The Art of Blessing
/WORDS OF WISDOM
To bless means to wish, wholeheartedly and unconditionally, total unrestricted good for others. And whether you're offering a blessing in private or among company, or you're acting with kindness and gratitude in the moments of your life, everyone benefits.
Your blessings move outward and onward to benefit us all. As the peace pilgrim says, "Every good thing you do, every good thing you say, every good thought you think vibrates on and on and never ceases...”
BLESSINGS FROM THE BAR MITZVAH
At William's Bar Mitzvah we included a detailed family tree in our program. Throughout the day we took time to pause and recognize and appreciate not only our connection to our lineage, but to all other beings and creation itself. I shared this blessing from the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh, Linda Hogan, and David Suzuki.
“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”
May you always remember, and never forget:
“You are the result of the love of thousands.”
May you feel your connection to this love, just as you can feel your breath in your body.
“Every breath is our connection with all other living things, Every breath renews our link to our ancestors And... Every breath is a contribution to generations yet to come.”
READ MORE ABOUT THE ART OF BLESSING
The Gentle Art of Blessing | Huffington Post
Words of Gratitude Mind, Body & Soul | Robert A. Emmons
BLESS THEM ALL
“We learned about gratitude and humility - that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean... and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.”
“If the only prayer you say in your entire life is ‘Thank You,’ that will suffice.”
