What Would Jesus See?
Over the weekend there were several moments when I knew.
I participated in Martha Creek’s “Journey Within” workshop and it was amazing (to put it mildly). Emotional, intense, uplifting, opening, liberating and so much more.
The weekend consisted of one exercise after another that encouraged the other women and I who took part to really hone in on our habitual ways of thinking and being and to explore what it might be like to be free…
I don’t think I know a single person who is ambivalent about Valentine’s Day.
When I hear people talk (and I’m sure there are exceptions), there is generally aversion or excitement to February 14th. There’s rarely anything in between.
Some look forward to passionate celebrating with the one they love.
Others scowl and rant about how this is yet another Hallmark-created holiday.
Yet others grimace at this reminder of how alone or heart broken they feel.
I tend to be a romantic kind of person and so I fall into the “looking forward to it” category. However, like many people, Valentine’s Day is fraught with traps and turmoil for me too.
We do not consider ourselves Hindus, but each year my family celebrates a modern Hindu holiday. It’s called Pancha Ganapati and it honors the Hindu God Ganesh, the half-elephant, half-boy son of Shiva and Parvati.
What I absolutely love about Pancha Ganapati is the way that it brings my husband, two sons and I together for a few moments of quiet togetherness each of the 5 days of the holiday. Right next to our Christmas tree, we set up an altar with a little statue of Ganesh, colored pieces of fabric, some candles and the daily puja– a treat for Ganesh.
“Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be…”
Growing up, this was always one of my favorite hymns to sing in church. I still feel bolstered and uplifted when I sing it for myself today.
Peace can appear to be an elusive state. Wars seem to abound. Knowing and perceiving this can quickly deflate that sense of uplift and hope.
Some may claim that conflict is inevitable. Others may insist that human beings are self-centered and territorial and that, with a scarcity of resources, there is bound to be aggression and wars.
…It’s not necessarily your best friend either!
I don’t know of a single philosophy that deems the ego to be all that positive a thing.
We’ve all probably heard someone (maybe even ourselves) called “egotistical” or being accused of having a “big ego.” This is never meant as a compliment.
Many spiritual teachings counsel us to meditate, question and do whatever is necessary to get rid of the ego.
Do you tend to go through life feeling like you’re banging up against one brick wall after another?
I have certainly felt that way at times. It can seem as if I am slowly plodding along through my thigh-deep-in-mud kind of days.
Trying. to. get. ahead.
During those days, weeks or months in which setbacks and obstacles appear to be the norm, I long for life to be easy. I find myself asking, “Why can’t life be easy for once?”
The answer, of course, all comes down to me.
It’s like a feel-good chain letter in real life…that doesn’t involve some threat of bad luck if you don’t pass it on.
I’m talking about “Pay It Forward Day” which has been declared to be on Thursday, April 29th. Even if you’re reading this blog post after the 29th, you can still join in on the magic of it.
About 10 years ago, a powerful film called “Pay It Forward” was released in the U.S. The story centers on a 12 year old boy who, acting from a belief in the inherent goodness in all people, is motivated to do something kind for someone else.
By Amy Phillips-Gary
We've all heard about (or lived with) the stereotypical teenager.
As young people navigate that threshold between being a child and an adult, there are those angst-filled, confidence-testing and sometimes downright harrowing years that fall roughly between the ages of 13 and 18-- give or take a few years.
I live with a wonderful teen. He is loving, caring and sensitive-- at times. He can also seem, to me, to be difficult, stubborn, disrespectful and even arrogant-- at times.
The thing about teenagers is there are occasions that they seem to know each and every button to push to make you crazy.
By Amy Phillips-Gary
It is nearly impossible to share love with others and your world if you do not fully love yourself.
Sure, I’ve heard this before and I whole-heartedly believe it.
It’s super easy for me to love and feel at peace with myself after I’ve connected deeply with another person, helped out a stranger or was given a compliment.
At those times I feel warm, fuzzy and all aglow. I am proud walking around as me and these great feelings spill over as I easily appreciate the wondrousness of all around me.
