The Tree of Peace

Here in our lovely Temple at New Lands, blessed with Autumn sunshine, we have just celebrated our Peace Day—21^st September— the day of the equinox, and linked with the global event ‘Peace One Day’. Our special focus for prayer on this day was Africa. We visualised a great tree of peace growing in the heart of this beautiful continent, its golden leaves and fruit nurturing all in need of sustenance and healing. The roots of the tree reached deep into the earth, taking healing right into the soul of this great land and helping its ancient light arise in blessing for the whole world. White Eagle has said many times that the healing of Africa is of the greatest importance in our work for the healing of the whole world. Africa has many gifts of wisdom and understanding of Mother Earth to give us all.

At the time of equinox, I feel there is a wonderful opportunity to pray for peace and deeper understanding, heart-to-heart, in all areas of conflict. Now as we approach the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels, with the Sun moving into Libra on 23^rd September, there is very powerful angelic vibration which helps us not only in our endeavours for peace, but also in our work of deep Earth healing. So, with White Eagle’s encouragement, I would like to think of us visualising the ‘Tree of Peace’ with its golden light and fruit blessing the whole earth. You may like—at this equinox time—to visualise a golden tree of peace, the perfectly balanced Star shining above it, as we did in the temple on Sunday. 

As White Eagle says in ‘Seeking Serenity’:  ‘We would lead you to the peace of the heavenly life. Without this inner peace of the heavenly life, you live in a state of stress and anxiety and fear. The Brotherhood of the Star, who are so close to your spirit always, work to dispel all the fears and anxieties to which you on earth are subject. When you are in trouble you become tense, and because of the tension whatever you are suffering from is more painful and the suffering increases. When there is conflict in the mind there is no peace in the soul, but when the spirit controls the mind and the nervous system, then peace and tranquillity rule. The love, the light in the heart, is pure spirit; and human life must be guided by the spirit. Once you can relax and relinquish your problems to God, all conflict ceases and health, wholeness and holiness return.’

Courageous Heros

A little while ago I had a small accident and cut my leg, which has given me a great deal of pain. It is taking a long time to heal and testing my patience! One evening it was particularly troubling me when I was watching on television such an inspiring programme about the work Prince Harry is doing to encourage wounded servicemen and women to take part in sport, in spite of their injuries.

As many will know, he has set up a five-day event beginning this week, which is called the Invictus Games. Wounded servicemen and women from 14 nations are competing in different sporting events. Prince Harry’s encouragement is making a huge difference. To quote a newspaper article: ‘Public support has always been there’, says a competitor Andy Grant. ‘But Harry’s backing has taken it to another level.’ The ex-Marine chose to have his leg amputated rather than live with a debilitating limp after being injured by an IED in Afghanistan in 2009, and says sport has played a huge part in his recovery. ‘The first time I ran again, I felt like I was flying,’ says Andy, 26. ‘It spurred me on. The thought of sport always provided the light at the end of the tunnel and taking part in the Invictus Games is the pinnacle of what I’ve achieved. It justifies my decision to have my leg amputated.’

Reading and hearing these amazing stories in spite of terrible injuries, really put my little injury in perspective! I find it so inspiring to hear these stories of courage and also realise the bravery of not only the wounded person but all their close family, as together they have to face a completely new life.

With the understanding which White Eagle’s teaching brings us, we know that ‘Nothing happens out of order or by chance’, and that all the difficulties are actually opportunities to grow and serve and move forward in new ways. This thought was reinforced for me whilst watching parts of our UK Great North Run taking place this past weekend in Manchester. So many were running for charities and running because they had been touched in some way by a close one’s illness or death. This suffering had encouraged them to give everything they could in personal effort to help relieve others’ suffering. This is indeed a wonderful way in which communication works: we know what is going on for other people, and shows us that the new age urge for brotherhood and working together with others is unfolding in the human spirit.

As I listen and read these things, I see the shining Star touching people’s hearts and minds, and encouraging new things to unfold through the darkness.

*      *      *      *      *      *

PS.  After writing the above, I have been having an early morning walk around our Temple cross-within-the-circle field. It is an exquisite Autumn morning, with the sun breaking through the early mist. White Eagle was very close as I walked and I heard him saying to me, ‘Don’t forget, every cloud has a silver lining’. This is a message for us all I think as we face the challenges and difficulties in our personal lives. There is always something that we can learn and gain through the experience—the gift of silver, which blends with the gold of the joy that follows as we move through the difficult time.