The Blessing of Patience (Others)

May you be blessed with patience as you interact with others.

May you experience a calm, peaceful center within yourself that nothing can disturb.

May you let go of the way things are supposed to be and accept things as they are.

May you be Divinely guided when to act and when to focus on helping yourself feel more tranquil.

May you find wonderful, even surprising ways to amuse yourself or enrich your life while you wait in line or are put on hold.

May you feel yourself infused with feelings of compassion when you deal with children, the elderly, overextended clerks and waitress, and others who are struggling.

May you find serenity in allowing events to unfold in their perfect time.

The Blessing of Patience (Self)

May you be patient with yourself.
May you accept where you are on your life’s journey, regardless of whether or not you plan to make any changes.
May you give up any need to be perfect, appreciating what you have accomplished.
May you surrender any need to compare your progress with that of others.
May you recognize that when you try something new you will make mistakes, especially at first, and that it is part of the process. May you gently and firmly encourage yourself to keep trying.
May you understand that everyone, even you, has off days.
May you be tolerant of yourself if aging, disability, illness, or injury prevents you from doing things as well or as quickly as you might like.
May you be as gentle and kind to yourself as you are to the most precious person in your life.

The Blessing of Sleep

I have had insomnia lately, averaging less than five hours of sleep when I need at least seven. The problem is a combination of high humidity and old memories being stirred up. Here is a blessing for all of us who wish for a good night sleep.

I wish you the blessing of a good night’s sleep.
May your responsibilities still allow you plenty of time to dedicate to rejuvenating rest.
May you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.
May your dreams be filled with peace and inspiration.
May you sleep soundly throughout the night.
May you wake up the next morning full of energy and joy.

Fourth of July Prayer

This Fourth of July weekend I am aware that we in the United States are both an independent nation and an interdependent nation.

Dear God,
Thank you for the United States of America and for all the men and women whose hard work, courage, tenacity, and wisdom helped make this a powerful nation. As we celebrate the anniversary of our independence, help us put aside any cynicism and see what is truly good and right about our country. Help us to feel truly blessed. Finally, guide us in the years to come. As the world changes, help us to grow in ways that not only help our own citizens to thrive but that also benefit the people of all nations. A-men.

Summer Blessing

May this summer bring you much happiness and a renewed sense of connectedness.

May family and class reunions renew your bonds with family and friends.
May festivals, fairs, and block parties help you embrace your sense of community.
May vacations help you restore your connection with your deeper purpose and joy.

May you celebrate nature’s wonder.
May you see the Divine Mystery in the flight of butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies and birds.
May you feel the sweet sense of anticipation as you watch plants slowly emerge from the soil.
May your body be nurtured with fresh fruits and vegetables.
May your soul be nurtured with the sight of beautiful flowers.
May your heart be nurtured by the songs of birds.

May you know deep down that you are connected with the Divine and all of life.

Deserving Compassion

Once in awhile I wonder whether suffering is a competitive sport. I will hear a speaker trying to convince listeners that their life is the toughest, as though it invalidates the suffering of anyone else. Too often I have heard that someone does not deserve compassion. I have a friend who is in her mid-eighties and has problems with her esophagus, and people have actually said that she does not deserve compassion because she was bulimic when she was younger. After Hurricane Katrina I heard people say that the survivors didn’t deserve sympathy because they should have known better than to live in an area prone to floods. When there were some catastrophes in other countries, I was told that it was inappropriate to pray for the people because the United States has problems of its own.

Of course, the reverse is also true. We can feel burnt out by all the suffering in the world. We can also downplay our own suffering or feel undeserving of compassion because other people have it worse than we do.

Metta, a Buddhist prayer that invokes loving-kindness, is a way of addressing the fact that we all suffer and we all deserve compassion. Many people incorporate it into their daily lives. Some people use it when they are going through a difficult time. Many books and Internet sites contain the full-length version, which will differ slightly from source to source. I encourage you to read more if you are interested. A short version of Metta can be used as a quick prayer when we encounter suffering. I like the idea of also offering compassion to ourselves while we are offering compassion to others. The version below is taken from The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, an excellent book by Christopher K. Germer, PhD.

May we be safe.

May we be happy.

May we be healthy.

May we live with ease.

Distressing Weather

Vulnerable

Weather’s fury

Life-destroying winds

Floods that devastate home and community

Security shattered

Sharp turns on the pathways of existence

Yet fertile soil

For the seeds of compassion

We pray, meditate, visualize, connect, and act.

We feel our common humanity.