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 Breath of Our Bodies

Spirit of Life,
You who body forth as our starry universe
and this shimmering, blue-green planet:

Now begins our hot blue and gold time
when the air smells of dry grass and live oaks
the wild birds are raising their young
and the tomato plants begin a mad rush
toward the sun.

Help us know you as the breath of our bodies.

Help us know you as the life force
that fills apricots and cherries
with the juice that delights our tongues.

Help us also know you as the force
that dries the petals of wildflowers
and scatters them, dead, along the ground.

Help us know you as a love so large
that in all beginnings,
and in all endings,
we are ever safely held.

Help us rest in that love,
as we look with open eyes
upon the suffering within us
and all around us.

Fill us with the loving kindness we need
to relieve this suffering.

Help us breathe your love and peace
into our scarred and beautiful world.

Blessed be.

We are Safe Here

Spirit of Life, greening power of spring,
you who bring trees and porcupines
and fish and ferns—and us!—to life
and gather us back in after we die:

Help us know we are  safe here.
Help us know that this green and blue place,
this great Mother Earth,
holds all that we are.

In our greatest joy, we are held.
In our deepest sorrow, we are held.

May we feel the support of Earth
as we walk and as we sit
and as we stand and as we lie down.

In every moment, may we feel Earth holding us
and may we remember to be thankful.

Blessed be.