Prayers for a friend in crisis

The first, a blessing called “Benneacht” (which means, “blessing” in Irish) from the late Irish poet John O’Donohue:

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

And second, the “Metta Prayer” Written by Kushin Seisho Maylie Scott at the Berkeley Zen Center:

This is what should be accomplished by the one who is wise,

May I be well, loving, and peaceful. May all beings be well, loving, and peaceful.

May I be at ease in my body, feeling the ground beneath my seat and feet, letting my back be long and straight, enjoying breath as it rises and falls and rises.

May I know and be intimate with body mind, whatever its feeling or mood,calm or agitated, tired or energetic, irritated or friendly.

Breathing in and out, in and out, aware, moment by moment, of the risings and passings.

May I be attentive and gentle towards my own discomfort and suffering.

May I be attentive and grateful for my own joy and well-being.

May I move towards others freely and with openness.

May I receive others with sympathy and understanding.

May I move towards the suffering of others with peaceful and attentive confidence.

May I recall the Bodhisattva of compassion; her 1,000 hands, her instant readiness for action. Each hand with an eye in it, the instinctive knowing what to do.

May I continually cultivate the ground of peace for myself and others and persist, mindful and dedicated to this work, independent of results.

May I know that my peace and the world’s peace are not separate;that our peace in the world is a result of our work for justice.

May all beings be well, happy, and peaceful.

And lastly, one from my heart:

“Papi”:
May you feel the hand of God on your heart, soul and body.
May you know the peace that surpasses all understanding.
May you see, hear, taste and feel grace all around you.
May your body be healed and made whole from top to bottom.
May your doctors be guided by the wisdom of the One who made you.
May you cling to the love of that woman by your side and in your arms.
May you more than glimpse how much you are loved by friends, family and colleagues.
May you rest in solace of being held in prayer by those who love you and by those who know only your name.
May your faith be strengthened, may your joy overflow, may you find all the comfort you need in the palm of God’s hand, where you are kept.

We love you, dear. We’re here for you. You are in our prayers now and always.