Hello dear friends,

Here is my “Prayer of the Muddy Bodhisattva” and poem to go with it.  I really believe that if we can look into our Shadow, both dark and golden, and embrace and love those parts of ourselves, then we can be so much happier, and bring much more clear and positive energy into the world.

The story of the red dove is that on my birthday, Sept. 29, I had a dream where the only image was a red dove walking towards me on the ground.  I knew that it had to do with some sort of soul energy, and the red had to do with not only passion and devotion, but with a certain amount of experience in the bloodiness of life.  Things are sometimes hard, and we sweat, and shed, blood.  A few days later I awoke with the knowledge that the red dove should lift off and fly, in my painting, and that’s just what I did.

 

PRAYER OF THIS MUDDY BODHISATTVA

[We do not know what effects our efforts really bring about.]

She looks within, creating her sacred space with her turquoise shawl,

creating her tent to pray in.

What good can this do?

She doesn’t know.  But she hopes.

She hopes that by being present to the darkness within

she will touch the shadow

and know it contains mud, brown mud,

glorious mud, the mud of creation.

The mud that nurtures roses,

The roses that unfold beauty,

The beauty that comes from unconditional compassion,

The compassion that burns from a sacred heart

willing to “suffer with.”

Can this compassion radiate outward?

She doesn’t know.  But she hopes.

Can it make a difference where

presence is needed,

witness is yearned for,

companionship is wanting?

Can it unfold around and  beyond her?

Moving in waves

amplified by other sacred hearts

to where its presence is of help?

She doesn’t know.  But she hopes.

The red dove from her night time dream emerges.

Embodied passion, Incarnated Love rises from her flaming heart.

Fly, my red dove, fly!

She knows it has gone forth.

Still, she stays still, she stays to it,

Looking within, loving the mud.

Can this be of any help?

She doesn’t know.  But she hopes.

 

With love,

Cat