You were searching the world for treasure, but the real treasure is yourself.
If you are tempted by bread, you will only find bread.
What you seek for, you become.
I will never leave this House of Light. I will never leave this blessed Town.
For here I have found my Love, and here I stay for the rest of my life.
If this world turns into a sea of trouble, I will brave the waves and steer my mind’s
ship to a safe shore of Love.
If you are a seeker looking for profit, go on and may God be with you, but I am not
willing to exchange my Truth.
I have found the Heart and will never leave this House of Light.
Poem by Rumi
Tag: #creativeliving
Christmas Day
On this day,
I pause to remember those I have loved.
This Christmas Day, may we behold all gifts given and received,
—Rev. Kurt Condra
extravagant and humble, tangible and intangible, tiny and towering with awe and wonder. And in the beholding, may the healing, harmonizing power of the Christ’s infinite love be born in each of us and all the world.
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
“Twelve Days of Christmas,” the phrase refers to an actual 12-day period. The 12 days of Christmas, in fact, are the days from Dec. 25, celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, to the Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6 as the day when the manifestation of Christ’s glory was realized.
Here are the verses of the song, 12 Days of Christmas, along with their supposed symbolism:
- A Partridge in a Pear Tree – Jesus Christ
- Two Turtle Doves – The Old and New Testaments
- Three French Hens – The three virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity
- Four Calling/Collie Birds – Four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Five Golden Rings – First five books of the Old Testament
- Six Geese-a-Laying – Six days of creation before God’s rest on the seventh day
- Seven Swans-a-Swimming – Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Eight Maids-a-Milking – Eight Beatitudes
- Nine Ladies Dancing – Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
- Ten Lords-a-Leaping – Ten Commandments
- Eleven Pipers Piping – Eleven faithful disciples
- Twelve Drummers Drumming –Twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed
Christmas Day is the first of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
On a personal note, in 2019 I created a series of articles on the 12 Days of Christmas. That time, I decided to play around and search for meaning and wisdom in the song ’12 Days of Christmas’ in order to find guidance during this Holy time.
HOW IT ALL STARTED? READ MORE
On the last day of the 12-day-of-Christmas, Christians observe Epiphany or enlightenment when the Holy Spirit enlightens the ‘faithful’ with wisdom and revelations of Christ’s teachings. The 12 days of Christmas is the bridge between Christmas Day and the day of Epiphany. On Christmas day, ‘my true love’ aka God gives me my first gift of Christ, the promise of enlightenment, atonement and eternal life. By the time we walked the bride of the 12-day across, we have collected and regained certain qualities that we must possess in order to observe the revelations and receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Epiphany.
I wish to observe these twelve days through the famous song and research the meaning in the symbolism of the song.
SOURCE
DAY 1 – JESUS
According to a source, the partridge is Jesus, who appears to us as our guide in our journey on the first day. Read more about my research HERE
Christmas Eve
On this day of Advent,
I remember to let love open my heart
and inspire my life.
So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
—1 John 4:16
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God,
and God abides in them.
Each year we never know when the silence that is so fragile and so powerful will fall. Yet when we allow it to penetrate our own interior and risk sharing it with the grieving soul standing next to us, we can truly recover the light that is beyond words and understanding. That love and light that shine from each of us. The shimmer that is the true meaning of this holy night, this silent night.
—Rev. Kelly Isola
I would like to wish you a joyful and peaceful Holiday Season!
Make time for yourself and do things that replenish, refresh and enrich you. Sleep, draw, paint, read a good book (again) and watch silly movies. Whatever brings you joy!
REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE!
REVERENCE TIPS Day26
On this day of Advent,
I remember the warmth of love freely
and generously given.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything
—Colossians 3:14
together in perfect harmony.
Let the power of divine love into your life and experience the
Rev. Elizabeth Longo
miracle of the harmonizing, unifying power of love. Turning on the light of love every day raises your vibration and will have a huge impact on your life. Create a bonfire of love in your heart, and let it shine forth to the world.
REVERENCE TIPS Day25
Self-Love
On this day of Advent,
I remember the gift of self-love
allows me to love others more.
… magical moments are ways to fill up my container of love. My
inner child chooses the activities that give me moments of awe and remind me there is magic during this time of year, if I look for it.
Now you may be thinking, Who has time for this? We are too busy getting things done! And yet, when we take the time to recreate special memories from days of yore, we discover we have given ourselves the power of discernment to know our priorities.We find that in giving love to ourselves, we are able to give much more love to others.
Rev. Sheree Taylor-Jones
In September I was invited to tart part in a radio show on Self-Love. At the link below you can listen to our conversation on the importance of Loving Self above all. <3
REVERENCE TIPS Day24
The Feast of Saint Thomas
As I promised in my post on THE CHRISTMASES AROUND THE WORLD, I am going to share another strange but holy fun tradition: St. Thomas’ Dream. I have researched the topic and found a lot of fun facts about the Feast of St. Thomas.
Below you can read plenty about this feast that seems to have caught the attention of many generations and different cultures. The reason, I have included this particular tradition in my ‘REVERENCE TIPS’ series is because it is soooo much fun! If there is anything I am learning this Advent Season is TO HAVE FUN, no matter what.
St. Thomas day, St. Thomas gray,
The longest night and shortest day.
December 21 is usually the shortest day of the year, yet this day usually commenced the Christmas preparation of cleaning and baking. Although we no longer honor St. Thomas on this day, we can still use this day as a reminder to put in exerted efforts and start finishing our external preparations for Christmas. All the weeks before should have been more of spiritual preparation.
Super article on the Feast of St. Thomas
For those of us singletons who may be in need of some divine intervention, today is the day for you. Traditionally, The Feast of St. Thomas is celebrated on December 21st and is the day dedicated to completing your Christmas preparations.
How to Dream About Your Future Husband on the Feast of St. Thomas:
- Climb into bed using a step-stool (I guess they traditionally have tall beds in Austria?)
- Removed your shoes (Maybe the floors are cold there too)
- In the Hallmark movie she spins around three times after removing her shoes, however many sources I have found that explain The Feast of St. Thomas ritual exclude this step so it’s your call!
- Throw the shoes at your bedroom door, toes first
- Sleep with your head at the foot of the bed
Follow all of these instructions and you may dream of the man you are destined to marry. Part of me thinks the result could be terrifying, but I may still give it a try. I don’t necessarily want to be a half-drunk, single bridesmaid for the rest of my life.
If the above method is not to your liking, you may also try selecting a young rooster while a brood of chicks are sleeping. There is also the English tradition of sleeping with a peeled onion wrapped in a handkerchief under your head. The thought of having an onion under my head all night sounds disgusting and quite uncomfortable, but to each their own.
Most of this post is taken for a post from TIPSY VERSE on TUMBLR, read HERE
“Swiss tradition has it that on the night of the feast of St. Thomas, a spinster can meet her future husband in her dreams. First, she must step on a stool to get into bed. Then she must stand on her bed and take off her shoes. Then she must spin around three times and throw her shoes at the door. Finally, she must sleep with her feet on the pillows at the head of the bed. If she follows these instructions perfectly, that night she will dream of the man she is destined to marry.”
Source?
It seems that unmarried girls have many allies with the saints. In Austria, legend says that unmarried girls can see their future on St. Thomas Night, if they climb into bed over a stool and throw their shoes toward the door, the toes of the shoes pointing downward. If they sleep with their heads at the foot of the bead, the dreams will reveal visions of their future husbands. Also, if a single woman on St. Thomas Day can pick out a young rooster from among a brood of sleeping chicks, she will soon obtain a husband, or see him in her dreams.
Source
I hope this gives you some insight into the wonders that The Feast of St. Thomas may hold. Be sure to let me know if it works! Happy Dreaming!
REVERENCE TIPS Day23
So, what is love …? Remember? 🙂
I always loved this song. It is upbeat and sexy. But this song is not about Love. It is about desire – a feeling of the physical, the flesh, the senses – but this kind of love is not Divine Love. Divine Love is a quality and a frequency, not a feeling.
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet (2.2.)
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
Shakespeare’s quote helps me understand the true nature of Love. Love generates itself. The more Love I generate, the more I have for myself.
On this day of Advent,
I remember the warmth of love freely
and generously given
All love is an expression of divine love. Love isn’t generated solely from
—Rev. Ellen Debenport
within us but instead flows through us from a higher Source. That
makes love inexhaustible. We live in the ocean of love that is God—love
that animates us and, through us, envelops others. We are conduits for
the Divine, expressing God as love …
This is my commandment, that you love one another
—John 15:12
as I have loved you.
REVERENCE TIPS Day22
Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
On this day of Advent,
I remember to see with the eyes of divine love.
Tonight we light the fourth candle of Advent and start a week of remembering that our essence is Divine Love.
It is said that Jesus was born on Christmas in a manger long ago.
Rev. Karen Romestan
Surrounded by the sounds of life, yet just outside the common way for there were no inns with rooms, they say.
No place for Mary to rest her head to birth this babe
conceived of her heart so pure and filled with Spirit’s holiness.
Though he knew not Mary of the flesh, with visions wisdom came.
This child of wonder, so much so that Joseph welcomed as his own.
This child of light that drew the shepherds from their fields and
flocks to see.
This child of awe that called the kings from far-off lands
to bear the gifts of old—frankincense, myrrh, and gold.
The star that lighted the way at night announcing the birth of Christ,
for love was born on Christmas when Jesus came to life.
… The emotion of love brings feelings of affection for one another, and we take delight when these feelings are reciprocated. The power of love, however, calls us to see from a higher place and to love for the pure joy of seeing and honoring good. This power of love doesn’t need human reciprocation, for its source, our God, is never-ending.
Rev. Karen Romestan
I love how these words encompass the true meaning of Love. Love is not an emotion that needs to be reciprocated. Emotional love is conditional and is given to be received in return. True Love lift us higher to see the greatness and real meaning of our existence to return home to God (the Source, the Divine – chose the word that works for you.)
REVERENCE TIPS Day21
Lighting the Darkness
At this time of year when fall is ending and winter is coming in this part of the world, we move physically into the darkest time of year. This is when there is the least activity in much of the animal kingdom, and almost all of the plant kingdom The life that’s been manifested in the nature kingdoms – in animals and trees and other plants – begins to withdraw and internalize. It is also an opportunity for we in the human kingdom to do the same: to do fewer outer activities – or at least focus less of our attention and energy into the outer activities and expressions – and begin to withdraw our attention more to the inner kingdom. It’s a wonderful time to regroup and reflect, to spend more time on our awakening, on our relationship with God, and to sort out some things that need to be sorted out in there before engaging into the more creative parts of the year again.
One of the interesting things to me about this time of year is that in almost all cultures that experience this physically darker time of year, people in these cultures have intentionally made holidays. I believe that this is because there is an inclination in us that when things get dark, we’re to bring forth light. We do that culturally, and we do that individually. If tonight you walk into a room in your home and it’s dark, you don’t just wander around in the dark room looking for whatever you’re looking for or doing whatever you’re going to do; as you step into that place of darkness, you immediately, even automatically, turn on a light. In olden days it was lanterns or candles, not electricity, that was used. But however we manifest it, we bring light to dark places.
We may not think about that much, and may not realize that that’s inherent in us, but that’s just what we do. And we not only do it in our physical lives by bringing light to a dark room, we also do it by bringing hope to a difficult situation, by bringing comfort to a sad situation, and by bringing friendship to lonely situation. As a matter of fact, even if we’re not consciously doing those things in any outward way, we’re still doing it…because the fact is, we are light. The essence of our souls is the same stuff that is God. We are emanations of that very same living, loving, radiant essence that is God’s being; it is our being as well. So wherever our soul is, it brings light. And wherever our soul is the most focused, it brings the most potent light.
If the soul is only dimly radiant, peripherally present somewhere, then it brings a dim, weak light. If it’s more fully focused somewhere, it brings a powerful, dynamic light. Our souls’ light goes most to where we hold our attention. That’s an important key in our spiritual journey and in our spiritual awakening process, in our healing processes, and in our relationships. Because, if we hold our attention into the dark places – the ego, selfishness, anger, resentment – that’s where our energy goes as well. It’s not the experiencing of them that is the problem; it’s the fixing of our focus onto those things. If we’re holding our focus in that area through the mind or the emotions or the imagination, then what we’re doing is getting further immersed in the darkness and pain. Mind, emotions, body, and imagination don’t have the power to transmute that, because those dark things are inherent in those vessels.
What does have the power to transmute them is love, and love is not inherent in any of those vessels; it’s a component of the soul that infuses those vessels to the degree that the soul is present within them. If we want more of that light of loving, then we need to allow more of our soul to be present in what we’re doing.
So this month, as you turn on your Christmas tree lights or light a candle, or even flip on the light switch as you enter a dark room, remember that in this season of bringing light into the darkness, the most important light is the loving light within you. Let it shine.
In Loving,
Steven* (By Steven McAfee)
Abilities
How to use your inherent abilites?
It is a pitfall to believe that when you became aware of your inherent abilities, it will automatically enfold. Just because I am good at something it does not mean that I can use it well. In this podcast I talk about how to use one’s inherent leadership abilities for the benefit of all.