Monday, May 31, 2010

A Frog Comes A Courtin'

Yesterday afternoon Elliot called upstairs to me, "Hurry! You've got to come see this. There's a little frog looking in our front door. His tiny hands are in prayer position! Talk about fully relying on God!"

I hurried down to take a look. Sure enough he was intently praying. Playfully, I asked,"Are you the same little tree frog I rescued from the trash can many months ago? Have you returned to thank me for answering your prayers that evening?" Knowing that frog is an acronym for Fully Relying On God, I wondered why the deliberate message? Was he reminding us to remember God in our going out and our coming in?

With so much transformation happening in the world, I believe that the frog was a heads up to keep our minds attuned to the heavenly host and not be deceived by our perceptions. Humanity is taking a leap into a higher state of consciousness and the old ways are no longer working. There is a higher realm to live and move in which we are being rebirthed.

I thanked the frog for the visit. He stayed there for several hours and then disappeared as mysteriously as he arrived.

Enjoy your day with the angels knowing that you are never alone.

Karen

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Memorial Day


My 91-year-old Mom called on Friday evening, excited about a wonderful traveling high school band that put on a Memorial Day program at the military retirement community where she lives. They played the old Glen Miller favorites from her era, like In the Mood. At the end of the show, they sung the fight songs of the three branches of military service, honoring those who fought and sacrificed much for our freedom. The teens put on a terrific show and there was a synergy that moved between the youth and the elders.

Mom thought of me when she saw the evening program. It had a special prayer.

"We pray that:

Angels before you guide and direct you.
Angels behind you watch over and bless you.
Angels beside you care for, comfort, and
strengthen you.

The Light of God surround you
The Love of God enfold you
The Power of God protect you
The Divine Presence of God be with you.
The Peace of God be in your heart.
Wherever you are, God is and all is well."

The prayer is a wonderful reminder that we are always in the company of Angels. Edgar Cayce, the Sleeping Prophet, gave an interesting reading for a young man who miraculously survived a close brush with death on the battlefield in World War I. Although wounded, the man was physically helped off the battlefield by an angel. The man later asked about the meaning of this angelic encounter in a reading with Edgar Cayce.

"In the angel stooping on the field, in the walking through the garden with the shadow...the entity was being guided, or guarded, or protected, that that as had been promised from the foundations of the world would be to each individual, "If ye will be my people I will be thy God." He that walketh in the light, and purposes in his heart to do, be that which the Creative Forces would have one be, shall not be left alone! for...His arm, His hand, will direct thy ways." In his book, Cayce on Angels, Archangels and Unseen Forces, Robert Grant tells us that in this reading God's arm and hand are the angels who are our constant companions and guardians through life.
Today let us salute the brave soldiers who serve or have served in our Armed Forces as well as all the guardian angels who serve right along beside them. Thanks, Dad.

Angelic blessings,

Karen

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Practicing the Awareness of Angels

This past week I've been doing a little exercise where I stop in the midst of everyday activities and remember the Angels who are with me. In that moment of silence, I thank them for their loving guidance and protection. By doing this, I've found their presence getting stronger in my life. I feel more buoyant by a Love unseen but not unnoticed. The Angels are becoming more tangible in my world. Most of you who know me, realize by now my deep love for nature, especially this time of year when the flowers are blooming. I've been outside in the garden more than I have at the computer. Yesterday while shopping for a gift for my Mom's 92nd birthday, I stumbled upon a beautiful angel statue with the perfect message: Flowers bring love to the heart.
Have a joyful day with your Angels,
Karen

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Paramahansa Yogananda

Virginia Beach sunrise

Paramahansa Yoganda founded Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920 to disseminate his teachings worldwide. In his book, How You Can Talk with God, he writes that our physical form is made of molecules, molecules are made of atoms, atoms are made of electrons, and electrons are made of life force or "lifetrons"--countless billions of specks of energy. With your spiritual eye, you can see the body as a mass of scintillating specks of light--the energy that is emanating from your 27 thousand billion cells. He goes on to say that "only through delusion do you see the body as solid flesh. In reality, it is not matter but energy."

In the Autobiography of a Yogi, I was amazed to learn that weeks after Paramanhansa's death, his unchanged face shone with the divine luster of incorruptibility. The Los Angeles Mortuary Director, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park wrote to Self Realization Fellowship a notarized letter with these excerpts. "The absence of any visual signs of decay in the dead body of Paramanhansa Yogananda offers the most extraordinary case in our experience...No physical disintegration was visible in his body even 20 days after death. This state of perfect preservation of a body is, so far as we know from mortuary annals, an unparalleled one..."

This great world teacher was demonstrating the value of yoga (scientific techniques for God-realization) even in death.

If you haven't read Autobiography of a Yogi, it's a fascinating story of an extraordinary search for Truth.

Angelic blessings,




Karen






Saturday, May 15, 2010

Birthday Celebrations

Last weekend another birthday rolled around and spontaneity paid off. My husband and son took me to lunch. At the last minute we decided to see if our favorite Indian restaurant was open. Several months ago, the Nawab closed for renovations following a fire. When we walked into the dining area, what a surprise to find one wall painted with my favorite flowers, irises! Not only was the buffet delicious but mango pudding was for dessert!

In Flower Newhouse's book, The Meaning and Value of the Sacraments, I read a passage on the celebration of birthdays. How they aren't just a physical milestone, but a time to reflect on our life and its purpose. She recommends a clean notebook for birthday notes. During the year this journal will be a source to read and meditate upon daily. You can fill it with inspirational and instructive material that you gather along the way. You can record your experiences, tests you've passed and ideals you achieved.

Some of the questions we may ask ourselves, praying that our Higher Self will give us insight:

1. In what ways have we achieved inner changes and transformation through the years? If we haven't improved very much, why not?

2. By what means have we been stimulated and deepened in our character?

3. Just how fully are we expressing our spiritual intentions?

4. In what vital ways have we tried to make this world a better place?

5. How much have we advanced in learning to love all life (mankind, the creatures, and nature)?

6. How well are we uprooting negativity?

7. What are our goals for this new natal year?

8. What will be your symbol for this year's ideal?

I took Flower's advice and bought a new journal for my birthday notes. I must admit that by focusing on the spiritual aspect of my birthday, the day was richer in every way.

Angelic blessings,

Karen






The Guardian Angel and the Frog

I've often written about the acronym for FROG. It was in a newsletter several years ago.

"I was told a story about a lady in the hospital who was near death when an area chaplain came to visit her. This chaplain was a very young female with long blond hair. She listened to the lady who was ill and left her a small gift for comfort. It was a tiny ceramic frog.

The next day one of the people from the lady's church came to visit. The lady told her friend about the beautiful young chaplain who had come to visit her. The friend was so impressed with the way the lady had improved and felt the need to talk to the young chaplain. In her search to find the young girl, she was repeatedly reassured that the chaplains are never very young and there was never a young girl that fit the description.

Upon returning to the lady in the hospital, a visiting nurse entered the room and noticed the ceramic frog. The nurse made the comment, "I see you have a guardian angel with you." As she held the little frog we asked why she made the comment and were told that frog stands for
(F)ully (R)ely (O)n (G)od."

Enjoy your day with the Angels,

Karen



Saturday, May 8, 2010

Thoughts on Angels


(photo from the web)

Angels have been spoken of by all the great saints and prophets and poets throughout history. They've been painted and dreamed of and sung about. Angels are mentioned over 200 times in the Bible. Ninety-eight percent of all Americans believe in angels. Quite a leap of faith since 1993, when 69 percent were believers in our celestial hosts. We cannot ignore that they are part of our existence. Angels leave their mark in beautiful moments and precious gifts to the soul. The mark of an Angel is love. Here are a few tips about angels:


* Seek an angel with an open heart and open mind.


* Sometimes you know the angels were around by the miracles they leave blossoming in their wake.


* An angel raises your spirits.


* Angels make you feel welcome in this world. They encourage you to remember you are never alone.


* Angels give you direction. They always point up.


* Angels lovingly and gently push you out of your little self into your Divine Self.


* Angels remind you that you are enough, always. Angels help you see yourself in a better Light.


* Angels encourage you to share your talents and gifts. You make the world a better place by your presence.

Wishing you a joyful day with your Angels.

Karen

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The Bull Frog Serenade: An Angel Message

We have been going through nights of interrupted sleep. Living on a farm, it's nice to leave the slider door open to catch the breeze.  It beats the drone of the A/C unit.  But last night the bull frogs down at the pond were chanting like monks all the way from Tibet.  Ribbit.  Ribbit. At first the sound is rich and soothing, but several hours of their concert begins to disrupt the harmonics.
There must have been a stirring in the atmosphere as the jet fighter planes roared overhead.  Then when things were beginning to settle down, our cat jumped up on our bed to deliver a midnight gift, a bug! I turned on the bedside lamp to look at the clock. 12:12.
I smiled, realizing everything is in divine order.  Now when I have trouble sleeping, I take it as a time to pray, meditate or read something spiritual. Soon I'm able to turn out the light, and get a good night's rest.

Wishing you a joyful day with your Angels.

Rae Karen

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Color Me Therapy

In his book, Anger Goes Up, Fear Goes Down, Cairo P. Rocha, shares a powerful healing visualization using color. I've tried it many times with great success. Most relationship problems result from people vibrating at different frequencies. If you are having a problem with your husband or wife, sibling, parent or child, the following exercise can help you both communicate with each other at the same frequency.

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit down and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Now visualize the person you want to harmonize with sitting in front of you. Try to picture the person in as much detail as possible.

Ask that person (in your mind) what color he/she needs from you. Pick the very first one that comes to mind--no judgment! Now, imagine that color coming from your chest, like a thick beam, and surrounding the person who is sitting in front of you. Let the color bathe that person for awhile.

Afterwards, when you think it is enough, imagine the person asking you what color you need from him/her. Pick the first color that comes to your mind, again no judgment! Visualize the color emanating from his/her chest and bathing you for a while. Then, when the exercise is over, visualize the person surrounded by a pure white light and vanishing happily.

In his practice as a therapist Cairo has witnessed many difficult cases of relationship problems being harmonized. However, often in the beginning the person who is doing the exercise cannot visualize anybody or any color. "Do not let that discourage you. Perservance is the key to success."

Wishing you a joyful day with your Angels.

Karen

Monday, May 3, 2010

Staying in Gratitude No Matter What...


Elliot has been challenged with a health issue for the past five weeks. While recuperating he read a little book on Gratitude. Last night he asked me if I knew why it was important to be thankful for everything, both the good and the bad? He went on to say that one of the reasons is that when you are in gratitude, you are aligning with the Light of God and are not subject to man's laws. You are attuning to miracle mindedness which transcends the chaos of the world. His comment reminded me of that phrase in A Course in Miracles, "All things work together for good except in the ego's judgment."

Elliot affirmed that because every experience is a lesson for good, even though it may not feel good, it can be used for good, for our soul's growth, if we can accept what is and be grateful for the lesson. During times of crisis our attitudes and behaviors can either make us or break us. If we remain strong in faith giving thanks that the presence of God in us is more powerful than this appearance, we can move through the particular test more quickly.

I've used this formula before and it works. Whenever I began to complain, I tried to catch myself and give thanks by saying, "I can hardly wait to see the good that is going to come from this." The results were pretty amazing proving that our thoughts are not idle but powerful energy sources.

You may also want to call on Archangel Raphael and bathe in his golden radiance, showering every cell and atom of your body. These are times of transformation where we are given an opportunity to slough off old long standing issues and translate them into more Light.

Wishing you a joyful day with your Angels.

Karen