The biblical concept of blessing has many nuances: to make holy or sacred, to ask God’s favor for, to commend to God’s favor or protection, to wish good for; to feel grateful to, to make happy or fortunate, to praise, to glorify, to call holy.
To bless another is to see them as holy and their life as sacred. It is what God did for us at our creation. Each of us was made in the image of God and God saw that it was good and holy and that our life was sacred. By our blessing one another we recognize the existence of God and we become aware of who God is for us; that God had an attitude of love, grace, and mercy toward each person from before the beginning of time. Thus blessing from or for another must come from an attitude of love and appreciation for that person. But blessing begins in the mind of God…and God gives “all blessings” to us (Eph. 1:3).
There are many creative and meaningful ways in which the blessings in the books Blessing upon Blessing and Silver Linings can be shared and given. These are some of the ideas that have come from some of the books users that they now pass on to all. If you have discovered other ways to use the blessings, please post them here on the blog.
The Spirituality Network spiritnetwk@hotmail.com is exploring ways to make additional formats available.
- Blessing tree. Find a tree branch in nature and mount it in sand or other solid material so that it stands straight to make a small tree. Print individual blessings on strips of paper, on leaves or other shapes of your choice and hang them on the branches of the tree. This can be left in the lobby of a hospital, in a retreat center or church gathering space, etc. where folks passing through may choose blessings for themselves or for one another.
- Blessing mail. One director of a rural retreat center left individual blessings in the free standing mailbox in front of the building. Passers by would stop and choose blessings each day. The director reported that she observed that each day one of the neighboring farmers stopped by, dismounted his tractor, chose a blessing for the day and then rode off.
- Blessing baskets. One pastoral minister designed blessing baskets that were distributed to shut-ins in the parish so that they might be blessed each day
- Blessing vases. One church, during their parish mission/revival left blessing in vases at the doors of the church. People chose their blessings as they left the church
- Blessing of the Imago Dei. Invite participants to bring a mirror to the session or have mirrors for them at the session. Ask them to hold the mirror in their hands and notice and reverence their image (the imago dei) in the mirror. Invite them to journal about the experience. Then, choose a shadow blessing and read it silently. Invite them to journal about the blessing. What one word, phrase and image stands out to them as they read the blessing? Invite them to look into the mirror again, and speak that word, phrase or read the full blessing to themselves. Invite them to a period of reflection. How able are you to receive the blessing that you have chosen? What are the awarenesses that arise? How does this inform your journey? Share your experience with the person to the left of you.
- Write a love letter to God. Read the blessing that you have chosen through several times. Notice what gets stirred in and awakened in you. Journal your experience each time you read through the blessing. Notice the prayer pattern that is forming as you read, contemplate and write with the blessing. (Is this a prayer of penitence, petition, thanks, praise, longing, etc?) Notice what calls from your heart to be expressed to God. Write God a love letter. Seal the love letter, address it to yourself, and mail it back to yourself. Open it in a month and notice how God has responded to your prayer. In what way have you been blessed?
- Storytelling with blessing. You will need copies of blessings, journal or paper for each person. Gift the participant with a blessing ahead of the session. Ask them to contemplate the blessing every day for a week. Invite them to journal their experience with the blessing. How did they see this blessing emerge in their daily life? Whom did the Spirit bring to companion them in the blessing time? What stories were written as they embodied the blessing and carried it within their hearts? Invite the participant to share their story in the group. When the whole group has shared, invite a weaving of the stories that have come forth from the exercise and the experience. What are the common threads? What is the larger story being brought to light for the group as you contemplate the whole of the experience?
Blessing flowers. At a celebration for an anniversary or religious profession (or for any celebration) blessings were printed on colorful strips and each one was individually bent over to form a flower petal and attached to a flower center which decorated the walls of the celebration space. Guests were invited to pick the petals and bless themselves and one another in the course of the celebration.
Blessing corners. One church pastor created a blessing corner in his church, (or it could be home or other gathering space) a quiet space with a chair, candles etc. along with the available blessings in whatever form chosen. People were invited to sit quietly, bless themselves and pray.
