As I was contemplating beauty, I remembered the Navajo prayer about “walking the way of beauty”.
At the heart of the Navajo Way is the concept of harmony; seeing the natural state of the universe as having harmony, balance and equilibrium. This concept is often translated as ‘Beauty’ in English. The Navaho believe that well-being comes from being in harmony – being in right relationship, knowing yourself, knowing your purpose, following your heart and living in harmony with yourself, your culture and your surroundings.
Healing, wholeness and joy come when we are fully walking in this beautiful balance. When things are out of alignment, when illness or problems arise, there is an underlying disharmony that must be put right.
I have collected many versions of this lovely prayer, which is used as a chant in healing ceremonies. I share two here with you:
In beauty I walk
With beauty before me I walk
With beauty behind me I walk
With beauty above me I walk
With beauty around me I walk
It has become beauty again
It has become beauty again
In Beauty may I walk.
All day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk.
With dew about my feet may I walk.
With Beauty may I walk.
With Beauty before me, may I walk.
With Beauty behind me, may I walk.
With Beauty above me, may I walk.
With Beauty below me, may I walk.
With Beauty all around me, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of Beauty,
lively , may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of Beauty,
living again, may I walk.
It is finished in Beauty.
It is finished in Beauty.
May you walk in harmony and may your life be filled with beauty.
Copyright 2008, Deb Swingholm. All rights reserved.
Tags: equilibrium, navajo prayer, wholeness
