"Lord, I bow to Thee on this beautiful occasion in which Thou art born in us in new glory. May I always be blessed with awareness of Thy presence, and may each one of us here be thus blessed, that we may all know Thou art seeking to be born anew in our consciousness."Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.182.
"I pray that God give you the imperishable gift of His love. (...) May His blessings be ever with you; may His consciousness never leave you. May you realize, within and without, the fullness of His presence." Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.183.
"I offer the bouquet of these souls to Thee, O Father, that they may adorn the altar of Thy presence. (...) Banish the darkness of ignorance with Thy light; drive away all gloom from the shores of our minds with the expanding light of Thy presence. (...) Bless us all, saturate us with Thy presence. May we realize more and more that Thou hast always been ours. (...) We bow to Thee, our Father, our very own. Thy presence be with us now and forever." Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.183.
Heart's beloved, merciful Father, draw me to Your service,
I yearn for You as the stag yearns for water,
Let me bow down before Your splendor,
Your friendship is my choicest delight.
Glorious One, light of the world, my soul pines for You,
Heal me by letting Your light shine on me,
Then I shall be strengthened and restored,
I shall serve You always.
Eternal One, show mercy to Abraham's child,
How long have I sought You!
My God, me heart's desire, take me into Your presence,
Hide not from me, delay not.
Reveal Yourself, O beloved, shelter me,
Let the earth be radiant with Your glory,
Hasten, O beloved, it is time,
Take us into Your grace, as in days of old.
Yedid Nefesh, "Heart's Beloved," the Jewish poem, quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.255.
Last updated: 2001/10/19