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

 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 ...

 G uide for a holy life in the New Year During advent, I read the biographies of various mystics from Life in the City, a contemplative group in Austin Texas. After reading about Saint Benedict, it was suggested that we write our own rules or guides for a holy life. This saint instituted The Rule of Saint Benedict for his monastic community, and for lay people. He stressed, prayer and work all done and humility and service. These are a few of my guides for experiencing the mystery that is God. It is what I try to practice: 1 - Seek out all the reminders sent by God to pray throughout the day. - Seek in silence. - Seek with eyes open to all that surrounds you including nature, angel numbers, even in technology (like when your phone dings at the opportune time). - Seek within the soul of the people that are around you. - Seek in all created animals and things. 2 Converse with God, as if you were sharing with your best friend. Listen to your own thoughts, feelings and perceptions. Tha...

One day when I was pondering and praying, I asked God a question and I heard in my heart an answer. So we started conversing... ME: What are you doing with me my God? GOD: Entering the depths of your soul. ME: And what are you finding? GOD: A soul in search of Love. ME: Will you hold my hand while I seek this Love? GOD: I will certainly hold your hand and I will walk with you until you find what you are searching for. ME: How will I recognize you so that I willingly reach out to you as you hold me and walk beside me. GOD: Each breath you take is my gift to you. I will give you eyes to see and ears to listen. You will recognize me in the peace you feel in your heart. ME: What will we talk about as we walk together? GOD: We will discuss your needs wants and desires. I will listen attentively, teaching you how to listen to others in their needs. We will talk about your life and about your soul. ME: That's all about me, but what about you? GOD: I will show you just how entrenched we a...

  Christmas time can be stressful with busyness and preparation. We busy ourselves with tasks such as shopping, decorating, and cooking but never seem able to find time for quiet and reflection.  Today is the first day of Advent, which asks us to slow down and awaken while waiting in expectation for the incarnation of God. On Christmas day, we celebrate the birth of the Son of God. During Advent, Christ is conceived into our hearts, growing each day as our souls nurture this seed within. This way we labor and give life to the light that is God. In the darkness of winter and in the stillness of our womb-like soul, Christ grows and flourishes. God's light shines from within during Advent, giving way to the brilliance of the Almighty. The Spirit awakens in us the desire to welcome Jesus into the cocoon of our consciousness. During the Advent winter, we learned to die to self just like trees shed their leaves. It is a time to train our ego to hibernate, to sleep, to rest in the kn...

                    Am I a mystic  A "mystic" is someone who has moved from mere belief to actual inner experience of God ~ Richard Rohr  Yes, I believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus is the incarnation of God and that the Spirit is God's breath indwelling in all of Creation. One God, three aspects of God. These are the tenets of the Christian faith. Other faiths and practices believe differently yet there is still the same God, the same Source of Creation simply viewed and perceived in another way. God has many names. We are all created in the Image of God. We simply walk our own unique journey. A belief is an acceptance, a trust, faith or confidence in what our hearts say is true. These beliefs may vary, but the feeling is that our thoughts are true. On the other hand, an experience is the contact with or the encounter with our beliefs. It is when we have been affected by God and his gentle guidance in ou...

  Make your requests known to God 🙏 Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,  by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your request known to God.  ~ Philippians 4:6 What do you need, God asks of us. What does your spirit need? God wants us to reach out in everything, to ask with sincerity and thanksgiving, to bring us peace in a world filled with anxiety. We all need many things, but it's best to ask, what does my soul need? What does my heart need? When petitioning God, do not ask for the material but focus on the spiritual. When asking for oneself, request to be given serenity, wisdom and a better understanding of God's love. Ask for direction to be able to lead a life pleasing to the Divine. Ask that your ears listen for God's voice, that your eyes see the goodness in others, that your mouth proclaim the teachings of Jesus, that your hands become his hands and to awaken your soul to understanding God's ways. Ask for inspiration and to be given the courage t...