Maple Seeds

Spirit of Life, Great Immensity of Love
in which we live and move and have our being:

Now is the time
when the seeds of the bigleaf maples
fall from the trees.

They could just fall straight down,
but maples have evolved a design
that causes their seeds to twirl.

Each time a breeze moves,
dozens of maple seeds
are blown from the mother tree.

They take to the air,
twirling and twirling
until they rest safely on the earth.

There are times when we need
to let go of the familiar
and take to the air–
times when we are tossed on the wind,
afraid we will break when we fall.

Instead may we twirl.
May our journey be a dance.
May love bring us safely down to earth.

Blessed be.

The Dance

Great Spirit of Life and Love,
moving source of all we know:

A great upheaval is taking place,
a sea change,
and we can no longer expect the same steps
to take us to the same places.

The patterns must change.
The music is changing
and the dance must also change.

No more solo performances.

In times such as these
it is important to gather with others
and to learn how to move
together.

May we hold each other and ourselves
in loving kindness.

May we see that each of us brings a tender heart
aching to share its deepest desires.

May we see that each of us brings a seeking spirit
longing to grow and be transformed.

May we know that there is a love
deeper than we can understand
ever holding us in safety.

And may we ever be aware
of these great cycles and circles:
the earth orbiting the sun
the sun spiraling in the Milky Way
the whole expanding outward to infinity.

In this great coming together
of matter with energy,
let us ground ourselves here,
in this place,
with each other.

With our feet on the earth,
our faces to the sky,
and our arms out to one another:
let us take our places in the dance.

Blessed Be.