Prayers I find helpful

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Being between pianos (and between permanent homes!), I made friends with a Christian-mystic oriented church here on the Point Reyes peninsula, St. Columba. Now I'm practicing on their (grand!) piano a few times a week, and remembered this beautiful prayer by Thomas Merton while there and thought you'd like it too.

(Those of you who've known me for a while know my idea of the divine has changed quite a bit over the years. I like to change words and plug in big-divine-like-phenomena that make sense to me. These days, I think of the magical force of evolution and emergence.)


“ I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself...
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you....I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear...


I also really like this one, from my peeps in the 12-step world.


"I give to you all that I am and all that I will be for your healing and direction. Make new this day as I release all my worries and fears,
knowing that you are by my side. Please help me to open myself to your love, to allow your love to heal my wounds, and to allow your love to flow through me and from me to those around me."
- alternate 3rd Step Prayer