Animals are our family too

This was the title of a talk I have given recently at our London Centre, during which we shared animal experiences and the joy of the companionship which our pets can bring into our lives.

 

We learn so many things through our relationship with animals, including of course, facing up to the reality that a loved physical body dies. I was lucky that along with the trauma of the first death I had to face at six years old, when our lovely Labrador, Sally died, my parents immediately gave me the comfort of a vision. It was of her stepping out of her sick body, as my grandfather in heaven (who had been a Yorkshire farmer with many sheepdogs) whistled to her and she went off happily with him in her new young body. My parents also taught me that ‘where there is love there can be no separation’ and it wasn’t long before Sally came back to our family as a lovely Dalmatian named Mandy.

In London we also talked about the changes in recent years in people’s awareness of

the need to look after our natural world and value the many different species of wild life which exist. Prior to my talk, my daughter Sara researched the WWF’s list of the fifteen most endangered creatures and we had pictures of these. Everyone chose one to particularly hold in their prayers, linking with the angel who has that species in their care. You might like to choose one too (*see list at end). I believe that working ‘hand in hand with the angels’, and using the power of the Star can truly bring about miracles and save more of ‘our family members’ from extinction.

The growing awareness in so many hearts of our oneness with the animal kingdom and natural world can reverse the sad destruction which has taken place over past decades. As we say on our Animal Healing prayer card: ‘I pray that the Light of the Star will awaken grater compassion and understanding of the brotherhood of all life in the hearts and minds of human beings as they walk on Mother Earth and with her creatures.’  In our White Eagle healing work for animals, we all have a wonderful opportunity to work together to change our world. Let’s do it!

*  The World Wildlife Fund’s list of the fifteen creatures in most danger of   

    extinction

1.   Ivory Billed Woodpecker.

2.   Amur Leopard.

3.   Javan Rhino.

4.   Northern Sportive Lemur.

5.   Western Lowland Gorilla.

6.   Saola – Asian Unicorn.

7.   Leatherback Sea Turtle.

8.   Tiger.

9.   Chinese Giant Salamander.

10.  Little Dodo Bird.

11.  Kakapo Parrot.

12.  Greater Bamboo Lemur.

13.  Mountain Gorilla.

14.  Hawaiian Monk Seal.

15.  Northern Right Whale.

Loneliness and Reaching Out

I think we all experience times of loneliness, especially when things change in our lives and we lose the physical presence of someone very close. Whatever our beliefs this is a very hard time.

The media can be full of sad and negative stories, but sometimes quite the reverse. Sometimes there are stories full of hope which demonstrate the resilience of the human spirit and that even when we are naturally grieving we can also use what has happened to embrace a new opportunity. I was very inspired by the story of a man called Bob Lowe, who lost his wife after sixty-three happy years together. He lives here in the south of England and our local TV took up his story. He decided that (even in his eighties) he would try to reach out to others who were recently bereaved and lonely like himself. He contacted his local radio, inviting others to get in touch. This led to him starting a little local charity and getting in touch himself with Esther Rantzen who had started her ‘Silverline’ charity for elderly, lonely people. Bob says that what has helped him most in his own loneliness is volunteering to help others.

To me this story is a demonstration of the way in which sadness in our lives can be turned into new opportunity and happiness, as well as the incentive to help many others find a way to alleviate their pain.

In White Eagle’s teaching we are offered the beautiful symbolism of the rose on the cross. Instead of a suffering figure hanging on a cross, the symbol depicts an equal-sided cross with the rose at its centre. This symbolises how sadness and loneliness will all be turned into joy, and brings the awareness that love is eternal. White Eagle often says, You are never alone. Your loved ones in spirit are always close,’ and ‘Where there is love there is no separation.’ Even if we are not able to ‘reach out’ in the way Bob has done, I think we can all ‘reach in’ as it were, and be as open as we can to the whisper in our hearts of our loved one’s voice. In White Eagle’s own words, ‘You will hear their voice, you will hear in your heart what they wish to say to you. Be happy that they are alive and free and can meet you clearly in the heavenly garden.’

[Quotation from our CD Comfort for the Bereaved, available from www.whiteaglepublishing.org]

Where there is love there is no separation

Christmas and New Year can be a very poignant time if it is near the anniversary of a close loved one’s passing. 6^th January 1990 was the date of my father John Hodgson’s very sudden and unexpected transition into his heavenly life. then sadly, almost ten years after, Geoffrey, my ex-husband who had become a best friend, passed on 30^th December 1999. Now, fifteen years on, my brother-in-law, Robert Elliot slipped away on Boxing Day evening. After a long illness it was in many ways a joyous release. In a part of his being he was already active in the heaven world, and so within a really short time he was able to impress Rose with his continuing closeness and everlasting love. My mother, Joan Hodgson, gave him a joyous ‘welcome home’ as did his parents (who were the founders of our White Eagle Lodge in Plymouth).

For me, although in later years Robert found great comfort in his Buddhist practice, he always was, and will be, my ‘Brother with the Star in his heart’ as White Eagle called him many years ago. Happy years of service in the heavenly temple lie ahead, I feel sure. An important aspect of the White Eagle teaching is the reality of continuing life after death and also the fact that the heavenly life is actually very similar to earthly life (‘As above, so below’ is one of the divine laws of life). I shall never forget ‘seeing’ my Dad soon after his passing, standing outside our earthly Temple, his arms full of flowers, saying: ‘I am doing the flowers in the Temple here now’. (Among many other jobs, he also looked after the Temple flowers in those days.)

So, these New Year days, when the veil between the two worlds is very thin, I do hope you will feel your own loved ones close. As White Eagle says in Comfort for the Bereaved* :   ‘If you who are reading our words have lost dear ones by the falling away of the physical body, the release of the spirit—if you have lost the physical form—then we advise you to use your thought-power and see your loved ones. Think of them, speak to them, spirit to spirit. This takes a little time for you to understand, but if you persevere in your quiet moments thinking of the spirit world as a world of eternity—always there, always being brought into the vision, into manifestation—you will eventually live in that consciousness of life. You will be aware of life not in all its drabness and suffering and restriction in a physical body, but aware of a life that is free like a lark in the sky.’

*  Available as a CD—see our website: www.whiteaglepublishing.org —a wonderful present of comfort for anyone you know who is recently bereaved.

'Yes, there is room in my inn!'

As we come into the season of Advent and Christmas draws closer, contemplation of the biblical story of the birth of Jesus, and Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem has made me think more about difficult journeys and being without a home (or comfortable, safe place to rest) particularly when the weather is bad. I am writing this at a time in the UK when we have been experiencing many weather changes and recently bitterly cold winds and gales. This coincides with my reading a graphic account in the magazine of Amnesty International about what it is actually like to be a refugee struggling to get across Europe to a safe place to rest. (A warm stable even would be bliss for these poor people!) As I lay last night in my own cosy safe bed, my heart overflowed with thankfulness that I was not a homeless refugee facing endless journeying in the cold and wet—no toilets, harassment by local officials and all familiar belongings left behind long ago. I sent out all the love and light I could and prayers for openhearted kindness, and no more saying ‘Sorry there is no room in our country’ (no room in my inn).

Then I started to think about the whole tragedy of war and violent conflict and how it never solves anything, but often just makes it much worse. When governments react with more violence, it cannot result in peace and end of conflict as it sends out a quite different vibration. White Eagle tells us again and again, ‘Whatever the problem, love is always the answer’.

Recently a member and Star Brother of the Lodge wrote to me about the experience he had in the Islamic country of Morocco. He wrote: ‘Walking around in Marrakesh and staying in a hotel less than a hundred metres from the second largest Mosque in Islam we really had a close view of everyday life in a Muslim country. We got up early to hear the call to prayer—a lovely uplifting sound. Later while out walking around the markets the midday prayer was called and without thinking my inner vision tuned to the Star. I was immediately aware of a silver light flowing from those that prayed, their devotion, their commitment all flowing through the market towards the Mosque. That evening, quite late, I resolved to tune in to the Star. At first I couldn’t quite do it and found it much harder than ever before. But then I started with my little light and I reached out with love. It was as if I had lit dry tinder in a forest—the rush of light and the strength of the Star. The power of love that came back was overwhelming, made me cry. I thought it may be of interest in view of the recent sad events in Paris.’

I did indeed find this of great interest and encouragement. Let’s put our match/ our light to the dry tinder and start a great heart warming fire of unconditional love and compassion. Also, let us all go forward into the Christmas Festival with our hearts full of thankfulness and celebration of all the good news. My colleague Simon Bentley gave an inspiring talk in the Temple at New Lands last week. He reminded us of all the good news there is around us, and not to dwell on the bad. We can all help the world more than we realise by continually thinking positively and with enormous thankfulness. So let us praise and thank God for the simple kindness of those who say, ‘Yes, I can help you, I do have room in my inn’ (and in my thoughts, and in the love of my heart to pray for you).

Every Effort Counts

Keep Positive No Matter What

I wrote this Star Notes blog ‘Every Effort Counts’ on Friday evening before the news came of the terrible shooting tragedy in Paris. After this, my cousin Jeremy Hayward, put the following on Facebook. I share it with you now in case you are not a follower of Facebook:

'Let us hold in the healing, uplifting light of the Christ Star all the people of Paris. We see all who have been violently flung out of the physical life lifted into the heart of the light, safe in the loving arms of the Spirit. We hold all who grieve and all who fear, and see them comforted. They are within the cross of light encircled by light. We see the people of all races and all faiths drawn together in brotherhood in the universal Christ Star.' A deep thank you if you take part in this work. In the Star, we are NOT powerless. We are strong and buoyant for love.’ 

I hope these words will be of comfort and inspiration to you… and now… what I wrote on Friday about ‘Every Effort Counting’:

Here in the UK we have a wonderful event which takes place in November each year. It is called ‘Children in need’ and many events are held all over the UK to raise money for charities which are helping disadvantaged and sick children. I have just been watching a BBC programme devoted to this fundraising cause. What I have found particularly inspiring is the huge number of people who are individually making an effort to raise money to help, or do something themselves to aid those who need care and some extra joy in their lives. Also really moving is the number of children and young people who have special needs themselves and are making supreme efforts and taking on great physical and mental challenges, with generous sponsorship from family and friends, to help others with similar afflictions to their own.

To me these are examples of what White Eagle often reminds us—that the challenges which come into our lives are not punishments (or ‘bad karma’) but opportunities we have actually chosen ourselves to increase our inner strength and resilience, and open our hearts in compassion for others.

Our UK 'Children in Need' programme shows many examples of individual suffering and people whose hearts have been opened by witnessing this and moved to open their purses or get up and do something to help, however small that offering might be.

Actually—as Jesus’ story about how valuable was the widow’s mote, and Mother Theresa’s famous quote about a ‘drop in the ocean’ show—many ‘mites’ and many ‘drops’ add up! There is another factor too, I think, when groups of people get together with one good purpose—to help others with open loving hearts—something magical and miraculous happens. It is like the miracle of feeding the five thousand from the five loaves and two fishes. I was told a lovely story quite recently: 'One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking up something and gently throwing it back into the sea. He asked 'What are you doing?' The boy replied 'Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The tide is going out and if they stay on the beach they will die.' 'Son', the man said 'There are miles and miles of beach and thousands of starfish. Don't you realise you can't make a difference?' The boy bent down and picked up another starfish and threw it back into the surf. Then smiling at the man he said, 'Made a difference for that one!'

White Eagle also reminds us: ‘Never doubt the power of God to work through you… One soul can help the whole world. You say, “I want to do some work. Use me, here I am!” But, my child, you don’t need to come to us to offer yourself. The service is here beside you, and waiting in your own heart every day. The greatest service that anyone can give is to continually to think aright—continually to send forth love, to forgive.’