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Posts Tagged ‘Christianity’

For those of us who have teenage children, the question of lying or dishonesty is often a problematic one. A recent Cosmopolitan article stated “that all teenagers lie” and suggested that as a parent we should not be too confrontational with our teenage children when this occurs. They said that to confront the teenager on the spot would lead to more aggression and aggravate a potentially already volatile situation. Further suggestions are made to try and deal with that aspect of lying in a more subdued matter such as “dealing with the topic of the moment at a later period when you can discuss the situation when the teenager is in a more receptive state of mind.” We bring our children up to tell the truth, however sometimes now it seems that this lesson is sometimes forgotten when they reach the age of 16 or 17. Confucius is purported to have said “if a man has seven children, he will tell you of the seven different ways of how to raise children”. While it is true for most that the teenage years are turbulent and a time of change, many teenagers and children turn into adults that we, as parents, can be proud of.

There is another truth in life and it is this “we teach other people how to treat us”. Therefore by allowing our children to lie to us at any stage we are condoning such behaviour. What we are in fact teaching is “it’s okay to lie to me or anyone else for that matter if you think I do not need to know the truth.” Many may take the moral high ground and rely on religious teaching to find a benchmark. Many scribes and scholars, rabbis, ministers and priests are divided on this issue. The hardline approach of being black and white is that one shouldn’t lie! However after some further study it is interesting to note that in the old Testament there are a number of situations where one is permitted to lie. Read the rest of this entry »

Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer’s end.” In Scotland and Ireland, Halloween is known as Oíche Shamhna, while in Wales it is Nos Calan Gaeaf. With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints’ Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide. November 2nd became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who the departed and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven.

Samhain is an ancient festival with roots as far back as ancient Egypt. Celebrations aligned with the end of the harvest, shorter days and coming of winter, have long been in existence in various cultures. The circle of birth, death and rebirth has been linked to the seasons and the harvest in many cultures.

In addition to its agricultural significance, the ancient Celts saw Samhain as a very spiritual time. Read the rest of this entry »

This Blog on the History of Reiki is an excerpt from “Hawayo Takata’s Story” by Helen J Kaberly

Dr Usui’s Five Spiritual Precepts are:

• Just for today – do not anger
• Just for today – do not worry
• Honour your teachers, parents and elders
• Earn your living honestly
• Show gratitude to all living things Read the rest of this entry »

This Blog on the History of Reiki is an excerpt from “Hawayo Takata’s Story” by Helen J Kaberly

The monks greeted him with gladness, pleased he had returned on the twenty first day alive and healthy.� Enquiring after the head of the monastery, he learned the abbot was in his quarters suffering great pain from arthritis; so as soon as he had bathed and dressed in clean robes, he went to make his report.� The abbot was very happy to hear that the search of long years had been rewarded and the secrets of healing had been revealed.� He asked for a demonstration which immediately relieved his pain.� The two men discussed what should be done with this great knowledge, and Dr Usui decided to go into the vast slums of Kyoto where he would offer healing to the beggars.� He would then send the younger ones to the monastery where they would be trained by the monks in skills which would help them earn banded together under a leader and they did not welcome others amongst them.� Dr Usui requirements were a place to sleep and to do his work, along with three bowls of rice a day.� Read the rest of this entry »

This Blog on the History of Reiki is an excerpt from “Hawayo Takata’s Story” by Helen J Kaberly

After seven years in America, Dr Usui decided to return to Kyoto where he would be able to study more fully the Buddhist Sutras.� There he visited many temples and monasteries talking with monks about healing.� They were in agreement that Buddha had healed; however this practice has been dropped from Buddhism with the monks concerning themselves only with spiritual health and leaving the physical to the doctors.� In the course of his search Dr Usui met a Zen abbot who invited him to remain in his monastery while pursuing his studies.� The invitation was accepted and for several years Dr Usui remained with the monks.� He studied first the writings in Japanese, and not finding what he sought he decided perhaps much had been lost in the translations.� Since Buddhism had been brought to Japan from China, he then learned Chinese and read the Sutras in that language.� He knew he was closer but still did not find exactly what he wanted.� Again he questioned the translation, deciding to learn Sanskrit since Buddhist had come originally from India.� He became a Sanskrit Master and it was in this language that he finally found what he had been seeking.� The secrets of healing were his.� He had found the symbols – yet he did not know what to do with them or how to use them.� Not willing to accept this as the final answer, he decided to go a few miles outside Kyoto to a mountain considered sacred by the monks, there to fast and meditate for three weeks – in the expectation that he would be shown the meaning of the information he had found.� He discussed his intention with the abbot, with the request that if he did not return on the twenty first day, some monks be sent to the mountains on the next day to collect his bones.� He did not intend to return without an answer.� Read the rest of this entry »

This Blog on the History of Reiki is an excerpt from “Hawayo Takata’s Story” by Helen J Kaberly

�Once upon a time a gift of great value was given to the children of Earth.� Not all people recognised it as a great gift nor honoured it as such, but it was none the less a wondrous offering to those who could understand and accept what had been given.� Throughout the ages there have been stories of this magical gift that came to be called “healing”.� It has been talked of in many times and in many places – in ancient lands such as Egypt, Tibet and China – and in other countries past remembering.� Some said it was just a myth without substance – others declared the healers Avatars – for it was said that each of them had brought this gift of healing when they had come to share their messages of Truth with the children of Earth; yet such magic was no longer known or practiced and there were few, if any, who could truly say such a thing had ever existed.� There were many legends about the healing miracles of the great teachers; such stories were easily dismissed when there had been no demonstration of it for hundreds of years – if indeed such events had ever occurred.� Those who insisted upon “proof” found none, so the ones who believed that such things were possible held this quietly to themselves knowing there was no way to prove what they believed.� Read the rest of this entry »

To grow spiritually in a world defined by power, money, and influence is a Herculean task. Modern conveniences such as electronic equipments, gadgets, and tools as well as entertainment through television, magazines, and the web have predisposed us to confine our attention mostly to physical needs and wants. As a result, our concepts of self-worth and self-meaning are muddled. How can we strike a balance between the material and spiritual aspects of our lives?To grow spiritually is to look inward.

Introspection goes beyond recalling the things that happened in a day, week, or month. You need to look closely and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and motivations. Periodically examining your experiences, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, and the things you engage in provide useful insights on your life goals, on the good traits you must sustain and the bad traits you have to discard. Moreover, it gives you clues on how to act, react, and conduct yourself in the midst of any situation. Like any skill, introspection can be learned; all it takes is the courage and willingness to seek the truths that lie within you. Here are some pointers when you introspect: be objective, be forgiving of yourself, and focus on your areas for improvement. Read the rest of this entry »