Being a 'golden egg' - thoughts for Easter time

As we approach Easter Time many children (and maybe adults too!) will be thinking about Easter eggs. The egg is a great symbol of new life. In the Northern hemisphere nature is abundant with flowers, fresh green leaves on the trees, baby animals and birds. Easter falls at the weekend nearest to the full moon when the Sun is in Aries. This is the first sign of the zodiac, so it is also the time of the re-birth of a new zodiac year.

In some ways it is a better time of year than the beginning of January to make a New Year resolution and I have some thoughts to share about this.

I was recently reading an article in one of our UK newspapers about a charity fund-raising endeavour promoted by one of our big supermarket chains. They are encouraging customers to ‘Be a good egg’. Their definition of this is someone who helps ill or vulnerable people, and their most important characteristics of a ‘good egg’ are humility and kindness. This really struck a chord for me, as these are two qualities White Eagle often stresses in his teaching.

So maybe a ‘good egg’ resolution for you this Aries full moon time could be to do a simple act of kindness for a neighbour, family member or friend.

Another idea is to give a lonely person a handmade gift or card. When we make something ourselves, it may not look as finished and professional as shop bought items, but we have put something of ourselves into it, which will touch the receiver. The love and caring thought behind it will touch their heart.

Then another idea I have to suggest is creating your personal Easter day affirmation. Maybe affirming something truly positive about yourself and your positive ‘good egg’ thoughts for the new zodiac year ahead.

And finally, a few of White Eagle’s own words which are also printed in our latest issue of Stella Polaris:  ‘Have you ever noticed that so many of the spring flowers in your northern hemisphere—the daffodil, the hyacinth, and many others, are manifesting the symbol of the six-pointed Star; six petals? Even deep within the flower you will see another little star in many of them. We suggest that you should look into your spring flowers and see there the message of the Christ, the arisen Christ.’

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On Easter Sunday I shall be in the New Lands Temple for our service at 11.15am and then, (after a shared lunch) at 1.30pm talking on an ‘egg’ theme! ‘The Golden Egg—a Journey to the Great Pyramid’. Do join me if you can.

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Also, may I take this opportunity of reminding you that you can now find regular White Eagle postings on Twitter. Go to www.twitter.com/whiteaglewisdom as well as on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiteeaglelodgeUK

'Green is good for our health' says Prince

This is the headline of a recent newspaper article. Prince Charles has worked for many years to encourage awareness of environmental issues. A reader of my STAR NOTES has sent me a cutting from London’s Evening Standard newspaper, printed on the same day that my last blog entitled ‘Is there rubbish in paradise?’ was posted. The article reported a visit of the Prince to the newspaper to give support and publicity to a meeting of the ‘Royal Society’ bringing together health ministers, senior civil servants, health professionals and civil society organisations, to discuss climate change.

In his keynote speech at the meeting the Prince said ‘Protect the health of the planet, protect our health. Actions which are good for the planet are also good for human health… Some five years ago the Lancet’s commission of climate change described it as “the greatest threat to human health of the 21^st century”.’

I believe that one way in which the magic of the Star is working is in encouraging key figures in our world today to speak out and use the power of the media to help inspire and uplift the thoughts and actions of many others, and particularly those in positions to change our world. Prince Charles’ work is just one example. White Eagle encourages his Star workers to be constant in their work! Let us all see the ‘green ray’ pouring onto and into our planet, as I said before in my previous post.

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And now I invite you to come to the New Lands Temple (if you can)—or join us in thoughts, on Saturday 28^th March for our Earth Hour Tibetan Bowl Concert (by Andrew Lyddon). From 8.30 to 9.30pm the Temple will be illuminated only by candles. This evening is an outer expression of our environmental commitment. It is the WWF’s Earth Hour. We join it and thus link with many millions of people all over the planet who are together turning off all electric lights. Let us join together at this time (physically or in thought) and offer our prayers for our beautiful planet.

Is there rubbish in Paradise?

Sri Lanka is advertised in travel brochures and web sites as `Paradise Island'. After the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami it seemed far from paradise, but gradually the re-building began, thanks to wonderful help from many donors all over the world. Then came another tragedy - the re-start of the long time civil war which devastated much of the north and east of the country. 
      I have had the privilege to have an opportunity to work with some of the people trying to help re-build their lives after the double troubles. On my travels there just recently, I have seen Tamil and Singhalese people working side by side to help those stricken by the war, disease and poverty. It is heart warming, indeed almost miraculous, to see people who were on opposite sides  in the war, trying to help one another. I believe the Little Temple for world peace, shown in the photo, with a six pointed Star shining on its roof (and a large star also painted across the floor) is helping radiate the energy of peace and reconciliation to many hearts. 

       I believe the magic of the Star is also affecting the politicians!
      Anyone who has traveled in Asia, is probably aware of the `rubbish problem`. Most of my Asian travels have been in the Indian sub-continent. I have been appalled at the rubbish which is piled around the streets. The only beaches which are kept clean are those patrolled by employees of the big hotel chains, who want to keep up the `paradise image`. One of the problems is that it is not in the consciousness of most of the people to dispose of rubbish in a tidy way. When something is used, the empty carton is thrown to the wind! 
      The `paradise beach` near the Little Temple has always had a rubbish problem. I have watched local women coming on to the beach in the early morning, with their bags of rubbish! They think the wind and waves will blow it away. Seeing this over the years, I have intensified my prayers about the whole issue of pollution of the Earth`s beauty - often through ignorance. Mostly the ordinary local people have not had the benefit of education about the damage rubbish is causing to their animals, sea birds, trees and flowers.
      Our prayers and work with the Star does help. When I arrived in Sri Lanka on this trip, I had a joyful surprise when I looked at my beach...much of the rubbish had been cleared, and signs erected asking the local people not to dump more! At last the local council and politicians (an election had just taken place) were doing something. Star prayers were working! But it is a question of KOKO ing, for already little piles of rubbish are re-appearing!
      It has come to me that we can work specifically to help the rubbish issue - not just in the Indian sub-continent, but all over the world, by concentrating on the Green Ray (a wonderfully cleansing ray), shining from the heart of the Star. I have started to visualise this Ray shining not only into the earth, the trees and nature, but also touching human hearts and minds. I particularly see it inspiring teachers and those who have the power to influence children and young people, and of course to environmental workers and politicians too. It is all of us who can change our world, and make it truly `Paradise on Earth`. Let`s do it together. 

The Art of Happiness

I gave a talk in our New Lands Temple recently on the theme of Happiness. Here in the UK, January can be a long, dark, heavy month. All the excitement of Christmas is over. The post is no longer full of greetings cards, more likely bills.  The weather is usually cold and wet, and some mornings it seems it will never get light! We were blessed on that Sunday because the weather was mild and the sun shining. It made me reflect that perhaps something which can most quickly lift our spirits is sunshine. No wonder White Eagle likens God to the sun. (Many years ago we published a children’s book called Hullo Sun, teaching young ones first steps in spiritual understanding.)

White Eagle often refers to happiness in his teaching. Indeed, one of our very early White Eagle books was entitled Religion of Happiness.

Perhaps the best known of his sayings about happiness is in fact the very last passage in The Quiet Mind. In my talk I went through this phrase by phrase, looking at the meaning of each.

Underpinning them all is the keynote of love and faith in God’s love and God’s perfect plan. To me this is the secret of being happy. But I was also intrigued to read another passage of his teaching where he talks about ‘The Art of Happiness’.  This phrase really caught my attention. I thought, yes, it is an art. Whatever is going on in our lives, we can learn to accept and look for the lesson it offers us. It is our choice then, whether we try to learn the lesson or grumble and complain.  We can choose to see our glass as half empty or half full.

So, in this new year ahead, as the dark, cold winter days give way to the lighter, warmer days of spring (here in the Northern Hemisphere) perhaps our intention we might wish to make is to see our glass as half full—or even full to the brim with golden new year blessing and joy!

I end now with White Eagle’s words referred to earlier:‘Happiness is the realisation of God in the heart.  Happiness is the result of praise and thanksgiving, of faith, of acceptance, a quiet, tranquil realisation of the love of God.  This brings to the soul perfect and indescribable happiness.  God is happiness.’

Love is the only answer

‘Apply love by your inner attitude towards any human problem. Put aside the reasoning mind. Let divine love operate in you. From your inner self give God’s love, and you will be surprised to

find that every problem will be solved; every knot loosened.’ (White Eagle in ‘The Quiet Mind’)

When we listen and see the news reports about the violent happenings in Paris,

and all the repercussions, it could be easy to feel hopeless about there ever being a long-term resolution to all the issues involved.

Whatever is going on in the world, I always try to hold fast to my absolute belief that there is an answer and that in spite of everything, humanity is making progress towards greater understanding between nations, religions and different cultures.  I believe that whatever the problem, violence is not the answer.  I think all the coverage of the centenary of the First World War has made this abundantly clear.  What has also been made clear is the deep lessons which are learnt as a result of the terrible happenings of war and indeed of violence.  That glorious picture of the sea of poppies outside the Tower of London at Remembrance time must have touched millions of hearts.  Somehow those beautiful poppies are indeed a symbol of great hope for the future and hope for the new generations growing up in the world now.  Just today there has been the news coverage of one and a half million people of all ages, all religions and all ethnic backgrounds coming to Paris to walk side-by-side in brotherhood for all they believe to be right and good.

I have recently been re-reading White Eagle’s words printed in his book The Light Bringer, in a little section entitled ‘Hope’.  I share these with you today  ‘We give you hope. You are marching forward; the earth plane, the earth planet as a whole, moves forward with its whole being towards becoming itself like a sun. Earth’s humanity has awakened, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, humanity responds and raises itself, even as a child stirs in the womb. The earth is surely moving towards its own birth: it will become spiritualised, so that its very crust, its outer substance, is changed and transcended. In the same way, human life moves towards such a birth. It moves into glory, into freedom. Every experience brings to humanity growth towards spiritual consciousness. Nothing is wasted in life; no experience whatever. However hard the lessons have been for you, and maybe at this moment are, may it comfort and inspire you to be told that they are worthwhile. Humanity makes progress. It does not regress, and every method used to bring about its birth into the spiritual life is necessary. Look out upon the world as it is with tolerance and love and hope. There is no death! Progress, progress, progress—growth, a life-force ever moving onward into the Sun! Hope!’

The power of the Star is quite magical, and White Eagle is calling upon all his friends to be steadfast in positive thought and in the work of sending out the light of the Star at 3,6,9 and 12 every day (or as often as you can remember).  Whatever the media reports, don’t allow negative thoughts to take over your everyday mind.  The power of the Star helps us all to connect to our higher minds which know that there is no power greater than God’s power, and eventually all the tensions will be resolved and humankind will have taken great steps forward in tolerance, forgiveness and true brotherhood.