Love prepare me
to me a sanctuary
pure and holy
tried and true
with thanksgiving
I'll be a living
sanctuary
for you.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
i thank You God - e.e. cummings
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
Triumph of peace - Mahatma Gandhi
When I despair,
I remember that all through history
the ways of truth and love have always won.
There have been tyrants, and murderers,
and for a time they can seem invincible,
but in the end they always fall.
Think of it - always.
I remember that all through history
the ways of truth and love have always won.
There have been tyrants, and murderers,
and for a time they can seem invincible,
but in the end they always fall.
Think of it - always.
This we have now - Rumi
This we have now
is not imagination.
This is not
grief or joy.
Not a judging state,
or an elation
or sadness.
Those come and go.
This is the presence that doesn't.
is not imagination.
This is not
grief or joy.
Not a judging state,
or an elation
or sadness.
Those come and go.
This is the presence that doesn't.
Refuge Prayer - Thich Nhat Hahn
At the foot of the Bodhi tree,
beautifully seated, peaceful and smiling,
the living source of understanding and compassion,
to the Buddha I go for refuge.
The path of mindful living,
leading to healing, joy, and enlightenment,
the way of peace,
to the Dhamma I go for refuge.
The loving and supportive community of practice,
realizing harmony, awareness, and liberation,
to the Sangha I go for refuge.
I am aware that the Three Gems are within my heart.
I vow to realize them.
I vow to practice mindful breathing and smiling,
looking deeply into things.
I vow to understand living beings and their suffering,
to cultivate compassion and loving kindness,
and to practice joy and equanimity.
I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning
and to help relieve the grief of one person in the afternoon.
I vow to live simply and sanely,
content with just a few possessions,
and to keep my body healthy.
I vow to let go of all worry and anxiety in order to be light and free.
I am aware that I owe so much
to my parents, teachers, friends and all beings.
I vow to be worthy of their trust,
to practice wholeheartedly,
so that understanding and compassion will flower,
and I can help living beings
be free from their suffering.
May the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha support my efforts
beautifully seated, peaceful and smiling,
the living source of understanding and compassion,
to the Buddha I go for refuge.
The path of mindful living,
leading to healing, joy, and enlightenment,
the way of peace,
to the Dhamma I go for refuge.
The loving and supportive community of practice,
realizing harmony, awareness, and liberation,
to the Sangha I go for refuge.
I am aware that the Three Gems are within my heart.
I vow to realize them.
I vow to practice mindful breathing and smiling,
looking deeply into things.
I vow to understand living beings and their suffering,
to cultivate compassion and loving kindness,
and to practice joy and equanimity.
I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning
and to help relieve the grief of one person in the afternoon.
I vow to live simply and sanely,
content with just a few possessions,
and to keep my body healthy.
I vow to let go of all worry and anxiety in order to be light and free.
I am aware that I owe so much
to my parents, teachers, friends and all beings.
I vow to be worthy of their trust,
to practice wholeheartedly,
so that understanding and compassion will flower,
and I can help living beings
be free from their suffering.
May the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha support my efforts
Bene Gesserit Litany
Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death
that brings total annihilation. I will face my fear.
I will allow it to pass over me and through me,
and when it has gone past, I will turn
the inner eye to see its path.
Where fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
that brings total annihilation. I will face my fear.
I will allow it to pass over me and through me,
and when it has gone past, I will turn
the inner eye to see its path.
Where fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Bodhisattva Vow (alternatve version)
May I be a protector for all those without protection,
A guide for those who journey on the road;
For those who wish to go across the water,
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.
May I be an isle for those who yearn for landfall,
And a lamp for those who long for light;
For those who need a resting place, a bed,
For all who need a servant, may I be a slave.
May I be the wishing jewel, the vase of plenty,
A word of power, and the supreme remedy.
May I be the trees of miracles,
And for every being, the abundant cow.
Like the great earth and the other elements,
Enduring as the sky itself endures,
For the boundless multitude of living beings,
May I be the ground and vessel of their life.
Thus, for every single thing that lives,
In number like the boundless reaches of the sky,
May I be their sustenance and nourishment
Until they pass beyond the bounds of suffering
A guide for those who journey on the road;
For those who wish to go across the water,
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.
May I be an isle for those who yearn for landfall,
And a lamp for those who long for light;
For those who need a resting place, a bed,
For all who need a servant, may I be a slave.
May I be the wishing jewel, the vase of plenty,
A word of power, and the supreme remedy.
May I be the trees of miracles,
And for every being, the abundant cow.
Like the great earth and the other elements,
Enduring as the sky itself endures,
For the boundless multitude of living beings,
May I be the ground and vessel of their life.
Thus, for every single thing that lives,
In number like the boundless reaches of the sky,
May I be their sustenance and nourishment
Until they pass beyond the bounds of suffering
Words from a Philly Shaman
for those who have eyes, let them see
for those who have ears, let them listen,
for those who have neither, let them pass on.
for those who have ears, let them listen,
for those who have neither, let them pass on.
Beloved Love Within - Sufi Prayer
Beloved Love Within
Let my thoughts become Thy thoughts
Let my wish become Thy wish
My actions, Thy actions
Let Thy love become my love
Let Thy love become my love
Let my thoughts become Thy thoughts
Let my wish become Thy wish
My actions, Thy actions
Let Thy love become my love
Let Thy love become my love
The Five Precepts - from Manzanita Village
1 Aware of the violence in the world
and of the power of non-violent resistance
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
the compassion that seeks to protect each living being.
2 Aware of the poverty and greed in the world
and of the intrinsic abundance of the earth,
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
the simplicity, gratitude, and generosity that have no limits.
3 Aware of the abuse and lovelessness in the world
and of the healing that is made possible when we open to love
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
respect for the beauty and erotic power of our bodies.
4 Aware of the falsehood and deception in the world
and of the power of living and speaking the truth
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate the ability to listen;
and clarity and integrity in all I communicate—by my words and actions.
5 Aware of the contamination and desecration of the world
and of my responsibility for life as it manifests through me
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
discernment and care in what I take into my body and mind.
and of the power of non-violent resistance
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
the compassion that seeks to protect each living being.
2 Aware of the poverty and greed in the world
and of the intrinsic abundance of the earth,
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
the simplicity, gratitude, and generosity that have no limits.
3 Aware of the abuse and lovelessness in the world
and of the healing that is made possible when we open to love
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
respect for the beauty and erotic power of our bodies.
4 Aware of the falsehood and deception in the world
and of the power of living and speaking the truth
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate the ability to listen;
and clarity and integrity in all I communicate—by my words and actions.
5 Aware of the contamination and desecration of the world
and of my responsibility for life as it manifests through me
I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations
and vow to cultivate
discernment and care in what I take into my body and mind.
The Bodhisatta Vow
Delusions are inexhaustible;
I vow to cultivate clearest wisdom.
The number of beings is endless;
I vow to awaken and achieve liberation with them all.
The Truth cannot be told;
I vow to tell it.
The Way which cannot be followed is unattainable;
I vow to attain it.
As long as there is suffering
As long as there are sentient beings in the six realms
May I never Awaken without all sentient beings
And never cross over into Nirvana
until all are ready to cross.
I vow to cultivate clearest wisdom.
The number of beings is endless;
I vow to awaken and achieve liberation with them all.
The Truth cannot be told;
I vow to tell it.
The Way which cannot be followed is unattainable;
I vow to attain it.
As long as there is suffering
As long as there are sentient beings in the six realms
May I never Awaken without all sentient beings
And never cross over into Nirvana
until all are ready to cross.
Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
1 Corinthians 1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men
and angels, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or
a clanging cymbal. And if I have the
gift of prophecy and can fathom
all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but have not love,
I am nothing. And if I give all
I possess to the poor, and
surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record
of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil,
but always rejoices in the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will cease; where there
are tongues, they will be stilled,
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect
disappears. When I was a child, I talked
like a child, I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child. When I became
a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see as through a mirror, darkly;
then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, love.
But the greatest of these is love.
and angels, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or
a clanging cymbal. And if I have the
gift of prophecy and can fathom
all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but have not love,
I am nothing. And if I give all
I possess to the poor, and
surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record
of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil,
but always rejoices in the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will cease; where there
are tongues, they will be stilled,
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect
disappears. When I was a child, I talked
like a child, I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child. When I became
a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see as through a mirror, darkly;
then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, love.
But the greatest of these is love.
Suddhossi Buddhossi
You are forever pure
You are forever true
And the dream of this world
Can never touch you
So give up your attachment
Give up your confusion
And abide in the truth
That's beyond all illusion
Sanskrit
Suddhossi Buddhossi
Niranjandosi
Samsara Maya
Parivar Jitosi
Samsara Svapanam
Traija Mohan Nidram
Na Janma Mrityor
Tat Sat Sva Rupe
You are forever true
And the dream of this world
Can never touch you
So give up your attachment
Give up your confusion
And abide in the truth
That's beyond all illusion
Sanskrit
Suddhossi Buddhossi
Niranjandosi
Samsara Maya
Parivar Jitosi
Samsara Svapanam
Traija Mohan Nidram
Na Janma Mrityor
Tat Sat Sva Rupe
A prayer for Urubamba - Aaron 2-3-09
My Lord, please grant me constancy.
That I might suffer nobly the pains
of my existence,
That I might bleed or cry or toss in anguish
With the same loving heart that reaches
for you come morning.
That my pains, on the altar of my experience,
Be Yours, as this Heartbeat is Yours,
And this Breath, Yours,
And this loving, compassionate impulse, Yours.
That I might suffer nobly the pains
of my existence,
That I might bleed or cry or toss in anguish
With the same loving heart that reaches
for you come morning.
That my pains, on the altar of my experience,
Be Yours, as this Heartbeat is Yours,
And this Breath, Yours,
And this loving, compassionate impulse, Yours.
Qur'an 20:25-28
O my Lord! Open for me my chest,
And ease my task for me; and
loose the knot from my tongue,
that they understand my speech.
And ease my task for me; and
loose the knot from my tongue,
that they understand my speech.
Gayatri Mantra
I meditate on the most brilliant
splendour of the Creator,
May our intellect shine as brilliantly
as the divine sun, so that we are
inspired to take the right action,
at the right time,
for the benefit of all beings.
Sanskrit
Om Bhoor Bhuvaha Svaha
Om Tatsavitu Varen'yam
Bhargo Devashyaa
Dhimah Dy'Yo Yo
Nah Prachodayaat
splendour of the Creator,
May our intellect shine as brilliantly
as the divine sun, so that we are
inspired to take the right action,
at the right time,
for the benefit of all beings.
Sanskrit
Om Bhoor Bhuvaha Svaha
Om Tatsavitu Varen'yam
Bhargo Devashyaa
Dhimah Dy'Yo Yo
Nah Prachodayaat
Gita meditation - BG 8:9
Meditate on the Guide,
the Giver of all, the Primordial
Poet, smaller than an atom,
unthinkable, brilliant as the sun.
the Giver of all, the Primordial
Poet, smaller than an atom,
unthinkable, brilliant as the sun.
Birthing - Jan Richardson
I did not seek
this birthing,
but you have drawn me
into the passage;
and I am the one
who is bearing,
and I am the one
being born.
So in my
longing
yearning
breaking
gasping
groaning
laboring
bearing
birthing
I am asking,
O God my midwife,
deliver me.
this birthing,
but you have drawn me
into the passage;
and I am the one
who is bearing,
and I am the one
being born.
So in my
longing
yearning
breaking
gasping
groaning
laboring
bearing
birthing
I am asking,
O God my midwife,
deliver me.
Like swans - from the Dhammapada
Those who awaken never rest in one place.
Like swans, they rise and leave the lake.
On the air they rise and fly an invisible course.
Their food is knowledge.
They live on emptiness.
They have seen how to break free.
Who can follow them?
Like swans, they rise and leave the lake.
On the air they rise and fly an invisible course.
Their food is knowledge.
They live on emptiness.
They have seen how to break free.
Who can follow them?
Asheville Prayer - Aaron 10-13-08
May I breakthrough the veil that
separates my mind from yours.
May I be a skillful agent
of your divine will.
May I surrender to your grace
in every moment.
separates my mind from yours.
May I be a skillful agent
of your divine will.
May I surrender to your grace
in every moment.
I am Krishna - the Bhagavad Gita 9:16-19
I am the ritual and the worship,
the medicine and the mantra,
the butter burnt in the fire,
and I am the flames that consume it.
I am the father of the universe
and its mother, essence and goal
of all knowledge, the refiner, the sacred
Om, and the threefold Vedas.
I am the beginning and the end,
origin and dissolution,
refuge, home, true lover,
womb and imperishable seed.
I am the heat of the sun,
I hold back the rain and release it;
I am death, and the deathless,
and all that is or is not.
the medicine and the mantra,
the butter burnt in the fire,
and I am the flames that consume it.
I am the father of the universe
and its mother, essence and goal
of all knowledge, the refiner, the sacred
Om, and the threefold Vedas.
I am the beginning and the end,
origin and dissolution,
refuge, home, true lover,
womb and imperishable seed.
I am the heat of the sun,
I hold back the rain and release it;
I am death, and the deathless,
and all that is or is not.
Gentle Me - Ted Loder
Gentle Me,
Holy One,
into an unclenched moment,
a deep breath,
a letting go
of heavy experiences
of shriveling anxieties
of dead certainties,
that, softened by the silence,
surrounded by the light,
and open to the mystery,
I may be found by wholeness,
upheld by the unfathomable,
entranced by the simple,
and filled with the joy
that is You.
Holy One,
into an unclenched moment,
a deep breath,
a letting go
of heavy experiences
of shriveling anxieties
of dead certainties,
that, softened by the silence,
surrounded by the light,
and open to the mystery,
I may be found by wholeness,
upheld by the unfathomable,
entranced by the simple,
and filled with the joy
that is You.
Some nights - Rumi
Some nights, stay up till dawn
As the moon sometimes does for the sun.
Be a full bucket pulled up the dark way
Of a well, then lifted out into the light.
Something opens our wings. Something
Makes boredom and hurt disappear.
Someone fills the cup in front of us.
We taste only sacredness.
As the moon sometimes does for the sun.
Be a full bucket pulled up the dark way
Of a well, then lifted out into the light.
Something opens our wings. Something
Makes boredom and hurt disappear.
Someone fills the cup in front of us.
We taste only sacredness.
Healing Invocation - Nancy Rose Meeker
I watch
I watch, I wait
And am still,
Abiding the cycle that moves
As it will.
The beauties
The struggles
That most do not see,
The hidden and secret
Are open to me.
The new and the full and the dark
Of the moon,
The shapes in the shadows
The brightness of noon,
All have their place
In the turning of time.
Both coming and going
Have reason
And rhyme.
The herbs of the field and the
Symbols of land
Bring healing and bless
As they come through my hand.
I welcome the fruits,
I welcome new birth,
As old wounds are healded
In the joy
Of the earth.
I watch, I wait
And am still,
Abiding the cycle that moves
As it will.
The beauties
The struggles
That most do not see,
The hidden and secret
Are open to me.
The new and the full and the dark
Of the moon,
The shapes in the shadows
The brightness of noon,
All have their place
In the turning of time.
Both coming and going
Have reason
And rhyme.
The herbs of the field and the
Symbols of land
Bring healing and bless
As they come through my hand.
I welcome the fruits,
I welcome new birth,
As old wounds are healded
In the joy
Of the earth.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Blessing - traditional/Sikh
May the longtime
sun shine upon you,
all love surround you,
and the sweet light within you
guid your way on.
sun shine upon you,
all love surround you,
and the sweet light within you
guid your way on.
The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran
And could you keep your heart
in wonder at the daily miracles
of life, your pain would not seem
less wondrous than your joy.
in wonder at the daily miracles
of life, your pain would not seem
less wondrous than your joy.
Invocation to Shiva
O you the creator, you the destroyer, you who sustain and make an end,
Who in sunlight dance among the birds and the children at their play,
Who at midnight dance among corpses in the burning grounds,
You Shiva, you dark and terrible Bhairava,
You Suchness and Illusion, the Void and All Things,
You are the lord of life, and therefore I have brought you flowers,
You are the lord of death, and therefore I have brought you my heart -
This heart that is now your burning ground.
Ignorance there and self shall be consumed with fire,
That you may dance, Bhairava, among the ashes,
That you may dance, Lord Shiva, in a place of flowers,
And I dance with you.
Who in sunlight dance among the birds and the children at their play,
Who at midnight dance among corpses in the burning grounds,
You Shiva, you dark and terrible Bhairava,
You Suchness and Illusion, the Void and All Things,
You are the lord of life, and therefore I have brought you flowers,
You are the lord of death, and therefore I have brought you my heart -
This heart that is now your burning ground.
Ignorance there and self shall be consumed with fire,
That you may dance, Bhairava, among the ashes,
That you may dance, Lord Shiva, in a place of flowers,
And I dance with you.
Paul's prayer
Good morning sun, earth, moon, and stars!
Good morning fire, water, air, earth, and spirit!
Good morning ancestors, spirits, and allies!
Good morning to all the being, known and unknown,
named and unnamed, who have assisted me
in being alive in this human body,
in these times, in this world, with these gifts,
with these relationships, and this work.
For this privilege, I humbly thank you!
Good morning fire, water, air, earth, and spirit!
Good morning ancestors, spirits, and allies!
Good morning to all the being, known and unknown,
named and unnamed, who have assisted me
in being alive in this human body,
in these times, in this world, with these gifts,
with these relationships, and this work.
For this privilege, I humbly thank you!
Psalm 51:10-12
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Hildegarde of Bingen - 12th century (2)
Holy Spirit,
Giving life to all life,
Moving all creatures,
Root of all things,
Washing them clean,
Wiping out their mistakes,
Healing their wounds,
You are our true life,
Luminous, wonderful,
Awakening the heart from
its ancient sleep.
Giving life to all life,
Moving all creatures,
Root of all things,
Washing them clean,
Wiping out their mistakes,
Healing their wounds,
You are our true life,
Luminous, wonderful,
Awakening the heart from
its ancient sleep.
Today - Aaron Hawkins
Today I will resist judgements
about the words and actions of others.
I will listen with great attention,
without reference, without grading
my own Truth against Yours.
Teach me the validity of trust,
that in every creature rests the center
of their own universe,
that my task is to witness, to nuture, and support,
as each One grows along their unique path.
May I transform this small mind
into an empty vessel,
and may it fill to overflowing
with compassionate acts, mercy,
kindness, and love.
about the words and actions of others.
I will listen with great attention,
without reference, without grading
my own Truth against Yours.
Teach me the validity of trust,
that in every creature rests the center
of their own universe,
that my task is to witness, to nuture, and support,
as each One grows along their unique path.
May I transform this small mind
into an empty vessel,
and may it fill to overflowing
with compassionate acts, mercy,
kindness, and love.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside still waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside still waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Chief Seattle - This We Know
This we know: the earth does not belong to man,
man belongs to the earth.
All things are connected like
the blood that unites us all.
Man did not weave the web of life,
he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web,
he does to himself.
man belongs to the earth.
All things are connected like
the blood that unites us all.
Man did not weave the web of life,
he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web,
he does to himself.
Mount Equity Zendo blessing
This food is the gift of the whole universe,
The earth, the sky, and much hard work.
May we live in a way that makes us worthy to receive it;
May we transform our unskillful states of mind,
and learn to eat with moderation;
May we take only foods that nourish us,
and prevent illness;
We accept this food to realize the path
of understanding and love.
The earth, the sky, and much hard work.
May we live in a way that makes us worthy to receive it;
May we transform our unskillful states of mind,
and learn to eat with moderation;
May we take only foods that nourish us,
and prevent illness;
We accept this food to realize the path
of understanding and love.
The Way of Love - Rumi
The way of love is not a subtle argument.
The door there is devastation.
Birds make great sky-circles of their freedom.
How do they do it?
They fall, and falling, they're given wings.
The door there is devastation.
Birds make great sky-circles of their freedom.
How do they do it?
They fall, and falling, they're given wings.
Prayer to Kuan Yin - Claudia L'Amoreaux
Divine Mother of all Beings
Great Goddess of Compassion and Mercy
May my heart be home to you
like your island in the sea.
May I feel your presence guiding me in fear and rage.
May the strength and balance of your grace-filled body be mine when I need them,
And may I walk in your Bodhisattva Way with trust and gladness,
Beyond time, beyond the end, beyond the beginning.
Great Goddess of Compassion and Mercy
May my heart be home to you
like your island in the sea.
May I feel your presence guiding me in fear and rage.
May the strength and balance of your grace-filled body be mine when I need them,
And may I walk in your Bodhisattva Way with trust and gladness,
Beyond time, beyond the end, beyond the beginning.
Hildegarde of Bingen - 12th century
Fire of the Spirit,
Life of the Lives of Creatures,
Spiral of Sanctity,
Bond of All Natures,
Glow of Charity,
Lights of Clarity,
Taste of Sweetness to the Fallen,
Be with us and hear us.
Life of the Lives of Creatures,
Spiral of Sanctity,
Bond of All Natures,
Glow of Charity,
Lights of Clarity,
Taste of Sweetness to the Fallen,
Be with us and hear us.
T.S Eliot - Ash Wednesday
Blessed sister, holy mother,
spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated
And let my cry come unto Thee.
spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated
And let my cry come unto Thee.
Dalai Lama Prayer for Peace
May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
Prayer of St Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be undersood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be undersood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
uses of prayer
"Everything which is not known remains dark. Mystery is our relation to what we cannot see."
Prayer came into my life as an extension of energetic attention. Through meditation I am learning to concentrate my mind upon a single point with great focus. Over time I began to realize that I could use that focus in concert with imagination, memory, and intuition to generate specific mental and emotional states. In my experience there are specific gestalts of sensory impression that are very effective at arousing precise varieties of mental energy, especially if those sensory impressions possess potent personal or emotional meaning. Visual images, sounds, shapes, smells, sensations of touch heat or pain along the skin, all can be used to shape and direct the energy of one's own mind for a specific purpose or intention.
An example: relaxation or cleansing can be achieved with sensations of water, the element associated with healing, purification, intuition, and dreaming. Imagine the coolness of water splashing on your head, slowly soaking your hair and scalp, traveling down shoulders and back, stomach, legs, thighs. This water can flow over your body or through it, like a river rushing through a sieve. Or you can imagine lying flat on a raft, moving gently with the rocking motions of the water. In either case, the essential aspect is to generate an internal experience through creative visualization and somatic memory. Key elements could be the sensation of rocking, the flowing motion of the water, coolness or wetness, gentle sounds of splashing, flashes of blue and turquoise, or anything that speaks to your own personal interpretation, memory, or experience. There are meditations specifically devoted to sensory experience that can increase our awareness and sensitivity to body sensation. These are very useful to bridge the gap between mind and body so that, with practice, we can recall (or imagine) any sensation at will.
In the case of prayer, the evocation of images is a bit more abstract. Instead of the stark cleanliness of physical sensations, words like compassion, forgiveness, or blessing, for example, do not have simple cognitive or physical experiences that can be recalled. However, when we find that space of openness, yearning, surrender, (combined with a smidgen of heartache) that I have come to know as prayer, it does have a certain signature of sensation that can be called upon, at will, when the need arises for spiritual renewal.
I accidentally stumbled upon that prayer space when I was reading and rereading the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. As I read I began to find a special resonance within every word. It was as if I could use the template of the prayer, that is, the succession of words and syllables, to weave together a series of emotional and mental states. I read it over and over again, very slowly, tasting the fullness of each word, feeling the yearning and intention behind each phrase, charging myself with the power of those words, offering that scintillating ball of energy back up as a promise, a gift, and a recognition.
It was part self-hypnosis, part psycho-conditioning, that much was clear to me. But the whole event was also an exercise in egolessness (transcending selfishness, planting seeds for compassion, love, and wisdom) and so I felt it brought me closer to some place of inner wisdom and grace, a place which might be a thread or life-line to the divinity in me. Since then I have have discovered other uses of prayer (uses for it and uses it has for me), but I have said enough for the moment.
May you all discover your own thread to divinity, be charged with the yearning and intention to dissolve all ego-motives, and awaken purest compassion in your life.
Prayer came into my life as an extension of energetic attention. Through meditation I am learning to concentrate my mind upon a single point with great focus. Over time I began to realize that I could use that focus in concert with imagination, memory, and intuition to generate specific mental and emotional states. In my experience there are specific gestalts of sensory impression that are very effective at arousing precise varieties of mental energy, especially if those sensory impressions possess potent personal or emotional meaning. Visual images, sounds, shapes, smells, sensations of touch heat or pain along the skin, all can be used to shape and direct the energy of one's own mind for a specific purpose or intention.
An example: relaxation or cleansing can be achieved with sensations of water, the element associated with healing, purification, intuition, and dreaming. Imagine the coolness of water splashing on your head, slowly soaking your hair and scalp, traveling down shoulders and back, stomach, legs, thighs. This water can flow over your body or through it, like a river rushing through a sieve. Or you can imagine lying flat on a raft, moving gently with the rocking motions of the water. In either case, the essential aspect is to generate an internal experience through creative visualization and somatic memory. Key elements could be the sensation of rocking, the flowing motion of the water, coolness or wetness, gentle sounds of splashing, flashes of blue and turquoise, or anything that speaks to your own personal interpretation, memory, or experience. There are meditations specifically devoted to sensory experience that can increase our awareness and sensitivity to body sensation. These are very useful to bridge the gap between mind and body so that, with practice, we can recall (or imagine) any sensation at will.
In the case of prayer, the evocation of images is a bit more abstract. Instead of the stark cleanliness of physical sensations, words like compassion, forgiveness, or blessing, for example, do not have simple cognitive or physical experiences that can be recalled. However, when we find that space of openness, yearning, surrender, (combined with a smidgen of heartache) that I have come to know as prayer, it does have a certain signature of sensation that can be called upon, at will, when the need arises for spiritual renewal.
I accidentally stumbled upon that prayer space when I was reading and rereading the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. As I read I began to find a special resonance within every word. It was as if I could use the template of the prayer, that is, the succession of words and syllables, to weave together a series of emotional and mental states. I read it over and over again, very slowly, tasting the fullness of each word, feeling the yearning and intention behind each phrase, charging myself with the power of those words, offering that scintillating ball of energy back up as a promise, a gift, and a recognition.
It was part self-hypnosis, part psycho-conditioning, that much was clear to me. But the whole event was also an exercise in egolessness (transcending selfishness, planting seeds for compassion, love, and wisdom) and so I felt it brought me closer to some place of inner wisdom and grace, a place which might be a thread or life-line to the divinity in me. Since then I have have discovered other uses of prayer (uses for it and uses it has for me), but I have said enough for the moment.
May you all discover your own thread to divinity, be charged with the yearning and intention to dissolve all ego-motives, and awaken purest compassion in your life.
Welcome
I am writing this blog as a gift for a certain group of friends, but also for anyone else who happens to come across it and enjoy the fruits. I have found prayer to be an incredible clarifying and stabilize practice, and these are all the best I have come across. I pray that they serve to help open you, my friend, to express your wonderful true self as well.
If you have any personal favorites that you want to share - from any belief system, time period, or imaginary nation - then please send them to me. Feel free to write your own if you feel inspired. I get frustrated sometimes when the prayers I have aren´t well suited for a certain moment or difficulty in my life - so I write my own!
My Lord, please grant me constancy.
That I might suffer nobly the pains of my existence,
That I might bleed or cry or toss in anguish
With the same loving heart that reaches for you come morning.
That my pains, on the altar of my experience,
Be Yours, as this Heartbeat is Yours,
And this Breath, Yours,
And this loving, compassionate Impulse, Yours.
Other times when I learn a new prayer I can use it as a litany in difficult moments, to help guide me through. One of my favorites is the first part of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
Another favorite comes from the book by Frank Herbert, DUNE
Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death that brings total annihilation. I will face my fear. I will allow it to pass over me and through me, and when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
- Bene Gesserit Litany
That's all for now.
Enjoy!
If you have any personal favorites that you want to share - from any belief system, time period, or imaginary nation - then please send them to me. Feel free to write your own if you feel inspired. I get frustrated sometimes when the prayers I have aren´t well suited for a certain moment or difficulty in my life - so I write my own!
My Lord, please grant me constancy.
That I might suffer nobly the pains of my existence,
That I might bleed or cry or toss in anguish
With the same loving heart that reaches for you come morning.
That my pains, on the altar of my experience,
Be Yours, as this Heartbeat is Yours,
And this Breath, Yours,
And this loving, compassionate Impulse, Yours.
Other times when I learn a new prayer I can use it as a litany in difficult moments, to help guide me through. One of my favorites is the first part of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
Another favorite comes from the book by Frank Herbert, DUNE
Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death that brings total annihilation. I will face my fear. I will allow it to pass over me and through me, and when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
- Bene Gesserit Litany
That's all for now.
Enjoy!
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