(Forgiveness is a recurring theme in the readings lately. It is important as the Divine Feminine energy grows upon Mother Earth. Forgiveness leads us closer to Unconditional Love which is much needed to raise the consciousness of all beings on Earth.)
A BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS: A blessing to be able to be free of the burden of grudges and vengeance, a prayer to help you open up to the blessing that is forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a tricky beast – and yes, for all it is a gentle word, it is a great beast, forgiveness. For when we seek to forgive, we must wrestle with the wrongdoing that lies at the heart of our resistance to let go of the pain we are holding on to. When we need to forgive, it is often that we are too raw, too far away from justice to be able to even touch the sides of the balm of forgiveness. Yet staying angry for long periods of time can develop into a compacted bitterness, and bitterness is a gall to all who wish to live freely. It is a struggle to forgive, when we are in the midst of the fallout of another person’s actions.
There is a great deal of victim-blaming within out cultures, but in older times, as in the Celtic world, there was restorative justice and it would have gone a long way to forgiveness. In the Old Testament world view, which has influenced our legal systems and our cultural ways of addressing wrongs, punitive justice is the main form – and forgiveness comes about usually after a wrong is righted. But what can we do when the wrong is still very much alive, and to forgive another seems to be diminishing their harm, and their potential to harm others. Justice and forgiveness must work hand in hand, and in this blessing they will now begin to entwine, so that while you begin to forgive first yourself, for, whatever wrong was done to you, there is often an element of self-blame. There was once another way – to restore what was taken through right action, and thus the path to forgiveness was free from vengeance. In numerous new-age philosophies, responsibility is apportioned to the individual who is suffering time and again, “How did I attract this?” is asked, and this is wrong, and damaging and in some cases, unethical. First know, that whatever wrong was done to you, it is not your fault. And begin the work of forgiving yourself.
The Blessing
May the blessing of this self-forgiveness be bestowed upon you now, dear friend. Know that you will gently untangle the doubt and recriminations that have settled like thorns about your heart and invaded your mind’s peace. And as you begin to forgive yourself, you will also begin to find forgiveness for the injustices you have endured. For in that forgiveness, and acceptance, and ability to know clearly that wrongdoing was done, you will begin to return to yourself. You will be wiser, yet un-poisoned. Slowly, may the pain and the bitter buds wither, and in their place may you be reborn – honestly able to remember, wiser, in order to prevent this event taking place again, and able to recall, without pain. And the justice that the Universe will deliver to you will be restorative – bringing back to you threefold what was taken by another. May you be free of the pain, at last. Let the anger burn down into coals from which you, phoenix-like, can arise. And know that you have forgiven, forgiven the other for their dark gift. Forgiven life. And most of all, delivered the pure medicine of forgiveness to yourself.
Blessed Be
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A BLESSING ON THE CHILDREN: A blessing for your own children, and for the children within our lives. For they are all our children.
Only you, as the mother or father, know the tender moments you have seen. The first cry, the gaze of wonder, the curiosity of the newborn in love with the world or howling at the teeth of hunger within the belly. May the children of the world be most blessed, as they move from babe to child, learning the gifts of speech and movement, of thought and awareness. As they move from being entwined with Mother to becoming their own selves, may they be guided with understanding, and be taught resilience and strength of character. May their falls be lessons from which they learn to rise up, steady themselves and continue. May they learn that kindness to themselves need not forego kindness to others. May they be taught the gift of self-love, self-awareness, and may every step they take be watched over, yet without impediment.
May they have teachers within schools that foster respect and understanding, and may their teachers show them the way through examples enlightened and wise. Let the innate goodness within come to the fore, and may they learn to be their best selves, even amidst the harshness of the world. Let every false step be followed with a refinding of their way, and may the blessings of the love you have borne them be reborn through their love and contributions to the world. May their true nature be allowed to come forth, and when they change the world in ways their elders fail to understand, may they have the strength to embrace them, and bring the old ones into the next world they are creating.
Blessed Be
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