Lifestyle
The Miraculous Roll Of Film
I have experienced many miracles and magical events in my life. As you read the following incredible story, you will see why I have chosen this particular one to best illustrate my experiences.
When I was 18 years old, I was working at a pre-school in my home town. One of the pupils was a three-year-old girl with whom I felt a real connection. She was an old soul; a bright and talented young artist.
But she usually came to school with unwashed, unbrushed hair and dirty clothes. She would never bring a packed lunch. When her parents came to collect her from school, they were often late and, unlike the other children, she did not run into their arms. There was clearly a disconnect between parent and child.
Eventually I moved several hours away and stopped working at the school. But I still thought of her often and prayed that she was well. A few years after I left, I made some enquiries, but no one knew what had happened to her. I hope she survived her difficult childhood and continued to create art, which I believed may have been her saving grace.
Two decades later, I was visiting the area around my hometown to go hiking with friends in a nearby national park. One day, one of my friends climbed a big rock and I followed him. Then he jumped down and I noticed what looked like something he had accidentally left behind.
“Hey, you dropped your roll of film up here,” I shouted, holding up the roll I’d found on the rock. But it turned out not to be his film and that someone else must have left it there. Maybe that person had the same idea of climbing the rock to take some pictures of the magnificent view.
Envisioning A Better World For All
More than a century ago, the great Indian sage Paramahansa Yogananda spoke in his teachings and writings about envisioning a better world for all. He believed in the transformative power of individual and collective consciousness and emphasized the importance of spiritual practices such as meditation and self-realization in creating a more harmonious and compassionate world.
Yogananda stressed that true change begins within each individual. He believed that by working on our own spiritual growth and self-realization, we radiate positive energy and higher consciousness that contributes to a more peaceful and loving world.
He encouraged individuals to envision a new world of peace, harmony, and unity. By holding this vision in our minds and hearts, he believed, we could collectively bring it into being. Yogananda promoted the concept of universal brotherhood, which recognizes the interconnectedness of all beings. He encouraged people to look beyond differences of race, religion, and nationality and to treat one another with love, respect, and understanding.
Yogananda also spoke of the power of visualization and positive thinking. He saw prayer and meditation as powerful tools for individual and collective transformation. He encouraged individuals to live with a sense of purpose and to align their actions with higher ideals.
In a modern world filled with challenges and uncertainties, it is indeed essential that we hold on to a common vision of a better future. We must strive to create a world in which every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, can thrive.
Astrology Forecast September 25 – October 1, 2023
The astrological star of the show this week is Friday’s Aries Full Moon, also known as a Harvest Moon. Because Full Moons symbolize a time of release, this is the perfect opportunity to release whatever no longer serves you once and for all. An Aries Full Moon is also about taking back your power, embracing your courage and taking action to reach your goals.
The week starts out a bit frenetic today and tomorrow under an Aquarius Moon. We may have many new ideas, innovative plans, and identify possibilities we’ll want to explore. Make note of what you discover, but refrain from taking any real action until you’ve had time to network with others to get more facts and information. The Pisces Moon on Wednesday and Thursday will fortunately bring us spiritual and intuitive insight to help move us forward on some of these new plans and ideas.
The Mercury in Virgo trine with Jupiter in Taurus this afternoon is also an excellent time to do some research. And if you are currently thinking of furthering your education or going back to school, this trine’s energy offers a perfect opportunity to look into courses, classes or schools, as you are likely to find useful information without much effort. If you have already applied for enrolment in a course or school, you may also get good news or positive feedback about that.
Practice extra caution under Friday’s Aries Full Moon, as well as Saturday’s Aries Moon, as both have a way of urging us to look before we leap. Caution on the road will especially be called for, as everyone may be in more a hurry to get where they think they are going, and they might not slow down if you get in their way!
Take a breather under Sunday’s Taurus Moon and try be more like Ferdinand the Bull in the popular children’s book. Ferdinand would rather smell flowers than fight in bullfights. Make Sunday your lazy, easy-going day to truly stop and smell the roses for a change. Don’t worry about those duties and chores, they’ll still be there waiting for you next week.
The Spiritual Virtue Of Patience
Patience is considered an essential virtue in most spiritual and religious traditions for several reasons. It is consistent with the core values and teachings of various spiritual paths and belief systems.
Many spiritual practices emphasize the importance of maintaining a state of inner calm in the midst of life’s challenges. Patience is fundamental to achieving inner peace and serenity. Patience helps us maintain a sense of serenity even in the face of extreme adversity.
Patience also enables us to surrender to the universal flow and accept the divine timing of outcomes for our highest good. We are better equipped to accept the divine plan and trust in the unfolding of events and circumstances as they are meant to be. Patience signifies our belief in a higher power and the universal order of all things.
Through patient introspection and self-reflection, we learn to understand our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which leads to spiritual growth and self-improvement.
Impatience leads to negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and resentment. By practicing patience, we can better control and manage these emotions, which promotes emotional well-being and spiritual harmony.
Without patience, it is also difficult to develop understanding and empathy for others. Being patient with our own flaws and imperfections, as well as those of others, promotes the spiritual qualities of empathy and kindness.
Embrace The Fall Equinox In Mind, Body And Soul
As the vibrant colors of summer begin to fade and the air becomes crisper in the northern hemisphere, we stand on the threshold of the fall season of transition and transformation. It is a sacred time to prepare our minds, spirits, and bodies for the winter months ahead.
Today’s autumnal equinox is a poignant reminder of the cycles of life and the eternal rhythm of nature. Steeped in ancient tradition and folklore, this celestial event occurs each year around September 21st and marks the point at which day and night are of nearly equal duration. Spiritually, it symbolizes equilibrium; a momentary pause in time between the warmth of summer and the cold of winter. It invites us to reflect on balance and harmony.
Ancient civilizations held a deep reverence for celestial events such as the autumnal equinox, which were often seen as significant markers of time and the cycles of nature. The traditional interpretations and beliefs surrounding the autumnal equinox varied from culture to culture, but they generally recognized its importance in agricultural, spiritual, and cultural contexts, and saw it as a time of transition, balance, and connection between heaven and earth.
In many agricultural societies, the autumnal equinox signaled the time of the year’s harvest. The ancient Egyptians and Babylonians celebrated this event with festivals and rituals dedicated to their agricultural deities. This often included feasting, music, and offerings to ensure a bountiful harvest.
Spiritual Self-Care Or Ego Indulgence?
Spiritual or metaphysical practice is a pursuit designed to help bring greater meaning and fulfillment to our lives. It is a lifestyle that requires us to be very honest with ourselves and very intentional about the choices we make. But lately I’ve seen a lot of discourse around spirituality that basically encourages you to do pretty much whatever you want in the name of ‘free will’ and ‘self-care.’
Free will is sacred. Yes, it’s true that we are divine, spiritual beings who get to enjoy this incredible adventure of physical life. We get to choose how we move in the world, what we want for ourselves, and how we want to live. But there are two sides to this coin. Yes, we can choose what we want to manifest and how we wish to live our lives, but that does not absolve us of our karmic responsibilities and the consequences of our actions.
I’ve written before about karma and how it’s not meant to be a punishment, but rather a teacher. There are to metaphysical laws that are the basis to our karmic responsibility in this lifetime, namely the universal law of cause and effect and the spiritual law of karma.
The universal law of cause and effect is that for every action there is a reaction. There is a natural order in the universe in which our actions always have consequences, both good and bad.
The spiritual law of karma is a more specific application of the law of cause and effect. According to this law, the totality of our actions in this life, as well as all of our past lives, determine our future. This means that our actions create the conditions for our future experiences, both good and bad.
Astrology Forecast September 18 – 24, 2023
We start the week under a Scorpio Moon today and tomorrow, which will either have us exploring the mystical and metaphysical, or throwing all our focus into an intense project. Either way, we will be intent on finding out about and mastering something new.
The Sagittarius Moon will introduce a more light-hearted energy on Wednesday and Thursday, so we may be more inclined to goof off or daydream than get any actual work done.
Thursday a Sagittarius Moon sextile with Mars in Libra in the late afternoon, followed by a trine with Venus in Leo in the early evening, creates a unique opportunity for successful business networking over drinks or the ideal time to meet up for a romantic dinner date.
Friday afternoon a Sagittarius Half Moon might cause some trouble at work or disagreements with the family. Avoid the temptation of getting caught up in other people’s drama and take a few deep breaths before you react.
We’ll close the week out under a Capricorn Moon, choosing to focus on our physical surroundings and activities that improve our health or security. Capricorn also has its fun-loving side, so don’t forget to put aside a few hours for some socializing or relaxing.
The astrological highlight this week is the Sun’s entry into Libra on Saturday, which will mark the start of a new season. Libra is famous for creating loving relationships, restoring balance and expanding our perception to see beyond the obvious to the hidden aspects of any situation.