Thursday Thirteen

1. Refuse to fall down.
   If you cannot refuse to fall down,
   refuse to stay down.
   If you cannot refuse to stay down
   lift your heart toward heaven
   and like a hungry beggar,
   ask that it be filled,
   and it will be filled.
   You may be pushed down.
   You may be kept from rising.
   But no one can keep you
   from lifting your heart
   toward heaven —
   only you.
   It is in the midst of misery
   that so much becomes clear.
   The one who says nothing good
   came of this,
   is not yet listening.

   (refuse to fall down - Clarissa Pinkola Estés)

2.  In the house made of dawn.
    In the story made of dawn.
    On the trail of dawn.
    O, Talking God.
    His feet, my feet, restore.
    His limbs, my limbs, restore.
    His body, my body, restore.
    His voice, my voice, restore.
    His plumes, my plumes, restore.
    With beauty before him, with beauty before me.
    With beauty behind him, with beauty behind me.
    With beauty above him, with beauty above me.
    With beauty below him, with beauty below me.
    With beauty around him, with beauty around me.
    With pollen beautiful in his voice,
    with pollen beautiful in my voice.
    It is finished in beauty.
    It is finished in beauty.
    In the house of evening light.
    From the story made of evening light.
    On the trail of evening light.
 
    (American Indian - Navajo)

3. I am a shooting star woman, says
   I am a shooting star woman, says
   I am a whirling woman of colors, says
   I am a whirling woman of colors, says
   I am a clean woman, says
   I am a clean woman, says
   I am a woman who whistles, says
   I am a woman who looks into the insides of things, says
   I am a woman who investigates, says
   I am a woman wise in medicine, says
   I am a mother woman, says
   Holy Father, says
   I am a woman wise in medicine, says
   I bring my lord eagle, says
   I bring my opossum, says
   I bring my lord eagle, says
   I bring my whirlwind of colors, says
   Father in heaven, says
   Saint Christ, says
   Father scribe, says
   I am a spirit woman, says
   I am a woman of light, says
   I am a woman of the day, says
   I am a Book woman, says
   Holy Father, says
   I am a saint woman, says
   I am a spirit woman, says
   I am a woman who looks into the insides of things, says
   I am a whirling woman of colors, says
   Holy Father, says
   With the saint, says
   With the saintess, says
   Holy Mother, says
   I am a spirit woman, says
   I am a saint woman, says
   I am a Lord eagle woman, says
 
(Mesoamerican Indian - Mazatec - Maria Sabina - 1956)


4. I am of the nature to grow old.
   There is no way to escape growing old.
   I am of the nature to have ill-health.
   There is no way to escape having ill-health.
   I am of the nature to die.
   There is no way to escape death.
   All that is dear to me and everyone I love
   are of the nature to change.
   There is no way to escape being separated from them.
   My actions are my only true belongings.
   I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
   My actions are the ground on which I stand.
 
   (Buddha)

5.  PROMISE YOURSELF
    To be so strong that nothing
    can disturb your peace of mind.
    To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
    to every person you meet.
    To make all your friends feel
    that there is something in them.
    To look at the sunny side of everything
    and make your optimism come true.
    To think only the best, to work only for the best,
    and to expect only the best.
    To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
    as you are about your own.
    To forget the mistakes of the past
    and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
    To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
    and give every living creature you meet a smile.
    To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
    that you have no time to criticize others.
    To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for  fear,
    and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
    To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
    not in loud words but great deeds.
    To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
    so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
 
    (The optimist Creed - Christian D. Larson - 1912)

6. I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
   And what I assume you shall assume,
   For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
   I loafe and invite my soul,
   I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
   My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air,
   Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
   I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
   Hoping to cease not till death.
   Creeds and schools in abeyance,
   Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
   I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
   Nature without check with original energy.
 
   (Verse 1 - Song of Myself - Walt Whitman)

7.  May the whole world enjoy
    good health,
    long life,
    prosperity,
    happiness and peace.
    Om, shanti, shanti, shanti.
 
    (Kundalini yoga master - vethathiri maharishi)

8.  Deep peace I breathe into you, O weariness, here:
    O ache, here!
    Deep peace, a soft white dove to You;
    Deep peace, a quiet rain to you;
    Deep peace, an ebbing wave to you!
    Deep peace, red wind of the east from you;
    Deep peace, grey wind of the west to You;
    Deep peace, dark wind of the north from you;
    Deep peace, blue wind of the south to you!
    Deep peace, pure red of the flame to you;
    Deep peace, pure white of the moon to you;
    Deep peace, pure green of the grass to you;
    Deep peace, pure brown of the earth to you;
    Deep peace, pure grey of the dew to you,
    Deep peace, pure blue of the sky to you!
    Deep peace of the running wave to you,
    Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
    Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
    Deep peace of the sleeping stones to you!
    Deep peace of the Yellow Shepherd to you,
    Deep peace of the Wandering Shepherdess to you,
    Deep peace of the Flock of Stars to you,
    Deep peace from the Son of Peace to you,
    Deep peace from the heart of Mary to you,
    And from Briget of the Mantle
    Deep peace, deep peace!
    And with the kindness too of the Haughty Father
    Peace!
    In the name of the Three who are One,
    Peace!
    And by the will of the King of the Elements,
    Peace! Peace!
 
     (The Dominion of Dreams: Under a Dark Star - Fiona MaCleod - 1895)

9.  From the blossoming lotus of devotion, at the centre of my heart,
    Rise up, O compassionate master, my only refuge!
    I am plagued by past actions and turbulent emotions:
    To protect me in my misfortune
    Remain as the jewel-ornament on the crown of my head, the mandala of great bliss,
    Arousing all my mindfulness and awareness, I pray!
 
   (prayer to invoke the presence of the master - jikmé lingpa)

10. I am the Soul.
    I am the Light Divine.
    I am Love.
    I am Will.
    I am Fixed Design.
 
    (Invocation of the Soul - Alice Bailey)

11.  Lady, weave your web of change
     Bring the world to peace again
     Let us all be kin together
     So Mote It Be
 
     (Rite of Peace For All - Rowan Fairgrove)

12. Our old women gods, we ask you!
    Our old women gods, we ask you!
    Then give us long life together,
    May we live until our frosted hair is white;
    May we live till then.
    This life that now we know!
 
    (American Indian - Tewa)

13. When I despair,
    I remember that all through history
    the ways of truth and love have always won.
    There have been tyrants, and murderers,
    and for a time they can seem invincible,
    but in the end they always fall.
    Think of it - always.
 
    (Mahatma Gandhi - early 20th century)\


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 353rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.