from griefof all those afflicted by misery.
Oh Lord, lead us from the unreal to the real;
from darkness to light;
from death to immortality.
May there be peace in celestial regions.
May there be peace on earth.
May the waters be appeasing.
May herbs be wholesome and
may trees and plants bring peace to all.
May all beneficent beings bring peace to us.
May thy wisdom spread peace all through the world.
May all things be a source of peace to all and to me.
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
- Patricia Morrison, Crane Dance Collective, 1956
What God Sows In the Heart
Give over thine own willing;
give over thine own running;
give over thine own desiring
to know or to be anything;
and sink down to the seed
which God sows in the heart,
and let that grow in thee,
and be in thee,
and breathe in thee,
and act in thee,
and thou shalt find by sweet experience
that the Lord knows that,
and loves and owns that,
and will lead it to
the inheritance of life,
which is its portion.
- Isaac Pennington, 1661
An Irish Prayer
May God give you
For every storm, a rainbow
For each tear, a smile
For every care, a promise
And a blessing in each trial.
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.
May the blessing of God’s soft rain be on you.
- From Irish Oral Tradition
God’s Blessing Will Always Be Upon You
May the blessing of God’s soft rain be on you,
Falling gently on your head, refreshing your soul
With the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming.
May the strength of the winds of Heaven bless you,
Carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean
Sparkling after in the sunlight.
May the blessing of God’s earth be on you,
And as you walk the roads,
May you always have a kind word
for those you meet.
- Traditional Irish Blessing
“Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater.”
—William Hazlitt
“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh
“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.”
—Robert Schuller
“Prosperity is not without many fears and disasters; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.”
—Francis Bacon
Shine the Light of Love
May the blessing of light be upon you.
May the blessing of light be upon you,
Light on the outside,
Light on the inside.
With God’s sunlight shining on you,
May your heart glow with warmth,
Like a turf fire
that welcomes friends and strangers alike.
May the light of the Lord shine from your eyes,
Like a candle in the window,
Welcoming the weary traveler.
—Traditional Irish Blessing
Irish Travelers Blessing
May the Hand of a Friend Always Be Near You
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
- Traditional Irish Blessing
Never Give Up
I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to
