The Secrets In Plain Sight!

I keep saying that your spiritual path is your business, as is your spiritual growth and learning.  The problem is that on the way to enlightenment, so many of us are confronted by what seems to be an army of nitpickers and self-appointed prophets as well as actual teachers and mentors to the point that it can be overwhelming.  And many of them will try to convince you that your way is wrong.  If that is what they claim, then they are wrong.  And that is one of the few times when I'll say that someone's way is wrong - if they say that your way is wrong because it's not theirs. In choosing a teacher or mentor, there are certain factors to consider.  There are also certain things to look for that will show you how much of a teacher that teacher really is. But above all else, it's your spiritual path.  Also bear in mind that we're dealing with the infinite, so nobody knows everything about anything, and only The Divine has any chance of having all of the answers! Blessed Be!

Samhain is here!  Don't worry about the date when you hear this, because Samhaintide lasts a while.  The veil thins, and then it thickens.  It is not like a door that opens and then slams shut, which is the impression some have of Christmas season, especially on December 26th. Samhain marks beginnings and endings, and more.  It is interesting to note that while Samhain is a seasonal festival governed by the seasons (and different in the northern and southern hemispheres, There are other holidays and festivities which perfectly mark six months and therefore give one of Samhsain's main functions a firm place.   Above all else, this is a wonderful opportunity. Blessed Be!

With Samhain coming, we need to look at beginnings, and see what beginnings we want to begin.  This is the right time for that.  And we have clues about what we can do all around us! I've said before, often enough that some of you think I'm repeating myself, that if we put our prejudices and biases aside, we might be able to do some great stuff.  We're not talking about "pay it forward" as much as we are talking about "keep the ball rolling". Amazing, the things which have been done.  Imagine, then, what can be.  Let's look for opportunities! Blessed Be!

With Samhain approaching and the veil between the worlds being at its thinnest, we do well to remember that not only might we want to reach out to them, but they might want to reach out to us.  After all, it works both ways. If you miss someone who has crossed over, then it follows that someone might miss you, too!  And, there might be others, such as ancestors or those with whom you share some other connection.  And some happen along as a result of what someone is doing. Learning who they are and why they show up can be important in our quest.  And, it can go a long way to help in many issues.   Blessed Be!

We are approaching the time when it is easiest to reach across the veil to those on the other side.  It is also the time when it is easiest for them to reach out to us.  And, there are times when we feel the need or desire to reach out to someone in particular for any of a number of possible reasons.   They miss us as much as we miss them.  Also some of our ancestors and others might be interested in knowing us for any number of reasons, such as shared interests.   The key is focus, and how to get that focus working for us.   Blessed Be!

Like with any Sabbat, holiday or other special occasion, Samhain has its preparation.  Along with all of the other preparations going on, how about preparing yourself spiritually for Samhain?  It is perhaps the most spiritual of all Sabbats, and those on the other side of the veil miss us as much as we miss them. We have the advantage over some in that we know of the spiritual, but there is always the question of knowing what we see when we see it.   Here are some things you can do to increase your awareness, and perhaps be more aware.   Blessed Be!

I am grateful that while I have been going through the grieving process for my best friend, I have mercifully been spared the gratuitous advice of the useless variety such as I have been subjected to in times past.  It's bad enough to hear about something like "God's will" enough times that for a while I considered him an enemy.  The worst of all was the advice that I was supposed to "let go".   I was beginning to wonder if I had to keep "letting go", does that mean that there is nothing that I get to keep?  And if that is true, then should I live my life accordingly and simply see what I can gain for me?  I'm glad that I didn't try that path. There really is a better way, and it balances the need to hold on with the need to avoid living in the past or clinging to a past that no longer exists. And a good balance is possible.  And an active spiritual life really helps!   Blessed Be!

I had to say goodbye to Yuengling this past Monday.  The day started like any other happy day in his life, and we were having a great time together until just about dinnertime.  He sounded like he was trying to catch his breath, and he couldn't get up.  I carried him up the stairs and into the car while Lady Stormy called the vet.  The people who met us at the vet were people he'd known and liked for the 12 years we'd been going there.  He tried to sit up, but couldn't.  Not long after they got him into the procedure room, his heart stopped and CPR didn't help re-start it.  Only about an hour from everything being normal to his having passed. My best friend and constant companion.  My office (before I retired) and shopping were the only places he didn't go with me.  He was my partner in everything I did, including this podcast.  This is the first episode without him next to me.  All that he accomplished, from a life that started as an abandoned, abused dog wandering the streets of Philadelphia! I know that, at the very least, I will see him again at the Rainbow Bridge, and we'll be together from then on.  Experience shows that other times before then might be.  And I thought I should share my thoughts with you as I miss that wonderful guy!   Blessed Be!

Working for a company that produced consumer goods, I was amazed to find the same actual product being sold at different prices, with different reviews, based on the label and the pricing.  And it can be the same in our spiritual lives. In the most ancient of times, each community or cluster of communities considered themselves to be the world.  Is it no surprise that The Divine would present itself to them in that context?  Especially so considering that each group would have special needs which needed to be addressed, such as dietary laws in order to eat safely. As we come together, we have opportunities to learn from each other.   Blessed Be!

Guilt-tripping is a popular activity among certain people, especially for those inclined to mess with other people's spiritual lives.  And they claim to be so caring and concerned while they are doing it! Let's begin by sharing what some people consider to be a big secret:  Your spiritual life, including the religious aspects are your business and yours alone.  Others might teach you or influence you, but in the final analysis, it's yours and yours alone.  That applies to your thoughts and opinions on just about any other matter. This also applies to issues from the past.  In fact, it especially applies there.  And once you realize what the basis of your spiritual journey is, it will be all the more clear! Blessed Be!