This is a spiritual practice in two parts – a contemplative liturgy followed by a form of walking meditation. It is a prayer of approach, a procession of thanks, meant to lead one to the place of their resurrection. In the depths of the woods or the vast prairie sky we rediscover pieces of ourselves we lost along the way. Fully embracing the wisdom of our animal nature, we remember our angelic nature as well. Following in the ancient tradition of theoria physike, Eriugena describes the way our physical senses lift us up into participation with the angelic realms.
“This world… is the first stage for those who wish to ascend through the senses to the knowledge of truth, for the different kinds of visible things draw the contemplative soul on to the knowledge of invisible things.” (Trans by Davies)
The chants listed below can be found in my book Psalter of the Birds, which includes simple instructions for chanting that anyone can do. You can purchase a copy by clicking HERE. Whenever you see the symbol ✠ make the sign of the cross.
Opening Liturgy
Introit: Happy are those whose path is innocent, who walk in the love of the Lord. Happy are those who walk humbly with their God, doing justice and loving mercy. Happy are those who keep her laws, who seek her with their whole heart. In the name of the Mother, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ✠ As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen ✠
Opening Prayer: Holy Spirit, lead me on the paths of righteousness, guiding me step by step to the place of my resurrection. Fill me with the joy of salvation, lifting me from darkness into light, restoring my soul. Help me to join the song of creation, singing God’s praise with the waves of the sea, clapping my hands in harmony with the trees. Every creature made by God proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ, manifesting his blessing with melodies so subtle they cannot be heard by human ears.
In humility, with the help of the Spirit, I address the living beings who call this wilderness home, every bird, flower, tree, and stone, thanking God for the remembrance of your wisdom. Lifting up joyful prayers on your behalf, I welcome each of you into my heart and mind, giving thanks for your partnership in God’s grace, from the beginning of time until the end. The one who, in six days, created us together, looking upon us and calling us good, beckons us into friendship with one another. Teach me, therefore, the ways of the gospel, that I may proclaim the good news of Christ’s resurrection, in chorus with the four corners of the earth.
Chant #1
Litany of Homecoming (Use this as a breath prayer, breathing in and out with the alternating lines)
I am awake as I breathe all the way in
I am calm as I breathe all the way out
I am awake as I breathe all the way in
I am calm as I breathe all the way out
I am awake as I breathe all the way in
I am calm as I breathe all the way out
I come home to my body
I love to be in my body
I love to be in my body
Because my body is very beautiful
When I come home to my body
I come home to myself
I remember my in-breath
I remember my out-breath
I remember my in-breath
I remember my out-breath
I remember my in-breath
I remember my out-breath
Nature's medicine is in my body
I feel it flowing through me
Nature's wisdom is in my body
I feel it flowing through me
Nature's peace is in my body
I feel it flowing through me
Chant #51
Scripture Reading: Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that a flood of waters may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? Who has the wisdom to number the clouds? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens when the dust runs into a mass and the clods cling together? Can you hunt the prey for the lion or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their covert? Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God and wander about for lack of food? (Job 38:31-41 NRSVUE)
Chant #78
Doxology: Jesus said to his disciples, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would shout out.” ✠ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ✠
Thanksgiving Procession
Go for a walk in the woods, along the seashore, or across a wide open meadow. As you go along your way, use your outer senses to draw your spirit into the mystery of God’s creation. Notice what you see, smell, hear, touch, and taste. Look attentively at what is close around you, then turn your eyes towards the distant horizon. Take a deep breath, savouring the unique aroma of each season, stopping to smell every flower. Notice the feeling of the solid earth under your feet, gently caressing the shrubs and ferns with your fingers as you pass by them. Hear the music of the rustling leaves and the crashing waves. Bring a bottle of water to taste, or do some wildcrafting if you know how.
Allow your inner senses to join your outer senses in knowing the hidden beauty of every creature, putting on the same mind that is in the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. See the colours, shapes, and textures of the trees with your outer senses. See the light of Christ radiating from their nature with your inner senses. As you acknowledge each of God’s creatures with your outer senses, smile at them and speak to them saying, “thank you oak tree,” “thank you wind,” or “thank you sun.” Open the hidden wealth of your nature, pouring your spirit into the circle of life, touching every creature of the forest, returning once again to the home of your heart.
If you come across a holy place, where the veil between heaven and earth feels thin, stop there to pray, remaining in silent adoration. Remember you are no different from the trees – a mortal creature remembering the glory of God. Contemplate the vastness of the cosmos, marvelling at the wonder of God’s handiwork. Who can tell the ages of the moon? Who knows the place where the sun rests? The sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity—who can count them? Who gave the birds their wisdom? Who provides for the raven’s hunt, when her young ones cry to God and wander about in hunger? In the sacrament of the present moment, be still and know the mind of Christ.
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