Ode to Air

Give me the Power of Air. Give me the Energy of Air. Give me the Spirit of Air.

Give thanks for the air that we breathe, the air that surrounds and connects us, the air that ignites and inspires us, that feeds our fire and gives us life.

Give thanks for the air that is spirit, the air we breathe into our thoughts, the air that awakens our memories and dreams, the air that is the void out of which existence manifests.

Give thanks for air, for spirit, for mental clarity, peace and tranquility, the thoughts we think with God.

Give thanks for the air that propels our communication, carrying our words carefully to the people in our lives.

Give thanks for air and all we take into our lives, and all we breathe out, the moment between the past and the future, the invisible substance without which we would not be visible.

Give thanks for the air that God breathes into our bodies each morning, our souls returning from wandering, floating on air back home.

Give me the Power, the Energy, and the Spirit of Air. Give thanks for air.

Bob Mandel, 23 September 2011

Ode to Fire

Give me the Power of Fire. Give me the Energy of Fire. Give me the Spirit of Fire.

Give thanks for fire — fire which burns with desire in our hearts and enthusiasm in our minds, the fire of courage and conviction, the energy of transformation, the fire that swallows air, dematerializes fuel, generates heat, and whose fingers reach for the sky.

Give thanks for the fire that moves in all directions, the fire that warms us when we are cold, the fire that turns the past into ash, forgiving all, and like the phoenix arises from ash for rebirth and regeneration.

Give thanks for the fire that ignites our life force, the fire that air breathes into, the fire of our future, the power of manifestation, the burning desire of creation, the fire of life.

Give thanks for fire, the furnace of our dreams and the energy that drives our vision into manifestation and propels our highest thoughts onto universal benefits, and the fire that heats the planet and warms the soul of humanity.

Give thanks for the fire that lives in the belly of the Earth, the volcanoes that remind us our planet is alive.

Give me the Power, the Energy, and the Spirit of Fire. Give thanks for fire.

Bob Mandel, 23 September 2011

Ode to Water

Give me the Power of Water. Give me the Energy of Water. Give me the Spirit of Water.

Give thanks for all the water, the seven seas and all the rivers and streams, lakes and ponds; the water that falls from heaven to earth and the water that falls from our eyes; the water that cleans us, cools us, and purifies the earth, the water that connects all the continents and islands of the planet.

Give thanks for the water that is 70% of our bodies, the water we come from, the water where life began at the beginning of time, the water that carries us in our mothers before we are born, the water that circulates all of life from the blood inside of us to the streams and rivers that feed us with fish.

Give thanks for the water that is the ebb and flow of life, the water of baptism, the cascading emotions that shower us, the waterfall of love that overwhelms us, and the glorious hot springs that magically bubble out of the earth, giggling and gurgling.

Give thanks for the water of life without which we would be stagnant, arid, and lifeless. Give thanks for the water we are and are becoming as we float on the current of life from here to the great unknown sea of eternal life.

Give me the Power, the Energy, and the Spirit of Water. Give thanks for water.

Bob Mandel, 23 September 2011

Ode to Earth

Give me the Power of Earth. Give me the Energy of Earth. Give me the Spirit of Earth.

Give thanks for the earth that supports us, the earth we can stand on and walk on and run on; the earth from which trees and flowers grow, providing the food to nourish and sustain us; the earth that carries treasures, gold and silver, granite and nickel, copper and coal.

Give thanks for the Earth that is our little planet spinning in space, Mother Nature, the grand matriarch of the family of man, the habitat that grounds us and centers us, the material world where spirit unfolds in grace and beauty; Earth — the sandcastles we build as children on the beach, the bridges and skyscrapers we construct as architects and engineers.

Give thanks for the environment that delicately supports all life, the eco-system that nurtures such amazing diversity, where life evolves into new forms and where we can climb the highest mountains and, lo and behold, observe the wonder and awe of this miraculous planet, spanning to distant horizons and inviting us to explore.

Give thanks for the abundance and prosperity of Earth, the infinite richness God gave us in His Kingdom of heaven on earth.

Give me the Power, the Energy, and the Spirit of Earth. Give thanks for earth.

Bob Mandel, 23 September 2011