October 2015 Ritual: Prayers for Women with Cancer
Women with breast cancer have contacted WATER to ask for prayers and rituals to aid them on their cancer journey. In speaking with them, we discovered an unmet need: there is little in the way of spiritual nourishment for women with cancer as they face their journey.
In response to their calls, we have created prayers and rituals designed to mark some of the common experiences of women with cancer. The following prayers unite us with those who have or have had cancer, their friends, colleagues, and loved ones. And some have said, these prayers are helpful for all of us.
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Prayer for Healing
O God! Grant me healing.
Healing in my eyes, healing in my ears;
Healing on my skin, healing in my blood;
Healing in my bones, healing within me;
Healing on my tongue, healing in my feet;
Healing in front of me, healing behind me;
Healing above me, healing below me;
Healing on my left, healing on my right.
Divine Wisdom! Grant me healing.
Healing in my hands, healing on my face;
Healing in my breasts (or where they were);
Healing in my ovaries (or where they were);
Healing in my womb (or where it was);
Healing in my lungs, healing in my heart;
Healing in front of me, healing behind me;
Healing above me, healing below me;
Healing in my body, healing in my soul.
Companion on the Journey! Grant me healing.
***
Lamentation for Hair Loss
How long, O Divine Wisdom, how long?
When my hair falls out, strand by strand, bless me.
When my eyebrows and eyelashes disappear, bless me.
When I hold clumps of my hair in my hands and weep, bless me.
When I try to hold onto vanity, bless me.
When I feel so desperate and depressed, bless me.
When all seems lost, bless me.
When you seem so far away, bless me.
How long, O Divine Wisdom, how long?
Take my hairless head in your hands
And brush my scalp with your blessing.
Take my hairless body in your arms
And hug me with your blessing,
For I know you are near even when
my spirit is broken.
How long, O Divine Wisdom, how long?
Invite a friend to help you shave your head.
***
A Litany of Fears
Spirit of Life,
Transform my fears.
Fear of dying,
Fear of living with cancer,
Fear of losing my hair,
Fear of losing my energy,
Fear of losing my mobility,
Fear of losing my temper,
Fear of losing my job,
Fear of losing a part of my body,
Fear of losing ______________,
Fear of not being able to adjust to a new life.
Spirit of Life,
Transform my fears
that I may be joyful.
***
Breath of Life
Breathe in healing.*
Breathe out cancer.* (3x)
Blessed are you,
Breath of Life,
For you give me life,
And you will take it away
some day.
Breathe in healing.
Breathe out cancer. (3x)
* You can pray this prayer in many ways. For example, “Breathe in peace. Breathe out fear.”
You can breathe your prayer throughout the day by focusing on one word as you inhale and another as you exhale.
I have personalized this prayer by inviting a community to pray for one of their members with cancer. For example,
Breathe in [name of person].
Breathe out love.
***
Prayer to Begin and End Each Day
May all be loved.
May all be healed.
May all be sheltered.
May all be free from fear.
May I be loved. *
May I be healed.
May I be sheltered.
May I be free from fear.
* I have personalized this prayer by inviting a community to pray for one of their members with cancer. For example,
May [name of person] be loved.
May [name of person] be healed.
May [name of person] be sheltered.
May [name of person] be free from fear.
***
Beads of Solidarity
Invite friends to gather with you to create beads for surgery.
Ask each to bring a bead, add it to a communal string, and say a prayer for you.
Take this necklace or bracelet with you when you go into surgery. Let it be a tangible reminder that your friends are praying with you.
Blessing the Beads
Blessed are these prayer beads from my friends.
As we pray together,
May the love of my friends surround me,
May the grace of my friends inspire me,
And may the faith of my friends illumine my way.
***
Blessing for the Flow of Chemotherapy or Radiation
Blessed are You,
Compassionate One,
For giving me
these droplets of ________
(name of chemotherapy drug
or radiation treatment).
Like refreshing dew
and healing rain,
may they save my life
***
Act in Solidarity with Women with Cancer
Participate in Breast Cancer Awareness events.
Do a breast self-exam and encourage a friend to do one.
Schedule a mammogram, if you need one.
Go on a breast cancer walk with friends.
Explore environmental causes of cancers and help to eradicate them.
Pray with/for someone who has cancer.
***
© Diann L. Neu, D.Min., “Seasons of Healing,”
dneu@hers.com; www.waterwomensalliance.org
