Tag Archives: interfaith

Is It True?

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Last week, there was a bit of a shake up regarding UFO’s and the presence of extraterrestrial life here on Earth. Perhaps some of you saw the following newscast from the US (video editing is not yet in my toolbox, so just watch the first 2:11):

What do you think about this? How does it feel? What emotions come up? Is it true?

From my perspective, it’s part of a very slow rolling out of a truth that has long been hidden from the public, for the very reason stated in this news clip. The U.S. government (most governments) decided to protect its citizens from mass hysteria. That was the reason given back in the 1950’s and it continues to be the reason for keeping the secret. Yes, our leaders have known about this for over 70 years.

As the latest documentary, The Phenomenon (2020), notes, it may be time to trust humanity to make their own choices. More frequent sightings have been reported. Witness testimony from highly-placed government officials (including former Senator Harry Reid of NV) have increased. And heightened public curiosity and awareness suggest this pot is about to boil over.

https://youtu.be/onEXmLX2ZZQ

So, what do you think? How do you decide what is real and what is not? What is true for you and what is ‘fake news’ or ‘false information’ or just plain B*S*? Could it be part of a reality that you have not explored or even considered? Are you willing to shake up any sense of equilibrium you’ve managed to establish in your life during the almost constant chaos of 2020?

You might remember that I come from a very black and white, right and wrong sense of truth. There is safety there…living by a set of rules given by family, religion, education, government, and culture. A sense of belonging, of not being alone. What does it take for us to leave the old “I’m living this way because XXX told me to” and step into “I am choosing to live this way?” Why do we continue to believe our happiness comes from following rules of thought and behaviour that limit us when there is so much more available as we colour outside the lines and think outside the box?

This is all about encountering the Other…the Other person, the Other faith, the Other culture, the Other truth, the Other nation, the Other intelligent civilization.  What will open us to choose to live and love fearlessly from the divine within rather than follow old beliefs and patterns we were taught from someone else? We can choose to let go of the old that limits us and no longer serves us. Why not allow new to expand our awareness, our opportunities to experience more freedom, more joy, more everything? Are you ready for more? Are you ready to choose your truth?

[avatar size=”thumbnail” align=”left”]Quan Yin – goddess of compassion and mercy[/avatar]  by Eloecea

 

 

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Header image courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

 

Next Steps in my Journey into Joy

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Some of you may already be aware of the changes the last few months have brought to my journey. For those who are not, here is a brief look at the past and a teaser for what is coming.

2020 has indeed been a year of being shaken to our core. From my perspective, we are being invited to reevaluate who we are and what we are about, to feel into what makes our heart sing. Few have escaped this challenge. Now more than ever, we have an opportunity to let go of old stuck places, releasing old emotional entanglements while keeping our hearts focused on the highest possible outcome.

I want to express my gratitude to and appreciation to Cathy Merchant, Interfaith Leader at Living Interfaith Sanctuary, and the Sanctuary Council. The opportunity to serve as Interfaith Consultant with you was the perfect next step after graduating from the Indigenous and InterReligious Studies Program at VST. Thank you, too, Rabbi Dr. Laura Duhan Kaplan and those of you from VST. You have all helped me prepare for what comes next.

During these past months, I came to realize my heart was asking for more…again. I wanted to experience and share more of the bigger picture.  As of October 31 I left Living Interfaith Sanctuary to focus on what I know now to be Intergalactic Connections Society.

I have been surprised by new awarenesses and possibilities that have jarred my mind and triggered old emotional entanglements to be released. Unity or Christ Consciousness has been my heart’s desire for myself and for all of humanity these past few years. However, things like UFO’s, extraterrestrials, ‘conspiracy theories’, and the Galactic Federation of Light have not been part of my daily life until now.

A new path is emerging for me through this process. I have created Intergalactic Connections, a member-funded, non-profit BC Society whose purpose is to prepare humanity to become intergalactic citizens, grounded in Unity Consciousness. My vision is to eventually create an Intergalactic Space Port in the Vancouver area as a place of diplomacy and collaboration with other intelligent civilizations. This is a source of joy and satisfaction for me and offers new possibilities for all of creation. More on that in the next post.

I hope our ‘inter’ paths will intersect often in the coming months and years. I look forward to continuing to share my journey into joy with you, engaging in conversation together as we explore more of our relationship with all of creation.

It’s here…another moment to reevaluate who we are and what we are about – choosing, I hope, what makes our hearts sing!

[avatar size=”thumbnail” align=”left”]Quan Yin – goddess of compassion[/avatar]

 

by Eloecea

 

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Header image courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

 

Ascension: Then and Now (Part Two)

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That was then, and this is now…

For me, today, ascension is all about home. Some call it waking up or becoming conscious. Some refer to Unity or Christ Consciousness as a higher perspective, a way of bringing heaven to or being heaven here on earth. This is my path, my passion; it is simple and it’s an inside job…it begins with who I am:

     1. Waking Up

Most of my beliefs, thoughts, behaviours are unconscious until I become aware of what my ego mind is saying, or my body is doing. We all know about self-talk, that murmuring (or sometimes shouting) inside our heads that never seems to stop. These words and the accompanying emotion is the underlying truth of who I am. When I am quiet, I might hear critical, judgmental, or harsh words…or I might hear gentle, loving and supportive words. We learned this, of course, which means we can unlearn in and shift into another way of being. But it starts with a choice…a choice to become aware and a desire to change. It starts with waking up.

     2. Letting Go

Once I am aware of a thought, belief or behaviour that doesn’t reflect who I want to be, there are many tools available to begin to shift from the old and open to the new. You can find some of these here. We all know that change is hard – dislodging old patterns brings up old emotions associated with what was. Emotions become entangled energetically with our thoughts and act like glue which hardens over time. Letting go refers to releasing the old emotions to create room for new experiences, new thoughts and behaviours. Much of this part of ascension consists of grieving what is lost even as we shift to what we desire. So we can expect cycles of shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing and acceptance or letting go.

     3. Refocusing and Allowing the Divine

The ego mind doesn’t want to let go because it loses the control it had. It has no idea what comes next because it only knows the past. The unknown can be frightening. This is where our faith comes in again. In Part One, we’ve noted that most faith traditions tell of a higher way of being, offer guidance on thoughts and behaviours that are based in love rather than fear.

This is where we place our focus – on the most loving, compassionate and peaceful thoughts and behaviours we desire to have. In the Christian tradition this might be called becoming more Christ-like. We imagine what it will look like, how it will feel. We bring the full experience of what we desire into our conscious awareness, into our reality. And then we let go, knowing the Divine, the Universe will assist us in this transformation, in this ascension step, as we continue to consciously create a new way of being.

Ascension is possible today

You can see and feel the possibilities…You can begin to speak encouragement and love to yourself, to choose behaviours that are in harmony with who you choose to be. You can also hear and feel the push back from the old patterns. ‘This will never work’, etc. Just let that be and continue to let go, refocus and allow the Divine to do its work.

Who you are within is reflected in your external world. It’s not somebody or some situation out there that’s making you do or think or say anything, it’s within you – it’s your choice. The more we accept this and choose to shift our perspectives, the more miracles we begin to see around us until miracles become common place. This is living from a higher perspective. This is living in Unity or the Christ Consciousness.

What Might Ascension Look Like Today?

For me, I see change happening in me and my life that I never thought possible. Not in the areas my mind thinks it should change (which are many), but in who I am within as it’s reflected back to me in my external reality. This is the evidence, the proof for my ego mind that this works. I am happier, more fulfilled, more at peace with myself and the world than ever before. I feel as though my life is just beginning…a new life grounded in knowing all is well because nothing is as it seems while everything is as it should be. My ego mind doesn’t have to figure anything out because the Divine within me knows and I am choosing to allow the Divine, my SoulSelf, to be my new primary operating system.

It’s an exciting adventure, this path of ascension…one that my ego mind could not have predicted because it only knows the past and that is rooted in survival. But the Divine, Pure Consciousness holds new possibilities and potentials that come to each of us on our own path in perfect timing.

There’s a wealth of information available to assist us on our ascension journey – from our own faith tradition as well as that of others, from psychology and more and more from science as it explores the realm of consciousness. My search for ‘more’ spiritually has shifted from intellectual understanding in my earlier years to life experiences of the divine, moments of feeling that love and compassion and hope. There’s a balance, I know. I invite you to allow this balance to come to you today.

Your Reflection on Ascension Today

So far, this was a lot of words, a lot of thinking. Please take a few moments to feel into all that’s been written and all that’s come up for you. Relax into your body wherever you are. Breathe deeply a few times, letting your mind, your heart and your body open and expand. Then allow yourself to reflect for a few moments on what ascension means to you today. Let your mind go loose and allow the Divine to show you new possibilities…

I would love to hear from you – what came up for you? Let’s have a discussion in the comment section below.

Quan Yin, goddess of compassion

 

by Eloecea

 

 

 

 

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Header image courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

 

Ascension: Then and Now (Part One)

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Today is Ascension Day, 2020, in the Christian Tradition. When Cathy showed me the schedule of services at Living Interfaith Sanctuary this spring, I knew this was my time to speak. The following is the first part of my message at the LISanctuary service last Saturday.

Christianity

Ascension is what my life is about these days, but let’s start with honouring the Christian tradition. Ascension Day, or the day Jesus ascended into the heavens, is celebrated  on the 40th day after Easter. Along with Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, Ascension day is one of the main Christian Holy Days.

Image Courtesy of daily-prayers.org

Jesus had lived his life, been crucified in Jerusalem, resurrected on Easter and then he began showing himself to various people and groups during those 40 days. Imagine being one of the disciples. Your leader, your teacher, your friend had just willingly gone to his death, then showed up again! He tells you to spread this story, the gospel, to all the nations of the world and then tells you to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. He gives you a blessing and then steps away only to be lifted up into a cloud and disappear.

I would certainly be confused…and also sad and maybe a bit angry or scared. But, no… we are told the disciples were in joy. Stunned, yes, but in joy because they knew that when Jesus ascended, all the promises regarding His ministry to the disciples were about to be fulfilled.

The disciples accepted His ascension, for they had accepted Jesus’ word about the promised One to come, the Holy Spirit. Their doubts and fears were gone. They were convinced of who He was. They knew that He died to forgive them of their sins. They knew He was alive from the dead. In His resurrection, they had hope in victory over death, and knew they would be joining him in heaven with God the Father. Jesus was not leaving but shifting from a physical to a spiritual relationship. He was to be their Intercessor at the right hand of the Father, giving them hope and comfort and companionship.

This is the heart of the Christian tradition and Jesus’ ascension is the final piece of his work here on earth.

The concept of Ascension

Ascension has been around for a very long time. It is defined as a ‘raising up of a person above the heavens’ (without dying). Some suggest the most ancient definition is that which was used to describe the elevation of a visionary so that one is able to contemplate the heavenly world normally hidden from one’s eyes. In ancient Greek mythology it was known as entering the realm of the god(s). For instance, Hercules is said to have ascended. And then, as I was learning about and experiencing other faiths at the Vancouver School of Theology, I realized that other Abrahamic religions also had the concept of ascension as part of their tradition. Similarly, Ascension in these traditions refers to the translation or taking up to heaven of a few chosen ones, either to remain there in lieu of dying, or merely to receive revelations and then to return to earth.

Judaism

In Judaism, Ascension as a ‘taking up’ or the granting of a vision is associated with Patriarchs such as Enoch and Prophets such as Elijah. Jewish Rabbinical literature suggests that there were others, but Enoch and Elijah are the most often noted.

From the Hebrew scriptures we read that, during a life span of 365 years “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 2 v.24 (NIV) In II Kings 2 v.11-12 (NIV), we read that Elijah was walking with Elisha along the Jordan River:

Image Courtesy of Jewish News

“As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more.”

The Jewish tradition of the Elijah Cup celebrates this. A door is opened and a cup of wine is set on the table at the celebration of the Seder on Passover and reserved for the precursor of the Messiah, the prophet Elijah, who according to Jewish tradition may come anytime as a guest. Perhaps you noticed this during our Sanctuary Seder service last month.

Islam

The prophet Muhammad, in the Islamic tradition, is said to have ascended around the year 621 CE, specifically to receive revelations and then to return to earth in what is

Image Courtesy of khalifatworld.com

referred to as The Night Journey or Miraj. This is referenced briefly in the Quran and expanded upon in the Hadith.

The festival is celebrated by telling the story of how the Prophet Muhammad was visited by two archangels while he was asleep, who purified his heart and filled him with knowledge and faith. The Prophet, in this visitation, travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem in a single night on a strange winged creature called Buraq. From Jerusalem he ascended into heaven, where he met the earlier prophets, and eventually God. During his time in heaven Muhammad was told of the duty of Muslims to recite Salat (ritual prayer) five times a day. (Islamic tradition avoids the images of any living creature.)

A Brief Historical Perspective

An ascension narrative is present in each of these faith traditions. To give you some historical perspective, Judaism’s beginnings were in the 7th century BCE; Christianity’s in the 1st century CE and Islam’s in the 7th century CE.

As we focus on the earliest wisdom teachings, the essence of each faith, all Abrahamic traditions find at their core the same ethics and values: that of love, peace, compassion and service to others. Indeed, when specific language, doctrine and rituals are set aside, the foundation of most religions come from the same source: Yahweh, God, Allah. This is also the heart of Interfaith.

Of course, ascension narratives are also present if not a central tenet in Gnosticism as well as many of the Eastern faith traditions. To go there would mean those at the service on Saturday would have a very late lunch. It would also make this post’s length unwieldy. Just know that it is present everywhere.

That was then, and this is now…

For me, today, ascension is all about home. I’ll share that final piece of my message in the next post, Ascension: Then and Now (Part II).

Quan Yin – Bodhisattva/Goddess of Compassion

 

by Eloecea

 

 

 

 

 

Header image courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope