A Blessing

Pray Your Heart

Pray your heart into the great quiet hands that can hold it like the small bird it is.

A comprehensive…

A comprehensive blessing for you, on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2014

“Cover me all in all with my five senses,
and with the ten doors formed (for me),
so that, from my soles to the top of the head,
in no member, without within, may I be sick;
that, from my body, life be not cast out
by plague, fever, weakness, suffering,
Until, with the gift of old age from God,
I blot out my sins with good works;
And, in departing from the flesh, be free from stain,
and be able to fly to the heights,
and, by the mercy of God, be borne in joy
to the heavenly cool retreats of His kingdom.”

The Gildas Lorica (Breastplace/Protection Prayer of Gildas), 1899

(please note – this is only the very end of a long litany which quite specifically prays protection over every bodily part from the iris of the eye to the navel, and not overlooking one’s liver, bladder, nerves, or shins!  It’s worth reading the full thing at http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/gildas_08_lorica.htm.  May your body be blessed and protected this new year.

Hildegarde von Bingen

I think Hildegarde would have appreciated the use of natural and recycled materials for this art doll I created in her honour… the wine bottle and the lace would have drawn an approving smile, though the screening scraps for her wings and the cut-up floppy disc turned halo might have puzzled her….

Bird Prayer

The Deer’s Eye

Clicking the picture will take you to a beautiful choral rendition of ‘The Deer’s Cry’, also known as ‘St. Patrick’s Breastplate’, a Celtic blessing and prayer of protection.

However your week stretches out before you, with whatever work lies ahead – may it be surrounded, before and behind, above and below, with the Spirit’s love, blessing, and warding.