Tag Archive for "renewal" | To Bend Light

Posts Tagged ‘renewal’

Meditation on the Eve of a New Year

Posted on: September 24th, 2014 by Alden

A new meditation — written this morning — as the year 5774 comes to an end. May 5775 bring hope, blessing and peace. Instructions for using this meditation are found in [brackets]. May you have a year of health and happiness, joy and laughter, livelihood, sustenance, prayer and love.

Meditation on the Eve of a New Year
G-d,
Dear G-d,
We stand at the cusp of a New Year,
Looking forward, looking backward,
So much accomplished,
So much neglected,
Gains and losses,
Joys and sorrows,
Victories and defeats.
A life.
My life.

You,
G-d of Old,
You are Steadfast Witness,
Source and Shelter.
I bend my heart to You,
Recalling these gifts:

[Part 1: Think about, say out loud or write down blessings in your life, including: people, places, events and things. Be specific: a son, daughter, niece, nephew, brother or sister, by name; a wedding a birth or other joyous occasion, with names; seeing a sunrise or a rare bird; a favorite shirt, a new bed, a home repair or expansion; a new job. See how beautifully detailed and long you can make the list, seeing the many blessings that flow through your life.]

[Part 2: If you can, name the blessings that arose from sorrows, for example: a merciful death, an end to suffering or beautiful eulogy for someone, by name; rebuilding after a disaster; potential new life after a divorce. Don’t force it; be true to how you actually feel, not how you think you ‘should’ feel. If you can, try to see how, sometimes, even in times of sorrow there can be gifts.]

G-d,
My G-d,
For consolation in my grief,
For sunlight and midnight,
For hope in my celebrations,
For warmth and for shelter,
For current and tide,
For family and for friends,
For the flow of beauty and grace,
I bend my life back to You,
As the New Year descends,
In love and in service,
My offering
To Your Holy Name.

Postscript: Here’s a related meditation called “Another Year: An Introspection” and a link to prayers and stories for the Yamim Noraim, the High Holy Days, listed by topic, some of which my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

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. Please take a moment to explore my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Chabad.org

Gates

Posted on: September 20th, 2014 by Alden

Standing before the gates of heaven in prayer – yearning for them to stay open long enough for true repentance to be heard – is a classic High Holy Day metaphor. The inspiration for this prayer comes from Isaiah, the haftorah read on Shabbat Nitzavim. “Pass through, pass through the gates… Tell fair Zion: Your deliverance is coming!” This prayer envisions each of us briefly entering G-d’s holy realm to be restored. I wrote it at the request of my friend Rabbi Andrea London for the 5775 Beth Emet—The Free Synagogue congregational holiday card. I also took the photo used on the card, shown here. My other prayers using the metaphor of gates include: “At the Gates” and “The Entry to Our Hearts.”

Gates
Keep the gates open,
Holy One,
Keep them open a little longer,
So that my repentance and my yearning
May yet enter Your holy realm.

Keep the gates open,
Compassionate One,
So that our hearts may dwell,
To be refreshed in Your sacred space,
To be restored with justice and mercy,
To be nurtured and renewed with awe and wonder.

Rock of Israel,
Source and Shelter,
Keep the gates open,
So that when we leave this holy place
We remember and know
That wisdom and understanding surround us,
That peace and joy will yet follow,
That holiness and love will yet prevail.

Postscript: This prayer was written in Israel during the 2014 Gaza war known as “Operation Protective Edge.” The last two lines of this prayer were strongly influenced by the war. I’m grateful to Rabbi London for this opportunity and for her suggestions. My other prayers using the metaphor of gates include: “At the Gates” and “The Entry to Our Hearts.” Here are links to prayers for Elul, prayers for Rosh Hashana, prayers for Yom Kippur and prayers for Sukkot. Here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

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.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

Cursing toward Heaven

Posted on: August 15th, 2014 by Alden

G-d hears prayer. Some would say that G-d listens, with special attention, to the prayers of a suffering heart. This prayer rails to heaven with sorrow and anger, but never loses faith in G-d’s desire to hear even our most heart-wrenching woes. For some, the prayer may be too raw or too blunt. For others, it may be a gateway to a powerful conversation with G-d. In that sense, it is about releasing sorrow and anger to make space for holiness and love.

Cursing toward Heaven
G-d of Old,
Well of understanding,
Source of compassion,
I call out to You as witness
To my sorrow and my fear,
My anger and my pain.

Damn cancer.
Damn abuse.
Damn violence.
Damn rape.
Damn hit and run.
Damn alcoholism.
Damn Alzheimer’s.
Damn Parkinson’s.
Damn war.
Damn terror.
Damn torture.
Damn hunger.
Damn greed.
Damn abduction.
Damn _____________.
Damn _____________.
Damn _____________.

Oh sorrow and grief,
Too present in our days,
You will not win my life.
For my G-d listens to the aching heart.
My G-d listens to the suffering soul.
My G-d yearns to heal
All who cry out from the depths of despair.

Blessed are You, G-d of Old,
Who hears prayer.

Postscript: Other prayers about difficult emotions include: “Doubt,” “Fear,” “Anger,” “Shame” and “Witnessing: A Meditation.”

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.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

For the Yazidi People

Posted on: August 10th, 2014 by Alden

The nightmare in Iraq continues to worsen. Thousands of Yazidis have died and face genocide. Here is the impassioned plea of Yazidi Iraqi Member of Parliament Vian Dakhil. One stanza of this prayer is adapted from “Bring Back Our Girls,” another prayer against the assault of terror against innocents.

For the Yazidi People
On a mountain,
Isolated
And left to die
While the world watches,
A slaughter of innocents.

Barren,
Desolate,
A landscape of death,
A heartbreak of hunger and thirst,
A graveyard of children.

Oh Yazidi people,
We pray for the hand of G-d’s mercy
To come to your aid,
To relieve your suffering,
To drive away the evil
That has pursued you
To the top of the world.

Oh people of conscience,
Cry out.
Cry out against holocaust.
Cry out against genocide.
Cry out against hatred.
For G-d requires us to stand
In the name of justice and freedom:
To oppose terror,
To muster our power and energy
To save the persecuted and oppressed.

Oh G-d,
We implore You,
Look down upon the suffering
Perpetrated in so many lands
By the hand of wickedness,
By the hand of malevolence,
By the hand of ignorance and sin.
Save the Yaidi.
Rescue all in need.
Bring the light of salvation
And healing
To the four corners of the earth.

Postscript: Please also see: “Bring Back Our Girls” and “For the Women of Congo and Sudan.” More prayers for social justice prayers appear in Haggadah Companion: Meditations and Readings.

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 like this prayer, please post a link to Facebook, your blog or mention it in a tweet.

Photo Source: The Deacon’s Bench

The Details of Beauty

Posted on: July 11th, 2014 by Alden

A gift for Shabbat. A reminder. A reminder for those in sorrow and grief, those who are tired, numb and especially to those who’ve run to bomb shelters all week. Shabbat Shalom.

The Details of Beauty
Remember
The details of beauty
With your eyes.
The autumn leaf,
A baby’s cry,
Small wonders to remind you
Of joy and wonder.

Remember
The details of love
With your breath.
The soft smile
And gentle hand,
Small wonders to remind you
Of awe and majesty.

Remember
The details of faith
With your pulse,
The quiet prayer,
The hymn of glory,
Small wonders to remind you
Of devotion and service.

G-d of Old,
The details of beauty
Surround us.
Love and faith are
Our inheritance.
Teach us to see clearly in each day
The small wonders
You set before us.
To take them in,
To feel their power
And to rejoice.

Postscript: Here are more prayers with a similar theme: “This Moment “Being Present,” “Leaving” and “Small Moments.” If you haven’t yet, please take a look at my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing, and consider ordering a copy, where some of these prayers appear.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

Bring Back Our Boys: A Prayer

Posted on: June 14th, 2014 by Alden

As the search continues for three missing Israeli teens, fear turns to prayer in Israel and among people of conscience around the world. On Saturday, Israel confirmed that Gil-ad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach were kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists. The three were taken while trying to hitch a ride home from high school.

Bring Back Our Boys: A Prayer
G-d of the prisoner,
G-d of the captive,
The voice of anguish echoes across the land.
Our sons,
Kidnapped, hijacked,
Torn from their lives and dreams,
Are held captive by violence and hatred
By those who would take our land
And destroy our people.

Guardian of Israel,
Bless those who have dedicated themselves to returning
Our sons to safety and shelter.
Grant them skill and wisdom
In this hour of need.
Give them the tools they need in the days ahead.
Bless their work.
Let success be close at hand.

This dismay is almost too much to bear.
Return Gil-ad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach
To the cradle of their parents’ arms,
And the refuge of their homes,
Speedily, in life and in health.
Bless their families with endurance and faith
That they will soon be reunited in the fullness of joy.
Bless our boys, in their captivity,
With hope and courage.
Grant them the strength and fortitude
To face, chas v’shalom, any shames or tyrannies forced upon them.

Rock of Israel,
Hasten their release.
Grant them lives of Torah and parnasa,
Rich with health and happiness,
Joy and peace.
Let rescue be near.

.ברוך אתה ה אלוקינו מלך העולם מתיר אסורים
Blessed are you, Adonai our God,
Sovereign of universe,
Who releases the captive.

Postscript: Here’s a link to more prayers for Israel. This prayer is an adaptation of “Against Human Trafficking” including some language from “For the Missing.” The later will appear in my forthcoming book, Prayers from the Heart of Darkness. I recently used the same two prayers to create “Bring Back Our Girls: A Prayer.” Follow developments on the Times of Israel and the Bring Back Our Boys Facebook page.

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: Times of Israel, Courtesy

Let Me

Posted on: June 12th, 2014 by Alden

This is another meditation on living a life of joy and wonder, but with a twist. The core prayer is that our interactions serve to encourage and inspire one another to become our best selves. The twist: this meditation is remarkably intimate, a gentle dialogue between friends about majesty of a life together in service to G-d. As such, it may actually be a lover’s prayer, a marriage proposal or a wedding blessing.

Let Me
Let me be the one
Who reminds you
That wisdom and beauty
Shine through your eyes.

Let me be the one
Who reminds you
That power and courage
Are in your hands and in your heart.

Let me be the one
Who reminds you
That today is your day
To choose righteousness and love.

You are a gift of light.
You are a well of strength.
You are a message of hope

Let me be the one
Who reminds you
To sing, to pray,
To dance, to bless,
To feed the hungry,
To clothe the naked,
To free the captive,
To redeem the oppressed.
And you will remind me
To be the man/woman our G-d intended.
Then, together, we will be messengers
Of Torah and truth,
Bringing holiness into the world.

Blessed are You, G-d of All,
You call in us to use our gifts
To heal the world.

Postscript: Here are more prayers about love: “Let Love,” “The Cut That Heals,” “For New Love,” “To Seek Your Love,” “A Heart of Love” and “A Moment of Love.” Several of these prayers appear in my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Lovely Healthy Life

Bring Back Our Girls: A Prayer

Posted on: May 8th, 2014 by Alden

Nearly 300 teenage girls were abducted from their school in Nigeria more than three weeks ago. Their supposed crime: advancing themselves through education, dreaming of becoming doctors, teachers, lawyers, women who would better society and the world. Some reports say they are being sold as brides to militants. This prayer is an adaptation of “Against Human Trafficking” including some language from “For the Missing.” For those who know any of the victims by name, the prayer includes two optional lines [in brackets] to add a name to the prayer.

ADDENDUM, Oct. 18, 2016: 21 girls abducted from Chibok have been reunited with their families after an apparent prisoner swap.

Bring Back Our Girls: A Prayer
G-d of the prisoner,
G-d of the slave and the captive,
The voice of anguish echoes across the land.
Our daughters,
Kidnapped from their school,
Hijacked from their lives,
Torn from their dreams,
Are held captive by violence and hatred.

Source of comfort,
Rock of love and truth,
You call upon us to stand
In the name of justice and freedom:
To free the captive,
To stand up to terror,
To fight misogyny,
To cry out against human bondage,
To muster our power and energy
Against this force of evil.

Bless those who have dedicated themselves to saving our girls.
Bless their work.
Let success be close at hand.

[Return ___________________________ (name)
To the cradle of her/our family’s arms,
And the refuge of her/our home,
Speedily, in life and in health.]

This dismay and dread are almost too much to bear.
Grant their families endurance, hope and faith
That they will soon be reunited in the fullness of joy.

Bless our girls, in their captivity,
With hope and courage.
They are daughters of truth,
And children of wisdom.
They are our future.
Grant them the strength and fortitude
To face, G-d forbid, any shames or tyrannies forced upon them.
Hasten their release.
Grant them lives of education and prosperity,
Health and happiness,
Joy and peace.
Let rescue be near.

Blessed are You, G-d of All Being,
Who summons us to liberate the oppressed.

Postscript: Please also see: “For the Women of Congo and Sudan.” “Against Human Trafficking” and other prayers for social justice prayers appear in Haggadah Companion: Meditations and Readings. “For the Missing” will appear in my forthcoming book, Prayers from the Heart of Darkness.

Photo Source: Bring Back Our Girls Facebook Page

For the People of Chile

Posted on: April 2nd, 2014 by Alden

This is a prayer for the people of Chile as the effects of the 8.8 earthquake and tsunami there Saturday night continues to unfold. It’s an adaption of two prayers that I originally wrote in 2010 for the people of Haiti and have subsequently revised for other places hit by major storms and disasters, including Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines. Just last week I adapted this prayer after the massive mudslide in Snohomish County, Washington.

In Devastation (Prayer for the People of Chile)
G-d beyond my understanding,
The earth has turned violent,
Sweeping our brothers and sisters off their feet,
Crushing homes and lives,
Upending dreams,
Toppling the foundations of hope and sustenance.
A shallow breath beneath the rubble
And wailing in the streets.
The injured, the dead, the starving.
The new widow,
The new orphan,
The newly bereft turn to You
Divine Source of abundance and grace.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of Chile,
And the victims of any disaster,
Any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May a world of justice, righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of Chile Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.

Postscript: Here’s a general prayer “For First Responders,” as well as prayer for those who have died in service to others as first responders, called “Yizkor for First Responders,” which appears in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Map from Stuff.co.nz

The Dark Corners

Posted on: February 15th, 2014 by Alden

Fear, sorrow and doubt cannot defeat the light of holiness, unless you let them. This prayer acknowledges difficult moments and emotions, offering the classic Jewish response to facing them with strength and dignity: Torah, tefilah (prayer) and mitzvot (acts of righteousness).

This piece is part of “Three Prayers,” in which three of my prayers are set to original choreography by Lin Batsheva Kahn of the Tikvah Company of Artists and original cello music by Desiree Miller of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. “Three Prayers” premieres in Jerusalem in June 2014 as part of an evening of dance and poetry by Miriam Engel’s Angela Dance Company. To listen to the music performed by Desiree, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

The Dark Corners
Fear lurks
In the dark corners of my heart,
Waiting to convince me
That love will fail.

Sorrow lurks
In the dark corners of my soul,
Waiting to convince me
That faith will fail.

Doubt lurks
In the dark corners of my mind,
Waiting to convince me
That wisdom will fail.

Rock of Jacob,
Teach me to shine
The light of mitzvot
Into the dark corners of my mind,
So that I face my fears with courage
Redeeming them with awe and wonder.

Song of Miriam,
Teach me to shine
The light of tefilot
Into the dark corners of my soul,
So that I face my sorrows with strength
Redeeming them with righteousness.

G-d of Old,
Teach me to shine
The light of Torah
Into the dark corners of my mind,
So that I face my doubts with honor
Redeeming them with holiness.

Postscript: This prayer will appear in my forthcoming book, Prayers from the Heart of Darkness.Consider using this as a slichot meditation during the month of Elul. Here are links to prayers about specific challenging emotions, including “Doubt,” “Fear,” “Anger” and “Shame.”