Awaken the Divine Within: Spiritual Reflections for a Soul's Journey

When we lose someone, we naturally think we cannot communicate with them ever again. But as I've mentioned before, we never die. As Jesus points out, God is not the God of the dead but of the living, for to Him all are alive (Matthew 22:32 and Luke 20:38). The 25 th of May will be 3 years since my beloved Michael transitioned to the hereafter.  I think of him and talk to him daily. If you've lost a beloved family member or friend, remember that they surround you and are very present in your life.  A couple of years ago, as I was missing Mike, I imagined him telling me the following, but anyone you've lost could be telling you this.                     In Grief It's been a bit since I left I know you are sad But trust that the Divine Energy  Will enfold you with grace And I will always be there I understand now All that we wondered about I am at peace, I am happy  I am here with you And I am watching over you If I cou...

  "Enter through the narrow gate. The gate that leads to destruction is wide. The road is clear and many choose to travel it. But how narrow is the gate that leads to life, how rough the road and how few there are who find it." ~ Matthew 7:13-14        With these words Jesus is challenging us. The challenge is to choose life, as opposed to an easy yet destructive road that leads nowhere. He makes it clear that choosing life is difficult. Because to choose life, you must also choose to die, to let go. We all have an ego that cares about self only. We should strive to let go of our selfish nature so that we find our true self in God.      To let go is to let the ego die and allow our souls, our true identities, to flourish. But this is difficult as we cling to wanting to please the ego (thinking only of ourselves). This road leads us away from what is good and right. It's all a matter of choice. God does not force us to go to him, that is, to go tow...

  What is my purpose in life? How would you live differently if you believed God intentionally designed you to impact others, that is, designed you with a purpose? Hindu philosophy calls this purpose or goal Dharma; Buddhists call It Nirvana; Muslims call it Ibadah and in Jewish traditions the purpose of life is called Tikkun Olam. Christianity calls our purpose Vocation/Calling. All in light of the Divine. I believe that each of us is designed by God for the purpose to further God's kingdom here on earth. Each one of us is given varied gifts and talents to fulfill our purpose. We are all born into a community and have the innate ability to impact those around us. "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace" ~ 1 Peter 4:10 or as Robert Leo Byrne, author and columnist put it "The purpose of life is a life of purpose ".  So, I ask myself, what is my purpose in life? I feel it is to choose actions based on wh...

  Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. ~ Mark 15:37-38 Matthew, Mark and Luke all talk about the veil of the temple/sanctuary being torn in half, from top to bottom at Jesus' death. The Temple of Jerusalem was separated by a veil, that is, the innermost part that housed the Holy of Holies was separated from the outer part that encased the temple. The innermost part was only entered by the High Priest on Atonement day. Now because Jesus died, the tearing of the veil allowed God, the Holy of Holies to be accessible to all.  As I reflect on these passages regarding the torn veil, I also see Jesus' humanity and divinity being torn in two at his death. The body of Jesus was now separated from His Spirit/Soul ( until they reunite at the Resurrection). "I commend my Spirit" Jesus says, leaving his body behind. Jesus' body is the temple of the Spirit, that is, The Holy of Holies, and the veil that sepa...

  As I'm reflecting on this Lenten season this surfaced in my heart when I came upon this picture from my back yard.                       Lent is the time for... We are told in Lent Remember you are dust And to dust you shall return We start our journey Towards the Cross And towards the Resurrection As dust specks As ashes God formed humankind From the dust of the ground Breathing life into us Lent is the time When the breath of the Spirit Gathers the dust And forms our souls Birthing Christ within So that we may be united To the Source of Creation Like a Phoenix rising God's flames in our hearts Aid in resurrecting And joining our souls To eternal love. Lent is the time To ponder and be introspective To grow out of the ashes And feel the fire Of Divine Love. I pray that the rest of this Lent you find yourself rising to meet the resurrected Christ in your daily lives, walking besides the God that does not disappoint 🙏 

 God is Love and whoever remains in Love remains in God and God in them. 1 John 4:16 When the anglerfish mate, the male fuses its body into the female who is much larger than the male. He latches on and their veins fuse becoming one body. He feeds off what she eats and exists in her, losing self and becoming one body. This is an excellent metaphor of how we fuse into God and God in us. We start by seeking out our mate, our Divine Creator who is so much larger than we can even conceive. Once we find God, we chase Her until we can latch on. Our distinct bodies melting together. Our minds, our souls are now a part of the bigger picture. We lose parts of ourselves and become one with our God. We feed off of God's word and divine energy, as our souls melt into the Source of Creation. After fusing, the male angler reduces in size losing his eyes, fins and most internal organs becoming a small permanent appendage that relies entirely on the female's bloodstream for nutrients. "He...

  Ash Wednesday  Today is the beginning of Lent which means "Spring". Spring is the time of year where dead things come to life. It means that the seeds that were buried in the ground during the winter grow into flowers. Dead tree limbs resurrect and begin to grow a new canopy of leaves. Animals create new life in the warming and awakening of the earth in this season. Earth begins to awaken from its slumber, it remembers the dark and cold nights, where everything rested only to stir up new life as the eyes of nature open wide, signaling new beginnings. Lent is the time for us to be birthed and be born anew. The 9 months in the womb are like the 40 days before Easter. Here we are formed and defined as we grow into the people we were meant to be. It is like seeds, buried in the ground that are shaped into flowers, grass and all things nature puts forth in Spring. Lent is a time for introspection, looking deep within to discover who we truly are as we grow and develop in the wom...

  I was recently asked, why? And I thought, what would God say about this question. Life is a rocky road to travel and all of us grapple with difficulties. Some more pronounced than others. It may seem like God is asleep in the boat during the storm, but if we consider and awaken the divine within we will find some solace. Many in our current situation ask this question and this is what I imagined God would tell us.                      WHY? Why do bad things happen  to good people Is an existential question Why my God, why? God says I am Love And Love doesn't desire harm I created you for goodness But I want you to have Free will and independence So you may choose me freely Life is difficult and random As it unfolds Rely on me  Learn from me And I will give you rest In the midst of pain I will hold you in suffering I understand I will comfort you Cry with you And walk with you In this journey called life In this step...

  Next week will be my wedding anniversary, and just like two roses are joined on a rosebush, Mike and I were joined together with God as our center.  After Michael died, I wanted to write him a poem.  I asked for  inspiration from the Spirit and from Mike as I had never written a poem and this came to my soul:           TO MIKE My heart is heavy my grief intense  my tears roll down my face now like little rivers seeking the ocean We were magical together for a lifetime of love and joy We were like two peas in a pod surrounded by God We were two pieces of a puzzle joined together in a bigger picture You breathed my air and stroked my hair  You held my hand and took my tears away Now you are dancing with the angels exploring the universe with the Divine You are alive in a realm of wonders I asked you for a sign that you will always be mine You reassure me of your love as I close my eyes and dance with you when dragonflies, birds and ...