Healing through Compassion
July Waning Moon 2009
By Tammy
Needed: Red roses (enough for all participants), cauldron, white flowers, light blue candle, pink candle
Space Cleansing (preparing the space): singing bowl, broom sweep
In today’s world, social isolation has become the norm. How often have we all felt like we were alone even though we are in a room full of people? We are so used to this feeling, particularly as pagans in a world where we don’t exactly “fit in” that we often take isolation for granted. We are used to having to forge our own way through life because we haven’t always had the support we needed from those around us.
Isolation can hurt us. It can sap our energy and hold us back. The worst part, perhaps, is that it can keep us from reaching out to others. Based on past experience, we may feel like people won’t understand us and not like us. Worse yet, we may even feel that on some level we are unlikable because we have found it difficult in this world to find people to relate to on a quality level. A natural response to this hurt is to turn inward and shut people out. Once isolated, it is easy to blame others for aloneness, and it is also easy to blame ourselves for not knowing what to do about it. Hurt can perpetuate itself in this way continually reinforcing itself over and over again.
Fortunately we are able to free ourselves of this burden through compassion and love. This freedom is our goal tonight. We will look to Kwan Yin, Chinese Goddess of Compassion, to guide us and to lend us her strength to find these powers within ourselves.
Kwan Yin is honored in Buddhism as a bodhisattva, an enlightened being who is destined to become a Buddha but has foregone the bliss of Nirvana with a vow to save all beings. With KwanYin, there is a recognition that all beings are made up of a universal spirit, that we are all one, and so if there is healing that needs to take place between beings anywhere, she will be there to assist in that healing so that we can all grow closer to what Buddhists view as Nirvana, and to what we as Wiccans would view as closer to the Goddess, or to some as simply as growing toward a universal peace. Kwan Yin, as the embodiment of compassion and loving kindness, will help us to heal our hurt, rid us of our fears and doubts, and reach out to others with sincerity and confidence.
Circle Casting (Lady Annabelle)
Calling the Quarters
East – get an apprentice volunteer
South – Jen
West – Steve
North – Karen
Calling the Goddess (Tammy) – Call Kwan Yin
Calling the God
Rose Ritual
Hand out red roses to everyone.
Thank the roses for their use in this ritual.
As you hold this rose, think about various times in your life that you have withdrawn into yourself because you were hurt. Don’t spend too much time thinking about how it felt but rather what actually happened. Don’t stay with any one situation for long. With each situation you think of, remove a rose petal and place it gently in front of you. As you do this, have compassion for yourself and with each petal you place in front of you, think about what you gained or learned from the situation. Imagine letting go of any hurt that may be linking you energetically with the situations you are thinking about and inviting in lightness and joy to take its place.
Fill cauldron in center of circle with water and dedicate to Kwan Yin. Light pink and light blue candles on either side of the cauldron.
When ready, take your pile of rose petals and place it in the middle of our circle.
Reciting the Dhurani of Great Compassion to Kwan Yin
We will recite the Dhurani of Great Commpassion, a buddhist chant to Kwan Yin, to raise energy and to invoke the compassionate spirit and power of Kwan Yin, so that we may spread her compassion outward.
Recite the short mantra as practice (5 times)
Na Mo Kwan Yin Boddhisattva.
Great Compassion Mantra (Da Bei Zhou)
1. na mo ho la da nu do la ye ye,
2. na mo o li ye,
3. po lu je di sho bo la ye,
4. pu ti sa do po ye,
5. mo ho sa do po ye,
6. mo ho jia lu ni jia ye,
7. an,
8. sa bo la fa yi,
9. su da nu da sia,
10. na mo si ji li do yi mung o li ye,
11. po lu ji di, sho fo la ling to po,
12. na mo nu la jin cho,
13. si li mo ho po do sha me,
14. sa po wo to do shu pung,
15. wo si yun,
16. sa po sa do na mo po sa do na mo po che,
17. mo fa to do,
18. da dzo to,
19. an, o po lu si,
20. lu jia di,
21. jia lo di,
22. i si li,
23. mo ho pu ti sa do,
24. sa po sa po,
25. mo la mo la,
26. mo si mo si li to yun,
27. ji lu ju lu, jie mong,
28. du lu du lu fa she ye di,
29. mo ho fa she ye di,
30. to la to la,
31. di li ni,
32. shi fo la ye,
33. zhe la zhe la,
34. mo mo, fa mo la,
35. mu di li,
36. yi si yi si,
37. shi nu shi nu,
38. o la son, fo la so li,
39. fa sha fa son,
40. fo la she ye,
41. hu lu hu lu mo la,
42. hu lu hu lu si li,
43. so la so la,
44. si li si li,
45. su lu su lu,
46. pu ti ye, pu ti ye,
47. pu to ye, pu to ye,
48. mi di li ye,
49. nu la jin cho,
50. di li so ni nu,
51. po ye mo nu,
52. so po ho,
53. si to ye,
54. so po ho,
55. mo ho si to ye,
56. so po ho,
57. si to yu yi,
58. shi bo la ye,
59. so po ho,
60. no la jin cho,
61. so po ho,
62. mo la nu la,
63. so po ho,
64. si la son o mo chi ye,
65. so po ho,
66. so po mo ho o si to ye,
67. so po ho,
68. zhe ji la o xi to ye,
69. so po ho,
70. bo fo mo jie si to ye,
71. so po ho,
72. nu la jin cho bo che la ye,
73. so po ho,
74. mo po li song ji la ye,
75. so po ho,
76. na mo ho la ta nu do la ye ye,
77. na mo o li ye,
78. po lu ji di,
79. sho bo la ye,
80. so po ho,
81. an si den,
82. man do la,
83, ba to ye,
84. so po ho.
Grounding
All share the experience (if desired).
Cakes and Ale
Release
All go outside, stand in a circle, run around circle 3 times, and throw our roses up in the air.
Gifts
Pass out white flowers to all.
Devoking the Quarters
Circle Opening Song