[Beautiful meditation that we read in London, for our Earth Day retreat, by Pierre Pradervand]

The incredible beauty of nature defies the wildest imagination. From the perfection of a tiny alpine flower no one will ever even see to the splendor of a star-studded summer’s night, through the intricate beauty of a seashell to the breathtaking harmony of a spider’s web, all this grandiose symphony has been laid out for our pure enjoyment.

Mistress of the universe, we bless You for the incredible perfection and splendor of the spectacle You have created for our constant rejoicing.

For the sheer miracle of a substance as mysterious and omnipresent as water to the rugged beauty of a mountain range, for the amazing functioning of living creatures and systems of all sorts that challenge our deepest knowledge to the constantly renewed abundance of Your goodness expressed in the produce of the earth and seas, including the unbelievable variety and wisdom of the animal kingdom we have barely begun to grasp, we bless You.
In front of the utter perfection and symmetry of every single flower, seashell, plant, crystalline rock, we stand in awe and bless You. For the century-old sequoia or oak trees in their majesty which sprang from a tiny grain or acorn to the rolling of the galaxies, for the magic of microbes and all other microorganisms to the silent communication systems between plants and between animals and plants, we bless the incredible Intelligence that runs this phenomenal show called the universe and fall on our knees in utter awe.

Thank You, thank You, thank You for including us for our sheer enjoyment in this grandiose spectacle, the reason of which is beyond anything we could ever imagine.

And finally, may we be reminded that we are not spectators, but actors in this happening which is simply Your Boundless Love expressing Itself out of sheer joy. Daily we are Your dance of delight, Your pure goodness in ecstatic motion, Your holy choir.