One thing I agree with whole-heartedly is the separation of church and state. One thing I disagree with whole-heartedly is separation of "church" and family. Before anyone gets up in arms and chastises me for alienating people who are not religious, who are Athiest or who have made the personal choice to not introduce their children to religion until they are older; I'm not against any of those things. They are all personal choices, and I respect them all, and frankly, they all can fit nicely into what I am about to say. In actuality, we have made the decision to expose our children to as many different religious paths as possible so they can learn to explore other cultures and choose the faith that best suits them, but now I'm getting away from my point.
Let me clarify my very brief statement above. When I say I disagree with separation of church and family, I mean that in my personal faith, not yours or anyone else's, my religion and my spirituality are a part of my everyday life, all day long, everyday. Through the day I make sure my actions match the spiritual teachings of my faith, and if it comes down to me "acting" or doing the opposite of my teachings, then I explore the reasons why I am not fully embracing the spiritual lesson. Because I practice my faith in everything I do, meaning it is a lifestyle, my family is involved, both directly and indirectly. As a stay at home mom, how can my faith and religion not touch my family, my children? They are with me almost 24/7, we plan to homeschool and keep me home with the kids as long as possible. If I were to separate these two portions of my life I would be neglecting one or the other. Both are important, and both can be lived together.
Being involved in my family is a strong value of mine. It is important for me to instill good morals and values in my children, and those morals and values include teaching them to question the norm, explore the world and often, as much as I hate to admit it, disagreeing with me and forming their own opinions and choices. If I am not practicing my faith daily, I am not fully experiencing my lifestyle choice. I don't know if all Pagans embrace this value, or even all people. I'm sure there are other critiques of this point of view, but it works for me. I look at the past, the cultures and our ancestors who lived before us and I can see how spirituality and myth was incorporated into so many details of the day. I am inspired by the past, and I find no reason to shield my children from anything spiritual. It will enhance their life by being aware of the many teachings of the world, and I only find good in that.
My family is important to me, my spirituality and religion are important to me. There is no reason why I need to separate them, and I full embrace taking these two separate circles of my life and converging them into one. Sort of like a marriage of sorts.
Bright Blessings,
~Ava
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Healing With Prayer Shawls
Tonight I will be joining efforts with a friend of mine to create prayer shawls for a mutual friend of ours who has been diagnosed with cancer. We will be creating two beautiful shawls from the book The Prayer Shawl Ministry: Reaching Those in Need which tells the story of the Prayer Shawl Ministry from Grace Presbyterian Church in Arkansas.
There are a few things that I like to do when I create shawls and blankets for others.
1. I always say a prayer before I begin. This is sometimes done with a lit candle, sometimes it is not, depends on the situation, time, etc.
2. I cannot work on the shawl if I feel any negativity at all. While working on it is peaceful and puts me in a better mood, I do not want to risk putting any of that negativity into the work. Therefore, a positive demeanor is essential.
3. I like to meditate on the purpose of the shawl and who it is for, sometimes doing a chant quietly to myself while creating.
4. Colors are important in the creation process. I try to match a color that is right for the individual and the purpose.
Those are the main points I follow. It is important for me to focus on the person who will receive the shawl and put as many positive energies into the shawl as possible. I look forward to working on the shawls tonight. I am hopeful that we are able to create them quickly so they may be used as soon as possible.
Brightest Blessings!
~Ava
There are a few things that I like to do when I create shawls and blankets for others.
1. I always say a prayer before I begin. This is sometimes done with a lit candle, sometimes it is not, depends on the situation, time, etc.
2. I cannot work on the shawl if I feel any negativity at all. While working on it is peaceful and puts me in a better mood, I do not want to risk putting any of that negativity into the work. Therefore, a positive demeanor is essential.
3. I like to meditate on the purpose of the shawl and who it is for, sometimes doing a chant quietly to myself while creating.
4. Colors are important in the creation process. I try to match a color that is right for the individual and the purpose.
Those are the main points I follow. It is important for me to focus on the person who will receive the shawl and put as many positive energies into the shawl as possible. I look forward to working on the shawls tonight. I am hopeful that we are able to create them quickly so they may be used as soon as possible.
Brightest Blessings!
~Ava
The True Strength of a Circle
These days I really find great symbolism in shapes. While a circle may not be the most architecturally strong (it comes close, but the triangle is the strongest), in the spiritual world it holds to be the strongest for me. I could write about the symbol of my wedding band, the circle of life, the wheel of the year; while these are extremely important symbols in my life, it is the image of a circle of people that has inspired me to write on this topic. Two very meaningful situations has come up in the past week for me, and those are the stories I would like to tell you about today.
When I place these situations in a visual form, I see two concentric circles. Depending on the emotions involved, the circles may be spinning clockwise, counterclockwise or one of each. The inner circle is the one that is closest to me in proximity of these two stories, and that is my spiritual circle. Not too long ago, depression took over my life. So many things going wrong (from my depressed perspective), post-partum depression, and it all was getting worse and worse over the past 3 years. Finally I couldn't take the stress of the emotions any more and I had to remove myself from positions of leadership, this included my leadership role of my healing circle. It was not fair to me to allow the stress of leading and organizing bring me down any further, and it was not fair to the members to have me leading in a very poor state of mind. It was best for us all for me to step back until I was in a better place. This, of course, did not mean I was stepping away for good, nor that I was rejecting any friendships I had made. I was not, and thankfully my close friends stayed close. Fast forward six months and I am doing much, much better, and this couldn't have come soon enough. A close friend whom I distanced myself from due to not being able to handle the conflict we found ourselves in has been diagnosed with cancer. This friend is also the the full owner of that healing circle I once co-owned with her. The circle has been quiet, with friends keeping up with each other but no activity. This ended as soon as news reached me that she was in need of prayer, support and energy. I sent out a message to all of the members who were active at the time I stepped down from the group to let them know I would be hosting a healing circle. I was sure I would get response of prayers, but the response I received from people saying they would attend and help organize some healing projects was tremendous. This is a true spiritual circle. It may become dormant, but no matter the conflict or friendship status, surrounding a friend in need with full force, no matter what, that is the definition of a healing circle.
I described the concentric circles before. That was the circle that was closest to the center, and a few weeks ago I would have told you it was moving counterclockwise. That motion came to a screeching halt and is now full force clockwise being as productive as ever. Our first meeting for shared energies (in the same room) will be scheduled for next Saturday night at 8:30p CST for anyone who wants to join. If you are interested in joining in on distance shared energies, another member quickly scheduled a 9pm CST daily prayer timeframe for her. Please join us in lighting a candle, meditating or praying for our dear friend, that the cancer is healed and her spirit stays high during this difficult time.
Now for that outer circle, the group of people who aren't quite so close to me in proximity, many whom I've never met, but they are touching my life just the same. This circle, from my perspective, moves between counterclockwise and clockwise a bit more sporadically. It is mainly determined by the media articles and Facebook threads I read. This is the circle of support from other Pagans when religious tolerance toward Paganism is not being practiced. The story starts on Facebook with my curiosity getting the best of me. A suggest page came up to me, and I clicked on it. From that day on my life has been touched. I want to send a thank you to Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom. Mr's B, it was your Facebook page that inspired this portion of my post here. Mr's B, has great information on her blog, and I was really getting inspired to explore more into nature and my own personal beliefs. One day recently she announced that her blog was selected for the Top 25 Faith blogs on Circle of Mom's, and here is where the magic really starts. In this contest different blogs from any faith are nominated as one of the top 25 faith blogs by moms. Anyone can go in and vote for the blog, or blogs, they find to be the most deserving of this online status. Mrs. B was nominated as well as several blogs by people of many faiths. I didn't go on to vote until I read that there were many people from other faiths being negative about the presence of Pagan blogs in the contest, stating they did not feel they were following a legitimate faith and did not want to be rated side by side. This really started when Mrs B's blog was gaining ground in the contest. The reason I started voting wasn't as a camaraderie of support for the Pagan blogs, however many in the Pagan community did go show their support this way. I started voting after I read a snark comment by one of the other faith blogs, which soon after was met with a flood of comments by both Pagan and other faiths. At this time the blog author posted an apology acknowledging the true meaning of their faith and wished Mrs B luck. At the point where I seen that change in demeanor, that is where I knew this contest was making a difference. This is the point where I found the counterclockwise circle changing directions and even my disappointment was met with hope. I started voting, not just for Pagan blogs, but for blogs of any faith that holds a strong message of faith, true faith and love. Soon after, Mr's B posted another link to a wonderful blog post by Julie, addressing her change of heart for Paganism. While she admits she does not have to agree with Paganism, her faith tells her to love thy neighbor, no matter what, and this is what she has done. Her blog post was flooded with loving comments from people of different faiths, but specifically many Pagans. I took the time to send a personal email thanking her for wonderful words, and received an even greater message back. From here I believe I have made a new friend. Because of her words I hope that she is touching the hearts and minds of many who are uneducated about the true meaning of Paganism. This is an amazing circle, growing everyday, hopefully to include peace and everyone in the world. Thanks to Mr's B, Circle of Moms and Julie, I feel my outer circle is spinning just as fast and smooth as my inner circle.
I am feeling pretty good right now. I still have fears and worry in my mind, but I have love, support and strength in my heart. Thanks to my friends, family and strangers (who won't be strangers for long) who touch my life.
Brightest Blessings,
Ava
When I place these situations in a visual form, I see two concentric circles. Depending on the emotions involved, the circles may be spinning clockwise, counterclockwise or one of each. The inner circle is the one that is closest to me in proximity of these two stories, and that is my spiritual circle. Not too long ago, depression took over my life. So many things going wrong (from my depressed perspective), post-partum depression, and it all was getting worse and worse over the past 3 years. Finally I couldn't take the stress of the emotions any more and I had to remove myself from positions of leadership, this included my leadership role of my healing circle. It was not fair to me to allow the stress of leading and organizing bring me down any further, and it was not fair to the members to have me leading in a very poor state of mind. It was best for us all for me to step back until I was in a better place. This, of course, did not mean I was stepping away for good, nor that I was rejecting any friendships I had made. I was not, and thankfully my close friends stayed close. Fast forward six months and I am doing much, much better, and this couldn't have come soon enough. A close friend whom I distanced myself from due to not being able to handle the conflict we found ourselves in has been diagnosed with cancer. This friend is also the the full owner of that healing circle I once co-owned with her. The circle has been quiet, with friends keeping up with each other but no activity. This ended as soon as news reached me that she was in need of prayer, support and energy. I sent out a message to all of the members who were active at the time I stepped down from the group to let them know I would be hosting a healing circle. I was sure I would get response of prayers, but the response I received from people saying they would attend and help organize some healing projects was tremendous. This is a true spiritual circle. It may become dormant, but no matter the conflict or friendship status, surrounding a friend in need with full force, no matter what, that is the definition of a healing circle.
I described the concentric circles before. That was the circle that was closest to the center, and a few weeks ago I would have told you it was moving counterclockwise. That motion came to a screeching halt and is now full force clockwise being as productive as ever. Our first meeting for shared energies (in the same room) will be scheduled for next Saturday night at 8:30p CST for anyone who wants to join. If you are interested in joining in on distance shared energies, another member quickly scheduled a 9pm CST daily prayer timeframe for her. Please join us in lighting a candle, meditating or praying for our dear friend, that the cancer is healed and her spirit stays high during this difficult time.
Now for that outer circle, the group of people who aren't quite so close to me in proximity, many whom I've never met, but they are touching my life just the same. This circle, from my perspective, moves between counterclockwise and clockwise a bit more sporadically. It is mainly determined by the media articles and Facebook threads I read. This is the circle of support from other Pagans when religious tolerance toward Paganism is not being practiced. The story starts on Facebook with my curiosity getting the best of me. A suggest page came up to me, and I clicked on it. From that day on my life has been touched. I want to send a thank you to Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom. Mr's B, it was your Facebook page that inspired this portion of my post here. Mr's B, has great information on her blog, and I was really getting inspired to explore more into nature and my own personal beliefs. One day recently she announced that her blog was selected for the Top 25 Faith blogs on Circle of Mom's, and here is where the magic really starts. In this contest different blogs from any faith are nominated as one of the top 25 faith blogs by moms. Anyone can go in and vote for the blog, or blogs, they find to be the most deserving of this online status. Mrs. B was nominated as well as several blogs by people of many faiths. I didn't go on to vote until I read that there were many people from other faiths being negative about the presence of Pagan blogs in the contest, stating they did not feel they were following a legitimate faith and did not want to be rated side by side. This really started when Mrs B's blog was gaining ground in the contest. The reason I started voting wasn't as a camaraderie of support for the Pagan blogs, however many in the Pagan community did go show their support this way. I started voting after I read a snark comment by one of the other faith blogs, which soon after was met with a flood of comments by both Pagan and other faiths. At this time the blog author posted an apology acknowledging the true meaning of their faith and wished Mrs B luck. At the point where I seen that change in demeanor, that is where I knew this contest was making a difference. This is the point where I found the counterclockwise circle changing directions and even my disappointment was met with hope. I started voting, not just for Pagan blogs, but for blogs of any faith that holds a strong message of faith, true faith and love. Soon after, Mr's B posted another link to a wonderful blog post by Julie, addressing her change of heart for Paganism. While she admits she does not have to agree with Paganism, her faith tells her to love thy neighbor, no matter what, and this is what she has done. Her blog post was flooded with loving comments from people of different faiths, but specifically many Pagans. I took the time to send a personal email thanking her for wonderful words, and received an even greater message back. From here I believe I have made a new friend. Because of her words I hope that she is touching the hearts and minds of many who are uneducated about the true meaning of Paganism. This is an amazing circle, growing everyday, hopefully to include peace and everyone in the world. Thanks to Mr's B, Circle of Moms and Julie, I feel my outer circle is spinning just as fast and smooth as my inner circle.
I am feeling pretty good right now. I still have fears and worry in my mind, but I have love, support and strength in my heart. Thanks to my friends, family and strangers (who won't be strangers for long) who touch my life.
Brightest Blessings,
Ava
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