holidays – Spirituality & Healing

Stress-free holidays

Published on December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 by lindseybiggs

The holidays can be a busy time. On top of work, there are travel plans and gift giving. It can seem like the focus is on the to-do list and not on the message of the Christ — God’s unconditional love for all mankind.

So how do we put the spirit of the Christ back in Christmas with all the things that need to get done?

In a recent article I wrote published in The Monitor, I tell about a time when our family moved across country and had a lot to do upon arrival. I share how seeking “the kingdom of God first, and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33) became a helpful focus, giving me a greater sense of peace, and allowing things to fall into place naturally and harmoniously.

In another article that I appreciate on this topic, “Unselfishness: a recipe for time managment“, the author writes of his spiritual wake up call from feeling self-centered pride about finishing his to-do list to a greater desire to live spiritually: “Like a bolt of lightning, it became clear to me that I had just one task: to express unselfishness, to dedicate my entire day to blessing and serving others…”

I hope these ideas will help you and yours to express more of the Christ-spirit this holiday season. Wishing you a Christmas season filled with grace, poise, patience, gratitude, Christly-love and affection.

—

Photo by pixabay.com

Overcoming stress during the holidays

Published on December 15, 2018December 15, 2018 by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

The holidays can sometimes be filled with stress for people who are busy with family preparations, etc. that it can seem to overshadow the purity and simplicity of the birth of Christ. So how do we counteract that in our spiritual practice?

I find these words to be of great help:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

By seeking God first — a God-consciousness — a consciousness this is aware of who God is and God’s presence governing us and everyone in our lives, we can see harmony expressed and find our needs supplied. Whether you are running errands, doing the shopping, cooking food, etc., we can be poised and still and listening for the inner voice within telling us everything we need to know. It can even keep you from forgetting that item on your shopping list!

Seeking the Kingdom of God within gives us a sense of poise, grace, and peace that we carry with us. It enables us to keep calm and feel that inner peace — that Christ expressed — that comes from a spiritual love that embraces everyone. It enables us to see this Love, that is God, embracing and caring for each person, stranger, and guest in our home.

—

This beautiful featured image is from pixabay.com.

Divine love can dissolve past hurt

Published on December 18, 2015December 18, 2015 by lindseybiggs4 Comments

Family gatherings can be difficult times for many. How do you feel a sense of God’s presence and love during the holidays? God is the Source of each one’s individuality, so we can all know — spiritually discern — that we are each loved equally despite what may have gone on before.

Pure humanity, friendship, home, the interchange of love, bring to earth a foretaste of heaven.¹

Our identity, feeling worthy and loved doesn’t actually come from other people, although sometimes friends and family can beautifully reflect how worthy, lovely and lovable we all are. These expressions of joy and appreciation are natural and normal and are signs of God, divine Love’s, kingdom on earth.

Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.²

Relationships are a good opportunity to dissolve what Mary Baker Eddy calls the “adamant of error”: self-will, self-justification and self-love³ ; the old adage “my way or the highway” mentality; self-righteousness, which wreaks havoc on all of us; then of course there’s just plain old judgement.

Christ Jesus was the perfect example of living and expressing spiritual love.

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you…Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.⁴

God will bless you for doing them! God will bless you for putting off old resentments. God will bless you for being humble enough to be made new — in the likeness of God!

You deserve to express divine Love — not hold on to the past or limited views of others (that God is not knowing about them). Self-hatred is what makes us feel we are not worthy or loved enough to let go of hatred towards others! We are worth it! Let it go.

Spiritual living and blessedness are the only evidences, by which we can recognize true existence and feel the unspeakable peace which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love. ⁵

^________

^{1 Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 100

2 Matthew 6:10 The Holy Bible New Revised Standard Version}
^{3 Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 242}
^{4 John 13 The Holy Bible New Living Translation

^{5 Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 264}}