The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine

by Marcia Prager

Book Overview

Introduces the meaning and practice of Hebrew blessing through in-depth exploration of the first words of a blessing, historic and kabbalistic references and sample blessings for various occasions.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517703637
• ISBN13: 9780517703632
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Harmony
• Length: 219 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

A Blessing in itself!

Rabbi Marcia Prager is an active Reconstructionist and Jewish Renewal Teacher, a storyteller in the tradition of great Hassidc Rebbes. Listening to the voice of the Shekhinah, applying the teachings of Baal Shem Tov -- "Enter into every letter with all your strength, God dwells in every letter and as you enter it, you become one with God" -- Rabbi Marcia Prager explores the opening words of a Jewish blessing -- Barukh Ata Adonay Eloheynu Melech Ha'olam (Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe) -- and takes us into another dimension, one of mystical and spiritual fulfillment. This is real "kavvanah!" A wonderful guide for the enrichment of our daily life, not through the obsessed materialism of our era, but through the use of spiritual practice of blessing. It is so simple and at the same time so deep and profound.

This book can awaken the soul to give and receive blessings!

The Path of Blessing is an extraoridinary journey into the depths of the importance of blessings. Rabbi Marcia Prager delves into the historical and esoteric roots of each letter of each word. This process forces the reader to awaken new layers of awareness about how you think---and about how you can give more meaning to blessings. This book can awaken the soul to give and receive blessings more fully---so that each moment of life is enriched....I read the book straight through...while others I know have read it in bits and pieces----whatever works for you...make sure you take it all in !!!

A refreshing look at the tradition of Jewish blessings.

This warm and articulate book describes how the ancient Jewish spiritual practice of blessing offers us a way of becoming aware of God's Presence in our daily lives. Rabbi Prager discusses each of the six Hebrew words which begin every blessing, revealing layers of meaning embedded in the Hebrew words, and stripping away layers of impediments which American culture and English translations have placed in our way. The blessing becomes a moment of mindfulness, a meditation, which brings our attention to the Source of Life in the most mundane actions- eating, drinking, on waking up and going to sleep, on seeing a rainbow, or smelling the fragrance of a flower or shrub. The book is a doorway into a world of wonder, a world in which we stop, awakened to God's Presence in the world and in ourselves. We say blessings of gratitude, not that The Source of All needs our blessings, but because those moments enrich our lives with glimpses of sacred awareness. This is a book which can be read by spiritual seekers of all faiths and all levels of experience. I have read the book three times and have seen something new in each reading. In addition, the end notes are a wonderful resource for further study.

Beautifully written, deep yet accessible, transformative.

"A simple Hebrew blessing is a powerful thing - a one-minute, deeply meditative exercise exploring the nature of the Creative Force we call God and the dynamic relationship between God, human consciousness, and the unfolding universe. Far from a mindless mumble, each word of a Hebrew blessing is crafted to touch deep centers of awareness and receptivity within us. Each word is a stepping-stone inviting us to explore a rich treasury of images and associations." This premise is where Marcia Prager's book begins - and then she takes the reader on a wonderful journey, exploring the practice of brakhot (blessings) and how it contributes to bringing kedusha (the sacred) into every aspect of our lives. She gives us a sense of the richness and depth of the Hebrew language as she explores the letters and words we use to begin a blessing; she encourages us to be fully present in the moment, with kavvanah (focused intention) and an inner turning toward God. Many of us were taught to translate Barukh Ata Adonay, Eloheynu Melekh Ha'Olam, as "Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, King of the Universe." Prager leads us through explorations of each word, its levels of meaning and associations, until her translation has evolved into "A Fountain of Blessings are You, The-Eternal-Breath-of-Life-Beyond-and-Within, Divine Expansiveness Concentrated within our World, Channeling Creative Power to Manifest as the Mystery of Consciousness becoming Time-Space." Not only does she expand and deepen the meaning of each word, she makes them come alive - so that a brakah becomes a doorway that can open into a truly sacred moment. I love this book - I have been studying it, delighting in it, and being transformed by it. It is beautifully written; Prager draws on teaching stories and examples from many historical sources, as well as her own contemporary perspective. It is also a deeply inspiring book, inviting the reader to participate fully and with joy in the path of blessing. Before she invites us to craft new brakhot of our own, Prager summarizes, "Through our brakhot our lives are enriched. Infused with holy energy, our souls arise to partake of the adventure of the universe. We bless the Source of Life and we are blessed."