walking the rainbow:
a Hawaiian passage prayer

With many others, I have been both horrified and somehow mesmerized by the massacre in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. I posted this message on Facebook in response to the tragedy.

“During the first 3 days after someone dies, those of us left behind can support their transition by visualizing their easy, smooth crossing. This is especially important for souls of people who die unexpectedly, with little or no advanced warning. You might call this praying. Time for settling into grief starts after we do our job of helping the souls cross. I learned this practice from Mana Lomi® founder Maka'ala Yates.”

Mana Lomi® student Terri Rogers replied to my post,

“My heart hurts for these people and their loved ones. I'll be visualizing Jesus holding out his hands to them and hugging each one as they enter His kingdom.”

I love hearing the various words and imagery different people use to pray! Here is my own vision of supporting the passage.

I see the 20 young children and the 8 adults (yes, including the shooter) walking over a rainbow. When they look over their shoulder back to earth they sometimes see their families weeping in agonizing despair and this makes them falter. Then I reach up and gently take their hand as I would take the hand of a child walking along the top of a stone wall and I reassure them, “It’s OK. Keep going. Keep walking. Your family will be OK.”

it's OKay


“It’s OK” is a powerful phrase. For starters, remember that “it’s OK” is very different than “it’s good”. When I say “it’s OK” in a sense I give permission for whatever terrible thing has happened to have happened. In giving permission I stop fighting the existence of that terrible event. When I stop fighting its existence I begin to breathe more easily.

Saying, or simply thinking, “it’s OK” helps me to accept that my life has changed, perhaps very quickly, unexpectedly, and profoundly. With acceptance I can begin to adapt and open to creating new and effective responses in order to lift myself and those around me so that we can move on together. This is good.

Saying "it's OK" has helped me keep my heart open in response to the recent school massacre. I know that I can use the "it's OK" tool whenever my life changes unexpectedly and I need help staying grounded and keeping my heart open.


Copyrighted 2014 Barbara Helynn Heard

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