Introductory notes for the prayer community
This prayer emerges from a practice of beginning the day with gratitude and awareness — integrating the words of Modeh Ani, which honors both bodily and spiritual awakening, and the Psalmist’s assurance that “Adonai is near to all who call.” (Psalm 145:18)
Written through a relational, narrative, neurotheological lens, the prayer invites a gentle movement from the outer world to the inner world: from observing the landscape of our morning, to recognising the possibility of the Divine presence in it, to stepping consciously into relationship with that Presence. Its structure intentionally echoes the rhythm of the Psalms — grounding us in lived experience, drawing us toward reflection, and closing with a petition of the heart.
While it maintains a pluralistic and accessible voice, the intention is deeply rooted in Jewish spiritual theology: that God’s presence becomes known through the quality of our attention, our interactions, and the stories we carry into the day.
This form of prayer is informed by contemporary research into embodied spirituality, exploring how prayer engages the body–mind–soul connection and supports healing, integration, and meaning-making in daily life. It is highly attuned to the needs of spiritual care and chaplaincy, and is suitable for interfaith and pluralistic prayer as it invites all to encounter the prayer language experientially, advancing both the beauty and meaning of the Hebrew prayer language.
Thank you for including On Waking in your journey today.
On Waking
A Relational Narrative Prayer of Discovery
“Near to all who call is Adonai, to all who call to God with sincerity.” Ps.145:18
Today, as I walked to work,
I remembered waking —
I remembered opening my eyes,
And realizing… the new day had begun.
Modeh ani l’fanecha,
I thank You,
melech chai v’kayam,
living and enduring God,
shehehezarta bi nishmati b’hemla,
for You have graciously returned my soul to me.
raba emunatekha.
How great is Your faith.
And as I stepped aboard the train,
I found myself thinking of the prayer
I would offer here —
Thinking of the colleagues
with whom I would share these words.
And I wondered,
how might these words shape our day?
I wondered, what blessings might arise.
How a simple prayer might hold the Divine,
as these words pass from me to you.
This morning, in the carriage,
surrounded by strangers,
it would have been easy to look past —
But something in me asked:
Is God here too?
Is this the energy of creation?
And for a moment,
an unexpected and fleeting moment,
those strangers became so much more —
their faces became possibility,
their gaze held intention.
It is a strange and beautiful thing
to hold God in your heart.
To sense the Divine
in our ways.
I sometimes wonder,
could this be the day
I recognise God in me?
What will that take?
Will I know?
God of this day and God of every day,
God of our ancestors, God of our children,
may we stay awake
to the sacred moments around us.
May we recognise Your presence
in all that we do,
in all who walk beside us,
in the wisdom of our souls.
Let this day and every day
be the day we see You,
the day we know You,
the day we experience You —
wherever we look,
wherever we go,
and in all that we do.
“Karov Adonai I’hol korav,”
“God is close to all who call.”
“I’hol asher yikra uhu v’emet.”
“to all who call in truth.”
Amen
