Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.

~ Maya Angelou

Blessings and Light

One of my first memories of receiving blessings was from my mom.  She would sit on the side of my bed every night to listen while I said my prayers which consisted of my "God-blessing" everyone I could think of. When I was finished, she always did a finger-drawing of "the sign of the cross" on my forehead as she said the words "in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, amen".  Even though this ritual began early in my life, and I didn't really understand what she was doing, I do remember that her "blessing-action" included a felt sense of love, safety and trust within me.

Today I recognize blessings every day as a full-bodied experience whenever I pause "to see" and "to feel" whatever's revealing itself to me. We have a LOT of double rainbows where I live. We're surrounded by tall, lush evergreens. Wildlife (deer, rabbits, coyotes, opossum, birds) have free rein through our property. In the spring, the fawns eat our rosebuds (fine!). That gorgeous view of Mount Rainier from my house is amazing even when it's not always visible on cloudy days. I feel blessed every day when I get to experience being with family and friends -- even those I only see through media. My absolute favorite blessings are being able to be with my daughter and grandsons every day.

Each of us recognize Light in a number of ways where there's personal meaning and universal expression -- life itself, divinity, purity/goodness, celebration, guidance, hope, truth and consciousness. You can surely think of more ways as well.

I love how the Winter Holiday Season is celebrated with Light, often candlelight, in many traditions. We use candles at the Winter Solstice to symbolize the rebirth of the sun and the return of light. The Advent wreath has four candles used in the Christian holiday of Christmas where each candle represents one of the four weeks of Advent symbolizing hope, peace, joy and love. The menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum used in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (Chanukah). The candles represent the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days in the Temple. The Kinara in Kwanzaa is a seven-branched candleholder used in the African American holiday of Kwanzaa where a candle is lit on the Kinara to represent one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

Let's Continue to Show up to wake up together!

Group Work/Exploration/Play

Check out the 2025 Calendar of Offerings to get a view of which groups are meeting when. It's a pdf-document that you can print. For more detail, simply go to the Support Menu Item on my website.

A Short Overview

On the calendar, you'll see Four Topic Inquiries interspersed throughout the year. This next year we'll be exploring Vulnerability, Beauty, Freedom, and Surrender. These inquiry sessions are only on specific dates for 1 hour 45 minutes over Zoom.

The Monthly Dialectic Inquiry Groups begin meeting in February. 

Two Intensive Weekends are planned for June and October.  In June we'll be exploring Conscience, Super Ego, and Guidance: Experiential Recognition Beyond Concepts. In October we'll be exploring the awakening process, but I haven't decided yet whether to explore the Ten Ox Herding Pictures or the Ten Fetters of Becoming. Which of the two interests you? Email me to let me know which one you're interested in exploring with me.

Beginning January 2025

Our first Topic Inquiry for the year is on Vulnerability. Wait don't move on just yet. We're going to be exploring this quality of our humanness -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. Whenever we say even the slightest "no" to vulnerability, we're creating a boundary that makes us feel separate. Actually, vulnerability is an openness to reality and our True Nature and yet it can be scary to feel it.

Monday, January 13 at 4 pm Pacific

Sunday, January 19 at 9 am Pacific

On-line: Zoom

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

Register NLT: January 3, 2025

*Fee: $40

Click the button below for the date/time you want to join. The button will send me an email so that I can confirm you've signed up. I'll include in the email my PayPal info if you don't already have it.

Potential New Inner Critic Book Study Starting the last week of January 2025

If you're interested in uncovering how your Inner Critic limits your life by undermining your confidence, devaluing your achievements, preventing you from expressing your genuine needs and wants, and simply making you feel like a victim consider joining our book study group.

Click here to check out the flyer.  There's a survey on the flyer so you can let me know your 1st and 2nd preferences for a meeting day/time. At least look at the flyer to see how this study group has changed the lives of quite a few people.

BOGO Opportunity: Join with a Friend

Buy one, get one half price

In past study groups, people enjoyed discussing the chapter material before and after the meetings with a friend or partner.

How to get in on the BOGO? Go to the flyer (see above link to flyer) then click on the survey.

May we be blessed with experiencing 

   the presence of love, peace and joy 

   in this Holiday Season 

May we also embody and share 

   love, peace and joy into the New Year.

Deborah

www.alivinginquiry.com