The Invitation - A Native American Prayer

What a gift I stumbled upon today. I was organizing some papers when I re-discovered this beautiful Native American prayer, The Invitation, adapted by Elder Oriah Mountain Dreamer. I had included the prayer in an interfaith chapel service I led at Swedish Medical Center several years ago while I trained and worked there as a pastoral counselor.

May you accept the invitation of this prayer, drink in the challenge of the words, listen closely as you deepen your relationship with yourself, hearing the truth of who you are, noticing what's working, and noticing where you might choose differently.

As a suggestion, you could follow your reading of this prayer with time for quiet reflection or journaling. You might also offer this invitation to someone special in your life. What a fabulous conversation you could have!

The Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living, how old you are, or how much money you have, whom you know, or how you came to be here.

I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.