Say a Little Prayer For....The Gulf

From 1981 to 1986 I spent my summers with my eldest brother and sister in law on “The Beach.”

The Beach, was, of course, Point Bolivar; more specifically, a narrow strip of sand not far from Rollover Pass, A deeply cut gorge that divides a narrow strip of land between the gulf and Galveston bay.

Even though I haven’t been back in ages, I still feel very connected to it. I know the land, the wonderful people who inhabit that area, and the wildlife that makes the ocean and the bay and the marshes beyond their homes. And even though it’s tempting to turn this blog into a 200 megaton rant against BP, I won’t.

Why the hell not? Shouldn’t I be justified in my anger? I mean, after all. . ..







No, because justifiable anger is like justifiable homicide. No matter how substantial my ire is, it still causes harm.



And in the case of my outrage, it would do very little good. At this point all I could do is sit and weep, which isn’t helpful to anyone.

Besides, nobody wants to see me blow my nose on my sleeve.

So, what is there to do? I could go down and assist with the cleanup, but since I have chronic asthma, going anywhere near the gulf at this time would be a cataclysmically bad idea.

However, there are ways, constructive ways to transform my anger into something helpful, something meaningful, and something that can benefit everyone. You could donate to the Audubon Society,How you can volunteer to clean up the gulf coast


Or, you could use this as a precious opportunity to practice the Dharma.

How, you may ask?



I do two things:



1. I harness those angry feelings and put them it onto the path. I do this by taking the outrage I and everyone else is feeling and transform it into gifts of peace, health, and wealth for all.



2. I perform a slightly modified version of transference of consciousness prayer that my Lama taught me. It’s small prayer, true, but when said, it packs quite a karmic punch. It’s quick, easy to say, and can be said several times a day. It goes like this.

“May all beings who have perished due to the oil spill

Receive immediate and auspicious Potala rebirth

Without any rebirths intervening

And once there accomplish full Enlightment

for the sake of all beings

Om mani padme hum”

Imagine the strength and power this little prayer will produce when several hundred people say it several times a day, every day.

May you benefit,

May all the beings in the Gulf benefit

Om mani padme hum





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