Speaking of Spirit

Momma and butterflies have always gone together for me. Mainly, because, when she was a little girl, her mother would embroider a small yellow butterfly somewhere on the dresses that she made for her. So, when I see a yellow butterfly, I always think of Momma. Butterflies are symbolic of  metamorphosis , which isn't surprising since they begin as catepillars and grow to be beautiful winged creatures. For Momma, they meant that things would be OK, that whatever the situation, it would change for the better. The most dramatic example of this was what she called her "hospital butterfly miracle." Momma suffered from myasthenia gravis, a neuro-muscular disease that robbed her of the function of the right side of her body. When her disease was bad, everything on the right side became paralyzed. She couldn't walk, hold things, open her eye or breathe.  In the early stages of her disease, she would be rushed to the hospital with doctors diagnosing her condition as e...

When life gets too much for me to deal with, I often retreat to my garden. Within the confines of arborvitae, lupine, rose, daylily and all the other perennials growing there, I find peace and strength.  One of my favorite actresses, Audrey Hepburn said, " To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. " I had never thought of it that way, until I found myself out weeding and pruning this year. Being in the garden, tending to the needs of my flowers and plants, weeding, pruning and planting seedlings was all an act of great faith. Why bother to plant if tomorrow wasn't possible?  I believe tomorrow is possible and that tomorrow can be better than today, which is one of the wonderful things about hope. When we have hope, we dream of possibilities.  As Emily Dickinson wrote,   I dwell in Possibility –  A fairer House than Prose –  More numerous of Windows –  Superior – for Doors –  Of Chambers as the Cedars –  Impregnable ...

Memorial Day - Flag on Tomb of  fallen soldiers from King Phillip's War 1675 Memorial Day in the United States has become associated with picnics, barbecues, and the opening of summer camps. Ask most young people about the holiday and they will not be able to tell you the significance. I have heard answers ranging from "It is something to do with veterans," to "It's the first day of summer, right?"  Wrong! Memorial or Decoration Day, which has its beginnings during Civil War times from 1861 to 1865, is a day to remember those who died in the service of our country. Surprisingly, while Memorial Day has been observed in many states since the mid-1800's, it did not become a legal holiday until 1971. From its start, Memorial Day was a time of reflection, remembrance, and prayer. Graves of the fallen soldiers were decorated with flags and flowers.  Today, parades of veterans march to cemeteries, sometimes accompanied by local school ba...

This weekend, I went on retreat with fellow clergy. As we were sitting in the closing circle this morning, I realized how much I had needed this time away. A retreat is a time to reflect, to rejuvenate and to re-examine our lives. To be able to retreat is essential to self-care. Retreating in this sense is not cowardly, but rather a very brave and rewarding thing to do. If you have never been on a retreat, I highly recommend it. Many of the old religious centers have now been transformed into retreat centers. Many offer interfaith retreats, so you don't have to belong to any particular faith path. (One thing - retreat centers are not luxury spas, so don't expect that. These are places where you go to feed your soul. The accommodations are lovely, clean and they do their best to accommodate specific needs of the guests.) I can't describe how wonderful it was to reconnect with my colleagues, nor how peaceful I feel. What a joy to come home feeling refreshed!  Remem...

In his book, Put Down Your Sword, Fr. John Dear talks about his friend , Pete Seeger, "For years, one of my friends, the legendary folksinger Pete Seeger, has questioned friends and audiences who feel hopeless.  “In the early 1970s,” he asks, “did you ever expect to see President Nixon resign because of Watergate?”  “No,” people answer.  “Did you ever expect to see the Pentagon leave Vietnam the way it did?”  “No, we didn’t,” everyone answers.    “In the 1980s, did you expect to see the Berlin Wall come down so peacefully?” Pete asks.  “No, never,” they respond.    “In the 1990s, did you expect to see Nelson Mandela released from prison, apartheid abolished, and Mandela become president of South Africa?”  “Never in a million years.”  “Did you ever expect the two warring sides of Northern Ireland to sign a peace agreement on Good Friday?”  “Never.”  “If you can’t predict those things,” Pete conclu...

(c) 2017 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas Yesterday, as we sat silently in an historic structure of a community that has held Christmas services since before this nation was a country, we lit candles from a flame that had traveled from hand to hand all the way from Bethlehem. As the tiny mote of light touched our candles in the darkened room, the light began to grow, until, by candlelight, we were able to sing from the hymnals, just as those who gathered here over three hundred years ago. From one tiny spark was generated enough light to read the printed word! The metaphor of the flame from Bethlehem was not lost on me.  The Light of Love, symbolized by the candle's flame, also, increases each time we do something kind, something thoughtful, something just. I saw in the faces of those around me how the Light glowed from their hearts through their eyes. I prayed silently that this Light would never grow dim, that it would increase, just as our candlelight increased in the dark...

Why is it that we find contentment to be so elusive? Why can't we simply be happy?  I believe that much of this feeling of discontentment comes from the media. The world of advertisement keeps us all in a constant state of want. Consider the copy in these ads: "The joy of winning." "Things go better with C..." "Smart way to go places." Without even knowing what is being sold, you can come to the conclusion that if you purchase whatever is being sold, you win; things will be better; and, you will achieve your goals.  No wonder being content is so difficult!  Now, add to the copy photos of smiling couples, sexy bodies and images of wealth and privilege. What you end up with is a formula for keeping the public wanting more, constantly. Let's face it, the job of advertisers is to sell. How do they get people to buy product? By seducing the public into thinking they need whatever it is that is for sale. The truth is, we don't "n...

I remember the first time someone told me to "Forgive and Forget."  I pondered this for days. Forgiving, I felt I could do, but how could I forget?   His Holiness, the Dalai Lama said, " Forgiveness doesn’t mean forget what happened…If something is serious and it is necessary to take counter-measures, you have to take counter-measures."   When our world is filled with hate, we cannot forget. We must remember, in order to prevent the hate, the horror, from happening again. Each time we forget, hate rises its ugly head once more. However, we can forgive.  Nelson Mandela when asked why he was not resentful for his imprisonment said, " Resentment is like a glass of poison that a man drinks; then he sits down and waits for his enemy to die." When we release resentment, when we forgive, we heal. This healing allows us the energy, the blessings, the grace to move forward in positive ways. We become conduits for positive change because we are no lon...

Photo (c) 2017 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas May the Light that comes to all on this new day fill us with hope, heal our wounds, bringing us Peace and Love. Blessings to all!

Photo Credit: (c) 2017 L. Neas As I sat this morning meditating on what today's message would be, a dove landed outside the window, cooing softly. For me, this was a visible sign that Spirit, most often portrayed as a dove, was with me. Instantly, I realized this was my message. When I attended parochial school as a young girl, I was taught about Spirit, or more correctly The Holy Spirit. We were told that when we became one with Spirit, we were given gifts that would help us live well and serve others. These gifts, or  charisms , are: teaching, serving, words of wisdom, giving, leadership, mercy and prophecy. In the world today, we are in sore need of these gifts. Looking at this through an interfaith/inter-spiritual lens, we can find many people, who have been graced with Spirit, who are diligently working to bring all humanity together in peaceful co-existence with all life on this planet.  Those who do the work of Peace are one in Spirit. When we are one ...

" The kingdom of God could be realized simply by daring to live differently from the normal conventions. The kingdom of God in the teachings of Jesus was not an apocalyptic or heavenly projection of otherworldly desire. It was driven by a desire to think that there must be a better way to live together than the present state of affairs. And it called for a change of behavior in the present on the part of individuals invested in the vision. " Burton L. Mack I was in seminary when I finally understood the quote from the Gospel of Luke, "The Kingdom of God is within you, now." We search and search, but what we dream of is here.  Too often, by the time we realize this, the time to enjoy reveling in the knowledge is too short. We, humans, are born with the ability to create the world we live in. We can create a world of peace and compassion or a world of hate and pain. The choice is ours.   Thing is, we must begin within, for there is where the Source lie...

Photo: (c) 2015 Linda M Neas Living in farm country has a way of keeping me balanced - of keeping me from becoming too obsessed with any one thing - because on a farm, everything runs by seasons. "This too shall pass," is lived out without conscious thought. Change simply is. Over the past month, change has hit many upside the head and left us spinning. The unthinkable has become reality. That reality has strained the very foundations of what we believe. Fear and depression has nipped at our heals.  For many, balance is tenuous. This too shall pass!  What I have learned, living in the community of farms, is that the dawn brings a new day, the harvest brings nourishment and once spring comes, the cycle begins again.  Applying that to life, I find that challenges can be overwhelming if I mire myself in the mud of "what if" or "I can't."  But, if I roll up my preverbial sleeves and fearlessly delve into the problem, a solution, a resolu...

As we entered the New Year, I meditated upon my one word for the year.  What came to me was "fearless." Given the state of the world and the constant battle I have been doing with fear, this word felt Heaven-sent. During the past five days, I have felt like the women of the scripture who are told, "Be not afraid." Over and over, I have been reminded that I can be fearless as I teach, as I write, as I minister. Good people will continue to do good things. God will provide for my needs, as always. My one concern is to continue shining the Light that has been given me to share - the Light of Love, the Light of Peace and the Light of Acceptance. In my searches for quotes by women who exemplify fearlessness, I have found the following: We realize the importance of our voices only when they are silenced.  ~ Malala Yousafzai We can do no great things, only small things with great love.  ~ Mother Theresa Our deepest wishes are whispers of our authentic sel...

Photo credit: Wikimedia Once our sacred celebrations are over?  What happens when the stable is empty, the candles are burned down, or the fire is gone cold?  Do we simply return to our lives as before?  Or, do we take something from whatever practice we follow to begin anew in the new year?  Do we release the pain and sorrow of the past so that we might travel lightly and with strength into the future, believing that we ARE the change we have been waiting for all this tim e?   The following was written by Rev. Howard Thurman.  I first posted this back in 2012, but I think it bears repeating. The message in this poem is universal and we need to consider it more today than ever before. Work of Christmas Begins by Rev. Howard Thurman "When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with the flocks, then the work of Christmas begins: to fin...

Sam Mugraby, Photos8.com CC via Wikimedia Commons This week, both Jews and Christians celebrate their Holy Days of Light, Love and Peace. Candles will be lit, gifts exchanged and traditional foods shared. There will be prayers and readings from scriptures, as well as the observance of ancient rituals. Followers of both religions will hope for peace. Peace seems such a distant concept these days, however. Those that strive to create it find pockets of peace in their lives and the lives of those they love, but their dreams, their hopes of peace world-wide face the gales of hate and greed. Still, they burn their candles, lighting the path they travel for themselves and those close by; they shield their candles from the treacherous winds that attempt to blow out their light.  This image of candles and light, of love and peace being share is an ancient one.  Many legends, myths and stories use the imagery of a candle to interpret these qualities. One of my favorite q...

  New Grange, Ireland - were the sun lights up the tomb during the winter solstice. Photo Credit: R. J. Welch (late 1800's) For Christians around the world, this Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent.  Advent, a season of anticipation...of hope.   In many other cultures and spiritual paths, this time of year is also a season of anticipation, of hope and of new or rebirth.  Humans from the earliest of times anticipated the return of the sun in the northern hemisphere, thereby creating the connection to Light at this time of year.  They hoped that their harvest would last throughout the long, dark winter days. They awaited the new birth of life to the fields, with their animals and even within their communities. As our longest day - the Winter Solstice - is celebrated this week , along with the other Holy days of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, let us ponder what we are anticipating, what we are hoping for and how we can become part of the birthi...

By Bestbudbrian (Own work) CC BY-SA 4.0  via Wikimedia Commons This holiday season is a difficult one for my loved ones and I, as it is for many people this year.  In my circle of family and friends, there have been numerous deaths - loved ones who are no longer here to share our joy or celebrate along side us. We must be gentle with ourselves and each other. In other words, we need to give ourselves permission to be happy as well as sad.  We need to allow ourselves the ability to laugh and cry.  Being gentle means it is OK to  want to be with others, but also wish to be alone.  When our hearts are filled with sorrow, grief becomes part of our life.   Grief is our response to sorrow.  Each person grieves differently.  The catch is that in order to move forward, to do the things we need to do in this life, we must not let sorrow consume us.  When we are consumed by sorrow, our lives become dark, empty places. Grief enable u...

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/x2fBMB   I knew little about jazz when I met my husband, other than I enjoyed listening to it.  Jazz made me feel calm. The extent of the jazz artists I knew and enjoyed were Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday.  Their music spoke to me of rising above the turmoil, of being connected no matter your color, belief, or any of the isms.  Jazz united people and sang to their souls. When Roger introduced me to John Coltrane, I was in awe.  The manner by which he played the saxophone wrapped around me, opening my mind and spirit to possibilities hidden deep within.  The first time he played, Coltrane's Love Supreme   for me, the emotions ebbed and flowed through me.  This was divine music! As an interfaith minister, I was taught that we meet people on their path and assist them in whatever way we can with whatever tools we have.  For me, music is a great tool for healing, forgivenes...

Photo credit: Public Domain The days ahead look to be darker and gloomier than ever.  How do we maintain our hope that things will be better?    For me, it is the simple act of continuing to sow seeds of loving-kindness and peace, regardless.  The power of Love is greater than all the hate in all the world.  The power of Love is seen in the seed that lands on concrete and works its way into a crack in order to push up into a beautiful flower.   I don't profess to know much, but what I do know is this: Faith, Hope and Love are powerful virtues. The only constant in life is change. I am responsible for my own happiness. What is put out into the world, comes back to us. Offering prayers, meditations, energy and thoughts for healing and peace in our country and the world.  May the days ahead be brighter. May the seeds we sow create a garden of Love and Peace.   Namaste!

    (c) 2016 Mystic's Moon by Linda M. Rhinehart Neas The poet known as Rumi was a Sufi Mystic who lived in the 13th century.  His words have often brought me peace, understanding and joy.  These are but a few of the quotes that have touched my heart and soul over the years.  May the bless you, now. “Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere.  They’re in each other all along.” “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field.  I’ll meet you there.” “In your light I learn how to love.  In your beauty, how to make poems.  You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you,  but sometimes I do,  and that sight becomes this art.”