Tag Archive for "health and healing" | To Bend Light

Posts Tagged ‘health and healing’

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.

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.

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: Forget Me Not

To a Spouse/Partner on Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on: October 7th, 2013 by tobendlight

How painful is it to know that you’ll slowly lose your memories, your personality, your understanding of who you are in this world? And how painful is it to know the impact it will have on your spouse or partner? There is an element of what appears to be cruelty in this disease. This prayer is one antidote for that cruelty. It’s a prayer of love and gentleness to be said together, the one with the diagnosis and his or her beloved. This is one of several prayers addressing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases that appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

To a Spouse/Partner on Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease
My darling,
Dear _________________ [Name],
The doctors say that I will be leaving,
Perhaps slowly,
In stages,
[First losing control of my body and then]
Retreating into my mind,
Visiting with you less and less.
It is not my choice to say goodbye.
It is our path.

G-d of compassion,
Watch over my [husband/wife/spouse/partner]
In the months and years ahead.
Give her/him the strength to live
To love and to mourn
As we lose each other to this disease.
Grant her/him courage and peace of mind
As we face difficult decisions and difficult moments together
And, in time, she/he faces them without me.

My love,
It is not my choice to leave.
It is not my choice to depart.
It is not my choice to disappear.
Forgive me when my disease
Speaks words of anger or pain.
Remember my devotion to you.
Remember our love and our lives for both of us,
Our joys, our hopes, our dreams.

G-d of compassion,
Bless my [husband/wife/spouse/partner]
In her/his hours of loss and grief.
And grant her/him a life of wonder and awe
In the years ahead.

Postscript: I wonder if this prayer can be used by the spouse or partner during the late stages of these diseases? In other words, would I be able to say this prayer and hear it in the voice of my loved one? Here are prayers for “R’fuat HaNefesh” and “For Healing the Spirit.” Please consider purchasing my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

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: Fire Fighters with Parkinson’s Disease

For Physicians

Posted on: June 23rd, 2013 by tobendlight

This is a prayer of thanks for physicians. It’s from a set of prayers honoring clinicians and medical science. I’ve already posted a prayer “For Nurses” and a variety of prayers regarding organ donation, including “For Organ Donation” and “For Organ and Tissue Donation.” Future posts will include a prayer “For Medical Science.” This prayer appears in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

For Physicians
G-d of Old,
We are flesh and blood,
Imbued with Your divine spark,
Strong, but vulnerable.
You have blessed us with men and women
Who dedicate their lives to health and healing,
Preventing disease, reducing pain,
Prolonging lives, providing hope.

G-d of life,
Watch over our physicians –
And all who work in the healing professions –
As they serve us during times of health and
In the times of our deepest needs.
Bless their hands with kindness,
Their eyes with courage,
Their hearts with sincerity
And their souls with love,
So that they become
A fountain of healing.
Bless them with fortitude and strength.

Rock of Ages,
Bring an end to pain and suffering,
So that all may know
Your compassion and Your grace.

Bless doctors throughout the world
With Your warmth and shelter,
Even as we bless them
With our eternal gratitude and love.

Postscript: My other prayers for healing include: “For Surgery,” “On Waiting for An Organ Transplant,” “Upon Recovery from Surgery,” “For Healing the Spirit” and “For a Critically Ill Child.”

If you use this prayer, please click “like” on this page and subscribe. Please take a moment to post a link to your Facebook page, your blog or mention it in a tweet. Thanks. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!”

Photo Source: UofL Physicians

Inviting Healing

Posted on: February 11th, 2013 by tobendlight

G-d’s healing power surrounds us. Re’fuat haguf. Healing of the body. Re’fuat hanefesh. Healing of the spirit. This is a meditation on inviting healing into our lives. It’s one of 10 new pieces that I wrote after getting out of the hospital. This prayer appears in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Inviting Healing
Radiance and awe.
Splendor and wonder.
The energy of being surrounds me
Flowing day-by-day
From the holy realms.

Let me invite these gifts of holiness
Into my hands,
Into my body,
Into the core of my being.

Let me invite the energy of life
Into my limbs,
Into my chest,
Into my heart.

Let me invite this well of healing
Into my breath,
Into my blood,
Into my spirit.

G-d of Old,
Healer and Guide,
You have blessed me with life,
Days of hope and yearning.
Bless me with Your healing power.
Lead me back to
A life of wholeness and peace.

Postscript: My other healing prayers include: “For Surgery,” “Upon Recovery from Surgery,” “For a Critically-Ill Child,” “For a Critically-Ill Mother,” “For a Critically Ill Father,” “For Cancer Treatment,” “Cancer Remission” and two Hospice Prayers. See also: “Quick Prayer for Healing,” “Quick Prayer for My Healing,” “Quick Prayer for Healing (Specific)”and “On Recurrent Pain.”

Please consider purchasing my 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. Also, please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing.

Photo Credit: University of Cincinnati

On Recurrent Pain

Posted on: February 3rd, 2013 by tobendlight

I recently spent several days in hospital dealing with a kidney stone. In the days before, during and after, I had times of dull pain, times of intense pain and times of relief. This prayer is to be said when a person has a medical condition that includes recurrent pain. I have also written, but not yet posted, a variety of prayers on the topic of pain, including: “Relief from Chronic Pain,” “Relief of a Loved One’s Chronic Pain” and “This Well of Pain.” See also: “Quick Prayer for Healing,” “Quick Prayer for My Healing” and “Quick Prayer for Healing (Specific).” This prayer will appear in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

On Recurrent Pain
G-d of Old,
My pain has diminished,
The trouble has eased,
This grief has, for now, faded.
Thank You for these moments of relief
After the hours of affliction,
These moments of quiet inside me,
These times of rest.
Thank You for those who have
Dedicated themselves to my care.
Thank You for the chance to regain
A sense of wholeness,
A sense of calm,
A sense of peace.

Ancient One,
Well of healing,
Grant healing power to my physicians
And my medications.
Grant comfort and healing to all who suffer.
Grant me the strength to endure
When the pain returns.

.ברוך אתה ה’ אלוקינו מלך העולם הנותן ליעף כח
Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam hanotein laya’ef ko’ach.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who gives strength to the weary.

Photo Credit: AdultSpan Counseling

Posts Tagged ‘health and healing’

Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

To a Spouse/Partner on Diagnosis with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease

For Physicians

Inviting Healing

On Recurrent Pain

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