MIDNIGHT MEDITATION

From “The Flame of the Heart: Prayers of a Chasidic Mystic” (Breslov Research Institute), translated by Dovid Sears from the writings of Reb Noson of Breslov.

Midnight Meditation

"My soul longs for You in the night; the spirit within me seeks You. I have remembered Your Name at night, O God, and I have kept Your Torah. Remember my song in the night; with my heart I commune, and my spirit seeks."

Master of the universe Who is One, Singular and Unique, transcending past, present and future: You created this world and all the supernal universes, according to Your beneficent will. You sent forth our souls to this world to serve You in truth, thus to reveal Your kingship. Through our positive actions we can spiritually elevate all worlds, from the lowest level of the World of Action to the highest level of the World of Emanation. We can elevate everything to its supernal Source, so that every element of the universe will merge into Your absolute Oneness.

Therefore show me mercy and enable me to spend much time in secluded meditation every day, until I attain self-nullification -- the complete eradication of the ego. Then I will be able to merge with Your Oneness in truth.

Allow me a special place and a special time for my meditations -- a secluded path late at night, while most people are sleeping. May I go there every night, to that secluded path where people do not go, even by day. There, let me meditate and put my thoughts and feelings into words, pouring out my heart to You, until my heart yearns for You and my eyes flow with tears. May I confess all of my many failings before You, regretting them all truly and sincerely, and resolve not to return to my foolish ways again.

Help me -- not because I have earned Your favor, but because of Your great mercy. Protect me from all misdeeds, transgressions and selfish desires. Through my secluded meditations let me attain true self-nullification, so that I eradicate every negative character trait and every self-seeking desire, until I have completely cleansed myself of them all. Help me remove every trace of ego, until I reach the ultimate level of self-nullification and become incorporated within the Divine Oneness in truth.

Then all temporal existence will be integrated into the Essential Reality: everything will become one with God and exist within God forever, never to be separated from Him again. Your Oneness will be revealed throughout Creation. "And everything created will know that You created it, and everything formed will realize that You formed it. And everyone who breathes the breath of life shall declare: 'The Lord God of Israel is King, and His dominion is over all." (LT I:647-648)