
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/prayers-for-ourselves.html
Prayers for Ourselves

A close friend told me recently that I need to take time just for myself, no one else, not one iota for another, just for myself. She said it would be best not even to pray for another, just myself. This was a novel idea, yet a healing balm to imagine at a time like this.
I appreciated her care so much because she wanted me to care for myself. I think I was drawn to the book Prayers for Hope and Comfort: Reflection, Meditations, and Inspirations, by Maggie Oman Shannon, because it offered prayers for ourselves. Here are some of them:
When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.
When your vision has gone
no part of the world can find you.
Time to do into dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.
There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.
The dark will be your home
tonight.
The night will give you a horizon
Further than you can see.
You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the swee
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.
–David Whyte, “Sweet Darkness”
If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on,
he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.
–Saint John of the Cross
O Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
and whose breath gives life to all the world,
hear me! I am small and weak, I need your
strength and wisdom.
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
brother, 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.
–Native American prayer
Adapted from Prayers for Hope and Comfort: Reflection, Meditations, and Inspirations, by Maggie Oman Shannon (Conari Press, 2008).






Annie B.
Melissa
Jana
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Eric
Andrew
Dave
Robyn
Deepak

18 comments
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DONT EVER FORGET JERRY LEWIS MUSCUKAR DYSTROPHY HE GETTING BETTER CURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GOT LUCKY TO SEE HIM LIVE AT JACKIE GLEASON THEATRE MIAMI MYMAMMY BEACH FLOORIDA GOD HE WAS AWESOME HE HARDLY STUCK TO THE SCRIPT EVERYBODY ROLLING OUTTA THIER SEATS HYSTERICLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TEARS ROLLING OUTTA OUR EYES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JERYY IS THE ON LY GUY WHO CAN BRING THE HOUSE DOWN WAVING HIS HANDS SYMPATHECTHICLY OUT & SAYING NOTHING MORE THAN ~ " ONCE THERE WAS 2 JEWS............." AND NOT EVEN FINISH THE JOKE & EVERYBODY SIDES HURT GUFFAW WITH LAFFTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALLWAYS REMEMBER JERRYS KIDS 365 DAYS AYEAR & MAKE THE CURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ONCE JERRY WAS ON RED SKELTON= & RED FINALLY GOT JERRY~HE LOOKED CYNICLY IN JERRYS EYES & JERRY FELL LAFFING ONSIDE THE STAGE COULDNT FINISH THE SKIT LAFFING 15 MINS LATER JERRY SAID REDS THE GREATEST!!!!!! I SAW RED SKELTON DAYTONA 1982 HE DID HEATHCLIFF&GERTRUDE&4REAL A FAT LADY LAFFING HARD SUPERHYSTERICLY ACTUALLY ROLLED THE THE STAIRS YELLOWSHIRTGUYS CAME TO HELP SHES STILL LAFFING ALLRIGHT!!! RED SAID ANYONE HERE FROM TEXAS?~IRAISE MY HAND~REDSAID"YA CAN ALLWAYS TELL A TEXAN YA CAN ALLWAYS TELL A TEXAN~YA CANT TELLEMMUCH=BUTYA CAN ALLWAYS TELL A TEXAN!!!"&"IFYA SEE SAUCERSG~DONT TELL ANYBODY!!!"WEEBER OUR ABYSSIAN SMILING TABBY TYPED THIS 4YA!!!=
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take care of each other and yourselves and dont for get to take care of the earth
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Thank you
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A time for me to give to me and then a time for me to give to you - because I cannot give what I do not have. A sound sentiment I think
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Blessings to all--and Breathe in Deeply---air___and exhale the Word --Peace---"Words" uttered; never fall to the ground unheard--Lets send them around the world
Namaste
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Quite lovely thank you so much! Just in the nick of time for me Have a wonderful day ya'll.
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I went to a book that I had when I lost one of my friends this year. Purpose Driven Life. It helped me get over the lost
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beautiful prayers, I will certainly use and lay in the beauty of their wisom and truths. Thanks
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My name is Sharon. I am a 53 yr single F/fr Newfoundland, Canada. When I lay in bed each night-I pray. These "Gifts of Words of Prayer" I have just read-I say "Thank You", smiled to Myself, bowed my head in "knowing" this is everything aand *more--I have been trying to say. I did manage to say it knowingly--but NOT put in these words that "I" needed and so wanted to say-Now I can rest feeling much lighter and happier tonight..Thank You. I will be sure to read again and maybe again!
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