Aligning with Grace

I begin the year by inviting angels into my sacred space... I begin every new year with some kind of ritual... For years, I began the year by walking a labyrinth in a church. After a decade of doing this, the church no longer offered this as a possibility, so I moved on to other rituals... I believe that the energy you end a year with and the energy with which you usher in a new year colors that whole year... So - last year, and this year - I began it by inviting angels and their energy into my life... I know, it may seem silly to some. But if you don't like the concept of angels - then think of a Power greater than yourself - think of inviting in the the creative energies of the Universe. In other words, invite in whatever resonates... Angels, like Hindu deities, are simply the embodiment of divine characteristics we wish to emulate or become. And what I find fascinating is - that since I literally opened the door to my home and my heart to the angels - everything...

A New Year arrives on the heels of another that leaves - quietly, silently... A New Year arrives, full of promise - filled with expectations - rising on the ashes of the previous one... I meditate in the cloaking darkness, descending on the evening and wrapping me in its arms - and then again in bed - and after rising - bridging two worlds, the night and the day - and two years - old and new... I reflect on the waning year and all its unexpected blessings and the creative ventures undertaken... I welcome the new one, filled with possibilities and the impending fruition of all the groundwork laid in the previous year... I end the year, and begin the new one in gratitude... i choose to surround myself with all that is positive, and life giving, and loving... I forgive myself for failings - and others for whatever I perceive might be theirs - mindful of the fact that it may be only my perception which sees it so... I invite angels and guides to journey with me, every step ...

Every now and then, we have days that are magical... We have days overflowing with love, and grace, and gratitude, and connection... We have days that are filled to the brim! I had one of those days, yesterday... It began the previous evening, as I meditated and prayed in bed for so many who had made requests. And as I did so, I was overwhelmed with compassion and love - with bliss and peace - and light in even in the dark of night. I knew that somehow, all would be well. The next day I awoke overflowing with the same feelings, and I quickly began my day filled with errands of all sorts. After my first stop, I realized I had begun my day without having taken the time to enjoy my morning cup of coffee, and almost immediately, I saw a slight man - trying to stay warm, opening up and organizing his coffee cart - on this brisk, nippy morning, that was barely out of the 30's! Who makes coffee in that kind of weather - outside? I approached him and asked him ...

I believe in the power of angels -  both seen, and unseen... "What is an angel? And what do they do?" I came across a review on a book titled The Physics of Angels , co-written by Matthew Fox, whose seminal theological works were very formative for me when I studied theology in the seventies, and Rupert Sheldrake, a physicist. The review goes on to note that angels are powerful and terrifying. They enter into our lives by telling us not be afraid of them. But they are also protectors and can assist us in all of our endeavors and intuitions. They can guard and defend us in so many ways, and can contribute to our happiness.  I have noted elsewhere in this blog, that I began this year by inviting the energy of angels into my life, and in a recent post I shared with you the picture of an angel, painted by a gifted artist, Karen Tarlton, which I gave myself as a present for my 59th birthday. In many ways, she was emblematic of this past year for me. I chose to gift mys...

We end a month where we celebrated the harvest, abundance, and gratitude, culminating with Thanksgiving before now launching into Advent and preparations for Christmas. It is proper and fitting that we acknowledge these things so that we can best prepare our hearts for the Advent Season, which in turn prepares us for Christmas. The vast majority of people are unaware of this important season and skip it, jumping into the celebration of Christmas itself. But then, most have lost the reason for the season... But that is another story and entry... Today, I wish to share some additional thoughts on gratitude... I came across this quote, among many other beautiful ones on Thanksgiving Day, and I have pondered it over and over again, because it truly summarizes for me what this is really all about: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,  confusion to clarity. It c...

Today, is a day for being grateful, for giving thanks. And there is so much to be grateful for. I often marvel, that as a nation, we set aside a day to give thanks. Not everyone does this. And yet those who live here, even temporarily, often continue this practice when they return to their places of origin. So today, take a moment to give thanks - wherever you might be - whether you normally observe Thanksgiving or not. And here are two offerings to help you in this endeavor: A free 90 second meditation I post daily on both Facebook and YouTube , and an inspirational quote posted daily by Every Day Spirit. Enjoy! "There is Nothing too Small for Gratitude" Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meditationpureandsimple YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bURrHn6wqEs&list=UU2XjLZ3NY9cLLPRMj_Bi0sw Every Day Spirit: https://www.facebook.com/everydayspirit1

Yesterday, on my 59th birthday, I posted a 90 second meditation that explained how these started, almost a year ago. Just barely into the New Year, I meditated and invited angels into my home. I was immediately guided to start making these 90 second daily meditations without knowing how. So I went online and quickly learned a very easy, but not particularly "professional" way of doing them. However, a dear friend, who is a gifted and artistic angel herself by the name of Mary, quickly gave me a crash course on how to do these more beautifully on iMovie. And thus, I began to use roses from my rose bushes as the background to these meditations. I had planted these roses as a gift to myself last November. Today, they are still blooming in defiance of the very unseasonal cold snap we are experiencing! A little over a week ago, I found a beautiful angel painting online clasping red roses. I realized that in this lovely painting, the symbolism of this year came together for...