A Ritual for Healing the Earth and Ourselves

It is with gratitude for my time as an ecopsychology student at Naropa, and especially my time in Suzanne Duarte’s Deep Ecology class that I offer the following practice to open our heart to the healing energies of the Earth, and in so doing we in turn offer healing to the Earth.

What follows in an adaptation of what Suzanne called The 7-Stages of Prayer: The 7-Fold Offering for Opening the Heart to the Transpersonal Energies of the Cosmos. It is an adaptation of a Tibetan Buddhist practice. Suzanne’s website is: http://www.dharmagaians.org.

I do this practice often. It is the most centering practice I have.

Go into nature with a sense of reverence and awe, and select a site with some safe seclusion. Perhaps you have a secret garden or private place near a local stream. These places that speak to your deeper self are most appropriate. However, if the weather is poor or you are house-bound, you may take up this practice in your home with the remembrance of nature in your heart.

• Create a sacred space. Perhaps you will call in the four directions and the four elements. Perhaps you will sing, or build a fire. Ask for the presence of Earth’s spirits for protection and guidance during your ritual. Then know it is so.
• Make an offering of gratitude and appreciation for the blessings of Nature. This can be a song, a plant placed in the ground, a small bowl of water and seed for the birds…Use your imagination and be genuine in your offering.
• Confess your shortcomings and mistakes as a human seeking right living on the planet, as one who seeks a life in alignment with ecological wellness. Perhaps a list of several, or a deep exploration of one behavior that is particularly difficult to rid yourself of.
• Rejoice in the ever present forgiveness and love of the Earth and Cosmos that offers her blessing like the Sun who shines on all without judgment. Perhaps this will be another point in the ritual for song, prayer, a poem.
• Request teaching and guidance from the Earth’s wisdom. Ask that you become open to the ever present synchronicities that offer guidance on life’s path. Ask to become more fully aligned with these energies.
• At this point I usually take to silent meditation.
• Dedicate the merit of your efforts to the benefit of all beings.
• Thank the nature spirits for their efforts on your behalf and close the circle.

Suzanne offered this prayer as a recommendation for the rejoicing portion of the ritual. It feels good to recommend it today.

Thanksgiving Address: Greetings To The Natural World

http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/thanksgiving_address.pdf

The People

Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue.

We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with

each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together

as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that

we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It

gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the

beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our thirst

and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in

many forms—waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and

oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of

Water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to all the Fish life in the water. They were

instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves

to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water.

So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can

see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life

forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look

forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we

harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains,

vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many

other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the

Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all the Medicine Herbs of the world. From the

beginning, they were instructed to take away sickness. They are

always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still

among us those special few who remember how to use these plants

for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the

Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Animals

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the

Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as

people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are

glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one.

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families

of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us

with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty, and other useful

things. Many peoples of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace

and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move

and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs.

Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was

chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds—from the smallest to the

largest—we send our joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We

hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the

air we breathe. They help to bring the change of seasons. From the

four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us

strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the

Four Winds.

Now our minds are one.

The Thunderers

Now we turn to the west where our Grandfathers, the Thunder

Beings, live. With lightening and thundering voices, they bring with

them the water that renews life. We bring our minds together as one

to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun.

Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing

the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one

mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together and give thanks to our oldest

Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the nighttime sky. She is the

leader of women all over the world, and she governs the movement

of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is

the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth.

With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother,

the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like

jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the

darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When

we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered

together as one, we send greetings and thanks to all the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The Enlightened Teachers

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers

who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to

live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to

live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these

caring Teachers.

Now our minds are one.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send

greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need

to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is

still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our

choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the

things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out.

If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send

such greetings and thanks in their own way.

And now our minds are one.

……………

http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/thanksgiving_address.pdf

This translation of the Mohawk version of the Haudenosaunee

Thanksgiving Address was developed, published in 1993, and

provided here, courtesy of: Six Nations Indian Museum and the

Tracking Project

All rights reserved.