The Significance of December 21, 2012

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

Tomorrow morning is the Winter Solstice.  According to John Major Jenkins, in his thesis book Maya Cosmogenesis, the sun will rise in line with the center of the Milky Way as viewed from Earth. This happens once every 25,625 years. That is what the longest cycle of the Mayan calendar is based on.

Don Miguel Ruiz has written many books reflecting what he has learned from Toltec/Mayan shamanic wisdom.  He illuminates their belief that everything in the universe is living and contains an intelligence.  This includes the planets and stars.  The Sun communicates with the Earth. 
We are currently in the end of a 17 year cycle of abundant activity of solar flares.   It is expected by scientists that the Sun will enter a 'cold' period, when very little solar flares are sent out.  If we look at this from the Toltec view, a solar flare could be a method of communication.  If flares are not going out, perhaps the Sun is in a time of listening. 

In the center of our Milky Way is a supermassive black hole.  As previously stated, our Sun will line up with our Earth and the center of the Milky Way, along with this black hole, on the day of December 21, 2012.  Considering this alignment, the Toltecs may view this as a moment of Universe Consciousness reception.  New energies are being received and to be sent out in the coming years.

Mayan mythology likened the dark line of the center of the Milky Way as a serpent of birth.  This event was calculated by their brilliant astronomers, and was important because the Sun will travel through to a new birth.

When the solstice sun rises over the ancient Mayan temple of Chichen Itza, a shadow of a serpent will rise up along the sides to the top. Most of the remaining ancient structures were originally designed to honor the solstice. A ray of light will make its rare entrance into the mound of Newgrange in Ireland. An ancient spiral cut into stone in Coloradowill be visually split by the light of the sun. Henges, like Stonehenge, have a marker stone to cast an exalted shadow, or guide a the sun's light to an open space.  The purpose of the structures of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, will have its day of fulfillment.  The solstice sunrise has been important to the people of this planet for millennia. Tomorrow's syncing with our Milky Way is very rare. Take a moment to acknowledge this important astronomical event in your own way.

Welcome to the birth of the Sun.

Who Wears the Pants?

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

I was recently invited to a Facebook event titled: "Wear Pants to Church Day". As of today, the description for the event is as follows:

" LDS Women Unite: Wear pants to church in solidarity for women's equality. If you already wear pants to church (we're talking to you men!), we invite you to show your support by wearing a purple shirt, tie, socks, or ribbon, purple being a color historically associated with the suffrage movement. This is the first act of All Enlisted, a direct action group for Mormon women to advocate for equality within our faith. 

' "The Church has not attempted to indicate just how long women’s or girls’ dresses shoul

d be nor whether they should wear pant suits or other types of clothing." '--LDS Church Presidency (1971)

We are feminists. We do not seek to eradicate the differences between women and men, but we do want the LDS church to acknowledge the similarities. We believe that much of the cultural, structural, and even doctrinal inequality that persists in the LDS church today stems from the church's reliance on – and enforcement of – rigid gender roles that bear no relationship to reality.

We subscribe to the Book of Mormon teaching that ' “all are alike unto God,” ' and hope that our choice to wear pants to our Sunday worship services (a choice sanctioned by our spiritual leaders over 40 years ago!) reminds our families, congregations, and leaders that we have not forgotten this gospel truth."

The comments and their subsequent threads have been a fascinating.  I have decided to share the following on the event page:

First I will preface this with allowing the knowledge that I am not a member of the LDS church.  I was born and have lived most of my life in Salt Lake City.  My in-laws are all members of the LDS church.  My life has been saturated with the culture and beliefs of this religion.  Please take a moment to read what this inside outsider has to say on this subject.

I have seen that the idea of women coming to church in pants as a form of protest for equality  is causing quite a stir among many members.  My first thought is that it is gravely unfortunate that a members' choice of clothing should be of any importance to other members.  I have read several members cite that their reasoning is respect, or that a person should dress in a manner that they would like to present themselves to their Savior.  Personally I feel that the Lord would not pay any attention to the clothing worn by a person when they are in the Presence.  Clothing and fashions are from the material world.  We are born naked.  Adam and Eve were in the Garden with God, naked and unclothed until coerced by snake in a tree.  I believe that shows that God does not judge us based off of what we wear.  Only humans judge humans based on the superficial.

That said, what purpose does it then serve to dress nicely for service?  Many psychological studies have demonstrated that what we wear can affect our mood and perception of ourselves.  If we are wearing something that we set aside for something special, which is typically a very nice garment, we will perceive the event we are attending as special.  For this purpose, it is a universally accepted habit to wear special garments for ritual worship.  Preparing for ritual with special clothing is the beginning of preparation for the proper mental state for the forthcoming rite. 

Are weekly or daily church meetings sacred enough to dress in designated clothing?  For some it is, and for some it isn't.  Some people are comfortable worshiping in their every day clothes.  Others are more comfortable dressing in special clothing, or dressing in nicer clothes than every day wear.  This may depend on an individual, a congregation, and cultural influence.

When I was young, I had many friends that tried to bring me to church with them.  I remember one day, when I was 11, a girl  told me that I could still go to church and not have to wear a dress.  She had made the assumption that I didn't go to her church because of their perceived dress code.   I found this comment to be interesting.  While it appeared a kind sentiment that they would accept me as I was, I knew in my heart it wasn't true.  If I chose to attend regular meetings, it would only be a manner of time before women and girls would start to make their judgments of my choice of clothing known by seemingly polite comments.  "You would look so pretty in a dress!" 

A separation of dress for genders is nothing new in religious cultures.  Expectations for dress varies between religions and even congregations.   I have been denied entrance to a Buddhist temple because of my clothing.  They didn't allow me in with shorts.  I have been warmly welcomed to a different Buddhist temple wearing the same form of clothes.  This demonstrates that it is not the religion doing the judging, but the people.

There is a pressure in Utah LDS culture for women to present themselves in a certain manner, especially at their church houses.  The women who created this event, and who are attending, are demonstrating their awareness of this issue.  They are also expressing their concern for they ways men and women are treated differently in their church.  It is this aspect of the protest that I believe is bothering other members the most.

The LDS church has operated on a strict difference between men and women since its beginnings.  They have different roles, and are allowed different privileges.  This has been accepted for generations.  However, a slowly growing movement for equality has been making its way through the church, coinciding with the growing movement for equality in the secular world.  As women gained equality from our government, the gains eventually translated to further gains within their church culture. I believe we are witnessing the next step in the process.

I will now address the issue that appears to be the most divisive, and avoided, subject in the comment threads I have read.  That issue is the priesthood.  I would just like to share my experience with blessings.  The first time I ever experienced the power of a blessing I was  attending a Young Womens' camp.  One of the girls had a terribly painful migraine.  A man was called from the neighboring Young Mens' camp to come give a blessing.  Everyone stood in a circle around the girl while the man laid his hands over her and performed his blessing.  The power of Supreme Love was extreme and beautiful.

Since then, I have experienced this same essence many times in my life.  It may surprise some members of the LDS church that this experience came not only from the spiritual strength of men, but also of women.  I have attended religious rituals that were essentially the same set up as the first LDS blessing I experienced.  I have experienced Reiki and Wiccan blessings, which enact similar physical and spiritual manners.  These were sometimes performed by men, but more often my experiences have been done by women.   These moments shared the power of Supreme Love just as strongly and as real as the blessing done by the man in the LDS camp. 

Women are just as spiritually powerful as men.  Their spirits do not lack in anything from a man's spirit.  The light of God's love is within everyone and can be activated by anyone with pure love and intent.

I will finish with what I believe to be a stunningly beautiful testament to the equality of the soul, regardless of gender, which is reflected by clothing. 

The practitioners of Islam are well known for the women being required to dress in an extremely modest manner.  The extremities of this vary from culture to culture.  Women commonly cover up their heads as a sign of respect.  (As an aside: some Muslim women protest this cultural symbol of respect, the head scarf, by not wearing it; just like these LDS women will be protesting the wearing of dresses or skirts by wearing pants) There is a moment in a Muslim's life when this gender enforced modestly is pushed aside.   It is the duty of every devout Muslim to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime.  This is the pilgrimage to Mecca performed during the last month of the year.  During this pilgrimage everyone wears a white robe.  Men, and most women, shave their heads. No one can judge if you are rich or poor, and the physical differences between man and woman become faint.  This is to humbly demonstrate that we are equal in the eyes of God.  Millions of people attend the Hajj in unison yearly.  It is a wonderful testament of ultimate spiritual equality.

The LDS church is an ever-unfolding church that has its growing pains just as any other church.  It is not up to me to dictate what should happen in their religion.  I just wanted to write this in order to illuminate some perceptions and hope that the reader can take away something positive from what may have been gleaned.

Personal Paranormal Experience, part 2: Something In the Dark

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)
I think everyone will have ghostly experiences in their lifetime. Some are not very dramatic and will easily get passed on with excuses. Others are indisputably paranormal. In this three part series, I will reveal to you what things have convinced me there is another form of existence beyond the human realm.

I first read about lucid dreaming when I was 13.  The idea of being in some control of my dreams intrigued me so much that I put it into practice.  I got to a point where I could retain some conscious awareness that I was dreaming, and therefore experience it for an entertaining value.  I didn't always do this, but most of the time I was successful.  If a dream wasn't going the way I liked, I would change it.  If it got real bad, I'd tell myself to wake up.  Simple lucid dreaming experience.

A couple of years into this, at age 15, my dreams gave me a new experience.  Something I wish I could forget.  I was asleep, doing my thing with lucid dreaming, when at a moment I felt that I wasn't alone.   My conscious part of myself was alarmed.  I looked around my dream and found something in my dream, watching me.  It was a dark and very ominous being.  It had such a heavy feeling of dread that the sense emanated through everything around it.  There was no mistaking that it was not a part of my standard dream. It was separate from me. It was watching me.  After some work, I forced myself awake. 

The being of dread was like a silhouette of a tall man.  There was nothing distinct about its shape.  Just blackness.  A blackness that no light could pass through or illuminate. The only other feature was the eyes.  They were a glowing gold.  The light seemed to be coming from within.

The next night I experienced the same thing.  This thing invaded my dream.  I would be minding my own business, sleeping and dreaming, when again my consciousness felt the presence, and found the source of my terror.  This shadow being was no good.  I experienced this for several nights in a row, until one night when I was just refusing to fall asleep.

I didn't want another visitation.  I was too afraid to fall asleep.  This thing would not leave me alone and I felt that if I could break the chain of sleep for even one night, it would lose interest and go away.  So I stayed up, reading in my room. 

Then I felt it.

The heavy weight of dread was the first thing that caught my attention.  I reluctantly looked in the direction of the source.  Across to the other corner of my room was the dark shadow and the glowing eyes.  My internal alarm spiked.  I grabbed my blankets, covered myself with them, and went into a tight fetal position.  Looking back I'm not entirely sure why I didn't run out of my room.  Perhaps it was because that would have taken me physically closer to it, perhaps it is because I didn't want me to follow me out and pester my family.  Rather I hid in the bed like a small child  This thing terrified me.

While I hid I felt it watching me.  Just standing there, filling me with fear, the same as it did while it was in my dreams.  I closed my eyes so tight and prayed for sleep.  I felt that sleep would at least put me in a level playing field.  This thing did not belong in my physical space.

Eventually I escaped into sleep. 

It never came back.

I didn't tell people about this experience for years as I feared this dark thing would sense I was talking about it and come back.  I searched for answers as to what this being was.  A simple 'demon' answer just wasn't good enough for me.  I finally got to a point where I could tell a few people about it.  A good friend of mine who was a Druid high priest said he felt it was a psychic vampire, and he told me it couldn't physically harm me, it was just trying to keep me from my potential.  Still not certain this was it, I continued my research.  I have come across stories of shadow people, but most aren't described quite like this.  I did once come across a girl telling the same type of experience on a discussion forum, and she was the same age I was when I experienced it.  I have gotten more comfortable sharing the story, but I still feel some uneasiness.  Sharing this story is a big step for me.  Perhaps it could help someone else out who has also experienced a visitation from a being like this. 

Personal Paranormal Experience, part1: Being of Light

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)
I think everyone will have ghostly experiences in their lifetime. Some are not very dramatic and will easily get passed on with excuses. Others are indisputably paranormal. In this three part series, I will reveal to you what things have convinced me there is another form of existence beyond the human realm.

My first experience isn't actually with a ghost. I'm not sure if my second one was either (read it to see what I mean). However, it is paranormal in nature, and it firmly sets in my stronghold in an afterlife.

 I was 14. Something bright woke me from my sleep. I looked at the foot of my bed to see a figure that was strongly illuminated. In most circumstances a light that bright would cause me to close my eyes and look away. However, this light didn't cause any strife to my vision. It was welcoming. In the light was a figure, dressed in light blue, and with golden hair. I could not tell you with certainty if it was male. I felt so comfortable, surrounded by love, and a yearning to hold it. So I jumped up and gave it a hug.

I don't know the amount of time I spent with this being. Time didn't exist. It conversed with me. It wasn't in the normal way that you and I talk, which is with our mouths. It was as though I heard it in my head and understood it with my heart. I could feel a slight pulling connection from the center of my head and the center of my heart with this being. I cannot remember the specifics of our conversation. I am certain that I am not meant to remember that.  My memory of my experience is dominated with the sense of the conversation, not the words.

There was only one thing I was allowed to remember. At the end of our conversation, it said, "Everything will be OK." This message was ambiguous. It referred to my life, and to everything in existence. After saying this, he gently touched my head, which I responded to by laying back down to sleep. When I awoke in the morning I felt an odd sense of being drained, as though I had been crying all night. However, what was in the place of the feeling of being drained was a very strong feeling of love. It is difficult to convey exactly how I felt, but this is the best I can come up with.

The message played over and over in my head "Everything will be OK." I keep that message with me. It is comforting.

This message is also for you.

In the beginning

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

When it comes to religion, I was raised on a clean slate. My parents never talked with me about religious ideals. I was on my own.

When I was a child I found this extremely difficult, especially since I grew up in a state where 80% of the population belongs to one church. Religion is very surfaced in the culture of Utah. The first thing people asked me when first meeting me was "What ward do you belong in?" (A ward is a designated congregation in the LDS church). The parents of my peers would use me and my family as an example of people who will not get the rewards promised to them by God. The people of this culture related with others upon their religious affiliation. This forced me to try to find some sort of religious identity at a very young age.

I have always had a love within me of God, regardless of how people used God as an excuse to judge me. I remember solemnly revering Jesus on Christmas Eve, though in my family it was simply a secular holiday. The Mormon view of God was my only outside influence for the earliest part of my life.

I was fascinated by Greek mythology when we read the stories in elementary school. It is so much a part of me that the only tattoo I have is of Medusa. I would consider this my first introduction of religious thought other than Christian.

Since then I have read many religious and spiritual writings, been held captive to shows about religion, fascinated by what was historical and current mythology, seeking to know the common strain and to understand the core of those around me. I have learned so much, and continue to have my eyes opened further than I ever expected.

I now realize what I perceived as a difficulty has actually been a great gift. My path has been completely of my own choosing, without any force to go down another road. This clean slate from my family is a gift for which I am grateful. 

My current beliefs are from various sources and eclectic.  They are strong in their foundation, though I am ever curious.  I like to learn spiritual truths within the world's religions.  I find that learning about religious beliefs and practices grows my understanding of both humanity and 'Universal Spirit'.  I also have witnessed that each belief contains parts of the whole of what the Great Spirit is, hence every religion is a Spirit facet.

For years I have wanted to write down what thoughts race through my head. This is that outlet. I also want to share with you experiences of different faiths and paths that I come across. I seek never to convert, only to share what has been shared with me. I hope through this you will gain more to grow in the light of Supreme Love.

Blessed be your eternal Self,
Heather