How to make a blessing from a recipe of love
By Shirley Riga
First, I need a large vessel of cooperation. I am present
in the now and hold an open mind and heart.
I add in an intention. The intention could be anything you find
worthy on your shelf of life and has signs of well-being.
Stir with expectancy until well blended. It is important
to stay present in the moment.
Add in a whisper of a painful life experience to ground it
and a spoonful of wisdom harvested from your collection of sages.
The secret ingredient is trust. Trust in yourself. Trust in
the process. Trust in your wisdom.
This secret ingredient is added in stages folded in
with awareness. One moment at a time. Stir with patience.
With your eyes closed you will know when your recipe
is blended and ready. Listen for your breath.
When you feel your heart connect with your breath, your blessing
is ready. Drink with the knowing you are enough.
For Equilibrium, a Blessing:
Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.
As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity by lightened by grace.
Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.
As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.
As silence smiles on the other side of what's said,
May your sense of irony bring perspective.
As time remains free of all that it frames,
May your mind stay clear of all it names.
May your prayer of listening deepen enough
to hear in the depths the laughter of god.
PARTICIPANTS’ REFLECTIONS:
The blessing was so amazing
Meditated on the word “listening” on the in breath, “trusting” on the out breath. We have no control of our lives right now, and we can create our own equilibrium through this time
We all hold such wisdom
In thinking about creating the blessing, I want to give them something when I think of others. I also want to give self as well
Stay present in the moment. Hard to do. This meditation space helps.
To say in the present, I look at my feet to see where I am, or touch my nose
I put my hands over ears to hear own breath
I need one-on-one conversations, and I appreciate these reflections together to satisfy that need as well as my need to experience groups
Hike as metaphor. I walk through trustee reservation with gnarly roots. I used to listen to music, and now I focus in the moment on where I am going, because I have to watch the roots
I have walked a nearby labyrinth which has raised sides, and I had to focus on my feet or trip
Meditated on “laughter” ringing through body, through my hair all the way to my toes, listening to birds as reminder of sound of laughter
Staying in the present is an art, easy to be distracted
I am in awe of the ripple effect. The work I do on myself and the work you all do ripples out and effects everything around us.
(image: Cloisonne chalice by Linda Lundell)