The Nature of Sacrifice

Nearly 3 years ago, prior to Hurricane Katrina, I began to receive messages, instruction, dream 'transmissions' regarding the nature of energy. How it is contained within nature. How it is transmitted. How it can be harvested, stored and accessed; utilized for protection, and for healing.

And about the nature of sacrifice.

At first these things seemed unrelated. And even though I was 'shown' how the act of sacrifice affected particular energy lines (literal and figurative), I was still not clear exactly what was considered a 'sacrifice'. Or that I wanted to know. Why was I being shown this?

The very word itself made me uncomfortable. I began to understand that it was the definition associated with the word that left me with this confused emotional discomfort.

This is taken directly from the Britannica Ready Reference:

sacrificen [ME, fr. OF, fr. L sacrificium, fr. sacr-, sacer + facere to make--more at do] (13c) 1: an act of offering to a deity something precious; esp: the killing of a victim on an altar 2: something offered in sacrifice 3 a: destruction or surrender ofsomething for the sake of something else b: something given up or lost. sacrifice vb -ficed ; -fic.ing vt (14c) 1: to offer as a sacrifice 2: to suffer loss of, give up, renounce, injure, or destroy esp. for an ideal, belief, or end 3: to sell at a loss ~ vi 1: to make or perform the rites of a sacrifice.

This didn't really engender much comfort or trust in my 'dreamtime' instruction. Suffering, loss, renunciation, offering to a deity. It seemed so last millennium. I thought about the story of Jesus. About terrorist attacks. How religious and political extremists believed they, too, were making a sacrifice, twisted and illogical though it might be to us. And about how this is usually done in the name of a deity. Not exactly something I wanted to look at.

Then I began to understand a bit more. I learned that the definition associated with a word was similar to an energy being placed on or associated with a symbol. That the word or symbol can evoke (or invoke) a particular energy, but it can also accumulate energy that becomes connected to it that has nothing at all to do with the origin or creation intent. It can become covered over with an energy that warps and obscures the very word/symbol itself.

I've been opened to learning over these past few years that the original idea and nature of sacrifice is intrinsically connected to love. Not as far from the idea of the resurrection story of the Christ as one might think, but before the myth itself was appropriated. Used by multiple religions in a quest for 'owning' the ultimate Truth about sacrifice. To be able to dictate how one should behave in order to be Christ-like. This in and of itself helped to obfuscate the meaning of the word. Through this knowledge, I realized that without the energy of love, true sacrifice is not possible.

And that was about it, until about two weeks ago. I'd been personally working with the elemental nature of fire, and it's transmutational properties. I received another message in the time between waking and sleep. I saw the word sacrifice spelled out in front of my closed eyes. And then it moved and shifted. The letters began to rearrange themselves... sacr..sacre..fire..care. Then it looked like this: sacred caring.

So simple, really, to take so long to understand fully. Sacrifice is not a thing, not a mental construct, not even an energy. It is the very intent that creates the energy. And behind that intent is love. This is where the idea comes from about sacrifice and miraculous healing. Lifting up a prayer, or raising your voice with open-hearted love in a state of complete selflessness allows one access to the Divine energy within and without. And moving out of the way allows this energy to manifest as ultimate healing. As Oneness.

I finally understood. I was being instructed to 'take back' the very word 'sacrifice'. Not as a noun, but as a verb. The original creation intent that has been lost within our culturally narrow definition.

So here is the recently defined version as I understand it at the present moment:

Sacrifice:
sacrificen [ME, fr. OF, fr. L sacrificium, fr. sacr-, sacer + facere to make--more at do] 1) To make holy, or sacred through an act of pure love. Sacred caring [the act and intent of] 2) in healing: the holding of a sacred space, a contained and witnessing presence within which a person might offer up something one is holding [something precious] in exchange for receiving the light of love and understanding.

I send this out into the ethers with love, light and many blessings.

The Dawning of Consciousness

I feel as if I've just woken up. Which I guess is literal and figurative at this moment. ;)

I've been doing some internal integration work over the past two weeks, after a major letting go, and shift in my life.

During this time, I've had many insights...dreams...intuitions. Some that I 'get' on a conceptual level, and others that have brought the true light of understanding. I would like to share some of these things here, now, and over the next week leading up to Imbolc. It seems no coincidence that the dawning light of realization is concurrent with the approach of Brighid's Day.

Imbolc (associated with the Goddess Brighid) is a turning on the pagan 'Wheel of the Year' opposite Lammas or Lughnassadh (associated with the God Lugh). I would like to mention them both here, to bring a better understanding of the connection between our thoughts, bodies and this time of the year. Imbolc celebrates the waxing of the light, the first 'quickening' of the seeds within the Earth, and Lammas the feast time, or harvesting the abundance brought forth from the Earth. Last year I was honored to be at a community gathering for Lughnassadh with Tom Cowan http://www.riverdrum.com/ He called these two the "subtle" times, and that has stuck with me ever since.

During this "subtle" time is when we begin to notice it staying lighter a little longer each day, and I notice that each morning this 'light' brings it's own teaching.

Today it is this...

That the Dreamer is consciousness. But more than that, more than the mind (understanding and realization), it is the sacred truth of the oneness of love, the conscious heart at the center of this Oneness- born of the love of the Mother. That though there may appear to be multiple levels of this consciousness, there is only one. If there is perception and awareness within consciousness without the opening to love, that awareness becomes fragmented by ego (shadow) and separation is created.

For most of us, our personal reality is contained somewhere within this ego awareness, this separation. But many can also sense that there is something more contained within us, around us. This 'something more' is Oneness with the pure heart of consciousness, what Nigel Taylor http://nigeltaylor.com/ calls the "heartspace". And this "heartspace" is a state of being, not a state of awareness.

The other realization this morning? That we are all full of shit. {grin}

Have a lovely day.

The Metaphysician Test

The Mystic

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/4455524558952165207/Metaphysician

This was pretty cool. I swiped it from my friend Diane.

Your Score: The Mystic
You scored 10 Materialism and 80 Phenomenology!

You're a mystic, someone who's experienced God but found out (S)He wasn't like in the brochure. You know first-hand what it's like to encounter the ineffable, but have a healthy distrust of organized religion, which you probably consider at best stufy and at worst an insult to true spiritual growth. If you aren't already, I'd recommend meditation exercises, or possibly yoga. One day, maybe you'll find Nirvana. Until then, just remember not to get lost in your own head!

Thinkers you may agree with: St. Therese of Avila, Hassan I Sabah, Bahya ben Asher.

Thinkers to challenge you: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris.

My Aura is Blue...

Your Aura is Blue

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people.

Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah.

Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor

Strength and Equality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYaczoJMRhs

This is the most amazing speech I've heard in a very long time. It touched my heart, and runs about 8 minutes. If you have the time, please, do a great service to yourself and watch a man who is creatively working to bring balance to the feminine and masculine on this planet.

Many thanks to Joss Whedon for this heartfelt and eloquent speech for Equality Now. For honoring strong women, appreciating and loving his mother so much, and for delighting me year after year with his kick-ass, bad-ass and emotionally vulnerable (read:strong) female characters.

Thanks also to my friend Diane for posting this yesterday, and for being as huge a fan of his work (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, and the upcoming Wonder Woman) as I am.

Thanks Joss, for getting it.

Healing Prayer to Brighid

My friend Siobhan, who is helping me to do some deep (Northern Scots-Irish) ancestral clearing, sent this poem to me last night. It is so beautiful it made me cry.

Moving through this personal work, I understand better how the layers peel away over time, and that we can only do what we can till the next one is revealed. Ultimately, my struggle has been an intense fear of truly embracing my inner power due to deep soul/cellular memories of torture and death.

Last night as she held the flame and a prayer space for me, I lit my own Brighid candle...one she'd given me as a gift. I felt the divine presence of the Goddess with me throughout the night. Brighid spoke to me, comforted me, warmed me, held me. Just like a good mother would.

And I did a little light reading in between...;)

I wish for each of us this compassion and love to surround us as we continue to embrace the dark time until Brighid's day, four weeks from now.

Beannachtai go leir (blessings to all).


Healing Prayer to Brighid

I cry to the holiness of Brighid,
Fair and loving Goddess.
Who's face is beyond compare,
Who sweetly whispers in the ear.

I call onto the Fire Lady,
The Bright One shining true.
To set me at her burning forge,
And create me all a new.

I call onto the cunning wife,
Brighid's healing hands upon me.
Gently lead me through the flames,
Surround me in your light.

I call onto the Warrior, Breo-saighead,
With flaming arrows steadied.
To give me courage to face the foe,
And lead me through the dark.

I call unto the tender Brighid,
A Mother's child is in need.
Her arms embrace me,
Her fire heal me.

I cry onto the Holiness of Brighid,
Her hands above me,
Her hands below me,
Her hands surround me
Her healing fire within me
Her healing fire surrounds me
The healing of my soul,
The healing of my body,
The healing of the darkness,
The darkness into light,
The light of the flame,
The flame that brings healing,
The healing that brings wholeness,
The wholeness that is Brighid.

http://www.firesisle.com/forestwife.html