Welcome to the short blessing practice,
An opportunity to receive God's grace and extend it to others in the world around you.
You're invited to begin by finding a comfortable seated position with your back straight,
Hands in the lap or on the thighs,
And feet grounded on the floor,
Moving around here in your seat until you feel settled.
And then coming to a place of stillness and rest here in God's presence.
If you choose closing your eyes fully or partially and taking a couple of deep full breaths before you allow your breath to return to its normal rate and rhythm.
And receiving these words from Colossians 3,
As God's chosen ones,
Holy and beloved,
Clothe yourselves with compassion.
Beginning this practice of compassionate blessing by bringing to mind an image of yourself,
Either as you are now or you as a young child,
Doing your best to cultivate a soft and loving heart toward yourself,
Opening to God's care for you.
And then with this image of yourself in mind,
Silently repeating these phrases.
May I know God's love.
May I know God's joy.
May I know God's rest.
May I know God's peace.
Opening your heart to experience this blessing,
Not simply in your thoughts,
But cultivating a knowing of God's presence in your body and in your breath.
May I know God's love.
May I know God's joy.
May I know God's rest.
May I know God's peace.
Bringing to mind now an image of someone you love or care about.
A close friend,
A family member,
A mentor,
Maybe even someone you've never met that inspires or uplifts you.
Imagine this person comes to mind,
Opening your heart to them and extending love and grace.
Imagining this person in your mind,
As you say,
May you know God's love.
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
May you know God's love.
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
And now bringing to mind a stranger,
Someone you recognize,
But maybe you don't know their name.
Imagine the stranger in your mind's eye,
Noticing them as someone who,
Like you,
Has a life full of hopes,
Fears,
And wishes for happiness.
Open your heart to this person and extend love and grace towards them.
And now imagining this person in your mind,
As you say,
May you know God's love.
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
May you know God's love,
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
Bringing to mind now somebody that is difficult for you.
Someone who's caused some type of mild pain or anger or other difficult emotion.
Someone you don't get along with very well.
Doing your best to hold them gently in your heart as you also hold yourself gently in the midst of any feelings of tension that might arise.
And imagining this difficult person in your mind as you say,
May you know God's love.
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
And if there's struggle there,
Returning to extending blessing to yourself.
Recognizing that it is you who is hurting in this moment and in need of compassion.
That God is near to the brokenhearted.
May I know God's love.
May I know God's joy.
May I know God's rest.
May I know God's peace.
And then when you're ready,
Extending blessing once again to this difficult person who's also in need of compassion.
May you know God's love.
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
May you know God's peace.
And finally,
Extending God's blessing to all of creation,
To all beings everywhere.
Plants,
Animals,
So many people around the world,
All held by God and sustained by His love.
Imagining this whole beautiful blue-green earth as you say,
May you know God's love,
May you know God's joy,
May you know God's rest,
May you know God's peace.
May you know God's love,
May you know God's joy.
May you know God's rest.
May you know God's peace.
And so resting here in God's blessing,
In this place of compassion that you've cultivated,
As you bring your awareness back into the space around you,
Perhaps taking a deep breath,
Bringing some movement into your body,
Carrying God's blessing with you in your heart as you move into your next activity.
Go in peace.
