Top Ten Spiritual Growth Ideas for April 2021
-
Gandhi discovered that "satyagraha" (the truth force) is more powerful than the sword. The way of Christ; the way of the cross; the way of Easter teaches us the same thing.
-
The verb "to constellate" comes from the latin "con" (with) & "Stella" (star). It speaks to grouping meaningfully together like a pattern of stars.
-
The solitude of Christ reminds us that spiritual health can spring from sitting with feelings of loneliness and boredom, instead of constantly bombarding ourselves with noise, busyness and technology.
-
"Do not think highly of yourself because of what you know about any art or science, but rather respect the knowledge that has been entrusted to you." ~Thomas A Kempis
-
Mary Magdalene was so esteemed in the early church that she was given the title "the apostle of apostles."
-
In the Celtic imagination, being "away in the Hill" speaks to the faerie world; a metaphor for the imagination.
-
"The measure of love that you give yourself and others will be in how well you are able to let go of the wrongs of others against you, as well as the mistakes that you make." ~Kristine Carlson
-
Psalm 62:1 "For God alone my soul in silence waits" Silence is a delicate and precious plant that needs to be cared for and cultivated.
-
"Salat" is the second of the five pillars of Islam. It means prayer. Muslims pray 5 times a day. It underlines the human response and relationship between ourselves, God, and Creation.
-
"He has risen... he has risen indeed!" These words which Christians proclaim at Easter remind us that in the end, hatred, fear, selfishness and greed don't have the last say.
-These reflections are meant to stimulate healthy questioning and contemplation. They do not necessarily reflect my own beliefs.
- image of "salmonberries in bloom" from Seal Bay, Comox
Sources: Ann Graham Brock, Megan McKenna, Alastair McIntosh, John MacInnes, Oswald Chambers, catechisms, world religions, popular sayings etc, simplified, reworked, and paraphrased. Only word-for-word quotes will have the source