Meditation on Hashkiveinu Adonai Eloheinu l'Shalom

Lay us down in peace, Adonai our G!d.

 

As twilight deepens, we begin to prepare for the night. In darkness, without light, the shadows grow more fearful. We reach out to the Infinite One for shelter and peace.

 

I invite you to enter with me into that space.

 

Breathing in, consider what you fear the most – do not hide from it; acknowledge it.

 

As you breathe out, feel yourself releasing what is most fearful, letting it out of your body and your being with your breath.

 

Continue to breath slowly, deeply, comfortably,

 

with each inward breath acknowledging something that makes you uneasy,

 

with each outward breath, releasing the fear, the discomfort, the uneasiness.

 

Continue breathing in and out, acknowledging, releasing,

acknowledging, releasing.

Ufros aleinu, sukkat shlomecha,

Spread over all of us,

Our Father, Our Mother,

spread over us

your shelter of peace.

That shelter, that sukkah of shalom, is here, now, in this room.

Feel it – feel the sheltering presence of the Shechina, a shelter of peace,

with us now.

V'hagen aleinu,

Feel the protection that comes with G!d's sukkah of shalom,

feel yourself being guarded and cared for.

U'shmor tzeteinu u'vo'einu

Guard are coming and our going now and always.

Ufros aleinu sukkat shlomecha,

Spread over us Your sukkah of shalom.

Breath in, acknowledging, breath out, letting go, sheltered by the presence of Sacred Oneness.

And we say, Amein.