Bedtime Shema Part III

BEDTIME SHEMA PART III

,וּניֵהֹלֱא הוהי ,וּנֵביִּכְׁשַה םיִבוֹט .םיִיַחְל ,וּנֵּכְלַמ ,וּנֵדיִמֲעַהְו .םוֹלָׁשְל ,ךֶמוֹלְׁש תַּכֻס וּניֵלָע שֹׂרְפוּ .םוֹלָׁשְלוּ וּנֵעיִׁשוֹהְו ,ךיֶנָפְלִמ הָבוֹט הָצֵעְּב וּנֵנְקַתְו .ךֶמְׁש ןַעַמְל הָרֵהְמ

רֶבֶּד ,בֵיֺוא וּניֵלָעֵמ רֵסָהְו ,וּנֵדֲעַּב ןֵגָהְו וּניֵנָפְלִמ ןָטָׂש רֵסָהְו .ןוֹגָיְו בָעָרְו בֶרֶחְו לֵא יִּכ ,וּנֵריִּתְסַּת ךיֶפָנְּכ לֵצְבוּ ,וּניֵרֲחאֵַמוּ ןוּנַּח ךֶלֶמ לֵא יִּכ ,הָּתאָ וּנֵליִצַמוּ וּנֵרְמוֹשׁ .הָּתאָ םוּחַרְו

םוֹלָׁשְלוּ םיִיַחְל וּנֵאוֹבוּ וּנֵתאֵצ רֹמְׁשוּ .םָלוֹע דַעְו הָּתַעֵמ Help us, Adonai, our God, lie down in peace; and rise up to good life and peace, our Majesty. Spread Your canopy of peace over us. Guide us with Your good counsel and save us speedily for the sake of Your name! Shield us from all that can harm us and remove from us enemy, plague, sword, famine, and sorrow. Remove the adversary from before and behind us. Shelter us in the shadow of Your wings, for You, God, are our Guardian and Rescuer. You are a gracious and compassionate Majesty. Guard our coming and our going, for life and peace, now and always.

REFLECT

A nightly practice of introspection can be a powerful tool for nourishing your inner life, shaping your tomorrow, and over time your destiny. • Begin by thinking back over your day and the personal interactions large and small that punctuated it. • Invite your soul to reflect: • Is there anyone whose actions I need to forgive? Give yourself permission to let go of resentment and hard feelings. • When did I bring peace and light into the day? Dwell on moments of gratitude, interactions when your behavior aligned with your values. • When was I triggered? When did I stumble? Consider something you can learn from today and how you might bring that learning into your day tomorrow. • How might I feel invited to make an adjustment in my behavior? Encourage yourself to welcome small changes that

will inspire you to love looking back on how you have lived your life. • Where were there hints of Godly Oneness in my day? Reflect on opportunities to marvel in the Oneness that interconnects your world, and times when you could have drawn closer to God and to other people. • Take a deep breath. Allow your thoughts to move on from your day and draw your attention inward. Settle yourself and your body, becoming attuned to an inner peace. Feel the Divine Presence in your being. See yourself as God sees you, in a way that is just and loving. • Repeat three times one or more verses of the closing of the Bedtime Shema (see following pages). Let your soul steep in these words, in the warmth of this lullaby of hope and trust. Visualize any remaining tension from the day departing your body, replaced by a loving Presence that surrounds you and lulls you into relaxation.