The inspiration for these little couplets or single lines I owe in part to Jason, and his recommendation for finding lost objects. Now it is not only Catholics who utter a short couplet prayer to St. Anthony:
"St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please look around,
my _____ is lost and cannot be found."
St. Anthony takes his time, but he has never failed me yet.
Anyway, the concept behind this little ritual struck my fancy, and I've been dreaming up little singsong rhymes for more occasions than I can count. The rhymes may not be very good, but I think what is important and healthy is opening up one's mind into prayer, addressing the universe in a formal-humble-intimate way using 'thou' and 'thee,' and taking a moment to say something beautiful about the world. Prayers of gratitude are shown to be much more effective than prayers of supplication in changing our perception of goodness in the world. The words you speak have never been used before in the exact same combination, so each of your sentences is a new creation. Might as well say something that has a positive effect, at least in yourself if not in the world around you. Here are some lines I have come up with recently:
When watering plants: Thou gentle spirits of earth and air, be well.
When in the shower:
To thee, o power of water I yield
myself to be cleansed; my wounds to be healed.
When picking up a musical instrument: O beautiful instrument, grant me congress with the air.
When lighting a fire:
Flame of the Earth,
strong before our birth
begin with a spark
from the deep and the dark.
When moving into a new house: This dwelling is dedicated to the Earth, whose shrine all homes are.
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