Gentle spirits, sisters and brothers of the dream,
keepers of the light of loving-kindness, you who are
soft-hearted, open-minded, amazed to be here,
whom this world fills with delight and horror,
living hearts, tender spirits
I conjure thee, I seek thee, I implore thee
Arise, awake, shake off despair, remember
how many times has the Mysterious entered our lives,
how many times have we felt and seen the rush of great
winds around and through us
Remember how little we know ourselves, and take comfort
Remember from what vast sources loving springs,
and seek ye one another.

More is happening than we see on the six o’clock news.
They haven’t pinned it down, this slippery Tao. No one
owns it, no one controls it, but something big is
happening and it happens in small ways
(every wall you break) (every mind you shake)
Come out, come out, wherever you are
Remember the waves of hope that lifted our hearts above the
bloody tides of other days, remember when you think that
evil has won, how many hearts refuse it
Or will you believe those who say we do not exist?
Be of good courage, rejoice, lift up your voices, call out
in the darkness, we are here, we live, we believe in
the power of loving
Speak, shine, arise and listen
In many voices, hearts are crying to one another.

Gentle spirits, have you noticed
how zoos are different now? And safaris, and whaling?
Some old hard things are dying; and how new things are
tender, how when a seed sprouts it’s awhile before
coming to light
There are cracks in this concrete civilization, there is
full sunlight before us, though we are yet in the dark,
there is a path for the heart to follow
Arise, awake, when we have grown big enough we shall find one another,
We are scattered by God’s hand, we are watered by the
tears of all who suffer, we take strength from Earth our mother
Though you no longer believe in the possibility of humans
learning to care for one another, when you care you move
closer to the light
In the dark, alone, growing,
Speak
I can feel the earth tremble around the seeking crown of your head

The love we depend on is common as air, mysterious as light
Brothers and sisters
I look forward to seeing you again.