You are the wind that breathes upon the sea,

You are the wave on the ocean,

You are the murmur of leaves rustling,

You are the rays of the sun,

You are the beam of the moon and the stars,

You are the power of trees growing,

You are the bud breaking into blossom,

You are the movement of the salmon swimming,

You are the courage of the wild boar fighting,

You are the speed of the stag running,

You are the strength of the ox pulling the plough,

You are the size of the mighty oak tree,

You are the thoughts of all people,

Who praise your beauty and grace.

Origin:

Adapted from a traditional Celtic devotion, from the fifth or sixth century. Celtic tradition is a blend of Druidic spirituality with pre-monastic and early monastic Christianity in Britain and Ireland, producing prayers that are at once mystical and intensely earthy.

Options:

• If you have an altar or a special place where you pray, keep images or artifacts of nature that speak of divinity to you. Add objects from the changing seasons as a reminder of God's indwelling in all things.

• This devotion is ideally suited for recitation on prayer beads, one line to a bead. Even better, say your beads in the great outdoors, adding your own lines of praise as you walk or reflect.

Frances Sheridan Goulart in God Has No Religion: Blending Traditions for Prayer