Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Cherokee Purification Prayer

A friend of mine emailed me this prayer, and it's really cool!

" Great Spirit (U-ne-qua), whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me;
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.
Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.
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

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really like, "Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me." Otherwise, compassion is not helpful.

jb

vacuous said...

That line stuck out to me too! Some relevant Buddhist advice is to help people while remaining unattached to outcomes, lest you become discouraged or overwhelmed.

Anonymous said...

Just swim.
Just swim.
Go on with your story.
--Dainin Katagiri Roshi

That, and your post cheered me today.