<\/p>\n
The Navajo (more correctly called the Dineh, meaning \u201cthe people\u201d) have a traditional prayer specifically associated with beauty.\u00a0 <\/span>It goes like this:<\/p>\n As I walk, as I walk<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The universe is walking with me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n In beauty it walks before me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n In beauty it walks behind me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n In beauty it walks below me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n In beauty it walks above me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Beauty is on every side<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n As I walk, I walk with Beauty.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Singer-songwriter, Jody Kessler, adapted a beautiful song to that prayer.\u00a0 <\/span>Her lyrics are as follows:<\/p>\n Beauty behind me, beauty before me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Beauty beneath me, beauty above<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Beauty beside me and all around me<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Beauty encircles me with love<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Are you aware of beauty in your life?\u00a0 <\/span>When you walk around outside, do you notice the beauty of the trees, the sky, the plants?\u00a0 <\/span>When you\u2019re inside, do you see beauty in art, in the faces of your loved ones or co-workers?\u00a0 <\/span>When it\u2019s night, do you feel the beauty of the moon and the stars?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you appreciate sunrises and sunsets and the beauty of twilight?\u00a0 <\/span>When there is a rainbow, do you stare at it for a long time in wonder?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you notice the butterflies in the summer and the song of the birds in the spring?\u00a0 Do you feel the majesty of approaching storms? <\/span>Do you exalt in the beauty of the oceans and the lakes and the rivers? Do you glory in the changing colors of fall?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you appreciate the beauty of a fire in the cooler months?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you love the crystalline beauty of the snow?<\/p>\n When you appreciate beauty, you are adding immeasurably to your Gratitude List.<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>When I pray with thanksgiving, I can go on and on about the animals and plants I\u2019m grateful for.\u00a0 <\/span>The world would be a much poorer place without the blessing of animals \u2013 both wild and domestic. \u00a0<\/span>I, for one, am so grateful for every deer, every fox, every wolf, whale, dog, cat, bat, and frog. Likewise, the world would be infinitely less beautiful without trees and flowers – the oaks, sycamore, maples, dogwood, pine; the daisies and violets, the sunflowers, roses, tulips and irises.\u00a0 <\/span>So much beauty\u2026.<\/p>\n When you take a walk, do you notice the colors and shades of the leaves?\u00a0 <\/span>The sun beaming through them?\u00a0 <\/span>The breeze dancing with them?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you notice the birds, the birdsong?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you find nests in the trees and feathers on the ground?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you notice the sky?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you watch the clouds?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you find yourself trying to describe the shade of blue you see or the colors in a sunset?\u00a0 <\/span>Do you talk with the dogs and children you see?\u00a0 <\/span>There really is so much beauty everywhere.<\/p>\n Where else do you see beauty?\u00a0 <\/span>How about in the laughter of children or the loving touch of a friend or relative or nurse? \u00a0<\/span>How about the antics of a puppy or kitten?\u00a0 <\/span>What about beauty in the courage of firefighters or the dedicated teachers who stay up late preparing lessons or grading papers?\u00a0 <\/span>What about beautiful music?<\/p>\n When I take the 4-hour bus ride from my home to the Denver airport, I am surrounded by beauty.\u00a0 <\/span>There is beauty in the tall majesty of the mountains, in the contours of the mountains, in the interplay of clouds and sun and land.\u00a0 <\/span>There is beauty in the changing sky.\u00a0 <\/span>There is beauty in the subtle colors of the land.\u00a0 <\/span>There is beauty in the groves of aspen, in the tall ponderosa, and in the ancient pinyon and juniper trees.\u00a0 <\/span>There is beauty in the magpies, in the pronghorn antelope, and the gentleness of the mule deer.<\/p>\n When I attend spiritual gatherings, I see the love of mothers for their young children.\u00a0 <\/span>I can see it in the way they hold them, in the way they touch them, and in the way they talk to them.\u00a0 <\/span>I am very moved by the physical and spiritual beauty of the mothers I see in my hometown.\u00a0 <\/span>I am grateful also for the affection I see people showing their pets and I\u2019m grateful for the people who are dedicated to growing organic food.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n There is so much beauty around us if we learn to look for it.<\/b><\/p>\n Beauty does indeed circle us with love. <\/b><\/p>\n I am so grateful for beauty.<\/b><\/p>\n Are you?<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Navajo (more correctly called the Dineh, meaning \u201cthe people\u201d) have a traditional prayer specifically associated with beauty.\u00a0 It goes like this: As I walk, as I walk The universe is walking with me In beauty it walks before me In beauty it walks behind me In beauty it walks below me In beauty it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":553,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57,442,3,235,440,2,443,439,41,416,437,441],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beauty","category-beauty-prayer","category-blessings","category-creator","category-dineh","category-gratitude","category-jody-kessler","category-navajo-prayer","category-prayer","category-spiritual-practices","category-thankfulness","category-traditional-navajo-prayer"],"yoast_head":"\n