If you have or know of a blessing that should be here
please write birrell@well.com
I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life,
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
(New International Version)
Thanks to Dame Emily Carder
Ya keci pana bhu-tatthi Tasava thavara va anava sesa Digha va ye mahanta va Majjhima-rassa-kanuka thuta Dittha va yeava addittha Ye ca dure vasanti avidure Bhuta va sambhavesi va Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhi-tatta... Whatsoever living beings there are; feeble or strong, long, stout, or medium, short, small or large, seen or unseen, Those dwelling far or near, those who are born, and those who are to be born, May all beings, without exception, be happy-minded....
From the Metta Sutta in Ven. K. Shri Dhammananda,
Daily Buddhist Devotions
Buddhist Missionary Society: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Teknon, su pantote met' emou ei kai panta ta ema sa estin. Child, you are always with me, And all that I have is yours.
-The Father speaking to the elder brother
in the parable of the Prodigal Son
Luke 15:31
Translated by BTW
star spangled Goddess,
at dusk your silence calls dreams.
Pleased by lengthening shadows,
by exhaustion after feast,
friend to pleasure, heal us
with rest free from fear...
- The Hymns of Orpheus, Mutations
by R.C.Hogart,
Phanes Press 1993
Seed we bring Lord, to thee, wilt thou bless them, O Lord! Gardens we bring Lord, to thee, wilt thou bless them, O Lord! Hoes we bring Lord, to thee, wilt thou bless them, O Lord! Knives we bring Lord, to thee, wilt thou bless them, O Lord! Hands we bring Lord, to thee, wilt thou bless them, O Lord! Ourselves we bring Lord, to thee, wilt thou bless us, O Lord!
- East African hymn used at seed consecration service
The Oxford Book of Prayer
compiled by George Appleton
Thanks to Ann Chamberlain
Canada
Everywhere God will come to meet you, everywhere he will appear to you, at places and times at which you will look not for it, in your waking hours and in your sleep, when you are journeying by water and by land, in the night-time and in the day-time, when you are speaking and when you are silent; for there nothing which is not God.
- Hermes Trismegistus
Corpus Hermeticum Libellus XI:ii
Translated by Walter Scott
Boston: Shambala 1993
The Charm placed by Brigit, Maiden of graces, On the white daughter of the king, Gile-Mhin the beauteous. The form of God is behind thee, The form of Christ is before thee, The stream of Spirit is through thee, To succour and aid thee. The bloom of God is upon thee, The bloom of Christ is upon thee, The bloom of Spirit is upon thee, To bathe thee and make thee fair. Excellence of men, Excellence of women, Excellence of council, Excellence of lover, Excellence of sons and of daughters. Excellence of dells, Excellence of knolls, Excellence of knolls Excellence of hollows, Excellence of hills, Excellence of horses and of heroes. Excellence of travel, Excellence of journey, Excellence of small town, Excellence of great town, Excellence of sea and of shore. Excellence of beauty, Excellence of radiance, Excellence of goodness, Excellence of heaven, Excellence of day and of night. Excellence of form, Excellence of voice, Excellence of complexion Excellence of cattle, Excellence of curd and of butter. Thou are the star of each night, Thous art the brightness of each morn, Thou art the tidings of each guest, Thou art the enquiry of every land. Thou shalt travel a rough ground And thou shalt not redden thy foot: Jesus is guarding thee, Jesus is by thy hand. The crown of the King is around thy head, The diadem of the Son is upon they brow, The might of the Spirit is in thy breast; Thou shalt go forth and come homeward safe. Thou shalt journey upward And come again down, Thou shalt journey over ocean And come again hither; No peril shall befall thee on knoll nor on bank, In hollow nor in meadow, On mount nor in glen. The shield of Michael is over thee, King of the bright angels, To shield thee and to guard thee From thy summit to thy sole. Nor shall man Nor shall woman Nor shall son Nor shall daughter Make glance nor wish, Hate nor jealousy, Love nor eye, Envy nor durance That shall sunder thee, That shall lie upon thee, That shall subdue thee, That shall wound thee. Host shall not make, False one shall not make, Fairy shall not make, World shall not make Sling nor catapult, Spear nor shaft, Axe nor javelin, Hook nor sword, That shall affect thee, That shall afflict thee, That shall wound thee, That shall overpower thee. No smith shall make, No craftsman shall make, No mason shall make, No wright shall make Gear nor tool, Weapon nor device, Tackle nor instrument, Frame nor invention, Of copper nor stone, Of brass nor iron, Of wood nor bronze, Of gold nor silver, That shall check thee, That shall enclose thee, That shall rend thee, That shall bridle thee, Thither nor hither, Earth nor land, Here nor yonder, Down nor up. Above nor below, Sea nor shore, In the sky aloft, In the deep beneath. Thou nut of my heart, Thou face of my sun, Thou harp of my music, Thou crown of my sense; Thou are the love of the God of Life, Thou are the love of tender Christ, Thou are the love of Spirit Holy, Thou art the love of each living creature, Thou art the love of each living creature.
-From Alexander Carmichael,
Carmina Gadelica: Hymns & Incantations
Collected in the Highlands and Islands
of Scotland In the Last Century
Hudson NY: Lindisfarne Press, 1991, p. 279.
Know first that God loves you. Do not be concerned about any doubts you may have, or that you may believe you have. God has no doubts, and He will care for you. Be not concerned about your faith. God is your creator, your very Father, and He has faith in you. Do not agitate yourself about God, who He is, or what He is. He is safe, secure and dependable, and He is our Source. It is sufficient to know this. You desire Peace and Strength. Very well, rest within that desire... Remember again that He loves you and holds no sin against you. God cannot be diverted by sin. His one action is Love. Believe no doubts. Let lying nervousness and apprehension alone. The universe is not nervous. It is at Peace. Universal Law is harmonious, and it is every whit as much here as it is there or anywhere. Live with it silently. No one can prevent you from doing this. Come into the Presence by means of your consciousness, and Know that no one or no thing can harm you while in the Presence. More than all, Rest. Do these things easily. Stop all thought and all prayer when you wish and in faith. Whereupon you will find that you can take up your healing communion often and whenever you wish. And the Master will come to you...
- W. Frederic Keeler,
Christian Victory Instruction,
Oakland CA: Lakeside Temple of Practical Christianity
May the Blessings of God rest upon you, May God's Peace abide with you, May God's Presence illuminate your heart, Now and forevermore.
- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Thanks to Rabia Rachel Mead, D.C.
SanFrancisco CA USA
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. So shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
- The Blessing of Aaron
Numbers 6:23-27
The Holy Scriptures, Jewish Publication Society
"You may wish to include a blessing that I receive from a wonderful friend of mine, a psychologist/yogi/holy-man named Atman who writes from Sri Lanka. He always ends his letters with the blessing that we find 'Peace All Ways'. Peace all ways, Eddie"
Thanks to Dr Edward F.Crangle
School of Social and Cultural Studies
Edith Cowan University
Mount Lawley WA AUSTRALIA.
May you go with God! Let God bear you in peace like a young shoot! Go nicely: may your path be swept of danger. God go with you, and may you escape from the mishaps ahead! May you meet with the Kindly-disposed One! May God take care of you! May God walk you well! May you remain with God! May God be with you who remain behind! May you stay with God!
from The Prayers of African Religion
published (I think) by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
Thanks to Susan Polizzi
Carroll College
Waukesha WI USA
Ma te marie a te Atua e kore nei e taea te whakaaro e tiaki o koutou ngakau o koutou hinengaro i roto i a Karaiti Ihu; a kia mau kia u hoki ki a koutou te manaaki a te Atua Kaha Rawa, a te Matua, a te Tama, a te Wairua Tapu aianei a ake tonu atu. Amine. May God whom Jesus called Abba embrace you in love for ever; may God the Servant bear your burdens with you; may God the Paraclete grant you life in one another; so may the blessing of God, Abba, Servant, Paraclete, be with you always. Amen.
from A New Zealand Prayer Book
Thanks to Anne Chamberlain
Canada
people (and a spider or two) have visted here so far.