Manitonquat's Prayer

This Native American prayer was read at a recent Deeksha gathering I attended, and it expresses very eloquently a lot of what I am trying to say in this blog. I thought that this Christmas season would be a good time to share it with you. It describes the way I hope we shall one day become:

Hear, oh Humankind, the prayer of my heart..

For are we not one, have we not one desire,
to heal our Mother Earth and bind her wounds
and still to be free as the spotted Eagle climbing
the laughing breath of our Father Sky,
to hear again from dark forests and flashing rivers
the varied ever-changing Song of Creation?

Oh Humankind, are we not all brothers and sisters,
are we not the grandchildren of the Great Mystery?
Do we not all want to love and be loved,
to work and to play, to sing and dance together?

But we live with fear.
Fear that is hate, fear that is mistrust, envy, greed, vanity,
fear that is ambition, competition, aggression,
fear that is loneliness, anger, bitterness, cruelty….
and yet, fear is only twisted love, love turned back on itself,
love that was denied, love that was rejected…  

And love…. 
Love is life ~ creation, seed and leaf
and blossom and fruit and seed;
love is growth and search and reach and touch and dance.
Love is nurture and succor and feed and pleasure.
Love is pleasuring ourselves, pleasuring each other.
Love is life believing in itself.
 
And life…. 
Life is the Sacred Mystery singing to itself,
dancing to its drum, telling stories, improvising, playing.

And we are all that Spirit,
our stories tell but one cosmic story that we are love indeed,
that perfect love in me seeks the love in you
and if our eyes could ever meet without fear
we would recognize each other and rejoice,
for love is life believing in itself.
 
Oh Humankind, we must stop fearing life, fearing each other,
we must absolutely stop hating ourselves, resenting Creation…Life. 

Oh Humankind, life is the only treasure.
We are the custodians of it, it is our sacred trust.
Life is wondrous, awesome and holy, a burning glory
and its price is simply this: Courage….We must be brave enough to love.
 
Hear my heart’s prayer, Oh Humankind,
trust in love, don’t be afraid,
I love you as I love life.
I love myself, please love me too,
love yourself, for perfect love,
as a wise one said, casts out all fear.

If we are to live there is no other choice,
for love is life believing in itself.
 
Above all,
let us set the children free,
break the traps of fear that history has fashioned for them.
Free to grow, to seek and question, to dance and sing,
to be dreamers of tomorrow’s rainbows

and if we but give them our trust,
they will guide us to a New Creation,
for love is life believing in itself.
 
Hear, Oh Humankind, the prayer of my heart.

(Poem by Manitonquat of the Wampanoag Nation - 1971)

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you all have a peaceful time this Christmas - and that a Loving, Fearless New Year is in store for us all!

Comments

[flash]

Thank you for sharing, that is a very moving and beautiful poem.

Happy Christmas!

[Poetry]

Peace and blessings in the new year.

[Marion]

The poem is perfect for this time of year or any time, for that matter!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year!

All the best in 2008!

[Mark]

This is a very special and beautiful prayer, thank-you for sharing!

[Secret Simon]

Welcome to my blog, flash and Poetry - I hope I'll hear from you again!

Thanks for all your good wishes - I'm glad you liked this prayer/poem. "Love is life believing in itself" - that is my favorite part. It isn't easy to analyze what that phrase means exactly but I have an instinctive belief in its truth.

A Happy New Year to you all!

[Liara Covert]

The sentiments you share compel meaningful reflection. May you also continue to experience and share your own positive revelations. Your blog offers a wealth of mind food for thought and discussion. Happy New Year!

[Secret Simon]

Thanks so much for this comment, Liara. May your own work also thrive in 2008... A Happy New Year to you too!

[Grace]

Wow, Simon!! This is an amazing piece and one that is new to me. Every word just resonates through me with truth. Thank you for posting it...I particularly love this line: "for love is life believing in itself."

Namaste, Simon :) May the world experience true Oneness in 2008...and let it begin with us!

Hear O Humankind, the prayer of my heart! What a tender plea to us to wake up to what truly matters in this beautiful place called Earth!
"and if we but give them our trust,
they will guide us to a New Creation,
for love is life believing in itself."
This is just so empowering and wise.
Hope 2008 is blessed with many more wonderful and rich insights!

[Secret Simon]

Some people are predicting great changes in 2008. 'Oneness beginning with us' is one I'll be very happy with, Grace. Namaste to you too!

[Secret Simon]

I think the Jan 1st comment is by Mares, yes? This one's anonymous but you left a comment on 'The Sun-Filled Room' at the same sort of time, so I'm guessing it's you. A very big welcome to my blog! I'll chat to you more on the other thread....