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A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

A New Awareness

As with any journey of discovery, there comes a time when you must leave the comfort of what you know as a light-hearted view of life to explore the true nature of your reality. With this in mind comes the realization that this newsletter must now begin to evolve to present more in-depth information so that you can further your own journey of discovery and kindle within the curiosity to explore your own spiritual truths and path.

Betrayal

Oh!..... the emotional upheaval a word like betrayal brings to mind. The heart-wrenching emotion and devastation left behind once the word has been uttered can and has destroyed families and lives. The hurt and shame society attaches to this can be life altering for everyone; not just those involved but for associates, friends and family. The word itself attaches a stigma to everything it passes.

So if it is such an ugly word, ......... why is it the first word that comes to mind when we think someone has spoken out of turn or acted unfairly toward us? Are we that desperate to see someone we care about suffer at the hands of mob rule? Are we looking for a reason to drive that person away without understanding or without having to look at ourselves too closely? Are we so unsure of ourselves that we don't acknowledge the concerns of those who care for us and who resort to this extreme in "order to protect us from ourselves?" Why are we so ready to condemn when we don't know the truth or the situation that surrounded it? How can we judge if we were not present to witness it? So many questions that in the end depend solely on your perception.

Betrayal has a very personal reaction. It can whip a crowd into a frenzy but ultimately it is based on personal perception. How we ultimately decide to deal with it can have far reaching repercussions. As we approach the Christian tradition of Easter, we know that according to lore betrayal had a part in the events. Again there are two sides to every story, and sometimes even more.

The story of Judas' betrayal as related by many churches can sometimes be viewed as a crushing guilt that extends to everyone today, but is that the truth of the story? The apostle Paul also betrays Christ but he is forgiven by the church as he becomes one of their founders and helps in shaping the faith as we know it. I think though that the story of Judas is something that needs to be examined, especially in light of the discovery in the 1970's of a scroll that is attributed to his telling of the story and the lives effected.

In his story Judas tells of a great love of Christ and the willingness to do whatever he was asked because of his love and understanding of who Christ was. The knowledge that Christ had about what was to happen, how it was to happen and who would be involved would have tested anyone's resolve to set those events in motion. To ask a friend to betray you and to tell that friend that they would suffer the persecution and stigma of betrayal seems unfathomable to a lot of people. However understanding that Christ's spirit was evolved to a point of pure understanding allows this seemingly ultimate betrayal to be viewed in a very different light. To trust your death to only one person who you love and that loves you enough to follow through no matter the consequence implies not only love and understanding but a true sense of self and purpose.

For Judas, the thought of being told how loved and trusted he was and to be asked to be the person most of history would blame and defile must have weighed heavy on his soul at least for a little while. Ultimately we know that love and faith prevailed and the events came to pass whether we know the whole truth of the story or not.

So this story of betrayal has at least three or four versions that we know of; Christ's, Judas', the remaining apostles and the church's official story as told in the Bible. Which is right or is it a combination? Either way it creates a desire to know the truth and that is what we must search for. Ultimately we have to accept that Christ unconditionally loved and forgave Judas for he acted out of love and devotion and gave of himself what was asked by his dearest friend and teacher.

The betrayals in our own lives mirror much the same when it comes to the number of available versions. Take a spouse that cheats.

1. Version 1 - The other spouse left wondering what and why, suffers an intense sense of betrayal. Vows were taken and vows were broken .... if you're lucky you at least get the truth from your mate. However there is still an overwhelming sense of devastation; the person you trust most in this world has betrayed your trust and your love. This partner is left with a sense of shame and an illogical sense that some family and friends will find blame with them.
2. Version 2 - From the cheater's point of view they could honestly believe that they've done nothing wrong and that you or others are over reacting. They have spent time creating their reasons and justifications. Right or wrong those reasons and justifications allow them to go on.
3. Version 3 - Society and friends will lay blame where it is convenient and rumour and speculation can run the gambit. One wasn't loving, one was never home, one spent too much time working while the other played, one was too permissive, one was too controlling. No one stops to see the ramification of each accusation on either partner nor on the people that knew and yet said nothing. Again another battle can begin over another seeming betrayal.

Again the betrayals we think we suffer run the gambit from the mundane to the extreme. From politicians, to governing boards, to family, to friends the potential to feel betrayed is everywhere if we allow it be. It is hard in fact to separate out all of the impacts because many of the points of view will never come to light and some people involved with forever hold their tongues to avoid hurting others. This is again a lesson in forgiveness and yet another chance to have our spirit grow and evolve into something spectacular.

I bid you and your family peace, love, joy and understanding in whatever celebrations you partake in.

CRYSTALS

Ametrine is a crystal that is actually a composition of two more powerful yet common crystals; citrine and amethyst. The combination of these crystals can create within the person wearing them a sense of harmony and balance. It is unusual to find a crystal that combines other crystals within it. There are a few that will grow side by side but they retain their individual components. The main source of ametrine is Bolivia, in South America. It was introduced to Europe when the conquistadors returned with gifts from the newly discovered world.

Ametrine is very useful in that it aids the body by increasing the oxygen supply available to the body. It also encourages the body to heal more rapidly after any serious illnesses. Ametrine can be used to stimulate the creative energies. It has been used as an aid against hardening of the arteries and senile dementia. Allow the crystal to sit over the eyes can help to heal any eye problems.

Ametrine is not a crystal to be used lightly in meditation, because the properties of the stone can create more of an imbalance within the body as the crystal energies sometime work in opposition. On the spiritual level ametrine is a wonderful crystal to help with intuition.

To cleanse allow the ametrine to sit within a warm water bath with fresh water continually rinsing over it. Recharge the ametrine by allowing it to rest on or in among amethyst crystals.

Ametrine

A BLESSING for May Day/Beltane

The celebration of May Day or Beltane is to recognize and harness the vitality and inner power of all growing things. The heat of the sun radiating through the Earth brings abundance to life and becomes the energy behind growth, creativity, and helps us all to reconnect with our sensuality and sexuality. It is a time to celebrate the fire in all life and our evolving spirit.

"Universal Light, Christ Consciousness, open our hearts and minds to the possibilities available to us.

Allow us to know our passions for what they are and for what they truly mean to us.

Allow us to know our true needs so that we may find our way to our own green pastures.

Help us to bring to life our dreams and hopes in ways that are gentle to the soul.

Help us to recognize and rejoice with our connected spirits and within our community the abundance of Life.

Allow us to celebrate the growth, strength and power of ourselves so that we can shine brightly

and serve as gentle reminders of forth coming joy and possibilities."

Blessed be.

MONTHLY MEDITATION

"God's Protecting Presence"

"Teach me to feel that I am enveloped always in the aureole of Thine all-protecting omnipresence, in birth, in sorrow, in joy, in activity, in meditation, in ignorance, in trials, in death and in final emancipation.

Teach me to open the gate of meditation that alone leads to Thy blessed presence.

Behind the wave of my consciousness the sea of cosmic consciousness. Under the ripple of my mind is the supporting ocean of Thy vastness. I am protected by Thy Divine Mind.

The light of goodness and Thy protective power are ever shining through me. I saw them not, because my eyes of wisdom were closed. Now Thy touch of peace has opened my eyes; Thy goodness and unfailing protection flow through me."

From Metaphysical Meditations by Paramahansa Yogananda