Preface xi Read Excerpt
Introduction: The Problem with Jewish Prayer 1

Part I The Spiritual Dynamics of Prayer 19
1. The Efficacy of Prayer 21Read Excerpt
2. What Is Prayer? 39 Read Excerpt
3. Yearning 48
4. Gratitude 55
5. Kavvanah 59
6. Engaging the Body 66
7. Listening for God: Silence and Meditation 77
8. Discerning Divinity 84

Part II Beginning to Pray 91
9. Advice For Beginners 93
10. The Power of You 99
11. Blessings 104
12. Cultivating a Personal Prayer Voice 108

Part III Growing and Healing through Prayer 113
13. Teshuvah: Personal Change, Communal Responsibility 115
14. Coping with Loss 126 Read Excerpt

Part IV Embracing Traditional Jewish Prayer 139
15. The Spiritual Dynamics of the Siddur 141
16. Learning the Siddur 155
17. Overcoming the Hebrew Barrier 167
18. Best Practices 173 Read Excerpt
19. Between Traditional and Personal Prayer 186
20. Advice For Beginners Redux 191
Part V Building a Prayer Practice 201
21. Starting a Daily Practice 203

PRACTICES 209
YEARNING 209
Practice 1 Write a Psalm 209

GRATITUDE 210
Practice 2 Gratitude List 210
Practice 3 Thank-You Walk 211

BODY AWARENESS 211
Practice 4 Soul Breathing 212
Practice 5 25-25-50 Body Awareness 213
Practice 6 Heart Awareness 214

BLESSINGS 215
Practice 7 Blessings Practice 216
Practice 8 Jewish Blessings 218
Practice 9 Learn the Traditional Blessings 219
Practice 10 Blessings Walk 220

CULTIVATING A PERSONAL PRAYER VOICE 220
Practice 11 Personal Prayer 221
Practice 12 Talking to God—Rabbi Nachman’s Hitbodedut 222
Practice 13 Write a Letter to God 223
Practice 14 God Says 223
Practice 15 Contemplation 224

COPING WITH LOSS 226
Practice 16 Tears 226
Practice 17 Words 227
Practice 18 Meditation 227
Practice 19 Give It to God 227

TESHUVAH 228

ENGAGING THE BODY IN TRADITIONAL PRAYER 229
Practice 20 Jewish Chant 230

BEFRIENDING THE TRADITIONAL PRAYERS 233
Practice 21 Improvise with the Chatimah 234
tice 22 Ask the Siddur a Question 235
Practice 23 Visualization 235
Practice 24 Dialogue a Prayer 236

Conclusion: Letting God In 239

Notes 243
Waiting for You at www.MakingPrayerReal.com 245
Glossary 247
Resources 253
About the Contributors 267
Index of Contributors 279

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