The Prayer to the Four Directions
As Taught Me by Sister Jose Hobday
Sister Jose Hobday was a Seneca woman chosen by her tribe at 7 years old to be a storyteller. She was also a Franciscan sister, friend and member of my faculty for two decades.
One of the first prayers Sister Jose ever taught me was the Prayer to the Four Directions. It offers an excellent way to begin each day within a healthy context—creation itself—the cosmos. It puts the cosmos as the setting for our lives, connecting the psyche to the cosmos, thus deepening the Self and not just the self.
Seneca elder, Sister Jose Hobday. Beloved teacher at ICCS at Holy Names and at UCS.
It heals the narcissism of the modern consciousness wherein humanity (including religion) begins with itself and not creation. It is creation that birthed us and nourishes us every day of our lives. This is one reason I love the pre-modern mystics—because they too begin with the cosmos and not the self.
Sister Jose was a beloved teacher at ICCS at Holy Names College and then the University of Creation Spirituality. We also led retreats and workshops together. When I was silenced for a year and then expelled from the Dominican Order after 34 years, she continued to stand up for me and the work of creation spirituality. She took a lot of flak from right wing Catholics and hierarchy for doing so, including having lectures cancelled and more.
She was a woman of integrity—and strength. Very few public figures in the church at that time dared to 1) support me publicly and 2) endure the flak she did. Her courage speaks to the depth of her spirituality as much as others’ timidity spoke to the shallowness of theirs.
Here is the Prayer of the Four Directions as she taught it to me. One does not read this, nor pray it in identical words each time one prays. One prays from the heart, not from the eyes.
“Song For The Sacred Elements – Chenoa Egawa & Alex Turtle.” Swan Clan
Stand and face the North. “Oh, spirits and angels of the North, where fierce storms come from. Come to us and give us strength and courage. Teach us to be strong like the buffalo who turns and faces the fierce winds and storms head on. Come, spirits and angels of the North.”
Face the East. “Oh, spirits and angels of the East where the sun rises every day. Bring light into our hearts and minds so we may also resurrect every morning, acknowledging new life and creativity and renewed hope every day. Come, spirits and angels of the East.”
Face the South. “Oh, spirits and angels of the South where the sun shines the hottest. Bring warmth into our hearts and friendships and all our relations. Come, spirits and angels of the South.”
Face the West. “Oh, spirits and angels of the West, where the sun sets every night. Teach us to be at home in the dark and in the silence of the night, and teach us to let go and to trust as we sink into the unknown and await the sun rising tomorrow. Come spirits and angels of the West.”
Sunset over the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Photo by Cynthia Greb. Used with permission.
Look Up to Father Sky. “Come, spirits and angels from above. Teach us to fly high with the eagle and so, seek wisdom and perspective in life. Come, spirits and angels from above.”
Look Down. “Come, spirits and angels from below. Where all plants find their roots in Mother Earth. Teach us to remain grounded and thankful for the Earth, our Mother, and to treat her with respect. Come, spirits and angels from below.”
Cross hands on the Heart. “Come, spirits and angels from all six directions, into our hearts. Gather in our hearts and make them full with blood that is red, full of energy and flowing with love, gratitude and generosity. Aho. Amen.”