Aligning with Grace

Today we mark the Winter Solstice... It is when  the Earth offers her exhale into her inhale - pausing for a moment, in Stillness, before reversing and beginning her journey back to days increasingly filled with Light. I posted this prayer in 2009, after having borrowed it from a friend... Thanks again Bob! A Midwinter Prayer "From the rising of the midwinter sun to its setting, Scatter the darkness with the light of your love, O Shining One. Make me short on mean thoughts, long on offers of words of comfort. Make me short on being driven, long on paying attention. Make me short on focusing only on my own, long on looking beyond. Make me short on obsessive thoughts, long on spontaneous acts of kindness. Make me short on mindless activity, long on time to reflect. Make me short on tradition as a habit, long on rediscovery and re-owning. Make me short on rushing or tiring, long on walking and wondering. Make me short on false, festive jollity, long on stilling and rooted j...

I arise at dawn on a cold winter morning that many believed heralded the end of the world, but I consider to be the beginning of a new era of transformation and awakening... On this day, the Earth offered her inhale into her exhale and there was stillness for a moment - a kumbhaka - a pause between breaths - a moment that is both auspicious and impregnated with the Presence of the Divine... I offer prayers, meditations, and Loving-kindness for those on my prayer and healing list - and for all beings everywhere... I am drawn to chant and tone - and to intone sacred seed mantras as I play my crystal bowls at noon, giving intent to clear vibrationally in all ways necessary - and wishing this for others as well, with candles lit and facing all four directions... My grateful heart is full for all the blessings received, and for sacred messages received from the Other Side earlier this week... Visitations from loving beings and angels wrapped and surrounded me in a sacred and holy ma...

About a week and a half ago - I had the wonderful pleasure to listen to and imbibe the ecstatic and poetic wisdom of Professor Bill Mahony , of Davidson College - who spoke on his new translation and commentary of the Narada Bhakti Sutras , titled, Exquisite Love . The two days, and 12 hours spent with him and the group that assembled for the occasion, was nothing short of exquisite! Bill began by telling us - that the subject for the weekend was simply this - LOVE. He went on to note, that Love is an important topic. This is the season for Love. But, there are many who do not feel or experience Love in their lives, and we need to take the time to acknowledge this. Furthermore, Bill went on to remind us that our true essence is Love - whether we feel it or not. And, this Love that we are - that is our essence - is of the same essence as God. Later on, in the course of the weekend, we were reminded over and over again - that Love is God - and God is Love! I cannot truly express in word...

It is truly a time for signs and wonders in all that is seen and that which is unseen as well... Yesterday, many observed the Winter Solstice , which was ushered in by a rare lunar eclipse, a full moon, and an unusual conjunction of planets - not seen for centuries. These were incredible signs and wonders which came bearing messages and were filled with meaning... In the midst of it all, I struggled to make sense of the tragic death of dear friend - but even this brought its own insights and signs from the "Other Side," and gathered a community together, from far and wide... And in the late afternoon, as the day exhaled its last ray of light into the darkness, my new Hanuman murti, representing Siva and Shakti in its devotional aspects, auspiciously arrived, just at twilight, in time for my evening meditation. A murti is a sacred statue, and when I opened the box, I immediately felt a blast of Hanuman's sweet energy, so powerful and soft, and like a loving embrace, i...

These are truly extraordinary times. In the last year, we have seen many rare and unusual planetary, astrological, and astronomical alignments and occurrences, especially for those with the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart willing to ponder the signs and wonders we are given. There were many unusual such occurrences around the time of the birth of Jesus as well, although, this too, might be debated by some skeptics. Still, I find myself in awe of what will transpire in a few short hours. We are on the doorsteps of the darkest and longest night of the year - the Winter Solstice , coupled with the Full Moon , and a Lunar Eclipse , which has not occurred simultaneously since 1554 AD! The energy feels intense to me, bordering on the magical, and some truly strange things, defying any immediate explanation happened to me, one of which was, a "mini crop circle" appearing on my laundered microfiber sheets, looking like a full moon. It very much reminded me of the the ple...