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Archive for the ‘Healing’ Category

This Watching, This Waiting (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Dementia)

Posted on: February 19th, 2014 by Alden

This is a prayer to be said by the spouse or partner of someone whose Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or dementia has progressed to the point where physical abilities, memory and/or cognition deteriorate drastically. It recognizes the pain of watching as a disease strips away the essence of your beloved. It’s one of four related prayers that appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

This Watching, This Waiting (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Dementia)
This watching,
G-d of Old,
This watching my [husband/wife/spouse/partner]
Slowly lose himself/herself to disease
Is a grief beyond my imagination.
Talents and personality,
Plans and dreams,
Moments of conversation,
Moments of pleasure,
Departing stage-by-stage.

Who is this person inhabiting his/her body?
Where are your memories of our life together?

This waiting,
G-d of Old,
This waiting for the next loss to come
Is a grief beyond my imagination.
Grant me strength and wisdom,
Fortitude and courage,
As the days pass,
As the waiting continues,
As I pray for his/her consolation and peace.

Postscript: Here are links to related prayers: “To a Spouse/Partner on Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease” and “Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Dementia” and “Diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease.” Here are prayers for “R’fuat HaNefesh” and “For Healing the Spirit.” All of these prayers appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter. If you like this prayer, please post a link to Facebook, your blog or mention it in a tweet.

Photo Source: USPS

On Waiting for an Organ Transplant, Revised

Posted on: January 31st, 2014 by Alden

This is a prayer for those who await an organ transplant. It is revised slightly from the original. The change: adding an explicit reference to live kidney donation. The prayer is written to be said for oneself or for another, with options shown in [brackets]. There’s also the option to add a name. Here’s the original version, which appears in my new book Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. As many of you know, my wife Ami z”l was an organ donor. The introduction to the original prayer talks about about a letter from the recipient of Ami’s heart. My prayer “For Organ Donation” thanks G-d for the medical skill and asks for blessings on all who make transplantation possible. “In Memory of An Organ Donor” is a yizkor prayer for organ donors.

On Waiting for an Organ Transplant, Revised
Ancient One,
Breath of Life,
In Your wisdom You have given medical science
The skill and ability to transplant organs,
Renewing life for the critically ill.
G-d of compassion and mercy,
Bless [me] [my father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / husband / partner / dear one / friend]
[______________________ (name),]
With this gift of life.
Release [me / him / her] from fear and pain,
From moments of uncertainty and times of despair,
From powerful medications, debilitating treatments and temporary interventions.

Open the hearts of men and women
To share their health
By giving blood,
Registering as marrow and kidney donors
And dedicating themselves to organ donation.
Open, too, the hearts of families
Facing the death of a loved one,
So that, in the shadow of grief,
They find the strength to give the gift of life.
May they find meaning and comfort
In their time of suffering and loss.

G-d of healing,
[I ] [my father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / husband / partner / dear one / friend]
Wait(s) in the shadow of disease,
In the shadow of pain and suffering,
In the shadow of mortality.
May this wait end soon,
With a healthy organ, a successful transplant,
And a speedy recovery.

Postscript: All three of my organ donation prayers appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. My other prayers for healing include: “For Surgery,” “Upon Recovery from Surgery,” “For Healing the Spirit,” “For a Critically-Ill Mother,” “For a Critically-Ill Father,” “For a Critically Ill Child” and “R’fuat HaNefesh: Healing the Soul.”

Photo Source: Doctors Health Press

Complications after My Surgery

Posted on: January 30th, 2014 by Alden

I wrote this yesterday after receiving news that a friend is now dealing with a post-surgical infection. There are seven prayers about surgery in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing, including: “For Surgery” and “Upon Recovery from Surgery.” This prayer will appear in a future book, most likely Prayers for Healing the World.

Complications after My Surgery
G-d of Old,
My [surgery/recovery] has not proceeded as planned.
As I endure unanticipated complications, treatments and setbacks,
I face a new [and difficult] set of decisions
On my journey toward wholeness and healing.
The path [which once seemed so clear,]
Is suddenly more dangerous,
And my fears have returned.

Bless my doctors with wisdom and skill,
With compassion, focus and dedication,
As we work to overcome this challenge [these challenges].
Bless my family with ease and comfort.
Give us energy and endurance, tranquility and peace.
Remind them to care for themselves and each other,
Even as their hearts and prayers turn to me.

Source of life,
Bless my body with strength,
My spirit with courage,
My thoughts with hope,
And let me return to a full life with renewed purpose.
Grant me a full and speedy recovery.

Blessed are You, G-d of mystery,
Source of health and healing.

Postscript: My other healing prayers include: “For a Critically-Ill Child,” “For a Critically-Ill Mother,” “For a Critically Ill Father,” “For Cancer Treatment,” “Cancer Remission” and two Hospice Prayers. Most of these prayers appear in new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on: January 26th, 2014 by Alden

This is a prayer to be said upon receiving the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. This difficult disease contains a certain element of cruelty that’s addressed head on by this prayer and others in my series of prayers on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia, including: “To a Spouse/Partner on Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease” and “Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.” This series of prayers appear in my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease
In stages,
I am told,
In stages I will lose control of my body
And then my mind,
Losing my ability to care for myself
And to hold on to my memories.

G-d of compassion,
Stand with me in the days ahead.
I am [frightened/angry/sad /confused/defiant][add a description of your emotions].
Grant me time to remain
Mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally present
For my family,
For my friends,
And for myself.

Grant healing power to my treatments
To keep this disease at bay.
Give my physicians knowledge and insight
And my caregivers skill and perseverance.
Grant scientists and researchers tools and understanding
To develop new treatments,
Speedily, in our day.

Ancient One,
I need Your care,
Your consolation,
And Your loving hand.

G-d of old,
You are my Rock and Redeemer.

Postscript: Here are prayers for “R’fuat HaNefesh” and “For Healing the Spirit.” Please consider purchasing my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: parkinsonsresource.org

Tears

Posted on: January 12th, 2014 by Alden

I spent the morning thinking about tears. Women’s tears. With a backdrop of planning a shiur to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Ami’s z”l death, I learned the story of a friend and the deaths of her three children. Then, remembering the car accident that killed a toddler in South Jerusalem just a few weeks ago, the essay about the end of sheloshim for Superman Sam Sommer z”l played in my mind. I thought about the tears of joy Ami would cry if she could see our daughters now. And the tears of sadness she is surely crying because she is not here with us. This meditation is the result.

The last three lines are an allusion to my respect for the Women of the Wall and all women who pioneer expression of Judaism in their lives and the role of women as leaders, teachers, rabbis and scholars for Klal Yisroel.

Tears
The Mothers of Israel
Pass their tears
From generation to generation:
The grief and the longing,
The hope and surrender,
The breathless yearning,
Gifted mother to daughter
For millennia.

Daughters of Israel,
Your tears are a prayer,
An offering on the altar of our lives,
Rising to the Gates of Righteousness,
Summoning Sarah and Miriam,
Leah and Tamar, Rebecca and Dinah,
Rachel and Channa, Deborah and Penina,
Esther, Ruth and the daughters of Zelophehad,
Matriarchs and prophets, leaders and teachers,
The entire tent of women throughout the ages
To cry out:

Heal us, G-d of old.
Shelter us, G-d of love.
Make us whole.

Sisters of Israel,
You are our light.
You are our heartbeat.
Your sorrows are our plea
Before the Gates of Mercy.
Lead us into prayer.
Lead us from darkness to light.
Lead us in service to G-d’s Holy Name.

Postscript: I am, to a degree, uncomfortable with the gender bias in this piece. Yet something feels true about it: that there’s a special character to women’s tears. My intent is to honor that character without diminishing the importance of men’s tears and emotions. I also wonder if the piece overuses references to the names of Biblical women or if the order of the names is disconcerting, taking the reader out of the prayer. I encourage your comments on these two issues. This meditation is a reflection of an idea I wrote about in piece of flash fiction called “Chava bat Chana.” Here are two more short, story stories about strong and spiritual Jewish women: “Sarah Rivkah: A Challah Baking Story” and “Bracha Simcha.”

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter. If you use or like this prayer, please post a link to Facebook, your blog or mention it in a tweet.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Waiting for Fertility Test Results

Posted on: January 7th, 2014 by Alden

This is a prayer to be said by an individual waiting for fertility test results. It is one of several prayers on pregnancy, both the joys and the potential challenges. The intent is to create a feeling of space in a moment of uncertainty, compared with prayers to be said by a woman in fertility treatment and by a man in fertility treatment, which reflect the yearning for a child, along with a prayer to be said “To a Spouse/Partner during Fertility Treatments.” Here are prayers to be said “When a High-Risk Pregnancy is Confirmed,” one for women and one for men. All of these prayers appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Waiting for Fertility Test Results
Ancient One,
G-d of hope,
This moment is familiar
And this moment is new.
This waiting. This hoping. This praying.
What will the news bring?
What decisions will I face?
How will I cope in the days ahead?

Bless me with the gift of a child,
With the gift of generations,
With the gift of love.

G-d of Old,
Grant me the wisdom to be gentle with myself
In these hours of uncertainty.
Bless me with courage and wisdom,
With patience and understanding.
Show me the grace and insight to use this time as a moment of rest,
Perhaps to find a well of gratitude
For the gifts You have already given.
Surround me with Your warmth.
Cradle me in Your care.

Blessed are You,
Source of life.

Postscript: Other prayers in this series include “For Pregnancy,” “Loss of Pregnancy” and “Loss of Pregnancy (Husband/Partner).” Please consider purchasing my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Healthista

A New Year Begins

Posted on: December 30th, 2013 by Alden

This prayer for the New Year is about seeing the joy and grief in life and deciding that kindness and love are the only answers. This prayer stands in marked contrast to the one I wrote for 2013, brimming with hope. Maybe, in the end, they’re just different sides of the same coin. “In This Turning: A New Year’s Day Meditation” appears in my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

A New Year Begins
Every moment a new year begins.
Something lost.
Something gained.
Every day, a new challenge.
Every hour, a new choice.
Every second, a new chance.

God of Old,
In this moment, a baby will be born,
And a child will die.
In this moment, lovers will marry,
And others will split.
In this moment, someone will hear
That their medical treatments succeeded,
And others will be told
To prepare to die.

Every moment a new year begins.
Something lost.
Something gained.
Let me love gently in the morning
And ferociously at night.
Let me dance wildly at dawn
And slowly at dusk.
At midnight, let me sing quietly,
And at midday I will croon, full voice.
I will breathe in a soul of compassion
And breathe out a soul of peace.

Creator of All,
Every moment a new year begins.
The flow of fresh light from heaven
Touches our hearts.
Something lost.
Something gained.
Let it be for blessing.
Let it be for healing.
Let it be for shelter.
Let it be for wisdom and strength.
Let us be, in this moment,
Your messengers of kindness on earth.

Postscript: Here’s another prayer “For the New Year,” a meditation called “Another Year: An Introspection” and another called “The Last Moment.” Please consider purchasing my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science

Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

Posted on: December 22nd, 2013 by Alden

Here’s a prayer to be said on receiving the difficult diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. One of the ironies of this prayer is that it anticipates an early diagnosis, at least early enough that one might be able to understand, read and say this prayer. The same is true of my prayer “To a Spouse/Partner on Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease.” This is one of several prayers addressing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as dementia, that appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Dementia
In stages,
I am told,
In stages I will lose my words,
My memories,
My ability to care for myself,
My connection with my family,
My connection with myself.

Ancient One,
I need Your care,
Your consolation,
And your loving hand.
G-d of old,
You are my Rock and Redeemer.

Postscript: Here are prayers for “R’fuat HaNefesh” and “For Healing the Spirit.” Please consider purchasing my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Forget Me Not

Mental Illness

Posted on: November 24th, 2013 by Alden

Mental illness can devastate individuals and their families. This is a prayer to be said on behalf of a mentally-ill family member. It recognizes the power and the pain of these diseases and the depth of the fear and anguish that family members often endure. Word and gender choices are identified with slashes. Optional verses are shown in [brackets]. One blank line is to include the name of the disease and the other the name of the person with the illness. This prayer appears in my book Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Mental Illness
G-d of Old,
I call out to You
From the depths of confusion and pain.
My father/mother/sister/brother/son/daughter/friend/husband/wife/partner
Suffers from _________________________ [Name of illness,]
[Compounded by alcoholism/addiction/alcoholism and addiction],
A severe mental illness,
A disease of stunning depth and power.
I am afraid and ashamed.
I am sad and lost.
The possibilities are frightening,
Homelessness, poverty, an institution, jail.
[Sometimes he /she does not take his/her medication.]
[Sometimes he /she threatens me and my family.]
[Sometimes he /she disappears without a trace.]
[Sometimes it looks like we have lost him/her completely to this illness.]

G-d of healing,
Bless my [father/mother/sister/brother/son/daughter/friend/husband/wife/partner]
__________________________ (Name)
With comfort and relief,
Solace and peace.
Grant him/her healing of mind,
Healing of body,
And healing of spirit.
Teach me to care for myself [and my family]
In the midst of crisis and chaos.
Teach me to bring love and kindness into my day,
Especially when I feel hopeless or lost.
Teach me to trust Your will.

Blessed are You, G-d of health and healing.

Postscript: Here is a prayer “For Family Healing” and another for “R’fuat Hanefesh,” healing the soul. In the next few weeks I will also post prayers focused on alcoholism, depression and self-abuse.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Teen Link

For Superman Sam and His Family

Posted on: November 15th, 2013 by Alden

Superman Sam has relapsed. As his mom wrote: “His ninja leukemia is so very strong.” They’re nearing the end. At various times during the Sommer’s journey, various people, not knowing what to do but wanting to help, have asked me to write something for Sam or his family. It happened again today, after the crushing news. I’ve been reading the posts by Rabbis Phyllis and Michael Sommer about their family and their son, wondering at the depth of their pain and courage, yet hesitant to offer something that they may or may not find appropriate. Again this morning, I received an email from a friend asking me for a prayer. I wrote this today for Sam’s parents and decided to post it after an email exchange with a friend of the family. For those who wish to pray for Sam, his Hebrew name is Shmuel Asher Uzziel ben haRav Michael Aharon v’haRav Pesah Esther.

On the Journey to My Child’s Passing
Soul of the Universe,
When we dreamed of becoming parents
We never expected to face the death of our son,
Still a child,
Or to prepare him and our family for the end,
Or to face the day to come when we bury him.

Oh grief,
You know no bottom,
You spare no heart,
You leave us breathless and cold.

And yet, G-d of Ages, You offer
Holy choices,
To walk with our son,
In courage and fear,
In strength and heartbreak,
Toward a destination we cannot enter.

G-d of All Being,
The well of cures has run dry.
The horizon of life nears.
There is a single destination.
Bless our family with wisdom and strength,
Kindness and care,
Just as we ask You, Holy One,
To cover us with Your tabernacle of peace.

Author of Life,
Grant our son Sam
Joy and wonder in the days that remain.
And give him an easy passing.
Grant us the wisdom and ability
To be examples of steadfast love,
An inheritance for the generations.

Rock of Old, You are my comfort and my strength.
צור עולמים, אתה נחמתי וכחי
Tzur olamim, atah nechamati v’chochi.

Postscript: I cried writing this. A lot. In the coming weeks I’ll post a generalized version of this prayer for use by those who, sadly, find themselves with a similar need. In writing it, I’ve borrowed from two other prayers: “Meditation on the Burial of a Young Child,” which I wrote after the shootings in Sandy Hook, and “On Removing a Child’s Life Support,” which I wrote at the request of a hospital chaplain. Both prayers will appear in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Source: Bunny Tales, A Shabby Rabbit Book Blog

Archive for the ‘Healing’ Category

This Watching, This Waiting (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Dementia)

On Waiting for an Organ Transplant, Revised

Complications after My Surgery

Diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease

Tears

Waiting for Fertility Test Results

A New Year Begins

Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

Mental Illness

For Superman Sam and His Family

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