September 16, 2007

Opening Prayer

How wonderful, O Lord, are the works of your hands!
The heavens declare Your glory,
the arch of the sky displays Your handiwork
In Your love You have given us the power
to behold the beauty of Your world
robed in all its splendor.
The sun and the stars, the valleys and the hills,
the rivers and the lakes all disclose Your presence.
The roaring breakers of the sea tell of Your awesome might,

the beast of the field and the birds of the air
bespeak Your wondrous will.
In Your goodness You have made us able to hear
the music of the world.
The voices of the loved ones
reveal to us that You are in our midst.
A divine voice sings through all creation.

traditional Jewish prayer

Today I purpose to live

My life will shine
As the morning sings
I walk in liberty
Bound in true dreams
Manifested promises
Chase my forward motion
A covered path before me
The fruits of my hoping
The fruits of my living

Today I purpose to love

My love will speak
With the sound of grace
Merciful within mercy
The works of my faith
Smiles of overflowing
Inspire my giving
Abundance of joy as rain
The fruits of my living

Michael John Faciane

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Rav Kook taught:

There are those who sing the song of their own soul, finding therein everything: full spiritual satisfaction…
And there are those who sing the song of the people, moving beyond their own soul, reaching for more powerful heights…
And there are those whose souls lift beyond the limitation of Israel, to sing the song of all humanity. This spirit expands to include the glory of the human image and its dreams…
And there are those who lift beyond this level, becoming one with all creation and all creatures, and all the worlds… and with all of these worlds sing a song…
And there are those who rise together with the bungle of all these songs. All of them sing out, each gives meaning and life to the other.
And this completeness is the song of holiness, the song of God, and the song of Israel.

Creator of heaven and earth,
You are me,
I am you.

prayer of a Navajo girl - early 20th century

Every morning begins with new hope and new possibilities

As it begins let the morning star sing and the children of God shout and let us sing and shout with them.

William R. Locke

Mulla Nasrudin was outside on his hands and knees below a lantern when a friend walked up." What are you doing, Mullah?" I am looking for my key . I have lost it." So his friend got down on his hands and knees and they both searched for a long time in the dirt beneath the lantern Finding nothing, his friend finally turned to him and asked, "Where exactly did you lose it?" Nasrudin replied, "I lost it in the house, but the light is better out here."

May the sacred stream of amity flow
forever in my heart,
may the universe prosper
such is my cherished desire.

May my heart sing with ecstasy
at the sight of the virtuous,
and may my life be an offering
at their feet.

May my heart bleed at the sight
of the wretched, the cruel, the poor and the irreligious,
and may my tears of compassion
flow from my eyes.

May I always be there to show the path
to the pathless wanderers of life,
but if they should not hearken to me,
may I bide in patiently.

May the spirit of goodwill
enter all our hearts,
may we all sing together in chorus
the immortal song of human concord.

The immortal songs - Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji - 1950's

I release all of my past, negatives,
fears, human relationships, self-image, future,
and human desires to the Light.

I am a Light Being.

I radiate the Light from my Light Center
throughout my being.

I radiate the Light
from my Light Center to everyone.

I radiate the Light
from my Light Center to everything.

I am in a bubble of Light
and only Light can come to me
and only Light can be here.

Thank you God for everyone, for everything, and for me.

7 steps of effective prayer - Jim Goure

You and I are One
All of You and Us are One.
All The Souls are One Soul
All The Lights are One Light.

the messenger of unity