Chanukah — the eight-day festival of light that begins on the eve of the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev — “celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality.” Chanuka begins on December 20th this year!

More than twenty-one centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Inorder to break the spirit of the Jews, the Holy Temple was defiled.   Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G-d.

When they sought to light the Temple’s menorah (the seven branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could procured.

To commemorate these miracles, the festival of Chanukah was established. Chanukah literally means, re-dedicate.  At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.

As our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate Chanuka this year, let us join them in re-dedicating our selves to that which is Holy and Good in life.  Let us take this time to re-connect, re-vitalize, and re-affirm our service to one another, and to Spirit.

Happy Chanukah!

You are Precious.  You are Awesome

Rev. Dr. Kristin Hawkins

We all do it.  Judge, that is.  It happens when we are not looking … and even when we are looking.  We observe … but then the observation turns to a conclusion about the way things are, the way “they” are, or the way we are. 

Why can’t we just leave our observations at the moment of observation?  What’s this need to turn innocent noticing into hard fast conclusions and judgments?  I’ve seen to many times when my judgments prevent me from experiencing new possibilities, from receiving new ideas, relationship, or joys. 

“Everything I think, feel, say or do belongs to me. I am

responsible for all of it.”  I accept this as true, so I’m assuming that I’m responsible for my judgments as well.  So, again, I ask, what is behind this apparent need to judge?

The moment we shift an observation to a judgment we have moved from the external to the internal.  The judgment is not a commentary on the thing observed, but a reflection of some aspect of my inner world.  Let’ say I observe someone making a choice and judge them as selfish.  I’ve taken an observation and given it meaning, and drawn a conclusion.  But the judgment does not make this person selfish or not.  In fact it does not change the other person at all.  If anything it says more about my need to see them as selfish, than about their character.  

This week, I invite us to notice the moment that you move from observer, to judger.   Ask, “what need do I have to see this this way?”  “How is my judgment serving me?  Protecting me?”  See what shows up, and perhaps together we’ll loosen up some of the judgment filters that only prevent us from experience the beauty of life.

You are Precious.  You are Awesome.

Rev. Kristin

So much of our lives are about trying to control the conditions of life!   We see things and circumstances that we want, and we put lots of energy into creating those situations for ourselves.    Things happen that we don’t like, and we become determined to keep them from happening again.   We seek to be in control, and in this way find our security.

When I have been experiencing life as a victim, feeling at the effect of all of the conditions around me, it is quite natural to want to learn to control conditions.   The good news is that there is a Creative Law that we can avail ourselves of, that can be used to lift ourselves from "being at the effect" of life’s conditions.  We can learn to change the conditions toward those that bring us more of what we want through the use of this Creative Law.  Ernest Holmes said, "We believe  in the control of conditions through the power of this Mind" when speaking of this creative law.

However,  if we think that "control of conditions" is all that life is about, I believe we miss a great opportunity to know a greater union with the Divine, and to know a state of enduring Grace.  Yes, we can change conditions,  but conditions are not the enemy to be vanquished. 

Let us use the creative law to change conditions if we like, but in addition let us also seek deep inquiry into what is being called for us to know through the experience of the condition.  Questions for spiritual inquiry might include:  "What greater Spiritual Truth am I being invited to embrace here?",   "What spiritual un-truths am I called to release"?

If we begin to see conditions as the catalyst for our spiritual grow , inviting us to greater awakening,  we would not be in such a hurry to change the condition.  And, in fact, if we took more time in deep spiritual inquiry, then perhaps the result might be a whole new era opening in our lives – and I bet the condition would change as well!   

What do you think?  "I believe in the transformation of life through the deep spiritual inquiry into the conditions of my life."  I just might try that one on for a while!

You are Precious.  You are Awesome.

Rev. Kristin

I shared this personal writing in a recent talk, and had requests to share it here. 

“I admire those that seem to have transcended daily demands of life and dwell in peace, ease and patience that can only come from a constancy of consciousness.  It is not that they are defeated from the falls of life, but surrendered into a wholeness and an infinite inclusively that has no need for resistance.  This is a soul that lives in grace, not as perfect man,  but as only Life truly knowing Itself.   The veil is removed. “

I’m inspired by the book, “Falling Upward, A Spirituality for the Second Half of Life”, written by Richard Rohr.  I’m enjoying the second half of life!   How about you?

You are Precious.  You are Awesome.

Rev. Kristin

I wonder if we ever loose the need for, and the benefit from, practice.   Even the greatest musicians, having achieved the highest accolades for their performances and gifts, continue every day to do their scales.   I guess even the greatest creative geniuses find value in practice, practice, practice.

I’m reminded that this same truth applies to my spiritual practices as well.  No matter how “evolved” my spiritual experience seems to be, the need for practicing my “scales” never goes away.

A few weeks ago I ran across a great reminder of this as I returned to the “40 Day Prosperity Plan”.   The practice comes from John Randolph Price’s “The Abundance Book”.   It’s a short read with a very powerful message in it.   Using a series of ten affirmations, you are invited to meditate on one affirmation a day for 40 days, thereby moving through all ten affirmations four times.   The caveat is that if you miss a day, you are asked to start the 40 day count over again!   What is amazing to me, is that by simply spending a few minutes each day with these affirmations,  I have never failed to realize amazing prosperity experiences!   It seems to hone the edges of my spiritual awareness and the principles that assure my Good.  No matter how long we’ve been a student, practitioner or teacher, there is simply no time when practicing our “scales” does not pay off.

So what have you learned that could use some brushing up?  Where might you benefit from going back to the basic practices that you may have engaged in when you were a beginner?  Perhaps a 40 Day Plan is in order.

You are Precious.  You are Awesome

Rev. Kristin

P.S.   If you want to utilize the 40 Day Prosperity Plan, I’d suggest “The Abundance Book”.  Perhaps even consider forming your own practice group … setting a time each day to call each other and share your scales and the experiences you are having.