Morning Prayer

This morning prayer invites you to delight in your human existence and to freely call out for divine assistance. It is based on a Tibetan Buddhist daily practice called "Nectar of the Path" taught by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. It includes The Four Thoughts, Refuge & Bodhichitta, and Guru Yoga. In some cases, I have put the prayers into my own words to make them relatable to a non-buddhist. The original text is available through Tergar.org.

Music: Christopher Lloyd Clarke.
Photo: Nick Fewings

Transcript

Morning Prayer Grant your blessing so that my mind may be one with the truth.

Grant your blessing so that truth may progress along the path.

Grant your blessing so that the path may clarify confusion.

Grant your blessing so that confusion may dawn as wisdom.

Nectar for the Path I begin this day by cultivating a sense of delight.

I notice the many wonderful qualities of being human.

I delight in this human life.

Like the waves in the ocean,

All things are impermanent.

I accept whatever happens to me today and make it my friend.

When causes and conditions come together,

A result is sure to follow.

So I will do my best to help others and engage in positive actions.

The suffering of beings is mainly produced by the mind.

I must free myself of my self-created bonds.

Refuge in Bodhicitta May love,

Truth,

And connection with others guide me and all beings.

I take refuge in love.

I take refuge in truth.

I take refuge in my fellow beings.

The ultimate refuge is complete within me.

My mind is Buddha nature.

Christ consciousness.

Enlightened from the start.

All the infinite number of beings are my own family.

I feel compassion for all beings who,

Like me,

Want to be happy.

I practice on the path to bring all beings to happiness,

Peace,

And freedom.

I picture my own inner teacher,

My intimate beloved,

In the form of light and sound.

Think of me,

Beloved.

Come to my assistance.

Make haste to help me.

In essence,

You are equal to all the enlightened ones.

But in the kindness you have shown to me,

You are even greater.

Think of me,

Beloved.

Come to my assistance.

Make haste to help me.

Melt into light and dissolve into me.

Let our minds invisibly merge.

Our hearts invisibly merge.

Our spirits invisibly merge.

You and I are of the same essence.

Now I let my mind rest naturally,

Without meditating,

Yet undistracted,

Maintaining the flow of its own true nature,

Ordinary,

Just as it is.

My mind is inseparable from the mind of my beloved and all my teachers and all beings.

Without fabricating anything,

I rest naturally in my true nature,

Not meditating and not distracted,

In simple,

Uncontrived ordinariness.

Awareness relaxes into itself.

Any benefit I have received from this practice,

I dedicate to the lasting happiness of all beings.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings take delight in their existence.

All beings be at peace.

May all beings be free.

Reviews

What a beautiful way to begin the day! This put a smile on my face and in my heart 🙏💛

A beautiful slow pace with room to absorb and hold.

Mysterious and simple, beautiful and spacious. Thank you. 🙏🏽

Lovely start to my day. May all beings live in peace. Thank you 🙏🕊️❣️

Grateful for this prayer this morning. Namaste 🙏🏼

Perfect prayer to start the day. Thank you and namaste 🙏

Absolutely beautiful.....and so it is. Thank you. Namaste
🌺🙏🌺

I've been listening to this regularly for several years 🥰🙏🕉 Beautiful.

Beautiful meditation
Truly slowed my mind down
Thank you 🪷🙏🏻

Very peaceful. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us. Namaste 🙏🏽

A deeply present, clear voice with simple yet profound sentences to reflect on.

May all beings find delight in their existence🙏♥️

Beautiful! I love how you worded this prayer. Honoring our "Beloved" as well as ourselves and all beings as sacred and beloved. Bookmarked! Thank you!

Perfectly simple yet thorough, this is the most relatable, appealing, and effective gratitude meditation I’ve found in years. Helped me ease into a better, more connected mentality, I will use this often. 🌸🙏🏽😌

Wonderful! I will listen again. Thank you! Namaste.
♥️🙏♥️

I felt grounded and connected in love with all beings. Richly grateful for the abundance around me and sharing the light of peace with open arms and joy. Thank you.

Thank you for this incredibly beautiful morning prayer. I am grateful ❤️