Berachot. Barchu. Baruch. Hebrew words that connote Blessing. In Sufi, the word means having a sense of divine presence, and indeed these prayers of Thanksgiving and Praise we recite give us words to label and take notice of the divine presence that exists in every moment.
These prayers originated during the time of Ezra, created by the Rabbis who formed the synagogue. We say Berachot at all points during the day, upon awakening and dressing, before and after meals, when retiring at night, when reading from Scripture, during life's big rituals (b'nai mitzvot, betrothals, weddings, bris ceremonies and funerals), when we encounter natural phenomena, at the new moon, when escaping peril, and more personal blessings when we encounter the divine presence in our lives. There are actually 100 Berachot to be said during one's day (see The JewishEncyclopedia.com, Benedictions for the list).
Though there are many prayers that have been written for us to recite, it is often the heartfelt prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise that means the most to me. I am aware of the divine presence in my life, but it's kind of "under the radar." When a moment brings me face-to-face with the direct impact of "divine" and "normal, every day stuff" then I really take notice. Such as when I avoid a car accident, or see someone I haven't seen in a very long time, or witness a gorgeous once-in-a-lifetime sunrise or sunset.
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