the diamond in a particular path. Turn the gem & the light hits in a different place, resulting in a different refraction of the light.1

Always Listening, Always Learning

I love to learn, and I’ve been enthralled this past week by a new phrase I heard.

In my conversation with Pastor Naeem Fazal, author of Tomorrow Needs You: Seeing Beauty When You Feel Hopeless, he mentioned “Turn the Gem"2 and explained the history behind this ancient phrase:

I see so many applications of this phrase. Naeem and I were discussing it in light of the Bible, but even in life, we can turn the gem of a conversation, a relationship, a meeting, a sermon, etc.

Take a listen to my conversation with Naeem Fazal:

1×

0:00

-58:21

Where I Am Turning the Gem

This week, I’m turning the gem in light of vocational paths. I’ve had a private coaching/consulting practice for the past thirteen years. Initially, I established my practice to help women in three strategic areas of personal and spiritual development:

Healthy sense of self (identity formation).
Healthy behavior patterns.
Healthy communication skills.

Midway into my practice, I started my podcast to help fill the “in-between-session” gaps that my clients experienced. In the precious hours between sessions, I desired my clients to have quick access to coaching/counseling/spiritual formation practices and techniques to hasten their recovery and forward motion.3 Additional online resources can help clients save a lot of money when accessed and utilized.

The latter years transitioned as I became trauma-trained, and most of my time was spent inside family systems. As much as I love this particular area of marriage and family coaching, it can become, at least it did for my highly sensitive, empathic beingness, overwhelming and burdensome. There came a point when “enough was enough.” At least that is what my body communicated to me.4

A Pathless Path

Looking into the self is often like looking into a void, especially if we come to our search through trauma and loss. There may be a tidal gate inside us to open, but it has often been described, especially in the East, as a gateless gate, or like an adventure I once experienced in the Himalayas, a pathless path. In other words, to begin with, we cannot even see it is there, and we do not recognize it. Something has been lost on the surface, and we cannot as yet see anything that could replace it. If this lack of orientation continues without any outside help, we start to lose faith that there is anything other than our overwhelming experience of being lost. What we then feel is often described as depression.5

One of the most significant benefits of being in the seventh decade of life is that I have a great deal of experience in my rearview mirror.

Thanks for reading Heartlift Central! This post is public so feel free to share it.

As of today, I have lived through four distinct vocational transitions.

My body has led each one:

I left an endearing teaching job I loved because I desired to stay home with my firstborn. Today, I’m told this is called a “Power Pause.”6
I left a vocational ministry position to give birth to twins and care for my three littles under four. Power Pause #2.
I left my career as a dance studio owner and teacher due to a serious back injury. Power Pause #3.
I left my career as a trauma-trained marriage and family systems coach because my soul needed rest. Power Pause #4.

As David Whyte says, “Something has been lost on the surface, and we cannot as yet see anything that could replace it.”

Transitional times in our lives can lead to melancholy and ultimately, depression.

I felt that way on Saturday.

“What’s next?” I thought.

Recognizing familiar emotional states helps stave off depression.

“I’ve been here before,” I told myself. “Take it easy on yourself. You can’t ‘see anything to replace it” quite yet, so receive this respite and lean into it.”

Reorienting and Reimagining

As I’ve leaned into the unknown and reoriented myself to this new season of retirement, grandparenting, Medicare, Social Security, and financial planning, I’ve also been reimagining how I want my “Third Act”7 to be.

By activating my teaching gift, I’m stepping towards more joy and more fulfilling work. The common golden thread throughout my life is an innate call to teach. With the years I have left, I feel compelled to teach all ages, stages, and phases of mothering.

This month, I am inaugurating something that has been stirring in my heart for quite some time. My season of rest and recovery has enabled the space for my soul to bring it into being:

“Three Tuesdays in June” is an online group coaching cohort. We’ll meet via Zoom on Tuesdays, June 10, 17, and 24th, 10:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. EST. All sessions will be recorded. To learn more, download The Air We Breathe: Calming Practices for Mothers of All Ages and Stages PDF.
For those wanting more, “The Heartlifter’s Journey” is a personalized six-week online coaching program designed to help women of all ages and stages develop a stronger sense of self, behavior patterns, and communication skills. To learn more, download The Heartlifter’s Journey.

Please let me know if you have any questions about these new offerings. You can email me at janell@janellrardon.com or leave a comment below.