BREATHING IN, BREATHING OUT

 

Breathing in and breathing out, we do it without being conscious of it. It is a process that is taken care of by our bodies automatically. We can, however, make ourselves consciously aware of this process. In doing so, we turn our attention inward. The practice of relaxation and meditation begins with a focus on our breath.

We can also imagine a similar process, whereby we consciously take into ourselves, gifts from the spiritual world. At night, while we are asleep, this happens though we are not aware of it, to give us strength for the day ahead.

During meditation and contemplation, we can work to become aware of the gifts streaming into us from the spiritual world. These gifts, I believe, are meant not only to strengthen us as individuals, but also to be shared. This can be an ongoing activity to the extent that we can find a way to do so.

As we feel ourselves being healed, we can transform ourselves into instruments, or conduits, of the highest gift of all, Divine Love. The most wonderful mystery occurs when a person feels so filled with love, that they radiate this love out into the world. Anyone nearby can literally see this love radiating out; it touches every person, plant and animal. The world suddenly becomes new to this person, and senses are heightened. That is to say, in consciously receiving the sacrificial Love of Christ, we can become new (Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God). Some kinds of love can wane over time, but Divine Love was present in the Beginning, is present in each of us at this very moment, and will be with us for all cycles of time to come.

Our task is to find meaningful ways in our time to radiate out this Divine Love, once we have been able to open ourselves to it. When we can develop within ourselves the conviction of quiet faith, we have the strength to put aside our own weaknesses, our ego, and endeavor to help others (be charitable), eliciting hope for the future of the Human Being. It can be not just a single moment in time or experience, but an ongoing act-ivity, striving to bring it into our consciousness, and then radiating out, that which is continuously shining in the spiritual.

IN PURE RAYS OF LIGHT, SHINES THE DIVINITY OF THE WORLD

IN PURE LOVE TO ALL BEINGS, RAYS THE DIVINITY OF MY SOUL

I SHALL REST IN THE BOSOM OF THE DIVINITY OF THE WORLD

I SHALL FIND MY (TRUE ) SELF IN THE BOSOM OF THE DIVINITY OF THE WORLD

(One of my favorite verses from Rudolf Steiner)

Sparky

Blessings

 

Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart
Always

 

Dear Friends,

The above words are part of a song from the movie, Tarzan, by Phil Collins.

To my dear community in Vancouver, please accept a mothers heartfelt thanks for all your hard work in helping before, during and after, the blessing of the marriage of my son to his partner, especially to Felix, Ruth, Annette, Craig, Kyle, Trudy, Eileen, Abegael, and others I have missed. Thank you also to Revs. Maclennan, Corman and Wiggins for all your support and in holding the space for the birth of this precious being.

Thank you to all the guardian angels, guiding spirits, angelic hierarchies and the Being of the Christ, now commencing His reappearance, in the realm of the clouds.

Last but not least, thank you to everyone who was present, in body and spirit, to witness this blessing.

Every Sunday and Wedesday, we come together to celebrate The Act of Consecration of Man. A church is meant to be a place to celebrate and support the journey of the human being in all its forms, from birth to the crossing of the threshold of death, and everything in between, even beyond. It is a place where a healthy social life is found only when, in the mirror of each soul, the whole community finds its reflection, and when, in the whole community, the virtue of each one is living (Rudolf Steiner).

Sparky

 

BODY AND SOUL

 

If you have been trying to grocery shop the last few months, you know how different things are now from two years ago.

Many people used to be able to plan out their meals for the week, go to the store and get what they needed, which helped them to stick to a budget.

That is not possible now. You never know from one week to the next if prices will go up. You never know from what day to the next, what will actually be in stock. Gas prices in Vancouver have been the most expensive in North America, so trips to the store are necessarily limited.

Shopping now requires a new way of thinking. You have to go, see what is in stock and make purchases accordingly. If I spot something I know I use on a regular basis, I will get it right away, especially dry goods. I have to work with what is currently available. I may have to consider alternatives to get the nourishment my body requires, or find something new and different.

This can be applied in other areas, where we face similar challenges.

We can look to the past to see what was applicable at that time. What were the goals and methods used to reach those goals? Were they successful? What lessons did we learn? How best do we move forward?

In these fast changing and unsettling times, we cannot necessarily rely on the past for the answers to the problems of today. We are challenged to move forward, not backward, and hopefully, not just stand still. We are in the midst of the breaking in of a brave, new world.

We have to find new ways of thinking and doing that will move us into the future; a future, hopefully, of kindness and compassion. We have to plan for a living legacy. When we can consider a situation objectively, and look at things from different points of view, new possibilities can present themselves.

I believe this holds true, economically, socially, politically, and in our religious life.

In studying the works of Rudolf Steiner, we can deepen our understanding of the how, what, where, when and why of current events, and of how to begin to address these questions.

I currently read an astounding statement by Dr. Steiner:

Our ancestors were our own souls in other bodies.

We know through the incredible work of Dr. Steiner that our souls have gone through many incarnations, and will continue to do so, in order that we may continue to evolve. The Christ Event, as he explains, does not preclude this fact. Rather, the Christ points the way as to how we can continually strive onwards and upwards.

Sparky

 

 

A L O H A

 Aloha was the very best word I could think of to describe yesterday’s events in our community.

We celebrated the induction of our very own Rev. Erica Maclennan, and bid adieu to seminary intern, Marc Fortin. In other words, a time for welcoming back into our fold, and a time for letting go. A time of hello and goodbye.

Almost everyone has heard of this word, Aloha, and may know that it is commonly used as both a greeting and a parting.

What most of us do not know, however, is the deeper meaning of this word. In native Hawaiian, it means:

PRESENCE OF (alo) SPIRIT (ha)

There was no question of the presence of Spirit during the service, or afterwards as we gathered for a light potluck lunch, followed by words of gratitude, reflection, and some thoughts on Whitsun.

One can also ask, what does the Spirit of Aloha stand for? Even though this concept goes back thousands of years in Hawaiian culture, there are many words that one would also hope to ascribe to being a Christian: kindness, harmony, modesty, patience, compassion, gratitude. It is the coordination of mind and heart within each individual, in order to bring each person to the Self. It is a way of life and the essence of relationships that recognizes each person as important to every other person for collective existence.

This is so important, that in 1986, Hawaii passed a law called, the Aloha Spirit Law. It requires that all lawmakers, judiciary and government officials, from the governor on down, take it into consideration when making decisions. It was to be recognized as the working philosophy of native Hawaiians, and as a healing impulse for people all around the world.

Sparky

LIGHT YEAR

 

Dear Friends,

This year, believe it or not, is a year of Light.

For 100 years, The Church of The Christian Community, has now been in existence, proclaiming the Word of God, or Logos, in a new form.

For 100 years, the Light of the Christ has streamed forth from every altar, reaching every corner of the globe. It will continue to touch every soul for many centuries to come.

We may not be conscious of this Light, but it is in each and every one of us, regardless of race, color or creed. We come from Light, and are born into this earthly existence. We are essentially beings of light, who have forgotten where we came from. There have been many recorded instances, where someone, experiencing a next-to-death moment, has seen that Light – has become conscious of it, and been forever changed when they returned.

That is our purpose on Earth - to once again become conscious of this reality – to become aware of it in our very souls, live with it, and work with it.

There are forces who desire to turn us away from this purpose, to distract us, but as we have recently seen in current events, people are waking up. We are no longer content to be treated like machines, or animals, to be merely a cog in the wheel that serves those who are only interested in money and power. That wheel wants to grind us into dust. But we are far more than mere clay.

Everywhere, in everything we see and do, there can be Light. Perhaps it is in a flower, perhaps it is in a kindness someone has shown you, a friendly hello, a work of art, a strain of music. You only have to look or listen for it. Perhaps it is a feeling welling up inside of you! We, as human beings, can and will be co-creators of this Light. It is our choice as to when that will happen. We can choose for it to happen right now, this moment, or in the far distant future. This has to do with our ego and our will. When we can let go of our own ego (lower self) and willfulness, we create space for the Light of Christ to ray forth.

Thy Will be done, on Earth, as it is in Heaven.

Today in our community, we had the rare, once in a lifetime privilege, to meet, welcome and shake hands with the world-wide leader of our church; also, to hear some of his thoughts on the challenges we face for the next 100 years as a global community. So strongly did this experience tug on my heartstrings, that I could barely speak afterwards, and there were tears in my eyes as I drove home.

In two weeks, we will welcome home into our midst, our very own, newly ordained priest, Erica Maclennan.

More later!

Sparky

DEEP PURPLE

 

Dear Friends,

Today as we entered the chapel, there was something new! A rich, deep purple color had been painted on the wall behind the altar, in the shape of a tent. Above the roof of the tent there were still wisps of pale lazuring, like smoke or incense, rising to the heavens.

It has been a very long time since our community has been able to experience this deep purple as a backdrop, but the effect was amazing! Every color in front of it stood out, from our beautiful altar painting, to the altar cloth, the candles, and the candle flames.

This color and shape beckons you in. It encourages deeper contemplation, a deeper striving for understanding and devotion.

In 1500 B.C., and for many centuries to come, this color was known as royal purple. Archaeologists have been able to discern how this color was made, in the city of Tyre, where the dyeing was perfected. Thousands upon thousands of the murex shellfish were crushed to extract the color from its mucus – up to 250,000 to make 1 ounce of dye. It was a costly and long process, affordable only for royalty.

Today, we use the roots and berries of different plants to make a natural purple dye, again, a form of sacrifice, on the part of the plant.

How appropriate and wonderful during this time of Passiontide, to be able to experience the act of sacrifice in a different, yet meaningful, way.

Sparky

HEART OF THE CHILD

 Dear Friends,

Jesus said, only those who turn and become like little children may enter the kingdom of heaven.

What does this mean, to be like a little child?

This is easier to understand when we observe the behaviour of little children. They are still very connected to the spiritual world, and their hearts are still very much open. They feel a close connection with plants, animals and the mineral kingdom. They are kind and forgiving. Their love is unconditional. Their energy and enthusiasm are positive and boundless. In their world, anything is possible. Their feelings are intense. If they see someone in pain, they feel that pain. They do not hold a grudge. What happens in the moment is quickly forgotten – they do not live in the past, nor do they worry about the future.

It is the ongoing task of humanity, according to Rudolf Steiner, to move from a mindset of taking, to one of giving, and self sacrifice.

People who experience pain and suffering often ask, Why me? This is a deep question and a complicated answer. Nevertheless, a starting point to that conversation might be, we suffer and experience pain so that our hearts can be open to others in pain. One example could be when someone loses a loved one to a particular disease. They then take up the cause of researching and eradicating that disease. In other words, our eyes have been opened to a particular problem, our hearts are engaged, and we find the will to focus on finding a solution to that problem.

When Peter asked Jesus, how often should we forgive someone their trespasses? Jesus answered, 70 x 7 times. HE also said, we should forgive all debts, for as we forgive, so will we also be forgiven.

Take a closer look at the word, forgive, or for give. This is almost a double movement. To give something is to pass something along. In some cases, people who have been given a gift or favor, say to themselves, I will pay it forward. If someone does you a kindness, often you will in turn do a kindness for someone else. The word for is also a forward movement. Nevertheless, we have to be sure we are not just going in circles, or the same old ruts, or even backwards. It takes courage (of conviction) to forge a new path, strength (faith) to keep going, and wisdom to know when to ask for help and engage others (humility).

Dear Lord, help me to weld wisdom, strength and courage into my soul, that I may work in the world in the right way. Help me to be as a little child.

Sparky

 

FEED MY SHEEP

 

Dear Friends,

First of all, I wish to express my gratitude for this chance to try to put down my thoughts and feelings from time to time, and to send them out into the universe. I hope in doing so, that I have not caused offense or concern, as this has never been my intention.

The opinions and ideas expressed are my own, and not necessarily a reflection of the views of the creators of this website.

Having said that, the following is just something I feel needs to be expressed.

We are challenged to think with our hearts and act out of feelings of empathy and compassion, even for our enemies.

That being said, it was with sorrow that I learned of the actions this week on the part of the Russian government.

Putting aside political considerations, the question is, why now?

If we look at the protests in the past few weeks in Canada and other countries, we see that feelings are running high, after two years of lockdowns. There have been a great many contributing factors to food shortages, limited medical care, a rise in gas and housing prices. The list goes on and on, not to mention the loss of loved ones. Each country and its people have suffered. In Canada, distance is a huge challenge in keeping supply chains going.

How much greater must this challenge be in Russia? We receive very little factual information with regards to what is happening in that country, but it is easy to imagine that their people are truly suffering, especially in the dead of winter. We know from history that aggressive military action only causes further hardship for civil populations.

Food, clothing, shelter and clean water are all basic human needs. When these needs cannot be met, desperation arises.

What if we, as a global community, worked to supply these items, food, at the very least, to the Russian people? Airdrops of food and medicine all over the country, from every direction, from every country and non governmental organizations. Would it not be great to turn war machines into bread machines – to turn stones into bread, so to speak, manna from heaven. We have the tools, but do we have the Will?

Yes, it is a naïve and childish idea, but then, we are also asked to be like little children…

Sparky

 

 

And Miles to go Before I Sleep

 

This is a famous poem by Robert Frost, set in the mood of winter, with snow on the ground and frost in the air.

During this time of year, it is common for people to experience the effects of different viruses. Temperature swings can occur, as our life body, our immune system, rallies and sets out to restore balance.

We can consider that the Earth, too, has a life body. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have recently experienced extreme temperature swings. This is nothing new, and has happened before in my lifetime. Nevertheless, it is a warning that balance needs to be restored.

Mood swings, too, can happen when our hormones are out of balance. We can consider volcanic activity, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc. as mood swings in the Earths life body. Again, balance needs to be restored.

As human beings, we experience the Earth as our home. So far, it is the only planet we know of, where conditions are just right for our existence. Unfortunately, these conditions are changing, in part due to our own activities. In particular, the removal of non-renewable resources, the use of chemicals and machines that harm the life body (including the delicate balance of minerals, plants, animals, water, soil, air) of the Earth. We have disregarded the mood swings and temperature swings so long as they do not affect our daily life.

This is no longer the case. As a collective, we must find ways to help restore balance. Even more, we must find ways to renew the Earths life body in such a way that she can continue to sustain OUR lives. You may notice that I used the word, collective. This is because there is no one perfect solution that can be applied. Each country, each community, must find what works in their own area. We all can contribute in our own way, rather than trying to impose a single solution. We have seen that agreement on one single solution is not possible amongst nations, nor is it viable. Nevertheless, if we each do our part to make a contribution, this will strengthen the restoration and renewal. The 3 wise men did not all bring the same gift to the Child. Each gift, gold, frankincense and myrrh, has its own healing properties. Neither does the gift have to be expensive or rare. Sometimes the best gifts are the simplest to make, and the easiest to do. Rather than pointing fingers at each other, we must ask, What can I do? What is my gift that I can bring?

The life body of the Earth and our lives are intertwined, like a picture of DNA. Only in this time period was this picture able to emerge. In focusing on smaller and smaller minutiae, we have forgotten about the big picture. The Earth is encouraging us to re-member.

Sparky