Communing with Great Mystery

In this last of my blogs on the Native American Wisdom Tradition, I have chosen to share beautiful prayers from this tradition. I have found that the prayers that come to us from the great Wisdom Traditions of the world, because they come from the heart and soul, can move us to that mysterious place where, in spite of all our differences, we are one with the One. It is a place beyond words, a depth far greater than all the more surface beliefs and practices that have too often divided people from each other. In this place of humble and profound, listening Silence, it is possible to experience that Mystery to which the words of prayers are no more than signposts. Yet, as such, they can be helpful. I hope they are for you who read these words,

whoever you are, wherever you may be.

(These prayers are taken from a book I recommend to you, entitled The Gift of Prayer: a Treasury of Personal Prayer from the World's Spiritual Traditions published by Continuum)

Grandfather,

Look at our brokenness.

We know that in all creation

Only the human family

Has strayed from the Sacred Way.

We know that we are the ones

Who are divided

And we are the ones

Who must come back together

To walk in the Sacred Way.

Grandfather,

Sacred One,

Teach us love, compassion, and honor

That we may heal the Earth

And heal each other.

(Ojibway prayer)

Today I will walk out,

today everything evil will leave me,

I will be as I was before.

I will have a coool breeze over me.

I will travel with a light body.

I will be happy, and nothing will hinder me.

I walk with beauty before me.

I walk with beauty behind me.

I walk with beauty above me.

I walk with beauty all round me.

My words too will be beautiful.

(Navaho prayer)

O our mother the earth, O our father the sky,

Your children are we, and with tired backs

We bring you gifts that you love.

Then weave for us a garment of brightness;

May the warp be the white light of morning,

May the weft be the red light of evening,

May the fringes be the falling rain,

May the border be the standing rainbow.

Weave for us this garment of brightness

That we may walk fittingly where grass is green,

O our mother the earth, O our father the sky.

(Tewa Pueblo prayer)

O Great Spirit of our Ancestors,

I raise my pipe to you.

To your messengers, the four winds,

and to Mother Earth who provides for your children.

Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other

so that they may grow with peace in mind.

Let us learn to share all the good things that you provide for us on this Earth.

(A Native American Prayer for Peace)