When I get to know my couples that have chosen me to be their officiant, I ask the question, "What are your spiritual beliefs?" I certainly wouldn't want to include religious words if they do not relate and adversely, I wouldn't want to exclude God from their ceremony if they believe in God. My ceremonies are custom and unique to each couple. One of my clients asked for a prayer to Mother Earth. I had never heard one so I did some research. I couldn't find one that I liked so I pieced one together on my own. Here's how it turned out.
"Let us be grateful to our mother Earth as she keeps us turning to share with us the moon, the sun and the stars. May we honor and care for her always. Her rich soil, providing us with the most beautiful, tropical flowers, the plants that feed the millions of animal species on our planet, and the trees that shade us, build our homes and gift us fresh air to fill our lungs and our noses with sweet fragrance. Let us give gratitude to the air, the cool breeze on our skin and wind to carry the soaring birds through the sky. Let us appreciate water; quenching our thirst, the clouds, the lakes, the rivers, glaciers and the salty seas. The beauty and the power of the ocean waves and the millions of creatures that live beneath surface. Let us give gratitude to the sun, shining bright light and warmth through the skies, feeding our plants and our souls. Let us give thanks to the great sky who holds billions of stars and goes yet beyond that, beyond all powers and thoughts and yet is within us at all times."
As a teen and in my adulthood, I have developed an appreciation of our planet and all of the beauty, fearing it's ability to cause chaos, and the sheer magnificense. And so, I have made efforts to take care of the land that I walk on, the waters I swim in, the air that I breathe, trying to leave it better than I found it. But I had never prayed to Earth. I left the concrete jungle of Houston, Texas, USA to live in a more eco-friendly place and I have the jungles of CR growing roots on the soles of my feet and the beaches singing me to sleep at night. I feel at home here.
I absolutely loved putting this prayer together and feel more connected to the earth since doing so. I believe it is our duty to take care of the planet. We should be kind to the earth, it's animals, it's plants, and each other. Let's not take advantage of the planet we depend on or take her for granted. Let's send love to her every day.
