July | August 2014 Ritual: Hand in Hand

By Diann L. Neu

Summer hands have a freedom of their own. Look at your hands. Clasp them together. Through the centuries, the creative and healing power of the Divine has been represented through gestures of the human hand.

Bless Your Hands

Think of the lives your hands have touched and the incredible work you have done.

Blessed be these hands, when they nurture creativity and cradle new life.Blessed be these hands, when they care for Earth, recycle, and grow gardens.

Bless Your Friends’ Hands

Remember the many ways you and your friends join hands together.

Blessed be these hands, when they embrace with love, respect, and dignity.

Blessed be these hands, when they comfort a loved one living with pain-filled uncertainties.

Bless the Hands of Justice

Think of those whose hands bring about change.

Blessed be these hands, when they stop violence and bring about social change.

Blessed be these hands, when they care for the aged, the infirm, the lonely, the desperate.

Take Action with Your Hands

• Pick flowers and give a bouquet to a friend.
• Pull weeds, compost, and beautify your yard.
• Hug a child and say, “I love you.”
• Go swimming and feel the refreshing water.
• Make a special dinner for your family or friends.
• Volunteer at a food pantry.
• Honor the holy within your hands.

Blessed be!