Liebster Blog Award for “Spiritual Journeying”

Thanks to Steve Tanner for nominating Spiritual Journeying for the Liebster Blog Award, given to bloggers with less than 200 followers who deserve more recognition.

Steve writes: “I consider your blog to be a worthy connection in the web of spirituality and higher consciousness and I believe more women need to know about you. Thank you for sharing your joy for life with the rest of us!”

Thank you Steve! I appreciate your support of my writing and your confidence in me. Check out Steve’s blog Winding Stream – it’s an abundance of fascinating, eclectic offerings.

My 5 nominations for the Liebster Blog Award are:

Lorraine Hockley’s Soul Connections

Katrina’s Freedom to a Full Life

Saudi Woman’s Weblog

Jill Crossland’s Life Deco Blog

Catherine G. Lucas’ In Case of Spiritual Emergency Blog

Celebrating Winter Solstice

Solstice, celebrated in some way by most major religions of the world, is the beginning of the end of winter, as December 21st is the longest night of the year.

Last evening I had the privilege of attending a Solstice bonfire near my home, something I’ve seldom done. I decided to forego my previous Hanukah invitation in favour of being outside in the company of women, of participating in a ritual release of the old and a calling in of the new. It felt right, another way of moving through the process of releasing my friend, who passed on early in December.

There are as many ways of casting a circle as there are circles it seems,  but most ceremonies call in the 4 directions: North represents the earth, east is air, south, fire and west, water. (There are even variations in which direction begins the ceremony).

As I sat bundled up in front of the fire during a rare West Coast cold spell, two women cast the circle, calling in various female deities. As I watched them speaking and moving, and gazed into the flames, I immediately felt the power of the experience and a calmness settled over me. I gazed up into the clear, starry sky and felt my friend’s presence with us in the oneness.

More women arrived and took their places by the fire. In turn we silently placed our offerings in the fire, representing what no longer served us, and what we wanted to draw towards us and into our lives. Then a few of us quietly drummed for a few moments before silence overtook us again.

Afterwards there was an unexpected potluck dinner. Once I had adapted my energy from silence to women’s voices and laughter, I began to enjoy the comradery and made some new friends. Coming together in this way on the longest night of the year was a powerful, healing experience for me. I’ve made an internal note to embrace the power of ritual, especially in sympathetic groups.

Help Through 5th Dimension Dreaming

I visit the 5th Dimension at night while I sleep, I’ve been doing it for several months now. The idea unfolded after I read several of the channellings Lorraine Hockley sends me chronicling her frequent visits to that realm through self-regression. We know that sleep is powerful, why couldn’t I go to the 5th Dimension while I slept, I asked myself? When I told my friend Alma, the psychic, what I was doing, she nodded and said “Good!”.

What I ask for is understanding of spiritual, other-world concepts, things that are difficult for lay westerners to grasp. Whatever I ask for I receive. When I first began this practice, for many nights I asked to be shown or taught about death, as my friend transitioned through her last weeks on earth. Immediately I felt differently about her imminent leaving, more settled about it, calmer and more grounded in spirit.

Although various boundary issues arose later, (in terms of how much was enough for me to give) and great sadness continued to arise, the clarity I was gifted with never left me during the remainder of her days with us and I knew at a deep, core level that this was her process, her path, not mine. I could only walk beside her as a helper.

I continue to visit the 5th Dimension at night; these days I often ask to learn about joy and to feel my own worth at a deeper level. It’s subtle learning, and it’s very profound.

Guest Blog – Spirituality In Its Many Forms

This blog article is Bronwen’s personal, eclectic take on spirituality, her manifesto for living you might say, developed over her lifetime. Food for thought…

There are many different forms of spirituality that may be accessible to many people who shy away from more traditional or conservative religious elements.

Just a few of the many ways that people access spirituality, whether they consider it religious or not, are music, being active, including sports, writing, gardening, being outside, practicing psychic ability, meditating, self acceptance, spending time with children, creation in all of it’s infinite forms, connection with the world and other people and animals, and practicing the art and skills of kindness, empathy, love, acceptance and non-judgment, forgiveness, listening and the ability to recognize the light in ourselves and others.

Spirituality, religion, connection, love, light and acceptance, in my view, are all different words to express the same essential truth, a positive learning and being that demonstrates we are not alone, that there is something grand and loving beyond our own selves and this world. Whatever your passion is, whatever motivates you to love and create, that’s an important form spirituality takes for you. Feel, listen, accept yourself and others, and above all, love.

Riding the Waves Of Our Personal Spiritual Journeys

We’re all transforming all the time to some degree or another. The challenges that push me to grow spiritually are coming faster and faster now. I’m called to do things I might not normally do by circumstances now presenting themselves in my community and in my network of friends.

So much happens in a week, even in a day now, it’s bewildering at times. Yesterday evening the words “Riding the Waves” came to me, then an image of a surfboard with a tiny figure on it. I’m pretty sure the tiny figure was me. What a hoot…me surfing! Nevertheless it feels like an apt metaphor for the past few weeks.

A close election race in my small town propelled me to put my money where my mouth is, to get out and work for our incumbent mayor, so he could continue to move forward with the work he and his council have been doing over the past years, slow, thoughtful growth, rather than mega development that’s possibly quickly rammed through council. This stimulating out-in-the-world campaign activity was a counterpoint to another event that is taking place; I have the privilege to be part of a support team caring for a longtime community member whose life is now drawing to a close.

For some of us,  life and death wake-up calls, events that happen to us or to those we’re close to are triggering our spiritual transformations. We may choose to live our lives in different ways after this. Some of us are developing serious health problems, so grave that they are leaving the planet earlier than expected.

Whatever form our spiritual calling takes is the right form for us. Whether it is an external or an internal one, or a combination of both, we are the ones who know best when we follow the voice of our heart. That’s all any of us can ever do ultimately.

Tashi Delek  

Ellen

Living Our Spirituality in a New World

Our spiritual beliefs are personal and individualistic. They may derive from a formal religion, an eclectic combination of beliefs and deities as mine does, (Christian, Tibetan Buddhist, Hindu), a philosophy that involves communion with nature, (surveys about low Church attendance in Cascadia reflect the way nature feeds us), or any other views that uplift and heal us.

My personal spirituality, a combination of early Christian training, Tibetan Buddhist teachings, Hindu deities, metaphysical  symbology and daily walks in nature, help me to be present and in the moment and support me as I go through my days, helping me stay grounded and in touch with myself and with spirit.

I have no problem with the word prayer, thinking of it as “asking”. I call on a variety of beings to support and guide me; angels, spirit guides and recognized religious icons, known as Ascended Masters in metaphysics. Lakshmi is my favourite and a powerful influence for me.

Although you’ll hear Indians say “Money, money” when her name is mentioned, she’s so much more than that. Lakshmi is about the heart and basically she just wants us to be happy. Once, lying on Dr. Wang’s acupuncture table with needles in my heart area, the thought form “Lakshmi” popped into my mind. Immediately I sensed her presence in front of me, then inside my heart area, filling me with love. The experience lasted only a second, but the impact was profound.

Outside the hotel where we stay in Paharganj, Delhi, sits a large, beautiful statue of Ganesh, the Elephant God. He can help us in many ways and one of them is to assist writers. I have a small, white porcelain likeness of him on my desk to this end.

Having grown up in a Christian Church and from past lives involving Christianity, I have a  strong affinity to Jesus, who also is love. Several years ago I purchased an eighteen inch statue of Mother Mary in a local nursery; she has a place of honour in the bedroom. Mary is a very powerful figure for aiding and supporting women, whether or not we are Catholic.

In a world that often feels different from day to day, whatever feeds us spiritually will be of great benefit in dealing with the practicalities of a tightening economic world and the subtle energetic changes both outward and inward. Our unique activities will help us find balance and a place of peace, of comfort.

I leave you with this image, offered to us during Judith Onley’s 11/11/11 channelling from US (United Souls of Heaven & Earth). It’s a beautiful idea and I think you will find it uplifting:

Imagine that we are all standing in a circle of holding hands at all times. Feel the connection with the others in your circle. Do this as often as you like, from the moment you awaken until you retire for your night dreaming, if you so desire.

Tashi Delek  

Ellen

Spiritual connection, it’s not optional now

A couple of weeks ago I was telling my chiropractor and friend that I’ve realized it’s no longer an option whether to be connected with my spirit or not. Over the past few months, in the changing time since my Mom passed on it’s become mandatory, I’ve found, to go into that place, my centre, deeply in, and to connect with that calm, peaceful place. Then I feel more joyful.

This realization unfolded slowly, over a few weeks, when I noticed that when I’m in touch with my spirit I’m not only content, but have the energy to do pretty much whatever I choose to do. For example, I had endless energy to clean and prepare the house for the small, cozy Celebration of Life we held for Mom a few weeks after her death and to host the event. That was my first clue.

Having realized this and articulated it to someone outside myself, I must say I don’t always do it. Some of the time I pause and use one of my many ways to go to that place, but at other times, when push comes to shove, I move away from my centre. If there’s too much going on around me, to much activity, to busy a schedule, my good intentions sometimes fall by the way.

But that’s okay, because all I, or any of us can do, is do something differently, as soon as we realize we’ve gone “away from base” so to speak. It could be anything that takes us out of our minds and our daily routines – for me my first line of defence is to get outside, preferably to walk beside the water, but anywhere outside that has a tree will do.

As often as I can, I give some attention to my morning meditation – a proper intent instead of a cursory, “must do” shallow attempt that at times passes for meditation. Some evenings I add a brief evening sitting too, just 5 to 10 minutes. It all pays off – my day always goes better when I meditate, even if the time has been filled with thoughts. Occasionally I’m visited by visions, like the recent one that showed me panoramic low hills and a parting of the waters. I wondered if it represented the two  worlds – the spirit world and the physical one here on this planet, and suggested that they are merging.

Whatever works for you is good, try different things. As far as meditation goes, training helps definitely, but it’s not mandatory.

When all is said and done, the pressures of the daily world shrink in significance, like in the old saying that a person who is dying never says they wished they’d worked more. As we move into a new way of living, we begin to step outside ourselves, and become an observer, able to separate ourselves from our “baggage”, our unfinished business, whatever words you prefer to put on it. When we let go of our baggage, we let go of control, and step into a place of not knowing, a place of possibilities. Uncomfortable at first perhaps, but most worth it.

Tashi Delek  

Ellen