Soul Journey

The other day I was talking about the distinction in religion and spirituality. Spirituality is about liberation, and religion, as it is understood and practiced, is about control. At the lowest level religions tend to control through ignorance and blind belief. They do not wish to be questioned, because they have no answers. The Vedic culture is very clear on this. What they laid out as scriptures are the eternal immutable truth, called sruti. The best that I like about them, why only I, anyone would for that matter, is that they are not regulations. There are no strict commandments. They are the epitome examples of leave it or take it. "I have said; now it is up to you", is an[..]

I want to talk to you a little bit about religion and spirituality. I would like to point out that those are two completely different things. I am one of the most spiritual people there are, but I am not the least bit religious. How does that work? Very simply in my mind but I know most people don't think the way I do. Religion was created by man. Although many claim that these "men" who spoke to God told us what God said it was still recorded by man. There are only claims of people who talked to God and nothing in religion can really be proven but I am not going to go in that direction. The point is religion was created by man and not a higher being. If you study history you can see how[..]

There are all kinds of new trends but not all of these are timely. There are trends that are just repetition of former trends, like the sporting of way-below-the-belt pants or the wearing of mini-skirts. There are trends that are mere fads like the color of the casing of cell phones. But there are trends that are timely, they are appropriate for our times because they meet our needs, like education at home, away from the school buildings. One of the timely topics in the new trends is in the area of communication and information technology because more and more people now are interacting with more and more people using more and more means of communication. Gone are the days when we had to[..]

It appears that every belief has symbols attached to it and it seems the human mind likes to use symbols, almost as Nations like to use Flags, animals and symbols to describe their domain; for instance a National Bird or a National Flag is very common. In religion and spirituality symbols are also used quite a bit. In considering this lets think on a few symbols used in religion such as the Star of David or the Christian Cross. Now then the cross used in Christianity is an interesting symbol to want to use, because, well what if Jesus was executed by hanging, would we have the noose as our religious symbol today? That is a scary thought and it brings up an interesting point. If the[..]

Religious Stationery for Invitations Baptism, Announcements and Cards In today's world everyone is busy in their own life. Even today religion and spirituality occupy an important place in our lives. We are what our religion makes us and molds us into. Religion determines our vision and attitude towards life. Thus no religious function is celebrated without close friends and loved ones. To celebrate such a sacred event, one needs special religious invitations and Religious Stationery, There are a few online shoppes that have a superb selection of religious cards and Invitations Baptism ideal for every event. Unmatched Selection for Baptism, Christening and First Communion Many specialty[..]

From the USA: When I was 13, my Mom's Boyfriend died… I saw part of a man's leg walking past my room. I got up, looked down the hall and saw my Mum's door wide open (she always closes it). When I reached the door, it slammed shut in my face. I want to see him again, I miss him, but I don't live there any more. Interesting you had such a vivid image. Very few are able to have that clarity. Can I suggest, to keep things in context, that I personally believe the image was/is in YOUR MIND, and not actually in front of you. Stay with me, because I'm hoping this will help you reconnect. Most people who have some psychic ability get images or feelings of some kind, and it's usually in their[..]

From crystals, lucky ornaments, the money corner, lucky red ribbons, oriental water features, bamboo plants to promises of romance - all new age nonsense. Feng Shui is being marketed as psychology, spiritualism & intuition, none of which it is. Where has the mix up come from? In the 1970's classical Feng Shui reached American shores. The practice was too complex to be understood easily, so a select few began to water down the methods, launching their own version. Known as '3 Gate Chi' and 'Black Hat', this revised practice took the top layers of the original practice, threw away the Chinese Lo Pan compass and made it easy for anyone to do, just buy a book! With 'professional[..]

Some people think of Kabbalah as a mystery, a new age religion, mysticism, or magic. In fact, Kabbalah is none of these, yet even Kabbalists call it "a concealed wisdom." At first, this seems like a paradox: How can Kabbalah be something that's "concealed," yet not be a mystery? The key discernment here is to understand that by "concealed," the Kabbalists do not mean that Kabbalah is something which can never be understood or comprehended. When one looks at the many charts and diagrams in Kabbalah books, with their arrows and sketches, one may instantly think that this wisdom is too complicated to ever be understood. In a way, they are correct-since Kabbalah is not meant to be understood[..]

Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue magazine was just awarded The Woman of Substance Award for her leadership and contribution to the fashion industry. The title of this prestigious award comes from Barbara Taylor-Bradford's novel and subsequent TV mini-series: A Woman of Substance. This award is given annually to that woman of great character who is a leader in her respective industry or sphere of influence. Before I had finished reading the first couple of sentences, Rev. Patricia Talis immediately popped into mind. Patricia is the minister and director of the New Age Bible and Philosophy Center in Santa Monica, CA. and is just such a woman in her respective sphere of influence -A Woman[..]

The Fall Equinox begins the season of autumn in the northern hemisphere: the moment when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward; regularly, the fall equinox occurs around September 22-September 24, varying slightly each year according to the 400-year cycle of leap years in the Gregorian Calendar. In 2005, Fall Equinox arrived on the cusp of Virgo/Libra, on September 22 at 22:23 hours, thus we need to give a follow up to the projects we started during the last Spring Equinox. This follow up is a seasonal time for balance and harmony, because, according to astrology, during the Fall Equinox, the Sun will enter 0 degrees Libra, the Air sign of balance in[..]

Believe it or not! The Moon is one of the most sung about themes this century, from fairy romantic lyrics to funky darker ones in which talents like Pink Floyd's have printed their view of the moon from a different telescope sight. From Gregorian chants to folk songs, and medieval ballads to carols, musicians and songwriters like Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young have kept the bumped skin of the Moon inside the memory of lovers, nature followers, and even of astrologers. The Moon, in Astrology, is the ruler of Cancer. The Moon represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious. Where the Sun acts, the Moon reacts; the Moon is our[..]

ular motif in jewelry, even among city dwellers, is horses. Horse jewelry is enigmatic and evokes a sense of strength as well as of mystery. Now one would have to ask: why horses? Why care about an animal rarely seen in the city anyway? Horses symbolize freedom, and pride in freedom. Wild horses come with the connotation of spiritual and emotional independence. Have you ever seen or read "The Horse Whisperer" or "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"? Perhaps the snow-white horse named Shadowfax in the “Lord of the Rings” movies has evoked a sense of unbridled freedom in you? And yet, Hollywood has not even begun to touch on the importance of horses in ancient cultures. Far from[..]

Central market, one of the major attractions of Kuala Lumpur, is also known as Pesar Seni or Pesar Budaya. The market offers one glimpses of the Malaysian culture and its arts and crafts. The Central market's building was built in 1888. At the time, it was used as a wet market for the citizens of Kuala Lumpur. The building was further expanded in 1889, 1895, 1920 and 1931. Because of the rapid growth of the Kuala Lumpur, it was once decided to demolish the market, but thanks to the intervention of the Malaysian Heritage Society, today it is declared as a Heritage Site. Attractions You can find everything under one roof in the Central Market. Right from small items such as key chains and[..]

I stumbled into a Christian Station on the radio and something struck me: that in most organized religions the emphasis is on having faith in God but I hear very little about having faith in the tools or gifts God gives us! First, let me say something about my use of the word "God". This is just how I refer to my higher power, that and the word, "Grandfather" which comes from my work with the Holy Men. So please substitute whatever definition you are comfortable with. God has given us some incredible gifts to walk this earth with. Let's start making use of them! Number one on the list is the "gift of choice"; a theme that comes up in many retreats here in Sedona. This last two years, I[..]

Churches across the world understand the benefits of a booming Christian women's retreat. This is merely a group of women that assemble often to cheer one another with the Word of God and talk about various topics. Christian Women retreat is an occasion for women to be revitalized as they thrash out unlike issues in their personal and official lives and how they are relevant to religious living and being a brave observer. Few other things, like assignment projects, trips and bear groups are also archetypal during times of women's retreat. They are in turn extremely special part of church, which reaches out to others when they want. Often, a women's bureau are the people that plan up for[..]

Christian youth retreats are said to be some of the most significant events in a teen's life.  When teens are taken out of their typical environment and put into a different one, the atmosphere is conducive to reflection, decision-making, and significant personal growth.  Unfortunately, not all Christian youths can afford to go to retreats.  However, with a bit of creativity and a little elbow grease, a teen can find a way to earn his way to camp. Many Christian youth retreats take place over a weekend.  This article, however, will focus on the week-long Christian youth retreats.  These are the ones that teens find "too expensive."  The first thing to do is determine the actual[..]

Spirituality is the path and process of self change, improvement, and action that leads to awakening. Many people in today's society are considering themselves more spiritual than religious, including teenagers. However, these spiritualists have their own definition of what spirituality means to them so it shows how the spiritual path can differ among us. For example, people may have not considered my first sentence of this spiritual blog as the definition of spirituality. Also, spirituality is not a religion. Religions are associated with doctrines, dogma, large organizations, based on a widely accepted belief system on how events occurred, what God is, the process of creation, etc.,[..]

There's a stereotype about men that, if true, is only partly true.  In a recent children's film, the main male character tells his wife, "For guys, a punch in the shoulder is like six months of therapy."  In other words, men don't know how, nor do they really need, to talk honestly and openly with each other.  A "hey buddy," with a brotherly jab in the shoulder is about as close as we will ever get to connecting with another man and trying to be his ally. Well, sadly, the stereotype can be true at times, but it's not because men don't have the ability or the need to speak honestly about their lives, or their challenges, or their problems.  It's that many men have simply never had[..]

Traditional counseling has helped thousands over the years.  Recently, however, clients are reporting that intensive counseling retreats have yielded greater, more powerful effects than their traditional weekly counseling format.  An intensive counseling retreat generally occurs over the period of about 3 full days, spent at a place designed specifically for this type of encounter.  Marriage counseling is particularly effective in this type of atmosphere.  Couples can get counseling in such areas as intimacy, mid-life crisis, empty-nest syndrome, sexuality, and divorce prevention. Counseling retreats are often lead by clergy, social work professionals, and licensed therapists.  The[..]

Planning a retreat for a Christian church group can easily be done on a tight budget, with a little creativity and a bit of elbow grease.  Follow the steps below in planning and you are sure to have a wonderful time. 1. Choose a setting that is close to home.  Gasoline costs can be shared by carpools.  There is no need to stop to buy a meal on the way. Have travelers pack a snack for the road trip. 2. Also choose a center that allows you to bring in your own food.  Prepare meals in bulk prior to the retreat and bring them with you.  Or ask everyone to bring some food for a potluck dinner. 3. Search for speakers that volunteer their time, or ask your local pastor to be your guest[..]

Ask any women’s retreat attendee what she liked most from her retreat.  She will most likely answer that she enjoyed her time alone in meditation.  This answer seems to be what a woman on retreat desires: solitude and spiritual refreshment.  Unfortunately most every woman waits to be invited to a group retreat.  Very few women will schedule the time for taking a personal, one woman retreat.  Though it takes effort and determination to set aside time for this kind of get-away, it is well worth the effort. A woman must meet the needs of so many others in her life.  Quite often she carries the burden of managing the home and children.  Many women also work full time or part time[..]

Napa Valley isn't the only area in California that is notorious for homes that boast elegant wine cellars. From the oldest Victorian homes, to the new-age art deco style houses, wine cellars can be found deep in the heart of these properties. If you're passionate about collecting wine you'll find that purchasing a home with a wine cellar is an essential component to ensure that the taste and quality of your wine retains its integrity. Collecting wine is becoming more of a trend than we'd like to think. For those who can afford it, wine collecting is not only done for taste, but also for collecting one's favorites as well. For the wine enthusiast, their love of wine is taken to the next[..]

Writers must network with other writers in order to learn and grow. My local writing group serves as a passion support mechanism for my writing. It is invaluable to me because it is the sacred place where I share my experiences, triumphs, and struggles as a writer. To form and promote a writing group in your local area, follow the steps below--before long you will have an energetic passion support mechanism for your own words. Good Luck and Have Fun! Vision and Purpose Have in mind a vision and general purpose for your local writing group. Your vision and purpose should be created based on the needs of your members. This can be a bulleted list of the reasons your group exists. At your[..]

I have often reflected on how I felt during the time I was hospitalized for a long time. From that experience I became committed to visiting others in the hospital. As an elder, deacon and artist I have learned some ways to make the visit to a hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation facility a healing experience. Here are seven suggestions. 1. LISTEN Take the time to BE PRESENT with the person and LISTEN to their needs. This means leaving your own issues and garbage at the entrance to the facility. Just like a football game or an action packed movie demands total attention the same is true with the person you are visiting. One of the ways you can show your presence is with your body[..]

We're all taught that giving is a good thing. We're all taught that whatever we give, we'll reap the rewards ten-fold. Scientists are even gathering evidence that suggests unconditional giving causes our brains to create and release endorphins-a natural chemical similar to morphine, which relieves pain, gives what marathon runners call a "runner's high," and may even reverse aging. But, if giving is so great, if giving fills people up, then why do we sometimes feel as if we have given so much that we have nothing left? I used to feel a bit like that. People would talk of giving, and I would roll my eyes. My camel's back was breaking as it was. I'd think to myself, "I'm self-sufficient,[..]

If you've been in church for any length of time, you've probably had the opportunity to join a small group Bible study. Maybe you've already taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity, but if you haven't, there are some benefits you may not know about that you'll experience as the result of being part of a one of these intimate groups. If you have been part of one of these special "events" you'll probably find yourself relating well to the following three benefits you can experience when you're part of a small group Bible study. Fellowship with Other Believers One of the best things about being part of a small group Bible study is having the opportunity to meet on a regular basis with[..]

What will we leave behind when we leave this world? The effects of the life we lived will have influences on those left behind. It is our responsibility to leave behind a life that is a credit to humanity. Often, we have a tendency to sometimes be short sighted about our duty to mankind. We should try to leave a positive life record for our fellow man to learn from. There are several characteristic that most people will use to judge the kind of life we have left behind. One of the most important things you will leave behind is your name. What kind of name will you leave behind? Will your name be one that is remember in praise or shame? We should consider those left behind as worthy[..]