The Gentle Art of Blessing

Book Overview: The Gentle Art of Blessing

We recently started reading and digesting the book, The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You And Your World, by Pierre Pradervand. The title is somewhat misleading in that even though the practice of blessing is gentle and internal, the results can be very powerful. So that is misleading in a good way! If you are not in the habit of blessing, you will learn in just the first few pages why and how you should make the practice of blessing a habit. The metaphysics of the process is simple; “What you put out you get back.” So when you get into the habit of blessing everyone and everything in your life, you will start to notice positive changes and blessings in your own life as well.

Spiritually we are all connected. We are all One on an energetic level. So blessing others is really like doing something good for yourself at the same time. However, many times we are challenged to send blessings to people who have harmed us in some way, or to public figures we don’t like. But if you can put those feelings aside and bless that person, eventually what started out as an act of the will becomes an act of the heart. Here are some of the ideas in Mr. Pradervand’s original tract: * On awakening, bless this day. * On passing people in the street, on the bus, in places of work and play, bless them. * On meeting people and talking to them, bless them. * As you walk, bless the city. Blessing is a form of giving. Giving is a form of service. Service is what each life is ultimately about. Mr. Pradervand makes a magnificent point: “It is impossible to bless and judge at the same time. So hold constantly as a deep, hallowed, intoned thought, the desire to bless, for truly then shall you become a peacemaker, and one day you shall behold, everywhere, the very face of God.”

Jesus of Nazareth promised that we would be judged if we judge. We’ve seen it time and time again. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone, including myself, who while growing up was taught to bless anything beside the family meal before eating. However, we were taught to be critical and to judge everyone and everything. What a different world we might have if everyone were taught this basic practice! We have very powerful minds that simply need to be re-directed and put to a higher use. The book has many anecdotes, both large and small, depicting the results of blessing. One reviewer on Amazon said that he originally thought blessing was a stupid idea. Then he decided to try it on strangers when he was on public transport because he was bored. Strangers turned around many times. Strangers smiled at him and some even spoke to him as he blessed them. He went on to also bless those who have hurt him as he was falling asleep. The surprising result was that he got an email from someone who hurt him three years earlier, and he said he was sorry. He thought it was a bit scary! Now he says, “No matter what happens, I just want to use this method to fill more love into my heart and remove the anger and hate that has been torturing me.”

It is far more productive and healing to bless others than to curse them. If you want to contribute to uplifting humanity then this book will teach you how to do just that. The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World Continued on page 9 9 In my opinion, this is a book that should be available to both high schools and colleges. It is a most needed way for people to learn to handle the negatives in the world. There is no education like this today and should be required reading, study and practice.

For the metaphysically inclined, it is a perfect and practical way of correcting thought so that negative altering influences do not take control, but one is given dominion over all his affairs for daily living. I highly recommend this to any individual who cares to live harmoniously in their lives. The good learned from this book is immeasurable. Taking the time to bless people you meet changes your whole perspective. It’s a simple but powerful form of prayer. When we fail to bless others with joy, peace, success, love, and happiness we are stunting our own spiritual growth. I choose to see this book as an invitation to live from the heart and to bless others sincerely. A very powerful message that what we think, do, or say has a tremendous impact in our world. I highly recommend this book! I read it and felt transformed by its message.