Before I begin, I wanted to talk about the amethyst rune set I used today. Typically I use a set I made from an apple wood branch from my backyard. I felt compelled to use the amethyst set today and after pulling the runes that I did, I understand why. Amethyst is a stone of protection and spirituality. It brings a sense of inner peace and helps attract positive energy while dispelling negative energy. Since I tend to absorb energy if I don't shield properly, wearing amethyst is helpful in that regard.
Today, I pulled Wunjo, Ehwaz, and Fehu. I rarely pull Wunjo, and since it's a positive omen, I was eager to begin my interpretation. Wunjo represents joy, and a feeling of connectedness to others. It signifies friendship and shared identity with others. In a three rune spread, we have issue, action, and outcome. Wunjo suggests that awakening to our oneness with others will result in our collective joy.
Ehwaz emphasizes cooperation, teamwork, partnership and love. It suggests extending love and unity to others, seeing in them their holiness instead of reacting with ego-mindedness. We accomplish this by remaining in the present and refusing to allow the illusory past to influence that moment, preventing the judgment that typically happens. Instead, by choosing love and forgiveness, we further awaken as we join with our brothers and sisters, instead of judging and attacking them.
The result is Fehu, or wealth. Of course, it's not monetary wealth, but true spiritual wealth which occurs when we awaken to the fact that we are part of the collective Oneness that is God. Fehu also indicates freedom as well, which this awakening also represents. Abandoning judgment, we are free to choose a more loving way of seeing each other. Monetary wealth doesn't reflect this. True wealth is reflected in our Oneness.
We begin in joy..choose to see holiness in everyone..resulting in our true wealth in the Oneness of God.. What a lovely rune spread!
In today’s runecasting, I cast Dagaz, Hagalaz and Uruz. Dagaz suggests a shift in awareness or perspective, as well as increased growth. Hagalaz, a rune of transformation, illustrates that not everything is within our control and sometimes forces are at work that seem to destroy. But not all destruction is negative per se. Sometimes destruction is necessary so that new growth can take place. Uruz suggests creation or rebirth, so it’s easy to see the message from the runecasting today.
All around us we see a quickening of the world. We’re seeing a shift in perspective take place. Oneness is our reality. Old beliefs are being cast aside, replaced by beliefs of inclusion. But the pull to remain the same, as evidenced in Hagalaz, is everywhere. We see it in our many conversations about how we can live together in love and unity. We seem to be confused about our role in this life. Another child died in Colorado at the hand of her stepfather, a terrible accident to be sure..yet we haven’t yet agreed that we can stop this without losing who we are, when in fact, in doing so, we actually embrace who we are. Our oneness. And that’s the rebirth Uruz suggests. A rebirth that will heal our world, filled with compassion, love and unity. A rebirth that will let us all remember that we are one family and that each of us is necessary.
The push toward progressive thinking, the new Pope's inclusive nature, the growing rejection of the surveillance state, the rejection of war, the outrage at how women are treated in this country and around the world, along with all the attitudes that strive to keep oppression in charge, all represent this conversation we're having. The push and pull of right thinking versus wrong thinking; of unity versus division are part of our rebirth as a loving creation.
We haven’t lost our way..we only forgot for a while.
I was blessed to see His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama today in Eugene. He's surprisingly direct and funny. His message was simple: we are one. Problems happen when we forget that. We become self-centered in our attitude. He said there's too much I, I, I in our attitude. We focus on perception instead of reality. We forget that love and compassion are part of our collective essence. He said we cannot exist in isolation. We are social in nature and we need each other for our very survival.
So the title of the lecture, "The Path to Peace and Happiness in a Global Society," was particularly appropriate given the fact that a global society, like it or not, is exactly what we are. Although it begins with the individual, it doesn't center there..instead focusing on how each person can extend love and compassion to others. He said it doesn't even matter if those you are kind to react positively or not. Extending compassion helps our own spiritual development which, in turn, extends to the world. When people feel valued and respected, the world becomes a better place.
His Holiness discussed the need for mothers to give as much attention as possible to their children in their early years. He believes that mothers create balance in their children that cannot be created any other way. He said that male dominance tends to make things worse in the world, and we need feminine energy to bring peace. He cited people under the age of 30 as part of the 21st century and the key to peace in the world. Their ideas are more progressive and balanced than those from the 20th century. And he's just fine with the idea of a female Dalai Lama. He went on to say that women are a different sort of "hero", that we perceive problems in ways that men don't, resulting in a better outcome.
His Holiness spoke of the need to be respectful of other views, including religious views. He said that there are many paths to God and that all paths essentially share the same message. Sometimes when we see others, not as simply our brothers and sisters, but as a particular religion, race, gender, etc., we create an us versus them feeling. Seeing others as fellow human beings fosters genuine respect and appreciation of individual differences instead of allowing them to divide us. Love and compassion toward others is the result.
The problems we have are caused by mankind. The answer is universal: We are one. When we acknowledge that and live accordingly, division ends and unity prevails. We all deserve that.
