I’m sure I’m not alone in practising daily silent blessings. What, you may ask, does she mean by blessings?
‘The Angel of the North’ – photo by Sylvia Selzer
In my small world, ever since I can remember, I felt guided. As a child I had a lucid vision of an angel, possibly an aspect of me – or us – existing in another dimension. My upbringing was not religious, but I developed a deep appreciation for beauty – of movement, sound, rhythm, light, colour, form – as well as a healthy disrespect for hypocrisy.
Then, during the 1980s I was ordained as a Cherag – the Sufi term for someone who performs worships and conducts ceremonies. I questioned the honour. Performing is not my strength. The response of my Sufi teacher – Fazal Inayat-Khan – was heartening: ‘You’re a light-bringer (which is what Cherag means,) and whether or not you formally worship is irrelevant. You have the capacity to bless. Go and bless the world.’
It works like a pebble thrown into a still pond, along with a loving desire, which then ripples outwards.
To bless can become a habit.
You may ask – who’s she to dish out blessings? And anyway, what can it possibly achieve other than making her feel good? Precisely, it makes me feel good. I don’t seek evidence – measure, weigh or put value on the practice. Being no saint, I also have plenty of less generous habits. But as regards blessings – think about it, what’s there to lose?
It is not the road ahead that wears you out – it is the grain of sand in your shoe.’ Proverb
The Angel of the North is a contemporary sculpture, designed by Antony Gromley, located in Geteshead, Tyne and Wear, England. Sylvia Selzer’s photo of ‘The Angel of the North’ is the most poignant image of an angel I’ve come across.
Course of Mirrors 
A lovely post of course but as I was about to click away I noticed that it is a picture of an angel’s knees, I had never thought about an angel’s knees before. I bet they are very cute!!
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🙂
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Light-bringer… I like that idea and it’s something to strive for.
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Thanks for visiting, friend. Striving, yes, but a tiny shift of viewpoint can reveal the light we essentially are.
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A ‘Blessing’ or any other transmission of gentleness and friendship, gives hope and support to those in need. It also re-affirms the faith in life, that we all have but sometimes forget.
I am in the city at present and at times feel out of my depth in smiling as I pass others. They seem a grumpy lot, but it really is just a process of getting by.
Smiling, can be interpreted as a challenge in the right ( or wrong) place, so it is not without a degree of care, that I continue.
For the .001% of people that take a smile as a challenge, I think it is worth it, and after all spreading the love is not that hard but provides much comfort.
So if it is blessing, smiling, laughter or whatever communicates a kind of Faith in the world as it is, then bring it on and good luck be your companion.B
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The grumpy lot 🙂 the city’s street face, hiding the dreams. I used to be much more giving with smiles. But spotting a quick smile at the right time can make our day, help us remember.
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It’s a lovely habit worth while cultivating. Right now I’m blessing mother nature and that I have eyes to see her beauty. Thank you and blessings to you.
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Cherishing nature is precious gift. Im totally in love with a robin who’s been appearing in my garden these days. Lucky us, bless you too.
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‘Light bringer’
I had a very religious upbringing which I rejected round about the age of eight. I still retained the feelings of love, joy and being cared for by a loving family and friends over the years. My ‘light bringers’ now are my husband, daughter and granddaughter.
You are also one of my light bringers, Ashen – encouraging me to shine…
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My teacher was crafty. By telling me what he did he also implied I can give from my need.
☼ Let’s nudge each other occasionally to go out and paint the town in rainbow colours.
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Lovely post as usual, you always manage to write such thought-provoking prose. 🙂 I LOVE Antony Gormley’s work. I was lucky enough to see an exhibition of hos at the Southbank Art Gallery a few years ago and some of his work at the Tate Modern. Really amazing. I want to go to see ‘The Angel of the North’ for real though and his amazing sculptures going into the sea…stunning work! 😀 xx
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Thanks Sophie. I haven’t seen any of Gromley’s work on location, only in images. Re: the angel, I remember being put off at first by the rigidity of the sculpture, but seeing Sylvia’s photograph, I got a sense of the experience standing under it.
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Oh he’s one of my favourite sculptors, along with Anish Kapoor. Just stunning work and he’s self-taught apparently! Wow! 😀
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Blessings bestow. Bestow what? Grace, forgiveness, courage…all the virtues.
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Thanks for asking.
I believe in one being, a universal intelligence, which everything is part of.
(Some call it God. I don’t like the term. It’s weighed down by historical projections.)
In daily remembrance I call on this universal intelligence for guidance – no-specific.
I see it as a pebble thrown into a still pond, along with a loving desire (for guidance) which then ripples outwards.
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Re: virtues. I came again upon what C G Jung once said in his seminars about Nitzsche’s Zarathustra – ‘… each virtue has its specific vice as a mother.’
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I’m not very religious but I do love the concept of a ‘light-bringer’. I believe in the intelligence and power of Universe who I am most grateful to for what I have.
Loved the post 😀
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I’m with you. Thank you, Luciana.
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