Speaking of Spirit

  With the  passing of March 20, the Northern Hemisphere melts, quite literally, into the spring season. From what once was frozen and dead, "springs" forth with life. Waters that were frozen run full tilt to the sea. Fields that were black with death, resurrect in shades of green. Skeletal trees and bushes suddenly burgeon with green buds.  The spring observances, rites, and rituals around the world all celebrate this return from the brink of darkness and death to new life. The Vernal Equinox, or First Day of Spring, was for our ancient ancestors a time when the gods and goddesses of fertility and rebirth brought the world back to life.  Many know of Eostre or Ostara, the goddess of spring and of Brigid, Celtic goddess of Fire, Hearth and Home, but few know, unless you happen to come from these parts of the world, of the Slavic god, Jarylo  or Eiar, the goddess of spring from the four seasons' horae of ancient Greece.  Regardless, even those who have no c...

One of the things that I do to help myself keep my spirits high is to take photos. I became a photographer (taking and developing my own pictures) as a teen.  Since then, photography has been my "go to" art when I wanted to express myself or wanted to create something to share with others. As an adult, I incorporated my writing as well as quotes from others onto the pictures; thereby, creating inspirational pictures which I have uploaded to my Facebook page .   With the future still very uncertain, I thought I would post a few of my favorite pictures here.  May they inspire, comfort, and bring you hope. Blessings!

 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 ...

“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.  ...

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 ...

 Mother and Child (c) 2018 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas "Unto us a child is born." - Isaiah 9:6 Years ago, in the church of my childhood, I first heard these words said during Midnight Mass. I wondered at the time why the Babe was being born "to us." But, as is the habit with children, I didn't ponder the point for long. In fact, I didn't think about it again, until the following year, when the grand announcement was once again given.   So, why does the prophet use these exact words? A half-century later, I believe it is because in cultures around the world, the birth of a child is not simply celebrated by family, but also by the community. A baby is evidence that life continues. Regardless of what horrors the child might be born into, the child's birth brings hope that Love will triumph.   A child is born someplace in the world every quarter of a second - that's four babies per second! Humanity, despite all the pain and suff...

  Photo Credit: Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas For many of the holy times we celebrate there are times beforehand that are for preparation, reflection, as well as for hope and healing. The season before Christmas is called Advent. This is a time during which Christians prepare to celebrate for the birth of Jesus.  During this time, many homes and most churches light the four candles (three pink, one purple) of an advent wreath. As each of the four weeks before Christmas begin, a new candle is lit. The light of the advent wreath reminds Christians that Jesus is the "Light of the World." Not coincidentally, the first candle lit symbolizes hope.  With Hope, we can move forward through dark times. With Hope, we have the strength to carry on, even in the face of great pain and suffering. The following week, the candle that symbolizes Faith is lit. When we have Hope, our Faith in something bigger than ourselves grows. Joy is the symbol of the third candle. Joy com...

Angels: symbols of hope, safety, enlightenment Photo Credit: (c) 2018 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas As I decorated for the holidays, I became acutely aware of the many symbols I have found comfort in over the years. Symbols that belong to the stories of how peace and love can be found in the darkness of hate and chaos.  For example, after a prolonged illness as a child, when it was believed that I might die, the sister superior of our school gave me a little paper Angel to remind me that God was watching over me and sent me Angels to protect me from harm. That became a story of great importance in my life; one that, for me, was valid, real and for which I have had many qualifying experiences. But, for other people, angels are so much fluff. Some people classify angels with the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy, myths told as a child that hold no real usefulness in our adult world. Karen Armstrong, a former nun, writer and creator of the Charter of Compassion, wrote in "A S...