Speaking of Spirit

Throughout the past four years, I have become acutely aware of how simply being with others can bring comfort and peace. Sitting beside someone and holding their hand, working together on a project, snuggling grandchildren, and taking walks along the shore or around the neighborhood cost nothing but time.  In today's world, we get so wrapped up in the need to buy gifts, that we forget that the best gift we can give anyone is ourselves. The tiny moments of "you and me" time are priceless, no matter what you are doing together. Be available for others in your life and you will find that you are rich beyond measure. Not monetarily, but rich in love, hope and joy, which are the greatest treasures we could have. Blessings!  

  On All Hallows' Eve, the day before All Hallows' or All Saints Day, ancient belief was that the veil between this world and the next. Loved ones were able to visit from the grave. My Celtic ancestors carved turnips with lights in them to scare away the evil spirits and light the way for our relatives to come home for the night. Today, Halloween is a mixture of fun and games, but few remember that this night is one to remember our beloved dead, light candles to help them find their way home and gather together to thank the saints for guiding us through the year. On this All Hallows' Eve, as the last surviving member of my immediate family, (My parents and siblings are all deceased.) I will lite a candle or two, remember the love we shared, the lessons learned and give thanks that they are all out of the suffering of this world.   May all who read this post, take a moment to remember their loved ones and give thanks.   Have a safe All Hallows' Eve. Blessings!

The date of 9/11 is one that lives in infamy. The pain of that day is still palpable for us. However, what I would like to share today is the memory of the days after. I vividly remember hearing about the attack to the towers. I was in the basement of the doctor's office where I worked as a wellness practitioner for York Hospital. My daughter called hysterical. I did what I could do to calm her. After I hung up, I began to feel fear like I have never known before or since. However, there were patients waiting for me and I couldn't abandon them. I left the office praying for a sign that all would be well. As I crossed the parking lot, I saw one of the bushes that days before was a mass of twigs, in bloom.  Puzzled, I took a closer look. The bush was covered in Monarch butterflies. Instantly, I felt peace pour through me.  As the day wore on and the during the days immediately following, I saw and heard about so many acts of compassion and kindness that my heart overflowed. In t...

When I saw the quote, "The problem is, everyone is looking for unconditional Love, carrying a bag full of conditions," I gasped. Wow! the truth of that statement wasn't lost on me. From the moment we draw our first breath, we are looking to be loved, to be cherished, to be respected and protected. Some would argue that this is etched into our DNA so deeply that infants who don't find this waiting for them fail to thrive.  Unfortunately, in this imperfect existence, love has been twisted and mangled to the point of almost being unrecognizable. Love is an action we not only associate with people but things. Let's face it, we need a new word for loving things; otherwise, how will we ever grasp the enormity and sanctity of unconditional Love?  "I love my car," is not the same as, "I love you," yet the words we use are identical.  Furthermore, when we add to this humanity's incessant need to control and conditionalize, and you have the unfortuna...

At the beginning of this year, I found my Word of the Year.  The word was, "visit."  I never, at the time, realized how I would need to rethink the meaning of this word. At first thought, back in January, I was prepared to "practice" visiting via traveling to see those I had not seen in a long time. Today, in the face of the COVID-19 virus, this isn't happening.  Rethinking "visiting," I have come to see that to visit is more than being a presence in a room with others. When I have visited this past week, it has been over the phone, through the internet, by means of old-fashioned letters, and texts. In addition, I have visited with those who have become fearful and anxious on social media. We have shared our fears, our joys, and our most recent realizations.  Love, as I have always known, is the great healer. Sharing Love, doing Loving acts, speaking Loving words, all have the power to push fear away and allow for healing to grow.   

This past week has been the most difficult many of us have ever experienced. We are worried and fearful because of the constant threat of the COVID virus. Yet, in the face of fear and uncertainty, there have been many acts of selflessness and compassion. As the writer of Matthew says above, can worrying give you anything more in life?  Worry does nothing more than sap us of energy - energy that could be used to help ourselves and others.  Being worry-free does not mean we do not care or that we are unaware. Rather, being worry-free is the realization that something needs our attention, that we might be uncertain of what to do, but whether alone or together, we will face the challenges ahead. A Prayer for Our Time Masterful Physician of Life,  we come to You in this time, when fear lingers, like hungry animals on the outskirts of the forest. We come to You in this time, when uncertainty blows, like an icy wind that paralyzes everything it touche...

 Bray Beach, Ireland (c) 2014 LMN “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”  ~ Charles Dickens ~ When Dickens penned these words over 150 years ago, he was writing of the world he knew. However, today, this iconic text speaks volumes about the state of things today.   In the past few days, many of us have seen or heard of the best and worst of humans, governments, and leaders. We have seen people fighting over rolls of toilet paper at one moment, only to turn and see young people delivering food to shut-ins and the elderly.  The Light and Dark of these days has been quite visible to all.  There is much Wisdom to be found, but also much foolishness.  Humankind has heard the Truth as well as the ...

"My mother always taught us that if people don't agree with you,  the important thing is to listen to them.  But if you've listened to them carefully  and you still think that you're right,  then you must have the courage of your convictions."   ~ Jane Goodall ~ Much like Jane Goodall, my mother taught me that I should always listen, but if something didn't feel right, then I needed to be brave enough to do what I felt in my heart was right.  Indeed, I sometimes have run into brick walls because of my convictions, but almost always, I have found a way over, around, under or through. Tenacity is a great tool to have in your spiritual toolbox! Most recently, as we watched the events playing out in Washington, I have found that the courage of our convictions is being tested.  If we identify as Christians, we are being called to follow the ways of Jesus.  Likewise, if we are Buddhist, the ways of Buddha; Jewish, the ways ...

This past week, I watched the documentary by Wim Wenders on Pope Francis - A Man of His Word. Unlike some documentaries that I have seen, Wenders allows his camera to tell the story and for his subjects to speak to the camera, close and personal. In this instance, the result was inspiring, affirming and enlightening. Seeing art as a ministry, as an ability to serve others - to enlighten, heal, inspire, affirm, encourage and support - is in itself an eye-opener. Too often in our modern world, there are those who see artists as people who don't have "real" jobs. How different things would be if we began to understand that art, in all its forms, is a calling - a ministry - that must be shared, even when it means that it goes unrecognized or appreciated.   I think of Vincent Van Gogh. A genius in his own right, yet totally unappreciated, with the exception of his brother, Theo, until after his death.  Now, he is considered one of the great masters of Impressionism. How ...

“Maybe you have to know the darkness  before you can appreciate the light.”  ~ Madeline L’Engle ~ This is a time of great anticipation in many faith paths around the world. In the northern hemisphere, it is a time where the darkness of winter descends on the Earth. The longest night of the year comes at the end of December. Therefore, it is no wonder that Light, in the form of fires that warm and candles that brighten are an intricate part of so many celebrations. During the earliest times of humanity, Solstice Yule fires brought light and warmth to the cold winter nights. Judaism celebrated the Miracle of the Lights with the lighting of the menorah. Christians used a circle of candles to observe the time before the birth of Jesus, who is called the Light of the World. The African diaspora, primarily in the US, remember their ancestors at this time of year with the lighting of seven candles. Each candle is a reminder of a specific virtue or trait.  ...

    Fra Angelico [Public domain] Many years ago, as a young girl, I would sit transfixed studying this painting by Fra Angelico. I tried to name the Saints pictured, many of them familiar thanks to the Sisters of St. Joseph and my mother. I remember asking Momma why we prayed to the Saints. She told me that Saints were like the Angels. They helped God take care of people. Made sense to me. Today is All Saints' day. I learned long ago that Saints aren't simply Catholic.  Many cultures have Saints, so it would seem that this is a very special day for many. To my favorite Saints (the ones I go to when I need a little extra help in life) St. Michael - the Archangel, St. Anthony, St. Theresa - the Little Flower, St. Jude, and Mother Mary, I offer prayers of thanks for all the protection and guidance given me through 60+ years of life. May the Saints be with us all as we travel through life.  Blessings! 

Photo Art: (c) 2019 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas In the Catholic church there is a prayer said before Communion - "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but say the word and I shall be healed." I don't think I ever really thought about what was being said - what the words meant - until I watched a new series from Britain called, Broken .  The main character in the series is a priest who is struggling with flashbacks from his abusive childhood. He is a good man, dedicated to serving the people of his parish. He is compassionate, thoughtful, respectful, gentle and understanding with them, yet he struggles to be this way with himself.  Not until his mother dies, after he has forgiven her for her part in his painful and traumatic childhood, does he finally understand the words he speaks each time he celebrates the Mass.  The realization for me was that we say words, rote prayers and often do not connect with the words. Like a record that skips, we keep re...

Over that past two weeks, the stories of love and compassion shared with our family and friends have been extraordinary.  My brother, Barry touched the lives of others in so many ways.  During his eulogy, I said that his life was a mosaic - broken pieces held together with hope, faith and love. After hearing all the stories about Barry, I can see that Love was the glue that made a difference. You see, Barry believed in treating everyone from prince to paupers the same. The mosaic of Love Lessons from Barry's life can help us all learn. Here are a few that really touched my heart. When a young woman and companion was stuck in a parking lot with a car that had broken down, Barry and his niece saw them, lent a hand and developed, on the spot, a life-long friendship. When Barry was recovering from a liver transplant, his donor needed help on the farm. Barry went...no questions asked. As Barry was battling from stage 4 lung cancer, he learned of the cancer diagno...

In many traditions around the world, we are taught to be in the moment, to "be" now.  However, as history has shown us (and is still showing us) if we fail to remember the past, the future is doomed to repeat old patterns. Only by remembering what was can we find the secret door to a stronger, healthier, safer and more abundant tomorrow.  But, how can we do that, while being in the moment? A conundrum for sure! To start, we need a different perspective. Time is not linear as most people imagine, nor is it circular.  Rather, time is spiraling. By changing that perspective, we no longer see ourselves wandering along a long, straight, infinite road to and from nowhere.  Alternately, we no long see ourselves traveling in circles that never end - chasing our tails like the Ouroboros. Instead, we realize that we are traveling a spiral that can take us higher or lower depending on our perspective.  Therefore, the perspective we want to take is one of awareness ...

Panoramic Prospective  Heart sight is the wide-angle lens  that encompasses Life's landscapes.  Opened wide, one sees clearly  the vastness of possibility and hope.  © 2019 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas This poem is the result of a prompt for the April Poetry Month Poem-A-Day Challenge in Poetic Asides . After posting and reading it, the thought came for using the metaphor of a camera as a means to view life expanded, much like the perspective through the view finder when going from micro to macro. Love is the wide-angled lens of Life. Other lenses add to how we see the world. Compassion is the deep-focus lens and kindness is a filter used to sharpen the view.  The Columbia Film Language Glossary states, "Deep focus is a style or technique of cinematography and staging with great depth of field, using relatively wide-angle lenses and small lens apertures to render in sharp focus near and distant planes simultaneously. A deep-f...