SOURCE OF ALL BLESSINGS,

you bless us with departures–
for they are a necessary part of our
journey, necessary for arriving.
May I be always ready to take
leave, always aware that every
arrival is a prelude to departure,
every birth a step toward dying,
and may I thus taste the blessing of
being fully present where I am.

Sense how it feels to honor the inevitability and gift of departures. When we acknowledge and appreciate the leave-takings in our lives, we cultivate resilience and welcome the wisdom of impermanence.

And so, having come to the end of our eight-day practice, we take our leave of you with warm appreciation. You will have likely noticed that in each of the blessings shared over the past week, Br. David has followed a pattern — “first expressing delight in a blessing received, following with a resolution to pass it on.” As we come to the end of our time together we invite you to continue this pattern in your own life. Allow yourself to notice and delight in the blessings that surround you. Then, filled and inspired by the celebration, pass it on so that the blessings flow through and from you with heart and great-fullness.

We thank you for blessing us with your time and presence. We are grateful.

How have these days of blessings — received and shared — impacted or inspired you? We’d love to hear from you in the reflection area below…