I remember that day as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. It began as a morning just like any other morning, a beautiful September morn. When the planes struck, I was working in a halfway house on the Bowery. We were not very far from the site. Our 46 clients were preparing for their morning meeting, and I was in my office enjoying a few moments of solitude before the day began. Then, one of the clients came running in asking to use the phone. She said she'd heard that a small plane had hit the World Trade Center, and she was worried because her mother worked there. And just as she picked up the phone, another client burst into the office screaming that we should come and watch the news. Suddenly, it wasn't just another morning like any other. Our world had been changed forever.
I found the following beautiful prayer from "Prayers for Healing". I wanted to share it with you.
May our eyes remain open even in the face of tragedy.
May we not become disheartened.
May
we discover the gift of the fire burning in the inner chamber of our
being –burning great and bright enough to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow and not run from its touch or flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the soul’s journey be revealed and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance of who we really are.
Eagle Woman
The Terma Collective
The Terma Collective
May our eyes remain open even in the face of tragedy.
May we not become disheartened.
May we find in the dissolution
of our apathy and denial,
a cup of the broken heart.
May we discover the gift of the fire burning
in the inner chamber of our being–
burning great and bright enough
to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service
of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form
yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we endure; may sorrow bond us and not separate us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow
and not run from its touch or its flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through
the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the bleakness of the wasteland be dispelled.
May the soul’s journey be revealed
and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance
of who we really are.
- See more at: http://heartsteps.org/tag/terma-collective/#sthash.M7O4FAIs.dpuf
May we not become disheartened.
May we find in the dissolution
of our apathy and denial,
a cup of the broken heart.
May we discover the gift of the fire burning
in the inner chamber of our being–
burning great and bright enough
to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service
of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form
yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we endure; may sorrow bond us and not separate us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow
and not run from its touch or its flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through
the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the bleakness of the wasteland be dispelled.
May the soul’s journey be revealed
and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance
of who we really are.
The Terma Collective
- See more at: http://heartsteps.org/tag/terma-collective/#sthash.M7O4FAIs.dpuf
May our eyes remain open even in the face of tragedy.
May we not become disheartened.
May we find in the dissolution
of our apathy and denial,
a cup of the broken heart.
May we discover the gift of the fire burning
in the inner chamber of our being–
burning great and bright enough
to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service
of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form
yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we endure; may sorrow bond us and not separate us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow
and not run from its touch or its flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through
the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the bleakness of the wasteland be dispelled.
May the soul’s journey be revealed
and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance
of who we really are.
May we not become disheartened.
May we find in the dissolution
of our apathy and denial,
a cup of the broken heart.
May we discover the gift of the fire burning
in the inner chamber of our being–
burning great and bright enough
to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service
of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form
yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we endure; may sorrow bond us and not separate us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow
and not run from its touch or its flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through
the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the bleakness of the wasteland be dispelled.
May the soul’s journey be revealed
and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance
of who we really are.
The Terma Collective
- See more at: http://heartsteps.org/tag/terma-collective/#sthash.M7O4FAIs.dpuf
May our eyes remain open even in the face of tragedy.
May we not become disheartened.
May we find in the dissolution
of our apathy and denial,
a cup of the broken heart.
May we discover the gift of the fire burning
in the inner chamber of our being–
burning great and bright enough
to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service
of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form
yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we endure; may sorrow bond us and not separate us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow
and not run from its touch or its flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through
the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the bleakness of the wasteland be dispelled.
May the soul’s journey be revealed
and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance
of who we really are.
May we not become disheartened.
May we find in the dissolution
of our apathy and denial,
a cup of the broken heart.
May we discover the gift of the fire burning
in the inner chamber of our being–
burning great and bright enough
to transform any poison.
May we offer the power of our sorrow to the service
of something greater than ourselves.
May our guilt not rise up to form
yet another defensive wall.
May the suffering purify and not paralyze us.
May we endure; may sorrow bond us and not separate us.
May we realize the greatness of our sorrow
and not run from its touch or its flame.
May clarity be our ally and wisdom our support.
May our wrath be cleansing, cutting through
the confusion of denial and greed.
May we not be afraid to see or speak our truth.
May the bleakness of the wasteland be dispelled.
May the soul’s journey be revealed
and the true hunger fed.
May we be forgiven for what we have forgotten
and blessed with the remembrance
of who we really are.
The Terma Collective
- See more at: http://heartsteps.org/tag/terma-collective/#sthash.M7O4FAIs.dpuf
Yes, what a terrible morning that was. It was hard to believe the news reports coming out of the States. Didn't want to believe them.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful prayer my friend, thank you for posting it, for there were some things in that prayer that gave me great comfort for today!
ReplyDeleteAhh Mary.....I believe NONE OF US WILL EVER FORGET THIS DAY.
ReplyDeletestay well sweet friend.
Jo