Angelic Insights

A Rose by Any Other Name...

2010-01-03T12:39:00.001-08:00

In this NY Times article reporting that a Malaysian court has decided Christians can also refer to God as “Allah” in the Malay language, I thought the following part was truly bizarre:

“Authorities have insisted that Allah is an Islamic word that should be used exclusively by Muslims, and its use by other religions would be misleading.”

Allah is usually associated with Islam, but it’s the word for “God” for Christians in Arab lands. Islam is one of the Abrahamic faiths—the Jewish, Christian and Muslim God is one God. So I found it curious that this was their viewpoint, and that they were afraid the Christians would mislead Muslims into converting by using the word “Allah”. HELLO?!! That seems so incredibly odd to me. If the use of that word might lead to conversion or confuse their faithful, how devoted do they think their followers are?

I have asked the angels for a few words on this controversy:

The idea that religions compete for followers is in the religions, the human expressions of spirituality and worship. The Creator doesn’t care if Muslims call Allah God, or if Christians call God Allah. God cares that people align their lives with Him—that they love God and love one another, as Jesus taught.

Let those who love God, focus on the love. Division among the religions, and particularly religious violence and hostility, distorts the entire idea of religion. When one sees God all around, when one sees God in one’s neighbor, when one feels the sacred Presence no matter where one is—that is what religion is meant to evoke. Fear that someone will take away one’s followers and convert them to another faith, is not of God. If one has a vibrant faith, an inspiring community of belief and spiritual practice, one will draw and keep the faithful of that religion. There is no competition. Fear constricts and love expands.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T21:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, Everyone.

Tonight I bring you a message from one of the Grandmothers. Whether you want to consider this a voice of an archetype or a personification of Nature is up to you. But the message is very real. This is the voice of Grandmother Ocean:

There are many prophecies of end times in different religions, cultures and traditions. These are not intended to bring forth fear. Yet they ARE intended to awaken. You are so focused upon the indoor life, upon artificial light and floors with carpeting, even swimming in chlorine instead of the ocean waters which are now polluted.

We, the Grandmothers of your planet, ask you to open your eyes to what is around you. Breathe in the real, outdoor air. Walk upon dirt or sand instead of concrete and carpet. Open your eyes, and your spirit, to the world outside so that you CARE about this planet. When you care about those creatures with whom you share your planet, you will be more motivated to try to make a difference.

Do your best for this planet. It may not be perfect—we do not expect that. But if you reduce waste, reduce pollution, do things to help the earth, the oceans and all their inhabitants in some small way—it will make a difference.

And pray. You all can pray. Pray for the healing and the wellbeing of this planet. Thank you. We greet you in this year, this time of new beginnings, and we send our blessings back as you bless us.

Grandmother Ocean and her inhabitants.

Spiritual Anguish

2009-12-30T23:12:00.001-08:00

This desire to cease to be or to feel is something I have found in myself and seen in the majority of Sacred Activists I know well. All of us have times when we long not merely for escape or distraction, but for relief from bearing the anguish of lucid compassion and engaged conscience.
…
When you are “intellectually” concerned about what is happening, you can, at least partially, protect yourself from the pain of the truth; when, however, you decide that you cannot bear to stand by and must do something real, you will inevitably meet the reality of the self-destructiveness that now drives a great deal of human action in the world. If you do not accept that facing this ferocity will bring you to your knees in despair and drive you to wish you had never been born, you will never be able to find the authentic hope that is born when you offer up this heartbreak to the Beloved for Him to heal and steady, and so discovery that you can bear it without denial and continue to love life.

-Andrew Harvey, from pages 97-98, page 9

9 of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism

I blogged about my feelings and some philosophical musings on the death of a Twitter friend, Gideon, a few weeks ago. He was always so thoughtful about wanting to be of service to God and to the world, musing about theological questions and probing issues of religion and spirituality all the time. It just didn’t make sense to me that someone so full of faith, so full of the Spirit, could end his life in this way.

I’ve been reading this book by Andrew Harvey, suitable for those of all faiths, about combining the inner faith journey and spiritual practices, with an outer work of activism to make the world a better place—whether one advocates for animals or the environment, whether one is “political” or committed to praying daily for the world. It’s quite dense and thought provoking, and I recommend the book to others… but I digress.

The excerpt above gave me an “aha” moment with respect to Gideon and those like him. It saddened me that the most sensitive, the most open hearted, the most spiritually aware people amongst us, can also be subject to the deepest despair as they open themselves to the harsh energies all around them in an effort to help.

So I turned to Jesus. “WHY???” And what Jesus pointed out to me, more in feelings and concepts than in words, was that it’s all about Love and about transformation. God loved, and Jesus became incarnate as a human. Jesus went through the pain of crucifixion to transform death into resurrection. Love can create suffering, but out of suffering can come a transformation, a healing, a joy.

Jesus has a special place in his heart for those who suffer, particularly those who suffer to serve others, those who suffer to serve Him. I pray for the transformation of the suffering of those who feel the pain of this world so deeply, and for the transformation of this world through their vision, into a more Love-filled place.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Happy 4th day of Christmas

2009-12-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

The Twelve Days of Christmas refer to the tradition of Christmastide--of celebrating Christmas for twelve days... so happy 4th day. I enjoyed this account of the history of Christmastide, written by an evangelical Christian turned Anglican turned Roman Catholic about how the tradition of keeping Advent and then Christmastide enhanced his appreciation of Christmas-and prevents post-holiday "let down." This Episcopalian agrees.... http://www.ancient-future.net/christmas12.html

And please enjoy this carol:

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T17:08:00.002-08:00

Today is Christmas Eve. We put the ornaments on our tree. And Samantha the Christmas Slug got a special treat this morning of some cucumber slices in addition to her spinach.

We're going to Christmas Eve services tonight. Actually, to two different Christmas Eve services--one at my church, St. Andrews, and one at a friend's church later on.

Tonight heralds the coming of the Christ, of the light in the darkness. Regardless of whether you share my (Christian) faith, the archetype of light coming to darkness is a powerful one. The version of the Nicene Creed my church uses says: "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father." I love the Light from Light image, like a candle being lit from another candle, another candle yet the same light, the same fire burning both...

So I have asked the angels for a Christmas Eve and Christmas message:

God has come to earth. God's presence did not begin with Jesus and He never left when Jesus ascended to Heaven. God is present in each act of goodness, of kindness, of love. God is considered "omnipresent" in your theology. God is everywhere. We angels see God in everything-not in a pantheistic sense, but seeing Presence in all of creation.

Families ocme together at Christmas time. Why? God's presence, the idea of the Incarnation, inspires people to put aside the differences that family members often have and to come together. It is love. Inspired love.

Tonight and tomorrow, remember the love of God for all of creation, and seek to put aside any differences. Take a deep breath when you find yourself irritated. Remove yourself if necessary. And of course, the angels are ready to help you stay centered if you ask us to help you see your loved ones as God sees them.

You are loved. Remember the reason for this holiday, this Holy Day--Love. Give thanks for love.

Samantha the Christmas Slug

2009-12-22T22:56:00.004-08:00

We got our Christmas tree on December 6. (NO, I am not being sacreligious.... I observe Advent and the decorations go on, on Christmas Eve...) But we do like to have our tree earlier. And more importantly, the CATS enjoy the tree earlier.

There was a teeny tiny slug at the base of our tree (pictured.) She just celebrated her 2 week birthday of being found on the tree. She now lives in a plastic container with air holes, with some fresh water and baby spinach to crawl on and eat. She has almost doubled in size. She used to be less than 1/2 inch in length when she stretched out. Now she's almost an inch long when stretched out--more compact when not. (Slugs are like cats--there is stretched mode and scrunched mode....)

I never thought I'd love a slug. I never thought I'd be un-grossed-out about one. But this is true of our slug, Samantha. We feel that if she was transported into our lives, we owe her a nice life--so she eats organic spinach and drinks spring water.

What have we learned from Samantha? We have learned that sometimes stuff happens and we just have to deal with what life brings us. We have learned from her contented movements that sometimes it's better to slow down. And we've learned from her example that it's possible to find joy in the moment. When she's moving, she moves. When she's resting, she rests. She's a very zen slug. And it's a great lesson.

Happy Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T19:52:00.007-08:00

As the Solstice arrives, it reminds me of our little white cat Solstice who passed away at the end of July--and how we got her at a shelter one winter the day after Christmas, hence her name...

The Solstice marks the turning of the year--from days getting shorter and darkness growing, back toward the days lengthening and darkness lessening. May you find comfort in this time of new beginnings, and of the coming of the Light.

There is no coincidence that the date we celebrate Christ's birth is a few days after the solstice. Jesus was supposedly born at another time of year--yet movement of darkness to light in the symbolism of this season totally works with His birth.

I have asked the angels for a prayer for the solstice, and for this Christmas season generally:

Beloved, Creator,
We ask you to shine your Light upon us. We ask you to illuminate our lives with your presence, to fill our hearts and souls with the Joy, Peace, and Love that You are. Help us to be kinder. Help us to be more loving. Help us to bring Light into the lives of those around us. As St. Francis said, let us be instruments of your Peace this holiday season.

May we remember those who have lost loved ones, those who are lonely, those who are sad, those who are poor. May we remember animals in shelters, the homeless people, those mentally and physically ill, those mourning. Let us bless them and keep them in our prayers, and help us to help others in inspired ways.

This we pray, O God of Mercy and God of Hope. Amen.

Kitten Opening Door

2009-12-20T21:37:00.003-08:00

Animals have a range of intelligence. Like humans, some are really bright... and some are less intelligent. Thanks for @YourDailyCute on twitter for finding this adorable video of a kitten opening a door. This kitten is pretty observant, and bright!

EMBED-Smart Cat Opens Bedroom Door - Watch more free videos

iPhone "apps" oracle "cards"

2009-12-19T22:51:00.005-08:00

I don't own an iPhone but a number of my friends do. If you have an iPod touch or an iPhone, you can now do an oracle card reading without carrying a deck of oracle cards. There are a number of iPhone "apps" available, and now there are some that emulate decks of oracle cards.

I have always liked Dr. Steven Farmer's Power Animal oracle cards, and they are now available in that format.

Click here if you wish to purchase the program.

Thank you. A nice "stocking stuffer" perhaps!

Saying Goodbye

2009-12-18T20:55:00.005-08:00

I'm sorry, if this Gideon theme is a bit difficult, but writing is part of how I process my emotions--and probably healthier than the other way--carbohydrates...

I beg assistance, God of my journey,
to accept that all of life is only on loan to me
to believe beyond this moment
to accept your courage when mine fails
to recognize the pilgrim part of my heart
to hold all of life in open hands
to treasure all that is gift and blessing
to look at the painful parts of my life and to grow through them
to allow your love to embrace me on the empty and lonely days
to receive the truth of your presence
to trust in the place of "forever hello"

-Joyce Rupp, from Praying Our Goodbyes

It's really difficult sometimes to say "I'm not in control here" and surrender. We can't control everything that happens to us. We can't control the behaviors of others.

Bernie, one of my coworkers, quoted something he had kept in his desk for many years at his goodbye/retirement party yesterday. It is a quote from the Rev. Charles Swindoll, an evangelical pastor:

ATTITUDE
by: Charles Swindoll
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

I will allow that there is wisdom there, and truth. But being human, sometimes it is SO HARD to adjust our attitudes from negative to positive, from "this is crap" to acceptance. So I really love Joyce Rupp's prayer--and many of her prayers touch my heart. She doesn't pray for things. She doesn't pray for specific results. Her prayer is a prayer of attitude. God, please mold me. God, please help me see things as you see them, let things go emotionally.... God help me do what I cannot do alone.

I really am inspired by this. I've asked the angels for a message today. I've finally lifted myself up enough to be in tune with them again. And they said:

This is a lovely prayer. And a lovely way to pray. We know that not all of your readers are comfortable with a specific deity due to some unfortunate harshness in their upbringings, just as you took a long time to return to Christianity, so we would like to offer a suggestion to those people--and for those people who worship God as God too.

You can offer prayers to a quality you think of as divine. Not worshipping something different from God, but asking like this author does. Let us give you an example:

Peace, please bring your presence to me.
Soothe my heart, still my doubts.
Bring me into an inner quietness so I can be one with you.
Let me pour out my sorrows, pour out my concerns to you.
Dilute them in the pools of your calming waters.
Please take my pain and transform it,
Help me to breathe through what is.
Thank you, Peace.
You heal my soul.

Seeking assistance from a quality actually invokes an angel of that quality--but some of you (you know who you are) who read this blog aren't really sure that angels exist. That is okay. We are much more concerned that people connect with God. The messenger is not as important as the message. If we invisibly transmit God's thoughts to humanity, some think the messages are angelic, some think it's "my soul" speaking, some think it's "intuition" and some think it's God speaking to them. All of these are true, and each interpretation is a partial truth. So invoke God's qualities by speaking to them, and however you believe it happens, you will receive assistance with being more loving, more compassionate, more peaceful, or more ___, as you request.

We surround those of you who grieve or suffer depression at this time, and radiate healing and love to those who will accept it.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Online Community Prayers

2009-12-17T21:32:00.006-08:00

I follow a twitter profile called "The Urban Abbey." It is a collective of people who come together to worship online on twitter. The trick is that the posts can only be 140 characters.

HOW IS THAT WORSHIP?

It is. And last night, after everyone was in shock about Gideon (pictured at left), it was very moving for many people to gather together. We later learned that his actual funeral had been the same day in Tulsa.

So I am sharing here the text of our twitter service. Please follow @TheUrbanAbbey if you would like to join this worship format in addition to whatever regular church, you may or may not attend.... Please keep in mind that this was a longer "service" than normal--we normally have 15 minute or less twitter services. There are pauses to allow the people to refresh their twitter feeds and reply or "retweet."

***

Tonight's compline prayers are adapted from http://haligweorc.org/breviary/

Tonight, we honor our brother in Christ, @gideony 's memory. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.

But everything is transformed. In that moment, grace conquers sin, and reconciliation bridges the gulf of estrangement.

That was from Gideon's quote of Tillich on his blog http://bit.ly/8mHePn Lord, May your grace, love & compassion embrace Gideon.

The Lord grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end. Amen. Our help is in the Name of the Lord; The maker of heaven and earth.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father: We have sinned against you, through our own fault,in thought, and word, and deed,

and in what we have left undone. For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us all our offenses;

and grant that we may serve you in newness of life, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

From Ps. 91: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

He shall say to the LORD, "You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust."

He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence. He shall cover you with his pinions,

and you shall find refuge under his wings; his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day; ...

Because you have made the LORD your refuge, and the Most High your habitation, There shall no evil happen to you,

neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.

Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye; Hide us under the shadow of your wings.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. *Please take a few moments and pray the Lord's Prayer now*

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge

over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering,

pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.

Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised.

*At this time, please pray for Gideon's journey, and for his family, friends and all who mourn him.*

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

+Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen.

Rest In Peace, Gideon

2009-12-16T22:51:00.004-08:00

i am broken among the broken…

Lord, deliver me from my despair.
Give me strength that I might continue to fight.
I am tired, I am lonely and I feel I am alone among the mad.
I know I am not alone but my heart breaks.
Help me, save me… I try so hard, yet I know I should try harder and that there is much I could do but do not…
Have mercy on me, help me be a better instrument, a better servant and a better healer for those that come before me.
Save me from pride, from arrogance, and help me remember that I am broken among the broken.
Give me wisdom to discern what I can and cannot do, and what I must walk to and away from.
Lord, save me.
Amen.

November 7, 2009 Gideon Addington http://prayersforbrokenpeople.com/

Gideon Addington, @gideony on twitter, died on Saturday by his own hand. He was 30 years old. I really liked him; he had thoughtful things to say about God, faith, and theology. And now he is in spirit.

So did God not answer his prayer of despair?

No, God answered it. In a terrible way, Gideon got the core of what he wanted, even if he obtained it in a way that leaves his online friends reeling--and must leave his non-virtual friends and family grieving even more. And most certainly, God never intends for us to use suicide to leave our physical lives... but some people do. and Gideon was one of them.

"Have mercy on me, help me be a better instrument, a better servant and a better healer for those that come before me."

Gideon is a terrific instrument. His death serves God too. It is teaching and healing many of us online. It teaches us to be kind and compassionate as we never know what others are really feeling. It teaches us that we should reach out to one another, that we should love and appreciate one another.

And it teaches us that we are not immune from depression and despair no matter how deep our faith.

Sometimes prayer is not enough. Sometimes we need to reach out to one another, to real humans, and not just to God and angels. That's why there are churches--that's why there are online ocmmunities on spiritual topics. That's why there is facebook and twitter. We seek to connect with like-minded and like-hearted individuals.

Unfortunately, Gideon didn't reach out to people in such a way that we knew he was seriously considering suicide. But he has taught us that we need to keep people in our prayers who may consider it, that we need to pray for those who grieve and those in despair...

I am sure that Gideon never realized what pain his passing would create in others. And I hope that he finds the peace he yearned for in heaven. Rest in peace, dear Gideon, with the healing comfort of Jesus and the angels. And may your passing teach us all how to connect more with one another, to be loving, to be compassionate, to be helpful and to be better people.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Please join me in praying for Gideon's peace, for his family and friends, and for all similarly situated. Thank you.

Rosary/Chaplet Christmas Gift suggestions

2009-12-15T19:04:00.002-08:00

On October 12, I posted a youtube video with an excerpt of a lovely DVD that has the Chaplet of St. Michael the Archangel on it. The DVD has been completed and is now ready for purchase here for $15, including the chaplet itself (chaplets are like mini-rosaries--in this case, this honors Michael and all the angels). This is a great Christmas gift for people who are either Roman Catholic or who have a devotion to the angels.

You can find some lovely feminine chaplets for various saints, including St. Michael, here. I also like this site for relatively inexpensive Anglican rosaries.

You can also find some lovely rosaries and Anglican rosaries by searching on Etsy.com. I can recommend the work of "vowangems" and "prayerbedes" on Etsy, both of whom I have ordered from.

Judge Not

2009-12-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Matthew 7:1-5 (KJV)

Tiger Woods is a big "trending topic" on Twitter right now. He's in the news a lot. But Jesus told us to look first at our own faults, and let God be concerned with others. It's interesting, of course, to look at our celebrities in magazines.... I will admit that I like to myself. But I think it's more wholesome to look at the good qualities of celebrities. In addition to gorgeousness and acting ability, Johnny Depp is a dedicated family man and father. He's a generous person whose $4,000 tip for a waiter at a Chicago restaurant made the news once. And whatever the state of their relationship, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are raising a large family with ideals of trans-racial familial ties--and they give away a large percentage of their income.

So if the headlines are correct, Tiger Woods does have a problem with infidelity. But that should be reason to tell ourselves that we too are imperfect--and that as much as God has graced him with mental discipline and physical ability in golf, he also has demonstrated a weakness. This isn't an opportunity for judgment. This is an opportunity for prayer. Please join me in praying for Tiger Woods, his wife Elin, and their children as they work through their problems.

We all have faults. We all have things we wouldn't want the whole world to know about. And we have things we hide from ourselves and from God--or we try to. I have asked the angels for some guidance:

People are fascinated with the "fall" of a celebrity, whether it be mental illness or an arrest, an addiction, or infidelity, because it makes them feel better about themselves in a perverse way. Even someone that rich, or that talented, or that attractive, has challenges. Even someone that blessed, can still screw up their life.

Yes, some people can be mean spirited about things, but overall, it's more of a comparison in one's mind that translates to "Well, at least I'm not THAT bad."

But of course, things are just a matter of degree. Whether you call that inner voice Satan, or the ego, that little voice that is NOT the voice of God, is luring you away from confronting something that needs rectifying in your life, something that you're being guided to change. Whatever it is, when you compare yourself to others, you will always find people you are "better" than to your ego--because you can point to people who have more apparent faults.

Apparent to others, perhaps. But God placed a piece of guidance within each of you. It's sometimes called the conscience. It's sometimes called the Holy Spirit indwelling you. What it is, is God telling you that you are not on track with something in your life. You're not as loving as you can be. You're not as honest as you can be. You're not as disciplined as you can be.

It might be a little thing. It might be a big thing. But if you think that at the end of your life, that just ignoring the little things will result in a fulfilled life, the life that God meant for you, you're wrong. Sometimes it's the people who fall far and fall big, who are the most motivated to change and transform their lives. Sometimes it's the people who make the big mistakes who make the biggest turnaround and who "repent", which means to turn away, and really transform themselves and their lives.

So judge not. Don't judge others, because those with the biggest and most spectacular mistakes can really transform their lives when they turn their lives around. Judge where you're avoiding that divine voice within and do the work to make those little transformations that God wants in your life. Ask yourself what would God say to me here?

And yes, pray. Pray for yourself and for the courage to face up to your faults and transform. And pray for those who present spectacular public examples of their humanness and imperfection that can be an example for all.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

The Prayer

2009-12-12T20:10:00.005-08:00

I love the song "The Prayer"--here is a wonderful version on youtube featuring Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban, two of my favorite male vocalists:

Music can really put one into a sacred space. I love going to "Taize" church services modelled on the ecumenical Christian monastic community in France. These services focus on candlelight and sacred sung chants--for example, "Come Holy Spirit" or "O Lord Hear My Prayer."

I've asked the angels to comment on music and the sacred:

Music isn't just about the sounds. The sounds reflect an intention. Some people bring through unpleasant energies in their music. When you cringe at more violently "hard" rock music or rap, it's not just because of your generation--it's because of the tremendous harshness conveyed energetically through the music. Hatred. Anger. Lust. Unloving music.

Christmas carols, sacred Taize music, hymns, things like Handel's Messiah--music that is designed to glorify God has a different feel. And in between is much music that is popular and uplifting even though it isn't designed with the purpose of worship, but that is excellent to listen to and dance to.

Yes, music helps set a mood. Yes, music can be part of worship. So choose well what you listen to. Choose well what energies you absorb. And allow music to take you into the energy of that which you seek. Sometimes it will be to contemplate and pray. Other times, there are upbeat songs to help you work out or dance. Be deliberate in your musical choices, just as you are careful in terms of choosing your friends.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Ave Maria

2009-12-10T22:23:00.001-08:00

I love twitter. People send me links to the coolest things. Here is a beautiful violin rendition of the Ave Maria. Enjoy.

Maranatha

2009-12-08T21:23:00.004-08:00

I had always heard the name "Maranatha", particularly as a name of Christian ministries, without knowing what it meant. Tonight, at an Advent Taize service, I learned that it's Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) for "Come, Lord Jesus." And it's traditional during the liturgical season of Advent.

We were encouraged to pray "Maranatha" during the silence, breathing the word in and out. I will confess that my mind DID wander occasionally, but it did help center me in the worship experience and get my mind (well, at least 80% of the time) off the mundane realities of life.

I encourage you to try this. Mara-natha... Mara-natha... in, out... breathe.

I asked the angels whether it was mantra meditation or something else. They said:

It's similar in effect to an eastern mantra for this reason. Many people in the western world adopt eastern mantras but don't adopt the religious tradition of the mantra. So it serves to help focus the mind and quiet mind chatter, but doesn't truly invoke a divine presence.

If you have a non-Christian think "Maranatha", they will have a similar result. However, if you have either a Christian or someone who otherwise loves and resonates with Christ think that same phrase, it is an actual invitation to Christ to enter into communion. It invites Jesus.

So we would invite those who are somehow attracted to the person or teachings of Jesus to participate--but others may choose to use the same practice with another phrase that invites something else--for example, the qualities of Love or Joy or Peace may be invited by breathing and thinking of the word.

Is this prayer or is it meditation? Prayer is communication.... when you invite in the divine presence, you are praying. So this practice is really both.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Shine Your Light

2009-12-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!” Amen.
-Advent Prayer from Fr. Henri Nouwen

Slow down. Breathe. It seems the year end and holiday season are full of rush, rush, rush. Buy, buy, buy. What should be a time of joy and appreciation is running people ragged, turning people exhausted and depressed and anxious.

What can we do about this? Slow down. Look at the SPIRIT of the holidays. Hanukkah, Christmas, Bodhi Day, Yule... whatever it is you celebrate, these December holidays are at the turning of the seasons from longer nights and shorter days, back toward shorter nights and longer days, the turning of darkness toward more light.

So stretch. Breathe. Remember God in the midst of all of this.

The angels say:

Darkness is not real. Darkness is light's absence, but not really a thing in itself. When you shine God's light upon any situation, the darkness evaporates. Turn the light of prayer and quiet time, of breathing and contemplation, on in your life. Calm the bustle with some moments taken apart from the outer world, in the time outside time of spiritual practices, of time with God.

This is a season of celebrating light. Advent candles. Hanukkah candles. Bring light to the world in your own unique way. Do something kind for someone else, particularly anonymously. Scatter a few coins on the ground where children can find them. Be an angel-on-earth, one of God's messengers, and give others messages of encouragement, of hope. Help those who are less fortunate than you are. Walk instead of driving for a short distance. When you say grace, ask for a blessing upon all involved in providing your food. Pray for others. Pray for the planet. Pray for yourself.

In every way in which you spread love and joy, in yourself as well as in others, you are spreading light.

SHINE...

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Let It Be (or Self Compassion)

2009-12-04T08:15:00.000-08:00

Dr. Elisha Goldstein comments on the Beatles song “Let It Be” and the idea of accepting, rather than pushing away, our feelings:

For most of us, when we try to let go of something or push it away, it either keeps nagging at us or only comes back with more energy. What if we didn’t have to push our uncomfortable feelings and thoughts away? What if we could just “let them be.” At this point you might be thinking “why would I ever want to let these horrible thoughts and feelings be, I just want to get rid of them.” It is this very energy in trying to get rid of them that feeds them. We need a paradigm shift here entering the “being mode” instead of the “doing mode”.

He’s really quite right. I’ve been “feeling fat” lately. Men may say "fat isn't a feeling" but most women will know what I mean, that I’ve been feeling bad because I’ve put on 4 or 5 pounds over the past month, which makes my stomach stick out and my clothes fit tighter, which makes me feel guilty/bad about myself, which makes me want to eat to deal with feeling bad, which will not help me lose the extra pounds… And the more fat I feel the more “what the use” about eating less I feel—which is counterproductive! Then there's the taste temptation factor of holiday treat time and some mood blahs associated with this time of year for me. So I’d been trying to avoid the feelings, both of feeling fat and of a vague depressed feeling. But what if I feel the feelings and don’t try to avoid them? What a concept… I asked the angels for help:

Your feelings don’t disappear because you don’t want to be conscious of them. They go somewhere, whether it be into extra food and extra pounds, or into tension that translates into headaches or backaches, or into tension that makes it harder to sleep well…. Just because you’re not aware of feeling angry at yourself doesn’t mean you’re not, just as people who are happy without really saying to themselves “I am happy right now” still are relaxed and content.

Do we have a panacea so you won’t feel bad? No. Do we have a panacea so you’ll never overeat again, or never avoid feelings with bread or potatoes? No. No one is immune to life’s ups and downs in terms of situations, and no one is immune to life’s ups and downs in terms of emotions. The question is what you do with them. The idea of “mindfulness” this writer talks about isn’t just a Buddhist idea—it’s an idea that all people of all faiths can practice. It’s about acknowledging what is, and letting what is, be, knowing that in a different moment, what is could shift.

The extra weight will not disappear overnight. Nor does it need to multiply into a large amount of excess weight. If you accept that you have gained a few pounds, it just is. You didn’t rob a bank. You didn’t defraud stockholders. You gained a few pounds of fat. You’ve been thinner and you’ve been heavier. Although you’re not skinny, you’re not fat either. You’re Normal. As much as you’d prefer looking and feeling more slender at your usual weight, you weigh what you weigh. Resisting that send you running to escape that feeling—which leads to more eating.

Relax. Budget in a few treats here and there and accept where you are. We assure you that God loves you no matter what you weigh. We assure you that thinness is not a measure of moral worth, no matter what the media messages appear to say. And we assure you that you can and will be back at your typical weight after the holidays. Maybe not instantly--but certainly by February.

Whatever your mistakes, whatever errors you make, acknowledge what is. Don’t deny them, don’t justify them, don’t hide them. And don’t condemn yourself endlessly for them. Acknowledge and accept—make amends or apologies if necessary to others if you have harmed others—then move forward. Let what has been, be. Let what is, be. You can change the future, one present moment at a time by removing your focus from the past.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Shop to Help Shelters

2009-12-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Romeo the Cat for this information.

If you're like me, you prefer to shop online whenever possible. If you're like me--intuitive, empathic--i.e., sensitive to crowds, noise--and don't want to get all cranky shopping at malls, you like to shop with a mouse click here, a mouse click there... here a click, there a click, everywhere a click click (oops, started channeling "Old MacDonald had a farm" for a bit...)

So someone had a great idea of starting a portal that leads to major online retailers who promise to donate between 1% and 6% of purchases that start through that portal, to the Bring Pets Home Foundation.

Please click here to go to bringpetshome.org and click "shop to help" and get some of that holiday shopping done!

Thank you--and the animals thank you.

Grace

2009-12-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Episcopal Church and Visual Arts, Inc. have collaborated on an online exhibition of artists' depictions of grace. It can be found here.

Viewing the slide show is quite stunning. More importantly, meditating on images that move you is an exercise in aligning yourself with the divine quality of grace.

The angels say:

People think of the idea "there but for the grace of God go I" but what does grace really mean? There is the Christian idea of grace that seems limited to a Christian view of salvation but it's bigger than that.

Grace isn't about human undeservedness or unenlightenedness. It's not about the human. It's about the divine working THROUGH you, about something transcendent. Yes, it's undeserved. Yet it transcends ideas of sin and deservedness.

Grace is God pouring divinity through all of creation for the sheer joy of spreading love, peace and joy. It is God creating because creation is a joyful act. It is the satisfaction of a small child fingerpainting that is the same as God creating a new solar system or an infant. It's beauty. It's wonder. It's sheer, breathtaking magic.

And these artists, being creative in the way God is, have imagined grace and captured it in their own ways. Contemplate grace--and then do something creative. Dance. Write poetry. Laugh and sing. Be joyful as your Creator is joyful. Acknowledge God's presence in the little things...

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Kitten Cuteness

2009-11-29T19:35:00.002-08:00

Thanks to Kristen on twitter for sending me a link to this video on "Your Daily Cute" blog:

Enjoy... this is wonderful. Please take this opportunity to pray for the kittens in the world that they may find homes. There are way too many kittens who don't have the chance to do this. Thank you.

Advent

2009-11-29T19:29:00.004-08:00

For fellow Christians--today is the first day of Advent. For interesting daily tips on observing Advent, visit Liturgical Nerds or ButterflyBeacon. Both are friends on Twitter, and good people to follow if, like me, you prefer a liturgical style of Christianity that includes daily reflection and praying the daily office.

Intuition and Intellect

2009-11-25T08:54:00.001-08:00

I remembered how Herodotus described the war discussions of the ancient Persians. Apparently, when deliberating about whether to go to war, they made such decisions twice. First, in the steady light of reason and tempered discourse, they reached one rational decision. Then, apparently, they would engage the same question while they were drunk. If they came to the same decision in both situations, they would act on it.

Sam Candler at http://www.episcopalcafe.com/daily/spirituality/the_sandhill_cranes.php

I'm not advocating drunkenness as a decision-making technique.... (although I believe that moderation in all things, including moderation, is a good thing and admit to enjoying a glass of wine with dinner.)

That said, I really liked this because it tells me that the ancient Persians recognized the value of making decisions using the head and the heart, or if you are modern, the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Sober and logically, they reasoned out a course of action. Drunkenly cutting off logic, they went with their "gut" feelings and their hearts.

Too many people throw away their intuitive side and think think think--or in the world of spirituality, throw away their intelligence and want someone (whether clergy or psychic reader) to tell them "what will happen" or a "should" and magically abdicate all responsibility for their lives.

Neither is a good idea.

I've asked the angels to weigh in on this and they said:

God created you with a brain. God also created you with intuition. It takes both to discern truth and be a good steward of your own life, not to mention being a good steward to your family, your environment, your world.

It is by using both sides of your self together, that you can make the best decisions. You all know ungrounded people who are very intuitive, yet who can't concentrate or really take care of themselves in the physical world because they're so out of touch with reason and intellect. Whether you call them "New Age" or a "space cadet", these people handicap themselves with ungroundedness. Then there are the people who cut themselves off from their intuition and live a very dry, logical, uncreative life.

Healthy and balanced is in between. Good decisionmaking is in between. But sometimes it's difficult to listen to both sides of yourself at the same time. So we recommend emulating the Persians. No, not through substances. First, reason out something that you are deciding--evaluate all the options. Research. Think. Explore. Then, use your heart. Journal, do a collage of what you want, or artwork. Use your favorite intuitive tools, whether they be oracle cards or dream interpretation.

Consult both aspects of yourself, and make sure they are in alignment before choosing to act. This way, you will make the best decisions.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. Please go to http://budurl.com/grcn to follow my Twitter feed. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Petie the Cat

2009-11-24T10:52:00.004-08:00

Having had (and still paying for) enormous vet bills associated with complications Solstice experienced with Chronic Renal Failure (CRF), I thought it would be nice to "chip in" toward Petie the Cat's vet bills, because of his recent diagnosis. If you have an animal member in your family, please consider contributing to his vet bills--or to an animal charity--for Thanksgiving, to give thanks for your animal(s).

Please include Petie, and all cats with CRF, in your prayers.... Thanks.