by T Stokes
Unaffiliated spiritual movements, along with Complementary therapies and Alternative medicine, are now enjoying a huge upsurge in interest, In fact the biggest upsurge since the 1930s.
In America the pharmaceutical companies have been backed by certain hard-line extremist religious sects, to ban outright all alternative medicines and practices, which they say are; “unchristianâ€. (more…)
As human beings (or rather Spiritual beings dressed in human clothes) we have a tendency to analyze ad nauseam.
In many respects this is advantageous, and places us one step ahead of our animal brethren, with whom we share the planet. It enables us to learn from the past, both our own and that of our entire race. It allows us to rationally consider and weigh future potentialities and, having done all this, it allows to plan the most appropriate action(s) in the present. (more…)
As the Christmas holiday draws to a close and we contemplate the New Year many of us find ourselves reflecting on what lies ahead. It’s also time to look back on the year just past, gaining satisfaction from our achievements and trying to make sense, and learn from, the things we didn’t get completely right.
It’s also a good time for taking stock of our lives. We need to look both outwards and inwards. At our place in the material world, our work, public roles, relationships and material assets. And at our levels of happiness, satisfaction, contentment and sense of purpose and fulfillment. As human beings we are privileged to occupy two worlds (the physical and the Spiritual) but obliged to give our best in both. (more…)
The mind is the interface between body and soul, ie between the worlds of Spirit and earth. But the noisier is the mind the harder it is for us to hear the inner voice, ie our connection with Spirit.
The mind is a tool, and a powerful one at that. Looking at the enormous technological progress made by mankind it has served us well. We have tamed nature to provide food, shelter and comfort. We have understood and are able to cure many of the diseases that can afflict our frail bodies. We’ve even managed to land on the moon, and with ever-increasing knowledge of the cosmos may some day colonize other worlds. The mind is a truly amazing servant; but servants are mere implements to serve the will of their master. (more…)
People are motivated by many things, but most motivations fall into two broad categories. These are the desire to move to something desirable, or to escape from something undesirable. And whether we’re motivated to or from is determined at least as much by our particular character as the circumstances we experience.
Considering that our focus tends to realize itself (the so-called law of attraction) it’s clear that a to-mentality is preferable to a from. However, we cannot simply change our character, and the motivation issue becomes one of making the best of what we are. As with much of the process of effectiveness the key is knowing yourself, ie the character you have been blessed with for this incarnation. (more…)
There’s a lot of interest these days in Spirituality, and a lot of time, effort, and dollars are spent in the attempt to be Spiritual? And I suspect as the recession begins to bite this interest may increase significantly. But what does Spiritual really mean, and what behaviors will actually make you more Spiritual?
Well, surprising as it may seem, you already are Spiritual. Be you saint or sinner, capitalist or communist, all-round good guy or local weirdo, you can’t help be anything but. The entire physical universe, and everything that’s in it, including all humanity, is a manifestation of Spirit, a tiny part of a great adventure. Born into this condition that we might get the chance to co-exist as an individual alongside other individuals, facing the kind of challenges that life presents. (more…)
Best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle was also a committed Spiriualist. In this famous work he presents his personal views and experiences on the afterlife.
The Holiday season is fast approaching. That time of year when we remember the birth of Jesus, a worthwhile celebration indeed. For Christians Jesus is God incarnate, but for others this truly enlightened teacher shared a message of love and peace that still has the power to promote a better world if only it were practiced a little more. The first step to that is awareness, and in that sense Christmas remains valuable.
Yet the origins of this season go back way before the birth of Christ, to an era when mankind was far closer to nature. December 21st marks the winter solstice, the shortest day. A day to be in front of a warm fire, with loved ones, looking forward to the lengthening days that immediately followed. (more…)
BBC TV recently broadcast a fascinating 2-part episode of popular science documentary Horizon entitled How Mad Are You?. It featured an experiment in which 10 volunteer strangers – 5 previously diagnosed as mentally ill and 5 “normal” spent some time together in an English castle. The conditions of the mentally ill were social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, bipolar disorder and an eating disorder. (more…)
How to be yourself
Many years ago the English bard William Shakespeare wisely penned the words: “This above all: to thine own self be true.” In these days of celebrity culture and reality TV their relevance has never been greater. (more…)