spiritual principles
The Spiritual Practice Of Rune Reading
I have recently reintroduced rune reading into my daily spiritual routine. I had briefly dabbled in it a few years ago when I was exploring various methods of divination.
But this time, as my quest has become more personal due to recent events in my life, and I found myself remembering much of what I had learned years ago, the decision to use the runes again has proven to be a deeply enriching experience.
I have since discovered that the runes are a fantastic spiritual tool for deeper introspection, inner guidance, and connection to the universal spiritual principles that underlie these small tablets of ancient wisdom.
The term “rune” itself means “secret” or “mystery” in Old Germanic languages, reflecting their traditional use for various purposes, including writing, divination, and magical practices. Each runic tablet or stone contains a character from the ancient alphabets of early Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, including the Elder Futhark, which is the oldest form of the runic alphabet.
The Elder Futhark dates from the 2nd to 8th centuries and consists of 24 runes, each with its own unique meaning and symbolism. I use the Elder Futhark, which is the most commonly used rune set in divination practices, just as the Rider-Waite Tarot deck is the most commonly used in cartomancy.
Embracing The Magical Art Of Allowing
There is a magical force in the universe – a profound creative essence that flows through all realms, weaving its way through the fabric of existence. This magic essence is not bound by the limits of our understanding nor the constraints of our control. Rather, it emanates from the depths of surrender and trust. This magical power is the sacred art of allowing.
For much of my life, I found myself grappling with the notion of control. I sought to navigate the complexities of existence with a firm grip, believing that my willpower alone could shape the course of my journey. Yet, time and time again, I was met with the harsh reality of resistance — the relentless struggle against the ebb and flow of life’s currents.
It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the profound wisdom of allowing that I began to witness the transformative power of surrender. Allowing is not passive resignation; rather, it is an act of radical acceptance — an invitation to dance with the rhythm of the universe and surrender to the innate flow of existence.
One of the most profound lessons in allowing came to me during a time of immense uncertainty and upheaval in my life. I was at a crossroads, grappling with decisions that made me feel like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. In my desperation to find clarity, I clung to my preconceived notions of how things should unfold, trying to force the puzzle pieces of my life into some semblance of controlled order.
Your Divine Duty To Not Be A Goofus!
Why are some people so rude, unkind, emotionally immature, foolish? Are we not all spirit beings in human form who should know better? I recently asked my wise grandmother in spirit this question. As one of my ancestral guides, I always turn to her for help in dealing with complex life issues.
The person who inspired my recent spiritual inquiry is a very problematic, mean-spirited neighbor who I have seen and heard verbally abuse people, as well as his own dog, in ways that would infuriate anyone.
This man seems to enjoy verbal abuse as a means of self-aggrandizement and is very immature and unkind. I have also seen him damage a security camera after being asked to stop his dog from relieving himself on the steps of the building where we live.
I connected with my grandmother during my morning meditation and asked her why some people are so disrespectful and unkind. Her answer seemed strange at first because she showed me a mental image of Highlights, the children’s magazine she used to subscribe to for me when I was a child. It is a well-known kids’ magazine full of fun, educational stories, games, puzzles, and crafts that has been around for decades.
Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Reiki
People all over the world are turning to Reiki for its healing power, and it is now even being used in the medical field as a complementary therapy for the treatment of physical, emotional and mental illnesses.
Reiki is a spiritual philosophy and energy healing practice that was developed in Japan in the early 20th century by founder Mikao Usui.
Usui was a Tendai Buddhist whose lifelong quest for spiritual knowledge and healing techniques took him on a journey through many religious and spiritual traditions, including Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christian teachings, as well as the study of martial arts.
The most pivotal moment in Usui’s life occurred on Mount Kurama, a sacred mountain north of Kyoto. After 21 days of fasting and meditation, Usui had a profound spiritual experience of enlightenment that gave him the knowledge and ability to channel healing energy.
This experience led to the development of a healing system he called “Reiki,” which means “universal life energy” or “spiritual energy.” It’s based on the wisdom that “universal energy” can be channeled to support the body’s natural healing processes. Reiki is an extremely powerful energy, yet a remarkably gentle form of healing.
The Ancient Wisdom Of The Two Wolves
The story of the Two Wolves holds a special place among my childhood favorites. The moral of this Native American wisdom tale, thought to have originated with the Cherokee tribe, serves as a daily guiding light in my life.
I must confess, there is some sentimental bias on my part, as this story also brings back lovely memories of my remarkable grandfather, Sequoia, a former medicine man and chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Variations of the story exist in various Native American cultures, and it typically goes like this:
One evening, an old Cherokee is teaching his granddaughter about life and says, “My daughter, a fight is going on inside all of us each day. It is the battle between the two wolves.”
“One wolf is evil — anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other wolf is good — joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”
The granddaughter thinks about it for a minute and then asks her grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The Compassion Of Tough Love
We have an amazing tool within us: our heart. Not only does it keep us alive, but it also allows us to feel deep emotions, such as love and resentment, joy and sadness, achievement and loss, compassion and apathy.
Many people fail to see the power of the heart and what we as humans can do with that power for ourselves and others. The heart is in fact key to our personal and spiritual learning and our soul expansion in this lifetime.
However, many of us who strive to contribute to a better world with the power of our loving hearts have also seen that giving material things, like money, and trying to help those who refuse to help themselves, does not cure the suffering in the world. It usually only puts a band aid on the underlying problems and in time it just returns as additional problems.
We all have our own karmic lessons, and if not learned it becomes a recurring issue until we finally learn to fix it, learn from it, and move forward. Then it is no more a lesson, but a wisdom.
It is also true that we can get in the way of others learning their lessons. Sometimes we jump in too quickly or end up taking on their burden, only to find it happening again and again. Then all our efforts and sacrifice were in vain.
Free Yourself From Karmic Debt This Year
With the start of a new year, many of us are eager to set new financial goals and improve our overall financial situation. For those struggling with debt, the new year can be a great time to take control of your finances and make a plan to get out of debt.
But there is more to our life journey than financial debt. There is also the much more important soul debt known as our karma. A debt that for some of us may require much more urgent attention.
Karmic debt is the result of all the negative actions we take in this life, and in past lives, that have consequences beyond our present existence. If we accumulate bad karma through actions that cause harm to others or ourselves, we will experience negative consequences in this life, or in a future life. These karmic consequences will in time manifest as difficulties, challenges, obstacles and sufering in our lives. Similarly, if we accumulate good karma through deeds that benefit others, we will experience positive consequences such as abundance, happiness, health, and success.
If you feel persistently stuck in some kind of negative cycle, burdened by what feels like repeated bad luck, hard times, or difficult relationships, karmic debt is most likely playing a role. Breaking these patterns requires that you take responsibility for your misdeeds or inappropriate actions in the past.