Winter Solstice Reflection & Prayer
As buffalo herd together in a blizzard to survive through group warmth, so do people throughout the Northern Hemisphere gather together in the darkness of winter when the days are short and the light is dim or hidden behind clouds or weather, in order to rekindle hope and support for the return of warmth, light and new life through sharing with others in ceremony, ritual and celebration.
In addition to seasonal darkness, there is much darkness in the world with troubled, challenging times for people, animals, plants and the Earth support system herself. Its easy to get discouraged falling into despair and depression. I gain hope to keep paddling forward with positive energy from the wisdom of the seasons and how since time immemorial, fall (death of the old) gives way to winter (seemingly inert and dormant time when the Earth “sleeps within herself), winter to spring (the rebirth of new life) followed by summer with its fruition and blossoming of life’s fullest potentials. As it is for the “outer seasons”, so too for the inner seasons of our lives.
All seasons and the beauty of nature itself, the beauty of physical creation, comes from and is maintained by an invisible presence – the creative mystery power of the universe which holds both light and dark. Scientists tell us that mysterious dark matter and dark energy comprise the majority of the universe and while we do not yet know what this is, it is a fertile darkness from which creation births forth. We also know that light has the power to cut through and illuminate darkness. Witness one candle in a dark room, or better yet, one candle that lights another candle that lights another candle and on and on until the room is filled with light. We can even close our eyes and see light behind our eyelids. We can measure light within us, fire from the Sun, as we measure our normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees. We are on fire within with light from the Stars!
In support of that light during this holy time of darkness may we remember that “When the going gets tough, We get what we practice”. If you do not have a practice that connects you with a light that sustains you through hard times, this winter is an excellent time to travel within to reflect on what qualities of Being you want to grow in your life, your sense of mission and purpose, why you are here, what gifts you bring to share with others that in so doing will bring you a sense of meaning and fulfillment – light through darkness.
In awareness of this when confronting challenge you can ask yourself – “How can I respond to this situation in a way that moves me in the direction I want to grow/go/glow?” Because you have taken the time to discern the direction you do want to grow in, you are empowered out of victim reactivity into creative spiritual warriorhood consciously choosing to use your life-force energy in a skillful manner for positive manifestation – honoring the light within and being a channel for that light in the world.
May we all remember, honor and celebrate the fertile times of darkness. May we use it to connect with the light that lives in our hearts and souls. Support each other in remembering, and cross into and through the winter doorway with conscious attention to skillful intention for the healing of the sacred hoop of life. We are gifted to be in creative partnership with for the greatest good of all beings. You are a Sacred, Worthy, Luminous Being. You Are Love and Your Love is For Giving.
Blessings of the winter solstice , the holiday season, and a safe, happy, healthy, prosperous fulfilling New year to you and all you hold dear.
Ho. May it be so.
Prayer for Family
This section contains prayers relating to healing and transforming family relationships.
Thank you for Grandparents, and Ancestors going back to the very beginning, and for intimate life partners — Wives and Husbands. Thank you for the gift of Sisters and Brothers, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. Thank you Great Mystery for the Sacred Miracle Gift of Children.
Help us all to honor the Sacred Gift of Family in our thoughts and in our behavior. Help us to see their inner light, and help us to see them in the Light of Love and Forgiveness and Appreciation, as you see us. Help us to treat them with respect and with kindness. Thank you for their touch in our lives, the gifts of their teachings, and, at times, their testings. Bless them, where ever they may be, in body or in Spirit, with the awareness that they are loved. Bless them with your protection and with whatever they need to fulfill their greatest purpose.
And finally Great Mystery, help us all to grow in our awareness to the place of knowing that on the deepest level of our being, we are all joined together in your Heart of Infinite Love.
Ho. May it be so.
Prayer for the Community
This section contains prayers relating to healing and transforming our communities Prayer for community
Aho Great Spirit, Creator, Source of All.
Thank you for the gift of all our relations. Thank you for the gift of caring spiritual relatives and friends, who seek to join in honoring the sacred web of connectedness that we share, who seek to support and be supported, who seek to help and be helped in bringing forth our greatest gifts and talents, our highest dreams and aspirations, who seek to honor and celebrate life and all its wonderful diversity. Thank you for bringing us together in this life and help us to see each other’s light that lives at the center of all our beings. May we grow in our awareness that we are all sacred, worthy, holy beings, here to heal, grow, love and serve the greatest good for all, healing the sacred hoop and creating a just and peaceful world for all our relations.
With your help, may it be so! Tomás
Prosperity Prayers
This section contains prayers relating to healing and transforming our attitudes on prosperity and enrichment.
Thank you for the gift of life, the opportunity of being alive here on our beautiful Mother Earth. Thank you for the opportunity to open ourselves up to You, and to explore what true prosperity really is — that which is found in the heart. Help us to quiet our active minds, to listen within to the Great Silence, and to affirm with faith, trust and confidence, the drawing power of Divine Love, your gift to us all, as a magnet for constantly, increasing supply.
Yours is a universe of plenty, but it is not for the greedy or those with closed heart. Love is for giving. Help us to be love finders, love givers — to ourselves, to others, to those less fortunate, to life itself, to Mother Earth, to you Great Creator. Help us to walk a Heart Path of True Prosperity enjoying the gifts of unconditional love, healing through joining, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, generosity, creativity and joyfulness.
Help us to find ways to meet our needs that promote the vitality, diversity and sustainability of life for all people — the two leggeds, the winged people, the swimming people, the tall straight people and the plant people, all the People. Help us to cross the bridge of patience to the prosperity of inner peace by surrendering to your Divine Order and Divine Timing.
With your help, May It Be So.
Prayers for the Planet
This section contains prayers relating to giving thanks to our Great Mother Earth. Prayer To the Directions
Ho Father Sun, power of the East, power of illumination.
Thank you for shining today, for giving away your light and your love bringing the life force to Mother Earth. Thank your for your teaching reminder of my true nature, and for your power to cut through darkness. I get stuck in my darkness so easily and you help me to cut through it and remember your light and love and to extend it to my family and all who cross my path today. Thank you Holy Father.
Ho Power of the South, power of faith and trust. Power of innocence. Please help me, for I am weak and nothing without you. Help me to surrender to your loving presence as the newly born infant trusts it will be taken care of by its parents. Help me to shed the old trusting that new growth is already on its way. I give thanks to you and pray for strengthening of my faith in your always present, presence.
Ho power of the West, gifts to be found at the center of my being. Thank you the gifts of inner peace, light and love, courage and compassion, healing and forgiveness. Give me the strength to overcome my weakness and to honor the medicine powers I have been given to carry in this life bringing them out successfully in the world for the healing of the Sacred Hoop. Thank you for the power of introspection, of going within to mine the riches you Great Spirit have placed there for us all.
Ho Power of the North, power of Wisdom. Thank you wisdom elders of all faiths and traditions throughout time. You who know Great Spirit’s presence working for the greatest good in everyone, everything, everywhere and all the time. Thank you for your wisdom guidance when ever I turn to you with an open and humble heart. Help me to see Spirit working for good in all the challenges of my life. Help me to walk the Good Red Road, from the south surrendering with faith and trust, to the north, knowing your presence always–knowing you , loving you, and serving you.
Ho Mother Earth, thank you for all the gifts of your creation. You open your body and give us the food we eat, the water we drink, the clothes we wear, the shelter of our homes. You give us teachings of how to walk upon you with harmony and balance. You give us medicine when we are out of balance. Thank you for your mysterious, beautiful, growth power healing energy. I pray for your health and healing and that your sacred waters, body, air and spirit be clean and fresh, pure and strong. Help me to open my heart to feel your heartbeat so I walk a healing path in harmony and balance with all of creation.
Ho Sky Father, You who are above, Father Sun and Grandmother Moon, star people, rainbow bridge spirits. Thank you for your light and your love, your company through day and night. Cloud people, thunder spirits, thank you for the gifts of rain that come to quench our Mother’s thirst. Help me to open myself to your medicine teachings of balanced masculine and feminine energies. I give thanks to all you who are Above and thank you for your gifts of vision.
Ho Great Mystery, Creator, Source of All. You have been always and you will be always. You birth me and receive me when my life path is over as you have done for all the ancestors who have come before. You are here now in my center and the center of all.
Thank you for this day and the opportunity to know you and to serve you. Thank you for my family, friends, teachers, and loved ones. Thank you for the work you give me to do in this life. I pray for strength, Great Spirit, please help me to do the best I can do, to honor what I have seen to be true. Use me as a channel for your healing ways to help the people and the healing of our Mother Earth and the relationships of all the lived. Thank you Great Spirit for you, thank you for holy right now and thank you for the gift of the greatest prosperity of all, knowing your presence always.
Ho. May it be so.