CULTIVATING THE CIRCLE - Lisa
The first prayer was used by the Christian community over 2500 years ago. It allows us to evolve into loving kindness as we relax letting go of all care. It can be repeated as often as necessary.
May I love myself with utterly tender care unconditionally and with boundless compassion exactly as I am at this moment. May I have absolute faith and absolute trust. May I be protected from all inner harm and all outer harm. May I be healthy is mind, body, soul, and spirit. May I live an active life of Loving kindness and abundance. May I be happy and peaceful, wise and free.
A second prayer that addresses the need for greater knowledge of the inner self and of God comes from a poem of Joyce Rupp. It anticipates the freedom that we will come to know out inner selves and our God better.
Inside each of us there awaits
a wonder full
spirit of freedom
she waits to dance
in rooms of our heart
that are closed dark and cluttered.
she waits to dance in the spaces
where negative feelings have
built barricades and stockpiled
weapons.
she waits to dance in the corners
where we still do not believe
In our goodness.
Inside each of us there awaits
a wonder full spirit of freedom
she will lift light feet
and make glad songs within us
on the day we open the door of ego
and let the enemies stomp out.
A final prayer comes from the Terma Collective, a collection of hidden Buddhist teachings discovered as we are ready to learn it.
What in your life is calling you?
When all the noise is silenced, the
meeting adjourned, the lists set aside,
and the wild iris blooms by itself in the
dark forest, what still pulls on your soul?
In the silence between your heartbeats
hides a summons. Do you hear it?
name it, if you must, or leave it forever
nameless. But why pretend it is not there?
