Speaking of Spirit

  Nine Muses by Royer   Ever wonder why certain numbers appear over and over in sacred texts?  For our ancient ancestors, certain numbers...numbers found in nature...were sacred and carried with them mystical powers. For instance, the number nine, which is the length of time in a novena, (the word novena comes from the Latin word for nine) was believed by the ancients to represent wisdom, leadership, Universal love, creation, and service to name a few.  These beliefs in the sacred number nine come from many cultures. There are nine muses in Greek and Roman mythology. There are nine forms of devotion and nine treasures in Hinduism. There are the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as the nine levels of Heaven along with the nine choirs of angels. In the Mayan and Aztec cultures, there were nine levels in the underworld. The significance of the number nine as a sacred number can truly be found worldwide. Therefore, when we come to our ninth day of ref...

Photo Credit: Crocus - (c) 2018 LMN Is it any wonder that spring is associated with birth, resurrection, and new life? Each spring, I am in awe of how, out of earth turned gray and lifeless by the winter's cold hand, bits of green can suddenly appear, growing daily until blossoms of spring flowers shock the senses with their presence. From the beginning of time, when humans first walked Earth, there has been an awareness of how mystical and magical this time of year is. From standing stones to burial mounds, from pyramids to great cathedrals, the changing of the seasons has been recognized through art, music, poems, prayers, and ritual.  Standing in a garden that is beginning to return to life is akin to watching the raising of the dead. For all intent purposes, most of the trees and flowers look dead, beyond the ability to produce life, yet, each spring buds start to fill, green shoots appear, and life returns in all its glory. This has been a long, hard winte...