In the dark, I light a lantern with my heart

Dear Friends,

This weekend, I had the rare occasion to attend a concert. I had somehow come across the notice for this concert a month ago, and found it intriguing. It was called: Songs of the Desert Sufis, with Rajasthan Josh and Friends. Now I had never attended an Indian music concert before, but it promised to be lively and colorful. Indeed it was, and, as it turned out, just the tonic to take in between two Celebration of Life Services. This group was from a state in India called Rajasthan. The music in the first half featured folk songs from the 12^th, 14^th, and 17^th centuries. This particular concert was dedicated to the late Aga Kahn, and to a musician recently killed by the Taliban, because his songs were those of tolerance, peace and love. The carpet carefully laid out on the stage had first been used by the famous musician, Ravi Shankar.

The audience was filled with women dressed in beautifully colored silk saris. The second half of the concert featured a fusion between local, contemporary artists, and these same elderly musicians from India – simply amazing, the music transcended gender, age, race and country of origin – with mutual respect and the overall love of music, it was well received by the audience. Luckily, there were screens up that held English translations of the songs, many of them being love songs. Think of the poetry of Rumi, and you will know what I am talking about.

This fusion of music was like a marriage and the old quotation: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue. Blue, or bleu, in this case, meaning something raw or pure. I immediately thought of our church service, The Act of Consecration of Man, and what the founders of our church had sought: a Movement for Religious Renewal. Through the guidance of Rudolf Steiner, seven sacraments were re-enlivened with not the past, but the future, in mind.

The enemy may tear down our churches, temples and monuments, but they cannot tear down what lives in our hearts and souls - the music goes on.

Wherever the darkness is touched by the Light, there manifests rainbows of color.

May the Sun Spirit, proclaimed by St. John the Baptist, ray into your hearts.

Dedicated to Tamara Alexandra Machala, 1969-2016: Educator, lover of animals and nature.

Saying "YES"

At the beginning of Advent in 2015, we here in North America switched from the word “Yea” to “Yes” during our Sunday services.

To me, this is a much more powerful affirmative.

Eleven years ago, I said yes and became a board member for our church here in Vancouver. It profoundly changed my life for the better over the ensuing years. This is the power of Yes.

I believe that our angels and spiritual guides can only help us when we are able to be open. To say yes, is to open up untold worlds of possibilities and pathways. Some people also call it Faith, or the power of positivity.

There were times when I was confronted by obstacles and had no idea how they would be overcome. Amazingly, someone always appeared that could help, or circumstances changed in such a way that the obstacles melted away.

In a small way, it also relates to the theme of this year’s 2016 Chinese New Year – the year of the Red Fire Monkey. Both the colour red and the element of fire represent passion. In the Act of Consecration we hear the words, “the fire of Love, creative of Being.”

Monkeys are curious, enviably flexible, swift, nurturing, and intelligent, with a huge capacity for learning. If they see something they want, they will figure out a way to achieve it. They have a very interesting group soul. A study found that where an isolated group of monkeys learned a particular way of doing something new, other groups of monkeys were soon found to be doing the same thing, even though there was no contact between the groups.

This year I encourage everyone to be open to the power of Yes, and be prepared for something unimaginably wonderful to happen.

Oh, and if a priest approaches you with a QUEST (ion), keep in mind Who it is they are asking on behalf of. This year, anything and everything can be possible!

Don't believe me? Check out my friend Stephanie Georgieff's website: The Heart of the Black Madonna. After more than 10 years of working, studying, travelling, writing and untold personal travails, her book will finally be published this Spring!

Sparky

January 1st, 2016

Human Being

A being of body, soul, and spirit

Welcome to the Earth.

You have come with a soul

Shaped by a long past.

Shaped by the future, too.

Now let it be shaped by the Earth,

The realm of death.

It will be shaped by your community of souls

Who only know death,

By which they have come to know themselves

But, not knowing Christ

They no longer know life.

Fear not!

Through Christ can the Holy Spirit work

The healing spirit

That leads you to the truth.

Be patient!

It may take many life-times.

It may take an instant.

You may wander through many a maze

Of quarks and leptons,

Of holographic dinosaur bones, Artifacts of your creation

Creating many illusions of pasts and futures

Vast universes, rent by black holes.

Full of dead, dumb matter.

But later, if not sooner,

You will look within.

You will find the power

Through which creation comes,

You will find the spirit power

Through which you shape your future

And yourself.

A worthy future, when united with Christ.

by Jerry Bains