Tag Archive | tolerance

Friday The 13th, March 2015

What’s Behind The Day

It’s known as “Black Friday” or “Black Cat Day”. And it’s a good day for Pagans because it’s seen as the perfect day. But here’s an interesting synchronicity; this post is the 1300th article here on Reflections.

The Thirteen represents good luck and moving with the flow of Divine energy. Going with the flow is an important part of Pagan perspectives. Fighting against the tide is akin to fighting against change making bad situations even worse than they already are. Where as going with the flow of change brings peace and harmony. Even if you’re flowing with the tide, you are always in control of the paddle of your ship. Guide it safely forward and you’ll reap the benefits of the opportunities that cross your path. Continue reading →

When You Love With Respect

Feb26

When you love with respect, everything else –
trust, intimacy, compassion, loyalty, laughter and happiness
– simply fall into place.

2015 Annual Motto

Dec30

The Year Long Affirmation

Many years ago I stopped making New Years Resolutions. I was never able to stick to them and keep them going the year through. Not being able to keep up with such a lofty goal was frustrating. To say the least. And left me feeling defeated, not empowered.

I began seeing Resolutions as Affirmations to Fail. What a negative and self-defeating concept. Setting yourself up to fail and feeling bad about not carrying through on the promise you made to yourself. How is this helpful? Well, for me it wasn’t helpful at all. So I stopped making Resolutions!

Instead I worked on creating a motto to carry me through the rough patches of the year. The harder the challenge, the more blunt the Motto was. Especially in the beginning of my new practice.

My first motto was designed to do nothing more than get me through a day of frustration and anger. In 2001 I didn’t like my Boss at the time, which meant I didn’t like my job either. But my Motto got me through those exceptionally rough days “I don’t care, I get paid.” And it worked. Pretty well actually. The group of people I managed at the time, took up my practice and new motto as well. Each time we hit a wall of frustration, someone would recite the motto and everyone would relax a little bit. Continue reading →

A Year Without God

Dec29

Have The Courage To Question and Look Within

A Seventh-Day Adventist Pastor Becomes An Atheist

This holiday season NPR released the short story of “After Year Of Atheism, Former Pastor: ‘I Don’t Think God Exists“. A tale of former Seventh-Day Adventist pastor Ryan Bell making an unusual New Year’s resolution for 2014: to live for one year without God.

Of course the timing of the story is designed to inflame emotions of those with faith into reading the article. While many are celebrating their Christian beliefs, anything that contradicts that will of course draw someone in and get them to at least read the article.

I really get annoyed with that kind of psychological manipulation. If your story has value, then it should hold true regardless of what time of the year it is. But that’s not what I want to talk about here.

I’ve come across this article three times in two days. On Twitter through NPR, on FB and as a share from a family member I have great respect for. It was after this third encounter I decided to read the article and find out what this is all about.

My first reaction to the headline was:
If that’s all it took for him to review and question his beliefs, then I doubt the original dedication this pastor had to his religion. He sounds more like a follower than a leader. Easily swayed and lead down a path. A person who doesn’t think for himself, but follows what others tell him to believe. Then I read the short article and formed a more informed opinion.
Continue reading →

Reflections On Today’s Numbers

Oct29

The Numerology of 1177

If you’ve been around here for a little while, you know that from time to time numbers catch my attention. When they do, I like to analyze their significations in relation to what’s going on with the day and where they popped up.

When those numbers are connected to my work, I like to share that insight with you. Because it might have some significance to your day.

That happened today when I posted a little News item about appearing on KAOI’s show Talk Story with Cindy Paulos. The longest running talk show on Maui, where Cindy interviews celebrities, political leaders and spiritual teachers.

I posted the news and received the notification this was 1177th post on this blog and it grabbed my attention. Trust your instincts. When something grabs your attention, whether it’s out of the ordinary or something that happens nearly every day, it’s trying to share a message with you. Continue reading →

Setting Up Your Ministry / Church / Center

Oct7

Spring’s Official Hanko

What Are The Legal Things To Consider

So you have received your ordination and you’re ready to start-up your Church, Spiritual Center or Professional Services Business. Now what? How do you get started and how do you define your practice?

Start with the first step; registering as an ordained minister. Doing that is separate from defining a Church or Business. Each state is different, but you will register yourself as a Minister within the county you live in, or the county you will be practicing your ministry in.

Once you are registered in your county, you are registered for the entire state. But not for any other state. Being a Licensed Minister, authorized to conduct weddings, is a state by state thing. You generally can’t register in a state you don’t have residence in. I am registered in Virginia. But I have a lot of family in North Carolina, friends in Maryland and more family in Tennessee. If I’m asked to officiate a wedding in one of those states or any other state, it’s easy enough to apply for temporary recognition.

Each state allows for temporary registration for a specific day. Usually the day of the wedding and with the county where the wedding is being held. You should do this 10 to 15 days prior to the service, or earlier if possible. Check with the state you’re going to. Some have requirements for when you can or must register. But you don’t want to wait till the wedding arrives and find out you can’t because you waited too long. Continue reading →

Being Mindful Each Moment Of The Day

Sep27

Nature is filled with the tiniest moments of exceptional beauty.
Take a moment to appreciate their gift, before they’re gone forever.
~ Springwolf 🐾 © 2014

Moments Of Beauty
Image credit: Earth Pics @Earth_Pics

It’s important to take a moment throughout the day to be Mindful of what you’re doing and how it resonates with your soul, spiritual mission and mental outlook. Both for a state of being and for a sense of living your beliefs and putting them into practice. ~ A Sunday Homily: Mindfulness

Reflecting On The Praying Mantis

Sep11

Animal Sign

I believe animals cross our path to bring us spiritual messages. Sometimes the messages are about us, our character, strengths or weaknesses. Sometimes they’re about events in our life and our thoughts impacting those events.

I’ve mentioned before, my favorite author on this subject is Ted Andrews. He has two books that I highly recommend, “Animal Speak” and “Animal Wise”.

He puts into words the wisdom of the Shamanistic approach to animal sign I was taught in my early studies. I high recommend his books. Continue reading →

Reflect On Life

Sep7

You Can Get Lost In Sorrow Or Choose To Heal

It’s Raining Tears

Aug13

Healing Through Compassion & Affirmation

Caring and Compassion

And The World Cries

I woke up Monday morning with a heavy heart. It’s raining here in Virginia. It’s dark, gloomy and it simply feels like the whole world is crying.

As an experienced empath (someone who can feel the energy of other living things), I learned decades ago to keep myself shielded from the outside world. When I was younger I would be having a great carefree day, walk past someone who was probably having the worst day in their lives and suddenly I felt like crying. Many untrained empaths have this problem every day and struggle to keep the ‘mood’ of someone else at bay.

You don’t have to be a “gifted” empath for this to happen. We are all psychic to some degree. Some are merely more in tune with those 6th Senses than others. We all have gut feelings, intuition, call it what you want. But humans are part of the animal kingdom, and like those animals, we have natural instincts that keep us safe and help us avoid danger. Continue reading →

"Believe In Yourself, Even When No One Else Does."
~ Harvey McKay ~
~~~~~~~~
“Take a chance on faith. Not religion, but faith.
Not hope, but faith.
I don’t believe in hope. Hope is a beggar.
Hope walks through the fire and Faith leaps over it.”
~ Jim Carrey ☆ 2014
~~~~~~~~
“I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less. And I am one of the seven billion human being. Basically we are the same… your emotion, my emotion, your mind, my mind.., same physical. So I always look [at it] that way. We are the same.”
~ Dalai Lama 2012 ~
~~~~~~~~
"Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
~ Bruce Lee 1971