My Blessing Circle

The Spice-Seller

2011-12-26T20:09:00.000-06:00

The people crowd the spice-sellers booth.

"Oh, I can feel the smile of the Beloved in every breath,"

A happy customer exclaims to his neighbors.

Little does he know that the true "barakah" flows
From the heart of that gentle shopkeeper.

For the Traveler --

2011-12-26T19:50:00.001-06:00

The clouds have parted.
The great sun, once hidden,
Reaches down to touch the pilgrim.

"Your heart, on fire,
Reflects my love.
It burns strong,
Even in the darkest night."

Heavy Coat

2011-12-08T11:05:00.000-06:00

The traveler, weighted down by her heavy coat,
hears the coins falling through her thread-worn pockets.
The path seems steep.
And those coins must be rolling away behind her.

She hears the gentle laughing of the Dervish:
"These are not your valuables. In your heart, a true treasury sits.
Each seed is a flower warmed by the breath of the Beloved.
These are the currency of true healing."

For the Mankind Project

2011-11-09T18:41:00.002-06:00

Each small act of initiation,

Each healing of the weight of one man's woundedness,

Each turn to the call of mission.

Each pulls this planet one step closer to its true purpose.

Strengthening the entire great web that is the magic of our shared incarnation.

The Warrior Returns

2011-11-01T11:06:00.000-05:00

Called to arms, the reluctant warrior bids farewell to his vineyard and gardens one last time.

Battles fought, this soul is drawn to return.

Repair and nurturing is her present task.

In each guiding turn, we feel the tenderness drawn from that strong heart long ago.

Waiting for the Caravans

2011-10-20T11:34:00.002-05:00

The young men gather at the city gate.
Waiting for the caravans to arrive.
Who will be the first to taste the sweet fruit?
Or offer the latest scent to his lover?

One holds back. Waiting for the glace of his master.
The disheveled one. Who talks to camels. And sings of the Beloved.
Whose gift is the sweetest perfume of all.

Fall Fruit

2011-10-17T18:49:00.001-05:00

The fruit tree has scattered her sweet fall offerings.
Pilgrims, do not pass by hungry!

These apples sing of the Divine.
Telling us that the Beloved is near.

Keeper of the Key

2011-10-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

Standing at the dargah's door.
The guardian welcomes all pilgrims.
From dawn to dark night, he stays at his post.
Sweeping and cleaning, scattering flowers.

Now his journey begins.
The path leads from this place to another temple door.
Guarded only by the breath of the Beloveds.

The Swan

2011-10-12T21:17:00.000-05:00

Pushing past the dense marsh grass, the golden swan enters again the clear waters.

Shaking her wings, the droplets fall.

Each a prayer of rejoicing in the Blessings of the Beloved One

This Well

2011-10-11T22:17:00.001-05:00

Come pilgrim to this well!
The wine will make your feet dance, and flowers will spring from your hair like golden bees.
No more pushing that old cart up the mountain.
The Beloved is calling you to his side.

Hidden Gardens: For Tule

2011-10-11T21:52:00.001-05:00

Spinning, the dervisha turns with eyes closed.

Doors open to gardens we cannot see.
Yet, the perfume of those enchanted flowers, heard in your song,

is our heart's delight!

For Abraham

2011-10-06T21:31:00.001-05:00

Oh musician! How we gather at your call.

Knowing that our circle is your prayer.

And our song, the glass of wine.

Lifted to the Beloved's lips.

Night Watcher

2011-10-04T21:45:00.003-05:00

Silent watcher of the night sky.

You point out the comets and constellations, but inside you hear the dark matter's pulsing "Hu."

Now is the time to raise your voice in the remembered song.

The sky canopy is our dance tent.

And, it is your turning that calls us home to the Sema once again.

for Tom

2011-10-02T16:57:00.001-05:00

The stars burn steady in this night sky.
No flickering here, as the angels gather to witness your holy turning.

Each of us in turn blessed by your gaze.
Reminded, once again, of the Beloved One's generosity.

Let our eyes reflect His divine healing song.
Resting so gently on your sweet breath.

For a Mystic Warrior

2011-09-23T21:19:00.000-05:00

The carpenters and the masons rush about the temple grounds.

Each board and each stone placed so carefully.

The dervish procession streams by.

Their music and song an invitation to leave this dusty job site.

And drown in the disordered heart of the Beloved One.

At the Well - for Sherry

2011-09-23T20:40:00.003-05:00

The crowd jeers as the Dervish steps up to the old dry well.

She only smiles, and drops the bucket into the shallow blackness.

Deeper, the rope unfurls. The container falls into the opening void.

Stars swim in the sweet dark water, as all remember the one true thirst.

The Painter and the Dervish

2011-07-12T23:12:00.002-05:00

Oh dervish, we hear the call of your drum!

"Hurry to the tavern, the Beloved is near."

Smiling, the painter knows that song.

But her wild abandon takes place in the pulse of her veins.

Hands steady, she mixes the paints that will form her prayer.

Moon Pond Healing

2011-07-06T20:52:00.002-05:00

Guiding your canoe through the lillies on this moon-filled night.

No struggle against the roots of these flowers.

Each pedal and each fragrance, a reminder of the love you've shared.

Let that love fill the cells of your being.

Outshining even the healing moon above.

Dye Pots

2011-07-06T20:43:00.002-05:00

The dyer lifts the skeins from the simmering vats.

Colors so deep that the sun pours out an extra gift of radiance in appreciation!

Your fingers know from fires tended long ago.

To stirs these coals, making art.

Fiber by fiber, touch by touch.

Summer-storm-born

2011-06-14T19:27:00.002-05:00

Summer day.

Birds of many colors and song next in the sweet mulberry.

Fierce roots pushing deep in this backyard soil.

Resonating gently with the songs far above.

You dear, summer-storm-born, equally strong and beautiful.

As artist, mother, teacher and guide, you sweeten this world.

Bringing out the songs and colors we so long to share.

With the Mureeds

2011-04-16T16:58:00.003-05:00

Bring your hand to your heart.

This is not your body.

Breathe the river of the Beloved's embrace.

Sweep open the hand.

The piles of old rags and discarded furniture are washed away in one breath.

The door to the Temple is revealed once again.

Impeccable

2011-04-16T16:54:00.001-05:00

With such grace, I watch you shrug off one cord after another.

Scrubbed clean, this jewel shines from within.

Solid ground in a spinning world.

Johanna

2011-04-16T16:48:00.002-05:00

Meditations of star travel, riding rivers of Light-to-Matter being born.

Your wise heart holds all of Creation in loving embrace.

That same gentleness in your finger's touch: holding loved ones present in this moment.

In Your Kitchen

2011-01-30T20:57:00.004-06:00

The crowds rush to the marketplace.

"New spices have arrived from mysterious lands," they call out.

In your kitchen, dear Beloved, we need no magic powders.

The depth of friendship and the Light of your heart, is our true feast!

Falling Bird

2011-01-25T16:45:00.002-06:00

The golden one falls through the clouds. Tossed by invisible waves.

Pushing by force of will to the mountain perch only he can see.

Unfolding those giant wings, the sun ignites his soul.

Falling into the Divine purpose, he is carried aloft to guide our heart's quest.

The Shy Guardian

2011-01-14T17:32:00.000-06:00

You stand again at the sanctuary gate.
"No more 'trail of tears,'" you affirm.

Hearing deep in every bone, the old songs.
Reflected in the sea's foam and the stars' delight.

One Dolphin Prepares for the Swim

2011-01-12T16:16:00.000-06:00

The dolphins sing in the star-night sky.
Awaiting their lover-moon's return.

One remains silent.
Saving her power for the long swim ahead.

She knows her light is the star waiting
beyond that moon.
She holds its light for our joy.

The Potter's Hands

2011-01-12T16:13:00.000-06:00

The potter kneads the resisting clay.
"Why do you push me so?"

"Be still," the artist whispers.
"Under your flesh runs a deep current."

Our work is to bring this river to its love:
The dancing moon and stars.

Sunflower

2010-12-28T21:05:00.008-06:00

Thirsty for the Light, you turn your head to the horizon.
In disbelief, as that passionate friend drops out of view.

You try to pull yourself from the roots and chase that vagabonding lover, but firmly grounded you remain.

Yet in that pulling strain, you call up the soil's moist offering.
That each night you transform to the morning's yellow joy.

Helen Klebesadel, Where Are the Bees? II
Original Watercolor

The Offering Maker

2010-12-26T19:10:00.002-06:00

You devoted your life to those intricate festival offerings we carried to the altar.

Your hands still remember the old prayers crafted of wood and fiber.
Offering service to these bodies -- our earthly temples.

Wine Stains on Your Robe

2010-12-26T18:49:00.002-06:00

Everyone feels the flame. So why not embrace that fire?

We hunger to taste the wine spilled in those taverns,
Whose mandala-like stains swirl at the hem of your priestly robe.

The Dervish Tilts Her Head

2010-12-26T18:44:00.002-06:00

The dervish has been turning.
Infinite whorls of creation appear and dissolve.

Tilting her head, a new doorway opens.
Lifetimes tasted and savored.
All forms moving in the Dance.

A Tree Burns

2010-12-21T19:52:00.002-06:00

The tree stands lonely guardian over the winter's field.
Squirrels find shelter deep in its trunk.

Listen carefully friend: this time the sap returns early.
Pushing past old scars, new leaves will dance in the Divine One's breath.

The fire consumes from the inside.
Only the bark will burn.

Hungry Travelers

2010-12-21T19:13:00.002-06:00

You greet the travelers with colorful stones cupped in your extended hand.

Your smile draws us closer. "Take one," you offer.

Warmed by your heart, sitting in our pockets and purses, they sing of the Beloved.
Dancing now, our hunger gone, we bless your generosity, and spill the wine.

No Miniatures

2010-12-21T18:11:00.003-06:00

Taken by the Beloved's had to the Center of Creation, the artist returns to decorate the temple.
Windows, walls, the floors themselves, encoded with intricate patterns of the great mystery.

Now that work is complete. The DNA is revealed. The door is thrown open and we step gently across the threshold.

Now another canvas awaits. New brushes stand ready for bold splashes of color.
No miniatures here! This path has been waiting for your bigness.

The Gardeners Called Away

2010-12-21T17:59:00.002-06:00

The gardeners, getting older in body, tend the flower beds a little slower this season.
Each cluster of shoots holding the promise of a summer-revealed scent, colors yet to be revealed.

Called away, gloves removed, the spade wiped clean. Others will have your attention now.
Leaves unfurling under your loving gaze, it is time for celebration.
The garden waits in safety for your return.

Abundance

2010-12-21T17:55:00.002-06:00

Filled with nectar, you sit in a circle of gopis. Expansive and radiant.
Behind you is the Beloved Friend and guardian.
Step into the vortex to this time and place.
From the place of abundance, come and remind us of our gifts: of the bigness of our souls.

I Need Your Opinion

2010-11-27T17:10:00.002-06:00

Friends, I need your help in deciding whether to try again to launch my "anonymous blessing community" website. I will have to pay for hosting and for software upgrades, and can't decide if the idea is a good one or not. This site is different from the blessing poems I have written myself and posted here, as the idea is to allow anyone to ask for a blessing and anyone to create one in response -- with both the requester and the responder to be anonymous.

My vision is that thousands of people would start sharing heartfelt messages with each other on a one-to-one basis, but yet remain unknown to each other. This would prevent anyone from getting "hooked" on someone and keep the energy clean. Before a blessing was delivered to the indented recipient, it would have to be approved by at least 2 community members. Thus preventing spam, preaching or negative messages.

In order to work, the community would need at least 20 users willing to participate in creating blessings and screening what was sent. Hundreds could join solely to ask for a blessing or affirmation.

The question is -- does this meet any real need? There are many ways to ask for a blessing. Some people only want to deal face-to-face; others might go online, but find the anonymous quality a turn-off. Many folks might be happy creating a blessing poem (as I do on this site), but want to know who it is for. Or they are happy to post affirmations or general blessings to the world at large (e.g., via Twitter).

I am committed to creating my Sufi Blessings for anyone who asks. At some point I may request a small payment. The question is -- is the idea of a large web of blessings, not created by a preacher or teacher or master, but by individuals responding to another's request, a good idea? Please comment below.

The Canopy Comes

2010-11-16T16:49:00.003-06:00

“The tent of the Beloved is torn!” The mureeds rush with rope and bolts of fabric.

In the breath we hear: “rest in the moment, a new canopy comes.”

Every forgiveness mends that tattered cloth.

Every prayer weaves a new foundation.

Helen Klebesadel, Hope (36x20)

Humming Bird

2010-10-07T11:15:00.004-05:00

Earthbound, you long to soar. One look into the deep of your eyes tells us of the sweetness of your mission.

Not a hawk, but a hummingbird, caressing the pedals of our soul. Reminding us of the garden once again.

Bettina Madini, Angel of Serenity

This Poem and Art is available as a Friendship Card.

The Tree is Gone

2010-09-30T11:29:00.006-05:00

A tree stood as guardian at the river's edge, a landmark on the less-traveled path, waiting for the pilgrims needing her protective shade.

Today, that tree is gone. Its roots are the stars, its leaves the meteors and comets of the bright summer-night sky.

The river continues to flow. The pilgrims safe under this new evening light.

Bettina Madini, River of Life

So Many Temples

2010-09-29T15:37:00.005-05:00

So many astral temples you've built! They pulse, crowed with angelic song.

Each design holds your imprint, waiting for manifestation.

This time we are ready. The children have been painting those walls, preparing them for the crowds to come.

Mirage-like, they dip into this world as we spin in devotion.

Bettina Madini, Portal to the Temple of Light

This Poem and Art is available as a Friendship Card.

The Vagabond

2010-09-23T09:42:00.005-05:00

Invite the one who holds the soul-fire to sit at your side.

Your blessing brings the vagabond to his true nature.

Holding the torn fabric as it is made whole by your deep listening.

Bettina Madini, Angel of Abundance

Dharma Walker

2010-09-16T10:27:00.007-05:00

Today I read they activated the Haldron Collider. Sending protons racing to become elemental fireballs. Hoping to illuminate the "dark matter" -- the gravitas of physical being.

You, dear friend, tap another fireball. Your path, step after considered step, illuminates a different darkness.

Calling us to the true fire at the edge of each breath.

Bettina Madini, Key to Heaven

Fall Into Your Thirst

2010-09-16T10:07:00.010-05:00

You thirst and burn, sitting at the well, watching others drink.

But it is not the water that others seek, it is the heat of your heart that is attracting them.

Fall into your own thirst until it become all: the well, the people, the Earth itself in your every breath: in as water, out as fire.

Bettina Madini, Purple Waters

This Poem and Art is available as a Friendship Card.

The Seed Knows

2010-09-16T09:58:00.005-05:00

Pushing. The seed knows before it can articulate.

First the pod itself is torn, root tendrils seeking to the core. Then the hungry shoot spiraling to the Light.

So many futures embodied in this restless stirring. Nourish yourself, your vision will nourish so many others.

Helen Klebesadel, "Native Roots"

Gifts Fall from Your Pockets

2010-09-16T09:49:00.010-05:00

Look dear friend! The flowers brighten as you walk by.

And the stars smile even behind the winter clouds.

Hide your gifts no longer. They fall from your pockets at every turn.

Bettina Madini, Summer's Promise

This Poem and Art is available as a Friendship Card.

Pieces Fall Away

2010-09-16T09:47:00.001-05:00

Hands shaping the wet clay.
Pressing palms, searching fingers.
Rushed to the kiln before its time, so many pieces fall away, finding their place in the discard tray.

Dear friend, we trust your knowing.
Guide us to the jagged pieces,
That assembled, will form the Sema floor.

Helen Klebesadel, "Morels II"

Sweet Fruits

2010-09-16T09:39:00.004-05:00

So many sweet fruits you’ve carried to the village press. Never taking one for your self.

Know that your sweetness precipitates from every bone and sinew. It recreates itself in every breath – overflowing all containment – a gift from the Source who patiently waits.

Helen Klebesadel, "Where Are the Bees-I"

The fledgling

2010-09-14T10:58:00.005-05:00

The Sema floor squeaks of powder, and the white robes of human sweat. Like the fledgling whose gray feathers can’t quite lift its fuzzy cargo, the spin wobbles.

But that heart, broken, embraces it all. Seeing the Divine in this old practice studio. The turning becomes centered. The bird, so colorful, embraces the sun.

Helen Klebesadel, "Cedar Dance I"

Wedding Blessing #4

2010-09-02T22:01:00.001-05:00

Friends: Throw away the feathers and the pipe, the sacred drums and the walking stick; the costumes gathered over the eons.

In your partner lies the true Axis Mundi.

Wedding Blessing #3

2010-09-02T21:58:00.005-05:00

So many lie asleep.

As you together gently walk this crowded path,
let the scent of your love awaken those dreaming
of what they were called here to become.

"Ants Love Peonies" by Helen Klebesadel
Original Watercolor Painting
22" x 30
Link to artist's website, click here

Wedding Blessing #2

2010-09-02T21:54:00.006-05:00

Cast off the armor, drop that rusty sword.

Deep within lies the true core,
nourished at its roots by your remembered vows.

Bettina Madini, Sacred Flower of Love

Wddding Blessing #1

2010-09-02T21:49:00.004-05:00

Brick upon brick, you’ve built the foundation:
Each stone a forgiving, a release, a disciplined choice.

No more heavy lifting! This house is set down from above.
The angels laughing together as the “container is sealed."

for Cleo

2010-06-30T22:53:00.014-05:00

Silent guardian of the sacred spring.
Bearer of tea and slippers in the hamam.
Wise mother at our daughters' first mikvah.

Emerging today from your own dry desert baptism,
Your gift shines forth once again.

Gathering under your protecting gaze and open heart, We are ready to fill our cups with the gifts of the Beloved.

Bettina Madini, "Dreaming Willow" (1997)
pastel on paper, 19½"H x 11½"W

Shell Fragments, Santa Fe Birthday

2010-06-30T22:10:00.006-05:00

Shell fragments, stones of every hue.
The great sea pushes new jewels over our wet feet.

We stop and admire such abundance.
Remembering to thank that ocean heart whose tidal beat drives this myriad of riches.

You, dear friend have such a heart.

And we, turning to honor you today, are the like those sandy jewels. Our walk: the discovery of your loving intention.

Bettina Madini
SUNSET NO. 2, 2004
Watercolor on paper
18"H x 12"W
Click here for link to artist's website

Sacred Songs

2010-06-30T22:03:00.002-05:00

Selling amulets in the crowded marketplace, few find their way to your gracious table.
Your sweet call drowned by the harsh sounds of commerce and disbelief.

Welcome, dear healer.
In this circle let us be the jewels you fashion into sacred song!

Our voices will be your offering to the Beloved.
As beautiful as those overlooked so long ago.

The Astrologer

2010-06-30T21:56:00.002-05:00

The astrologer dances under the night sky.
You listen with esoteric eyes to the rhythms of starlight.

Hungry to capture this divine chorus, you spent years building ever-stronger telescopes.

Now, putting away the lenses and polishing cloths, you teach us the cosmic turns.
Awakening in our hearts the star songs you heard on that distant cloudless night.

Tashbi beads

2010-06-30T21:37:00.003-05:00

Sweet creator of divine circles.
Our eyes are drawn to your radiant necklace.
Each bead holding a fragment of the one great prayer.

Connecting them all is the hidden cord of your forgiveness.
Transforming at each knot the tight place of remembered violation.

Passing through our fingers, this tashbi stitches the mothers' tattered shawls into the Beloved's wedding chuppa once again.

for Suria

2010-06-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Small flame resting on the altar.
Your light a pool of presence around the holy of holies.

The portal flies open. What a roar! Books scatter at your feet.

The flame, not candle-bound, spills from your eyes.
Rising and falling at each breath.
Guiding us back to the stillness again.

Small stones

2010-05-24T22:37:00.000-05:00

Small stones. Gathered on this journey.

Carefully, you place them on the altar.

Knowing that each reaches back to one you have loved.

Through your act, the Beloved welcomes them all.

Rhea

2010-05-24T22:33:00.000-05:00

Tonight the rain sings your name. The pool overflows with appreciations.
The inward spiral has unlocked the ancient treasure chest.

Rituals Interrupted

2010-05-24T22:32:00.000-05:00

Old rituals interrupted. You burn, hungry to return to the healing waters.

But this is a different time. Your work is to wait in fullness.

The Goddess will come to you.

The Caravan Waits

2010-05-24T22:27:00.000-05:00

You fell. Face down in the dust.
But rise, dear friend!
The caravan did not leave you behind.
Invisible, it waits in silence and respect, for you to lead us once again.

Bettina

2010-04-22T16:49:00.002-05:00

Heavy stones, lifted by astral geometries under your wise gaze.
Unfinished foundations in the desert sand.

Another octave this time. Floods of angel dreams pass on to the canvas.
Reminding us of the Beloved's "Hu." The container growing stronger as each image is shared.

Robyn

2010-04-22T16:24:00.009-05:00

Take off that old dusty robe! And, the ragged ones underneath.

Cleaning the temple floor is for the novices now. This is a safe place to don the star garments hanging in the entry for so long.

Helen Klebesadel
"Freedom Quilt"
Image approximately 20”h x 16”w.
Click here for link to artist's website

John

2010-03-25T11:03:00.001-05:00

Curled against the "dark friend," you fled the body.
Absent the King, the Lover did only what he knew.

With great courage, you faced this outsider, unwinding centuries of rotting "protection."
Finding, not the damaged priest, but the loving monk: your true guide.

for Bill

2010-03-24T20:53:00.002-05:00

The artist stands frozen in his studio, held by the cords of unworthiness. "So much beauty to capture, how dare I put brush to canvas," he asks.

His heart answers: "Turn, turn dear friend. In the spinning comes the Beloved through your eyes, painting the world in each breath."

Soul fire

2010-03-23T17:23:00.006-05:00

Your soul fire cannot be contained by past promises.

Throat, skin, fingers, burn with trapped intention.

Dip those hands in the healing stream.
All that you touch is eager to bloom.

Helen Klebesadel, "Poppy Field"

for Ann

2010-03-13T21:41:00.007-06:00

Dear friend, once you made that loving sacrifice as the cannons shook the trenches, diving through the dust to shield your comrades.

No need today to jump once more on those sharp shards: in-drawing to the birthing place so much sadness.

Hold your light. Now that spirit can grow wise, stepping into that power cut short long ago.

for Wade

2010-03-11T11:34:00.000-06:00

A young man walks the land. His gaze unwraps the colors, moves the wind, dissolves the clouds.

Freely gathering blessings, he manifests beauty and confidence in young and old.

for Matt

2010-03-05T17:43:00.000-06:00

Your intensity is like a hawk's vision -- finding the crystal of light even in the darkest night.

Swooping and rising. Turning and riding the wind -- what do you seek with such focus?

Know dear friend that your wings dwarf any sky creature's. They are the sun and moon and stars we shall dance under!

Vivian #2

2010-02-25T23:42:00.002-06:00

Sitting at the Center, guardian of the subtle realms. Tuning the harmonics. Watching the formation of galaxies, concepts and thought. Resonance through the traditions of the rabbis and scholar-priests.
But the lover calls!

Rushing into embodiment: mother, pirate, slave and master; African rhythms. The old knowledge made alive in song, revealing itself in the painter’s touch, the passions of the city’s streets.
But the scholar calls!

Translator, reclaim your library. Pick up the old texts scattered on the floor. Your heart is woven of many texts, and in your center the harmony forms.
The musician always calls!

It is your container that holds all that arises.
In your peace, the Beloved calls.

Raqiba

2010-02-21T21:32:00.003-06:00

Tight-fitting clerical garb.
Your blessing force channeled through ordained ritual.

Now, dancing free. Your field a mirror of the clear night sky.
Yet, anchored in the core. We all gather in the depth of your gaze.

Pamela - Fazl

2010-02-21T21:28:00.003-06:00

Walking across the red coals, you turn and smile at the gathered crowd.
All eyes on your feet, few see your furrowed brow.

You hold the karmic lattice steady, allowing blessing to flow forward, down the generations.

In this world, dissonance yields its place as your breath reforms that ancient structure, and those calloused feet dance this time on the soft grass.

for Vivian

2010-02-21T21:20:00.004-06:00

Sitting at the cave's mouth, the stream emerges at your feet in mists of sweet harmonies.
Old elementals dance in the reflected sunlight, blessing us from water, earth, fire and air.

Deep pool. The "hu" from which all manifests.
This too is your crowning.
Your breath grounding us in the Now, before all the forms.

I know that your light is already turning the sailor-adventurer, sculptor-poet, back to port once again.

for Jamila

2010-01-30T21:58:00.002-06:00

So many lives as a candle -- your light warming the fearful in the quiet intimacy of family life.

This time so bright – a fire, a plume of purple rays, whose sparks move us to dance.

And, under your gentle guidance, our circle too finds its harmony in the universal “hu” flowing through your fingers and loving glance.

Matreia/Jon

2010-01-28T22:26:00.000-06:00

Painter, sculptor, potter, carpenter –- the form dances incomplete, awaiting your gaze.

Dancing, your music draws us to the gate.
Turning, all is the Beloved.
Trusting, we will cross into that still shimmering vision!

A temple, not of men or women, gods or religion, is your yet-unopened gift.

Marjorie-Karima

2010-01-28T21:58:00.006-06:00

Deeper, the root filament bores its way to the moist place whose sweet song echoes through the hard clay.

Unwinding, the leaves lap the sun, swaying with the wind. Casting shimmering shadows, cooling the dancers gathered below.

That dance, yet to be, draws us closer.

Our hearts, knowing no future or past, bless root and leaf as one.

Raffia

2010-01-28T21:39:00.002-06:00

Sitting in rags, silently you watched the crowds at the temple door.
Each received a mazoub's true blessing.
Unaware and ungrateful, as they rushed by...

Now, in clean and sweet-smelling robes, every doorway bows and opens to your light.
No structure can hold your heart's desire.
Your worship has no roof or walls.
The holy of holies resting safely in the truth of your gaze.

Darakshan

2010-01-12T21:27:00.003-06:00

You walked the old battlefields, watched the transport trains arrive, smelled the burning flesh.

And now, the fire once again!

This time, you are the kiln, without whose flames, the potter's vessel is but decorated dust.

Karima

2009-12-18T14:47:00.002-06:00

Old dervish, Tzadik Nistar, one of the quiet ones performing Tikkun Olam.
What a surprise to be born as a girl -- as a California flower child, no less!

Mistress of deflection, knowing that if we gaze too deeply, we'd be knocked to the ground.
Blinded by that holy fire, your bride that waits in the Other Place.

She, seeing you lead the women into the holy tent, smiles.
As an ancient tear is finally mended.

To M&M

2009-12-17T12:19:00.003-06:00

Outwardly so staid -
Mahjong for her, Sheepshead for you.
But to those who listen closely, the wild wedding drumming never faltered.

Whirling, the star flakes form a comet's tail.
Singing your love to galaxies yet discovered.

Tomorrow

2009-12-17T11:50:00.002-06:00

Oh sailor! You've faced these rough waters before. Looking into your heart, we are reminded that the sun never falters. In your eyes, that the abundant sea is already manifesting in tomorrow's dawn.

A friend's son-in-law

2009-11-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

The forester knows the seasons of his work. Planting and pruning, then the burning of the leaves and dead branches.

Blow fiercely on that fire. No smoldering smoke here!
Hot and bright, the way is cleared for the dancing to follow.

to a Friend's Mother

2009-11-12T14:14:00.003-06:00

Fierce soldier, who held your team together under screaming attack. All that old power tapped again as you, in this body, near the gates of the Divine.

"Follow me, this is the only safe way," you insist. One last mission to complete.

Tear off that tattered old uniform, dear friend. Like a naked child you will go to the Loving One. And, as that child already knows, all dance under the Forgiver's blessing, whatever their path.

for Susan

2009-11-12T14:08:00.002-06:00

Once you walked the old battlefields, bending with despair and grief.
A guardian tree, you shaded those graves, sheltering songbirds that greeted each new day with hope.

This life: blessing those souls on their return.
Shading and nurturing the tender sprouts as they turn to the sun once again.

For a papermaker far from her home

2009-10-31T20:55:00.005-05:00

Dancing from room to room, you blessed every corner, every piece of furniture had your expansive glance.

Generosity radiating from each object, spilling out the windows.

Now, a turning inward.

Contraction to small spaces, microfibers, art-making. Hardly room to turn. Yet, turning is all.

Inside the spinning, carrying you far from those earlier homes. Tearing, matting and compressing -- your journey written on the dappled pages you've formed, through many new hands.

Home still visible in every crease.

for Joel

2009-10-31T20:42:00.001-05:00

Bright star pinwheeling at the edge of this galaxy, pulled to the Center with old invisible cords.

You want to beat them, swear you'll rip them out of every chakra.

But without their pull, you'd sail beyond our sight. So sing her, she who knows not the words, to the arms of her Beloved, holder of universes. Turning the cords to music.

For a Friend Feeling Pushed to the Edge

2009-10-12T19:33:00.000-05:00

Locked into a pressing vise, old stories like harpies fly just outside your reach.

Finding the courage to breathe from your core, your heart flickers once again.

This old tree offers refuge. The walls safe and ancient become your new skin, and you find those roots once again, flush with abundant stillness. Draw up that peace and spin a new beginning, your wounds home for the forest's song.

For My Brother

2009-09-27T16:29:00.001-05:00

Companion from many lives. I recall you dancing before the altar with so much joy.

This time, your dance is one of service and equanimity. And oh, the same smile!

Enjoy your birthday throne, offering blessings to the future embodied in those giggling girls.

Yes, we love you. Just as you held us with your love galaxies ago.

For a Friend Changing Her Direction in the Second-Half of Her Life

2009-09-20T15:39:00.002-05:00

Tossed on to the shore, you birthed yourself in the wet sand, incorporating each crystal.

Now, you ask, "how can I push forward with dust as a skeleton?"

But, dear friend, you have been baked and fired! Take your doubt like a reflective glaze on a fully tempered vessel.

It only adds to your beauty.

A Friend with a Back Injury

2009-09-04T22:46:00.001-05:00

Hold the elemental sharp places in healing light; honored that their pain has brought us awareness of our own Aliveness.

Reaching out, we lift their burden, returning to the Old Place once again, no longer Warriors.

for David F

2009-08-27T22:26:00.002-05:00

Stepping into the night, your gaze activates the starry dance. Holding tight that ancient necklace, Indra’s jewels clink in your upraised arms.

Do you have the courage to drop all these universes? Let the stars go black!

In silence, in the center, a new light waits in every cell.

for David C

2009-08-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

Impeccable. Clear concentration lifting you that magical fraction above the flames, you fear no earthly discomforts. Few can drop all and follow this path!

Turning, you see our confusion. Your loving smile softens the way, even as your feet begin to blister once again.

From My Blessing Circle website

2009-08-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

Thrown into the whirlpool, even the smallest wave seems engulfing.
Surrender and spin.
Turning like a dervish you will find your center and go on to serve.

Best Blessings also posted on Facebook

2009-08-05T12:05:00.002-05:00

I will post new blessings here and on a new Facebook Page - MyBlessingCircle.
You can tell all your Facebook friends to become a "fan" of this page!
Here is the link:

MyBlessingCircle on Facebook

For A Seeker:

2009-03-27T18:46:00.002-05:00

"How did I get here, so far from home?"

Friend, don't turn away from the razor's edge.

Each breath, dropping down to core memory,

A reminder of the true self.

In that moment, the way appears once again.

So much compassion waiting in your glance.

The Divine's hand on your back.

for the Wind Dancer

2009-03-08T17:41:00.002-05:00

You've tasted the sweetness of the Divine pouring into your Being.
Now, in simplicity you walk, wondering why so few can see beyond themselves.

Have patience, dear brother.
Every step you take leaves its essence.

Swept from mountain to sea, the subtle fragrance of your heart touches all.
Reminding us of the smile in the Warrior's drum.

Update Vision for a Blessing Circle Community

2009-03-06T17:20:00.001-06:00

Vision: My Blessing Circle is a sharing community where those who need a blessing can anonymously receive one from those who feel they have the calling to be of service by "tuning in" to someone's Higher Self and receiving from that person's soul, a few words of unconditional love, encouragement, and/or support on life's journey. It would NOT be a place for preaching, recruiting, or converting others to your personal religion.

The service would be free in exchange for helping to monitor blessing messages for appropriateness (no spam, no curses or pranks, no preaching).

Blessing-receivers could upload a photograph or symbolic image and/or short bio of themselves [or their child] as well as request blessings focused on a particular theme or issue.

Blessing-givers would be randomly assigned a recipient, and could decide whether they wanted to see their associated bio. Neither the giver or the receiver would be identified by name or email.

The service would be "peer regulated." An inappropriate blessing message could be flagged for removal by the receiver, and the giver would lose their membership rights. Receiver biographies that gave away too much personal data could also be flagged in a similar way. Really special blessings could be tagged by the receiver and the giver sent an automated "blessing appreciation message." These blessings would be posted to the public area of the site for all to view.

Possible "add-on" features could include a public forum and marketplace, "closed circles" for members of self-defined spiritual groups (such as individual churches, temples, fellowships, etc.), as well as a way to reward blessing-givers whose offerings are consistently rated as special gifts.

Revenue would come from donations, from set-up fees from closed circles, and limited advertising on specific pages.

QUESTIONS:

AS A "GIVER"

1. Would you expect a blessing in return for every one you sent out? Or would you see your work as giving more than receiving?

2. Would you want to see a short bio of the person you have been assigned? Just the photo? Or only their user name?

3. Would you want to request a receiver who had requested a blessing focused on a particular theme or issue? Or receive this information when you got their user name? Or should we not even offer receivers this option in the first place?

4. Would you want to receive some revenue from this work? Possibly a portion of the site's income distributed in proportion to the number of "blessing appreciation" responses you received each month? Or would you rather have the site donate this amount to a charity partner?

5. Would you be willing to screen a limited number of blessing messages each week?

AS A RECEIVER

1. Would you want to/expect to send out a blessing for every one you received? Or would you rather have the responsibilities of sending and receiving kept separate?

2. How important would it be to you to be able to post a photo and/or a short bio of yourself [or child] to go along with your user name? Would you be willing to pay a fee for this option?

3. How important would it be to you to be able to request a blessing focused on a particular theme or issue [such as health, relationship/family, grief and loss, etc.]? Would you be willing to pay a fee for this option?

4. If the "basic" service offered a blessing two or three times a week [depending on the number of "givers" available], would you be willing to pay a fee to receive one more often?

5. In exchange for a free service, would you be willing to screen (for appropriateness) a limited number of blessing messages each week?