I’ve not been feeling like having too much of an online presence lately, but found the following in my inbox today and thought that I might share it with you here.

“Perhaps we are finding it hard to pray right now … These words of Mother Julian of Norwich offer encouragement:

“Our Beloved is exceedingly glad and happy about our prayer. He watches for it and yearns to receive it, for our prayer, through his grace, makes us like him. It is his blessed will that we be like him, not only in our nature (which we already are and always have been), but also in our will. That is why he says, “Pray inwardly, even if it seems to give no pleasure. It is bringing great benefit, even if you don’t perceive it. Pray inwardly, even if you sense nothing, see nothing, even if you think you are achieving nothing. For it is in dryness and emptiness, in sickness and weakness, that your prayer pleases me most. Don’t you see? Your whole life is a prayer in my eyes”. (‘The Showings of Julian of Norwich’ chap 41, translated by Mirabai Starr)

In honour of Earth Day a friend wrote this poem and I’d like to share it with you as it’s very moving. Peace and Love and Light to all.

In honor of Earth Day 2020

Dear Mother
forget not your children.
Help us to heal
you
as we heal ourselves.
Give us the wisdom
to realize
that we are indeed
all ONE.
Combine our actions
with our hearts
to make a global
positive difference.
Allow all beings
to be in accordance
with each other’s welfare.
Guide us in mindfulness
of the impact
we make.
Lighten our footprints
as we learn to
walk
gently
with you.
Hold our hands,
dear Mother,
as we take
these steps
of accountability.
Grant us the courage,
strength, faith and mercy
to follow your forgiveness
in creating
a better world.
mj

I am grateful today for my friend who will soon leave her earthly body behind, grateful for her support, kind words and friendship. I’m grateful too for time, and for having had time to share with her.
I’m grateful today too for friends who have allowed me to serve them in some small way, whose friendship has meant that I was able to give out the Love that lives in my own heart. Grateful today for all who come here so that we may share some Life together. Grateful for this sacred space and to those who take time to provide it for us.
(The little picture I found at pixabay and thought her so sweet I wanted to share)

“making us one with all who breathe the same air.”
Grateful for the air that we breathe, the air which makes us One. May the air be blessed with Love; with songs and words of Love; with sounds and thoughts of Love; with vibrations and quarks and the energy of Love. May the air be blessed with our Love and may the air bless us with its Love.
Grateful that we all breathe the same air, that it makes us One and reminds us that we are all in this One Life together as One global family throughout history and on into tomorrow.

That’s so lovely Diane. A couple of times lately I’ve just had to let go of meditation, let go of ‘practice’ and just sit there in the ‘everything-ness’ that’s all around me/us. (I know I could use the word Universe, but ‘everything-ness seems to me to be more substantial somehow!). Just sitting there in the everything-ness just as I am, just with all that I cary, all that weighs me down, all faults, soul-bared.And isn’t that too a great prayer? And when we pray with words it bemefits our ears and when we pray with doing, with action it benefits our heart,but God is in all of that prayer whether spoken or unspoken. Love listens whether we choose (or not choose) to speak, to act, sit still, or never to stop to consider not even for a moment. Love always hears.
Thanks for bringing this out from inside of me Diane. 🙂

You above all people deserve your own Love, I’m sure I’m paraphrasing someone there – Rumi maybe? Yes, as much as it can be a lesson on treating others gently or in forgiveness, it’s very much a needful lesson for our own selves as well. This is a hard life, these are difficult times and when we are weak… well it’s a very needful reminder of just how needy we are and humbling. We can go back to the source with very open hands and hearts and have our cup filled again (and again and again)