A COMMUNITY OF BLESSING: THE UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP OF PETERBOROUGH June 2018

JOURNEYS Monthly Theme “Un-Pack-It”

A COMMUNITY OF BLESSING

THE UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP OF PETERBOROUGH WONDERINGS on the theme of BLESSING

From Rev. Julie sorceresses, warlocks...priests, To bless the world, we have to feel that Do you remember the scene in Sleeping ministers...just the ones with special we have the ability to do so, but are Beauty when the fairies come to bless powers. And yet each week we light our often conflicted about this power. Who the long-awaited baby princess? In chalice asking that we be inspired to are we to offer a blessing? How could Disney’s version, Mistress Flora, Mistress bless and not to curse. we be so presumptuous or even egotistical? But blessing isn’t about Fauna, and Mistress Merryweather float Blessing. Just saying the word feels in, looking rather like colorful plump good. A blessing also has nothing to do power at all. The Hebrew word for nuns, and begin to take turns bestowing with specific words, and has everything blessing, brakha, is rooted in the word blessings on the sweet child. First she is to do with the energy we create and for knee, suggesting that we receive given the blessing of beauty, second the send out around us. It is an extension blessing by kneeling down, by making blessing of song...but alas, we never outward of attention and intention for ourselves small and receptive know what the third blessing is, because the wellbeing of another. It is kindness ...receptive to all the gifts that surround Mistress Merryweather is pre-empted by offered and positive thoughts sent. To us. And perhaps this is also the best the arrival of a wicked fairy. Flashes of bless another is to show love and position from which to give lightening...ominous music...doom and concern. blessings...from a place of gratitude and humility, not a place of power or gloom...and then all hear the curse that Blessings are relational; human to privilege. the princess will one day prick her finger human, nature to human, person to on a spindle and go to sleep for one animal, bird toIssue flower...blessings Date involve And to bless is also a choice...to bless hundred years. an interaction infused with goodwill. In the world is an intentional choice. After At a young age, many of us figure out a beloved community, such as the one each disappointment or failure, maybe the difference between a blessing and a we strive to create at UFP, blessing rises we should say, “I choose to bless the curse. Through Disney and storybooks, between us... between our caring hearts world.” After each brokenMonthy heart, we we learn that we should cheer for the and out of the trust we place in one might say, "I choose to bless." After good fairies and ‘boo’ for the wicked another. each hurt, to bless. We have to choose it ones. We also, I suppose, learn that again, and again, and again. only certain people can grant blessings May we be a community who blesses. To receive these monthly packets by email, or bestow curses...fairies, witches, sign up to be on UFP’s email list. Send a request to [email protected]

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A true life STORY about BLESSING ~ Rev. Kristin A. Maier, from A UU Blessing for Summer

Several years ago, when I had only been In retrospect, I am attending a Unitarian Universalist pretty sure I was in the church for a couple of years, I found running for the most- myself helping out with a winter solstice awkward-blesser-of- event for children. The Minister of children-ever award. Religious Education (this was a large UU Still, even in my church) had set up a labyrinth for the awkwardness I found kids. My job was to welcome each child the experience deeply as they entered the room and direct moving. The words them onto the labyrinth path made of were not radical, but the sparkly garlands. The path wound act of kneeling down so through the room and past stopping I could be level with points with interesting things to look at each child, looking him and touch. At the end of the labyrinth, or her in the eye, and for the minister waited to give each child a a moment giving each small ornament made of glitter and my whole attention and paper and to give each child a blessing. my whole intention, At one point, the minister had to leave that act felt radically powerful. the room and she asked me to take her Some Unitarian Universalists may feel DEFINITION place at the end of the route. “Uh. What suspicious about the act of blessing. do I do?” I asked awkwardly. I didn’t Questions arise about who or what gives bless·ing know how to bless someone. I had no the authority to bless. Theological /ˈbles.ɪŋ/ idea what a Unitarian Universalist debates might ensue as to whether such noun blessing would even look like. blessing has metaphysical or 1. the act or words of one who metaphorical power. And, frankly, many I don’t exactly remember the words she blesses of us might be uncomfortable with the gave me to say, but they were 2. approval, encouragement intimacy of such a gift of attention and something simple. Perhaps, “May the offered intention. dark of the long night bring you peace. 3. a thing conducive to happiness May the light of the returning sun bring Yet, at its core, a blessing is an extension or welfare you joy.” The words seemed fitting, but of just that, one’s attention and 4. grace said at a meal the act of blessing still felt so foreign to intention for the wellbeing of another. It me. It seemed beyond ridiculous to tell is an extension of kindness, of thought, Blessing has a long history of her I couldn’t do it because I didn’t know and of one’s energy toward another. It is meanings and roots. The Old English how to bless someone, so I just nodded an expression of love and concern. We blēdsian based on blōd ‘blood’ and waited for the next kid. need not interpret an act of blessing the (originally to ‘mark or consecrate same way to recognize it as a beautiful with blood’) was used to translate the gift from one human to another. Latin benedicere ‘to praise or

worship.’ The meaning shifted in late Old English toward ‘pronounce or make happy, prosperous, or fortunate.’ In the Semitic language of Aramaic, the phrase translated as ‘Blessed’ in the Beatitudes was actually tubwayhun which refers to being ripe, mature; having reached a stage of the fullness of the person I am meant to be.

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INSPIRATIONS on the theme of BLESSING So what, then, does it mean to offer a The hardest arithmetic to master is that At times very small things may bring blessing, to be a blessing? To bless which enables us to count our blessings. much more happiness than bigger and something or someone is to invoke its ~ Eric Hoffer “better” ones. Look around you and wholeness, to help remind the person or A blessing is not something that one notice things. An innocent toothless thing you are blessing of its essence, its person gives another. A blessing is a smile, a good laugh, a good movie, an old sacredness, its beauty, and to help moment of meeting, a certain kind of song bringing back memories of remind yourself of that, too. Blessing relationship in which both people yesteryears, a warm embrace, a child does not fix anything. It is not a cure… It involved remember and acknowledge cuddling up to you or falling asleep in does not instill health or well-being or their true nature and worth and your arms, prayers, a flock of birds in the strength. Instead, it reminds us that those strengthen what is whole in one another. sky, a beautiful sunrise or sunset and so things are already there, within us. By making a place for wholeness within on can bring a lot of joy. Unwind and just ~ Rev. Elea Kemler our relationships, we offer others the let yourself free. You’ll see beauty all To bless is to put a bit of yourself into opportunity to be whole without shame around you; beauty that is uplifting and something. and become a place of refuge from all encompassing. ~ Latika Teotia ~ Macrina Wiederkehr and Joyce Rupp everything in them and around them that Where does it come from, this strange To give someone a blessing is the most is not genuine. We enable people to unquenchable human urge for 'more' that significant affirmation we can offer. It is remember who they are. is both our blessing and our curse? It has more than a word of praise or ~ Rachel Naomi Remen caused us to lift our eyes to the heavens appreciation; it is more than pointing out and thread together pieces of the someone's talents or good deeds; it is universe until we can glimpse a shadow of more than putting someone in the light. the divine creation. Yet to gain this To give a blessing is to affirm, to say "yes" knowledge, we have sometimes lost the to a person's Belovedness. mystery of a cloud, the beauty of a ~ Henri J. M. Nouwen garden, the joy of a single step. We must learn to value the small as well as the The one who offers a blessing is like a great… To honor the dawn. To visit a coach whispering to an athlete before a garden. To talk to a friend. To competition, "You can do it!" More than contemplate a cloud. To cherish a meal. encouragement, positive spin, or sincere To bow our heads before the mystery of wish, the words of blessing literally bring the day. Are these not enough? forth and make real an otherwise ~ Kent Neburn unrealizable force. In this way, blessing is When we lose one blessing, another is not supplication but symbiosis. God often most unexpectedly given in its Some people come in our life as needs us to summon blessings, just as we place. ~ C.S. Lewis blessings. Some come in your life as could not live without them. It’s hardest to love the ordinary things, lessons. ~ Mother Teresa ~ Lawrence Kushner she said, but you get lots of opportunities May we be strengthened with the It is only with true love and compassion to practice. ~ Brian Andreas understanding that being blessed does not mean that we shall always be spared that we can begin to mend what is broken Blessed be the longing that brought you all the disappointments and difficulties of in the world. It is these two blessed things here life. ~ Heber J. Grant that can begin to heal all broken hearts. And quickens your soul with wonder. ~ Steve Maraboli May you have the courage to listen to the We all are so deeply interconnected; we voice of desire that disturbs you have no option but to love all. Be kind and when you have settled for do good for any one and that will be something safe. reflected. The ripples of the kind heart are ~ John O'Donohue the highest blessings of the Universe. Blessings be on this house," ~ Amit Ray Granny said, perfunctorily. It was There is a reality in blessing... It doesn’t always a good opening remark for enhance sacredness, but it acknowledges a witch. It concentrated people's it. ~ Marilynne Robinson minds on what other things might Blessings sometimes show up in be on this house. unrecognizable disguises. ~ Janette Oke ~ Terry Pratchett

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Start by asking, What do I wish for in my PRACTICING BLESSING life right now? More courage? Patience? Awareness of beauty? Whatever it is, make it your blessing for yourself this Blessed are they who see beautiful things in month. Think of it as saying to yourself, “May ______be mine as I journey humble places where other people see nothing. through this month.” ~ Camille Pissarro You might choose to add a concrete dimension to the exercise by finding an object that symbolizes your blessing and then keep it near you. For instance, an old Option A: Secret Blessings watch or a rock can incarnate the blessing experience life as a generous friend. you need. Let it, in a sense, bless you Wayne Muller, in his book Sabbath, Ordinary blessings let us know that we every time you look at it. Check out encourages a practice he calls secret are the beloved of the spirit at the heart Galway Kinnell’s poem Saint Francis and blessing. He writes, “Bless strangers of life. the Sow for more inspiration. quietly, secretly. Offer it to people you https://tinyurl.com/yau3aoou notice on the street, in the market, on the So, connect to your belovedness by bus. [Silently say to yourself] "May you be making a list of “your favorite things.” A Option D: Write a Blessing literal list. Add at least 2-3 each day. happy. May you be at peace." Feel the Former priest and poet John O'Donohue Here’s a simple format you might like to blessing move through your body as you was a master at writing blessings for use: https://tinyurl.com/ya6ywkuw offer it. Notice how you both receive everyday challenges and transitions. In some benefit from the blessing.” Put the list in a place you will see it each his beloved book, To Bless the Space day: by your bed, on your desk, on the Between Us: A Book of Blessings, he This practice is more about what happens fridge. Don’t worry about being profound. to us than what happens to them. It alters wrote blessings for everything from Often blessings are found in the simplest retirement and divorce to buying a new our attention and changes our attitude thing. toward others. Just image going through home or finding a new job. He also wrote your day looking for excuses to wish Be ready to notice how these blessings blessings for people, from new parents people well or think the best of them. bless you. and business leaders to farmers and And it connects us to others, helping us nurses. He saw blessings as companions acknowledge common struggles and for our journeys. A way of making one’s hungers. path clearer and reminding one that others have walked these ways before. Do it for a day or maybe two. Be So what journey are you in the midst of disciplined about it and set a target for right now? Or what journey is someone yourself like, “I will secretly offer 10 you care about in the midst of? This blessings to 10 different people exercise invites you to offer yourself or throughout the day.” Don’t be afraid to another person a companion for that keep it simple. A blessing is as journey by trying your hand at writing a straightforward as completing the Option C: Bless Yourself blessing. sentence: “I wish ______for you.” In its simplest form, a blessing is a wish O’Donohue’s book is easily available at At the end of the day meditate on, or that some form of strength or goodness libraries or online, and Rev. Julie has a write about, how offering those blessings comes into the life of another. As Rabbi copy you can borrow. and seeking out people to bless altered Lawrence Kushner puts it, “Offering a your day. How did blessing others bless blessing is like a coach whispering to an Option E: Inject Blessing into you? athlete before a competition, "You can do your Life it!" More than encouragement, the words Option B: A Blessing List Say a blessing before each meal and at of blessing literally bring forth and make other ‘holy’ times in your days. Drop the Think of the song My Favorite Things real an otherwise unrealizable force.” word ‘blessing’ into your conversations. from The Sound of Music. The point of Focusing one’s attention on something Bless your family members often by the song is that ordinary blessings save seems to make it more likely to manifest telling them why they matter. Bless your us. “We don’t feel so sad,” and maybe we in our lives. So why not do some garden and its plantings. Bless your pets. also don’t feel so isolated, anxious or manifesting of your own? Why not bless Bless your neighbours. Choose to Bless disconnected from life. As we notice the yourself? the World. https://tinyurl.com/ydg5qreu ordinary blessings around us, we A COMMUNITY OF BLESSING: JUNE 2018 5

These questions aren’t “homework” or a list 6. Is it time to bless yourself with the that needs to be covered in its entirety. foolishness of believing you can do QUESTIONS for Simply pick a question that speaks to you what others say can’t be done? REFLECTION on the and let it lead you where you need to go. 7. How would you like to thank all of The goal is to figure out what being a part your “fathers” for their blessings…to theme of BLESSING of a community of blessing means for you let them know you carry them and and your daily living. their influence with you still? Which question is calling to you? 8. In the midst of praises for ordinary 1. How might you embrace yourself as a blessings, are there any “big blessing? Do you need to re-claim or blessings” that you’d like to help re-name your blessing to the world? become real? 2. Is there a particular blessing you 9. And what are the ordinary blessings really need right now? The blessing that you’d like to remember to of space? Of time? Of nurture? Of notice? healing? What will it take for you to 10. Can you remember an “unexpected get it? blessing moment”? What gift or 3. Is there a need to say goodbye to a lesson from that memory do you job/role or a relationship that doesn’t need to most remember today? bless and see you for who you are? 11. What’s your question? Your question 4. At what age have you best noticed may not be listed above. As always, if the blessings around you? (Does age the above questions don't include have anything to do with it?) what life is asking from you, spend the month listening to your days to 5. Did your words and actions bless or hear it. curse others this past week?

RESOURCES on BLESSING CHILDREN’S BOOKS MUSIC Grateful: A Love Song to the World ~ Empty Hands Music Music is often the key to opening us up. https://tinyurl.com/pb5vakr Here are some songs calling us to bless others and life itself in new and larger May I Suggest ~ Susan Werner ways. And if none of these speak to you, do https://tinyurl.com/yd5hldwu a little searching and find your own My Favorite Things from The Sound of blessing song. Music Blessing ~ Lui Collins https://tinyurl.com/y7ep3kxu https://tinyurl.com/yb9xcqub The Willis Clan Cover (starts at 2:40): A Bucket of Blessings by Kabir https://tinyurl.com/m6dres4 Call Down a Blessing ~ Phil Cooper, Sehgal Margaret Nelson & Kate Early Ordinary Miracle - Sarah McLachlan A Child’s Book of Blessings and https://tinyurl.com/ycatjq9q https://tinyurl.com/yax9nogh Prayers, collected by Eliza Blanchard Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing Say Hallelujah - Tracy Chapman King Hugo's Huge Ego by Chris Van Cover by Sarah Noëlle: https://tinyurl.com/y84vjk4d Dusen https://tinyurl.com/k5t352q Slow Down ~ Nichole Nordeman My Name Is Blessing by Eric Walters Deep Peace - Bill Douglas https://tinyurl.com/y87dyr65 Oskar and the Eight Blessings by https://tinyurl.com/y9nq8obu There Is A Place ~ Beth Pederson & Cinde Tanya Simon and Richard Simon Everything is Holy Now - Peter Mayer Borup https://tinyurl.com/y8wwxcsj https://tinyurl.com/zmlp5u2 The Blessing Cup by Patricia Polacco Wonder ~ Naughty Boy i thank you god - Eric Whitacre https://tinyurl.com/ajlqmx9 The Keeping Quilt by Patricia https://tinyurl.com/y9qpds9l Polacco

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MUSIC Soul Matters Spotify Playlists TABLE GRACE on BLESSING Check out these and other songs by The Blessing of Right Now (adapted) following our Blessing playlist on Spotify. We gather around this table with the words of poet William Stafford: Here’s a link to the playlists for all of our “It could happen any time, tornado, monthly themes: earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen. https://tinyurl.com/y89r48wb Or sunshine, love, salvation. MOVIES It could, you know. That’s why we wake and look out — no guarantees Amelie (2011/15) – Amélie is an innocent in this life. and naive girl in Paris who decides to But some bonuses, like morning, change the world by secretly blessing the like right now, like noon, lives of the people she knows. like evening. Fiddler on the Roof (1971/U) – In Yes!” preRevolutionary Russia, a Jewish peasant With gratitude, we awaken to the blessings of this morning, this day, this contends with marrying off three of his moment of sharing food together. daughters while anti-Semitic sentiment threatens his village. Garden State (2005/15) – A quietly BOOKS Breakfast at the Victory: The Mysticism of Ordinary Experience ~ James Carse troubled young man returns home for his Blessing: The Art and the Practice ~ Tells a number of tales about how to find mother's funeral after being estranged David Spangler – Using specific examples artistry and beauty in everyday life, and from his family for a decade. to inspire, a how-to on channeling our ponders the larger questions of Little Miss Sunshine (2006/15) – A family natural sense of compassion toward spirituality. Is this what mysticism means determined to get their daughter into the blessing with a kind word, a prayer or to a present-day person? finals of a beauty pageant take a cross- ritual, a gesture, an embrace, a gift. Family Blessings for Special Moments country trip in their VW bus. Blessing the World ~ Rebecca Ann Parker – Great and Small ~ Gale Prior – More than 127 Hours (2010/15) – An adventurous Encourages hope and a renewed 200 poignant and warmly humorous mountain climber becomes trapped under dedication to engaging in making the blessings, found and original, to bless all a boulder while canyoneering alone near world a blessed place that is open and families and occasions. Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate welcoming to all people. Learning To Fall: The Blessings Of An measures in order to survive. Blessings: Prayers and Dedications for a Imperfect Life ~ Philip Simmons Isle of Dogs (2018/PG) – The blessing of Heartful Life ~ Julia Cameron Philip Simmons was just thirty-five years friends and teamwork in this Wes Focuses on gratitude and recognizing the old in 1993 when he learned that he had Anderson stop motion animated film. power to change one's surrounding world ALS, and here chronicles his search for by changing one's thinking. The Color Purple (1985/15) – A black peace and his deepening relationship with Southern woman struggles to find her Gilead ~ Marilynne Robinson the mystery of everyday life. identity after suffering abuse from her A hymn of praise and lamentation from a Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations father and others over four decades. 1950s preacher man. with Frederick Buechner The Wrestler (2008/15) – A An acclaimed novelist, essayist, and faded professional wrestler preacher articulates what he sees with a must retire, but finds his freshness and clarity and energy that hails quest for a new life outside our stultified imaginations. the ring a dispiriting This month’s Non-Fiction Bookclub struggle. Read: My Grandfather's Blessings ~ Rachel Naomi Remen – “My grandfather was a man of many blessings…each is considered to be a moment of mindfulness – an acknowledgment that holiness has been met in the midst of ordinary life.”

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Plain and Simple: A Woman’s trying to square things with an unseen Journey to the Amish ~ Sue Bender overlord in the next.” – Inspiring true story of a harried https://tinyurl.com/asgrfpq urban Californian moved by the Pronounce a Silent Blessing ~ beauty of a display of quilts to seek Barbara Brown Taylor – “I think that out and live with the Amish. the best way to discover what The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple pronouncing blessings is all about is Practice That Will Transform You to pronounce a few….The more and Your World ~ Pierre Pradervand aware you become, the more Describes blessing as wishing the best blessings you will find…” for another person through seeing their https://tinyurl.com/yap7ph3c

individual worth and honoring them for Mixed Blessings ~ Fr. Richard Rohr it. Shows how blessings can reflect the The Paradox ~ Sarah Kay On the blessing of being where you’re “We are first of all a blessing, but unconditional love that is necessary for everyone knows we are also a mixed world - and inner - peace. supposed to be. https://tinyurl.com/yapafsud blessing.” https://tinyurl.com/yaw9acfb VIDEOS: Blessed are Those Who Work for Original Blessing ~ Fr. Richard Rohr Tribute to Richard Dawkins: We Are Revolutionary Love ~ Rev. David Miller “Yet another gift of Native and Celtic Going to Die https://tinyurl.com/yb6rnenr spirituality is their unashamed welcome https://tinyurl.com/ma7w524 of some kind of “original blessing” THE LGBTQ Alphabet instead of starting with a problem like The Best Gift I Ever Survived ~ Stacey In honor of Pride Month this video ‘original sin.’” Kramer (TED Talk) – How an unwanted celebrates the blessings of twenty-six https://tinyurl.com/y8a3tjq4 experience can turn out to also be a ways to share who you are and how you priceless blessing. love. https://tinyurl.com/yajboo65 Power of Blessing ~ Rachel Naomi https://tinyurl.com/yboj8mql Remen – We bless the life around us far PODCASTS: more than we realize. Nature, Beauty, Gratitude ~ Louie https://tinyurl.com/ycq2ndk3 Schwartzberg (TED talk) Meditation: Blessings of Love ~ Tara Nature’s beauty can be fleeting -- Brach – “What is a blessing? A blessing is Blessed Curses, Cursed Blessings ~ stunning time-lapse photography invites a reminder or homecoming into more Becky Brooks – “ ...we woke one us into a video meditation on being realness – more love. We’re blessed morning to find that someone had grateful for every day. when we remember...” broken into the garage. They took two https://tinyurl.com/l99bpno https://tinyurl.com/yapdofhr wool sweaters and half a tent. Someone was suffering a misfortune here, but it A New View of the Moon ~ Alex Gorosh This American Life: Go Ask Your Father wasn’t us.” https://tinyurl.com/y9dkuqfz A telescope out on the streets gives In this show, sons and daughters get to strangers an up-close look at the find out the one thing they've always Small Graces ~ Kent Neburn (blessed) moon. wanted to know about their father. The “Sometimes, it seems, we ask too much. https://vimeo.com/259818647 answers aren't always what they hope Sometimes we forget that the small for. https://tinyurl.com/ycwjtlf3 graces are enough.” https://tinyurl.com/y7okfnnj ARTICLES: Take in the Good ~ Rick Hansen CHALICE LIGHTING on BLESSING The Blessings of On overcoming our negativity bias so Atheism ~ Susan the blessings can stick. We Come to be Blessed ~ Faith Works Jacoby – “The atheist https://tinyurl.com/zw6kb6x We come today longing and looking blessing. is free to concentrate In our loneliness, may we find the blessing of on the fate of this connection. world…without In our doubt, may we feel the reassurance of a love that will not let us go. In the dullness of our senses, may the blessings of The Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough unexpected gifts be ours. Sunday Services @ 10am @ 775 Weller St In our fear, may the blessing of courage return. May this flame we now light remind us to look up and www.peterboroughunitarian.ca around one more time. [email protected] a May it help us notice the blessings that are always 705-741-0968 waiting for us when we need them most.