Advent is a season observed in many Christian traditions as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning “coming” or “arrival.” The history of Advent can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity. The…
The time and method of celebrating the Buddhist New Year varies from place to place. The Mahayana Buddhists believe in celebrating their New Year’s Day in mid-January. Although calendar dates for each country and tradition are different, many Mahayana Buddhists celebrate it on December 31 or January 1, together with the rest of the world,…
Monism, as a New Age belief, states that all that exists is derived from a single source of divine energy. Monism is the metaphysical and theological view that all is one, that there are no fundamental divisions, and that a unified set of laws underlie all of nature. The universe, at the deepest level of…
General Christmas Prayer Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel’s song, for infant’s cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold his glory, and are…
God does not look upon trouble as we do. We must trust in God, for God wants us to stop worrying and not be afraid. Where we see stress he sees opportunities. Where we see crisis, He sees growth and betterment. Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities. God’s purpose in times of crisis and…
There are many pathways to enlightenment. One of these is in the celebration of Bodhi Day, December 8th, the Day of Enlightenment in the world of Buddhism. The historical Buddha was a prince named Siddhartha Gautama, who was disturbed by thoughts of sickness, old age and death. He gave up his privileged life to become…
How could the soul not take flight when from the glorious Presence a soft call flows sweet as honey, comes right up to her and whispers, “Rise up now, come away.” ~ Rumi ~ Man is made up of physical material, the body, that can be seen and touched. But he is also made…
A Spiritual Awakening starts with a feeling that travels throughout our body, mind and soul. It is a connection we make with the Divine. It is a reconnect with the spiritual and gives us an awareness full of love and peace within the Universe. A Spiritual Awakening is when our consciousness shifts and grows. We…
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. ~ Calvin Coolidge ~ There is one more good thing about Winter—he brings Christmas. Through the bleak December the thought of the coming festival is…
The ego would have us born with great potential, and die with great potential. In between, there is ever-increasing suffering. A miracle frees us to live fully in the present, to release our power and to claim our glory. The Son of God is risen to Heaven when he releases the past, releases the future,…
Diwali (and also known as Deepavli) is the official holiday of India, Pakistan, Fiji, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname. It is the Hindu festival of lights and celebrated in the autumn or spring, depending on location. The exact date of the holiday is determined by the position…
Advent is the one time of the church year that is dedicated to the “coming” of Christ at Christmas. It is the time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity. The Advent season lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The Advent wreath is the most popular tradition of Advent,…
Who is this pop-culture, Krazy Santa, that everyone seems to be talking about lately? Krampus is the name he is known by and he appears to be a deamon-like half goat, hairy creature, who during the Christmas season, punishes children who have been naughty. He is just the opposite of St. Nicholas, who rewards the…
Free Horoscopes — Daily Astrology — How did the magical Christmas character, who is so giving, begin? Legend has it that a pipe-smoking Nicholas was known to soar over the rooftops in a flying wagon, delivering presents to good girls and boys. During Victorian times and before that, he wore a range of colors (red, green, blue…
Weihnachten (Christmas) in Germany is a major cultural and religious time, with many traditions that spread around the world. The time of the year is still firmly rooted in old traditions, not as consumer-oriented as it is in America. The Christmas season begins with the first Sunday of Advent. During Advent, Christmas cookies (Plätzchen), Stollen,…
The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. It is the day that the earth is tilted away from the sun, and receives the least amount of sunlight, on that day, and in this year. The Winter Solstice officially arrives at 5:44 a.m., Eastern time, on December 21, well before the sun rises….
The Yule Log began as an ancient Celtic tradition of celebrating the Winter Solstice. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe and Germany. The head of the family would find a tree trunk or an enormous large branch and would burn it on the…
We need to do more than just tell our troubles to God. God already knows. What we do need to learn to do is sit down with God and look for solutions: What actions to take, choices to make, directions to turn. In our conversation with God, we need to hear both the joyful and painful aspects of the…
Monthly Horoscopes – – Daily Astrology – – With the increasing understanding of solar systems, planets, stars, and galaxies, it is inconceivable (and possibly arrogant) to believe that human beings are the only intelligent life in the Universe. It makes sense to realize that there is a country out in the Universe, perhaps even the Universe itself,…
The Epiphany, or the Twelfth Day of Christmas, marks the official end to the festive season of Christmas. The Twelfth Night marks the visit to the baby Jesus by the Magi, Three Kings, or also known as the Wise Men. This Feast of the Three Kings is celebrated in many parts of the world. It…
“All that I create is a beautiful reflection of my spirit.” Every human possesses spiritual aptitudes and capacities. We are more than the sum of our physical parts. Our spiritual nature, though unseen, is as real as our physical nature. Nurturing our spirit is as important as eating, drinking and exercising are to our physical body….