AMELIORATION OF DREAMS: A Prayer for Healing

Amelioration of Dreams prayer on the wall of the Great Synagogue in Tykocin, now a museum
Photo: Jolanta Dyr, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Amelioration of Dreams is a prayer ritual found in the sacred book, the Talmud (Berakhot 55b). The prayer laces the healing power of dreams with biblical accounts.

If a congregant sees a dream but fails to remember it or is disturbed by it, the dreamer stands before the rabbis as they spread their hands and recite the Priestly Benediction. The worshipper with the dream, joined by three friends, prays:

“Sovereign of the Universe, I am Thine and my dreams are Thine. I have dreamt a dream and do not know what it is.

“Whether I have dreamt about myself, or my companions have dreamt about me, or I have dreamt about others, if they are good dreams, confirm and reinforce them like the dreams of Joseph, and if they require a remedy, heal them, as the waters of Marah were healed by Moses, our teacher, and as Miriam was healed of her leprosy and Hezekiah of his sickness, and the waters of Jericho by Elisha. As Thou didst turn the curse of the wicked Balaam into a blessing, so turn all my dreams into something beneficial for me.”

At the end of the prayer, the dreamer repeats three times, “Thou makest me to know the path of life.”

The Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:22-27 remains a part of Christian church and Jewish synagogue services, but the Amelioration has faded from mainstream Judaism.

JASD aims to restore dreams, including the Amelioration of Dreams prayer, as a spiritual pillar of Judaism and a spiritual practice for all.

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Thank you so much!  No matter how much I’ve enjoyed a course, I’ve always been a bit relieved when a Zoom class has ended. HOWEVER, with this one I also felt I wanted to continue. I would appreciate digging deeper and I also really am glad when I can hear from the others.”—Pat B.

“Thank you for leading a beautiful workshop on dreams. As always, when I get the chance to talk dreams with you, I gain so much insight into my own inner world. You have a gift of helping us tap into that rich source of knowledge. And so nice to connect with the others in the circle. ” — Rhona K.

“The group was reconnecting me with good things I learned in the 70’s. Things I want to reconnect with.  And dreams like it when you pay attention to them! ” Janine L.

“Thank you so much for you input, kind words and amazing perspective on all things dreams, biblical, and life knowledge. I’m so glad to have “met” you and that spirit had guided me to take your class.Amazing what a life journey turns out to be when looking back at everything in reverse. I often think all stories are so amazing in reverse, yet our lives are those stories.  🙂 Thank you for hosting the dream workshop and for being there with you intuitive, unique, yet clear perspective.”— Tanya B.