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Dear Friend
This month has holidays for Christians, Buddhists, Jews, pagans and others. For those fully dedicated to sadhana, to deep spiritual practice, every day, every moment, is sacred, though the additional cultural and group attention given holidays supports everyone being more mindful of their spiritual tradition's values and beliefs and living them more fully.
It is a good time for contemplation and renewal of our commitment to our practices as we prepare to begin a new year.
It's great to celebrate the highest taking form and revealing itself on earth, whether as Jesus' birth, Buddha's enlightenment, the miracle of lamps continuing to burn, the return of the sun or many other ways it has been experienced. But these all demand that we look at how we give birth to that light in this very moment, how we realize our highest nature and reveal it through compassion, kindness, generosity, patience and love for all.
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Love Poems From God
Daniel Ladinsky, translator and editor
IF YOU WANT
If you want,
the Virgin will come walking down the road
pregnant with the holy,
and say
"I need shelter for the night,
please take me inside your heart,
my time is so close."
Then, under the roof of your soul,
you will witness the sublime intimacy,
the divine, the Christ,
taking birth,
forever,
as she grasps your hand for help,
for each of us is the midwife of God,
each of us.
Yes there, under the dome of your being
does creation come into existence eternally,
through your womb, dear pilgrim -
the sacred womb in your soul,
as God grasps our arms for help;
for each of us
is His beloved servant
never far.
If you want,
the Virgin will come walking down the street
pregnant with Light
and sing...
St. John of the Cross
pp. 306-7
CLOSE TO GOD
One may never have heard the sacred word "Christ,"
and be closer to God
than a priest
or nun.
St. Thomas Aquinas
p. 125
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Meditation Programs
Anam Cara Foundation, OH & NY
Everyone is welcome to our non-denominational meditation programs. No experience is necessary. We're located at 9380 Main Street, Second Floor, Montgomery, OH 45242
Cincinnati Monthly Meditation Sessions
Tuesday Jan. 8th, Feb. 5th, 7:15pm
7:15-8:30pm. Fee: by donation, suggested donation is $20.
N. Westchester, NY Monthly Meditation Sessions
Saturday Jan. 12th, Feb. 16th, 7-8:45 pm
Fee: By donation.
Location: Please call for details.
For more information please visit our Events page (click here)
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Thank you all
for your notes of appreciation for our
newsletter. It's great to hear from you!
Everyone has
the heart to be a true friend of the soul, an
"Anam
Cara." By embodying that ideal we
may serve to help
others to find love and compassion within
themselves and the world.
Our highest nature is always
manifest in
relationship - to all other beings, to the
environment, in relation to our own body and
mind. Becoming mindful of the quality of our
relationships
allows us to learn where the light shines and
where it
needs to shine more. The ideal of Anam
Cara is to
continuously endeavor to expand the depth
and the
inclusiveness of the loving kindness we bring
into
every relationship, every moment, every breath.
If
you have any
suggestions, comments or sharings, for our
newsletter please don't
hesitate to e-mail me and I'll do my best to
respond.
The Anam Cara
Foundation is a 501
(C) 3,
non-profit
educational organization dedicated to
teaching
meditative practices. Our non-
denominational
programs are open to all. There are free
meditation instructions and downloadable
audio files of guided meditations on the
meditation page of our website.
Thank you for the many ways you have shown
support for The Anam Cara
Foundation. Because
of your gifts we can offer free programs and
instruction to thousands of people. If you
would like to
make a tax deductible donation please send it to the
address listed below or go to our website
where you
can make a secure online donation.
A special thank you to our generous supporters who give donations and make regular pledged donations.
Click HERE.
That link will also bring you to our links
with Sounds True and purchasing gifts and
products from them will help support
The Anam
Cara Foundation.
I look forward to welcoming you
in person to our programs.
With
all my
appreciation and love,
I thank you all.
May all beings realize complete freedom from suffering and may all our actions reflect only wisdom, compassion, patience and love.
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