I've just published a blog post
on the Christal Temple Blog
with a music link.
John
Here's the music itself (by CV Stanford ......)
John
Here's the music itself (by CV Stanford ......)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Ascension Day
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Eyjafjallajökull and the Navy...
Interesting what a volcano can bring in its wake ...
To all our yesterdays
(and tomorrows, wherever they may be!)
Blessings
John
PS I've written about how I believe this eruption may give us wisdom
on the Christal Temple blog
(and tomorrows, wherever they may be!)
Blessings
John
PS I've written about how I believe this eruption may give us wisdom
on the Christal Temple blog
Monday, March 8, 2010
Yearning
Hi!
I've posted a new post on the Christal Temple blog
about Yearning.
It takes up my childhood experiences of
being part of the Anglo-Catholic community
in England 50 years ago.
This is the first of a few posts taking up
what we are approaching as the world now changes
in the run-up to "the end of an age."
I have found it useful to look at our times now
in this strange, in-between world-gone-awry
in relation to the gifts that the members of the
old Anglo-Catholic wing of the Anglican Communion
have given through their visionary service
and their longing to "do it better."
Here is the link:
http://christaltemple.blogspot.com/2010/03/yearning.html
Blessings
John O
I've posted a new post on the Christal Temple blog
about Yearning.
It takes up my childhood experiences of
being part of the Anglo-Catholic community
in England 50 years ago.
This is the first of a few posts taking up
what we are approaching as the world now changes
in the run-up to "the end of an age."
I have found it useful to look at our times now
in this strange, in-between world-gone-awry
in relation to the gifts that the members of the
old Anglo-Catholic wing of the Anglican Communion
have given through their visionary service
and their longing to "do it better."
Here is the link:
http://christaltemple.blogspot.com/2010/03/yearning.html
Blessings
John O
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
In Alignment with God
I came home the other day
late in the afternoon
and as I went towards our altar
I was struck by how
the two candles were flickering
in complete unity with one another.
There is a candle at the back of the altar
(actually it's a "battery-candle")
in front of a picture that is said
to be a probable likeness of Jesus/Yeshua
and another at the front
which is a "prayer-candle"
for some special intentions at present.
What came to me was a picture of
the soul of the person in prayer
being so aligned with Everything
that the whole Divine Work and Joy
were permeating all of her
at every level, body and spirit.
I've just been in our mini-chapel at dusk
and saw another pattern between the flames -
they were moving in and out of "alignment"
in a kind of dialogue with each other.
I was struck by a further metaphor.
The candles, being battery-driven,
have individual batteries in them -
a metaphor for how we can see ourselves
each powered as by independent sources
and when we flicker in unison it can feel
as though it's more by happenstance
than by design.
But the batteries in our candles are
actually re-chargeable, and powered
by the same source.
I saw the play of coming in-and-out
of our connection to one another, and
how it is still about the ultimate resting
in a Source larger than ourselves,
and how we are an integrated part of
the Light that plays within us.
Without our light the play of light
cannot be, yet without the Source
there is no play at all!
And I saw how, when we allow ourselves
to be powered by the Source, then
we shine brightly in our own Light
and there is Life in abundance and Joy
and playfulness!
Dare we conceive of our own healing
as God playing in us for Joy?
Like Instruments of Divine music
open to being played with every fibre
of our being?
Where wouldn't the world we inhabit
be then?!
Blessings
John O
late in the afternoon
and as I went towards our altar
I was struck by how
the two candles were flickering
in complete unity with one another.
There is a candle at the back of the altar
(actually it's a "battery-candle")
in front of a picture that is said
to be a probable likeness of Jesus/Yeshua
and another at the front
which is a "prayer-candle"
for some special intentions at present.
What came to me was a picture of
the soul of the person in prayer
being so aligned with Everything
that the whole Divine Work and Joy
were permeating all of her
at every level, body and spirit.
I've just been in our mini-chapel at dusk
and saw another pattern between the flames -
they were moving in and out of "alignment"
in a kind of dialogue with each other.
I was struck by a further metaphor.
The candles, being battery-driven,
have individual batteries in them -
a metaphor for how we can see ourselves
each powered as by independent sources
and when we flicker in unison it can feel
as though it's more by happenstance
than by design.
But the batteries in our candles are
actually re-chargeable, and powered
by the same source.
I saw the play of coming in-and-out
of our connection to one another, and
how it is still about the ultimate resting
in a Source larger than ourselves,
and how we are an integrated part of
the Light that plays within us.
Without our light the play of light
cannot be, yet without the Source
there is no play at all!
And I saw how, when we allow ourselves
to be powered by the Source, then
we shine brightly in our own Light
and there is Life in abundance and Joy
and playfulness!
Dare we conceive of our own healing
as God playing in us for Joy?
Like Instruments of Divine music
open to being played with every fibre
of our being?
Where wouldn't the world we inhabit
be then?!
Blessings
John O
Monday, February 1, 2010
Not Just hidden in the Mountains
Sometimes even I can see the spirits of
Light, Life, Wind and Water
dance together in the cold sunlight
of the North American winter.
Watching this awesome sculpture being made
was like participating in magical dance!
Yes, I was inside in the warmth watching,
protected from the cold wind and able to see
the Wonder of Creation without feeling the cold!
Perhaps this is cheating, but allowing myself
to cheat opened me up inside - because
my body let go of its perceived need for protection!
The Mountain Q'ero of Peru often do their magick
at low temperatures and seem to be unmoved by
the cold surrounding them.
Perhaps it is time to learn a little of their skill!*
Blessings
John
(* Don't tell anyone I said this though!)
Light, Life, Wind and Water
dance together in the cold sunlight
of the North American winter.
Watching this awesome sculpture being made
was like participating in magical dance!
Yes, I was inside in the warmth watching,
protected from the cold wind and able to see
the Wonder of Creation without feeling the cold!
Perhaps this is cheating, but allowing myself
to cheat opened me up inside - because
my body let go of its perceived need for protection!
The Mountain Q'ero of Peru often do their magick
at low temperatures and seem to be unmoved by
the cold surrounding them.
Perhaps it is time to learn a little of their skill!*
Blessings
John
(* Don't tell anyone I said this though!)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Wheel of Life?
... in motion?
(from a half-cold day in the Big Square/Stortorget in the centre of Malmö)
Enjoy!
John
Turning Torso on a cold day!
(from a half-cold day in the Big Square/Stortorget in the centre of Malmö)
Enjoy!
John
Turning Torso on a cold day!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Into the night
Airports at night are curious places.
As though the madly-rushed journeys
that take place during the day give way
to a strange world of suspended activity
and "other-worldly" journeys of those
lost and delayed in transit between places.
Waiting....
waiting....
waiting....
It has been in these places of waiting
that I have had the privilege to be close to
the "between-places people of the night"
and had meetings and nearness which have
moved, surprised and deepened me.
Sometimes almost no words have been said.
Just the movement of being close as people
have dropped off to half-sleep, squashed
on awkward airport benches designed for
quantity of sitting rather than lying-comfort!
Surprise, as someone realizes that their legs
have just involuntarily (?) kicked me or
as another one's head has slipped on to
my shoulder - it felt so honouring!
Sometimes I have found myself in a
many-hour long dialogue of deep transition
where sorrow has been turned into joy,
dread into trust, hopefulness and love.
In these moments I have come to love
places I before had thought of as dead -
these vast rooms for travellers have been
turned into temples of holy meetings and
of the openings of souls and
the bringing forth of Joy!
When I reflected upon all this,
I understood that I could not really
have met these spaces or these people
unless I had been prepared to change
in my own inner life.
So what came first?
Did I change/was I changing within
before my journey, before these meetings?
Or were these meeting there to change me
so that I could be a catalyst in the changes
which I was privileged to be part of?
I cannot tell.
All I know is that what I experienced
showed me how there can be joy in
the most "unlikely" places - and that
ministering to one another is not just possible
but wonderfully productive in places where
"normal reality" is already undone!
I thought my nights-between-flights
would be tiring and meaningless, and yet
I've found great peace and meaning in them!
There is a real joyful inner smile in me
each time I think of what I've experienced.
Waiting at airports will never be the same!
Blessings
John
Everything weaving in together!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Travelling the skies of the world
There are many reflections I have had
during the past few weeks of travelling.
On meetings in the middle of night
at airports, where people are waiting.
On how things change whilst we are "away"
and how the changes reflect the changes in us.
On coming "back" or "home"
and on how we discover the many different ways
we can do this.... inside and out.
And
on how different places can ALL
be HOME as reflections of ALL of
who we are inside
and how this encourages the courage
within us to be ALL of who we are.
More soon!
blessings from a blurry-eyed
John
On meetings in the middle of night
at airports, where people are waiting.
On how things change whilst we are "away"
and how the changes reflect the changes in us.
On coming "back" or "home"
and on how we discover the many different ways
we can do this.... inside and out.
And
on how different places can ALL
be HOME as reflections of ALL of
who we are inside
and how this encourages the courage
within us to be ALL of who we are.
More soon!
blessings from a blurry-eyed
John
