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Daily Prayer/Meditation

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for the Nation


With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds... to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.


- Abraham Lincoln

Appropriate for many faiths
source: From Lincoln's second inaugural address (1864)
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for Life's Journey


O God, Who has commanded that no man should be idle, give us grace to employ all our talents and faculties in the service appointed to us; that, whatsoever our hand findeth to do, we may do it with our might. Cheerfully may we go on in the road which Thou hast marked out, not desiring too earnestly that it should be either more smooth or more wide; but daily seeking our way by Thy light, may we trust ourselves and the issue of our journey, to Thee the Fountain of Joy, and sing songs of praise as we go along. Then, O Lord, receive us at the gate of life, which Thou hast opened for us in Christ Jesus.



Christian
source: Martineau's Common Prayer for Christian Worship
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
The Fatiha


In the name of Allah, Most gracious, Most merciful
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds
Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgement
Thee do we worship, and Thine aide we seek
Show us the straight way
The way of those on whom Thou has bestowed thy Grace, those whose portion
Is not wrath, and who do not go astray.



Muslim
source: The opening words of the Qur'an
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for Peaceful Sleep


Lord God,
send peaceful sleep
to refresh our tired bodies.
May your help always renew us
and keep us strong in your service.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Into your hands, O Lord, we commend our souls and bodies, beseeching you to keep us this night under your protection and strengthen us for our service on the morrow, for Christ's sake.
Amen.


- Archbishop Laud (1573-1645)

Christian
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Glory to God


Glory to you, O God, Creator and Father, for the universe in which we live, and for men made in your own image. Glory to you, O Christ, who took a human body and redeemed our fallen nature. Glory to you, O Holy Spirit, who made our bodies the temple of your presence. Glory to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, whose will it is that we should be made whole in body, mind and spirit. Glory to God to all eternity.


- George Appleton

Christian
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Great Spirit, You Are the Life of Things


Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice. You lived first, and you are older than all need, older than all prayer. All things belong to you -- the two-legged, the four-legged, the wings of the air, and all green things that live.

You have set the powers of the four quarters of the earth to cross each other. You have made me cross the good road and road of difficulties, and where they cross, the place is holy. Day in, day out, forevermore, you are the life of things.


- Black Elk (1863-1950)

Native American
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
The Shema


Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.
Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart.
And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.
Barukh Shem k'vod malkhuto l'olam va-ed
V-ahavta et Adonai Elohecha b-chol l'vavcha u-v-chol naf'sh'cha u-v-chol m'odecha.
V-hayu ha-d'varim ha-ayleh asher anochi m'tzav'cha ha-yom al l'vavecha.
V-shinantam l-vanecha, v-dibarta bam b-shivt'cha b-vaytecha, u-v-lecht'cha ba-derech, u-v-shachb'cha u-v-kumecha.
U-k'shartam l'ot al yadecha, v-hayu l-totafot bayn aynecha.
U-chtavtam al m'zuzot baytecha u-vi-sharecha.


- Deuteronomy 6: 4-9

Jewish
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for Inner Peace and Calm


Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.


- John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)

Christian
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer to Lakshmi


Glory to you, O Mother, glory to you, mother Lakshmi. Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma meditate on you everyday and night.

You are yourself the consort of Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu and the mother of the world. The sage Narada sings your praises and the Sun and the Moon meditate on you.

As Durga, you grant both happiness and prosperity and he who centres his attention on you becomes a recipient of all riddhis and siddhis Prosperity and Accomplishment.

None but you dwell in the nether regions of the earth and you alone ensure good luck, bring to light the effect of action (karma), and protect all worldly treasures.

All the virtues collect themselves where you have your dwelling; with your grace and favour even the impossible becomes possible without causing any nervous agitation.

No sacrifice can be performed without you; no one can obtain any garment; it is from you that one obtains one’s sustenance.

O! daughter of the Ocean of Milk and the beauteous temple of all propitious virtues, you are verily a living mass of all fourteen gems with which none else is endowed.

Whosoever hymns this prayer to Lakshmi is purged of his sins and experiences the ecstasy of joy.

Jai Lakshmi mata, maya jai Lakshmi mata,
Tumko nishdin sevat, Hara Vishnu vidhata, Jai Lakshmi...
Brahmani, Rudrani Kamala, tuhi hai jagmata,
Surya chandrama dhyavat, Narad rishi gata, Jai Lakshmi...
Durga rup nirantar, sukh sampati data,
Jo koi tumko dhyavat, riddhi siddhi dhan pata, Jai Lakshmi...
Tuhi hai patal Basanti, tuhi shubh data,
Karma prabhav prakashak, jagnidhi se trata, Jai Lakshmi...
Jisghar men tum rahati, sab sadgun ata,
Karna sake koi karle, man nahin ghabrata, Jai Lakshmi....
Tum bin yagya na hove, vastra na koi pata,
Khan pan ka vaibhava, sab tumse ata, Jai Lakshmi...
Shubh gun mandir sundar, Kshirodadhi jata,
Ratan charurdash tumhin, koi nahTh pata, Jai Lakshmi...
Arti Lakshmi ji ki, jo koi nar gata,
Ur anand ati umeg, pap utar jata, Jai Lakshmi...




Hindu
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for a Sick Child


Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of the sheep, you gather the lambs in your arms and carry them in your bosom: We commend to your loving care this child ______. Relieve his/her pain, guard him/her from all danger, restore to him/her your gifts of gladness and strength, and raise him/her up to a life of service to you. Hear us, we pray, for you dear Name's sake. Amen.



Christian
source: Book of Common Prayer 1979
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Traditional Irish Prayer Against Evil


Three things are of the evil one:
An evil eye;
An evil tongue;
An evil mind.

Three things are of God, and these three are what Mary told her Son, for she heard them in heaven:
The merciful word,
The singing word,
And the good word.

May the power of these three holy things be on all men and women of Erin for evermore.



Christian
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for Meaningful Work


Loving God, you made us co-creators in the process of your creation, blessing us with wisdom, reason, creativity, and skill. Bless all who seek meaningful employment that they may provide for the well-being of their families. Let those who have more than they need for life's necessities be moved to use their wealth to create new opportunities for others. Let those who have skills be open to sharing the riches of their knowledge with those who seek the opportunity to learn. Let us all learn from one another, for you have blessed every human being with a gift for the benefit of the common good. And thereby enable us by the power of your Holy Spirit to build up the body of Christ on this earth that your name be proclaimed and blessed through the good work of all; in Christ’s name we pray. Amen.


- Vienna Cobb Anderson

Christian
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Child's Prayer for Guidance


As I grow and learn,
help me, O Mother,
help me, O Father,
to know what is right
and to do only that.


- Ceisiwr Serith

Pagan, appropriate for many faiths
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for the Poor


For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.



Christian
source: Book of Common Prayer 1979
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Twenty-Third Psalm



HaShem is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul; He guideth me in straight paths for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of HaShem for ever.


Psalms 23: 1-6 | Source: Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Let Us Know Peace


Let us know peace.
For as long as the moon shall rise,
For as long as the rivers shall flow,
For as long as the sun will shine,
For as long as the grass shall grow,
Let us know peace.



Native American
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Hanukkah Candle-Lighting Prayers

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us by his commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav, ve-tzivanu le-hadlik ner shel Hanukah.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam she-asa nisim la-avotenu ba-yamim ha-hem ba-zeman ha-zeh.

On the first night only:
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam she-hecheyanu, ve-kiyemanu, ve-higiyanu la-zeman ha-zeh.

Jewish
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Morning Prayer


We have awoken, and all of creation has awoken, for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. Allah, I ask You for the best the day has to offer, victory, support, light, blessings and guidance; and I seek refuge in You from the evil in it, and the evil to come after it.


Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) | Source: Remembrance and Prayer: The Way of the Prophet Muhammad, by Muhammad Al Ghazali (trans. Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo).

Muslim
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Prayer for Difficult Times


Your word is a lantern to my feet
and a light upon my path.

I have sworn and am determined
to keep your righteous judgments.

I am deeply troubled;
preserve my life, O Lord, according to your word.

Accept, O Lord, the willing tribute of my lips,
and teach me your judgments.

My life is always in my hand,
yet I do not forget your law.

The wicked have set a trap for me,
but I have not strayed from your commandments.

Your decrees are my inheritance for ever;
truly, they are the joy of my heart.

I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes
for ever and to the end.


- Psalms 119: 105-112

Christian
source: Book of Common Prayer 1979

Jewish translation:

Prayer for Difficult Times


Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

I have sworn, and have confirmed it, to observe Thy righteous ordinances.

I am afflicted very much; quicken me, O HaShem, according unto Thy word.

Accept, I beseech Thee, the freewill-offerings of my mouth, O HaShem, and teach me Thine ordinances.

My soul is continually in my hand; yet have I not forgotten Thy law.

The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet went I not astray from Thy precepts.

Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

I have inclined my heart to perform Thy statutes, for ever, at every step.


- Psalms 119: 105-112

Jewish
source: Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Discourse on Lovingkindness



Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.


The Buddha Source: Sutta Nipata
 
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