that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.
We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation,
and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.
—Dr. Jane Goodall
54
We Are All One
We light the light of a new idea.
It is the light of our coming together.
It is the light of our growing;
to know new things,
to see new beauty,
to feel new love.
—Unitarian Invocation
55
Truth, Life, and Love
Thy kingdom come.
Let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love
be established in me, and
rule out of me all sin;
and may Thy Word enrich
the affections of all mankind,
and govern them!
—Mary Baker Eddy
56
Maiden Mother Crone
Hold thy shield over us, protect us all.
Danu beloved! Mother of the Shining Ones,
Shield, oh shield us, Lady of nobleness,
And Brigit the beauteous, shepherdess of the flocks,
Safeguard thou our animals, encircle us together,
Safeguard thou our animals, encircle us together.
And Ellen, beneficent, benign,
Governess of the trackways of power,
Invoke the star of power upon the path,
Guide thou well ourselves, shield our procession,
Guide thou well ourselves, shield our procession.
O Mother! O Maiden! O Crone of Wisdom!
Be the Triad with us day and night,
On the machair plain or on the mountain ridge,
Be the Triad with us and her cloak around us,
Be the Triad with us and her cloak around us.
—Ancient Celtic Oral Tradition
57
On Earth as It Is in Heaven
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.
—Matthew 6:9–13
58
The Ancient Wisdom of Women
Our old women gods, we ask you!
Our old women gods, we ask you!
Then give us long life together,
May we live until our frosted hair is white;
May we live till then.
This life that now we know!
—Tewa Traditional Prayer
59
Learning the Art of Forgiveness
Our Father, Holy Mother,
Creator of the Cosmos, Source of Life,
You are in my mind, in my garden,
in my cup of wine and loaf of bread.
Blessed be your names:
Mother, Allah, Goddess, Beloved, Father,
Radiant One, Yahweh, HaShem, Sophia
Your presence has come, your will is done
on earth as it is in the cosmos.
May we give each other strength, mercy,
tenderness, and joy
and forgive each other’s failures,
silence, pettiness, and forgetfulness
as we ask to be forgiven
by those we’ve hurt.
Lead us home
to ourselves, to You,
to clarity, to oneness
and deliver us from the darkness
of our ignorance and fear.
So we pray and so we receive. Amen.
—Jan Phillips
60
Toward an Enlightened Mind
Om Mani Padme Hum
Tibetan pronunciation—Om Mani Pémé Hung
I invoke the transformation and purification of the six
negative emotions of pride, jealousy, desire,
ignorance, greed, and anger
into their true nature, enlightened mind.
—Mantra of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara
Prayer Practice: Rites of Passage
Ceremonies celebrating rites of passage are used in many religions and cultures in different ways and are celebrated at different times of a person’s life. Celebrations such as the Croning Ceremony for Wiccans and Na’ii’ees for the Apache have important significance in the lives of women and girls and focus on celebrating womanhood and feminine power. At the core of these celebrations is reflection on the past, wisdom, and growth, and many rites of passage for women are particularly used to connect to other women as well. In theory, the concept of a rite of passage does not have to be a literal celebration or have religious significance like most practices but can be a reflection upon blessings, a prayer for growth, or something to commemorate the passing of a threshold.
What the World Needs Now: LOVE
“Be yourself and others will love you!”
—Gina Rodriguez
“Do not compare yourself to others. You have a unique destiny and mission that only you can accomplish.”
—Marianne Pearl
“You don’t have to be anything but yourself to be worthy.”
—Tarana Burke
“You