A new energy is in the air It is the energy of magic and of hope, of new possibilities and new learnings that come in ways unforeseen

There is a great need for spiritual anchoring in times of turbulence and change Anchoring in a deeper truth helps us to weather the currents of emotion that pass through us due either to external events that we experience directly, or to taking in the reactions of others to these events

Many people today who have some knowledge concerning the identity of the soul and the passage of human beings through multiple lifetimes of experience, also have an understanding that ‘karma’ is what we carry from one lifetime to another as unhealed portions of ourselves Sometimes these unhealed portions show up in emotional difficulties or mental preoccupations

Our most intimate experience of self is often that of what we need, wish for, or want, and so it is natural for us to imagine and hope for what we desire in another Sometimes this wishing comes from our better self - the part that knows what we truly need and has higher aspirations for ourselves and others

All parents and educators know how open children can be to new learning and how receptive when interested We also know how responsible we must be with respect to what we teach our children and allow them to absorb

To truly be present, we need to be available to the moment with our whole self This requires not only an act of attention but also an act of integration so that we are drawing upon all parts of ourselves to 'be with' another

It may be difficult for us to imagine how the earth which appears to us to be a solid mass of complexly interrelated parts, can have an intentionality to purify and can be undergoing a process we normally associate with human beings on a spiritual path And even if it is true of the planetary body, we may well wonder how this happens and how it can affect weather patterns

We have tended to think of matter as solid and of thoughts and feelings as invisible and insubstantial More like air than like anything physical

There is an awakeness that comes from a clear mind, unobscured by wandering thoughts and preoccupations, and there is an awakeness that comes from a clear heart, willing to engage with life as gift and as an ever-unfolding revelation of the purpose of Creation Such an awakened heart cannot respond indifferently to life because it sees the outstretched hand of the Creator at every turn and in every particle of experience

The oneness that is shared by all of life can be perceived on many levels – in the whisper of a beloved, in the smile of a child, in the fragrance of a flower, in the graceful dance of a leaf as it falls from a tree – all of these gestures of life can touch the heart and cause it to embrace life in its fullness, to experience something of the mystery of connection that resides within all living things

Spiritual purification is not an intellectual process, but one that is initiated by the creative power of light - the very force of Creation that was manifested at the beginning of time and that furthers Divine intention throughout time Spiritual light travels across all dimensions of reality, both physical and non-physical, affecting one's body as well as one's consciousness

There are certain times in life when one wishes that the limitations of self could be other than they are, and that the personal characteristics and attitudes that have been troublesome in the past could simply disappear Often, efforts of will to eradicate these undesirable emotional habits and tendencies are found to be unsuccessful, and after a short time of seemingly positive improvement, one reverts to the old patterns and ways of being

All relationships need love in order to flourish Whether it be within a marriage, a family, a community, a government, or a corporate Board room, without the bond of love being present, individuals cannot feel their oneness with others and cannot sufficiently empathize with the needs or perspectives of others in order to find harmonious solutions to problems that inevitably develop

'Alpha' and 'Omega' – Christian symbols that carry with them essential features of the Christian mysteries, belong not only to the Book of Revelation and its prophesies concerning the Christ They also belong to the world at large and to its need to develop a picture of the goal and purpose of human experience

Springtime for the soul brings with it the beginning of new possibilities for awakening, and for realizing the greater expression of the deeper self on all levels of manifestation It uncovers dormant perceptions and allows them to flourish in the new warmth of the spiritual sun

Many people live within the boundaries of a small sphere of perception and interest Within this sphere, everything is very real, very meaningful and emotionally penetrating

There are pivotal ideas that have changed the destiny of mankind and shaped its future Many have remained unnoticed within the shadowy corners of history until a bright light has shown on them, illuminating them, and making them relevant to time, place, and circumstance

Today, there is much darkness that covers events and people on the world stage - in nations where violence is everywhere and no one is safe, in governments where deception is widespread and honesty barely visible, and among groups of people who are willing to hate and blame others who are different from themselves

Most people have hope within their hearts on the eve of a new year, and plans and dreams that they vow to bring into fulfillment With or without New Year's Resolutions, we are tuned to the future and to having the hope that the new year be even better than the last – that it fulfill whatever has lacked fulfillment for us, and that it extend whatever has been worthwhile and precious to us

Many know that the world is in need of great help at this time in order to change conditions that are harmful to body, mind, and spirit and to the Earth itself Among those who feel most deeply concerned, some become discouraged or despairing, some find a means of taking action within social or environmental movements, and some seek to address the layer of causality that exists beneath the outer difficulties and challenges