In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be happy. Weak or strong, of high, middle or low estate,/
Small or great, the visible and the invisible, those living near and far away,/
Those alive or still to be born – may all beings be happy!
- Siddartha Gautama
I love verses of blessings like this one. There is no religious baggage; a hardcore atheist could recite this. It is inclusive and all-embracing. And furthermore, like much ancient wisdom, it has relevance in our world today.
I am looking forward to encountering more blessings that are similar in nature to this one. I don’t care if it’s not Buddhist; it can be Muslim, Jewish, Zoroastrian for all I care. An inclusive blessing is a blessing.
To theologians and students of all stripes in the Philosophy of Religion, blessings and prayers are not useless. They are “sharing in the desire for reconciliation with, or sharing in the compassion of a Higher Power or the World itself.”
at the end of my meditation i always tell myself:
“may this practice and this life be in benefits of all the beings”
Bless
I love your definition of blessing. One of my faves is
May you be open. May you be at peace. May you be known by others.
“Sharing,” for me, is an important key here.
I see blessings as way of sharing your energy, sending your positive energy out to the ones you bless.
buddho, buddho, buddho
:)