This prayer was created in response to a perceived need to acknowledge challenges to mental, emotional, and psychological health in a way that is not explicit in the standard prayers of Jewish siddurim. It was developed in conversation with participants in the Shabbat Morning Minyan of Temple EmanuEl of Westfield, New Jersey.
Prayer for Mental and Psychological Wellbeing
BLESSED ARE YOU, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe,
who formed the mind with wisdom,
weaving together memory and thought, emotion and understanding,
into the intricate fabric of human consciousness.
You have given us minds that reason and wonder,
hearts that feel deeply, and spirits that seek connection.
Yet sometimes memory dims, anxiety clouds our days,
and grief weighs heavy upon our hearts.
For those who struggle with troubled minds,
wounded hearts, or heavy spirits,
whose thoughts may be scattered and whose days are marred by fear,
grant healing where it is possible, and where it is not, grant peace.
Strengthen the afflicted and those who care for them,
sustain those facing diminished clarity or overwhelming emotion,
and help us find dignity in every stage of our human journey.
May we always remember that we are your children,
That our worth does not diminish with our faculties or with our struggles
BLESSED ARE YOU, Adonai,
who grants wisdom to the mind,
courage to the heart, and healing to the spirit,
holding us always in Your loving embrace.
© Charles R. Lightner 2025
Permission is granted to use this prayer in any prayer or worship context.