Honoring Sacrifice...Desiring Peace

November 18, 2017

Honoring Sacrifice...Desiring Peace

by Adriene Nicastro-Santos

The happy in Happy Memorial Day sometimes feels like such a mis-fitting holiday wish. Memorials tend to be inherently sad and the energy of these days can bring old, unhealed loss rushing to the surface.

Fortunately, through better understanding we can learn to celebrate loved ones who have passed across the veil. Our honoring, toasting, and loving promenade down memory lane helps us heal. And when can remember that they are free of a cumbersome body, ever surrounded by divine helpers and passed loved ones, we find rest knowing they are welcomed so lovingly Home.

I asked myself this morning, how do I offer a Happy Memorial Day with the mindset of peace, knowing how much I don't support war and conflict? How do I offer love to those suffering with loss, making sure to not ignore any residual unhealed loss in myself? Here it goes...

To all the young and the old, all the men and women, who have selflessly sacrificed for what they believed was important, valuable, and honorable, I thank you.
To those who suffered through conflict, strife, and war, I lovingly lift you into the consciousness of peace, compassion, and brotherhood/sisterhood.
To all those still living in a war-torn landscape, I lovingly lift you in light and love that you come to know you no longer need to struggle and be in pain.
To all those who have passed in my life, I thank you for the lessons...what appears to be "bad" and what I see as "good", knowing all lessons are gifts for my highest good.
To all those still mourning loss in all its various and sundry forms, may you find solace, comfort, and peace knowing you are never alone and love is never, ever lost.
And to a world, seemingly consumed with fear and conflict, I lift all living things into the consciousness of peace and unity; that we grow to be a world not just free from war, but one that abides in oneness knowing that every stone cast creates an endless ripple. Let that stone be love.

Please join us Sundays at 7:00 pm, Tuesdays at 8:00 pm and Thursdays at 7:30 pm for Global Healing Meditations. Keep an eye out for our live broadcasts, too when we are able.

Many blessings and joy on this holiday dedicated to remembering,
Adriene

Posted by Adriene Nicastro-Santos. Posted In : Spirituality

Spiritual Healing: A Brief Glance

November 18, 2017

Spiritual Healing: A Brief Glance

by Adriene Nicastro-Santos

After many years of self-development and internal work to release the long-held pain of past traumas, I found myself still struggling. Something in traditional psychotherapy and classical introspection wasn't doing the trick. Something was missing. That was when I began to seriously study spiritual teachings and receive spiritual healing.

Now, mainstream healing trends are often relegated to a trip to the doctor and a prescription of little blue pills. The broader context of healing, in truth, encompasses so much more. Anything that helps us is healing, including our belief in healing itself (what science calls the placebo effect and spirituality calls faith).

When we arrive in the realm of 'spiritual healing', many people decide to get off the bus and wave a pleasant, but skeptical goodbye. So what is this illusive practice, steeped in mystery and shrouded for many in magic? Spiritual healing has a variety of avenues, from the laying on of hands, darshan, and shamanic ceremonies, to name a few. It is a gentle, peaceful process meant to hold those receiving in unconditional love. It is experiencing the crest of the mountain, a celebration of our holy nature, a witness to the Divine within another and ourselves.

Spiritual healing is sometimes very subtle, like a gentle rain that washes away the dust and debris with such care we barely notice. At other times, it's as though we witnessed the sun in all it's glory and radiance for the first time. What prepares us for such powerful transformation is the shedding of limiting beliefs...the beliefs that block us from receiving that which is divinely inspired. That is to say, self-development, serious introspection, counseling, and therapy, can open our mind and heart by helping us shed the hurts that keep us in a confined consciousness. Inner work can serve to prepare us for spiritual healing and spiritual healing can prepare us for more inner work and deeper healing.

The energetic component of spiritual healing happens as a channeling of divine energy through the healer, a conduit to the receiver. Witnessing the healee as the embodiment of Spirit in union with God, beyond all limitations, calls forth the perfection in which we all were created. The healing energy harkens to the light within to burn brightly to shine away pain on any level. Spiritual healing addresses all levels of our being - physical, mental, and emotional. As such, it enables us to heal whatever form our difficulties take, returning us to the Truth in which we were created.

Many blessings,
Adriene

Posted by Adriene Nicastro-Santos. Posted In : Spirituality

New World Declaration

November 18, 2017

New World Declaration

by Adriene Nicastro-Santos

The fourth of July has taken on different meaning for me this year in the wake of political, social, environmental, and economic unrest. We appear to be a country divided...divided by political views, by social injustice, on care for Mother Earth, and an economic rift steeped in lack. What we witness in the news, in communities across the country, in casual and intimate encounters, and in our own experiences with a vastly changing climate, breeds fear - fear of the future for ourselves, our families and loved ones, and our Mother.

Reflecting on this holiday, I returning to the words of our founding fathers...

In Congress, July 4, 1776,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Seems as though we've strayed far from our long ago belief. And as we look at this famous statement of truth, we must even push past the appearance that half the population seems removed (women) and that slavery was still highly practiced. IF we shift to higher vision to really see "men" as humankind and add All Living Things - plant, animal, human of all shapes, sizes, genders, race, orientation - we embark on a journey that truly honors Life. While I realize this is a big if (big because we know the shortcomings of those "Declaration men", big because it is a huge leap to look beyond what seems to be), I encourage each of you to really hold to this as our original intent...an all encompassing vision. This is our direction, our destiny. This is uplifting our consciousness out of the depths of the darkness that seems to surround our great divide and beckons us to give up our pain, suffering, lack, prejudice, judgments, and fear...once and for all.

So, in honor of the childhood memories that are burned in my brain, let's do a timely rewrite to the preamble of the Constitution that addresses the spirit of this well intended document:

We the people, in order to remember our perfect Union with one another beyond all limitation, establish Justice and insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense of Universal Grace by wrapping all in love and light, promote the general Welfare by supporting and valuing one another , and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and all life and our Prosperity by embracing God's abundance, so ordain and establish this New World constitution for the United States of America.

Happy 4th and many blessings on your path,
Adriene

Posted by Adriene Nicastro-Santos. Posted In : Spirituality

Honoring All Mothers

November 14, 2017

Honoring All Mothers

by Adriene Nicastro-Santos

To all you many mothers,

We wanted to extend a warm and loving mother's day wish to all mothers - biological mothers, step-mothers, adoptive mothers, pet mothers, den mothers... We know that there is much love and care that you give to those in your life. You have embarked upon a journey that has many twists and turns, joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams. The journey to give life, guiding and nurturing, and finally setting those offspring loose upon the world requires courage, wisdom, centeredness, patience, and love...to name a few. Lord knows, there are times that we feel totally absent of any tools, but somehow, those in our care make their way and emerge from the world exactly as they need to be.

As a mother, many times I have forgotten about myself in the process, so I personally encourage you to do something nice for yourself today - something nurturing, loving, and honoring all that encompasses caring for yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. We must all remember that to be the best version of ourselves, we must be sure to take personal care seriously, otherwise our resources and reserves will be too depleted to truly be the best we are able.

Finally, we extend love, light, and peace to Mother Earth, who is life giving and nurtures us all. She needs our protection, gratitude, and prayers so that those who most profoundly affect her health also honor and care for her in the highest and best manner. Let us thank her for her sustaining, life-giving energy and honor the many forms of life she carries within her womb.

Please join us this evening at 7:00 pm to send her and all life upon her healing. Let us envision her being held lovingly in our arms in unity and wholeness with Universal Power, the creative Source within us and all things.

A Blessed Mother's Day,
Adriene

Posted by Adriene Nicastro-Santos. Posted In : Spirituality

Constant Evolution

November 14, 2017

Constant Evolution

by Adriene Nicastro-Santos

Those of you who spend time with me in group or other venues have witnessed the struggle and profound lessons of the past months. On this journey of spiritual growth, witnessing the challenges of those who appear as our teachers can be frightening. But if we are a student of The Course in Miracles or A Course of Love, we know that teachers and students are relative terms. At times we clearly are one, at times the other, but always uncovering and becoming aware of exactly what is for our highest and best.
Sometimes a notion that the group facilitator or teacher should not be in a place to face challenges is what besets us, bringing the thoughts and worries about what's in store in our own future. Others may find relief that they are not alone in experiencing life's lessons.
After so many years of study, I think I was surprised to find myself in a place of still getting to know Cosmic Force. And much like so many other lessons, I was not aware of how disconnected I felt from it until I emerged on the other side of the experience. How could it be that I felt like this? Well, we all create expectations, constructs, and superimposed belief systems on everything from times past. Cosmic Force, Universal Power, God is not exempt from this. In fact, God and our beliefs about God are reflected in everything we experience...everything. It would seem that all experiences are merely a silhouette or pale shadow of our experiences of God.
My current lessons profoundly reminded me that God is in everything, from the smallest molecule to the biggest building. Anything made of natural substances contains that Cosmic Energy. That which is man-made also contains the God-energy of it's creator. And we are all creators. How wondrous, varied, and colorful the faces of God. From the plants, the trees, and the animals...all have Cosmic Energy that we can interact with and collaborate with in a magical, intricate dance. And just when we are having a little row with our partner or conversation with ourselves, God is witness experiencing life through us as us. We are never, ever truly alone or without.

Many blessings on your path,
Adriene

Posted by Adriene Nicastro-Santos.

Pathways to Inner Peace

A psycho-spiritual journey in peace, vitality, resilience, and faith.