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23 July 2007

St. Theresa's Prayer




I wanted to share a prayer that was at the end of an email a yoga student sent me. She has had a hard life and she sent me an email thanking me for being there for her. I was embarrassed because I am not used to the kind words that the student wrote, but it always does my heart good to know that yoga brings peace to someone's soul.

This prayer touched me even though I am not Christian -- I'm a very lapsed Lutheran turned Buddhist. I don't know who St. Theresa is and I barely know the names of the important angels, but that's not really important, is it?

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God (the Universe) that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use these gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content.
You are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.
It is there for each and everyone of us.


Peace and buddhahood are there for each and every one of us.

Another yoga student who has been with me for more than a few months told me today how yoga has helped her depression -- she is only 24 and she takes care of an autistic brother. She said that her brother will always be autistic, but she does not always have to be depressed. Yoga has helped her take control, and she has realized what the Wise-Ass Buddhist said: "life sucks, but suffering is optional." She told me very excitedly that "yoga and meditation are ways to self-heal! if only more people knew that!" Yes, if only!

I love it when some of my younger yoga students -- I teach at a community college and the age range is 18-25 -- totally connect to yoga and they keep coming back semester after semester. When my students tell me about how good they feel after a class, or how yoga affects their lives off the mat, I tell them that they've created all that by themselves, I am merely the yoga facilitator. They are their own gurus.

Does this old hippie chick's heart good...

wishing you all peaceful hearts.

5 comments:

Marilyn P. Sushi said...

That's a really nice prayer. I will keep it in the back of my mind, especially for the next couple of days.

GlamSpirit said...

Your student's transformations warm my heart. Yoga heals. Thank you for sharing the prayer.

Mimi Lenox said...

Appreciate the visit to Mimi Writes. I have been a student of meditation my entire life - in one form or another. Informative and sensitive site here. I will be back.

Thanks again!

Linda-Sama said...

thanks for reading! wish I had known about your Peace Globes!

Regina said...

St. Theresa is so universal in her spirituality which is why I think everyone can appreciate it! It's beautiful...
I know you have been very helpful and encouraging to me, Linda- thanks for that. We need more facilitators like you- I would be happy to be one of your students!
xo