Some of my favorite prayers, quotes, and poems…
may they touch you as well.
“Jewish spirituality allows for many diverse ways of connecting with a mysterious source that is beyond any limiting description we might think is the complete answer. Prayer is not just a calling out to the creative Source of the Universe but also a way of awakening the divine sparks that we carry inside our souls.” – Felder, PH.D
“Inhale,
and God approaches you.
Hold the inhalation,
and God remains with you.
Exhale,
and you approach God.
Hold the exhalation,
and surrender to God.”
— Krishnamacharya
After a deep meditation, I opened my eyes to the view of the crows and geese making their daily trip back to the lagoon near our house. Every evening at dusk, you can count on these beautiful beings finding their way back to their home, after a full day of whatever activities they have participated in. They were the catalyst for this very Divine message:
Come Home…
To the place of Innocence
The Divinity that you are
and have always been…
Before it was touched by conditioning
Convinced of its unworthiness, incompleteness, and lack.
Fly away from that I say
I invite you to
Come Home…
To the place inside
Full of the light and the love
that you are
and have always been..
Before it was touched by the pains and projections of others
who have suffered the cycle of conditional love, conditional acceptance.
Fly away from that I say
I invite you to
Come home…
To the place of Power
Full of wisdom and knowing and perfect answers
That you have
and have always had…
Before that was touched by doubts and fears and disbelief of others,
Who questioned the answers that came.
Fly away from that I say
I invite you to
Come home…
To the place of Stillness, the place of Peace,
The Infinite Source, the Sea of Potential
awaiting your discovery…
Before it was touched by the need
To be seeing, and saying, and trying, and DOING.
Fly away from that I say
I invite you to
Come Home…
Be welcome in this place of Love, this place of Oneness
Of which you are a part
And have always been…
Before it was touched by the thought that one must
Travel miles, circling the world, searching outside for communion.
Fly away from that I say
I invite you to
Come Home…
You need not go far,
It’s a round trip ticket
Which you have, and have always had… I invite you to come home. ’98
Prayer invites
God’s presence to suffuse our spirits,
God’s will to prevail in our lives.
Prayer may not bring water to parched fields,
nor mend a broken bridge,
nor rebuild a ruined city.
But prayer can water an arid soul,
mend a broken heart,
rebuild a weakened will.
–Mishkan T’filah Siddur
My Soul came to me pure,
drawn from the reservoir of the Holy.
All the time it remains within me,
I am thankful for its thirst
for compassion and justice.
Let my eyes behold the beauty of all creatures;
let my hands know the privilege of righteous deeds.
Baruch atah, Adonai, asher b’yado nefesh kol chai v’ruach kol b’sar ish.
Mishkan T’filah Siddur