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 A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING
A New Awareness As with any journey of discovery, there comes a time when you must leave the comfort of what you know as a light-hearted view of life to explore the true nature of your reality. With this in mind comes the realization that this newsletter must now begin to evolve to present more in-depth information so that you can further your own journey of discovery and kindle within the curiosity to explore your own spiritual truths and path. Surrender Surrender ... seems like a strange topic for spiritual growth however in it is the key to changing your reactions. Unfortunately society has dictated that to "surrender" is a sign of weakness, a sign of being unworthy of any desire, a lack of bravery or at the worst you will be considered a failure or a coward. These in reality have little to do with the spiritual term of surrender. In the spiritual world surrender is a source of freedom and a source of power and strength. When I hear people complain that maybe they should just give up and surrender to the inevitable I'm tempted to ask "Is that such a bad thing?" We've so conditioned ourselves to think of surrender as a negative in our lives. What if by surrendering we find an easier path to our desire? What if by surrendering we find a way to separate ourselves from the drama of our world? What if by surrendering we grow into someone that is magnificent or create something that is breath-taking and glorious? Surrender for me brings to mind "The Serenity Prayer" by Reinhold Niebuhr. "God, grant me the serenity It is a prayer that we've all heard and possibly even said. Although condensed from its earliest version the meaning and intent are the same. Surrender is just as described by the prayer .... a surrender to what must be. It does not mean we have to accept everything. There are times when we should stand for what we know is true for ourselves, times when we have to be brave to change our course and others when we should surrender to what must be experienced. We as humans seem to spend so much of our time fighting against those things that we really can't change. We put a great deal of emphasis on how things must occur and the sequence of events because other people tell us how it should happen, will happen or how it happened in their lives. What we tend to forget is their life isn't ours nor should we try to make it ours. This sort of coaching can drive a spiritual life to the brink of destruction. We also demand that events occur when its convenient for us or for when we desire it; patience it seems has become a very uncommon virtue. Surrender is not supplication nor is it giving up, giving in or conceding; these are definitions that the world wishes us to embrace. Spiritual surrender is something much braver and deeper. Spiritual surrender talks to embracing what will be as the events unfold. Sometimes we spend far too much time and energy on the how something will happen and not where the energy belongs ... in the embrace of becoming. We are not always in control of how our spiritual growth will happen or of the events that occur in our life but we are in control of our reactions; accepting our destiny and our dreams and releasing those items that no longer serve our higher purpose. Surrendering brings with it a greater sense of freedom. We no longer define ourselves by everyone else's standards and expectations. We can accept that our life and our path are different from everyone else and that following our path freely regardless of what occurs brings with it a type of joy that we once believed was possible only after a long struggle. Yes there are still "bumps" along the way but spiritual surrender helps you to glide a little more effortlessly though them. The changes in your life become more noticeable because you stop insisting that your way is the only way. Even subtle changes bring forth a bounty of good things if you take the time to notice. So feel free to surrender those burdens that weigh you down and begin to focus your attention only on what seems to be good with your world; free your spirit by surrendering control and letting go. I bid you joyful surrender on your journey. Blessings.
CRYSTALS Bronzite Bronzite is an ancient gem stone that comes to us from India, Australia, China and Brazil. The ancient Romans used Bronzite in many tonics and potions. Bronzite is typically a brown, coppery bronze-like colour usually containing shimmery inclusions usually from the high iron content of the stone. Some veins of Bronzite are green, similar to serpentine. In ancient times, especially ancient Rome, Bronzite could be found ground into many potions. Most of the literature indicates a strong belief that Bronzite helped to keep the mind healthy. Used to ward off confusion and to strengthen both nerves and resolve made Bronzite a well sought after remedy. To the physical body, Bronzite was seen as beneficial to numerous skin disorders. Bronzite is also said to aid in dealing with and releasing long held memories of trauma. Bronzite has a very high vibration energy and it can be very beneficial to people who want to release deeply buried emotional pain. Bronzite however will not let the healing be derailed; once it begins the process of bringing forth all of these buried memories it will not stop until all are released. It will awaken deeply held emotions which can be startling to those around us. Bronzite is an excellent stone for people who work in the services industry. It is known as the "stone of courtesy" and can make dealing with difficult people easier. Bronzite can quickly become a valuable gemstone to wait-staff and hosts and hostesses. To cleanse Bronzite it is best left under warm running water for a few minutes. If Bronzite has been used in the release of emotional energy it maybe helpful to allow it to re-balance in a dish with other stones or even salt as these help dispel excess energy.
Bronzite
A BLESSING for SUMMER SOLSTICE The celebration of the Summer Solstice is an ancient celebration that we still look forward to even when we are no longer children. The beginning of summer holds for us a sweet, dear memory of childhood freedom and for many of us the prospect of a summer vacation. We sometimes long for the fires of summer to take hold of our spirit and ignite the youthful exuberance buried beneath our cares. It is a time to remember simple joys, the joys of childhood; laying in a field watching for shapes in clouds, searching fields in search of a magical 4-leaf clover, catching lightening bugs and sharing all these joys and more with our own families. The Summer Solstice is a reminder that even if there is work to be done there will always be time to experience the joys of summer. "Universal Light, Christ Consciousness, be with us now, Teach us to rejoice with you as children in summer, free from care and burden, alive with the desire to see the world anew. To view life through the eyes of our inner child, a Divine being of infinite grace and beauty. Allow us to feel the glory within as we experience again the sheer delight of a summer's day and the tranquil bliss of a summer's eve. " Blessed be.
MONTHLY MEDITATION "Meditating on the Moonbeams " "Mix your mind with the moonbeams at night. Wash your sorrows in their rays. Feel the mystic light spreading silently over your body, over trees, over vast lands. Standing in an open space with quiet eyes, behold, beyond the limits of the moonbeam-revealed scenery, the bedimmed fringe of the shining horizon. Let your mind, by steady wing-beats of meditation, spread beyond the lines of visible scenes and over the horizon. Let your meditation run past the rim of the visible to the lands of fancy. Spread your mind from the moonbeam-visible objects to the dim stars and distant skies lying beyond in the eternal stillness of the either, all throbbing with life. Watch the moonbeams spread, not only on one side of the earth, but everywhere in the eternal region of your spacious mind. Meditate until, in the cool moonbeams of your calmness, you race over trackless skies and in realization, behold the universe as Light ."
From Metaphysical Meditations by Paramahansa Yogananda |
