The Sacred Seven Prayer
by Noel Knockwood, Canadian MicMac Elder
revised by Carol Weelborg Sasich
O Great Spirit, who art before all else and who dwells in every object, in every person and in every place, we cry unto Thee, we summon Thee from the far places in our present awareness.
O Great Spirit of the North, who gives wings to the waters of the air and rolls the thick snowstorm before thee, who covers the earth with a sparkling crystal carpet, above whose deep tranquility every sound is beautiful, temper us with strength to withstand the biting blizzard, yet make us thankful for the beauty which follows and lies deep over the warm earth in its wake.
O Great Spirit of the East, the land of the rising Sun, who holds in your right hand the years of our lives and in your left hand the opprotunities of each day, brace us that we may not neglect our gifts nor lose in laziness the hopes of each day and years.
O Great Spirit of the South, whose warm breath of compassion melts the ice that gathers round our hearts, whose fragrance speaks of distant spring and summer days, dissolve our fears, melt our haterds, kindles our love into flames of true and living realities. Teach us that one who is truly strong is also kind, one who is wise tempers justice with mercy, one who is truly brave matches courage with compasssion.
O Great Spirit of the West, the land of the setting sun, with your soaring mountains and wide free rolling prairies, Bless us with knowledge of the peace which follows purity of striving and the freedom which follows like a flowing robe in the wind, the well disciplined life. Teach us that the end is better than the beginning and that the setting sun glows not in vain.
O Great Spirit of the Heavens, in the days infinte blue and amid the countless stars of the night season, remind us that you are beautiful, vast and majestic beyond all our knowing or telling, but also that you are not further from us than the tilting upwards of our heads, the lifting of our eyes.
O Great Spirit of the Earth beneath our feet, mistress of metals, germinator of seeds and storer of earth's unreckoned resources, help us to give thanks unceasingly for your present bounty.
O Great Spirit of my Soul, burning in our own hearts, yearning and our innermost aspirings, speak to us now and always that we may be aware of the greatness and goodness of your gift of life and be worthy of the priceless priveledge of living. . .