Prayer for the Great Family

Gratitude to Mother Earth, sailing through night and day—
       and to her soil: rich, rare and sweet
                            in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Plants, the sun-facing, light-changing leaf
       and fine root-hairs; standing still through wind
       and rain; their dance is in the flowering spiral grain
                            in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Air, bearing the soaring Swift and silent
       Owl at dawn. Breath of our song
       clear spirit breeze
                            in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Wild Beings, our brothers, teaching secrets,
       freedoms, and ways; who share with us their milk;
       self-complete, brave and aware
                            in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Water: clouds, lakes, rivers, glaciers;
       holding or releasing; streaming through all
       our bodies salty seas
                            in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to the Sun: blinding pulsing light through
       trunks of trees, through mists, warming caves where
       bears and snakes sleep— he who wakes us—
                            in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to the Great Sky
       who holds billions of stars— and goes yet beyond that—
       beyond all powers, and thoughts
       and yet is within us—
       Grandfather Space.
       The Mind is his Wife.
                            so be it.

                                                       after a Mohawk prayer

Gary Snyder, Turtle Island