The Secrets In Plain Sight!

Looking at the people who have become the news lately, I cannot help but wonder whom they really answer to, and why. Most people consider themselves accountable to some person, some deity, or some group - or a combination, depending on what their life is like. But what about those who don't seem to be accountable to anyone?

Actually, there is a simple answer, compatible with most scriptures or even a total lack of scripture! Let's look and find it!

Blessed Be!

It's that time of year when some people worry if they'll offend others with a seasonal greeting that might hint at a possible religious or ethnic affiliation, and others insist ion feeling offended if such a greeting is not their kind of greeting. And so many of the rest of us are just happy that someone wishes us well, including in their own terms.

I see this as an opportunity to learn how much we actually have in common. Once we do that, there's no limit to what we can do!

Blessed Be!

Some questions should not have to be asked! As an example, I have ridden on many busses and have never asked the bus driver if he or she were sober! Some issues should be presumed resolved by the time you're involved. The recent special election in Alabama is an example of questions being asked which should have never needed asking.

Standards might change. In the 12th and 14th centuries, it was not uncommon for a girl to be married at 12, but now we consider anyone at that age to be a child. The needs of society dictated the change, and it does not get changed based on some whim or temporary sentiment. Similarly, it was once not uncommon for certain people to own slaves, but no more.

We need to know what our standards are, why they are there and follow them!

Blessed Be!

There is a secret ingredient to prayer, and it can often make a major difference! It not only helps you to pray, it makes it flow better. And, it helps you to know what you need to do.

Unlike the "secret ingredients" mentioned in advertising, which usually prove to be standard components which everyone uses, this one is a genuine "secret in plain sight", often overlooked by many.

Blessed Be!

I've spoken about prayer in the last few episodes, and that leaves us with one question. The problem is, the question is so obvious that some don't even see it as a question. Very simply: to whom should you address your prayers? And some other questions would follow. For instance, if what works for me doesn't work for you, or vice versa, does that mean that one should impose their faith on the other?

The answer to this and other similar questions can be found, and found clearly, even in the Christians' Bible. People who can keep their preconceived notions from interfering with the actual content will understand.

Blessed Be!

We've spent a fair amount of time discussing prayer in the last couple of episodes, and not flatteringly in the case of some who seem to mis-use or actually avoid real prayer. It's time to see how prayer can actually be made to work, and work effectively!

To begin with, understand that praying for what you need is not greed, but also know that praying for others does help them. In fact, I am aware of a very recent and well-documented case that proves that point.

And The Divine is indeed listening!

Blessed Be!

With every major tragedy on the news, especially storms and mass shootings, many politicians and others say that the victims have their "thoughts and prayers". I often wonder if their "thoughts and prayers" are a euphemism for doing nothing. But, people who want to do something can transform genuine thoughts and prayers into powerful action! And, it is well within our grasp!

Not only is it within our grasp, but many of the tasks are ones you do anyway, and look forward to doing! Let's see what can happen when we turn other people's insincerities into genuine action!

Blessed Be!

We call ourselves spiritual, and/or magickal, and/or religious. Yet even the best of us is getting too accustomed to the continuing wave of gun violence. Here in the Philadelphia area, part of the routine is to turn on the morning news to learn who got shot last night. And then, there are the mass shootings in which any number from a dozen to several hundred are shot! When do we draw the line and say that enough is enough?

It might be fair to say that we are the victims of bullying. The fact is that public officials, including elected ones, are attracted to money and promises of good publicity. And that has attracted them to the point that it was recently shown how little their own lives matter!

The question is begging for an answer!

Blessed Be!

Most of us understand manners and common courtesy in dealing with our fellow mortals in any number of situations, whether it's in an elementary school classroom, a corporate boardroom, or anywhere ale you can imagine. But what about dealing with The Divine, or The Departed? And what about deities or departed ones who are not your own? And what about the people who do revere them?

Some basic principles can go a long way here. Not only might they keep us out of trouble, we might even benefit!

Blessed Be!

At Samhaintide, the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. Many consider Samhaintide to be the time beginning eight days before and ending eight days after Samhain. It does not mean that the veil is ever impenetrable, but this is when it is easiest for us to reach through to them, and for them to reach through to us. And, they remember us and still care.

If you are here, you probably already understand the necessity of respect between the worlds, but there are many who do not. In this world, you would not simply barge into someone's home and mess around, would you? A little respect can go a long, long way! Blessed Be!