Embodied Beatitudes (A work in progress, inspired by Alice Walker)- Erin Geesaman Rabke

Blessed are those whose bellies are free – swelling with every breath and posturing for no one; they shall know ease in their own skin and sense the truth of things, both of which shall remain hidden to those who perform and posture and shrink themselves to please others.

Blessed are those who love the earth through their feet as they walk, through their pelvis as they sit, and through their full bodies as they lie down to rest: the love of life for life itself shall flow through them without hindrance, blessing their very cells as it nourishes all those near them.

Blessed are those who respect their breath like a mysterious wild animal and befriend it accordingly; not to fix or control or abuse, but maybe, with gentling and plenty of room to roam free, they shall ride together in beautiful ways through their moments and their hours; they shall never suffer domination and their wildness will bless them as it heals the world.

Blessed are those who love paradox; they shall never suffer the agony of the tight-minded righteous.

Blessed are those who welcome grief in themselves and others; they shall be intimate with the hearts of all beings, they shall laugh with vast joy, they shall trust the way of things. They shall know the necessity of compassion.

Blessed are those who offer praise every day; every hour of their lives will brim with beauty and even the darkest days will be rich in gifts.

Blessed are the generous; they shall know the richness of life in simple moments, forever hidden from those whose nature it is to hoard.

 Blessed are those who live fully embodied; they shall liberate oppression inside and out and shall die free of the regret of having missed their lives.

Blessed are those who can find ease in stillness; true clarity will be theirs and their wisdom shall aid those who gather about them. They shall not be swept away by even the greatest storms.

Blessed are those who know themselves to be as vast as space; they will grow the fortitude to bear the sufferings of life with wholeheartedness and their laughter will remain as joyful and contagious as a child’s. They will be a welcoming host where all kinds of beings and energies, within and without, are welcomed.

Blessed are those who befriend themselves thoroughly; the soft animal of their bodies shall be free; they shall end the wars within and shall never contribute to wars without.

Blessed are those who dare to be kind; what others call ugly shall be revealed to them as beautiful. Where others see waste dumps or weeds, buried treasure shall be revealed to them. All things and all parts of themselves shall be illuminated and nothing shall remain hidden. The riches of friendship shall be theirs.

Blessed are those who say “I don’t know” with mirth and humility; the pleasures of discovery will bless them all the days of their lives.

Blessed are those who unplug with intention; fine-tuned their senses shall become; nature will shine for them, and the tangible world of creation will shimmer evermore.

Blessed are those who strive to listen well; they shall be permeable to the truth of things; their empathy shall sustain them, and they shall never know loneliness even in deepest solitude.

Blessed are those who dare to break out of their cocoon; the freshness of life will court them and their gorgeous vulnerability will become their invincibility.

Blessed are those who become large; who are willingly stretched by gratitude and grief, who see ordinary moments as blessings, and who welcome enough sadness to make obvious the preciousness in all things. They shall become a tender domain where all beings may find rest and refuge.

Blessed are the good-humored – those who laugh with ease. They shall carry a potent solvent for even the hardest of situations. The twinkle in their eyes shall be a blessing.

Blessed are those who remember the future generations in their every action. Their lives shall be aimed as true as an arrow and be beautiful throughout time. They shall not suffer shortsighted self-importance. Their lives will be rich in blessings rippling out to other lives.

Blessed are those who love. For they shall be loved and shall be love. They shall carry the medicine the world needs.