Prayer of Forgiveness from "The Aleph" by Paolo Coelho

I just finished reading The Aleph by Paolo Coelho.  This book is completely enthralling...particularly the Prayer of Forgiveness.

My own prayer of forgiveness evolves.  I will blog about it in a separate blog post.

The prayer that Paolo Coelho includes in The Aleph seemed very significant to me.  In fact the entire book is most significant.  It dovetails with my own experiences and thoughts, and sheds light on them.  Forgiveness is a huge part of being able to survive the experience of losing Maris.  It is the only element in this never-ending nightmare that enables it to make any sense at all.

This prayer articulated much of what has been going through my consciousness.  It is very powerful.

"I forgive [who] I was, not because I want to become a saint but because I do not want to endure this hatred. This tiresome hatred...

I am liberated from hatred by means of forgiveness and love. I understand that suffering, when it cannot be avoided, helps me to advance towards glory...

The tears I shed, I forgive.

The suffering and disappointments, I forgive.

The betrayals and lies, I forgive.

The slandering and scheming, I forgive.

The hatred and persecution, I forgive.

The punches that were given, I forgive.

The shattered dreams, I forgive.

The dead hopes, I forgive.

The disaffection and jealousy, I forgive.

The indifference and ill will, I forgive.

The injustice in the name of justice, I forgive.

The anger and mistreatment, I forgive.

The neglect and oblivion, I forgive.

The world with all its evil, I forgive...

Grief and resentment, I replace with understanding and agreement.

Revolt, I replace with music that comes from my violin.

Pain I replace with oblivion.

Revenge, I replace with victory.

I will be able to love above all discontentment.

To give even when I am stripped of everything.

To work happily even when I find myself in the midst of all obstacles.

To dry tears even when I am still crying.

To believe even when I am discredited...

Thy will be done. Thy will be done."

Thanksgiving Day 2010

I spent so much time typing out the following prayer / blessing on Thanksgiving that I ended up not having enough time to blog. I emailed it to some friends and family members. But I want now to share it with everyone here who loves Maris:

thanksgiving contemplation by Gary Snyder (based on a Mohawk prayer):

"Gratitude to Mother Earth, sailing through night and day--
and to her soil: rich, rare, and sweet
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Plants, the sun-facing light-changing leaf
and fine root-hairs, standing still through wind
and rain, their dance in the flowing spiral grain
in our minds, so be it

Gratitude to Air, bearing the silent Swift and the silent
Owl at dawn. Breath of our song
clear spirit breeze
in our minds so be it

Gratitude to Wild Beings, our broythers, teaching secrets,
freedoms, and ways; who share with us their milk,
self-complete, brave, and aware
in our minds so be it

Gratitude to Water: clouds, lakes, rivers, glaciers,
holding or releasing, streaming through all
our bodies' salty seas
in our minds so be it

Gratitude to the Sun: blinding pulsing light through
trunks of trees, through mists, warming caves where
bears and snakes sleep--he who wakes us--
in our minds so be it

Gratitude to the Great Sky
who holds billions of stars--and goes yet beyond that--
beyond all powers, and thoughts
and yet is within us--
Grandfather Space.
The Mind is his Wife.

so be it."

Hymn To the Sun

Here is another prayer we said, just as the sun was appearing over the horizon on Easter Sunday morning.

Maris was there with us in spirit, and it was easy to surround him with the radiance of this prayer and the one by Burton.

A Hymn In Praise of Aten
written by
King Akhenaten, c.1365 BC

Thy dawning is beautiful in the horizon of heaven
O living Aten, beginning of life!
When thou risest in the eastern horizon of heaven
Thou fillest every land with thy beauty,
For thou art beautiful, great, glittering, high over the earth,
Thy rays, they encompass the lands, even all thou hast made.
Thou art Ra, and thou hast carried them all away captive;
Thou bindest them by thy love.
Though thou art afar, thy rays are on earth;
Though thou art on high, thy footprints are the day.

When thou settest in the western horizon of heaven
The world is in darkness like the dead,
They sleep in their chambers
Their heads are wrapped up,
Their nostrils stopped and none seeth the other,
Stolen are all their things that are under their heads,
While they know it not.
Every lion cometh forth from his den,
All serpents, they sting.
Darkness reigns.
The world is in silence
He that made them has gone to rest in his horizon.

Bright is the earth,
When thou risest in the horizon,
Wwhen thou shinest as Aten by day.
The darkness is banished,
Wwhen thou sendest forth thy rays,
The Two Lands are in daily festivity,
Awake and standing upon their feet,
For thou hast raised them up,
Their limbs bathed they take their clothing;
Their arms uplifted in adoration to thy dawning,
Then in all the world they do their work.

All cattle rest upon their herbage,
All trees and plants flourish,
The birds flutter in the marshes,
Their wings uplifted in adoration to thee,
All the sheep dance upon their feet,
All winged things fly,
They live when thou hast shone upon them.

Thou art he who createst the man-child in wwomen,
Who makest seed in man,
Who giveth life to the son in the body of his mother,
Who soothest him that he may not weep,
A nurse even in the womb.
Who giveth breath to animate every one that he maketh.

When the chicklet crieth in the egg-shell
Thou givest him breath therein, to preserve him alive.
When thou hast perfected him
That he may pierce the egg,
He cometh forth from the egg,
To chirp with all his might;
He runneth about upon his two feet,
When he hath come forth therefrom.

How manifold are all thy works!
They are hidden from before us
O thou sole god, whose powers no other possesseth.

Easter Prayer

This is one of the prayers we recited at the shore of Lake Michigan right before the sun came up on Easter.

It is from the book In the Light of a Child: a Journey Through the 52 Weeks of the Year In Both Hemispheres For Children and For the Child In Each Human Being by Michael Hedley Burton. The prayers reflect what is happening in Nature and within ourselves. The series begins with Easter.

From heaven above comes sunlight streaming;
Shining, glistening and gleaming.
My silver crescent-cup is filled,
(Be careful that it is not spilled),
Such joy weaves round me everywhere
In water and earth and in light-filled air.
A wave of joy in me as well
Springs from my heart, a surging swell.
By joy I'm taught my God to know.
I am his child--he tells me so.

My Prayers These Days

I pray for the 9 (or was it 10) people who might have had a past life with Maris and to whom he owes karmic debts.

The three years demanded by the Angry Man in Joan's shamanic journey is nothing. I would gladly pray for them every day for three lifetimes, as long as it would bring peace,healing, and release to Maris's spirit. (click on the labels for shamanism and shamanic journeys.)

If I am doing the right thing for the wrong reason, so what. I just want there to be a good outcome...for our planet, our universe, and for Maris.

It is all the same thing...isn't it? We are all in this together...and we all need to get out of it in order for the planet to hbe able to evolve.

As long as any one of us is holding on to anger...or refusing to forgive...we will all continue be in hell together...and we will be stuck

Please pray along with me, to whatever divine being you pray to:

May all those whom Maris may have harmed in previous lifetimes be surrounded by countless blessings. May they be happy, healthy, and whole. May all their family and friends be blessed with whatever they need. Especially, I pray for the well-being of the Angry Man and the Medicine Man. May they be filled with Light, in whatever time or place they inhabit...may their hearts be healed. May they radiate compassion to all beings, in all times and places. May they release the bonds they have placed on Maris. May they receive much happiness and all spiritual blessings through releasing these bonds. May the Angry Man and the Medicine Man be filled with the radiance of forgineness. If they have been reborn into this world...who are they? where are they? am I one of them? Then I forgive everyone who has ever harmed or hurt me, including myself. Am I one of them? then I release all anger, bad thoughts, bad feelings, and all other negativity that I have ever felt towards another in every lifetime. Am I one of them? then may I be healed, through and through, may every part of me be healed on every level of being, that my heart may radiate forgiveness, healing, love, and compassion towards all, especially to the soul and spirit of Maris and all his avatars in all times and places. May the soulllll and spirit and being of Maris be surrounded and filled by golden healing light. May he ascend. May he be bathed in golden light within a mandorla of golden light. May he be free. may his soul and spirit be free. May all the souls and spirits of those who he may have hurt lifetimes ago be free. May they be whole, and may all things be well for them. May whatever is shackling him...whether it be of mind, body, soul, or spirit, fall from him, that he may be free in every way. May Maris free himself. May his soul, spirit, and being accept the Light, freedom, and Love that are being sent to him. May he receive freedom and release from whatever thoughts, entities, or vibrations are holding him back. May he accept all the many blessings that are being senbt his way. May he release his despair. May he allow these prayers and blessings to surround and fill him. May the Angry man and the Medicine Man allow these prayers and blessings to come to Maris. May Maris be in a halo, a mandorla of light. May Maris be surrounded with healing and guidance from his ancestors and other enlightened beings who can heal and help him. May all that holds Maris back be healed and released as well, along with that from which it emanates. May we all be healed and may we all be free.

Please add your prayers to mine, that Maris may be healed and released from whatever holds him back. May all that is holding him back be released and healed as well. May Maris be reborn into much happier conditions; and may he be free of destructive patterns that may have held him back through many lifetimes.

Advent Prayer

I received this prayer from my dear friend Therese. We have included it in our Advent observance this year, and plan to make it part of our annual Advent observance:

Holy God of Advent, you became weak so we could find strength in moments of heartbreak; you left the safety of heaven to wander the wilderness of the world, holding our hands when we feel so hopeless; you set aside your glory to hold our pain so we might be healed, even when there seems to be no hope; you became one of us, so we could never be alone in any moment, in any circumstance.

Come now, Child of Bethlehem, to strengthen us in these days. May we feel your presence in a way we have never known, not just as One born in a stable long ago and far away, but as One born in our hearts, in our hopes, in our spirits, in our weakness.

You have promised to go before us: into our brokenness, into hospital rooms, into empty houses, into graveyards, into our future held by our God, and you are here, even now, waiting for each of us: to serve us, to hold us, to comfort us, to live in us, now and forever. amen.

Seven Promises

I came across these Seven Promises of the Most Holy Mother of God to St. Bridget.

One promise for each sorrow, one promise for each sword.

Funeral Program

Here is the program Joan and Demetria made for the funeral services at Smith-Corcoran and St. Adalbert Cemetery.

Memorial at Hickam

Here is the program they distributed for the Memorial at Hickam AFB in Hawaii. (If you click on any image on this blog, it will open a full size image.)

Act of Contrition

The whole way over the ocean to Hawaii, I recited the Act of Contrition:

"O my God, I am heartily sorry
for having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because of thy just punishments,
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
Who art all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help
of Thy grace to sin no more
and avoid the near occasions of sin.
Amen"

This is the first time in about35 years it has occurred to me to recite this prayer.

United States English translation (as in Baltimore Catechism)

St. Michael

St. Michael the Archangel is the patron saint of people in the military and law enforcement.

Maris's middle name is "Michael." It is also Alek's middle name.

There is a battle raging between the forces of light and darkness. Law enforcement needs to be renewed and infused with light. Our military is stretched thin, and needs a millionfold reinforcements. Please pray to St. Michael,. we need his help and protection.

Prayer To St. Michael
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
(Pope Leo XIII)

and here is the long version:

Original - Prayer to St. Michael

“O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

“Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

“These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.

“Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”

Roman Raccolta, July 23, 1898, supplement approved July 31, 1902,
London: Burnes, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1935, 12th edition.

All Shall Be Well...

my dear friend Therese sent me this prayer by Julian of Norwich:

All shall be well

and all shall be well

and all manner of things shall be well.

(But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all that is needful to me, answered by this word and said: It behoved that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. )

Seven-Fold Blessing

This benediction was performed at the cemetery, before military honors:

The Seven-Fold Blessing

Priest/ess [Anna, Kiel or Demetria]:
We will now bless and purify this space with four sacred herbs: sage, sweetgrass, cedar and bear root.

Caller of East[Joan]:
May this sacred smoke cleanse and free Maris’s mind. May he enter Heaven in peace and freedom. [Caller walks clockwise around casket smudging with sage.]

Caller of South [Demetria]:
May this sacred smoke cleanse and free Maris’s spirit. May he enter Heaven in peace and freedom. [Caller walks clockwise around casket smudging with sweetgrass .]

Caller of West [Kiel]:
May this sacred smoke cleanse and free Maris’s soul. May he enter Heaven in peace and freedom. [Caller walks clockwise around casket smudging with .]

Caller of North [Anna]:
May this sacred smoke cleanse and free Maris’s body. May he enter Heaven in peace and freedom. [Caller walks clockwise around casket smudging with .]

Priest/ess [Ann, Kiel or Demetria]:
GREAT SPIRIT, OUR CREATOR, You give us the gift of life and the grace to praise you. Open our hearts that we may welcome your Spirit anew in our life. Teach us your wisdom and pour into us your gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Caller of East [Joan]:
We look to the EAST, the place where the new Sun rises each morning. This is the direction of hope and of new beginnings. Look down on us from the East, Creator, and pour your Spirit upon us so that we may renew our lives. Almighty God, fill and surround the soul of Maris with the Light of Wisdom and Truth.

Caller of South [Demetria]:
We look to the SOUTH, the place from where the warm winds come. This is the direction of good friends who help us walk on the Good road of life. Look down on us from the South, Creator, and pour your Spirit of happiness and friendship throughout our life. Teach us the lesson of Generosity that we may serve one another. Almighty God, fill and surround the soul of Maris with Healing.

Caller of West [Kiel]:
We look to the WEST, the place where the Sun sets as the day fades. This is the direction of changes, of growing and dying. Look down on us from the West, Creator, and give us the strength to face the great mysteries of life and death. Transform our hearts with the gift of Your Spirit so that we may be renewed in Your Great Spirit. Almighty God, fill and surround the soul of Maris with Love.

Caller of North [Anna]:
We look to the NORTH, the place from where the cold, harsh winds of winter come. This is the direction of hard times and painful moments that test us. Look down upon us from the North, Creator, and help us to walk in a sacred manner even when times are hard. Give us the spirit of courage to stand up to the pains of life while we hope in the resurrection. Almighty God, fill and surround the soul of Maris with Protection.

Caller of Sky [Kiel]:
We look to the SKY, the home of the eagle. This is the place of clear vision that helps us to see far and understand the meaning of things. Look upon us from the sky-world, Creator, and teach us to rise above those weaknesses that keep us from the good path of life. Renew your Spirit in us. Almighty God, may Maris be a shining star in the Heavens; may he be embraced by our ancestors and the angels.

Caller of Earth [Anna or Demetria]:
We bend down to touch the EARTH, the place from which we come, our Mother who gives us everything we need to survive. Look upon us from all the living things of the earth, Creator, and teach us to remember the great lesson that we are related. Give us the gift of strength to walk gently in harmony with all of life. Almighty God, may Maris carry with him all the good and happy memories of his life on this Earth.

Priest/ess [Joan]:
GREAT SPIRIT, of all directions, we thank You for giving us Your own Spirit to transform our hearts. Unite us with all the nations of the world so that together we may create a new world guided by Your Spirit. Almighty God, may we all be reunited with Maris one day in a world of peace. within that timeless unity that is the heart of God.

Navajo Prayer For Healing

Navajo Prayer for Healing
[Participants please repeat, “May he walk in beauty”,
after leader reads each line]

In the house made of dawn.
In the story made of dawn.
On the trail of dawn.
O God, it is begun in beauty.

His feet, my feet, restore.
His limbs, my limbs, restore.
His body, my body, restore.
His mind, my mind, restore.
His voice, my voice, restore.
His heart, my heart, restore.

We walk with beauty before us.
We walk with beauty behind us.
We walk with beauty above us.
We walk with beauty below us.
We walk with beauty around us.
We walk with beautiful voices.
In beauty we walk all day.
In beauty we walk through returning seasons.

In the house of evening light.
From the story made of evening light.
On the trail of evening light
O God, it is finished in beauty.

Prayers For Difficult Times

I have found comfort in these anthroposophical prayers of The Christian Community.

Please pray for Maris:

For The Many Who Have Died

The Good Shepherd lead them
Where they are transformed
That they may breathe
The air of eternal Being.

Where they work as soul
For worlds to come
The grace of the Spirit
Unite us with them.

adapted from Adam Bittleston
*Adam Bittleston, Meditative Prayers for Today, Floris Books

and please pray for us who are left behind:

Short Intercession
(for those who mourn)

May the Good Shepherd lead us
Into peace of heart
Into hopeful thinking,
Into patient strength of will;
Health of body,
Harmony of soul,
Clarity of spirit,
Now, and in the time to come.

Adam Bittleston