heartsteps

May the winds, the oceans, the herbs,
and night and days, the mother earth,
the father heaven, all vegetation,
and the sun be all sweet to us.
Let us follow the path of goodness,
for all times, like the sun and the moon,
moving eternally in the sky.
Let us be charitable to one another.
Let us not kill,
or be violent with one another.
Let us know and appreciate,
the points of view of others.
And let us unite.
May the God who is friendly,
benevolent, all encompassing,
measurer of everything,
the sovereign, the lord of speech,
May God shower blessings on us.
Oh Lord, remove my indiscretion
and arrogance, control my mind.
But an end to the snare,
of endless desires.
Broaden the sphere of compassion,
and help me to cross,
the ocean of existence.

Hindu prayer

Forgive me most gracious Lord,
if this day I have done or said anything,
to increase the pain of the world.
Pardon the unkind word, the impatient gesture,
the hard and selfish deed,
the failure to show sympathy and kindly help,
where I have had the opportunity but missed it,
and enable me so to live,
that I may daily do something,
to lessen the tide of human sorrow,
and to add to the sum of human happiness.

Anonymous

I felt my soul was torn,
by the struggle raging within,
and of love my being was shorn,
as I gaze on the pleasures of sin.
Deep in my heart I pondered.
“Do I always struggle alone?”
“Am I like others?” I wondered,
“By life’s harsh blasts ever blown.”
Then passed like a flash,
through my memory,
a picture of Galilee.
I saw those fishermen,
weary battling a raging sea,
and I heard the voice of the Master,
with peace their souls instill,
dispel their fears of disaster,
and bid the wind and waves be still.
And now, mid the roaring tempest,
when Life’s storms break over my soul,
when round me all is darkness,
and lashing waters roll,
when the gales of passion would sway me,
then Master may I hear thee,
bid the storm in my heart be still.

W. E. O’Meara Sr.

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

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginably You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e. e. cummings