Counting Omer traditionally consists of five distinct steps:

1. opening with a meditation,
2. saying the blessing,
3. reciting the count,
4. reading Psalm 67, and
5. closing with a prayer on behalf of those still in bondage.

This ritual is typically practised at night, and in some traditional communities, it is a custom not to work from sunset until dawn during the period of the Omer. Among Sephardim, there is an especially strong custom that women not work at night during the Omer.

Meditation before counting

The following traditional meditation is meant to be said in the first-person-singular form.

הִנְנִי מוּכָן וּמְזֻמַן [מוּכָנָה וּמְזֻמָּנָת] לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר מוֹ שֶׁכִּתּוּב שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת מִיּוֹם הַבִיאֳכֶם אֶת עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה שֶׁבַע בָּתוֹת מִימוֹת תִּהְיֶנָה. עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִית תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם
Hineni mukhan umzuman [mukhana umzumenet] lekayem mitzvat aseh shel sefirat ha'omer kemo shekatuv batorah: u-s'fartem lakhem mi-mokhorat ha-Shabbat mi-yom havi'akhem et-ha'omer ha-tenufah sheva Shabbatot temimot tiheyenah: Ad mi-mokhorat ha-Shabbat ha-shevi'it tisperu khamishim yom ve-hikravtem minkhah khadashah l'Adonay
.
Here I am, ready and prepared to count the Omer, as it is written in the Torah: "You shall count from the day following the day of rest, from the day you brought the sheaf of the wave-offering, seven full weeks shall be counted; you shall count fifty days to the day following the seventh week."

Say the blessing

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר
Barukh atah Adonay Eloheynu mekor khayim asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al sefirat ha'omer.
Blessed are you, Eternal One our G-d, source of all life, who has guides us with your blessings, and sanctifies us through our counting of the Omer.

The Formula for Counting the Omer.

Today is the _ day of the Omer, which is _ weeks and ___ days of the Omer.

Read Psalm 67

Psalm 67, which consists of seven verses and, in the original Hebrew, forty-nine words (like the number of days we are counting), is central to the counting of the Omer, allowing us to see that the earth is already blessed and that people have, many different ways, come to this understanding.

1. G-d, bless us with Your Grace and Care, and make Your face smile on us!
2. For then the earth will recognize Your Presence, and all will know Your saving Power.
3. May all praise you, O G-d, may all the people praise you!
4. Let us shout and sing for joy, you grant balance to the peoples, on earth you guide the nations.
5. May G-d continue to bless us; and let G-d be embraced to the very ends of the earth.

Close with a prayer

לְזֵכֶר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם. יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיְּשֻׁחְרְרוּ כָּל הַשְּׁבוּיִים הֵן בַּגּוּף הֵן בַּנֶּפֶשׁ וְשֶׁנְּשַׁמֵּשׁ כְּעֵזֶר לְזְרֹע אֱלֹהִים הַנְּטוּיָה לִקְרַאת חָרוּת
Li-zekher yetzi'at mitzrayim yehi ratzon sheh-yishukhreru kol ha-shevuyim hen ba-guf, hen ba-nefesh vi-sheh-neshamesh ke'ezer lizro'a Elohim ha-netuyah likrat kherut.
In remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt, we pray that you release all whose bodies and spirits remain in bondage and to extend Your outstretched arm in the process of liberation.
The Basic Laws of the Counting of the Omer

This is an overview of the Rabbinic Laws concerning the Counting of the Omer.
Here is a link to the full blessing, both in Hebrew and English. As we are presently counting the Omer, it will proceed to the relevant day.

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Psalm 67

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מִזְמ֥וֹר שִֽׁיר׃
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים יְחׇנֵּ֥נוּ וִיבָרְכֵ֑נוּ יָ֤אֵֽר פָּנָ֖יו אִתָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃
לָדַ֣עַת בָּאָ֣רֶץ דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ בְּכׇל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים ׀ אֱלֹהִ֑ים י֝וֹד֗וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים כֻּלָּֽם׃
יִ֥שְׂמְח֥וּ וִירַנְּנ֗וּ לְאֻ֫מִּ֥ים כִּֽי־תִשְׁפֹּ֣ט עַמִּ֣ים מִישֹׁ֑ר וּלְאֻמִּ֓ים ׀ בָּאָ֖רֶץ תַּנְחֵ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃
יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים ׀ אֱלֹהִ֑ים י֝וֹד֗וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים כֻּלָּֽם׃
אֶ֭רֶץ נָתְנָ֣ה יְבוּלָ֑הּ יְ֝בָרְכֵ֗נוּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
יְבָרְכֵ֥נוּ אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְיִֽירְא֥וּ א֝וֹת֗וֹ כׇּל־אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ 

נצח (n) — eternity
לנצח (v)

• to win; to overcome, to beat; to conduct, to orchestrate
• to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring
  • 1. (Niphal) enduring (participle)
  • 2. (Piel) to act as overseer or superintendent or director or chief
       מנצח (n) — conductor (music); champion, winner

1. For the eternal Conductor, let us play and sing a song of praise.
2. May Elohim be gracious to us and bless us, may He light up His Face for us, Selah
3. that Your Path of salvation for all earth may be seen across all lands and peoples.
4. Then all peoples will know You, Elohim, they will all praise You.
5. The congregations will be happy and rejoice, for You will guide the peoples by Your clear Judgments. Selah.
6. All the peoples will know You, Elohim, they will all praise You.
7. Bless us, Elohim, our G-d, with a healthy harvest from the earth.
8. May we be blessed by Elohim, and may He be revered from one end of the earth to the other.

Exercise: This is an ancient poem/song written in praise of G-d. Write your own, use this as an inspiration. If you were the Psalmist, and wanted to praise the Divine Spirit, what words would you use?