I rest in God…

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In reflecting on A Course in Miracles Lesson 109, I’m drawn to the idea of resting in the peace of God. The lesson invites us to be still and unafraid, but I know that understanding this fully takes time. When I take time to rest in God’s presence, I realise that this rest is not just for me—it’s shared with others. The peace I receive becomes complete when I offer it to my brothers and sisters.

The lesson reminds me that this peace isn’t limited by time. When I take time to rest in God, I am giving peace not only to those around me but also to those who came before and those who will come after. It’s comforting to think that each time I say, “I rest in God,” I’m joining in a timeless act of giving and receiving peace with all of creation.

I don’t claim to fully understand how this works, but I’m learning that this practice opens me to a deeper connection with the divine. Each moment of rest in God is an opportunity to remind myself—and the world—that our true home is within God’s peace, always available to us.

As I continue to reflect on this lesson, I hope that by taking time to rest in God, I’m contributing to a sense of shared peace for all. So today, I will gently remind myself, “I rest in God,” and trust that this simple act has a ripple effect, touching others in ways I may not fully grasp yet.

With love,

Cate 

Love is the Nature of the Soul

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Reflections from Anam Cara by John O’Donohue

I recently immersed myself in the profound wisdom of John O’Donohue’s Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World, and a particular chapter titled “Love is the Nature of the Soul” deeply resonated with me.

This chapter beautifully explores how love is not just an emotion or state of being but an essential element that the soul needs to thrive, much like air for the body. O’Donohue reminds us that love awakens hidden dimensions of who we are, opening pathways to discovering and fulfilling our deeper human potential.

One of the most striking aspects is the concept of the Anam Cara—the “soul friend.” O’Donohue describes a friendship that transcends the boundaries of time, space, and even persona. In this friendship, the unity of souls defies separation or distance. The connection remains alive even when friends are far apart because they’ve connected at a soul level, breaking through the superficial barriers of ego and identity.

When we open ourselves to love and allow love to envelop us, we begin to access the eternal. This love has the power to transform turning fear into courage, emptiness into fullness, and distance into intimacy. The soul-friend relationship, as O’Donohue presents it, reflects the eternal nature of love—an enduring connection that isn’t easily severed by physical space or the limitations of the ego.

In our fast-paced, modern world, it’s easy to lose sight of these deeper connections, but this chapter offers a profound reminder: true love, at the soul level, is eternal, transformative, and essential for our well-being.

Do you have an Anam Cara—a soul friend—who touches your life in this profound way?

With love, Cate 

Celtic Daily Prayer

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A few weeks ago, I came across Farther Up and Farther In (Book 2), a part of the Celtic Daily Prayer series. The book’s daily readings and reflections have been deeply moving and inspiring. One particular EATA Reading from August 17th emphasised that contemplative prayer is more about being than doing – it’s about simply being present rather than striving for outcomes. This insight, along with the reflections on Psalm 130:5-7, Isaiah 30:18, and Romans 15:13, created a rich tapestry of contemplation and hope that resonated deeply with me.

Moved by these reflections, I felt compelled to explore more of what the book has to offer. A few days later, I purchased a copy and have since found it to be a treasured addition to my daily routine. It has been guiding me towards a more mindful and hopeful perspective.

If you’re seeking spiritual nourishment and inspiration, I highly recommend diving into this remarkable book.

With love, Cate x

Sweet surrender

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Recently I was away and initially the internet was iffy at best and absent at worst.

My do-aholic mind spent many ingenious hours plotting and scheming where to go to hack into the internet so I could honour commitments and `keep up ` with work etc. 

I had forgotten universal truths… one being that when I am away there are always less texts and emails… the universe knows. The other, just trust. 

Then I was on a boat with no internet. Initial frustration was quickly transformed into a delicious sense of surrender, now I could really release as there was absolutely nothing I could do about it other than hijack a lifeboat and paddle like mad!!

The utter peace and joy of sweet surrender. Five days of silence from this world allowed so much quiet time to hear the inner voice; also, to realise how the ego hangs on tenaciously to distract us from alignment with our soul. The blessing of time to pause, breathe and catch up with myself.

It will be a challenge to be disciplined regarding the internet when I return home, yet what gifts the space in between emails, texts and surfing offers…..

Authentic Communication: 7 Keyways to Transform Your Relationships

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In today’s fast-paced world, where information inundates us and distractions abound, the essence of authentic communication is more vital than ever. Genuine communication is all about being truthful, open, and vulnerable when we engage with others. It serves as a conduit to deeper connections, enhanced understanding, and personal growth.

In this blog post, I explore the seven keyways to authentic communication that have the potential to nurture more profound and authentic bonds with those in your life.

The seven keyways to Authentic Communication are:

  1. Willingness:

Willingness is the initial step toward authentic communication. It entails being open and receptive to the exchange of thoughts and emotions, even if they challenge your existing beliefs. By approaching conversations with an open heart and mind, you create an atmosphere of trust and acceptance.

  • Accountability:

Accountability is the act of taking responsibility for your words and actions. Owning up to your mistakes or acknowledging when you’ve hurt someone is essential. Authentic communication hinges on recognizing your role in conflicts and working towards resolution.

  • Defencelessness:

Being defenceless should not be confused with becoming a doormat. Instead, it’s about letting go of the compulsion to protect your ego at all costs. When you shed defensiveness, you become more open to constructive criticism and can engage in conversations without becoming defensive or confrontational.

  • Vulnerability (Emotional Transparency):

Vulnerability is a potent tool for forging connections. It involves being open about your emotions and revealing your genuine self. When you practice emotional transparency, you encourage others to do the same, nurturing a deeper level of understanding and empathy.

  • Radical (Self) Honesty:

Radical honesty revolves around speaking the truth, even when it’s challenging or uncomfortable. This doesn’t mean being hurtful but rather being forthright in a manner that’s respectful and compassionate. It entails being honest with both yourself and others.

  • Trust:

Trust is an implicit but crucial aspect of authentic communication. It involves having faith in the sincerity, honesty, and reliability of those you communicate with. Trust creates a safe environment in which individuals feel comfortable being vulnerable, practicing radical honesty, and expressing gratitude. It underpins many of the keyways to authentic communication.

  • Gratitude:

Expressing gratitude is another pivotal component of authentic communication. It entails acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of your interactions and relationships. Gratitude can elevate a conversation from a mundane exchange to a heart-warming connection.

By embracing these keyways—willingness, accountability, defencelessness, vulnerability, radical honesty, gratitude, and the power of silence—you equip yourself to navigate the complexities of human interaction more effectively. 

Authentic communication has the potential to bring more joy, understanding, and meaning to your relationships, ultimately enriching your life.  To realign our intentions using the 7 Keys to Authentic Communication. 

I encourage you to join me on this liberating journey, and watch this overview on YouTube: 

Remember, authentic communication isn’t a destination; it’s a lifelong voyage of self-discovery and connection. Embrace these keyways and savour the profound impact they can have on your relationships and your life as a whole.

Enjoy the journey of authentic communication!

Cate

Reference

A Course in Miracles (ACIM) offered by the Foundation for Inner Peace

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As I make my way through the profound teachings of A Course in Miracles (ACIM) offered by the Foundation for Inner Peace, I find that each day brings its unique set of challenges and revelations. Some lessons flow easily, while others, like Lesson 128, “The world I see holds nothing that I want,” can present quite the conundrum. In my quest for understanding, I turned to YouTube, hoping to discover videos that would illuminate the depth of these teachings.

Lessons 128 and 129, “Beyond this world there is a world I want,” beckoned me to delve deeper into their meanings, and this quest led me to an intriguing discovery. In my online exploration, I stumbled upon the work of Nouk Sanchez and Coreen Walson, who offer a unique perspective on ACIM’s holographic messages and the profound significance. 

Their commitment to this metaphysical journey is evident in their approach, filled with love and laughter.

What they share goes beyond a mere explanation of lessons; it’s a metaphysical feast for the soul. I invite you to join me on this voyage of exploration and understanding, guided by Nouk and Coreen’s insights. 

In my next blog post, I plan to delve into Authentic Communication and the 7 Keyways to Transform your relationships and journey towards the world we truly desire.

For more resources and information, including the Total Transformation Course (TTC) and the Holy Relationship Journey (HRJ), you can visit their YouTube channel here…

Let’s embark on this voyage of self-discovery and enlightenment together.

Cate 

The Way and The Ordination Course…

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“Working through both The Way and The Ordination Course has been quite an adventure. When I joined, I had no idea how deep it would take me. If you want to go on a real journey of self exploration and learn about your own spiritual, personal and moral alignment, then I highly recommend this course. It has helped me to determine a clarity of focus, pushed me to the dusty corners of my soul and afforded me many amazing friendships. Life changing, certainly. And in the best way.”

Best wishes

Rachel Cheer

Independent Celebrant

www.hopeceremonies.com

St Francis and the simplicity of Love

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In our physically and emotionally complex world there is a place for simplicity. For staying in the moment, being fully present, just being love in every situation.

St Francis, the saint who is often linked to nature, the animals, birds, and stars took simplicity further still. He internalised it to include his will and ego, to then surrender his all to his God.

He is reputed to once have said “Why are we not just in love with love?” Quite a thought to realise how much we objectify love, as a person, an idea, even marmite…

Remember how rich and all-encompassing the feelings of love can be? 

Beyond the ego passion, the ego need to have and hold, to contain or own is a rich and beautiful place, we have all experienced. It may arrive as a wave of golden love suffusing us sometimes for no obvious reason. Imagine if we could tune into that experience of love all the time? 

Maybe we can…..

Beginnings and Endings

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Book – endings

Here in the Open Sanctuary, we are deeply aware of the power of ritual, of marking passages of time, seasons, situations and so forth.

On a daily basis we offer a Morning and Evening Office; this is a Sacred Space in which to settle the heart and mind enabling us to hear Divine guidance.

These times in Sacred Space represent setting the Intention for the day in the morning office with the evening office being a time for Reflection on how the day has been through the eyes of the morning Intention.

This is not as scary as it sounds… in the morning office there might be a mantra, a few words or a short reading from which you notice the words that resonate and allow them to percolate through you in meditation for 10 minutes or so. You are invited back from your meditative place and invited to share your Intention for the day in a few words. 

The evening office opens in silence as we enter a Reflective time in which to review the day through the lens of the Intention we set in the morning. 

In this time, we honestly and gently explore all the occasions when we did not live our Intention to the best of our ability.


Then we open to exploring what quality or value might have helped us changed that.

For example, the reading might offer us some guidance about `being more patient`, so in the evening office of Reflection where we step into self –awareness, we bring to mind the times we rushed or were not patient.  From the spiritual qualities we discern the most powerful tools to support our reframing our way of being more patient. This might be to `pause between situations, to breathe and to space our diaries more graciously.

So, at the end of the Reflective time when we re-gather, the words we would share with the group would be “Pause, Breathe, Space” as these are the lessons we opened to this day.

This process ensures maximum engagement with our Intention and all the Reflection offers us allowing us to go to bed with positive thoughts in mind. This helps ensure each day ends quietly, incrementally building upon the previous… a kind of win win really!