rebirth
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
The Magic Of Flowers
Like all living things, flowers and plants have unique personalities, wants and needs. Because they don’t speak, it is easy to overlook them. They have auras and have been shown to possess memories.
Anyone thinking of practicing magic should become familiar with a variety of plants and flowers. It is also a good idea to have a few favorites around the house.
Flowers speak to us. There is a good reason celebrations from birth to death, and everything in between, are synonymous with flowers. If you don’t know a Daisy from a Dogwood, here’s a look at some of the more familiar blooms and what they magically represent: Continue reading
My Method Of Healing Balance
We all have the ability to help and to heal others, but for some of us it’s a calling we are drawn to in this lifetime.
I have studied and applied various healing techniques during my working career as a healer. I have always felt that no matter which technique we use, be it hands on healing, massage, or Reiki, healing actually comes ‘through’ us. When we open ourselves up as channels our spirit helpers can send healing energy through us that frequently creates powerful shifts within the patient. Often it is also to the disbelief of some medical practitioners.
I’ve created my own healing ‘blend’ from the various modalities I have studied, and I like to call this Healing Balance. Healing Balance works with particular access points into the body – the 7 major chakras and the minor chakras located mainly at the joints. These chakras or energy vortex centers are our connection with universal energy through which we access deep levels of healing. Continue reading
Teaching Others How To Treat You
Do you also believe that we teach others how to treat us? It is a motto I have religiously adhered to for most of my adult life. However, I must add that I have made some radical changes to my ‘teaching strategy’ over the years, and this change in my approach has brought me much inner peace and harmony with others. I have learned that we can ‘teach others’ with much less fuss and drama.
In my early adulthood I used to take a firm stand on just about everything and everyone who I felt were out of line. I am someone who often feels compelled to stand up for others, as well as for myself and my beliefs. I also have this annoying habit of constantly wanting to side with the ‘underdog’ in any given situation. Like most empaths, I just cannot come to grips with any form of injustice or underhanded behavior. Circumstances that are unfair, dishonest or cruel really trouble me, and people who are unreasonable, inconsiderate or simply mean have always been one of my ‘pet peeves’. Continue reading
Pure As The New Year Snow
The holidays have come and gone, and we are all back in the saddle again. Life goes on.
I am looking out of my window from the warmth of my living room. I see the snow coming down and blanketing the ground and trees. It is really making everything look so beautiful.
What was once muddy and dirty looking is now blanketed with white snow, making everything look so pure, new and refreshed. We now get to see the landscape with a clean new slate of snow, much like the brand new start to another promising year. Continue reading