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

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, deep yet accessible, transformative.
Review: "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."

Rating:
Summary: A great companion to take on your journey along the path
Review: If you have ever hoped to find a book that would help you be more present in the moment, be more grateful for the blessings in your life, or face each day with renewed hope, Marcia Prager's book, "The Path of Blessing," would be the book for you. Prager reminds us of the value of blessings - how we might begin to experience the world in a different way after learning more about and including blessings in our daily practice and becoming more aware of the blessings bestowed on us. She writes "Imagine if at every moment we each embraced the world as the gift it is". We learn where God is in all this when we read "On the path of blessing, we are reminded that the whole world is an expression of divine energy." Prager also includes a handy appendix of blessings for specific occasions (eating bread, drinking wine, seeing a rainbow, lighting holiday candles, etc.). No matter where you are on the path of your learning or practice, this book will deepen your awareness of the bounty of blessings that is available to us, if we only tap in to it.

Rating:
Summary: A Blessing in itself!
Review: 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.