Embrace the Season of Lights

Yesterday, I was feeling a little blue about the gray shroud that has enveloped the Rochester skies for several weeks now and was missing the sun terribly.  But then I remembered that this is the Season of Lights!  I went down to the basement, brought up the Christmas lights and with just a few minor annoyances, was able to string some garland and lights on my stairs, mantel and outdoor shrubs.  I lit a couple of candles and stepped back to admire my work, as I anticipated the pine scent of the tree we would bring into the house this weekend and the beauty of the ornaments that would decorate it.

Sometimes, these weeks of preparation before  Christmas and Hanukkah can seem overwhelming, with all the shopping, cooking and endless holiday songs in every store.  But if we can keep our focus on the simple beauty of the season...the message of Light and hope coming into the world and transforming its darkness into love and peace, we will find  joy amidst all the craziness.

Take a few moments today, to close your eyes, sit in silence, breathe in the Light of the Spirit and embrace this season of hope.  Direct your breath to the heart center, filling it with love for family, friends and acquaintances, then breathe out this love and light in an expanding circle.

Release darkness, sadness, and regret and affirm: "Today, I give thanks, that in a darkened world, I can seek and find light, peace and hope".

Purge the Past

Beautiful memories are to be cherished, especially as we grow older.  However, most of us also have had negative experiences that can impede our spiritual growth and development if we continue to hold onto their energy.

In order to move fully into the present moment, which is our future unfolding day by day, it is important to do the difficult work of looking at our past mistakes and failures honestly.  By acknowledging our part, forgiving ourselves and others, then letting go of the burden, we are able to move on, learn and grow.

As we move along the path of self-discovery by "tuning in" daily to our internal landscape through quiet moments of prayer and meditation, we may find that these memories spontaneously spring into our awareness.  We may dream of them or be reminded of them in the wee hours of the morning.

Over the course of the past year, I watched my father, in the process of dying, relive long repressed memories of World War ll, which surfaced in dreams or lucid dream-like states.  He would talk about these experiences, expressing his feelings and acknowledging his and others' pain, which I believe brought him peace in his final moments.

We do not have to be dying to experience such peace.  It is the honest examination of our past and the letting go of whatever hinders, that is most important.  We may have physical reminders that need to be purged, such as documents, pictures, or other memorabilia that we have been holding onto, or that sit forgotten in a closet.  Find these reminders, look at them closely, feel the pain that they brought, forgive all, and then burn them in the fireplace or shred and discard them.  As the physical reminders are destroyed, we can imagine our psyches destroying the spiritual hold that they have had on us, releasing pain, guilt and regret. We can be free of the past, experience the present more fully and envision the future with hope.

A Time to Pause

This past week, like many, I traveled to spend time with family, to re-connect and just be in the presence of those I love.  For me, it was a time to disengage from my daily routine, to "unplug" and be in the moment, to enjoy long hikes and good food in the company of the people with whom my heart is most connected.

These experiences are what nurture our souls, because love and connection are what motivate us to continue on this path of life that is sometimes so difficult.  To make it through the challenges of life, we need times when we can pause and strengthen the ties that bind us to one another.

Today, I breathe deeply and give thanks for family and all the blessings that I take for granted....a warm home, enough food to eat, clothes to wear and my spiritual bread-God's Presence to guide me.

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I Hold the Spark of Life

Each one of us carries the Divine spark of life within.  To the extent that we fan this spark into flame, we are embodying the Divine nature in our day to day lives.  In our quiet moments of prayer and meditation, we ignite our inner flame until our light body is a strong, steady glow that guides us on our path and that we can then pass on to the people we come in contact with each day.

I recall an old song that I was taught as a child, called "Pass it On":  "It only takes a spark to get  a fire going and soon all those around, can warm up to its glowing....That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it, it's fresh like spring, you want to sing, you want to pass it on..."

As we approach the darkest days of the year, made less so by holiday lights and sparkle, may we remember the importance of fanning our inner flame and spreading light, warmth and kindness to others.

I am a Conduit for Love

Love is like a multi-faceted diamond-beautiful and brilliant, with as many different expressions as there are life experiences.  There is romantic love, parental love, self-love, love for friends and family, altruistic love and many variations of all of the above.  Its meaning is not always clear and can be twisted when I try to express love in ways that are controlling or possessive of others. In contrast, love in its purest form is unconditional concern and caring for the well-being of others, free of selfish motives.

When I am rooted and grounded in love through my spiritual connection, my expression of this powerful energetic force becomes pure and helps to promote peace in the world around me.  I am then a conduit, or channel for the transmission of love to others. In this way, love flows through my heart center, outward, like a pure diamond being turned in the light and revealing its full color and intensity, first to my loved ones, then outward to the world around me.

A meditation for today is to find a quiet place and breathe into the area just above the heart, filling it with light and visualizing the light transforming into a diamond that sparkles and shines with pure love.  Say a prayer of thanks for the beauty of love and imagine your heart light expanding in rippling waves, reaching out into the universe.

Namaste...the Divine in me sees the Divine in you

In the Silence

Silence is rare in today's world.  We wake to an alarm or music in the morning and are tied all day to our smart phones and other electronic devices that beep and ding and talk to us constantly.  Our daily lives are filled with incessant chatter that can prevent us from connecting to Spirit within.

Yet I believe that deep down, people crave silence...we take trips to the desert, go camping and hiking in the wilderness, feel the inner desire to unplug from the noise of reality.  We may stay up late or wake in the wee hours of the morning to experience silence, which can either be comforting or terrifying, depending on our mental state.

Absolute silence is probably not possible to find however; even in the most remote wilderness or the darkest night there will be sounds of the natural world.  True silence is a state of being, an inner stillness that we may seek yet seldom find.  It is the point at which we can reach a deeper awareness, an elevated consciousness and peace in our hearts.

A meditation exercise for today then, is to distance ourselves from our cell phones and laptops, to turn our ringers off for a short time, to find a place of quiet and to breathe, focusing on a single word, phrase or mantra and seeking the point of stillness within.

"Peace, Be Still"...Jesus

A Rainbow of Hope

Sometimes, rainbows appear to us when we least expect them.  They can pierce a dark cloud and arch across the sky in seconds, transforming a gray, rainy day into a glorious symbol of color and hope.

Yesterday afternoon, Tom and I were driving home from Canandaigua, after attending a beautiful but emotional memorial service in the auditorium of the VA that honored my father among other veterans who passed recently,  Gray clouds dominated the sky and gentle rain was falling, when suddenly, the sun peeked out and a rainbow appeared in the eastern sky, arching right through the dreary mist.  The colors gradually became more intense, and as we turned, the clouds parted and the rainbow seemed to dominate the sky, vivid and triumphant.

To me, this was a sign, that there will always be beauty, goodness and hope, if we have eyes to see and hearts to appreciate what is right in front of us. Sorrow and dark nights of the soul will always give way to hope and healing when we have faith.

Today, I breathe deeply, say a prayer of thanks, and open my eyes so that I don't miss a single beautiful moment.

Love Yourself

The idea of loving oneself might seem selfish, especially to those of us brought up in a religious tradition, who are taught to put others before ourselves and to practice humility.  We see people in public life or in the corporate world who are self-absorbed and even narcissistic, acting in ways that are detrimental to those around them, and we are turned off, knowing in our hearts that this is not right.  Yet self-love is not the same as Narcissism.

Self-love is the practice of opening our hearts to our inner beings, embracing and caring for ourselves as we would our loved ones.  Jesus taught that we should "Love our neighbors as ourselves", which means that we are significant and worthy.  Instead of focusing on our flaws, we can begin to look in the mirror and see ourselves as beautiful beings, created by God... an integral part of an interconnected universe.  We can recognize the importance of self-care, being still for a few moments and asking our Higher Power what it is that we need to be centered and at peace.

When we have cared for ourselves first, we will then have the strength to go out into the world and give to others.

Be Your Own Sanctuary

How do we find inner peace when our daily lives and the world around us can seem chaotic,unkind and sometimes scary?  Where do we turn when our own internal chatter (our "monkey mind") fills our head with to-do lists, worries and negative self-talk?

There is an inner sanctuary, a sacred place of refuge, at the center of our beings.  Henri Nouwen called this the true heart, the place where we meet God and find peace.

To find this place,we need first to tame our "monkey mind": the conscious mind that is essential to daily functioning, but that can sometimes run amok and make us our own worst enemies...

Take a few moments to become still, to simply observe the flow of your breathing; visualize the air as it moves from your nose, into your lungs and out again.  Direct it to the area around your navel and fill that space with the breath. As you are doing this, silently say the word "peace" and try not to let any other thoughts enter your mind.  As thoughts come, gently observe them and then let them go.  Keep a notepad next to you and if you have a thought that needs to be remembered, jot it down.   At first, the practice of meditation can be challenging because our minds are so very busy, but with time, it will become easier.  You will begin to see that you are not your conscious mind; you are so much more...and you will find the inner sanctuary.   Seek and you will find....

The Fountain of Life

This morning, I visualize a beautiful fountain that I once saw in the center of a spectacular garden in British Columbia.  The fountain was in the middle of a large pond and its spray reached up high into the sky as it changed colors against the backdrop of the garden.  It was so lovely that the memory is clearly etched in my mind.

As I reflect on this, I realize that God's spirit is like a fountain within my being.  The movement of its living water cleanses the debris and prevents stagnation. This fountain of life begins at my core and reaches up high above me, changing colors, refreshing and nourishing me.

Today, each time I drink pure water to quench my thirst, may I remember that my spiritual body needs living water as well.  Mind, body and spirit are connected through the sacred act of drinking water to sustain life.

God's Spirit is a fountain within my being