Ahh, the smell of coffee and the arts.
There is a point when each individual wakes up, before you are completely coherent, and completely asleep. It is in this state in which a person recites a very special prayer. It should begin the first word that comes out of Jewish lips every morning, before anything else. In this state one is in between the levels of dream, and life. A surreal state that transcends the normality of everyday living. In the realm of dream, certain fundamentals are intact, but the details, and specifics are not. According to Jewish tradition, belief in monotheism, and your basic way of life stays with you in this form, but things like fear, and logic are blurred. Emotions, implemented by the prefrontal cortex of your brain, they seem to disappear in the world of dream. On the other hand, you have the world in which you live your life. It seems that logic can overcome your basic notion of emotion, and that life seems too predicting at times. This is the reason why the Modeh Ani prayer is said at this time. It is the perfect blend of surreal, and logic. The time in which your imagination is allowed leverage, and your logical sense is still about you.
Imagine, waking up every morning, and your first words are offering a praise to your Creator, for allowing you to live another day. The appreciation that goes through your mind, every morning. A conscious decision to have the first sentence out of your mouth be one of thanks.
The Modeh Ani prayer is one of my favorites, as I can take a few seconds to a minute before it, meditating, preparing myself for a confrontation with HaKadosh Echad (The Holy One). The moment that the words run through the clear slate of my mind for the day, I feel a spark of happiness overcome me. A sense of feeling, that tells me every day "Your presence is appreciated". How can we go through every day, with our activities, without stopping to thank HaAbba (The Father) for something he has given us? What then is our purpose? People wander aimlessly around, asking themselves all the time "What am I here for?", "What is my purpose in life?". The answer is understood once one has accepted the idea of an appreciation. Once you know that something you have done has pleased someone else, you feel satisfied. How much more then should we desire to please our Heavenly Father?
The Modeh Ani prayer is as follows:
Imagine, waking up every morning, and your first words are offering a praise to your Creator, for allowing you to live another day. The appreciation that goes through your mind, every morning. A conscious decision to have the first sentence out of your mouth be one of thanks.
The Modeh Ani prayer is one of my favorites, as I can take a few seconds to a minute before it, meditating, preparing myself for a confrontation with HaKadosh Echad (The Holy One). The moment that the words run through the clear slate of my mind for the day, I feel a spark of happiness overcome me. A sense of feeling, that tells me every day "Your presence is appreciated". How can we go through every day, with our activities, without stopping to thank HaAbba (The Father) for something he has given us? What then is our purpose? People wander aimlessly around, asking themselves all the time "What am I here for?", "What is my purpose in life?". The answer is understood once one has accepted the idea of an appreciation. Once you know that something you have done has pleased someone else, you feel satisfied. How much more then should we desire to please our Heavenly Father?
The Modeh Ani prayer is as follows:
The interesting thing here, is that in Jewish lives, HaShem (literally, THE Name) is not spoken in any form until the hand washing is done in the morning. No cavity is touched on your body until after you have washed your hands, and said the appropriate blessing, so why is the Modeh Ani prayer said before the washing of hands? It's the only prayer that is, in fact. And if you'll notice, no specific Name for Him was used. Names in Hebrew concept are attributes, the Divine Attributes of El Elyon (G-d Most High) are as I have mentioned them here, HaShem, HaKadosh Echad, El Elyon, HaAbba, those all tell us something about him. His Name is Holy, He is the only Holy One, He is the Most High, He is our Father. But the Modeh Ani prayer doesn't use any of these. It has a special relationship, as the first thing that is said when you wake up. The inflection and focus is not upon who He is, but what He has done for you. I encourage anyone, Jewish or not, to say this prayer each morning with devotion, it's a very beautiful and wonderful prayer, and it offers divine insight to the everyday humdrum of our lives.Modeh anee lifanecha melech chai vikayam, she-he-chezarta bee nishmatee b'chemla, raba emunatecha.
I offer thanks to You, living and eternal king, for You have restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.
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