Thursday, December 21, 2006

Why Resist Christmas? 

Saw the Nativity Story yesterday….Very well done and as true to the original story as they could know.
Read the piece written below by an astrologer…clarifying his position on Jesus.
Learned some fundamental Christians are teaching no Santa Claus for children. I still believe!!
Am contemplating and writing my Christmas Eve talk for Sunday morning service.
I will be reading The Littlest Angel, written in the 40's and read by me every year at least once.
And noticing that I am recovering from a cold/cough and exploring the "giving with resistance" factor,
I have some thoughts for me (and You!).

When you want to sleep you turn away from or turn off the lights.
When you don't want to hear, you may plug your ears, wince or growl at the noisemaker.
When you feel bad about not giving, you may resist receiving or compete in over-giving.
When you feel guilty about negative thinking, words or actions, you may criticize the givers.
When you feel lacking, limited or inadequate, you may withdraw, sulk and resent what is given.
This time of year can and will bring up all kinds of yucky thoughts, beliefs and experiences.

Christmas is a time of joy.
If you are the "bah humbug" type, you may try to squelch others' enthusiasm.
Christmas is a time of Love.
If you fear love, afraid to give and receive love, you may try to deny and negate the one loving you.
Christmas is a time of peace.
If you are conflicted about what to believe and practice, you may get stressed, argue and be angry.

Christmas is a time for you to give birth to the Real You, the natural innocence within.
Christmas is a time for you to remember the Love you Are, and to shine it like a star.
Christmas is a time for you to experience the joy of giving unconditionally, to share the Love you feel.
Christmas is a the remembering of natural joy, innocent love and the Peace (piece) of God You Are.

When you realize you are resisting your own birth, you can relax and be gentle with your Labor.
When you recognize you are turning away from de Light, you can polish your Light with Joy.
When you notice others' stress and fear and resistance, you can and will Love them anyway.
Nothing you can do can change Eternal LOVE….Always and forever true about you and All.

There are no solutions…just patience, balance, trust and freedom.

Love the ones you are with…Yourself, your pets and plants, your memories, your creations, your neighbors, your teachers, your students, your critters outside, your music, your family and friends.
Happy Holidays and let the labor commence. Abundant life happens when we stop resisting.

Loving you,
Betty Lue


By astrologer Rob Brezny
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS

Fundamentalist Christians send me hate mail. Religious zealots in ten
cities have banned one of my books. Along with meditation, yoga, and sex
for fun, the Vatican has declared astrology, one of my occupations, to be
dangerous to your spiritual health.

All of these haters would be shocked if they learned that Jesus Christ is
one of the Main High Dudes in my pantheon of gods. They seem to believe
that people like me -- goddess-worshiping tantric sufi Qabalist Buddhist
pagans who hang around with zen trickster witches and espouse a
socialist libertarian political philosophy -- couldn't possibly have an
intimate relationship with the cosmic hero they claim to own. They must
think they have commandeered the trademark of one of the sweetest
avatars in history!

But I do have an intimate relationship with Jesus. How could I not? He was
a champion of women's rights, a threat to the established political order,
and a radical spiritual activist who worked outside religious institutions.
The dude owned nothing and was a passionate advocate for the poor and
underprivileged. He was uncompromisingly opposed to violence and war.
Besides that, he was a master of love and he devoted his life to serving
the Divine Intelligence. I want to be like him when I grow up!

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle," he said,
"than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." That's a pretty
clear statement of his position towards rightwing accumulators of
property and wealth.

"Love your enemies," he said, "do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." How any
militarist promoting global arms sales and pre-emptive war could claim an
affinity with Jesus is incomprehensible.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!