A Blessing Cairn
Many years ago – I don’t exactly know when – I began creating blessing cairns. These were piles of stones, each representing a blessing or a prayer for healing. Depending on where I lived, some cairns were large outdoor mounds, others were created in a balcony fountain. These days the cairn lives in the cupped hands of a small Buddha-boy who lives in my living room.
Each time I receive a request for healing, prayer, or simply good thoughts, I randomly choose a polished stone from a large jar. Holding the stone I then ask for whatever is appropriate for the situation. By mid-year the cupped hands are full and I transfer them to a Hopi pot that once belonged to my mom. By year’s end the hands and the pot are both full.
That’s when I go to the ocean, on New Year’s Eve day, and return the stones to the sea and the earth and the sky.
This morning I drove across the bridge linking San Diego to Coronado, then walked down to the sea’s edge, thanking the Great Spirit for all of the healing and all of the blessings. Rolling up my jeans, I waded out and dropped the stones into each incoming tide until all were gone. I love knowing that each stone will be cleansed and find a new home in which to rest.
My Wish for You for 2020
- That you realize how loved you are. Even on the days when it might not feel like it.
- That you find beauty in the small things.
- That the challenges of the past are left in the past.
- That you embrace your Self.
- That you acknowledge how precious you are.
