Sanctuary of the Magdalene

June 2026

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June Affirmation: I surrender to the power of Light and Love, and discover the heart of my soul.

We continue our journey through the Major Arcana of the Tarot with the Hanged Man. The  image on this card traditionally shows a man hanging upside down by one leg, encouraging us to be open to a different perspective on our life and the world around us. This is also the card of surrender, which has such negative energy in our culture, but is truly a key to spiritual growth and transformation. Surrender is not about weakness and it is not about giving up. It is about letting go of control and allowing a Higher Power to slide into the driver’s seat of your life.

Take a moment this month to go within to your sacred heart space and feel yourself and/or your life turned upside down. Imagine what that would be like, or perhaps remember! How did you react? Did you see this as a positive or negative change? What was the result? And did you eventually surrender control to a Higher Power? All these questions take you to a place of inner knowing. The hard truth is that we find our deepest core when we encounter our deepest challenges. We may not like the path to get there, we may never have chosen it, but we can learn and grow and transform once we’re there.

We are surrounded by a chaotic and violent world. We desperately need to reframe that reality. This is not to deny what is actually happening around us, but to change our perspective so that we change and transform our energy. Then we can infuse Planet Earth with our Light and Love. We can make a difference, but before we can make a difference we need to invert our viewpoint and remember that the sun is still shining even on a cloudy day!

“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust ~ we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.”
Albert Einstein

Source of All, we come to you often as we struggle with our need to be in control of our lives. And yet we know that is an illusion. Teach us that the true control is in letting go and letting you take over the pilot’s seat. Help us take that deep breath of release, knowing that your Will for us is always the highest and the best. So it is.

May 2026

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May Affirmation: I bring balance to my life as I work for justice and peace.

We continue our soul’s journey through the major arcana of the tarot with the card of Justice. This card is ruled by Libra, which brings us the challenge of balancing the scales in our lives as well as acting with justice and integrity. A tall order! It brings to mind the powerful call from the prophet Micah to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. But how do we do that? The story of King Midas provides a clue.

This card shares the story of King Midas in the Inner Child cards. The king had a great love of wealth and power and one day a stranger arrives to grant his fondest wish. Of course he wishes that everything he touches be turned to gold. The next morning he awakens to his wish coming true. The furniture in his home, the roses in his garden, everything that surrounds him is gleaming in gold! However, the king had a beloved daughter who loved the roses very much. She was grief-stricken by the change and, running to her father in tears, he embraced her, and she turned to gold! The King is heartbroken and pleads for his wish to be reversed. The stranger returns and tells the King to dive into a pool in the garden and fill a vase with the water. Cleansing himself of his pride and love of the material, he is able to pour the water on everything that his gold lust has tarnished, including the roses and his daughter, restoring them to their natural state.

The lessons in this story are profound and obvious. The King’s life was desperately out of balance and he had to learn the hard way what was of true value. How many of us have lives that are tilted out of balance? Maat was the goddess of wisdom of ancient Egypt and Justice has often been portrayed on this card as a female figure with the scales, “balancing the accounts” of our life as we travel towards the afterlife. Before we get there, it is wise to take a moment to reflect on our priorities and whether our actions are a match with our values. Do we walk in integrity?

And of course the second lesson is to be careful what we wish for, because it just may come true! Thought creates. We are powerful creatures, more powerful then we often understand and remember. What we manifest in our world becomes our reality and our responsibility.

And remember: “What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

O God of Light and Darkness, it is so easy in our world to see only the dark and believe in only the night. But when we keep our gaze fixed on you, we see only Light, and it is too easy to ignore a world in need. Empower us to be like stained-glass windows with your light shining through us so that we become instruments to bring Light and Love to the world. Open our hearts to the reality of the needs of others, and teach us that we are here not for ourselves alone, but as ambassadors of your Love and Compassion. So it is.

April 2026

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April Affirmation: I embrace the realityof my resurrectionas I step into
the newness of my springtime.

As we continue our soul’s journey through the major arcana of the Tarot, we now encounter the Wheel of Fortune or as it’s known in the Inner Child cards, Alice in Wonderland. This card challenges us to confront the changing cycles of life as well as the reality of the abundance of the Universe. We are surrounded by abundance, which is much more than just the balance on our bank statement. Take a moment now to reflect on the abundant growth of springtime: the green grass, the first flowers bursting into bloom, the spring rains, the trees beginning to show their delicate leaves. Remember to give thanks for all this abundance that we so often forget and ignore.

The Wheel of Fortune also confronts us with the cycles of time that can be called the Wheel of Karma. In the West we shy away from this concept, feeling that it limits our free will but in reality karma is simply another way of expressing the universal law of cause and effect. The energy we share with our world is what comes back to us, good, bad or ugly. So why not make it as good as possible? Find time for random acts of kindness. Be aware that our thoughts create, so mind your mind and think positive thoughts about yourself and others around you. It may seem like a tiny effort but it’s an important one. We are all interconnected and what we share with the Universe makes a difference.

Finally, the message of Alice in Wonderland reminds us that we each have the choice to “fall” down our own rabbit hole. And this is not necessarily a bad thing. Going down her rabbit hole, Alice discovers a whole new and different world, and so can we. This can be our resurrection, not after we die but here and now. We can choose a higher level of consciousness, a higher dimension. Yes, change can be scary, but think of the changes that a tulip bulb undergoes to bloom beautifully. Do we choose to stay underground as a dead bulb, or do we break free and evolve into what we’re meant to become? Spring is a time of choice and growth. Reach for the sun and grow beyond your limits!

And remember: “Those that say that the Lord first died, and then was resurrected are wrong: for he was first resurrected, and then died. If someone has not first been resurrected, they can only die. If they have already been resurrected, they are alive as God is Alive.”

The Gospel of Philip, Verse 21

Sweet Spirit, you fill us with your creative Power. Let your sun shine in our hearts. Let your cleansing Love nourish us as it flows through every cell, every organ, every vein and artery of our being. Break up the clods of “dirt” that block our becoming who you meant us to be. Heal us to the depth of our souls so that we may grow and blossom and bear good fruit. We honor the seeds you have planted within us. Teach us how to be attentive gardeners of our souls and spirits. Bathe us in the Light of your sunshine. Water us with the nourishment of your Knowledge and we promise to cultivate our gardens well. So it is.

March 2026

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March Affirmation: I open the doors and windows of my heart to the Light and warmth of Spring!

We continue our journey through the major Arcana of the Tarot with the Hermit. As we emerge out of our winter hibernation, this is a perfect time to go to our inner sacred space and reflect on what we have learned and how we have grown. The Hermit offers us a path to wisdom and also the challenge of bringing that wisdom into the world. Living separate from the world is not the answer. We may save ourselves, but what of the rest of humanity? The wisdom and Light that flow through our hearts must flow freely into the physical lives of those around us. We are vessels to be filled.

The crocus is like the Hermit. Think of it. The crocus spends all winter hidden underground, but it isn’t dead. It’s growing and developing and waiting for its right time when the temperature warms in the spring. Like the crocus, the Hermit goes within and spends time in reflection and solitude, finding wisdom and growing and expanding. But the Hermit doesn’t stay secluded, just as the crocus doesn’t stay underground. When the sun warms the earth, when it becomes the right time, the kairos moment, the opening occurs and transformation happens. We bloom and blossom.

Both the crocus and the Hermit bring Hope into our lives even when we still are experiencing winter. And Hope is what we need right now when we feel overwhelmed and dis-spirited. Hope gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning and say “Good morning, God!” and not “Good God, it’s morning!” Take some time this month to reflect on your winter journey, say “thank you” even for the dark nights, and prepare for the warm, sunny days ahead. What part of your life would you like to rebirth this Spring? Miracles are in the air and transformation awaits!

And remember: “There is a force within that gives you life – seek that. In your body there lies a priceless jewel – seek that. If you are in search of the greatest treasure, don’t look outside. Look within and seek That.”

Rumi, Sufi Mystic Poet

Mighty God, you plant the seeds within us for transformation and renewal. Teach us how to nurture them so that we may grow into our True Selves. Remind us to cherish this time of incubation and turn our attention within to the quietness and silence of your Presence. May we listen with our hearts so we may sprout new shoots in the springtime. So it is.

February 2026

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February Affirmation: I manifest divine love and light
from the temple of my heart to everyone I meet.

As we continue our journey through the major arcana of the tarot, our next stop is the card traditionally called Strength. This is one of my favorite cards and it carries the energy of Daniel in the lion’s den. This card is all about courage and faith and trust. But even more importantly, it is about the strength of love. How many of us have felt that we were walking into a den of lions or even putting our head in a lion’s mouth? This is one of the ultimate tests of faith and we discover that our source of strength is within, not without.

In the Inner Child Cards, this card is symbolized by Beauty and the Beast. In the story, Beauty learns that the strength of love comes from within her heart, not from the illusions of the external world. How often are we blind to the reality of love because of our preconceptions and biases. We choose love only when it matches with our cultural stereotypes but when we have the courage and strength to go beyond what our physical eyes see to what our heart can feel, we move into the deeper level of love. This is the love that can sustain us in the “lion’s den” of life, when the darkness surrounds us and the alligators are gathering and snapping their jaws. When everything looks bleakest, we learn that love is still alive and well.

In 2010 thirty-three miners were trapped underground in Chili. You may remember the incredible story of their rescue after over two months. All of them came forth alive! How did they survive? In their darkest moments, they said they relied on their strong inner faith and each other. While those above them worked desperately to find a way to bring them into the light, they found their own light in the darkness. That strength and faith and love is so needed in this moment in the world around us. I would challenge you today to find a way to touch at least one person with your love and your positive faith. Know that the light is real and will manifest in our world once again. Share this knowing with everyone you meet. Stand strong in love and faith, and know that you are safe, you are blessed, you are Light and Love.

And remember: “In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”
Albert Camus

Loving Mother/Father God, we look to you for an example of what love can be. We know that you hold us always in your loving embrace. Open our hearts to the wondrous ecstatic risk of love. Show us how to love others as you love us; without conditions, without counting the cost, without expecting anything in return. Only by giving ourselves away in love can we hope to find ourselves. So it is.

Welcome to Sanctuary of the Magdalene

We are living in an absolutely critical time in human history. Each one of us has the opportunity and the responsibility to step up and make a difference in the best way we possibly can. Welcome to a journey of Light and Truth for all those who seek the Way. May the door of your sacred heart open to the Spirit of Love as you seek your own Holy Grail and may your journey be blessed.

Sanctuary of the Magdalene

Rev. Mother Maryesah Karelon, Director
4310 Leisure Lane, Apt. D304
Kalamazoo, MI 49006

Our Mission Statement

The Sanctuary of the Magdalene is a non-denominational organization dedicated to spiritual wholeness through the union of the Sacred Feminine and Masculine energies within our bodies and throughout the world.

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