religion
Love And Faith Connects Us In The Afterlife
My sister-in-law passed away several years ago from cancer. I was not very close with her, but will always remember her fondly and have respect for her – who she was, and how she lived her life. I always enjoyed the time that we spent together during family events and the holidays. Recently a special dream reunited us, bringing with it meaningful spiritual insight.
I always felt there was this feeling of anxiousness, worry and tension around her. There was this feeling of her not being entirely content and happy. She did a good job hiding these negative feelings, but I could see it and feel it when I was around her.
My husband would often share with me the latest, and often times not so greatest news of what is going on with everyone after speaking with his Mother. I knew from this to pray for his sister, as she was not having the best of times with her husband. They had many arguments and disagreements. I always included her in my prayers, especially after I would see her during the holidays, and any other time. Continue reading
A Message Of Hope From Hel’s Pond
A yellow butterfly guided me to Blanke Helle, or “Hel’s Pond” during a recent visit to Berlin, Germany. It darted ahead of me all the way from the bus stop in AlboinStraße, until I reached the entrance to the park where lies forgotten, and hidden from public notice, the ancient pagan site sacred to Hela, or Hel, the Norse-Germanic goddess of death and the underworld.
I have been guided by butterflies on a regular basis over the past two years, since the first one appeared to me at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece. I was much encouraged by the sudden presence of this golden, magical creature, because it predicted that my visit to this sacred pagan site would be less somber than I had imagined. Yellow butterflies represent rebirth, new life, transformation and resurrection in several cultures. The Irish believe yellow butterflies to be an indicator of the peaceful transition of departed souls. And in Christian tradition yellow butterflies are symbolic of the Christ’s resurrection from death. They are also regarded as a sign of the presence of angels. Would Hel’s dark waters ultimately leave me with a message of hope? Continue reading
Why Is God Not Hearing Your Prayers?
Yesterday, my best friend called me. She has been my friend since second grade. Her family moved to our island from the main land during the summer before our second grade year. Like me, she was witty, funny, and full of energy, and we became really good friends. She became the sister I never had.
Unfortunately, although she had always been full of life and fun, she has also always been very stubborn when it came to certain ideas and her belief system. Her family, like mine, was very religious and I was so sure she would end up a nun some day, but she did not. Her heart found love and desires like the majority of us. She married much younger than me, in her late 20’s, and she is still with the same husband today who also is the father of her three beautiful, grown children. Continue reading
Grandpa’s Visitation Heightened My Spirituality
I remember it very distinctively. Almost 16 years ago, after his passing, I prayed to God that I may be able to make contact with my Grandpa. I needed to say goodbye and tell him I love him one last time. He had promised me before his passing that he would return to visit me. He kept his promise.
I decided to learn the Rosary while at a Catholic bookstore, shortly before his funeral. I was buying cross pendants for my grandma and other members of the family who wanted to wear a similar necklace my grandpa would be buried with it. I felt it would help those of us mourning to feel connected and closer to him. I think I bought ten of them. My brothers each took one, as well as my mother, and of course my grandma and a few of my cousins.
A nun at the store told me that day that if I learned the Rosary, I would be blessed. She gave me a bookmark which explained all the different blessings one is to receive if you learn and recite the Rosary every day. I decided I wanted to know how to pray the Rosary. Continue reading
Spiritual Practices To Promote Alignment
There are many types of spiritual practices that will bring alignment to your life. Spiritual practices are the methods by which we understand the inner world, and learn just how much impact our inner world has on the outer world.
Jesus said, “With faith the size of a mustard seed you could move a mountain.” Faith is a constant, and always brings forth the manifestation of our inner beliefs. Spiritual practice allows the practitioner to gain spiritual awareness, and by doing so shifts negative or useless beliefs into useful beliefs that can have a profound impact on the journey of life. Continue reading
Meet The Archangels
Divine messengers and emissaries, the Archangels are the foremost of the host of angels, and they help and guide us in our daily lives. Although they are established in many religious traditions, anyone may call upon them for assistance.
Most of the Archangels have names ending in “-el,” which means “of, or in God.” Though the spiritual traditions debate how many Archangels there are, the following are some of the most well-known to humanity.
Michael (Who is like God?) is the leader of the Archangels, often depicted as a warrior angel with a blazing sword. He can help in conquering our fears and anxieties, motivating us to do greater things, and seeking the truth. He’s also a powerful ally in breaking our addictions. Continue reading
Being The Goddess
Being the Goddess was not an easy task, and the young girl knew this from the very first time she opened her hazel eyes to the world.
Inside herself she felt it, from the inside out, that she was meant to do different things, that she was meant to bring something to others from her own experiences.
“What does it mean?” she would whisper to herself late at night.
She was amazed at the fact of it sometimes, and at other times afraid. “Let it go”, They said to her, “now is the time to be what you were called to be, without thinking about it so much”.
All little girls are the Goddess, and the young girl discovered this as she grew older. She pondered these thoughts many times. How could she bring a message to bear that she herself knew nothing about yet?
But as she grew older, and lived some of what life had to offer, she knew there was plenty of tale to tell, about what went on in the heart of the Goddess. Continue reading