Someone prays for a man, who had requested prayer, because he will be homeless soon. In the prayer, that he would find housing was addressed, as well as his religious affiliation. I complained that she prayed in this way. There was a direct request to her identified Holiness to have the Holiness of the homeless person “fall off his perch.” Later I felt bad, as getting others to join your particular religions organization is a sacred duty to many. The temptation to have control here is always an invitation. If in doubt about this I could focus on straightening myself out. I could start with my attitude and my knees.
Stirring the pot in Amritsar
I have attended services and preformed the practices connected to a few different religions.
I was smitten by the Golden Temple in Amritsar in India, climed to the top saying my prayers and wept when I reached the top.
I loved the practices of the Hindus in Varanasi/Benares, lighting candles and placing them on the river Ganges with my prayers. Coming in by boat to the that Holy City and being out in a boat for the festival was a great treat.
Lighting the Candles to set on the Ganges during the Festival of Lights (Benares)
I fell in love with Guru Nanak and his river Bein, and the tree that is still alive at his temple, growing in love for 5oo years.
The Holy Stupa of the Buddha in Katmandu and its prayers wheels made me right at home as I spun each wheel as I spun myself around, in the hopes of coming around right. I prayed for my grown up children there in particular.
I have links to Christianity since I was in the womb. In one of my dreams of Jesus, he was asleep, and I was tiptoeing around trying not to wake him up but he was woken and jumped up ready to go.
Jesus was asleep in the boat when the storm hit.
He appears in a dream wearing blue jeans in another woman’s dream. In meditation I was sure that he said that if I sang at church that he would play. He is archetypal, meaning many things to individual dreamers, bringing in new energies, representing god-like inclinations within the person.
I have counseled with others from different faiths. Some older women, immigrants, smelling of tea, a beautiful suggestion, would smile and glance upwards and put their hand up in a turning gesture in the air, as they acknowledged their God’s presence in all situations, including illness. Others talked of the helpfulness of the prayer mat and bowing their head and saying their secret prayers to God. I always ask people how they pray but would never ask about affiliation or recommend any in particular
She spoke some English when we were given food at the Temple Site
A disregard for the spiritual in life is said to increase the presence of mental illness and unhappiness. Two of my mother’s prayers were “Pour fourth, we beseech thee Oh Lord, Thy Grace into our hearts.” And “May the Divine Assistance always remain with us.” I use them like mantra at times. At a weekend workshop with Snatam Kaur some years ago at Yogaville I told these two mantras to Snatam and she straightened up, put her hands together and murmured her holy words in response. I always remember her smile and this lovely gesture of hers. She sings divinely and was thought to sing the holy songs of her practices while still a child.
Once in meditation, I felt myself turn over energetically, within my body, and it brought to mind those people who go on pilgrimage once in their lifetime so they too can turn their life over to their chosen God. The bowing down is a necessary and archetypal thing as you go along in your spiritual path. It is something that has to happen within. Jesus recommended we bow down too, as low as the eye of the needle, which is a low door into Jerusalem, and the camels could not go through there, because of how low it is. A song came to me after meditation as follows: “All is one, One is all, All is One, One is All, All is one, All is One, There is only One. ” I chant this song at intervals.
I recently talked to a American man who had not heard of Mecca or the black rock to be found there. Yesterday I saw a picture of it from the air, with thousands of people dressed in white, all bent over in prayer, in white, in concentric circles, around this massive black square. It made for a marvelous mandala. Millions make this journey once in a lifetime and stay there for five days praying, praying five times a day. Struggling for rightness within, within the place of pilgrimage, is a place to be greatful and a place to start to change. They bring to this earth a godliness that is grace filled.
I had a dream of being chased by the usual shadow sort who is pretty determined to kill me. I am not that concerned, yet am keeping an eye on this orange person in the woods of my favorite park. My shadow would prefer to kill me than see me make a move forward to take power back from the shadow side of myself. I am not afraid. I have forgotten the follow up dream but at the time it made me think that I am making some progress with wresting some power from my shadow side. Why else would shadow be trying to kill me. I hope I am right. No doubt the next dream will bring in my next adjustment. I am remembering that my dreams are asking me to adjust toward evolving.
Putting my candle on the Ganges during the Festival of Lights in Benares
I am learning that it is always better to not try and wrest power from others however they are praying or what ever they are doing. It is their prerogative. I just have to make sure I am praying in the right way, asking for help from angels, inviting in the Life into my body and soul and go from there. And if you have a desire to wrest some power from your shadow side be sure to contact me and we can sit and see what can be uncovered. It will make you free. May all freedom be yours in the year to come. Love from Rose
Rose Longworth Counseling 