The tradition of the Dharma has a profound heritage of texts and prayers that express homage to the Buddhas and to the nature of primordial mind… Here we provide a selection to give you spiritual sustenance.

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Metta Sutta In safety and in bliss May all creatures be of a blissful heart. Whatever breathing beings there may be, No matter whether they are frail or firm, With none excepted, be they long or big Or middle-sized, or be they short or small Or thick, as well as those seen or unseen, Or whether they are far or near, Existing or yet seeking to exist, May all creatures be of a blissful heart. Let no one work another's undoing Or even slight him at all anywhere; And never let them wish another ill Through provocation or resentful thought. And just as might a mother with her life Protect the son that was her only child, So let him then for every living thing Maintain unbounded consciousness in being, And let him too with love for all the world Maintain unbounded consciousness in being Above, below, and all round in between, Untroubled, with no enemy or foe. And while he stands or walks, or while he sits Or while he lies down, free from drowsiness, Let him resolve upon this mindfulness. This is Divine Abiding here, they say.

How Effective is Prayer? by Helene Ciaravino 

It is easy to say that prayer can make us feel really good; that it opens the individual up to better understanding and therefore improves his life; that it can provide calm and contentment, thus improving health and happiness. But is there any proof that prayer actually works? Is it really worth our while? Can we evaluate prayer as we would evaluate any other “treatment” or “therapy” and prove its effectiveness? In very recent years, science has put forth good efforts to do just that. And there have been reputable studies that confirm prayer’s power. This article examines the relationship between prayer and science. It presents studies that not only confirm the power of prayer, but also provide some surprising insights into the process of prayer.

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Invocation to Primordial Mind edited by W.Y. Evans-Wentz 

Unlike most religions, Buddhism does not worship a personal deity. Perhaps the closest it comes is to pay homage to the nature of primordial mind, as in this Tibetan invocation. Sangsara or samsara is the realm of illusion. Nirvana is enlightenment.

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For the Soul’s Safekeeping edited by W.Y. Evans-Wentz 

The most famous Tibetan Buddhist text is the Bardo Thödol or The Tibetan Book of the Dead. It gives guidance to the souls of the recently deceased so that they might attain enlightenment. Here is part of a prayer for the safekeeping of the soul from this text. The bardo is the intermediate state the soul passes through between death and rebirth. Dakinis are female spirits. The Trikaya is the subtle body of enlightened beings.

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The Act of Prayer by Jane Hope 

In most spiritual traditions, prayer is believed to be most powerful when it combines physical action and speech.

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Why Don't We Pray? by Helene Ciaravino 

If prayer has so many benefits, why doesn’t everyone pray? Why is it such a struggle to pray at times? Why is it so easy to forget to pray, to make prayer a last priority, perhaps even to doubt prayer? In identifying why people don’t pray, we can trace most reasons back to fear. The remaining reasons have to do with the busy nature of our lives, the pride we face as people influenced by “rugged individualism,” and plain old lack of faith. This article studies common reasons why people might not pray, and also suggests some viable solutions.

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Prayer by Jane Hope 

Prayer is universal. Ultimately it’s a way of communing with the divine.

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Unanswered Prayers & Spiritual Dry Spells by Helen Ciaravino 

Frustrations naturally occur when prayers don’t seem to yield the desired results. Furthermore, there are times when the spiritual drive, which may be so passionate and energetic at one moment, simply stalls. All of a sudden, the presence of God may feel like a distant memory, if not a work of the imagination. You find yourself resisting prayer. How can you overcome these situations if and when they occur? What do they mean?

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Buddhist Meditation: A Brief History by Helene Ciaravino 

Under the tenets of Buddhism, meditation is one of the processes through which an individual moves away from ignorance and suffering, and therefore toward enlightenment—the ultimate goal of all Buddhist practice.

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