Faith is Caught, Not Taught

‘Faith is caught, not taught’ was a favourite saying of my Mum’s (Joan Hodgson). When I first heard it – many years ago – I did not realise how true it was. In the present particularly challenging times, it is a wonderful gift to possess, but it usually doesn’t work to say to someone ‘You must have faith!’  I am a naturally optimistic person and so lucky to have grown up with White Eagle’s wise and loving teaching, but reading things does not necessarily give us the gift of faith, even if what we read feels true. A deep inner faith in God’s goodness and the ultimate outworking of an extraordinarily wise plan for the evolution of humankind, is fostered not so much through reading and talking, or mental activity, but through being closely associated with others who have unshakeable faith. Our faith is encouraged through emotional rapport.

 In the White Eagle community our faith is fostered by our shared service. The Star binds us together and we learn from one another in a process like osmosis! (The emotions are linked to the water element and we are all composed of more than 60% water!) Every day (after all these years) I feel I am learning more about the power of the Star. When moments of doubt do come along, as I am sure they do for us all, my Star breathing never fails. I imagine the light flowing through my whole body (that wise and wonderful planet, Jupiter, rules the blood stream) and I am always uplifted and re-connected with the ‘grail cup of faith’ in my heart. I do hope these words will encourage you when the doubts come along and the ‘Star magic’ will re-fill your heart’s grail cup.

 White Eagle reminds us in ‘The Quiet Mind’ pp.95/95: 

‘We can speak so confidently about the outcome of all your human problems because we know that all human life is governed by a divine law, perfect in its outworking. The purpose of that law is to draw all men and women, all the human family, into a consciousness of God. Do not look backwards unless it is to say: ‘How beautiful is the path that I have traversed!’ Do not regret the past. You are moving forward, travelling life’s path to find happiness once again, and this time an enhanced happiness.’

 PS.  I wrote this before hearing the news of our Queen's passing. I am sure that she is now 'reaping her Heavenly Harvest' for her extraordinary life of dedicated service. Her faith was indeed a guiding principle in her life and I am certain it has been 'caught' by many thousands of people all around the world.

 

A Heavenly Rose Garden

Recently I had the opportunity to visit a most beautiful garden, filled with fragrant roses. I was able to spent some time there in quiet meditative reflection; it really felt as though I was lifted 'on wings of light' into the heavenly Garden of Communion.

 One of the many things I love about White Eagle's teaching is the way we are all helped to make our own personal contact with loved ones who have left their physical bodies. Of course, we can be aware of them at any time in our daily lives, not just when we are sitting quietly or out in nature. If we keep our awareness open, it is amazing how they find ways of letting us know they are still around!

 But White Eagle has often spoken of that special place in the heaven world, which he calls the Garden of Communion. I remember Grace Cooke, Minesta, my grandmother, describing it to me in detail, and telling me about the arbours of roses, and the secluded seats where we could sit with loved ones. On this recent occasion, I was listening to the birds singing in the physical rose garden, and enjoying the perfume of the Peace roses which were just near where I was sitting, when I felt my mother, (Joan Hodgson), take my hand. I felt so peaceful and reassured about everything in my life. I do hope that as you read this, you will receive her summertime 'gift' of reassurance too.

 After writing the words above, I opened White Eagle's Little Book of Comfort for the Bereaved, (by chance!) at page 78:

'If you are able to release yourself from the burden and darkness of the earthly mind, you are able to enter the garden of remembrance in the spirit world, then your loved ones immediately come to you. It is the spiritual law of attraction. They come to you if you can imagine with your higher vision that you are with them. It is these inner powers and qualities of the spirit that you have to develop so that you are always aware, conscious, of the companionship of your beloved ones because in spirit there is no separation.'

A Sandwich in My Handbag!

A sense of humour is a wonderful gift. It can carry us  through many challenging moments in our lives and bring extra joy in the happy times. White Eagle has a great sense of humour and I am often aware of his smile and twinkling eyes  when things get in a bit of a muddle!

In all the wonderful and inspiring moments during these past Platinum Jubilee days, and witnessing the many trıbutes to our Queen, one memory will always stay with me...the private little tea party with Paddington Bear and Her Majesty. This was broadcast on the screen outside Buckingham Palace during Saturday's Concert.

Sometime in an earlier news broadcast, a little school girl was shown speculatıng on what the Queen might keep in the handbag she always carrıes. Her Majesty must know this is sometimes thought about, especially by little girls! 

Demonstratıng her lovely humour and understanding of her youngest subjects and her own grandchildren, she chose to be filmed for this special moment with Paddington Bear. He showed her the marmalade sandwich he always carries In his hat 'for emergencıes', and she opened her handbag and showed him her sandwich!

We don't all carry a marmalade sandwich in our handbag, pocket or backpack, but we can all carry our etheric Star, which is always with us in 'emergencies'! Our Star can help us hold on to our faith, no matter what, (as the Queen has done all her life), and help us broadcast a ray of hope to everyone around us.

And, as White Eagle reminds us in The Quiet Mind...

'Never fear for your journey ahead, for as God has watched over you all your life and, in spite of your fears, has brought you through all the trials and sorrow of your life, do God will take you through the darkest vale into the light.'

Your Own Resurrection!

     There is a beautiful passage in White Eagle's Little Book of Comfort for the Bereaved', in the chapter which has this title, 'You are your own resurrection!'

Here in a short extract:

'Can you imagine freedom; freedom from all want and limitation, freedom from evil thoughts, freedom from pain? Can you imagine yourself free to give and share with all creatures and all human beings the wonderful life of God? The great initiate Jesus, the Christed one, has demonstrated to you that there is a life beyond death. You will remember the words written in your Bible, those that the woman spoke when she found the stone rolled away from the tomb: 'They have taken away my Lord'. The stone is the mortal mind, the material mind, and the stone has to be removed. You are in your own tomb in the physical body, but the ministering angel comes to you and will remove the stone enabling you to rise and come out of your physical body into a world of infinite beauty.`

I had forgotten this passage, but found it again today, as I was preparing to write my Easter blog, and I knew immediately that these are the words White Eagle wants me to share with you as we come near to Easter time. We all have a guardian angel who cares for us throughout our physical journey, and this angel can help us remove the heavy stone from the 'tomb of our minds', and lift our thoughts to heavenly awareness. We can all use our God given gift of imagination, and rise as on wings of light into the beauty of the heavenly garden, where loved ones wait to greet us and enjoy quality time together. We can also offer our help in greeting and  caring for those who have been suddenly flung out of their bodies, and those resting in the garden while their bodies try to sleep in difficult earthly conditions. 

Even if we are unable to offer material help in other ways, (to refugees and those involved in the conflict in Ukraine and  Russia), we can all do this: we can keep constant in our prayer at 3,6,9 and 12, not giving way to negative thought; we can all keep the image of the Star shining brightly over areas of conflict; we can all take the long view, and know that eventually necessary lessons will be learned and the resurrection of all humanity - into the freedom of heavenly understanding - will come.

Thoughts for Mothers' Day

Here in the UK we celebrate Mothering Sunday three weeks before Easter. In days
gone by those 'in service' in stately homes, (like in Downton Abbey and Gosford Park!), were allowed a day off from their arduous duties to visit their mothers. It is especially lovely that whatever the actual date of Easter, which varies year by year,  Mothers' Day comes in spring time when hopefully we have sunshine and our gardens and hedgerows are filled with flowers. Making a gift of flowers for our mothers, or maybe placing a posy of flowers by a treasured picture of mothers who have passed on, is a tradition which we keep in my family. 

In White Eagle's teaching, the feminine aspect of the Creator, Mother God, has always been given its rightful place in our prayers and our first principle states that `'God, the Eternal Spirit is both Father and Mother'.

Over the past centuries this perfect balance of creation has often been out of balance, with the male energy dominant, and we are all witnessing a negative aspect of this in the heartbreaking conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We are seeing the awful consequences of violence and the break up of homes and families. But in every terrible situation, there always seems to come a ray of sunshine through the clouds. A ray of sunshine I am seeing now, is the awakening in so many human hearts (men, women, children) of an even deeper compassion than hitherto - a longing to do something to help, to nurture, to care, to offer food and shelter - all qualities linked with mother energy. 

So, on this Mothering Sunday, as well as thanking my own mother in my heart, for all her caring, and the wonderfully happy childhood she and my father gave me and my sister Rose, (growing  up at New Lands!), in my prayers for Russia and Ukraine, I am affirming that our shining Star of Peace will help awaken even more of the balancing energy of Divine Mother's great wisdom and unconditional love for all involved, and all seeking to help.

On the back cover of Seeking Serenity (my favourite White Eagle book), I have just read these words:

'We see a most wonderful development in humanity and in human life on the earth plane. You become disappointed by the disputes and misunderstandings between people and the conflict between the races, but we see, beyond your mortal vision, a wonderful growth going on. We see rays
being projected to the earth in love from the vast Brotherhood above...You talk about love on your earth, but you have little understanding of the power and beauty of love as it is known on the higher planes. This love is always at work; this light, this tenderness, this understanding one for another and this outpouring of love and light to the earth.'

 

Happy Anniversary!

Anniversaries are special times, whether they commemorate a birthday or a passing from the physical life, a special event or the founding of an organisation. 22nd February is the anniversary of the dedication of the first White Eagle Lodge in 1936. (This first Lodge was in a hired hall in London, and then the work continued in more permanent premises after the bombing of that first home during the second world war. This story is in itself a reminder, that even though we may lose a physical form, even though change is part of life, the essence that we love is eternal.) 

During the dedication service, White Eagle said:`We have chosen to call this centre the White Eagle Lodge - a name not bearing reference to any particular person but referring to the white eagle as a symbol of vision, used down the ages by the Wise Ones whom we are privileged to serve. This is to be a centre of light; and all who would serve the Great White Light, whatever their denomination, whatever their school of thought, can meet here on a common plane of brotherhood and service...this place is to be a lighthouse to guide men and women, and we ask you to help us establish and maintain the light within.'

I have always loved this metaphor of the Lodge being a lighthouse, and I believe that over all the years since these words were spoken, the spiritual light and love has indeed shone brightly out into an often quite dark world. It has never gone out, even though the outer form may have changed. (And this applies of course to our New Lands Temple.) Throughout the years ince 1936, we have been guided safely on our journey through earthly life, not only by a lighthouse, (and there soon became many White Eagle Lighthouses, as more Lodges and Centres were founded all over the world), but also by a shining Pole Star in the heavens, just as the mariners of old were guided long before our modern day technology.

And White Eagle reminds us all now, as he did when these words were spoken: `When you are lost in the world, seek the light of the Star...it is the most powerful instrument which man has been given. You do not need to be anxious about any one...hold them in the Star...then you are giving them the greatest possible help, because you are helping them to help themselves.`

And a final word about anniversaries: they bring with them a special power, indeed a heavenly power and possibly even new vision and understanding. They bring an opportunity to reflect, to remember and to say `thank you` for the blessing an individual life (or an organisation) has brought into our personal lives.

Messages from Heaven

When things are difficult in our personal lives, and there seem so many world problems, I think many long for a message from Heaven....and preferably a message of reassurance and hope for better things to come.

A friend commented to me the other day, 'There are so many things on the internet, so much channeling of messages, why not more 'messages from our White Eagle'. 

Yes, we are very aware that we need to make more use of modern day media possibilities and we are working on this and will be launching our new website soon, and using U tube more. However there is an important point I want to share about messages from heaven.

A very important aspect of White Eagle's work is to encourage us all to look within for guidance, answers to our questions, and 'messages'. This is the Aquarian way! In the Piscean age priests and authority figures told people what they had to do, often with a lot of spiritual blackmail and guilt thrown in. Now we are being set free from all that, to look into our hearts, and follow our own path and the truth we find through the light of God shining in our own hearts.

The challenge of this of course is:

Having to do it for ourselves!

Making the time to go into our quiet inner sanctuary

The 'have I got it right?' thought

Feeling nothing at all!

Hopefully these suggestions may help.....

I have found if no clarity, no clear inner guidance comes immediately, just leave it for a while and inwardly lay it on your altar.

Sometimes I actually write out my question and place it physically on my little sanctuary table. 

Another thing I do is ask for a sign, if you like, a confirmation of what I think is the message. This frequently does come, but often in an unexpected way! We are probably all familiar with the joy of finding a white feather in an unexpected place, or the sudden appearance of a bird singing a joyful song, and then just knowing...Yes...this is the sign from heaven!

Just as I finished writing this, I said to White Eagle, 'Now I need a few words from you to add!' And I turned over my copy of the latest Stella Polaris...there was his message for us all, on the back cover:

'All that is lovely and pure and true will come through from your higher self, and that is the level on which your spiritual teacher works.'