April Affirmation: Plant seeds of Love, Hope and Kindness.

I hate to admit it but I love dandelions! I know, I know, they’re an obnoxious weed that most people could do without, but they really are pretty and cheerful and a sign of spring. It all depends on your perspective, which is true of so many things these days. One of my current projects is copying some old VCR tapes onto digital DVDs and recently I watched a very powerful Frontline program from 2002 entitled “Faith and Doubt At Ground Zero”. It was broadcast near the first anniversary of 9-11 and I was struck by how much water has gone over the dam since then. We’ve been through a lot! And I would suspect there are very few of us who can say we are the same as we were on 9-10-01. But is that good or bad?

As Pope Francis recovers from his recent illness, I remembered two things that he had said in an interview last year. He was asked about how he could assist in bringing peace to the world and his answer was “I pray.” My initial reaction was “Okay, but what good does that do? Our world needs more than prayer.” Then later in the interview he was asked “When you look at the world, what gives you hope?” And he answered, “Everything! You see tragedies but also see so many beautiful things…People are fundamentally good. We are all fundamentally good. Yes, there are some rogues and sinners, but the heart itself is good.” I quote this here as an anecdote to the rampant fear and darkness all around us. What a gift to be able to view the world with such peace and serenity. And it was not a matter of rose-colored glasses, apathy or indifference. He spoke of indifference as one of the great tragedies of our world. “Too many people wash their hands.” So what are our choices? We can forge ahead and face our fear of the darkness, or we can wash our hands and retreat into blind apathy. Which will you choose?

Remember: “Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” ~ Deepak Chopra

God of all the Encircling Years, we trust in you. In our loneliest hours, you are there. When our courage fails us, you are there. When the lions and alligators gather round, you are there. Thank you for showing us a way through the wilderness and new paths to freedom. May we know the celebration of a new day dawning when fear will be no more. So it is.

My name is “I AM” and I am within you.

Greetings of Love and Light,

For years my spiritual work has been inspired by the power of the journey between darkness and light. In the Christian story, we mark the intersection of those two powers. Over two thousand years ago, a group of people had just witnessed a terrible injustice. Their leader, their friend, the one they hoped would bring freedom from oppression, had been tortured and killed. And now they were in hiding. They feared for their lives. Their hearts were broken with grief. Their lives were turned upside down and would never be the same. What gave them the courage to hang on and seek the light? What gave them the strength to believe when they could see only darkness?

Today the peoples of Ukraine and Gaza are facing death and destruction every day from every side. I recently saw a story on the news about a group here in the U.S. who were learning how to create the beautiful Ukrainian Easter eggs to support the people of Ukraine at this critical time and I couldn’t help wondering how many people in Ukraine would find the peace and security to create these eggs this year. Would their traditions bring them comfort or would simple survival and the need for food take precedence?

Crucifixion can manifest in many forms. We’re fortunate not to fear the bombs and bullets of war, but that doesn’t mean we feel safe and secure. Perhaps our homes have been threatened by natural disasters; wildfires, floods or tornadoes. Perhaps a virus has knocked at our door or the door of a loved one and we have an empty chair at our table. Perhaps we know someone who has lost a job and has little food to feed their family. Crucifixion may be long and slow or quick and deadly. How do we find the Light when we see only darkness? How did the disciples of Jesus do it so long ago? How are the people of Ukraine and Gaza doing it today? The answer is what I call the message of the crocus. They come out of the darkness of winter into the light of spring and blossom beautifully. They come to life in the warmth of faith. And so do we!

And remember: “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is awaiting us…The old skin has to be shed before the new one is to come.” ~ Joseph Campbell

Abba Father, we are your children, the fruit of your loving and abundant Creation. You lead us with reins of Love and call us to grow and transform. Teach us to trust you as a loving Parent and know that we are safe in your loving arms. Teach us to meet life with innocence and joy, welcoming change as a great adventure. May we learn to celebrate birthing, growing and transforming, just as the flowers of spring burst into bloom. So it is.

February Affirmation: I step forward into a New Year with Faith and Joy.

Greetings of Love and Light,

Welcome to 2024 and Happy New Year! I suspect that many, if not all of us, were not expecting the landscapes of our lives to look like the reality that still faces us today. The darkness seems to be gathering ever more deeply around us. But wait ~ ever since December 21st the light has been steadily growing. That is a scientific fact. So do we focus on the light or remain mired in darkness?

I’ve returned to my tarot cards, the Voyager deck, for a look at a way forward in the New Year. Our first card is the Woman of Worlds, the Preserver, which grounds the Divine Feminine into the earth plane. It’s as if we are cautiously moving forward in the darkness, using our intuitive skills and inner knowingness to find our way. We may find that our physical eyes are not much help to us as we choose to keep a positive attitude and take the next step. Relying on our physical eyes, we freeze in fear and futility. Going within, we find our strength and our hope.

Our second card is a major arcana, the Magician. The Magician brings us the power of manifestation and the reality of focusing on that which we choose to create. What you focus on and send energy to becomes your reality, positively or negatively. Choose to see the glass as half-full in the New Year and you’ll manifest the best outcomes. You have the power to create healing and wholeness in the world around you, with your words, your deeds and your thoughts. And every time you create something positive, you add to the “world bank” of positive energy that can overcome pain, suffering and violence. You matter and what you do, think, feel and speak matters!

Our last card is the Man of Wands known as the Actor. Wands is the suit of Spirit and this card encourages us to go out into our darkened world surrounded in Light, and work for the Light, even if we have to wear a mask to do it. “Fake it until you make it” is one way of phrasing it. I don’t often advocate doing this but in this case the end justifies the means. Smile even when you’ve slid into a snow drift! Say something nice to a harried store clerk when they snap at you. I’ve had several opportunities lately to be reminded of this, and yes, my mask slipped a little, but guess what, I’m human! Just keep trying. Our world desperately needs our Light right now. Pray for peace, pray for wisdom and Divine Order for our government. and pray for healing for all God’s family, especially the world’s children.

Mighty God, you plant the seeds within us for transformation and renewal. Teach us how to nurture those seeds 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.

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

Many blessings,
Maryesah Karelon