I Don't Get It: A Prayer Of Understanding

Blessed Fierce Mystery,

Creator, Created, Creating

I pray for understanding, because

I just don't get it.

I don't mean I don't know what's happening.

I know.

I know what atrocities theyre committing

And I know why they're doing it

And how they're doing it.

I understand who it serves

And who it hurts.

I understand who profits

And who suffers.

I get it, but...

I don't understand.

What goes on in their heads?

How do they justify the cruelty?

I don't mean I haven't heard their logic,

I know.

And I understand the psychology of it,

The dehumanization

And the tribalism

The otherness of the victims

And the, you know, the racism.

I get it, but...

It boggles the mind,

How do you hurt children like that?

I don't mean I've never heard of monsters who

Like to frighten and humiliate people who can't defend themselves,

I mean, I understand that it happens,

And they're not really monsters,

They are, alas, human beings.

I know they may not mean to do this,

Or know they're doing this

Or maybe they think it serves a larger cause,

Or they feel like they don't have a choice,

Or that they're Only Following Orders,

Or even,

It's My Job,

Or

I Gotta Feed My Kids First.

I get it, I do...

But

Enough.

I don't get it.

Blessed Fierce Mystery,

Creator, Created, Creating,

We are not praying for your help,

Because we know what to do:

Agitate, organize, write, call, send money, vote.
But it would be nice
To understand.

Amen

If you find this offering of my work valuable or pleasurable, please consider supporting me with a mutual offering, if you are able:

If you use one of my prayers or kavannot for a service or event you can make a one time donation via my PayPal account.  

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Thank you!

Trisha

A Blessing For Celebration

Baruch atah Adonai,

Brucha At Shechinah,

HaKodesh Baruch Hu,

We honor this entire community,

together with all holy communities:

All of us,

And our loved ones.

Bless the ones who began us.

Bless the ones who teach and the ones who learn.

Bless the ones who pray and create our sacred spaces.

Bless the ones who organize and change the world.

Bless the ones who do the hard work of building structure.

And bless those who care for those in need and those who need their care.

Blessed One-ness,

Creator, Created, Creating,

We honor the chain of work

that made this community.

We give love and thanks

for our founders who forged those chains.

We give love and thanks 

For all the links here today.

And we give love and thanks for those

Who will continue to build this chain into the future.

And with all the voices of all our lives, 

Let us say

Amein

If you find this offering of my work valuable or pleasurable, please consider supporting me with a mutual offering, if you are able:

If you use one of my prayers or kavannot for a service or event you can make a one time donation via my PayPal account.  

PayPal  https://www.paypal.me/trishaarlin  

If you would like to support my work as a sacred artist in an ongoing fashion, please contribute (any amount) on a monthly basis to my Patreon account.

Patreon    https://www.patreon.com/trishaarlin

Thank you!

Trisha

Washing Hands A Second Time

The first time we washed our hands before this meal

It was all about water,

It was to get clean.

And we are clean, so why a second time?

Perhaps this turn

It's all about our hands.

As we prepare to wash for a second time,

I call up every blessing and good vibe

For the hands that help,

The hands that build,

The hands that comfort,

And the hands that create.

As we prepare to wash our hands a second time,

I call up every curse and shred of bad karma

Against the hands that hurt,

The hands that tear down,

The hands that slap,

And the hands that destroy.

As we prepare to wash our hands a second time

I call up every memory of the hands of our Pesach story,

The hands of the midwives,  saving the boy babies,

The hands of the princess, pulling the basket out of the water,

The hands of the slaves, making the bricks out of straw,

And the the hands holding the hands of the children crossing the sea.

So now,

Baruch Atah Adonai

Brucha At Shechina

As we prepare to wash our hands a second time

Let's pour soothing water for all those hands

To recognize the good work

And wash away the bad

And to

Honor the hands that made this wonderful meal,

And the hands that we will use to put this holy food into our mouths,

And the hands we will raise in truth and protest,

And the hands we will wave in the air as we tell our stories

And let us say, Amen.

If you find this offering of my work valuable or pleasurable, please consider supporting me with a mutual offering, if you are able:

If you use one of my prayers or kavannot for a service or event you can make a one time donation via my PayPal account.  

PayPal  https://www.paypal.me/trishaarlin  

If you would like to support my work as a sacred artist in an ongoing fashion, please contribute (any amount) on a monthly basis to my Patreon account.

Patreon    https://www.patreon.com/trishaarlin

Thank you!

Trisha

Look

Something is said to you and
Your first reaction is anger,
So stop.
Breathe.
Look.

Look for the truth.
Your anger might be fear,
Your anger might be hurt.
The truth is, it probably isn't about you.

And even if it is
Then

Look for opportunities for compassion:
Compassion for the source of your anger,
Compassion for yourself,
And if you look, you will find it.

Two seconds have passed.
The anger is gone.

Look
And perhaps you will see their hurt and pain,
And perhaps you will wonder,
How can I help?

Or at least

How can I not hurt them more?

If you find this offering of my work valuable or pleasurable, please consider supporting me with a mutual offering, if you are able:

If you use one of my prayers or kavannot for a service or event you can make a one time donation via my PayPal account.  

PayPal  https://www.paypal.me/trishaarlin  

If you would like to support my work as a sacred artist in an ongoing fashion, please contribute (any amount) on a monthly basis to my Patreon account.

Patreon    https://www.patreon.com/trishaarlin

Thank you!

Trisha