faith
The Rise Of A New Spirituality
In Beyond the Postmodern Mind, Huston Smith writes that “Rationalism and Newtonian science has lured us into dark woods, but a new metaphysics can rescue us”. Mankind will never give up its quest to find spiritual meaning and purpose in this world. This quest is what has been driving both science and religion for centuries.
The Buddha said, “The teacher appears when the student is ready.” The same principle applies to the human species as a collective. We have been exposed to new esoteric and scientific insights as we evolved – always when the time was right and the world was ready. Prominent religions all over the world were all founded on esoteric guidance and metaphysical wisdom delivered at various times throughout history by great teachers and prophetic messengers. But as time passed and these religions expanded, they were often contaminated by human bureaucracy, superstition, doctrine and dogma, which distorted the original teachings. Continue reading
From Scared to Sacred
We all have our journeys in life to travel, we all have our paths to walk and we all have our very own (we would like to think) demons to slay on our path to ‘enlightenment.’
From scared to sacred is but a tiny maneuver, the tiniest shift in your consciousness, which can allow the true and awesome power of the Sacred and the Divine to cut through the fear of the scared. It is as miniscule a shift as it is to change the spelling of the words themselves.
You may think it is impossible and you may think it is too hard to do, but in reality the easiest thing in this world to let go of is fear. It is all too easy to walk around coming from fear and feeling scared. Most people live their lives that way, as if it were the norm to do so. Well, it is not the norm. Continue reading
A Mother’s Love
I still cry when I hear that beautiful song Mamma by Claudio Villa. Growing up on a small island in Central Italy, I remember my mother’s daily prayers and all her sacrifices. Those examples have always followed me. They are still my daily support and strength.
I cried today in church as well, while singing the Ave Maria. My lovely mother Margherita passed on July 8, 1991 and although she is not with me physically, she is here in my heart, supporting and guiding me from above. She has been my spiritual guide since 1998, when my first girl was born and I named her Margherita too. I always loved my mother’s name, which in Italian is the name of a flower known as “Daisy” in English.
It was during that very difficult pregnancy that my mom came to me for the first time. She spoke to me and I knew her when she walked into my room. I smelled her perfume. She loved the Vele Al Vento fragrance and I that way I knew she was there for me. Continue reading
The Rosary Is A Powerful Tool
I look at so many people struggling, and so ready to get angry at the littlest things, so disconnected from the divine spark inside of them. I know a great tool to deal with this: I often pray the Rosary and thank God for all of the blessings in my life.
It really works for me. The promise of the Rosary is true, in that it will bring blessings into your life. It has brought so much goodness into mine.
I gave a friend, who is suffering from a horrible depression and feeling of incompleteness, a Rosary to pray. I found that she was happier after learning and praying the Rosary.
I wish I would have known about the Rosary many, many moons ago, but it’s never too late to learn the Rosary and see what blessings it can bring into your life. It really works. Continue reading
What Did You Give Up For Lent?
You’re out with your friends on a Friday night and suddenly you notice that one of them has switched from his favorite microbrew beer to lemonade? Is it time for Lent already?
Giving up something for Lent sometimes evokes head-scratching in non-Catholics, but what might seem like just another Catholic eccentricity can actually be a practice with deep spiritual significance.
Lent, the period of 40 days that precedes the celebration of Easter, has its origin in the early days of the Church. This year Lent began on March 5th and it ends on April 17th.
Converts seeking to become Christian, who at that time were mostly adults, spent several years in study and preparation. Under the threat of Roman persecution, becoming a Christian was serious business, so their process of preparation was intensive. Then they went through a final period of “purification and enlightenment” for the 40 days before their baptism at Easter. The rest of the Church began to observe the season of Lent in solidarity with these newest Christians. It became an opportunity for all Christians to recall and renew the commitment of their baptism. Continue reading

