Blessings and prayers

Prayers and blessings from different cultures:

 

Equinox Prayer To Gaia, the Mother of All

I will sing of well-founded Earth, mother of all, eldest of all beings. She feeds all creatures that are in the world, all that go upon the goodly land, and all that are in the paths of the seas, and all that fly: all these are fed of her store. Through you, O queen, men are blessed in their children and blessed in their harvests, and to you it belongs to give means of life to mortal men and to take it away. Happy is the man whom you delight to honor! He has all things abundantly: his fruitful land is laden with corn, his pastures are covered with cattle, and his house is filled with good things. Such men rule orderly in their cities of fair women: great riches and wealth follow them: their sons exult with ever-fresh delight, and their daughters in flower-laden bands play and skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field. Thus is it with those whom you honor O holy goddess, bountiful spirit.

 

Shantideva, Indian Buddhist sage 700 A.D.

Bodhisattva Prayer for Humanity
May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.

 

Native American Prayer 🪶

O’ Great Spirit
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me!
Let me walk in Beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made, and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my sister, but to fight my greatest enemy – myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when Life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame…

 

Lakota prayer

Great Mystery,
teach me how to trust
my heart,
my mind,
my intuition,
my inner knowing,
the senses of my body,
the blessings of my spirit.
Teach me to trust these things
so that I may enter my Sacred Space
and love beyond my fear,
and thus Walk in Balance
with the passing of each glorious Sun.

 

Nahuatl tribe prayer, Mexico.

I release my parents from the feeling that they have already failed me.
I release my children from the need to bring pride to me; that they may write their own ways according to their hearts, that whisper all the time in their ears.
I release my partner from the obligation to complete myself. I do not lack anything, I learn with all beings all the time.
I thank my grandparents and forefathers who have gathered so that I can breathe life today. I release them from past failures and unfulfilled desires, aware that they have done their best to resolve their situations within the consciousness they had at that moment. I honor you, I love you and I recognize you as innocent.
I am transparent before your eyes, so they know that I do not hide or owe anything other than being true to myself and to my very existence, that walking with the wisdom of the heart, I am aware that I fulfill my life project, free from invisible and visible family loyalties that might disturb my Peace and Happiness, which are my only responsibilities.
I renounce the role of savior, of being one who unites or fulfills the expectations of others.
Learning through, and only through, LOVE, I bless my essence, my way of expressing, even though somebody may not understand me.
I understand myself, because I alone have lived and experienced my history; because I know myself, I know who I am, what I feel, what I do and why I do it.
I respect and approve myself.
I honor the Divinity in me and in you.
We are free.

 

Catholic House Blessing

“O heavenly Father, Almighty God,

we humbly beseech Thee to bless and sanctify this house

and all who dwell therein and everything else in it,

and do Thou vouch safe to fill it with all good things;

grant to them, O Lord, the abundance of heavenly blessings

and from the richness of the earth every substance necessary for life,

and finally direct their desires to the fruits of Thy mercy.

At our entrance, therefore, deign to bless and sanctify this house

as Thou didst deign to bless the house of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob;

and may the angels of Thy light, dwelling within the walk of this house,

protect it and those who dwell therein. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

 

A Cherokee Blessing

Lord, “May the warm winds of heaven blow softly on our homes,

Let your Spirit, bless all who enter there,

May our shoes make happy tracks in many snows,

And may the rainbow always touch our shoulders.”

 

A Cherokee Blessing II

Powers of nature and great spirit of life, protect the ones we love.

We honor mother earth and ask that our marriage be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons;

We honor fire and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts;

We honor wind and ask that we be lifted up to soar through life, safe and calm as in our father’s arms;

We honor water to cleanse and soothe our union that it may never thirsts for love;

We honor all that is under the great sky as we pledge our hearts and lives.

Of all the powers of nature and the universe, we ask for harmony and happiness as we grow forever together.

 

Irish House Blessing

“Bless this house, o Lord, we pray.

Make it safe by night and day.

Bless these walls so firm and stout,

Keeping want and trouble out.

Bless the roof and chimney tall

Let thy peace lie over all.

Bless the doors that they may prove

Ever open to joy and love.

Bless the windows shining bright,

Letting in God’s heavenly light.

Bless the hearth a-blazing there,

With smoke ascending like a prayer.

Bless the people here within.

Keep them pure and free from sin.

Bless us all, that one day, we

May be fit, O lord, to dwell with Thee.”

 

Jewish Blessing for the Home

Upon this house a blessing

may trees rise upon the grass

may water flow plentiful throughout the land

may happiness and joy follow throughout the years

may we have prosperity

retain good health

succeed all attempts

God bless this house always

 

Jewish House Blessing

May this home be a place of happiness and health,

of contentment, generosity and hope,

a home of creativity and kindness.

May those who visit and those who live here

know only blessing and peace.”

Let this be a place where peace abides.

Where tranquility pervades.

A place where love grows.

Contentment and happiness is a blessing a success

 

House Blessing

I release all need to worry.

I release all the junk from the past.

I live in the present moment.

I appreciate myself.

I appreciate my life.

I appreciate my home.

I bless my home with love.

I live in peace and harmony.

I am peaceful, joyous, and harmonious.

I am orderly and neat.

It is easy for me to be orderly.

My home comes together easily and effortlessly.

My home becomes more beautiful every day.

I enjoy my beautiful surroundings.

 

Hopi prayer

Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often.
The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak.
~
Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path.
Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy and greed stem
from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.
~
Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others
to make your path for you. It is your road, and
yours alone. Others may walk it with you,
but no one can walk it for you.
~
Treat the guests in your home with much consideration.
Serve them the best food, give them the best
bed and treat them with respect and honor.
~
Do not take what is not yours whether from
a person, a community,the wilderness or from a
culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.
~
Respect all things that are placed upon
this earth – whether it be people or plant.
~
Honor other people’s thoughts, wishes and words.
Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them.
Allow each person the right to personal expression.
~
Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative
energy that you put out into the universe
will multiply when it returns to you.
~
All persons make mistakes.
And all mistakes can be forgiven.
~
Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind,
body and spirit. Practice optimism.
~
Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us.
They are part of your worldly family.
~
Children are the seeds of our future. Plant
love in their hearts and water them with
wisdom and life’s lessons. When they
are grown, give them space to grow.
~
Avoid hurting the hearts of others.
The poison of your pain will return to you.
~
Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the
test of one’s will within this universe.
~
Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual
self, Emotional self, and Physical self – all need
to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out
the body to strengthen the mind. Grow
rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.
~
Make conscious decisions as to who
you will be and how you will react. Be
responsible for your own actions.
~
Respect the privacy and personal space of
others. Do not touch the personal property of
others – especially sacred and religious
objects. This is forbidden.
~
Be true to yourself first. You cannot
nurture and help others if you cannot
nurture and help yourself first.
~
Respect others religious beliefs.
Do not force your belief on others.
~
Share your good fortune with others.
Participate in charity.