Two of us were available to make prayers for our wounded world. We went to a crowded beach where many young people were swimming, despite the toxic waters. It’s natural for us humans to seek cool water on a hot summer day, but these waters are contaminated by many sources, among them sewage spills, run-off from roads and farms, and most important, creosote contamination from mid-20^th century. This beach is a superfund site and also energetically holds the grievous memories of the first deportation of Japanese Americans from their community during WWII.

We sat in silence for awhile, holding our grief and anger tenderly. Our human culture seems determined to destroy life, to make it impossible to enjoy each other and to celebrate the miracle of being alive on this miniscule planet. As we gazed at the idyllic scene before us, we wondered anew at why we humans keep hurting each other. What makes it so hard to enjoy kinship, to care for all life?

We abandoned our preconceived plans and looked around for what was at hand: driftwood, seaweed, more driftwood, more seaweed. Right in front of us was the head and undulating spine of a dragon. If we are to evolve as a species, we need dragon energy, big-winged, lightning bolt energy to help us transform our culture from one of domination and greed to a kinship world view. So we began embellishing that first log and lo, an hour later, here is what emerged. The Rad Joy bird transformed to a winged dragon. Along the way we found 35 feathers embedded in the sea weed. Not a good sign! We incorporated them in the tail and the spine.

Afterward, we sat in the shade and this blessing prayer came forth: For what the world once was and can be again, may we honor life, birthing and evolving, creating and loving for all species. May a flying, fire-wielding, Rad Joy dragon bird consume that which no longer feeds a heart-centered world.