Tag: #spiritual

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:

  1. Climb into bed using a step-stool (I guess they traditionally have tall beds in Austria?)
  2. Removed your shoes (Maybe the floors are cold there too)
  3. 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!
  4. Throw the shoes at your bedroom door, toes first
  5. 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,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”

Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet (2.2.)

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
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 …

—Rev. Ellen Debenport

This is my commandment, that you love one another
as I have loved you.

—John 15:12

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.
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.

Rev. Karen Romestan

… 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.

Another learning …

‘If you fraternize with pig’s food, you will be eaten by the swine.‘ This is a Hungarian saying telling you to choose your company wisely.

I was thinking about this saying this morning wondering how clever it is. It is unavoidable to be in contact with people who are not-your-sort. Life is not meant to be a glorious ride void of any challenges, mishaps and … creatures who are bonkers. (affectionately 🙂 

There is this well-meaning, slightly disabled lady who wants to participate in my programs but since she has hearing issues she keeps on nagging me to subtitle every video I make and give her allowances because of her ‘disability’. 

Though I appreciate the sentiment and I am inclined to support wherever I can, I have the sneaking suspicion that she just wants sympathy and attention, a lot of it. She wants to attend every program I run, but she simply cannot because I do not make it possible for her. Well, why don’t you?

To cut a long story short, I decided not to respond to her requests and emails any more. I bid her farewell on her journey to self-discovery that she claims to be trotting along. 

And I am taking another learning from life …

Nobody can be helped beyond what s/he can do for him/herself. 

 

REVERENCE TIPS Day20

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming
into the world. He was in the world, and the world came
into being through him.

John 1:9-10

In my understanding Jesus was not a saviour, but he was a living example of God’s existence and presence in us all. Jesus came to the world to show the way out of the Darkness back to the Loving Embrace of the Creator, the Divine. He enlightens us all by giving us ‘tools’ by which we can rise above our own limitations, fears and misconceptions if we wish so.

This is our great work—to shine our divine light and share our joy every day, all year round. To be that light even when we, or those around us, may feel alone, don’t smell any cookies, or see lights, or hear carolers. The reminder this holiday season is to celebrate the divinity that we are, and joyously share our light with the world.

Rev. DeeAnn Morency

HAFIZ

In the name of utter joy 🙂

HAFIZ – THE GOLDEN COMPASS

Hafiz, the Golden Compass from I hear God laughing by Daniel Ladinsky

That everything, everything in existence
Does point to God.

Forget every idea of right and wrong
Any classroom ever taught you
Because
An empty heart, a tormented mind,
Unkindness, jealousy and fear
Are always the testimony
You have been completely fooled!
Turn your back on those
Who would imprison your wondrous spirit
With deceit and lies.
Come, join the honest company
Of the King’s beggars –
Those gamblers, scoundrels and divine clowns
and those astonishing fair courtesans
Who need Divine Love every night.
Come, join the courageous
Who have no choice
But to bet their entire world
That indeed,
Indeed, God is Real.
I will lead you into the Circle
Of the Beloved’s cunning thieves,
Those playful royal rogues,
The ones you can trust for true guidance –
Who can aid you
In this blessed Calamity of life.
Hafiz,
Look at the Perfect One at the circle’s center:
He spins and whirls like a Golden Compass,
Beyond all that is rational,
To show this dear world
That everything, everything in existence
Does point to God.

Hafiz – The Golden Compass from I hear God Laughing translated by Daniel Landinsky

REVERENCE TIPS Day19

On this day of Advent,
I remember to live in joy.

Do you remember Joy, the ever buzzy and hyper blue-haired girl from INSIDE OUT? She is the epitome of exuberant joy!

“Do you ever look at someone and wonder, “What is going on inside their head?” 

Joy, Inside Out

As you can learn from the movie as well, Joy is a matter of choice just like any other feelings such as sadness, anger, or fear. Though we are not aware of it most of time because we are on auto-pilot most of the time when it comes to generating emotions, the truth of the matter is that we chose our emotional reactions to any situations. There are many great learned speakers out there who share about the mechanics of how that actually happens. I am not going to go into details right now.

I wish to share about entering a state of Joy. How? JOY taught me that you can take on the lenses of a wonderous child and chose to look at life from an angel of ‘that’s interesting!’. When people do things that I do not usually like, instead of judging it and making my way of doing things the right way, I simply state that ‘it is an interesting way’ of doing things and move on. Or, when someone is rude, I notice the fear behind their words and state that ‘it is an interesting way of responding’ then I move on. I am practicing turning it all on their good side. Why? Because there is a LOT that cannot be controlled in life so I’d simple better accept it as it is. I don’t have to like it, in most cases I don’t even have to live with it, nor do I need to judge it. I keep myself uplifted by staying observant and curious. I chose to find situations funny instead of annoying. It is simply a choice.

Pixar’s Inside Out.