  Spiritual
This week: Lighten the Load Edited by: Sophy  
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Hi, I'm Sophy ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Letting Go
Each year three of the major world religions – Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all observe a solemn time for self-reflection, repentance, and renewal of faith.
For Islam it is Ramadan, during which Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset, and from partaking of anything considered “ill-natured.” During the observance, Muslims ask forgiveness for sins, pray for guidance, and purify themselves through charity, good works and self-denial.
For Jews, there’s the ten days of Rosh Hashanah, ending with Yom Kippur – a time for introspection, confessing sins of the previous year, and seeking reconciliation with those they have wronged before the Day of Atonement.
And there’s the Christian season of Lent - the 40-days preceding Easter in which Christians metaphorically walk with Jesus to his death at the end of Holy Week. It begins on Ash Wednesday when Palm branches from the previous year are burned to make ashes placed on the foreheads of followers while the spiritual leader recites the words, “Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return.” It too prescribes some form of self-denial for the occasion; something one “gives up for Lent.”
Many Christians world-wide are currently in the midst of a Lenten journey. We often consider the experience of faith through the metaphor of travel. Gaining spiritual wisdom is something like getting from here to there, with welcome surprises and challenging obstacles to be encountered. There are detours and dead ends as well as the known route and planned destination. There is assistance to be received and deprivation to be endured as one leaves behind the familiar comforts and belongings of home.
It’s important to acknowledge that a journey is different then a trip. A trip has a planned route, an itinerary with known destinations and way stations at planned intervals. A journey means traveling with unknown and unknowable outcomes and circumstances. We often treat faith as if it were a trip wherein if we acquire the right knowledge and affirm the correct beliefs we have a guaranteed outcome. It’s much more realistic to experience faith as a skill set needed for a journey where our circumstances and experiences cannot be predicted or managed.
When you undertake a journey, you’re not the same person when you arrive as you were when you began. And thinking on some of my own travels, I notice the value of the experience has often been hindered by having brought too much with me. Lent is often understood as a journey, and as with any travel to be attempted, we have to make choices about what not to bring.
This year, Pope Francis offered some wise words about what we might set aside during the season of Lent.
Do you want to fast this Lent?
Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.
What might you let go of in order to lighten your load for your own spiritual journey?
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Below you'll find some spiritual offerings from other WDC members. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
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Here is a response to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (February 8, 2017)" about "Patience" -
From Elfin Dragon-finally published 
I think this is why there's the famous quote, "Patience is a virtue." We often forget the best things in life come when we're patient. Nature is the best teacher with regards to this virtue. We always have to wait for the best things it has to offer us. I remember waiting for the strawberries to ripen in my Grandmother' strawberry patch. And, of course, the biggest thing is waiting for the stars to show off all their brilliance at night.
So very true - thank you for these lovely images.
   
From werden
Yes, patience is a tough one. I too struggle with patience especially during traffic... ugh... I tend to yell and scream within my car rather than patiently wait for drivers to well you know... drive
haha! I am guilty of the same, I'm sorry to say!
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! Sophy |
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Spiritual: March 08, 2017 Issue [#8166]
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