Solar Wind

Parables

2010-03-09T09:10:00Z

Parables are tales meant to teach a lesson or to hide a truth in words that will not be understood by the uninitiated. The Bible is full of parables. Jesus spoke in parable frequently. Many other spiritual writings from other religions are full of parables also. Joseph Campbell tried to teach us that there were important truths and lessons hid in the common myths found all over the world. But parables are not just in written stories. They happen live, around us, all the time. The way a tree grows can be full of symbolic meaning. The song of a bird or the path of it's flight. Just because something is real, doesn't mean it can't have a symbolic meaning also. And, of course, there are the symbols and parables that come to us in dreams. So it is helpful for our spiritual growth to learn to understand the symbols of parables.

Spiritual Symbols: Ship

2010-03-08T09:07:00Z

  Since I will be on one this week, I thought I would cover the symbology of ships and boats. In ancient civilizations, the sun and moon was often depicted as being carried across the seas by a ship. The earth itself is sometimes a ship floating on the primordial waters. A ship can symbolize a savior or protector. Ships often represent passing from the physical to the spiritual or from earth to heaven. A ship can represent the Great Mother or the female aspect of God. The ancient Egyptians, and others, believed that the soul or spirit was carried on a ship or boat to the afterlife. The ancient Greeks often put a gold coin in the mouth of a dead person to pay for his passage on the ferry down the river Styx to the underworld.
    The Bronze Age paintings in Scandinavia often depict ships and the significance is debated by scholars. Some say it simple depicted the everyday life of people who traveled largely by sea yet, the fact that some of the drawings depict the use of boats and ship in funerals and other religious ceremonies indicates a symbolic meaning.
    To see yourself on a ship in a dream generally means that you are exploring areas of your mental or spiritual being. But, if you see yourself on an abandoned or ruined ship, it indicates that you need to let go of something from the past that is holding you back.

Random Thoughts 3-7-2010

2010-03-07T11:50:00Z

The Animal Rescue Site provides food for shelter animals. Manufacturers donate most of the food and the amount is based on the number of visitors to the site. So follow this link to help provide food for homeless pets.
You can also make a donation or buy items on the site to help even more.

I am on vacation this week. As usual, I've set up some articles to automatically post while I'm away but I may not respond to comments for several days. I will try to get on line and possibly send a few comments from on board the ship.

A record year for snow in many areas, and now earthquakes. Are there still some doubts that these are the end times?

"It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there will be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from you action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result." ~Gandhi

Scripture: The Amritabindu Upanishad 19

2010-03-07T09:42:00Z

The milk of cows of any hue is white.
The sages say that wisdom is the milk
and the sacred scriptures are the cows.

Spiritual truths are the same for all of us. It doesn't matter whether you find those truths in the Bible, the Koran, the Upanishads, or other sacred books. If you truly understand what the great prophets are trying to say, you will realize that they are all saying the same thing. Unfortunately, over time, this tends to get distorted and altered by their followers and by translators who understand language but don't understand spirituality.

Divine Knowledge and Book Learning

2010-03-06T09:33:00Z

Divine knowledge, gnosis, is not the same as mental knowledge gained from books or studies in the material world. It's actually a bit odd that so many ministers today use the title "Dr." as if having an advance degree from an accredited university makes them advanced spiritual teachers. Not only is gnosis different from intellectual knowledge, but the brain isn't even capable of understanding it except in a very superficial way. Only the soul can understand gnosis which is why awakening the soul is so important. Of course, there is nothing wrong with getting a college degree, but it doesn't make you a spiritual teacher. At best, it might make you a religious historian, but that is something very different.

To Get Closer to God, Get Closer to Nature

2010-03-05T09:38:00Z

    Whether you refer to nature as "Mother Nature", "Gaia", or just nature, it should be obvious to all, or at least those who's egos are smaller than Donald Trumps, that nature is a greater force/being than we are, at least individually. As such, it should be easy to understand that nature is closer to God than we are. So it logically follows that getting close to nature helps us get closer to God.
    A few days ago, while I was driving to work in the early morning, I heard an ad for the National Guard on the radio where they bragged that the National Guard helped us fight the "war against nature" as well as the wars against the enemies of the United States of America (those may not be the exact words of the ad, but it is pretty close). I was shocked and saddened to hear this ad. First off, I didn't know we had officially declared war on nature even though we act as if we are at war with her and, second, I didn't realize it was something a government agency felt they should brag about! Apparently, blizzards, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes still haven't taught some people that in a war against nature WE WILL LOOSE. Besides, Gaia big brother is the sun spirit and you really don't want to get him angry.
    Native Americans, and the aborigines of Australia understand the importance of being close to nature. In our increasingly urban world, we all need to take a clue from them and learn to appreciate nature and get close to her also. It will help us in our physical lives for sure, and can also help us improve our spiritual lives.

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair.
~ Kahlil Gibran

Healing Herbs: Artichoke

2010-03-04T09:13:00Z

We are familiar with artichoke as a vegetable, but it is becoming popular as a healing plant also (although it's the leaves that are usually used for health purposes). The ancient Egyptians and romans used it as an aid to digestion. In parts of Europe, the leaves of the artichoke plant were used to aid the kidneys and as a diuretic and to stimulate bile flow from the liver and gall bladder. In the early twentieth century, French scientists studied artichoke and verified it's effectiveness for these traditional uses. It is also used to treat jaundice, hepatitis and arteriosclerosis. In the mid twentieth century, Italian scientists found that artichoke contains cynarin. From the 1950s through the 1980s, synthetic cynarin was used to treat liver and gall bladder problems and to reduce cholesterol. Later, it was replaced with new drugs, but people interested in natural health are using artichoke again, usually as artichoke extract capsules, to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Physical Labor can be Spiritual

2010-03-03T09:44:00Z

    Physical labor can be spiritual in two ways: by aiding spiritual growth and by helping return the world to spiritual harmony. Fist, let me say that by "physical labor" I don't just mean physically demanding labor. Any physical work is what I mean. Whether it's building an office building or planting a flower garden. It can even be work that is mostly mental like designing the building or drawing a landscaping plan.
    If you are designing a building, designing it and building it according to the laws of divine proportion, divine harmony, and divine geometry make that work spiritual as well as material. Frank Lloyd Wright understood that as did the builders of the great European cathedrals. In many ancient societies, priests or shaman were always consulted on the construction of new buildings.
    In art, the great masters like DaVinci and Michelangelo understood and used divine proportion and divine harmony in their works. When I say the many statues and paintings in Greece on my trip last year, it was obvious that those ancient artists understood divine harmony as well. Not there is anything wrong with modern art that is mostly social commentary, but it isn't spiritual.
    So study divine harmony and divine proportion and let it help you create great work in whatever you do professionally, or as a hobby, and let it also help you and others grow spiritually.

Spiritual Symbols: Chimney

2010-03-02T09:22:00Z

A chimney, especially on the roof of a church or temple, represents the passage of the soul to the heavens. It can also represent the spiritual sun as a gateway between heaven and earth. In the reverse direction, in can represent gifts flowing from heaven down to earth and is the origin of the story of Santa Clause coming down the chimney with gifts. This may explain the Melville's cryptic work, "I and My Chimney" (I haven't read it myself, but I've read reviews of it). A chimney sweep is often a symbol of poverty or hard times as in Blake's, "The Chimney Sweeper" although they are often associated with good luck, especially in England, and brides often have a chimney sweep give them a kiss for good luck.

Accepting Our Mortality

2010-03-01T09:22:00Z

We are all mortal, at least physically. No matter what vitamins we take, how often we work out, or what foods we eat or don't eat, our physical body will die. We all know that, yet most of us ack as if we don't. As adults, we joke about teenagers who behave as if they are immortal, yet we adults often do the same in a different way. We put things off thinking: "I will quit smoking next year", "I will go on a diet next month", "I will do something about my drinking problem after the holidays", and so on. And the same is true or our spiritual growth. Many think they have a long time to live so they don't need to be concerned about their spirit and soul just yet: " I can start on that next year", I can worry about that after I turn 50", etc. Unfortunately, with very rare exceptions, none of us know when our physical body will die, so we should approach each day with the idea that it may be our last day on earth.

Random Thoughts 2-28-2010

2010-02-28T11:32:00Z

I have been watching the Olympic Curling on TV a lot this past week. I'm not sure why everyone is so fascinated with this sport. Perhaps it's because it looks like something we could all do with some practice, though not on the same level.

I'm going on vacation in a week, so I've been busy getting last minute things done. It's strange how you can plan a vacation months in advance, and you still have things to get done a few days before it begins.

The last batch of storms that hit the northeast just missed us here in Northern Virginia. My theory is it's because I got a snow blower. Now that I have it, I won't need it. That's fine with me. If it wards off blizzards, it was worth the expense.

I like the 2010 Olympic medal designs. Each medal is unique because the design is a small part of one large artwork. I couldn't find a photo of the artwork, but here is a link to the video on youtube.

"The mistake people make is to wait for something to happen to them before they begin searching. They want the voice of God, or something, to tell them to get started. Or maybe they know they should be doing something but they procrastinate, hoping that tomorrow they'll have more conviction and be more determined. What they forget is there may be no tomorrow for them. " ~Richard Rose

British Columbia passed a law last year making it illegal for licensed dogs to chase squirrels, sea gulls, or other wild animals, but allowed for a defense of "provocation". So how do you question a dog to find out if a squirrel provoked him?

Two Florida teenagers were stealing items from a car they had broke into and one of them accidentally called 911. The 911 operator listened to them discussing what they should take and what should be left behind. When police arrived, they were still holding the stolen items.

A twenty-year-old guy in Connecticut went on a one day crime spree. He stole a pick-up truck, got it stuck in mud and abandoned it, stole a laptop case from a nearby car, then started stealing from mail boxes. The police caught him with his hand in a mailbox. So why steal a laptop case without a laptop? He thought he could carry beer in it.

Scripture: John 10:1-3

2010-02-28T09:26:00Z

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

You can't sneak into heaven through a back door. You can't get there by taking shortcuts. You can't win a spot in heaven in a lottery. You have to work at developing you spiritual side.

Matter and Light

2010-02-27T09:38:00Z

    We have a lot of expressions that attest to the solidity of matter: "Hard as a rock", "solid matter", "rock solid", and others. But how solid is it? Scientists used to say that space was mostly empty, but they have found there are some things in all that supposedly empty space. On the other hand, quantum physicists are telling us that matter isn't nearly as solid as most believe it is. For starters, atoms are not little balls of solid particles, but are bits of energy spinning around other bits of energy. The sub-atomic particles are not really particles, just bits of vibrating energy or light. In short, they are saying that the material universe that appears to be so solid is just a hologram, a very complex matrix of light. Some people, including some scientists, find that hard to believe, but the evidence to back up those theories is growing.
    It's hard to believe when you are watching olympic curling on TV, for example, that those rocks smashing into each other are just big balls of light, but that is what quantum mechanics theorizes. Further, they say that, to a large extent we as a whole have a considerable amount of control on how that light matrix appears and how it behaves. So if we collectively believed that when one of those rocks hits another one, it would just pass harmlessly through it because they are both just balls of light, that is what would happen. It may sound impossible, but when you really look at it on a sub-atomic level, that rock is barely any more solid than air, yet it passes right through the air, so ,is that because the air is really different, or because we believe that it is? Something to think about.

Non-Violent is not Passive

2010-02-26T09:28:00Z

Many thing that Jesus was a very passive person because he told the apostles to put away their swords and not try to protect him. But a passive person is one who takes no action at all, like the folks who pull out their cell phone and photograph someone being raped or beaten, but do nothing to help. That is not the way Jesus behaved. Jesus was non-violent, but not passive. He would take action of a non-violent type when he saw wrongs that needed to be corrected. He came to the aid of Mary Magdalene when she was about to be stoned. He let his objections about the Pharisees and Sadducees be known without being violent. And when the priests at the temple announced the installation of a new idol to be worshiped that was in the form of a donkey, Jesus poked fun at the idea by riding one through town on what is now known as Ash Wednesday. So don't think that you have to be passive and ignore the wrongs of the world to be a good Christian, just keep your objection non-violent.

Don't get Disappointed

2010-02-25T09:09:00Z

Many of us ~~tent~~ tend to get disappointed when things don't work quite as we want them too. We start a diet and quit a few weeks later because we think we are not loosing weight fast enough. Or we loose weight one week and don't loose any the next, so we quit trying (I've been guilty of that one). We join a health club, then give up a month or two later because we haven't gained enough muscle. We try to learn another language, but quit because we are finding it harder than we expected. These are all understandable, but we need to learn that the people who succeed in life are those who don't become disappointed and give up very easily.
The same is true for those trying to develop their spiritual side. Often we think we haven't accomplished anything and give up trying. We shouldn't. For one thing, we may have actually accomplished a lot more than we think we have, we are just not aware of it. We may think nothing has changed, but a person who has the ability to see our energy centers or our aura may see that our chakras are stronger and our aura is more vibrant and balanced. We may be able to solve problems a little better than we used to, but we don't realize it. We may be better able to control our temper. In short, the changes we see externally are very subtle and likely to not be noticed so don't quit your spiritual studies because you think they have had no effect. They always have an effect but it may take a while for the effect to be enough for you to notice.

Real Sin

2010-02-24T09:16:00Z

Most religions have some concept of sin and various acts and thoughts that are considered sin. Some of them, such as murder, are common to almost all religions, while others are limited to only to one faith. So what is sin really?
Sin is not violating human laws, but violation the laws of God or offending God. To the enlightened, their is really only one sin and that is ignorance of God and God's Plan. The reason for saying that is because if you really know God, have actually experienced oneness with God, even very briefly, you will understand what you should do and how to follow God's will to complete God's plan. If you are ignorant of God, you can't understand His plan and therefore can't dedicate yourself to accomplishing it. You can, of course, make a promise that you will do your best to learn of God (through enlightenment, not being told what God is and what God wants by priests and minsters) and to follow God's plan. Until you do become enlightened, you can help to the best of your ability by working with someone who is enlightened.

Spiritual Symbols: Light

2010-02-23T09:27:00Z

Light has been a symbol of God for thousands of years and in many different faiths. You can find quotes about God's Light or Spiritual Light in the Bible, the Vedas, the Quran and other religious and spiritual writings. Light is used to depict a manifestation of Divinity. Light can symbolize the Logos or Christ as well as God. It also represents wisdom, life, truth and gnosis. Light is the first creation.
In Buddhism, light symbolizes truth, transcendence and liberation.
In Jewish Kabbalism, Ain Soph is the "Limitless Light" (among other titles).
In Hinduism, Light represents spirituality, wisdom and creation. Also, a manifestation of Krishna, Lord of Light.
In the Chinese Manichean religion, Vahman is the "Light of Wisdom".
In Zoroastrianism, the "Lord of Light" is called Ahura Mazda.
In Taoism, Tao is the "Light of Heaven" and the manifestation of non-being and unity.
People who have had a near death experience, often mention seeing bright light.
A popular theory in modern Quantum Physics is that the universe is nothing more than light. Just a very complex hologram.

St. Francis basking in God's Light by Bellini

Revealing Writing

2010-02-22T09:44:00Z

In order to progress, spiritually or otherwise, you need to know where you are know. That is not always an easy thing for us. It requires some honest self evaluation. One thing that can help is writing.
Popular writing teachers tell their students to do a practice writing session daily to help them with ideas and with their skills but even those who have no plans to be writers can benefit from these exercises. You don't have to do it daily if you don't want to, but you should try to do it at least a few times a week. Just sit in a quiet place with paper and a pen or pencil, and spend fifteen to thirty minutes just writing whatever pops into your head. It doesn't have to tell a story, be logical, or even coherent. Whatever pops into your head. Later, usually days later, read what you wrote. It will often reveal things about you that you were not aware of. It may reveal that you are angry about something or someone and you were not consciously aware of it. It may reveal that you have desires and ideas of things you would like to do that you were not aware of. By becoming aware of where you are now, mentally and spiritually, you can better plan where to go next.

Random Thoughts 2-21-2010

2010-02-21T11:10:00Z

Will somebody please explain to owners of gray, white, black and dark blue cars that they are practically invisible when they drive with their lights off while it's snowing!

I heard about a new charity organization this week called "Pets for Vets". This group helps both veterans and shelter pets by providing training for the pets then matching them with veterans that want a companion animal. The pets can help vets suffering from depression or other emotional and physical problems. It sounds like a great idea to me.

In January, an armed crook went into a boutique in Texas to rob the place. The owner pointed her finger at him and said: "In the name of Jesus, you get out of my store. I bind you by the power of the Holy Spirit." The guy looked at her stunned, then turned and walked out mumbling curses to himself.

A Houston, Texas police officer doesn't object to having badge number 666. Once, when trying to capture a dangerous and defiant criminal, the guy suddenly noticed the badge number and dropped to his knees and surrendered stating: "I ain't fighting the devil".

A recent study found that young adults of today are just as spiritual, if not more so, then their parents, but less likely to support, or be members of, a formal church.

Some prominent Anglican Bishops in the UK are asking people to give up something different for lent this year. Instead of giving up a favorite food like pizza or chocolate, they are asking people to reduce their carbon footprint by giving up the iPod, cell phone, or ever TV for lent.

Scripture: The Bhagavad Gita 4:7-8

2010-02-21T09:28:00Z

Whenever dharma declines and the purpose of life is forgotten, I manifest myself on Earth.
I am born in every age to protect the good, to destroy evil, and to reestablish dharma.

In this quote from the Bhagavad Gita, it is Krisna who is speaking. Krishna is another name for Christ and, as this short statement says, there have been many Christs who have come at different times and to different people when needed. Jesus was Christ, to be sure, but that doesn't mean, as most Christians believe, that he was the only Christ. Buddha, Joroaster and some other great prophets were also incarnations of the Christ Spirit. An interesting note: according to my readings, Krishna is considered an incarnation of Vishnu and Vishnu is also known as the Divine Sun.