Working With Angels ...
Angels surround us, and there is a reason that we sometime confuse the spelling of "angels" with "angles".
Perhaps Angels do have angles in our lives.
I believe that Angels often need to use angles in order to straighten and guide our paths in life.
Angels are symbols of grace and gentle encouragement.
They offer us comfort as they enfold us or envelope us in their wings.
At some point in our lives, we are likely to find ourselves asking for help, perhaps from no one in particular, and without knowing where help could possibly come from. We may raise our eyes skyward or whisper our need beneath our breath in prayer, only to find that somehow we have been heard, and the help we need arrives.
The answer to our prayer might come in the form of a person who appears at the right time, or perhaps in the form of luck, chance, or divine intervention.
However assistance appears, these are times when we can be certain that there are angels watching over us.
We may find ourselves asking for their help with simple things like finding a parking spot or asking to watch over loved ones, but then we forget to call on them when we found ourselves alone or in pain.
And that's okay. We are called to look after others, and therefor for others to look after us in kind.
We don't need to be aware of the answer to our prayers for the assistance of others, but there is comfort in the knowledge that they are there for us when we need them.
And, when we remain open to their presence, we can call on them whenever we need to connect and be nurtured by their ethereal and heavenly energy.
As symbols of grace and gentle encouragement, we offer each other comfort as we warm ourselves in the wings of our Spirit as we take flight.
As we are warmed by the gentleness and comfort of our wings, our warming hugs, we are also guided by our mutual care in the form of gentle nudges or inspired by the whispers in our ears.
We may hear the voice of our angel and feel a personal connection, but it isn't necessary. All we need is to be heard, to benefit from their guidance and perhaps to hear a word of thanks sent from us to God every now and then.
Whether they appear in the guise of a helpful stranger, or as a thought that suddenly occurs to us, angels are our loving guides from the spiritual realm, who with a brush of their angelic wings help us to make the most of our human experience by balancing it with the spiritual awareness that all things are possible and that we are not alone.
Angels are around us each and every day and night, and they are those whom not only do we love, but they are those who love us.
Feel the warmth of Love & Light!
Blessings,
Rob
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Treasure of Friendship
Letters from the Heart
Sometimes it’s hard to come right out and tell our friends how much we love and appreciate them.
We might feel awkward expressing deep feelings, even to our nearest and dearest, because it is not always a common practice. Sometimes we find it difficult to say "I love you" to those whom we love the most.
We might become choked up or embarrassed in the process, or we might fear we will embarrass them.
None the less, we all have these moments when we realize how fortunate we are to have the friends we have, and have had, and we may long to express our gratitude.
Moreover, it may be of tremendous benefit to our friends to be at the receiving end of our appreciation.
At times like these, writing a letter can help us say what we want to say without feeling self-conscious. Additionally, a letter gives our friends the space to truly take in our expression of love and the gift of being able to return to it time and again.
Facebook has been an evangelist of sorts, bringing together friends from times otherwise gone by.
I just recently reconnected with a dear friend whom I admired and respected from my High School days.
I loved him, and still do.
I respected him, and still do.
I looked up to him, and I owe him a debt of gratitude.
We have always shared our annual Christmas Cards, but Facebook has brought us a bit closer.
I recall my days as a senior in High School when my friend was studying medicine in Spain. I would receive an Air Mail envelope with a note from him updating me on his life. Those letters meant the world to me as they came at a time when transcontinental communication was a big deal, and remaining in touch with him somewhat validated my existence.
Those letters remain in a box in my attic.
Those who know me well know that I like to hold on to important pieces of my past.
This one friend, whom I'm speaking of, brought me to the home of a dear friend, Mildred Olsen, one day while in my late teens. Mildred lived in a beautiful old home atop a hill on Staten Island.
She was a beautiful spirit and we knew her through volunteer work that we all contributed to at the March of Dimes.
As we drove up the hill and into the circular drive, Mildred stood out on her veranda, looked at me, and said "Rob".
Now, I had always been known as "Bobby", but Mildred decided that day that I should grow into the name "Rob".
And so I did.
So, Richard, Mildred & I sat on her veranda overlooking the Verrazano Narrows between the Hudson River and New York Harbor. We enjoyed mature conversation coupled with some red wine, cheese & fruit blintzes, and a history of the the homestead.
Meanwhile, I listened to the stories of her life and how she lived for others, and I learned much about Mildred and her care for others as I also learned much about Richard.
Mildred, as well as Richard, became a catalysts in the formation of my life, and I appreciate them tremendously.
I would not be whoever it is that I am today without them.
I wrote Richard for some time, and I wrote Mildred as well, but times changed and letter writing fell by the proverbial wayside.
Richard & I are now suddenly closer through Facebook, and many of my partner Frank's friends are closer with him now as well.
I wish that I could say the same of Mildred, Dolores, Lorraine, Timothy, Barbara, Susan, and oh so many others. However, my heart and my mind hold them near & dear in daily thoughts and prayers.
I have recently collected differnt writing papers and notecards in hope that I will return to handwritten correspondence.
I would ask that we do the same and return to handwritten notes, while maintaining contact online, no matter how brief the notes may be, and that we keep a special place at which to do so and a special pen with which to write, allowing just a special moment to express our care for each other as a person.
As we sit to write to our friend, we might take a moment to consider the qualities we most value in our friendship and recall that.
That is, in fact, prayer. Prayer only takes a moment. A fleeting thought in our mind is an eternity in God's appreciation of our care and concern for one another.
There is no wrong and no shame in telling someone how important she or he was or is to us.
It might be the simple, fun reality that we always laughed together, enjoyed particular music, or just had fun in general.
It might also be that we knew how to share compassion, understanding, and held open hearts.
It could be both.
It could be all.
When we communicate, we listen with compassionate understanding and we feel safe enough to confess the deepest of our worst problems.
No matter the path, we always leave a conversation with a friend feeling better about everything and we hold a more realistic understanding of the true love that we've held for years.
Perhaps the new ideas and experiences we’ve been exposed to throughout the course of our friendship energize and invigorate us.
Either way, our valued friendships are treasures to be held in mystery, dreamed and fantasized about, and mapped in our hearts to be mined for eternity, such as the the golden riches they are.
Letters, which used to be somewhat common, are now as rare as treasure maps.
A handwritten letter makes a wonderful gift to be treasured always.
We might simply send it or hand deliver it out of the blue.
Whatever we choose, our letter will no doubt be received and treasured with a grateful heart.
So, please send someone a random note of love & kindness ... even if you don't know them!
I can only wish this was hand written to each of you in ink, but I trust that the ink of my heartfelt words pulses through your veins as the love I hold for each of you invigorates my heart.
I love you all, and I wish you the treasure hunt of a lifetime, fully knowing that if we think of one another for only a moment, God holds us eternally.
With love & light,
Rob
Sometimes it’s hard to come right out and tell our friends how much we love and appreciate them.
We might feel awkward expressing deep feelings, even to our nearest and dearest, because it is not always a common practice. Sometimes we find it difficult to say "I love you" to those whom we love the most.
We might become choked up or embarrassed in the process, or we might fear we will embarrass them.
None the less, we all have these moments when we realize how fortunate we are to have the friends we have, and have had, and we may long to express our gratitude.
Moreover, it may be of tremendous benefit to our friends to be at the receiving end of our appreciation.
At times like these, writing a letter can help us say what we want to say without feeling self-conscious. Additionally, a letter gives our friends the space to truly take in our expression of love and the gift of being able to return to it time and again.
Facebook has been an evangelist of sorts, bringing together friends from times otherwise gone by.
I just recently reconnected with a dear friend whom I admired and respected from my High School days.
I loved him, and still do.
I respected him, and still do.
I looked up to him, and I owe him a debt of gratitude.
We have always shared our annual Christmas Cards, but Facebook has brought us a bit closer.
I recall my days as a senior in High School when my friend was studying medicine in Spain. I would receive an Air Mail envelope with a note from him updating me on his life. Those letters meant the world to me as they came at a time when transcontinental communication was a big deal, and remaining in touch with him somewhat validated my existence.
Those letters remain in a box in my attic.
Those who know me well know that I like to hold on to important pieces of my past.
This one friend, whom I'm speaking of, brought me to the home of a dear friend, Mildred Olsen, one day while in my late teens. Mildred lived in a beautiful old home atop a hill on Staten Island.
She was a beautiful spirit and we knew her through volunteer work that we all contributed to at the March of Dimes.
As we drove up the hill and into the circular drive, Mildred stood out on her veranda, looked at me, and said "Rob".
Now, I had always been known as "Bobby", but Mildred decided that day that I should grow into the name "Rob".
And so I did.
So, Richard, Mildred & I sat on her veranda overlooking the Verrazano Narrows between the Hudson River and New York Harbor. We enjoyed mature conversation coupled with some red wine, cheese & fruit blintzes, and a history of the the homestead.
Meanwhile, I listened to the stories of her life and how she lived for others, and I learned much about Mildred and her care for others as I also learned much about Richard.
Mildred, as well as Richard, became a catalysts in the formation of my life, and I appreciate them tremendously.
I would not be whoever it is that I am today without them.
I wrote Richard for some time, and I wrote Mildred as well, but times changed and letter writing fell by the proverbial wayside.
Richard & I are now suddenly closer through Facebook, and many of my partner Frank's friends are closer with him now as well.
I wish that I could say the same of Mildred, Dolores, Lorraine, Timothy, Barbara, Susan, and oh so many others. However, my heart and my mind hold them near & dear in daily thoughts and prayers.
I have recently collected differnt writing papers and notecards in hope that I will return to handwritten correspondence.
I would ask that we do the same and return to handwritten notes, while maintaining contact online, no matter how brief the notes may be, and that we keep a special place at which to do so and a special pen with which to write, allowing just a special moment to express our care for each other as a person.
As we sit to write to our friend, we might take a moment to consider the qualities we most value in our friendship and recall that.
That is, in fact, prayer. Prayer only takes a moment. A fleeting thought in our mind is an eternity in God's appreciation of our care and concern for one another.
There is no wrong and no shame in telling someone how important she or he was or is to us.
It might be the simple, fun reality that we always laughed together, enjoyed particular music, or just had fun in general.
It might also be that we knew how to share compassion, understanding, and held open hearts.
It could be both.
It could be all.
When we communicate, we listen with compassionate understanding and we feel safe enough to confess the deepest of our worst problems.
No matter the path, we always leave a conversation with a friend feeling better about everything and we hold a more realistic understanding of the true love that we've held for years.
Perhaps the new ideas and experiences we’ve been exposed to throughout the course of our friendship energize and invigorate us.
Either way, our valued friendships are treasures to be held in mystery, dreamed and fantasized about, and mapped in our hearts to be mined for eternity, such as the the golden riches they are.
Letters, which used to be somewhat common, are now as rare as treasure maps.
A handwritten letter makes a wonderful gift to be treasured always.
We might simply send it or hand deliver it out of the blue.
Whatever we choose, our letter will no doubt be received and treasured with a grateful heart.
So, please send someone a random note of love & kindness ... even if you don't know them!
I can only wish this was hand written to each of you in ink, but I trust that the ink of my heartfelt words pulses through your veins as the love I hold for each of you invigorates my heart.
I love you all, and I wish you the treasure hunt of a lifetime, fully knowing that if we think of one another for only a moment, God holds us eternally.
With love & light,
Rob
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Forgiving Ourselves By Releasing Guilt
We all know what it is like to feel guilty about something, and many of us struggle with feeling guilty all of the time
We all have made mistakes in our lives and we know that.
Ultimately, we must pay for them.
Sometimes we pay for our mistakes here on Earth, other times we pay for them elsewhere.
Either way, we pay our time and our ultimate reward still remains in existence for us.
However, there lies a difficult reality for those of us who sin and that is the havoc it wreaks through the disturbances in our home lives, which creates a tremendous reality of guilt.
Guilt is a reality, not a feeling.
Guilt exists within us, can consume us and devour us.
Only if we allow it to.
We generally believe that guilt makes us feel that we are somehow unforgivable.
While this experience is common, it is detrimental to our overall well being.
Feeling guilty generally promotes a sense of powerlessness; an anguished agonizing over a past action that can neither be changed nor corrected.
An opportunity lost in time, forever.
The problem here is that our emotion over this is not conducive to self forgiveness, or the forgiveness of God; nor does it inspire us to forgive others, make amends for mistakes, or move forward free of desperate emotion.
Originally, but not traditionally, (perhaps I have that intro reversed, and I pray you to consider that) --- either originally or traditionally, guilt referred to a fine paid for proven wrongdoing. A punishment made public through financial or physical loss.
Once we made the payment, either through time, money or harm, for what we had done, we were free.
We were free of the fine and free of the sentence, but we have never been free of the guilt.
This is where forgiveness and acceptance of forgiveness comes into play.
Jesus said "Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they do"
I would choose to believe that the words of Jesus held a begging question mark;
" Forgive them, Father ? "
For me, that holds the key.
Anyway, the issue with guilt, as it is often experienced now, is that it often becomes a permanent state of mind.
It can become a neurotic preoccupation rather than a fair assessment of our wrongdoing followed by courses of action that lead to reparation.
It is part of the human experience to make mistakes and unintentionally cause harm to others.
It is also part of the human nature to be influenced to become intentional about these.
There is no way to avoid this entirely, and wallowing in guilt will not help us or anyone else when we create a slight in life.
We do need to allow forgiveness to ourselves for our misdoings and wrongdoings.
Not doing so will not prevent future suffering.
Understanding this is the first step towards liberating ourselves from guilt.
When we hang onto guilt about something, the first thing we need to do is practice compassion for ourselves; we are human and we make mistakes.
We also commit sin, which is why God teaches us forgiveness.
Compassion and forgiveness are much more effective than the weight of guilt in helping us to determine a course of action.
We may need to make an apology, we may need to may reparations, we may need to spend some time in repentance.
Ultimately, we need to make some changes in ourselves.
Knowing that, with each action, we create healing for ourselves and those whom we have harmed.
With hope and finality, we learn from our mistakes.
However, it is best that we never beat ourselves up for our wrongdoings.
Inherently, through God, we are good people.
Therefore, it is our duty to do good, love each other and ourselves, and always do our best.
At that point, there will be no place for guilt in our lives.
We can change, and we can lead by example.
Typically, the best way to create change is not to try to convince others to change, but to change ourselves and lead by example.
We all know from experience that we can’t change other people, yet most of us have a tendency to try to do so.
Perhaps we naturally feel the need to do something to change situations that we find troubling.
However, it does not often occur to us that the best way to create change is not to enforce change, but rather to encourage and enhance change through our own selves.
When we make adjustments from within, we become role models for others, even if we've erred in our lives and have sought forgiveness.
And leading by example is much more inspiring than a lecture or an argument.
We sometimes look outside ourselves for what’s wrong with the world so that we can find excuses or blame for our own faults and foibles.
However, we exist inside of ourselves and our lives. We are our individual selves, made complete by our own society.
The outside world is merely just a mirror reflecting us back to us.
When we encounter negativity, anger, depression, fear, repression, aggression, hostility, ignorance, bias, hate -- even love -- we empower ourselves by looking for its roots inside of ourselves.
For example, if we have a friend who is unreliable, we might like to note our responses and see how, in turn, we are unreliable.
I have a very dear friend who invites another friend for a Holiday dinner. In turn, this other friend always returns the invitation. However, neither attends and each are ultimately, and annually, offended.
*sigh*
Well, I believe that this year they have come to accept this, as several others have.
Is it healthy for us to accept the reality that so many of us just do not have the ability to to commit to a time and a date? Or is it is healthy for us to observe ourselves and note if there are ways in which we are unreliable?
Unreliability is a large factor in these present days of depression and worry.
We might not choose to be invited to a gathering of happy people while we wallow in our woes.
We might not have the physical or psychological strength to join.
We might like just to be alone and reminisce of fonder days gone by.
We might be surprised to discover that we each do have our own struggles with these issues in ways we just did not see.
Once we own our issues for ourselves, we can begin to work for change within us.
This will enable us to have more compassion for one another. To strive to become more reliable, and come to grow into the persons we want to be.
To be an inspiration to others, seeking forgiveness through our selves, and offering forgiveness to one another.
What a beautiful circle of true life that will be.
With much love & much light ...
With much forgiveness & much acceptance of your forgiveness,
and all the blessings for a bright & light New Year ...
I love you,
Rob
We all have made mistakes in our lives and we know that.
Ultimately, we must pay for them.
Sometimes we pay for our mistakes here on Earth, other times we pay for them elsewhere.
Either way, we pay our time and our ultimate reward still remains in existence for us.
However, there lies a difficult reality for those of us who sin and that is the havoc it wreaks through the disturbances in our home lives, which creates a tremendous reality of guilt.
Guilt is a reality, not a feeling.
Guilt exists within us, can consume us and devour us.
Only if we allow it to.
We generally believe that guilt makes us feel that we are somehow unforgivable.
While this experience is common, it is detrimental to our overall well being.
Feeling guilty generally promotes a sense of powerlessness; an anguished agonizing over a past action that can neither be changed nor corrected.
An opportunity lost in time, forever.
The problem here is that our emotion over this is not conducive to self forgiveness, or the forgiveness of God; nor does it inspire us to forgive others, make amends for mistakes, or move forward free of desperate emotion.
Originally, but not traditionally, (perhaps I have that intro reversed, and I pray you to consider that) --- either originally or traditionally, guilt referred to a fine paid for proven wrongdoing. A punishment made public through financial or physical loss.
Once we made the payment, either through time, money or harm, for what we had done, we were free.
We were free of the fine and free of the sentence, but we have never been free of the guilt.
This is where forgiveness and acceptance of forgiveness comes into play.
Jesus said "Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they do"
I would choose to believe that the words of Jesus held a begging question mark;
" Forgive them, Father ? "
For me, that holds the key.
Anyway, the issue with guilt, as it is often experienced now, is that it often becomes a permanent state of mind.
It can become a neurotic preoccupation rather than a fair assessment of our wrongdoing followed by courses of action that lead to reparation.
It is part of the human experience to make mistakes and unintentionally cause harm to others.
It is also part of the human nature to be influenced to become intentional about these.
There is no way to avoid this entirely, and wallowing in guilt will not help us or anyone else when we create a slight in life.
We do need to allow forgiveness to ourselves for our misdoings and wrongdoings.
Not doing so will not prevent future suffering.
Understanding this is the first step towards liberating ourselves from guilt.
When we hang onto guilt about something, the first thing we need to do is practice compassion for ourselves; we are human and we make mistakes.
We also commit sin, which is why God teaches us forgiveness.
Compassion and forgiveness are much more effective than the weight of guilt in helping us to determine a course of action.
We may need to make an apology, we may need to may reparations, we may need to spend some time in repentance.
Ultimately, we need to make some changes in ourselves.
Knowing that, with each action, we create healing for ourselves and those whom we have harmed.
With hope and finality, we learn from our mistakes.
However, it is best that we never beat ourselves up for our wrongdoings.
Inherently, through God, we are good people.
Therefore, it is our duty to do good, love each other and ourselves, and always do our best.
At that point, there will be no place for guilt in our lives.
We can change, and we can lead by example.
Typically, the best way to create change is not to try to convince others to change, but to change ourselves and lead by example.
We all know from experience that we can’t change other people, yet most of us have a tendency to try to do so.
Perhaps we naturally feel the need to do something to change situations that we find troubling.
However, it does not often occur to us that the best way to create change is not to enforce change, but rather to encourage and enhance change through our own selves.
When we make adjustments from within, we become role models for others, even if we've erred in our lives and have sought forgiveness.
And leading by example is much more inspiring than a lecture or an argument.
We sometimes look outside ourselves for what’s wrong with the world so that we can find excuses or blame for our own faults and foibles.
However, we exist inside of ourselves and our lives. We are our individual selves, made complete by our own society.
The outside world is merely just a mirror reflecting us back to us.
When we encounter negativity, anger, depression, fear, repression, aggression, hostility, ignorance, bias, hate -- even love -- we empower ourselves by looking for its roots inside of ourselves.
For example, if we have a friend who is unreliable, we might like to note our responses and see how, in turn, we are unreliable.
I have a very dear friend who invites another friend for a Holiday dinner. In turn, this other friend always returns the invitation. However, neither attends and each are ultimately, and annually, offended.
*sigh*
Well, I believe that this year they have come to accept this, as several others have.
Is it healthy for us to accept the reality that so many of us just do not have the ability to to commit to a time and a date? Or is it is healthy for us to observe ourselves and note if there are ways in which we are unreliable?
Unreliability is a large factor in these present days of depression and worry.
We might not choose to be invited to a gathering of happy people while we wallow in our woes.
We might not have the physical or psychological strength to join.
We might like just to be alone and reminisce of fonder days gone by.
We might be surprised to discover that we each do have our own struggles with these issues in ways we just did not see.
Once we own our issues for ourselves, we can begin to work for change within us.
This will enable us to have more compassion for one another. To strive to become more reliable, and come to grow into the persons we want to be.
To be an inspiration to others, seeking forgiveness through our selves, and offering forgiveness to one another.
What a beautiful circle of true life that will be.
With much love & much light ...
With much forgiveness & much acceptance of your forgiveness,
and all the blessings for a bright & light New Year ...
I love you,
Rob
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Advent of Our Lives
In the Christian tradition, we are about to enter the 4th and final week of Advent this coming Sunday.
The week of Advent 4 marks a week of hope filled anticipation before the day of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus the Christ.
For those of us who are Christian, this is a very important Season.
For those of us who are not, this is also a very important Season.
It is by no coincidence that all faiths are called together at this time of year to celebrate God.
The 4 weeks of Advent lead us not only to Christmas Day, but to the Season of Christmas, which continues past Christmas Day to Epiphany, which is 2 weeks later at 06 January.
Christmas begins on Christmas Day and lasts the Season.
Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a Season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity at the birth of Jesus at Christmas Day.
In the Latin, "adventus" is the translation of the Greek word "parousia", commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ.
For Christians, the Season of Advent serves a reminder both of the original waiting that was held by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return.
Unity in kind.
This is also a time at which, as Jesus would have it, we look to the heavens toward our Heavenly Father.
We see and we learn of the real coalition in our varied comprehension of our individual faiths, knowing that God will have us all as one.
However, that is probably enough ecclesiastical chat for now ... or not.
So, Advent is a time of waiting, expectation, preparation, anticipation, meditation, wonder ... and hope.
I believe that we have gone through most of these this past year, if not all, and we are now in a season of having nothing left than hope.
Not a bad thing.
Hope is a form of prayer, and prayer is something that is too often reserved as a last resort.
How sad, given the gifts of life and the wonders of this planet.
I mean, really?
God, who gives us manatees, giraffes, dolphins, and elephants to look at when we feel sad, is an awesome God in my book!
Anyway, back to Advent.
I would say that life is more about the time spent waiting for something to happen than it is about something actually happening.
Faith.
A dear friend of mine is about to take one of her grandchildren to see Mary Poppins on Broadway. It's a magical performance, and she hoped to allow for at least six weeks of anticipation.
Hope.
The timing didn't work out, so the anticipation will be abbreviated, but my friend knows that her grandchild will be thrilled none the less.
Trust.
They will be seated in the theatre soon after New Year's Day, so the anticipation will be short lived.
Isn't that just the way our lives are these days?
However, I believe that the anticipation will manifest itself in the magical way that it does, and in the words of another dear friend, they will have "an experience to mine forever".
There's a quote that I learned as a child; "'Tis often better to to travel in anticipation than to arrive."
Essentially, what this means is that the big events in our lives are preceded by many days and nights of dreaming, planning, wishing, waiting, trusting, hoping, and praying.
Anticipation.
The times of anticipation in between the big events of our lives actually constitute the majority of our lives.
These in-between times are anything but uneventful.
In fact, they are rich with possibilities and ripe with opportunities for reflection and preparation.
Now that's a gift!
Like an expectant woman awaiting the birth of her child, we have a finite period of time in which to prepare internally and externally for the upcoming event that will define a new chapter in our lives.
Such is the Advent of Christmas.
So, we can apply the gift of Advent and anticipation to whatever situation might lay in wait ahead of us, be this a beneficial event or one of concern.
We might anticipate a great event, or we may be fearful of the result of our own wrongdoings.
Either way, we graciously accept our time of wait and anticipation.
Once again, "This too shall pass" ... for better or for worse.
When we find ourselves at an in-between time, we often can't help but become impatient for the impending event.
After all, we were born as children, we live our private lives as children, we die as children, and we return to eternal life as children.
So impatience is, perhaps, our own little birth right
All too often, we just want to get to the future and have the new baby, the new job, the new house, the bigger car, the new promotion, the busier life, the new challenges, the trials, the tribulations, the realities, the struggles, the hardships, the consequences ...
How often do we wish for an event to happen?
We wish that we will become old enough to drive, we wish to graduate college, we wish to achieve that job.
We wish to marry, we wish for children (who will too soon graduate), we wish for that promotion.
We wish for the traffic to flow and for the line at the supermarket to move more quickly so we can hurry home. Why are there so many cars ahead at the ATM?
We wish for seasons to change, we wish for holidays to be done with, we wish for relatives to go home, we wish for time to be alone.
We wish for time to slow down or to return to the days of our youth.
We wish for restoration and a sensible recollection of our days and times.
We wish for a peaceful rest and a recollection of our middle years.
We wish we could recall the conversations with our relatives.
We wish we had someone to share a meal with.
We wish we were back in 1st Grade wishing for the 3:00 Bell to ring.
Ultimately, we wish we didn't wish our lives away.
Do we ever wish for what exists ahead in our faith?
There is a reason a pregnancy takes nine months to fulfill itself.
Nature provides the expectant parents with this time so that they can prepare the nest.
This preparation plays out on many levels.
Materially, a space must be created in the home and resources must be set aside for the child's future.
Psychologically, a shift must occur in which the psyches of both parents agree to be responsible for the commitment of a new life in the world.
Emotionally, the heart must open wider to embrace and fulfill a new and unconditional love complete with care, concern, worry, and an eternal co-existence that none other than a parent could ever understand.
If one ever seeks to experience God's earthly love, I would suggest experiencing the love between Mother and child.
Parents have a wonderful manner of patiently waiting as we grow; albeit often impatiently!
Whenever we find ourselves in a time of waiting, we might prosper to spend time exploring our material, psychological, and emotional readiness.
For example, if we are preparing to move to a new city, we could make a list of things we might like to do in the city we will be leaving behind, go to our favorite places and spend time with old friends.
This way, we remain fully engaged in the present as we await our future, savoring the in-between time as a vital experience in itself.
How do we accept the material, psychological, and emotional realities of change in our lives?
How do we accept Advent, knowing that Lent awaits so soon ahead?
While many of the diverse festivals and feasts we celebrate are designed to be times for celebrating life, new beginnings, traditions, and landmark occasions, those sentiments can be swept away by the stress of overloaded to-do lists and seemingly never-ending holiday obligations.
Yet there are many unique and satisfying ways to celebrate the holidays without spending too much money or becoming exhausted in the process.
Of course the media, and possibly even loved ones, may encourage us to do and buy more. However, concentrating on the spirit of faith, giving, love, and hope during these holy days may help us do more with less.
We can create, or recreate, holiday traditions that help us focus on what we find important.
Christmas, and its surrounding holidays, can be a wonderful time for taking stock of what matters most to us.
This can include family, community, helping those less fortunate, and loving the earth as well as ourselves. These are trying and troubling times, and we do need to love ourselves.
When we feel driven to give tangible gifts to the people in our lives, perhaps we can consider gifts that encourage positive living or gifts whose impact will continue to be felt long after the holidays.
We can consider donating our effort to making someone else's life better by hosting a party for seniors or volunteering at a homeless shelter.
We can also make a charitable donation or plant a seedling tree in a loved one's name.
Instead of giving our friends and family material goods, we can choose to give them the gift of our time.
We can teach our younger generation to value time and life, to spend time listening to the elders of the family and to try to return to a more simple, slower paced, greatly appreciated life.
We can do this for ourselves as well.
We can organize get-togethers that include relatives or acquaintances whom we seldom see and emphasize togetherness, fun, and celebration.
Time spent making homemade gifts offer us the opportunity to ruminate on what we treasure about our loved ones.
Such gifts are also unto ourselves.
When exploring the true meaning of Christmas and its surrounding holidays, we are offered the spiritual gift of getting back to the true spirit of the season, allowing ourselves to alter existing traditions and experience life and tradition in new and fascinating ways.
A simple blessing over our food before a meal, giving thanks to the earth, it's farmers, and those who prepare the gifts we are given, or even a walk under the moon and stars after a shared meal helps to connect us to the chain and the flow which is our gift here upon this planet and in our life.
What a gift!
When we celebrate what fulfills us and then stop before our celebration becomes more of a hassle than a happy occasion, we return to the basics of generosity and good will, and our holidays will always be rewarding.
Wishing you the wonder-filled Season of Faith, Hope, Trust and Anticipation with all the blessings of this miraculous Season, along with my love & light.
Blessings,
Rob
Rob
The week of Advent 4 marks a week of hope filled anticipation before the day of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus the Christ.
For those of us who are Christian, this is a very important Season.
For those of us who are not, this is also a very important Season.
It is by no coincidence that all faiths are called together at this time of year to celebrate God.
The 4 weeks of Advent lead us not only to Christmas Day, but to the Season of Christmas, which continues past Christmas Day to Epiphany, which is 2 weeks later at 06 January.
Christmas begins on Christmas Day and lasts the Season.
Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a Season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity at the birth of Jesus at Christmas Day.
In the Latin, "adventus" is the translation of the Greek word "parousia", commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ.
For Christians, the Season of Advent serves a reminder both of the original waiting that was held by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return.
Unity in kind.
This is also a time at which, as Jesus would have it, we look to the heavens toward our Heavenly Father.
We see and we learn of the real coalition in our varied comprehension of our individual faiths, knowing that God will have us all as one.
However, that is probably enough ecclesiastical chat for now ... or not.
So, Advent is a time of waiting, expectation, preparation, anticipation, meditation, wonder ... and hope.
I believe that we have gone through most of these this past year, if not all, and we are now in a season of having nothing left than hope.
Not a bad thing.
Hope is a form of prayer, and prayer is something that is too often reserved as a last resort.
How sad, given the gifts of life and the wonders of this planet.
I mean, really?
God, who gives us manatees, giraffes, dolphins, and elephants to look at when we feel sad, is an awesome God in my book!
Anyway, back to Advent.
I would say that life is more about the time spent waiting for something to happen than it is about something actually happening.
Faith.
A dear friend of mine is about to take one of her grandchildren to see Mary Poppins on Broadway. It's a magical performance, and she hoped to allow for at least six weeks of anticipation.
Hope.
The timing didn't work out, so the anticipation will be abbreviated, but my friend knows that her grandchild will be thrilled none the less.
Trust.
They will be seated in the theatre soon after New Year's Day, so the anticipation will be short lived.
Isn't that just the way our lives are these days?
However, I believe that the anticipation will manifest itself in the magical way that it does, and in the words of another dear friend, they will have "an experience to mine forever".
There's a quote that I learned as a child; "'Tis often better to to travel in anticipation than to arrive."
Essentially, what this means is that the big events in our lives are preceded by many days and nights of dreaming, planning, wishing, waiting, trusting, hoping, and praying.
Anticipation.
The times of anticipation in between the big events of our lives actually constitute the majority of our lives.
These in-between times are anything but uneventful.
In fact, they are rich with possibilities and ripe with opportunities for reflection and preparation.
Now that's a gift!
Like an expectant woman awaiting the birth of her child, we have a finite period of time in which to prepare internally and externally for the upcoming event that will define a new chapter in our lives.
Such is the Advent of Christmas.
So, we can apply the gift of Advent and anticipation to whatever situation might lay in wait ahead of us, be this a beneficial event or one of concern.
We might anticipate a great event, or we may be fearful of the result of our own wrongdoings.
Either way, we graciously accept our time of wait and anticipation.
Once again, "This too shall pass" ... for better or for worse.
When we find ourselves at an in-between time, we often can't help but become impatient for the impending event.
After all, we were born as children, we live our private lives as children, we die as children, and we return to eternal life as children.
So impatience is, perhaps, our own little birth right
All too often, we just want to get to the future and have the new baby, the new job, the new house, the bigger car, the new promotion, the busier life, the new challenges, the trials, the tribulations, the realities, the struggles, the hardships, the consequences ...
How often do we wish for an event to happen?
We wish that we will become old enough to drive, we wish to graduate college, we wish to achieve that job.
We wish to marry, we wish for children (who will too soon graduate), we wish for that promotion.
We wish for the traffic to flow and for the line at the supermarket to move more quickly so we can hurry home. Why are there so many cars ahead at the ATM?
We wish for seasons to change, we wish for holidays to be done with, we wish for relatives to go home, we wish for time to be alone.
We wish for time to slow down or to return to the days of our youth.
We wish for restoration and a sensible recollection of our days and times.
We wish for a peaceful rest and a recollection of our middle years.
We wish we could recall the conversations with our relatives.
We wish we had someone to share a meal with.
We wish we were back in 1st Grade wishing for the 3:00 Bell to ring.
Ultimately, we wish we didn't wish our lives away.
Do we ever wish for what exists ahead in our faith?
There is a reason a pregnancy takes nine months to fulfill itself.
Nature provides the expectant parents with this time so that they can prepare the nest.
This preparation plays out on many levels.
Materially, a space must be created in the home and resources must be set aside for the child's future.
Psychologically, a shift must occur in which the psyches of both parents agree to be responsible for the commitment of a new life in the world.
Emotionally, the heart must open wider to embrace and fulfill a new and unconditional love complete with care, concern, worry, and an eternal co-existence that none other than a parent could ever understand.
If one ever seeks to experience God's earthly love, I would suggest experiencing the love between Mother and child.
Parents have a wonderful manner of patiently waiting as we grow; albeit often impatiently!
Whenever we find ourselves in a time of waiting, we might prosper to spend time exploring our material, psychological, and emotional readiness.
For example, if we are preparing to move to a new city, we could make a list of things we might like to do in the city we will be leaving behind, go to our favorite places and spend time with old friends.
This way, we remain fully engaged in the present as we await our future, savoring the in-between time as a vital experience in itself.
How do we accept the material, psychological, and emotional realities of change in our lives?
How do we accept Advent, knowing that Lent awaits so soon ahead?
While many of the diverse festivals and feasts we celebrate are designed to be times for celebrating life, new beginnings, traditions, and landmark occasions, those sentiments can be swept away by the stress of overloaded to-do lists and seemingly never-ending holiday obligations.
Yet there are many unique and satisfying ways to celebrate the holidays without spending too much money or becoming exhausted in the process.
Of course the media, and possibly even loved ones, may encourage us to do and buy more. However, concentrating on the spirit of faith, giving, love, and hope during these holy days may help us do more with less.
We can create, or recreate, holiday traditions that help us focus on what we find important.
Christmas, and its surrounding holidays, can be a wonderful time for taking stock of what matters most to us.
This can include family, community, helping those less fortunate, and loving the earth as well as ourselves. These are trying and troubling times, and we do need to love ourselves.
When we feel driven to give tangible gifts to the people in our lives, perhaps we can consider gifts that encourage positive living or gifts whose impact will continue to be felt long after the holidays.
We can consider donating our effort to making someone else's life better by hosting a party for seniors or volunteering at a homeless shelter.
We can also make a charitable donation or plant a seedling tree in a loved one's name.
Instead of giving our friends and family material goods, we can choose to give them the gift of our time.
We can teach our younger generation to value time and life, to spend time listening to the elders of the family and to try to return to a more simple, slower paced, greatly appreciated life.
We can do this for ourselves as well.
We can organize get-togethers that include relatives or acquaintances whom we seldom see and emphasize togetherness, fun, and celebration.
Time spent making homemade gifts offer us the opportunity to ruminate on what we treasure about our loved ones.
Such gifts are also unto ourselves.
When exploring the true meaning of Christmas and its surrounding holidays, we are offered the spiritual gift of getting back to the true spirit of the season, allowing ourselves to alter existing traditions and experience life and tradition in new and fascinating ways.
A simple blessing over our food before a meal, giving thanks to the earth, it's farmers, and those who prepare the gifts we are given, or even a walk under the moon and stars after a shared meal helps to connect us to the chain and the flow which is our gift here upon this planet and in our life.
What a gift!
When we celebrate what fulfills us and then stop before our celebration becomes more of a hassle than a happy occasion, we return to the basics of generosity and good will, and our holidays will always be rewarding.
Wishing you the wonder-filled Season of Faith, Hope, Trust and Anticipation with all the blessings of this miraculous Season, along with my love & light.
Blessings,
Rob
Rob
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Beyond Counting Blessings
Being Truly Thankful
When we are in the state of thankfulness, we are in a higher state of awareness, and spirituality with gratitude at our doorstep.
Often when we practice being thankful, we go through the process of counting our blessings, acknowledging the wonderful people, things and places that make up our reality.
While it is fine to be grateful for the good fortune we have accumulated, true thankfulness stems from a powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive, and when we feel it, we feel it regardless of our circumstances.
In this deep state of gratitude, we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself, and our thankfulness is part and parcel of our awareness that we are one with this great mystery that is life.
It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are very caught up in the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world.
There are times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed by circumstances that come our way, particularly in these times of instability on so many different levels; the global economy, our personal economies, political strife, two active wars with more brewing, unemployment, challenges in our personal lives, and general uncertainty of where we will be one year from now.
The thing to remember about our world, however, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable.
If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness.
No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time, take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way.
Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive.
We do not have to wait to have our lives shaken apart to experience this state of being truly thankful for our lives. Tuning in to our breath and making an effort to be fully present for a set period of time each day can do wonders for our ability to connect with true gratitude.
We can also awaken ourselves with the intention to be more aware of the unconditional generosity and love of the Spirit that flows through us regardless of our circumstances.
With love & thankfulness,
Rob
When we are in the state of thankfulness, we are in a higher state of awareness, and spirituality with gratitude at our doorstep.
Often when we practice being thankful, we go through the process of counting our blessings, acknowledging the wonderful people, things and places that make up our reality.
While it is fine to be grateful for the good fortune we have accumulated, true thankfulness stems from a powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive, and when we feel it, we feel it regardless of our circumstances.
In this deep state of gratitude, we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself, and our thankfulness is part and parcel of our awareness that we are one with this great mystery that is life.
It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are very caught up in the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world.
There are times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed by circumstances that come our way, particularly in these times of instability on so many different levels; the global economy, our personal economies, political strife, two active wars with more brewing, unemployment, challenges in our personal lives, and general uncertainty of where we will be one year from now.
The thing to remember about our world, however, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable.
If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness.
No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time, take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way.
Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive.
We do not have to wait to have our lives shaken apart to experience this state of being truly thankful for our lives. Tuning in to our breath and making an effort to be fully present for a set period of time each day can do wonders for our ability to connect with true gratitude.
We can also awaken ourselves with the intention to be more aware of the unconditional generosity and love of the Spirit that flows through us regardless of our circumstances.
With love & thankfulness,
Rob
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Really Strange Story Behind Today's Blue Moon
With thanks to JOE RAO
The full moon of November arrives on Sunday and will bring with it a cosmic addition: It will also be a so-called "blue moon".
"But wait a minute," you might ask. "Isn't a 'blue moon' defined as the second full moon that occurs during a calendar month? Sunday's full moon falls on 21 November and it will be the only full moon in November 2010. So how can it be a 'blue' moon?"
Indeed, November's full moon is blue moon – but only if we follow a rule that's now somewhat obscure.
In fact, the current "two- full moons in one month" rule has superseded an older rule that would allow us to call Sunday's moon "blue." To be clear, the moon does not actually appear a blue color during a blue moon, it has to do with lunar mechanics.
Confused yet?
Well, as the late Paul Harvey used to say — here now, is the rest of the story:
Back in the July 1943 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, in a question and answer column written by Lawrence J. Lafleur, there was a reference made to the term "blue moon."
Lafleur cited the unusual term from a copy of the 1937 edition of the now-defunct Maine Farmers' Almanac (NOT to be confused with The Farmers' Almanac of Lewiston, Maine, which is still in business).
On the almanac page for August 1937, the calendrical meaning for the term "blue moon" was given.
That explanation said that the moon "... usually comes full twelve times in a year, three times for each season."
Occasionally, however, there will come a year when there are 13 full moons during a year, not the usual 12. The almanac explanation continued:
"This was considered a very unfortunate circumstance, especially by the monks who had charge of the calendar of thirteen months for that year, and it upset the regular arrangement of church festivals. For this reason thirteen came to be considered an unlucky number."
And with that extra full moon, it also meant that one of the four seasons would contain four full moons instead of the usual three.
"There are seven Blue Moons in a Lunar Cycle of nineteen years," continued the almanac, ending on the comment that, "In olden times the almanac makers had much difficulty calculating the occurrence of the Blue Moon and this uncertainty gave rise to the expression 'Once in a Blue Moon.'"
But while LaFleur quoted the almanac's account, he made one very important omission: He never specified the date for this particular blue moon.
As it turned out, in 1937, it occurred on 21 August. That was the third full moon in the summer of 1937, a summer season that would see a total of four full moons.
Names were assigned to each moon in a season: For example, the first moon of summer was called the early summer moon, the second was the midsummer moon, and the last was called the late summer moon.
But when a particular season has four moons, the third was apparently called a blue moon so that the fourth and final one can continue to be called the late moon.
So where did we get the "two full moons in a month rule" that is so popular today?
Once again, we must turn to the pages of Sky & Telescope.
This time, on page 3 of the March 1946 issue, James Hugh Pruett wrote an article, "Once in a Blue Moon," in which he made a reference to the term "blue moon" and referenced LaFleur's article from 1943.
But because Pruett had no specific full moon date for 1937 to fall back on, his interpretation of the ruling given by the Maine Farmers' Almanac was highly subjective. Pruett ultimately came to this conclusion:
"Seven times in 19 years there were – and still are – 13 full moons in a year. This gives 11 months with one full moon each and one with two. This second in a month, so I interpret it, was called Blue Moon."
How unfortunate that Pruett did not have a copy of that 1937 almanac at hand, or else he would have almost certainly noticed that his "two full moons in a single month assumption" would have been totally wrong.
For the blue moon date of 21 August was most definitely not the second full moon that month!
Pruett's 1946 explanation was, of course, the wrong interpretation and it might have been completely forgotten were it not for Deborah Byrd who used it on her popular National Public Radio program, "StarDate" on 31 January, 1980.
We could almost say that in the aftermath of her radio show, the incorrect blue moon rule "went viral" — or at least the '80s equivalent of it.
Over the next decade, this new blue moon definition started appearing in diverse places, such as the World Almanac for Kids and the board game Trivial Pursuit.
By 1988, the new definition started receiving international press coverage.
Today, Pruett's misinterpreted "two full moons in a month rule" is recognized worldwide. Indeed, Sky & Telescope turned a literary lemon into lemonade, proclaiming later that – however unintentional – it changed pop culture and the English language in unexpected ways.
Meanwhile, the original Maine Farmers' Almanac rule had been all but forgotten.
Now, let's come back to this Sunday's full moon.
Under the old Almanac rule, this would technically be a blue moon. In the autumn season of 2010, there are four full moons:
23 September
22 October
21 November
21 December
"But wait," you might say. "21 December is the first day of Winter."
And you would be correct, but only if you live north of the equator in the Northern Hemisphere. South of the equator it's the first day of summer.
In 2010, the solstice comes at 6:38 p.m. EST.
But the moon turns full at 3:13 a.m. EST.
That's 15 hours and 25 minutes before the solstice occurs.
So the 21 December full moon occurs during the waning hours of fall and qualifies as the fourth full moon of the season.
This means that under the original Maine Almanac rule – the one promoted by Lafleur and later misinterpreted by Pruett – the third full moon of the 2010 fall season on 21 November would be a blue moon.
So what Blue Moon definition tickles your fancy? Is it the second full moon in a calendar month, or (as is the case on Sunday) the third full moon in a season with four?
Maybe it's both. The final decision is solely up to you.
Sunday's full moon will look no different than any other full moon. But the moon can change color in certain conditions.
After forest fires or volcanic eruptions, the moon can appear to take on a bluish or even lavender hue. Soot and ash particles, deposited high in the Earth's atmosphere, can sometimes make the moon appear bluish.
In the aftermath of the massive eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991, there were reports of blue moons (and even blue suns) worldwide.
We could even call the next full moon (on 21 December) a "red moon," but for a different reason: On that day there will be a total eclipse of the moon and, for a short while, the moon will actually glow with a ruddy reddish hue.
At any rate, enjoy the moon.
With love & moonlight,
Rob
The full moon of November arrives on Sunday and will bring with it a cosmic addition: It will also be a so-called "blue moon".
"But wait a minute," you might ask. "Isn't a 'blue moon' defined as the second full moon that occurs during a calendar month? Sunday's full moon falls on 21 November and it will be the only full moon in November 2010. So how can it be a 'blue' moon?"
Indeed, November's full moon is blue moon – but only if we follow a rule that's now somewhat obscure.
In fact, the current "two- full moons in one month" rule has superseded an older rule that would allow us to call Sunday's moon "blue." To be clear, the moon does not actually appear a blue color during a blue moon, it has to do with lunar mechanics.
Confused yet?
Well, as the late Paul Harvey used to say — here now, is the rest of the story:
Back in the July 1943 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, in a question and answer column written by Lawrence J. Lafleur, there was a reference made to the term "blue moon."
Lafleur cited the unusual term from a copy of the 1937 edition of the now-defunct Maine Farmers' Almanac (NOT to be confused with The Farmers' Almanac of Lewiston, Maine, which is still in business).
On the almanac page for August 1937, the calendrical meaning for the term "blue moon" was given.
That explanation said that the moon "... usually comes full twelve times in a year, three times for each season."
Occasionally, however, there will come a year when there are 13 full moons during a year, not the usual 12. The almanac explanation continued:
"This was considered a very unfortunate circumstance, especially by the monks who had charge of the calendar of thirteen months for that year, and it upset the regular arrangement of church festivals. For this reason thirteen came to be considered an unlucky number."
And with that extra full moon, it also meant that one of the four seasons would contain four full moons instead of the usual three.
"There are seven Blue Moons in a Lunar Cycle of nineteen years," continued the almanac, ending on the comment that, "In olden times the almanac makers had much difficulty calculating the occurrence of the Blue Moon and this uncertainty gave rise to the expression 'Once in a Blue Moon.'"
But while LaFleur quoted the almanac's account, he made one very important omission: He never specified the date for this particular blue moon.
As it turned out, in 1937, it occurred on 21 August. That was the third full moon in the summer of 1937, a summer season that would see a total of four full moons.
Names were assigned to each moon in a season: For example, the first moon of summer was called the early summer moon, the second was the midsummer moon, and the last was called the late summer moon.
But when a particular season has four moons, the third was apparently called a blue moon so that the fourth and final one can continue to be called the late moon.
So where did we get the "two full moons in a month rule" that is so popular today?
Once again, we must turn to the pages of Sky & Telescope.
This time, on page 3 of the March 1946 issue, James Hugh Pruett wrote an article, "Once in a Blue Moon," in which he made a reference to the term "blue moon" and referenced LaFleur's article from 1943.
But because Pruett had no specific full moon date for 1937 to fall back on, his interpretation of the ruling given by the Maine Farmers' Almanac was highly subjective. Pruett ultimately came to this conclusion:
"Seven times in 19 years there were – and still are – 13 full moons in a year. This gives 11 months with one full moon each and one with two. This second in a month, so I interpret it, was called Blue Moon."
How unfortunate that Pruett did not have a copy of that 1937 almanac at hand, or else he would have almost certainly noticed that his "two full moons in a single month assumption" would have been totally wrong.
For the blue moon date of 21 August was most definitely not the second full moon that month!
Pruett's 1946 explanation was, of course, the wrong interpretation and it might have been completely forgotten were it not for Deborah Byrd who used it on her popular National Public Radio program, "StarDate" on 31 January, 1980.
We could almost say that in the aftermath of her radio show, the incorrect blue moon rule "went viral" — or at least the '80s equivalent of it.
Over the next decade, this new blue moon definition started appearing in diverse places, such as the World Almanac for Kids and the board game Trivial Pursuit.
By 1988, the new definition started receiving international press coverage.
Today, Pruett's misinterpreted "two full moons in a month rule" is recognized worldwide. Indeed, Sky & Telescope turned a literary lemon into lemonade, proclaiming later that – however unintentional – it changed pop culture and the English language in unexpected ways.
Meanwhile, the original Maine Farmers' Almanac rule had been all but forgotten.
Now, let's come back to this Sunday's full moon.
Under the old Almanac rule, this would technically be a blue moon. In the autumn season of 2010, there are four full moons:
23 September
22 October
21 November
21 December
"But wait," you might say. "21 December is the first day of Winter."
And you would be correct, but only if you live north of the equator in the Northern Hemisphere. South of the equator it's the first day of summer.
In 2010, the solstice comes at 6:38 p.m. EST.
But the moon turns full at 3:13 a.m. EST.
That's 15 hours and 25 minutes before the solstice occurs.
So the 21 December full moon occurs during the waning hours of fall and qualifies as the fourth full moon of the season.
This means that under the original Maine Almanac rule – the one promoted by Lafleur and later misinterpreted by Pruett – the third full moon of the 2010 fall season on 21 November would be a blue moon.
So what Blue Moon definition tickles your fancy? Is it the second full moon in a calendar month, or (as is the case on Sunday) the third full moon in a season with four?
Maybe it's both. The final decision is solely up to you.
Sunday's full moon will look no different than any other full moon. But the moon can change color in certain conditions.
After forest fires or volcanic eruptions, the moon can appear to take on a bluish or even lavender hue. Soot and ash particles, deposited high in the Earth's atmosphere, can sometimes make the moon appear bluish.
In the aftermath of the massive eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991, there were reports of blue moons (and even blue suns) worldwide.
We could even call the next full moon (on 21 December) a "red moon," but for a different reason: On that day there will be a total eclipse of the moon and, for a short while, the moon will actually glow with a ruddy reddish hue.
At any rate, enjoy the moon.
With love & moonlight,
Rob
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Growing Pains
We have decided to tear up our front yard and enlarge the pond which lies in front of us.
This has been a plan of mine for a couple of years now, and I have decided to proceed with this project. Despite some serious financial concerns, I believe it will be an improvement to our lives, providing us with space for reflection and appreciation of nature.
Also, much to Frank's chagrin, I can't sit still. I need change and growth.
The original pond suffered some difficulties and truly needed to adapt to its changing environment. So, we cut down a bunch of trees and tomorrow morning the big trucks arrive to make this little pond a different community.
This comes during some very frightening times. Finances are tight here at home, throughout the nation, and even more across the world.
We worry about our own future and we are torn apart when we look at the situation here in the U.S. as well as globally.
The greater picture is truly heartbreaking.
Where is Mother Theresa now that we need her most?
I imagine that she is asking a similar question;
"Where are you now that you need you most?"
Times are uncertain politically and there is even a presence of revolution, at whatever level, in our own nation.
It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when we are in the midst of difficult times.
This is partly because we believe that if God loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances.
However, we are children of God, our wise Mother, who knows what our souls need to thrive much more so than we do.
That is how God created Moms, in their beautiful and nurturing ways, and certainly in God's own image, so God is our Mother just as much, if not differently more, than our Father.
God is each of these, but God is also our Teacher.
Teachers are also gifts from God, as they are recreated in God's image as mentors. care-givers, and tender leaders.
Within the Holy Trinity exists another; Mother, Father, Teacher.
I'm willing to bet that many of of have witnessed that with one or more parents, or others in our lives.
I know that I have witnessed that with my mom, my partner, my family, and my friends.
However, just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she or he wants, we also do benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn.
If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved, even when times are difficult and trying, it helps us to bear the difficult times with grace.
This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and many of us may feel less alone knowing that we are not being singled out, but rather that we are victims of our own times.
There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and therefore the growing pains.
It helps when we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult times will inevitably give way to something new and different.
When we feel overwhelmed, we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass.
Now, this writing will fall well into the category of "Wandering Thoughts" or perhaps "Ramblings Thoughts" (which was the first title I intended for this blog back in the day)
Anyway ... "This too shall pass".
The Celebration of Sukkot has just passed, and so I celebrate my good fortune daily, yet I worry about my own future and that of my household.
However, I seek the wisdom of Scripture and of own own human history.
One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot, which gives you six months to find it.”
“If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?”
“It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.”
Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.
Spring passed and then Summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring.
On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet.
“Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah.
He watched the old man take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it.
When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.
That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity.
“Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after?”
All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.
To everyone’s surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, “Here it is, your majesty!”
As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face.
The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band:
Gam zeh ya'avor ...
This too shall pass.
At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he too would be nothing but dust.
Those who have wealth shall one day lose it all.
Those who have nothing, shall one day gain it all.
Equality in the unconditional love of God.
As for these things on earth?
These things shall pass, with the exceptiom of the Unconditional love of God.
That does not pass.
Our good times are fleeting, and our bad times will soon matter no more.
God's unconditional love is eternal.
If we truly feel that nothing is going right for us, it’s never a bad idea to examine our lives and see if there are some changes we can make to alleviate some of the difficulty, or to accept our realities and give thanks to God that we are able to do so.
It is when we gently and compassionately explore the areas which give us the most trouble that we may see the things we hold onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at ourselves or reality.
As we take responsibility for the things we can change, we can more easily surrender to the things we can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another.
This too shall pass.
Now, once we realize that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small.
Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, where sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I talk about a change for at least two years before taking those steps toward change.
Thus my new pond.
I prefer to move slowly and take time to appreciate change as much as I do what was.
I took time time afternoon to walk the pond with a glass of wine and give thanks fot its being, before anticipating the morning when the big trucks come in.
When we see that we might need to contemplate the choice to start over again, to change, to grow; we can decide to take it slowly, think things through, plan intelligently, budget, monitor, and move forward; sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction.
It is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it does not actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped or could afford.
This is similar to the way I planned my pond to have a stream passing the Wine Patio. However, after two years, I understood that the pump from the crawlspace would only flood the stream and return the water to the crawlspace, whereby deteriorating the foundation to our home.
Do you see now?
By embarking on our paths slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow.
We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not.
Taking small. baby steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.
Okay, life does not always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us, but by choosing one thing to work on at a time, and focusing our attention on something manageable, eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit.
Forcing change, without serious thoughtful prayer, meditation, or consideration, is in essence, a sign that we do not trust in God's wisdom.
Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, right for our earthly domain, and right for the future of this existence, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe of God's Will.
Wow, that was quite a bit.
With prayer for balance and much love & light,
Rob
This has been a plan of mine for a couple of years now, and I have decided to proceed with this project. Despite some serious financial concerns, I believe it will be an improvement to our lives, providing us with space for reflection and appreciation of nature.
Also, much to Frank's chagrin, I can't sit still. I need change and growth.
The original pond suffered some difficulties and truly needed to adapt to its changing environment. So, we cut down a bunch of trees and tomorrow morning the big trucks arrive to make this little pond a different community.
This comes during some very frightening times. Finances are tight here at home, throughout the nation, and even more across the world.
We worry about our own future and we are torn apart when we look at the situation here in the U.S. as well as globally.
The greater picture is truly heartbreaking.
Where is Mother Theresa now that we need her most?
I imagine that she is asking a similar question;
"Where are you now that you need you most?"
Times are uncertain politically and there is even a presence of revolution, at whatever level, in our own nation.
It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when we are in the midst of difficult times.
This is partly because we believe that if God loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances.
However, we are children of God, our wise Mother, who knows what our souls need to thrive much more so than we do.
That is how God created Moms, in their beautiful and nurturing ways, and certainly in God's own image, so God is our Mother just as much, if not differently more, than our Father.
God is each of these, but God is also our Teacher.
Teachers are also gifts from God, as they are recreated in God's image as mentors. care-givers, and tender leaders.
Within the Holy Trinity exists another; Mother, Father, Teacher.
I'm willing to bet that many of of have witnessed that with one or more parents, or others in our lives.
I know that I have witnessed that with my mom, my partner, my family, and my friends.
However, just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she or he wants, we also do benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn.
If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved, even when times are difficult and trying, it helps us to bear the difficult times with grace.
This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and many of us may feel less alone knowing that we are not being singled out, but rather that we are victims of our own times.
There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and therefore the growing pains.
It helps when we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult times will inevitably give way to something new and different.
When we feel overwhelmed, we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass.
Now, this writing will fall well into the category of "Wandering Thoughts" or perhaps "Ramblings Thoughts" (which was the first title I intended for this blog back in the day)
Anyway ... "This too shall pass".
The Celebration of Sukkot has just passed, and so I celebrate my good fortune daily, yet I worry about my own future and that of my household.
However, I seek the wisdom of Scripture and of own own human history.
One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot, which gives you six months to find it.”
“If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?”
“It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.”
Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.
Spring passed and then Summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring.
On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet.
“Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah.
He watched the old man take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it.
When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.
That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity.
“Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after?”
All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.
To everyone’s surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, “Here it is, your majesty!”
As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face.
The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band:
Gam zeh ya'avor ...
This too shall pass.
At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he too would be nothing but dust.
Those who have wealth shall one day lose it all.
Those who have nothing, shall one day gain it all.
Equality in the unconditional love of God.
As for these things on earth?
These things shall pass, with the exceptiom of the Unconditional love of God.
That does not pass.
Our good times are fleeting, and our bad times will soon matter no more.
God's unconditional love is eternal.
If we truly feel that nothing is going right for us, it’s never a bad idea to examine our lives and see if there are some changes we can make to alleviate some of the difficulty, or to accept our realities and give thanks to God that we are able to do so.
It is when we gently and compassionately explore the areas which give us the most trouble that we may see the things we hold onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at ourselves or reality.
As we take responsibility for the things we can change, we can more easily surrender to the things we can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another.
This too shall pass.
Now, once we realize that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small.
Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, where sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I talk about a change for at least two years before taking those steps toward change.
Thus my new pond.
I prefer to move slowly and take time to appreciate change as much as I do what was.
I took time time afternoon to walk the pond with a glass of wine and give thanks fot its being, before anticipating the morning when the big trucks come in.
When we see that we might need to contemplate the choice to start over again, to change, to grow; we can decide to take it slowly, think things through, plan intelligently, budget, monitor, and move forward; sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction.
It is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it does not actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped or could afford.
This is similar to the way I planned my pond to have a stream passing the Wine Patio. However, after two years, I understood that the pump from the crawlspace would only flood the stream and return the water to the crawlspace, whereby deteriorating the foundation to our home.
Do you see now?
By embarking on our paths slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow.
We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not.
Taking small. baby steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.
Okay, life does not always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us, but by choosing one thing to work on at a time, and focusing our attention on something manageable, eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit.
Forcing change, without serious thoughtful prayer, meditation, or consideration, is in essence, a sign that we do not trust in God's wisdom.
Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, right for our earthly domain, and right for the future of this existence, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe of God's Will.
Wow, that was quite a bit.
With prayer for balance and much love & light,
Rob
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)