Angels Are Among Us

This article is a part of my on-going series on Angels.

How the visible world co-exists with and connects with the invisible world is a great mystery.

There remains among most of us a sweet residual memory of an awareness of the presence of the angelic realm from a time of innocence and acceptance in our childhood when the realm of angels and devas was open to our inner sight.

You may remember this time. You may be one of the rare people who kept this vision open in spite of the input and insistence of those who only value what was material and tangible as real.

You may remember being ridiculed or disapproval as you insisted that this world you could see with your etheric vision was real.

Gradually, you may have learned to accept the definitions and limitations that the world around you defined as real.

If you are one of the rare and special individuals, who clung to a sense of truth and knowing about the nature of what is real, in spite of your reality not receiving the confirmation of those around you, this post is especially for you.

It is a part of the amazing hubris of the human experience to only acknowledge and value what can be experienced, touched and felt through the senses of sight, touch, hearing, taste or smell.

To deny the reality that anything exists beyond the accepted ways of sensing or experiencing the world is an unnecessary limitation. It confines and entraps you to an awareness that constricts, rather than opens and expands, your reality to the amazing miracle that is all of life and all of creation.

Life, and indeed consciousness, is not limited and confined by what is material in the world. To begin to understand this and expand your awareness to feel and explore energy and consciousness beyond the limitation of matter opens your mind.

To think that matter is the only thing that is real denies and confines truth. The fact is, you don’t know, what you don’t know.

It is an important step in consciousness to begin to understand the immense scope of what is real in this vast and amazing multifaceted adventure we know as life.
– Genevieve Gerard

To begin to acknowledge that both what is composed of spirit is real and simply obeys different universal laws than the laws that govern matter, opens your heart and your mind to an awareness that is even more amazing and miraculous than you have ever imagined.

Physics in its quest for understanding the nature of what is real is just beginning to explore reality in ways that demonstrate that the world is more mysterious and magical that we have ever imagined.

I’m a big believer in quantum physics, which says that the universe is more incredible and mysterious than any of us can imagine, which is my way of saying, ‘Anything is possible, including angels.’
– Caroline Leavitt

The knowledge of the subtle world is just beginning to be explored and explained by the scientific world. Much of what has been taught in the Ageless Wisdom, or has been revealed in spiritual teachings of the Bible, are just beginning to be explained or understood.

Physics and science has the ability to measure increasingly more refined subtle energies, which unveils a world that is much more diverse and amazing than has been imagined.

The nature of energy, the nature of consciousness, how thought and other invisible forces impact the material world, are all revealing concepts that are changing our understanding of life.

For those for whom the only reality is scientific proof, what is being revealed through quantum physics and especially the groundbreaking field of noetic science, requires opening and expanding the understanding of what is real.

Concepts such as the Holographic Universe and the revelation that space can be inter-permeable, as well as new revelations about the nature of subatomic particles, are mind expanding and awareness enhancing.

Angels Are . . .

In light of these revelations, we can begin to understand how angels can be among us and have always been among us.

Most people believe that there are angels. I think most people want to believe that angels observe our human experience and can at times provide assistance. The concept of a guardian angel appeals to most people. Throughout literature, there have been many stories told of angels appearing in one’s life, often as messengers from God.

That angels can have a message that is personal and revealing is certainly behind the popularity of Angel cards. That angels are still the messengers of God, aware of a willingness to provide assistance, is a very comforting and appealing concept.

This leads to wondering how the angelic or spiritual realm can connect with and influence the world of dense matter or more significantly come into your awareness.

It seems a first step is to understand that matter must obey the rules of matter, but that there is that which is not matter and therefore functions by different rules. The inter-penetrable nature of space demonstrated through particle physics provides a hint that is most likely beyond the understanding of most people.

Luckily, your consciousness is not limited by your ability to understand these different realms, nor is the truth or nature of the realm of spirit limited by your understanding. Your consciousness can travel freely from the world of matter into the realm of spirit. This you can do through meditation. This you can do by deep pondering in nature.

Open yourself to an encounter with heaven, be as a little child. Release your desire to the winds of the universe. Trust your angels to catch your wish and bring it to you in a delightfully surprising way.
– Doreen Virtue

People often find it easier to sense and touch the spirit world when they are out in nature. The intermingled interaction between spirit and matter is more visible when the bombarding of the physical senses becomes less intense. When you are in nature the presence of the world of spirit blends with the presence of life itself.

Away from the noise and bustle of cities and stress, in the quiet and amidst the teaming of the life force of nature, is an excellent opportunity to renew and refine your ability to commune with and open your awareness to, the rich energy of the world of spirit.

In order to experience the world of spirit it is helpful to have some understanding of the part of creation that not only co-exists with our human life experience but also co-creates in its own realm under its own Divine direction in harmony and cooperation with the world of matter.

To understand that the realm of angels is different from the world of tangible substance and matter does not make one realm real and the other unreal. It does mean however that they operate within distinctive parameters. They serve different purposes and functions in the world. They are experienced through a distinctive sense that is more attuned to subtle and etheric energy, than the more dense matter that is perceived through the senses of sight, sound, touch taste, and smell.

Angels have long been presences in many of the world’s great Cathedrals. There they have an almost tangible feel that supports the bridging of the awareness of spirit requested by human petitioners.

It is believed by many who receive impressions from the angelic realm that this impregnating of the world’s great Cathedrals is an act of service by the angels so that humans may have an experience of their Soul, which resides in the realm of the angelic. Their presence serves as a conduit to a greater experience of your Soul, thus making it easier to be open to the energy of the world of Spirit.

I believe angels are always among us and we can feel their presence. We can open our hearts and our minds to the soft gentle voice of their nature by invitation and invocation in meditation when we have the intention to experience the world that is not made of matter, yet is no less real.

The Nature of Angels

It is important to understand some essential elements of the nature of angels. Angels are beings who live and move and have their being in a way that is unique to them and different from the human evolutionary experience. Their being resides on a different plane of existence.

The essence of Divine Love weaves the fabric of their life. That is why the sensing or appearance of angels is usually associated with a profound sense of being loved. It also explains why throughout time most who have written of angels have described them as residents of heaven.

The realm of the invisible, that is the realm of angels, is also the realm of your Soul. Your Soul, your guardian angel, and a mystical angel known as the Angel of the Presence are all a dynamic part of your human evolution that is a part of this invisible realm of being.

This awareness may shift your understanding of the phrase oft-touted:

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
– Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Think about that possibility and consider what implications that would have in your life. Ponder on this.

You are a spark of Divine Light. You were created in the image of the creator. These are deep truths and deep mysteries that speak to a sense of knowing that defies logic. You are an eternal being who has entered into matter for a span of measured time out of eternity.

You don’t just have a Soul; your Soul is the essence of your being. You have a physical body, emotional body, a mind, and personality but these are under the influence of your Soul, which is the eternal spark of Divinity that defines you.

What you can touch, see, feel, taste or smell all exists in the world of matter. What you can sense beyond the 5 senses of matter comes to you through the gifts of the higher mind, intuition and sensing and impressions of your Soul.

To open your awareness and your ability to touch the reality of this realm of consciousness you need to utilize invitation and invocation to make it accessible to your conscious mind while you sit quietly in the stillness.

Meditate to Invite Angels to Appear

I have found that meditation can be the doorway to experiencing these subtle energies, so I have created a meditation just for you to invite angels into your life.

Before you begin this meditation, you might wish to have a journal and pen at hand so that you can record and capture whatever insights, guidance or impressions you receive.

To begin a meditation to connect with and commune with Angels it is important to first quiet your mind of the constant chatter that masks your ability to hear the promptings in the silence, the still quiet voice of the Soul and of angelic presences.

As much as you are able, suspend thought and judgment as you calm your mind, open your heart and invite the Light.

As you sit quietly and prepare to listen, not with your ears but with your inner ear and to see not with your eyes but with your inner sight, let your mind be open and receptive.

Then issue an Angel invocation and invitation by saying in your heart and mind:

Angels of Light, Angels of Love, Angels of God, I invite you to come into my presence and reveal to me any messages, thoughts or impressions that can help me at this time in my life.

I open my mind to receive any thoughts or impressions that will guide me in my heartfelt desire to live a better life.

For the gift of your guidance, I give thanks. For the blessing that you have come to my awareness at my invitation and invocation, I give thanks.

Now, having issued the invitation sit quietly and receptively for about 5-10 minutes.

Record in your journal any thoughts or impressions you might have. Once you feel the connection to the angelic presences, you can offer up a specific issue or challenge about which you need help and clarity.

Remain quiet and receptive, observing.

This time of communing will begin to fade.

Before you return to your daily life, express your gratitude for this quiet time and any clarity or understanding you may have received.

Carry with you the peace, the love and the joyful sense of communion you may have touched in this meditation.

I invite you and encourage you to open your heart and your mind to the presence of angels in your life. Connecting with your Soul is a portal to consciousness of the world of angels and the Divine that can have impact and influence on your life.

The guidance, the wisdom, the love and the joy that are available through expanding your awareness is empowering and amazing.

When you open your heart, and your mind to experience and enjoy the beauty and blessings of your life on all levels of your being, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, the miracle of life will be revealed. Joy and love will fill your life. This love and this joy are your birthright and are available to you when you open up to the belief that angels are among us. Celebrate!

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

QUICK FACT: This post has been viewed 9,026 times. Checkout our other related posts below.

Experience Praise and Gratitude

Genevieve Gerard

Experience Praise and Gratitude

Words have power.

They each resonate with their own energy.

This is a part of the deep magic that was revealed in the opening passages of Genesis. God’s use of words was inherent in the process of creation. So too are your words inherent in the process of what you create in your own life.

Since we think using words, this is also a significant factor in the principle that “energy follows thought.”

When you choose one word over another, you are on a subtle yet powerful level choosing to experience the energy of that one word over another.

This dynamic of word choice can influence what you experience when you choose specific words.

This is always true and provides a significant hint for how you can live a deeper, richer and more joyful life.

Songs of Praise

In my life, I have found song to be especially potent when applied to expressing praise and gratitude.

There seems to be a spontaneous connection to feelings of joy and the words of praise especially when lifted in praise to God. This is especially powerful when you “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”

I can think of countless songs that will lift my spirit even in times of the darkest sorrow or despair. These are most often songs of praise. What songs move you?

When I was a young girl mundane household chores were dispensed with quickly and much more happily when songs of praise were sung while they were being accomplished.

My Grandmother and I would sing hymns and songs of praise while washing the dishes in the evening. This was a wonderful way to end the day. Remembering this is a part of what I wish to share with you today.

Praise can both lighten the heart and lighten the burdens you bear. Most songs of praise or prayers of praise are interwoven with gratitude. Praise can support you and help sustain you in both your life and your faith.

It is such a simple thing, that it is often forgotten or ignored.

In the very act of praise, you are affirming deep truths. By the act of affirmation and by expressing the gratitude that is so often entwined with it, you unleash a mighty force. This is true in your own heart, mind, and Soul.

Praise is not prayer, although there are certain prayers of praise. Praise is a unique expression of your relationship with another. It is an appreciation and celebration of the love and grace of that relationship. It is such a deep understanding of the loving dynamic of that relationship that your heart bursts forth with gratitude and joy.

When you focus on how wonderful God is and all the great things He’s done… is doing… and even will do in your life,
your natural response will be praise, adoration and awe. Don’t let yourself ever get used to it… stay amazed!
– Joyce Meyer

Using Songs of Praise As a Meditation

Just as prayer is different from praise, there is a technique I have used in my life that turns praise into a meditation or meditative experience.

Choose a song that expresses the gratitude or joy you are feeling. One of my personal favorites that I have used many times in this way is “How Great Thou Art.”

Either play the song or sing the song, and each time really consider and listen to the words in the song.

I have found to set up the song to play repetitively creates a joy that impacts me and integrates me with my whole being and aligns me with the Divine.

Let the meaning deep into your heart. Let your listening become the meditative experience.

Let the experience of the song help you calm your mind.

As you do this open your heart to love, grace, and gratitude.

Invite the Light of your higher Self into your life.

The Lighter Side of Praise and Gratitude

You can also lighten this experience up by doing other things while you are doing this.

As you listen to music that invokes praise and gratitude in the background as you go about your day, allow it to permeate your consciousness without requiring your full attention.

You will find the praise becoming integrated within the energy of your home and your life in this way.

I have found this a very powerful way to influence your thoughts and your feelings in a subtle positive way.

Focusing upon the bounty and the blessings you have received will stimulate an expression of joy.

The more you praise and celebrate your life,
the more there is in life to celebrate.
– Oprah Winfrey

Praise and the Law of Attraction

Praise is also a powerful way to activate the dynamic Law of Attraction in a way that both honors and affirms the source of the good we have received in the world.

It is not insignificant that the gratitude expressed in songs of praise also ignites the Law of Attraction in a way that is asks nothing more but delights and enjoys the bounty and blessings that have already been bestowed on you. It is an expression of both our gratitude and our faith.

It is fine well and good to praise God and raise your voice in thanksgiving and praise in a church service.

However, when you bring that expression of joy into your daily devotions, into your home, and then incorporate it into the simple activities of your daily life as a backdrop, it takes on a different energy. It becomes integrated into the experience and expression of your gratitude.

Ultimately, you attract more of what you are expressing.

Integrate Praise In Your Exercise

Praise can also be incorporated into physical exercise such as walking or running, much like meditation.

Check out my awareness guided meditations for

Walking Aware:
Celebrate and Appreciate Your Unity With Life On All Levels

and

Jogging In The Sun:
Celebrate the Strength of Your Body While Aligning to Your Higher Self.

Praise can spontaneously align your body, your mind and your emotions with the powerful loving presence of your Soul.

It can bring you into a greater awareness of your relationship with all that is around you and with that awareness, you become more receptive to the oneness of life and the true meaning of love.

Dual Awareness

An amazing aspect of consciousness is that you can be concurrently aware of your body, your thoughts, your emotions and the expression and sense of your Higher Self.

This multifunctioning aspect of the self can enable you to let any or every activity in your life become a meditative expression to empower and enhance your life.

This principle of dual awareness enhancing your consciousness is inherent in each of my Meditations For Daily Joy activity based awareness guided meditations.

The Spiritual Side of Praise

Using praise as a way to enhance and expand your spiritual awareness uses these same principles.

You are by your nature as a human being multifaceted and multidimensional. That is a part of the miracle of your being that can be experienced and expressed in a myriad of ways.

It is the benefit of experiencing the power of this alignment to which the vast array of spiritual devotional techniques strive.

As many roads can lead to the same destination, so there are many ways to come into a greater integration of your body, mind, emotions and your Soul, each of which ultimately brings you into greater relationship with the Divine.

There are so many possibilities and paths to the Light that you can experiment and explore a variety of ways to expand your consciousness and awareness.

Thankfully, there is no wrong way to open your Self to the Divine. This journey from the darkness into the Light and from the unreal to the real is directed by a Higher Power.

Life is a glorious adventure of being and becoming. Celebrate, with gladness and praise and enjoy the journey. It is your life.
– Genevieve Gerard

I invite you to enter with a spirit of joyful playfulness and delight into ever increasing, growing and expanding, enlightened awareness of the full magnificence and glory of praise and gratitude in your life.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

Hand-Picked Posts That You May Also Like

Last updated 11-18-2018

Experience Praise and Gratitude Read More »

Be One with the Body of Christ

Genevieve Gerard

Be One With the Body of Christ

There is in the Christian faith a concept that holds within in it such great mystery and such great power that it bears some deep pondering and consideration.

It is a thought we can only hope to comprehend with our hearts and minds open as we touch our Souls.

As you open to the presence of your Soul, enter into the essence of Spirit where you are beyond the limitations of matter.

Join in the mystical union with the Christ to support and add your efforts to His mission and work in the world.

This is a concept of what it means to “be One with the body of the Christ” that I have often pondered. I would like to share my thoughts and understandings on this today.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
– Bible ESV 1 Corinthians 12:27

To enter into the awareness of your Soul is a mystical experience. It is through this expanded awareness that you can consider what it means to be a part of the body of Christ (beyond the Church as the body of Christ.)

This is truly a mystery and you must open yourself to this mystical experience to appreciate the full depth and scope of what that phrase means.

I have read in the course of my years of studying and pondering spiritual questions, the Body of Christ phrase used to describe the Church or the community of faith. However, that seems too limiting when I consider the full glory and power of the presence of the Christ. The Christ as the Risen Lord whose resurrection Easter celebrates is a living and vital force in the world today.

George Weigel, in an article on Easter and the Cosmic Christ believes, “that Christ’s transformed body is also the place where men enter into communion with God and with one another and are, therefore, able to live definitively in the fullness of indestructible life.”

I believe you can by your love, and with your life, support His work in the world. You can help bring into the world the meaning of the words affirmed around the world as the mystery of faith on Easter morning. Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.

Indeed, Christ coming again joins with the prophesies and promises of all religions across the world.

In the explorations of the Ageless Wisdom is expressed a concept of the Christ as The Word Soul and as we join with His Light, His Love and more importantly His purpose as World Savior, that concept expands.

In meditation when we join symbolically with the Christ, by invocation into the exalted energies of the heart of the Christ, we are opening our heart, mind, and Soul to a mystical and almost magical unity with the body and mission of the Christ in the world today.

In the exalted moments of prayer or meditation that you can reach His Divine Presence, you realize He calls you to a life of service. This calling to active service was revealed by Jesus in the parable of Judgment Day. Matthew 24:40. To realize that and consider that each time that you serve your fellow man, the good that you do is being done for the Christ (or even to the Christ) really expands this concept of the body of Christ. In my lifelong ponderings, this seems to speak to my heart, my mind and my very Soul.

This call to service includes all of humanity as a part of the brotherhood with Christ, a brotherhood that he calls “even the least of these my brethren.” To consider all (wo)men united in a brotherhood of man seems to give a hint to what it means to be an active disciple of Christ, of mystically joined as a working and living demonstration of His love and compassion in the world.

For you to join in the body of the Christ as a part of His work and mission in the world, seeing the Christ in the face of all of your fellow man, and serving the Christ every time you serve your fellow man may be a broad reach. It is what motivated Mother Theresa when she went into the hell holes of Calcutta. It is a level of work and service that seems beyond what you are capable of doing except as you enter into this mystical union of the body of Christ. That empowers you to achieve and dare acts of love, compassion, and service beyond what you would otherwise consider or dare.

In my own life, to give me the strength to provide the love and the service that the world so desperately needs, I often use this Affirmation:

The Love of the Christ flows through me. Alone, I am nothing.
– Genevieve Gerard

In the writings of the Ageless Wisdom, we are told that the work and mission of the Christ is a unifying of His followers on a planetary level, that have now 2000 years after He walked with us on the earth expanded to a worldwide work and service that is known as The New Group of World Servers. These are the men and woman of goodwill who are energetically united to serve their fellow man acting as if in each act of service they are serving the Christ.

This fellowship of planetary service is united energetically under the direction of the Christ. It is a group of Souls of many religions and paths unified in the love and dedication to the love of the Christ and creating on the earth the conditions that Christ can come again. These mystical unions of Souls most probably have never met, but their commitment to serving the Christ as they serve their fellow man joins them as the material representations of the body of Christ in the world.

These men and woman of Goodwill are comprised of every religion. They answer to the promptings of the Christ through the connection and direction of their Souls. The limitations of doctrine and dogma fade as this call to planetary service guided by the Law of Love comes ever more into manifestation.

This service, this mystical connection throughout the world, seems to be how you (and I) can best join efforts in the mystical union of the Body of Christ at work in the world.

A profound and powerful way that you could join this holy effort is by combining your efforts with others across the planet every evening at 5 p.m., whenever it is 5 p.m. where you are in the world by saying:

The Blessing of the New Group of World Servers:

May the Power of the One Life
pour through the group of all true servers;

May the Love of the One Soul
characterize the lives of all who seek to aid the Great Ones.

May we fulfill our part in the One Work
through self-forgetfulness, harmlessness, and right speech.

The “Power of the One Life” is a reference to the Christ.

In energetically joining with this world mission, and this world service, you are energetically expanding your life and the reach of your service.

To further enhance and support your mystical union with the Body of Christ I offer you a Mantra, I created for my own use in meditation, which I call, The Love of the Christ Mantra.

Love of the Christ Mantra

May the Love of the Christ enfold me

May the Light of the Christ surround me

May the Wisdom of the Christ guide me

May the Energy of the Christ sustain me

That I may go forth to serve my fellow man

Giving the Love of the Christ to comfort them

Giving the Light of the Christ to guide them

Giving the Wisdom of the Christ of to enlighten them

Giving the energy of the Christ to fill them

– Genevieve Gerard © 2011-2018

Christ is mystical and he addresses a deep esoteric principle that is a part of the mystery of faith. Thankfully, you do not have to understand this with your mind to experience it in your Heart and Soul.

Being One with the body of Christ is done as a Soul. Your connection with the others with whom you join through the community of faith is accomplished Soul to Soul.

Miraculously, by the simple act of joining your energy with the Christ and the community of all who serve Him in the world, through your invitation and intention, you can consciously experience this Love and Light through your own Soul. Remember, consciously striving to be One with the body of the Christ is enhanced when you join with others.

The promise that whenever two or more gather in His name He is with you, is a profound and powerful truth that can be used to enhance this experience.

Now is the dynamic and fertile time to open your heart, your mind and your Soul to this mystical union of Oneness.

Here is a prayer I wrote that may support you in this effort:

Beloved Lord Prayer

Beloved Lord

I come to you today with an open heart and an open mind to offer up my Soul to you. Please hold me in your radiant heart.

I offer myself up to be One with you in the mystical union of Souls that makes up your body in this world as an active service to you.

I put away any of my fears or concerns about my worthiness, relying on your grace and forgiveness to guide me and support me as I strive to serve you more completely.

As I receive the blessing of your Love freely, I commit to giving freely of my Love. This I do with intention and a commitment to serve others in your name.

I invite you to work with me in the world. Guide my words as I strive to help and comfort others. Direct my steps to take me where you need me to be. Let me be a source for your forgiveness and your grace whenever I discover those who need your healing touch.

I praise you and give thanks for this miracle of faith that I may be One with you for your glory and work in this world.

Amen

So be it and it is so.

I pray that these words, tools, and techniques will support and sustain you in your journey and your faith. Our Oneness, our Brotherhood, and our Soul connection is available to you across the limitations of space, in the dynamic essence of the Eternal Now.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

The Mystery of Eternity, the Magic of the Soul
Faith Freedom and Fulfillment
Love is the Greatest Law
Principles of Goodwill
New Group of World Servers: Those who work for a better world

Last updated 1-28-2018

Be One with the Body of Christ Read More »

My Prayer for You Today

Genevieve Gerard

My Prayer for You Today

In the Oneness of the One Life we are brothers and sisters; beloved children of a creator whose Love has no end.

In gratitude and celebration of that connection, my thoughts and prayers go out to you today.

When my words reach you, no matter where you are, we form a connection of our hearts, minds, and Souls.
– Genevieve Gerard

No matter where you are, I am beaming Love and Light to you.

My Prayer For You

Along that path of Light and Love, my prayers flow out to touch and bless your life.

From this day forth, I ask that your day is filled with love and joy and your night has grace and peace.

May your Divine Self inspire you and the Light of your Soul direct your actions. That you may be led from the darkness into the light, from the unreal to the real.

For you I invoke the grace of forgiveness from the very heart of God and ask that you be blessed with a clarity and awareness from the very mind of God.

With my full faith and assurance that you and I are the beloved children of a compassionate and forgiving God, I ask that your life be blessed by the comfort and embrace of that redeeming love.

In this unity and community, my love flows to you to support and strengthen you. From my Soul to your Soul I send forth beams of Light. From my heart to your heart, love flows unconditionally to hold you safely in the comfort and connection of blessing and sisterhood/brotherhood.

This is my prayer for you today and my wish and blessing for you every day that your life may reflect honor and glory in all of the days and the ways of your life.

I ask this in the name of Christ, through the heart and mind of Christ.

Amen

– Genevieve Gerard

So be it and it is so.

Namaste,

Genevieve Gerard

The Blessing of Love On All That You Do!

QUICK FACT: This post has been viewed 12,249 times. Please share with your family and friends and checkout our other related posts below.

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

What We Can Learn From A Childhood Prayer
The Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Count Your Blessings
Recommended Meditation

The Gift of Love:
This 10-minute meditation guides you to align with your Soul and open your heart and your mind to receive the Love your Soul brings to you.

Last updated 3-10-2019

My Prayer for You Today Read More »

What We Can Learn From A Childhood Prayer

Genevieve Gerard

What We Can Learn From a Childhood Prayer

The prayer that I am going to share with you is one that children have been taught to say before sleep for generations.

Importantly, there are deep meanings in these ritual words that should be pondered.

Although a short, simple prayer, it speaks to lessons and an understanding about life and relationship with a higher source.

This prayer was written over three hundred years ago and has endured the test of time.

So today, let us ponder and consider the deeper meaning of these words and what they teach about life and how they help you go to sleep in faith and with confidence.

Consider how this prayer with the faith and affirmation it provides, can help you surrender to sleep with assurance that you are safely held in the arms of love.

You have probably guessed by now what prayer I am talking about. It goes like this…

Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my Soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my Soul to take.

Meaning of the Childhood Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep.

Now is the time to transition to sleep. It is the intention to leave the day behind and enter into the peace and the blessing of sleep. Sleep is a time of rest and restoration for you.

In sleep the body heals, emotions are processed and the mind reinterprets and gives insight through the process of dreams. It is a very valuable and potent time in which your conscious mind rests and re-evaluates the experiences of the day from a very different perspective.

The process of sleep and the dreams that come are a very important part of your human experience. Although well studied, the ultimate purpose of sleep and all of the levels on which it takes place is not fully understood.

What we do know is that sleep is essential for good physical health, emotional health and mental health. Sleep is an integral part of your life experience and so to enter into the state of being that is sleep, is important. To use prayer as a transition from waking to sleep is a way to calm your mind and prepare for the part of living that is sleep.

I pray the Lord my Soul to keep.

This phrase is a very simple affirmation that you have a Soul and you are, as you enter from conscious (waking) thought into sleep, reminded that your Soul is your link with the Divine and in God’s keeping.

Although you may not think much about your Soul, it is an integral and essential part of your being. This most important part of you, the eternal spark of you, is placed in the safety and love of God’s keeping.

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my Soul to take.

This phrase is a reminder and acknowledgement that you are an eternal being and that your Soul is the eternal part of you.

You are more than just a physical body, a mind and a personality; you are a miracle. This understanding of the nature of life and death and the reality of eternity is a comfort as you are surrendering to sleep.

By the words “If I should die before I wake” you are addressing humankind’s deepest fear, the fear of death followed by the faith and reassurance that you are an eternal being when your say “I pray the Lord my Soul to take.” This simple statement helps to release the illusion of death. It speaks to a deep and eternal truth. Life is eternal, you are an eternal being and your Soul forever rests within the love and grace of your Heavenly Father.

The Deeper Meaning of the Prayer

This simple prayer was for many of you, a nighttime ritual of childhood. Rituals can be helpful and comforting in your adult life. Recently I posted a Wisdom Wednesday blog to help people with sleep, in which the ritual of prayer before sleep was a recommended technique.

If you used the “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” prayer you probably also followed it with a list of those you asked God to bless. This blessing of and praying for others is a powerful affirmation that God is in control of our life. This makes the act of prayer an act of faith.

You may have repeated these words, as taught, without stopping to consider their meaning, their importance of what was being subtly said or affirmed. You may have engaged in this nightly ritual without any consideration of what you were being taught about life, what you were being taught about God, or what you were being taught about your Soul.

Consider the very concept of using prayer as a way of connecting with God before you sleep. Realize that once your conscious efforts of the day are over and you prepare to enter the peaceful healing state of sleep, you can turn everything over to God. Your day is finished, your watch is concluded, you can now surrender control to God. This opportunity to surrender to a Higher Power can be very comforting, allowing you to both relax and release the day.

This process of surrender is a way to let the day be past. This putting that past into the past opens you to the unlimited potential of the next day. It marks the line between what has been, what is now and what is emerging in the future.

Focusing upon your Soul, that Divine spark of your being that is for all eternity One with God can be both reassuring and inspiring.

Then, with the last line “If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my Soul to take” you are stating and affirming that your Soul, that which is eternal in your being, is returned to God when your life has passed. This is true whenever this life is finished. This becomes a simple statement of faith and what is real and true that you know on a very deep and archetypal level.

These simple statements of faith, assurance and surrender offer powerful truths that can be asserted as you transition from waking to sleeping by engaging your relationship to God as we release the reins of the passing day by calmly transitioning from day into night.

In this simple childhood prayer, you have affirmed deep principles and eternal truths that can be a comfort to you.

As you lay down to sleep, you are now free to let your body rest and be restored. There is nothing you need to think about anymore today. You are safe. You have given those in your care over to God with your blessing. You have let the past go with the conclusion of the day.

You can now be at peace. You are embraced and held within the eternal as you let yourself receive the restoration and strength that sleep brings.

You can safely enter from the consciousness of waking, in which you try to be in control of your life, into the state of sleep with its dreams.

The “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” childhood prayer offers several significant affirmations of truth and faith and provides comfort and reassurance that you are an eternal being for whom life, sleep and even death are simply transitions of consciousness.

This prayer is, although mysterious, an amazing blessing you can celebrate as life, a gift beyond measure, a gift with which you and your loved ones are blessed each day.

Amen

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

QUICK FACT: This post has been viewed 2,477 times. Checkout our other related posts below.

Related Posts You May Enjoy Reading:

The Art of Blessing

An Invitation to Your Soul

Sleep in Heavenly Peace: Use This Guided Meditation to Glide Effortlessly into Sleep

Calm Your Mind

The Difference Between Prayer and Meditation

What We Can Learn From A Childhood Prayer Read More »

I Will Fear No Evil

Genevieve Gerard

I Will Fear No Evil

Meditation Insights of the 23rd Psalm

Recently I was meditating in the morning and asking for guidance on what I could share with you that could empower your spiritual journey at this time.

I found the 23rd Psalm running through my mind with a new understanding and insight of the meaning, intention and power of those familiar words.

I would like to share those impressions with you today.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Tradition tells us that David, who was a shepherd, before becoming a King, wrote this Psalm.

Whenever I read the Psalms or the story of the life of David who became a King I am struck by several things. One is David’s strong sense of the joy and relationship with his Soul and the other is the powerful relationship of communion and faith in God.

Those dynamics are expressed and exalted in the 23rd Psalm that has been used as a comfort to so many for so long.

If we consider the words thoughtfully, there is a deep and underlying meaning in the words of the 23rd Psalm that can be pondered on and of benefit to you in your life.

The first phrase:

The Lord is my shepherd

This is a powerful statement because it implies being in a guiding and protective relationship with God.

This relationship is one of a human being, “I”, being in a close communion with God “Thou”. It speaks to a willingness to be directed by the higher wisdom of God as he has a greater vision of the whole scope of your life. The surrender to this wisdom and this guidance is a part of what makes this Psalm so comforting. God as a shepherd has the big picture and will provide direction. You are not in this adventure of life alone; you are connected with the Divine who loves and cares for you.

I shall not want

This is a powerful affirmation, not only of faith but also in keeping with the Law of Attraction. This affirms that abundance is yours to the point that your needs and your wants are provided for.

He makes me lie down in green pastures

There is no greater gift to a sheep, who is guided by a shepherd, than a green pasture filled with more than enough to eat.

He leads me beside still waters

It is in the still waters that thirst can be quenched easily. I have often thought of the still waters as symbolic of the waters of life that quench not only physical thirst but a spiritual thirst for knowledge and love. In this stillness continues the affirmation that what you need will be provided for by the wisdom and guidance of the Lord as your shepherd.

He restores my Soul

This speaks to the dual relationship that you have with God. As a Soul you are a being who is not just a physical body with material needs, but a being who has a Soul that is united with God, in an integrated union, an “I-Thou” relationship.

You are not alone in your spiritual quest. You are together with the Divine. In the creation story of the Bible, we are told that God created man in His own image to be in a relationship. That part of our being that is in the image of God is our Soul. This is the Divine spark that resides in each of us.

This spark of Divine Light is the essence of your Soul. It is your essential Light that holds you in constant connection with the Divine. I believe this so much that in the very first affirmation of my “Awaken to Success” – affirmations for abundance collection, I wrote, “I am a spark of Divine Light, it is my nature to shine.” This remains one of my favorite affirmations and one I frequently use in my own life.

As a human being whose spiritual anatomy includes not only a physical body, but also emotions, a creative and conceiving mind, and also a Soul, you are a unique part of creation. It is this dual aspect of human nature that separates man from animal. It is through the connection of the Soul that the exalted co-creator relationship with God is demonstrated.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake

To me the path of righteousness means right action and right relationship with others. This includes the principles of harmlessness, and right speech.

Your actions and behaviors as a child of God and as a member of his flock witness to others what it means when you are in right relationship with the Divine. Every step you take and every move you make can be a demonstration of this right relationship.

Even though I walk in the valley and the shadow of death,

We have all had difficult times in life when we were emotionally down or may have had problems with health that reminded us that we are mortal and “the shadow of death” is a reality in human life.

Yet, it is a great comfort in those darkest of times to know that even if death is overshadowing, God is with you. You are not alone on the path in the valley of life’s experiences. Your Soul is eternal, and your relationship with God is eternal. This is a great comfort and an incredible blessing.

I will fear no evil

Certainly conquering your fears is one of the most freeing aspects of living a spiritual and conscious life. In the immortal words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “You have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” Fear is the most limiting force in most lives. It can keep you from fulfilling your life’s purpose and destroy the happiness and joy that is your birthright as a beloved Child of God. It is the work of evil in the world.

To free yourself from fear is the fruit of spiritual growth and evolution. It is an essential element in the journey to conscious living. It is the desired outcome of the discipline and practice of meditation.

For Thou Art With Me

This speaks to the assurance that you are not alone in the challenges of life. God is always with you. You are supported and sustained by the Presence of God in your life. You can be comforted and reassured by that connection that is always available to you.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me

You may not understand how a shepherd uses his rod and his staff and how that provides comfort to the flock, but I have always thought that this refers to the way that God works to gently guide us in our life to the right path. This sense of being directed and guided in my life is always a comfort.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies

I have never seen the world in terms of enemies, so this phrase has never held that much meaning for me. I have always thought that this was a way that David expressed his sense of being protected by God while being blessed with abundance, a way of expressing his faith and assurance that his life was being directed.

Considering the political aspects of David’s life, even when he was a shepherd, this sense of enemies and God showing high favor to them by “preparing a table” is symbolic of God demonstrating his Love and Grace as he guides David to his destiny.

Thou anoints my head with oil

This is a reference to David being chosen as King. In olden times, there is a ritual in which the prophet anointing the head with oil meant God’s favor. For you, it might mean being promoted or offered a new position that is more aligned with your life’s purpose. This, in modern terms, is the demonstration of success.

My cup overflows

This is certainly an expression of great gratitude and affirmation of abundance. It is interesting that at the beginning of the Psalm is an affirmation of abundance and at the end a statement of appreciation for the abundance or success received.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all of the days of my life

This is both an insight of David’s deep relationship with God, one of both goodness and mercy, but is also a statement of faith.

And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever

This statement also affirms the eternal nature of the relationship that David shares with God. A child of God dwells forever in the house of his Father. This speaks to a commitment that spans time.

A Psalm is more an affirmation than a prayer. In saying this Psalm, you are expressing and affirming a deep relationship with God. This Psalm is one of the most popular because there is comfort in affirming the surrender to God and support of God as a guiding force in your life.

I invite you to fear no evil and enjoy the peace and comfort that this kind of relationship with God brings into your life.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

Gratitude Works Magic
What You Appreciate You Attract
You Are a Spark of Divine Light
Release Your Fears
Recommended Affirmations

Awaken to Success
Affirmations for Abundance by Genevieve Gerard
Use This To Empower Yourself to Create the Life of Your Dreams

Last updated 2-4-2018

I Will Fear No Evil Read More »

My Christmas Prayer

Genevieve Gerard

I invite you to join with me in saying and sharing this prayer.

By so doing we can each be an instrument to bring into manifestation the peace on earth and goodwill to men that the angels heralded on that very first Christmas Day.

You will find that this prayer combines invocation and at the end, a mantra. Saying the mantra daily will help keep this energy activated in your life. It joins the techniques of both prayer and meditation in a spiritual experiment.

My Christmas Prayer

Heavenly Father, Divine Mother, Beloved Son of God who is the
Son of Man.

As Christmas comes again this year I share this reverent prayer.
The world is much in need of your Divine help and intervention.

Today I pray for peace in the world where there is too little peace.
You who are known as the Prince of Peace who walked among us,
the children of the earth for a precious span of years know well
the foibles and failures of mankind, that lead to war.
I ask that you show us a better way.

Today, this Christmas Day, where across the planet men and woman wish for peace on earth and the powerful intention of Goodwill to Men,
I invite and invoke the Spirit of Peace to come among us and abide with us.

I ask that as this past year passes away, that forgiveness and the principles of brotherhood come evermore into human consciousness. Let the wounds of the past be healed in an inflow of Grace and understanding to bring an end to the cycle of revenge and retribution that fuels so much evil in the world and destroys the work of the men and women of goodwill who work for peace.

I ask that the Divine Love that came to the world on that first Christmas and was anchored on earth with the sacrifice of the Christ, is born in the hearts of all of humanity today and grows so that the Divine plan for our planet can be revealed in the minds of people everywhere reveling another way, the better way.

Let the old lies, glamour, and illusions of separateness fade away as the Light, Love and Power of Your purpose come with the Light of each new day.

Let the Sun as it rises every morning be a sign and symbol for all across the world, that your Wisdom and Mercy which endure forever, are now with the dawning of this new cycle on earth. That a new age of time can spring forth from humanity as the urge to live in harmony and brotherhood grows ever stronger with each new day.

I ask that all of humankind be a force for good in the world, as we strive to fulfill the promise and potential of all that we can truly be as human beings. Enlighten us, infuse us and inspire us as a New Year unfolds.

Let compassion fill the hearts of all in power, so the cries of hungry children do not go unheeded or unheard.

With the Light of each new dawn let new ideas and new solutions be discovered. With the blessing of insight and inspiration, draw men away from greed and materialism that they can be filled with the joy that serving others brings.

Bless us o Lord, that we may be your instrument of Light, Love and Peace in the world now and forever in everything that we do.

Mantra

For all of my brothers and sisters who comprise the One Humanity I ask:

May the Divine Self Inspire me and the Light of the Soul Direct.
May we all be led from the darkness into Light,
from the unreal to the real and
from death to immortality,
so that we may manifest the promise and
the overall plan of evolution for all of creation.

Amen

Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas to you and all those you love.

Thank you and Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All that You Do!

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

Love is the Meaning of Christmas
Holiday Forgiveness & Gratitude
Pray with Me to Help Our Planet
The Difference Between Prayer & Meditation
Recomended Meditation

The Gift of Love guided meditation:
Open Yourself to the Love of Your Soul

Last updated 12-23-2018

My Christmas Prayer Read More »

Prayer For Thanksgiving PDF

Genevieve Gerard

Best Prayer of Thanksgiving PDF Download

Download this Prayer of Thanksgiving (click on the photo and then follow the instructions to download the image immediately for no-cost) or click on the link below the photo to download as a pdf, then print and display it where you can read it.

You can also save it to your tablet or phone.

After reading the prayer, take the time to look around you to appreciate the many ways in which you have been blessed.

Click this link to get the prayers of praise and thanksgiving pdf emailed to you or immediately download it >>>Prayer of Thanksgiving PDF sheet by Genevieve Gerard

If you have not already, you might also like “A Prayer for Thanksgiving” article by Genevieve Gerard.

Last updated 11-24-2021

About the author:
Genevieve Gerard teaches Transformational Consciousness – from first awakening to enlightened Soul awareness. She helps you experience the joy that results from the spontaneous “touch of your soul.”

A Prayer For Thanksgiving

Genevieve Gerard

A Prayer for Thanksgiving

My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all that I have.

As I consider my life and all of the blessings that I received, I am filled with joy.

I rejoice that an endless supply of Love and Light flows to me from the Source of all Love and the creator of the Light.

I am a child of God and provided for with Love.

All that I will ever need is open for me and manifesting for me now.
– Genevieve Gerard

As I take the time to appreciate the many ways my life has been blessed, I realize there is wisdom beyond my understanding that guides the flow of abundance in my life. I trust that flow to support me as I open evermore to my Soul’s purpose, and with an open heart and an open mind, I strive to be and become a force for good in the world and a source of love in the world.

I know and give thanks that much has been given to me and as I open my arms to receive unlimited abundance, I open my hands to give to those who are less fortunate than I am. I know this circulation of accepting, appreciating, and sharing stimulates the Law of Abundance, and I celebrate that I can participate by bringing plenty to others as my supply is amply refilled.

Today, right here and right now, I take the time to express my gratitude for all that I have received.

Today, right here and right now, I take the time to look around me, in my life, to appreciate the many ways in which I have been blessed. I take a minute and have gratitude even in the face of suffering.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

I celebrate and appreciate those who love me
and those who have come into my life
for me to be able to demonstrate my Love.
You are a blessing for which I am grateful.

I celebrate and appreciate my friends,
co-workers and companions in my life.
You are a blessing for which I am grateful.

I celebrate and appreciate the beauty of this earth
and I vow to pay more attention to the
gifts that beauty bestows on my life.
These are blessings for which I am grateful.

I celebrate and appreciate my life.
It is a great blessing for which I am grateful.

During the Thanksgiving holiday,
as I move through the events and activities of my life,
I continue this prayer by offering up a thought of gratitude
and appreciation for any blessing I perceive,
whether great or small, as
I demonstrate an attitude of gratitude.

To the Divine Source of Light, Love and Power
that has created and continues to create the world in which I live,
I offer up my prayer of Thanksgiving
knowing my love and my blessings flow endlessly for me.

I rejoice that I am the recipient of such grace,
such love and such joy.

Amen

So be it and it is so.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

P.S. Please note: Embedded in this prayer are many of the principles of “The Law of Abundance” and many of the techniques you can use to empower and improve your life.
For further awareness I have included the related post links below.

P.P.S. Download your own free printable copy of the Prayer in an Adobe PDF format
by clicking here >>> A Prayer For Thanksgiving PDF by Genevieve Gerard

Enjoy!

P.S. QUICK FACT: This post has been viewed 7,334 times. Please share it with friends and then check out our other related posts below and in the “Hot Topics” sidebar.

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

Embracing Your Divine Nature

Genevieve Gerard

Embracing God’s Will
and Your Divine Nature

What role in your life do you play vs. what role in your life does God play, and how do these work together in a cohesive and cooperative way?

Long ago philosopher
and spiritual teacher
Saint Augustine said,

Pray as though everything depended on God.
Work as though everything depended on you.

This duality of prayer and our individual efforts speak to the underlying confusion of the role that God plays in our lives and our responsibilities as a human being.

On one hand most feel perfectly comfortable taking an issue or a problem to the Lord in prayer and asking for divine intervention however most truly have a harder time surrendering to his divine guidance and will as called for in the famous words of Jesus when he prayed “not my Will but Thine be done.”

As old and wise as this concept is the concept of surrender is often touted but it seems is woefully misunderstood by those on the spiritual path. Surrender is just one of the many concepts where spiritual teachings and spiritual traditions seem to be in conflict. The conflict seems to arise from our misunderstanding of what we are as human beings, the nature of God or the Divine, and most importantly how these diverse influences work together.

On a deeper level of our misunderstanding is our failure to comprehend how spirit and matter work in the intricate dance of creation and co-creation. There seems a contradiction between a human being as a dual being who possesses the spark of Divine Light and the all too limited and struggling individual we too often consider ourselves to be. This dichotomy, this seeming contradiction has long plagued both thinkers and doers alike.

By clarifying these seemingly contradictory natures we can better understand what roles God and prayer play in our life. We then can open ourselves to a deeper comprehension of what it means to be a child of God and a co-creator of our life. This clarification is important because to recognize and appreciate the intricate inter-relationship of these forces in our lives is both encouraging and empowering.

As we explore this question of what role God and prayer plays in our life we are confronted with teachings that all seem to be true, but sadly seem to be very different from one another. This leads to very different conclusions about what we should do in any given moment of time with our life.

It is easy to embrace one truth to the exclusion or surrender of the other things we know to be true. But in so doing we deprive ourselves of the benefit and blessings of our dual nature as a human being as well as a Divine being… a son of man who is also a child of God.

Thought leaders, spiritual teachers, and the common mythos of society tell us that we are responsible for everything that happens in our life. And I believe that is true. Right alongside that truth is the concept that “energy follows thought.” And that I believe, and it has even been proven by science to be, also true. Woven alongside these truths is something that men and woman of faith have long known – prayer is a powerful force that can have a profound impact on life situations and events.

Ultimately, our desire to call upon the support of the Divine and invoke Divine Will and right action can give us a great peace and a great calmness when we call upon the higher wisdom of God and our Soul to direct the events and circumstances of our life.

Thankfully, we can both strive and surrender when we focus on our dual nature as a child of God and a co-creator with God, powerful beyond our imagining when we are aligned with our Soul purpose and Divine Will.

Amazingly both these truths manifest and are demonstrated over and over again despite our limited understanding of how they work together in the unity of our nature. Our life tends to lead an individual to embrace one element of truth and ignore the other. This is unfortunate because this limitation of our comprehension can deprive us of the power & influence we have over our life as a co-creator and the comfort & support that is available to us as a child of God. We can experience the sweet support of surrendering to the wisdom of our Soul and God and still use all of the powers of positive thought to manifest the life that we envision and desire.

The motivation, influence, and mastery that results when you take responsibility for your co-creator role in life is powerful, profound and inspiring. Likewise, the peace, joy, and comfort that you can experience when you surrender to the Divine (take it to the Lord in prayer and invoke or yield to Divine Will) is a blessing & solace that is also profoundly inspiring. The point that so often is missed as you may vacillate between your human nature and your Divine nature, is that it is not an either-or situation.

It is an answer that can only be really clear when you understand that your real power and ability to resolve these truths lies in your burgeoning awareness of your nature. This nature, as a Soul-integrated and ultimately Soul-infused personality, reveals a mystery, magic and a power that humanity is just beginning to understand and embrace.

This dual state of being is a consciousness advocated in the Ageless Wisdom that has been hinted at but is only now in the fullness of time coming to light in spiritual teachings as a part of an enlightened awareness. As beings of spirit, aligned with and surrendered to the Will of God, and as a physical being having a spiritual experience, you can span these states of co-creator and create.

It may well be a concept you have never previously considered, but, on deeper exploration provides the continuity that clarifies so many of the contradictions that you may have been exploring. When you reframe and reconsider the different roles of your Soul as a spark of Divine Light you may realize that an essential part of your being is that we are all One with Source (God.) You then can think about your personality as the unification & integration of the influences of your physical body, your emotions, and your mind, seeing your whole being as the miracle that your life truly is.

The amazing thing about being a human being is that you are both fully human, driven by your personality needs and desires and you are a beloved child of God, imbued with a spark of unity with God to become in your life co-creators of the life that manifests before you. Therefore, you dance between invoking and surrendering. You can pray and petition with faith. And, at times even bargain with God.

There is something very peaceful about surrendering to God and just having faith that God will guide your steps and direct your life. But God did not create a human being to be a passive being. God gave you the amazing power and potential to work in harmonious cooperation with his creation process. He gave you a mind, the power to love and free will so you could learn to live a life that bridges from animal man to Divine child of the son of God.

As we strive to demonstrate our faith in God, it is important to see how God has demonstrated His faith in us. He has granted us the position of co-creator of our life as a child of God. He has given us the powerful principles of “energy follows thought” to teach us the “Laws of Attraction.”
– Genevieve Gerard

As you learn to live in harmony and understand the direction of your Soul and your Divine nature, you also must learn to direct the creative power of your thoughts, control the power and influence of your fears and direct and redefine your personality cravings while learning the meaning of love.

It is not an easy task you have been given to be a human being and a child of God. However, learning to be a co-creator and take advantage of the sweet support of surrender allows you to manifest this duality in your life and by learning to express this in your everyday life you are in for an exciting and great adventure that will open you to be and become all that you were meant to be, all that you truly are. This is the great quest for the new consciousness and new awareness for a new age.

It is in the integration of your Soul and infusion of your personality with your Soul that the full glory, potential and power of what it means to be a Son of God and a Son of Man here on planet earth, is realized.

Embrace God’s Will and Your Divine Nature!

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All that you Do!

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

Last updated 8-18-2019

Embracing Your Divine Nature Read More »

Ponderings on Resurrection

Genevieve Gerard

Ponderings on Resurrection

As Easter Morning approaches I find myself pondering the deeper meaning of resurrection. There is in the life of Jesus, no more miraculous or promising story told than that of his resurrection. The very possibility of resurrection stirs hope in the human heart.

As I ponder upon and consider the deeper meaning and message of resurrection, I see it as an affirmation of life and consciousness beyond the limitations of our physical being. It seems that Jesus’s appearing after his death, to the women at the tomb, and later in Galilee, were important demonstrations of the eternity of the life of the Soul and the continuity of consciousness.

This message is affirmed with joy on Easter morning with the ritual words, “He is risen, He is risen indeed!” These words speak to the promise of the eternal nature of our Soul and the importance of consciousness. Hidden in the miraculous story of the resurrection of Jesus are mysteries of how the Soul impacts matter to create life. The mechanics of life are miraculous and often veiled from our real understanding, as the mechanics of resurrection are veiled from our understanding. The significance of the resurrection story is in what it reveals to us about the life of the Soul and the nature of consciousness.

The resurrection story assures us that there is more possibility and potentiality in our Soul, in our consciousness, in the miracle of life itself, than we might have imagined. The resurrection demonstrates that although there is much we do not understand at this point in our awareness, the limitations we perceive and place upon ourselves can be just an illusion, and the nature of truth and reality are more vast and amazing than we can comprehend at this point in our evolution. Therefore I rejoice to the depth of my being in the possibility and promise that the story of the resurrection brings, in full understanding and faith that there is more to the miracle of life than I can understand, and that in the fullness of time and through the journey of exploring our timeless consciousness all will be revealed.

Ponderings on Resurrection Read More »

Holy Week Reflections

Genevieve Gerard

Holy Week Reflections

The week that leads up to Easter is referred to as Holy Week.

In the Christian Calendar, Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus coming into Jerusalem to the accolades of the people. To the man Jesus, who traveled as a master teacher, a rabbi, teaching about God’s love for us, it must have been a time of celebration. Finally, the people were listening to him.

At last, they understood what he had been traveling around teaching and preaching. His message about God being more than a stern taskmaster to be appeased through adherence to the law and animal sacrifices, but rather a loving Father who was available for a deeply personal one-on-one (I-Thou) relationship with the people, His beloved children.

Imagine the relief and the joy of finally having His message be heard. Having worked so hard, traveling and teaching every place where people would gather to listen to him preach about God. They must be listening and learning he would have concluded, for as he entered into Jerusalem, they ran forward cheering him, throwing palm fronds in his pathway. So his feet were protected from the dirt and dust of the road.

Not only were they finally listening to his message, but they were also finally acknowledging him as the teacher and leader he was. After sacrificing so much of his personal needs and desires to travel from place to place to bring this message to humankind; often without even shelter from the elements, people were paying attention. He was achieving success. The part of Jesus that the theologians tell us was fully human must have felt all of our emotions of relief and pride and satisfaction that this work he had undertaken for the Lord was finally reaching the people. He must have had joy in his heart as he considered how this change in understanding their relationship with God would comfort the people and give them new hope and new promise in their lives.

This event, this celebrated entry to Jerusalem was after all the culmination of high risk. He had stood before the religious leaders of his time and defied the conventional thinking of his day, chastising the Pharisees for their pompous ways, even criticizing how they prayed and condemned their use of commerce in the house of God.

He knew he had made many enemies. The religious leaders criticized him. They considered him an upstart. They asked who he thought he was to take on the mantle of teaching the people about God. He was after all just a carpenter’s son from an outlying province of Galilee.

So we can certainly understand the relief and validation Jesus must have felt on Palm Sunday as he heard the people greet him with Hosannas. At that moment all of the work was worth it. People were getting the message. Lives would change, minds would change, and the most important relationship people had in their life, their relationship to God would change. The relief Jesus must have felt, the joy Jesus must have felt on that Sunday before Easter, the initiation of Holy Week is to those of us who know the story of what follows, bittersweet.

For we are aware, the story did not end there. And the real work of Jesus’ teaching was lying just ahead, out of sight, not yet fully revealed to him until the important events and revelations that were to follow in the span of time we have come to know as Holy Week.

I would like to think that Jesus was able to rest, relax and bask in those feelings of success and achievement that following Monday and Tuesday. Certainly by Wednesday when he instructed his disciples to prepare the Upper Room for the Passover dinner on Thursday he had begun to realize that more would be required of him. Much more would be needed than he could have imagined; much more than we could ever imagine having to give.

And I am sure that as it was being revealed to Jesus, the mystical understanding of the sacrifice he was being asked to make was not clear. Of course, he knew he had made many of the traditional religious leaders of his time angry at him. He condemned their lifestyle and accused them of misleading people about the relationship to God. But this intuition, this impression he was now receiving in his prayers and meditation that they would put him to death, seemed unfathomable.

As he pondered on this and prayed on this and wondered on this, the man Jesus did not understand all of the revelation, all of the choices of the coming week. All that would be required from him as he faced the ultimate tests of surrender and obedience was still to be revealed. The purpose of this sacrifice, the deep magic as C.S. Lewis called it, the transformation and gift to the world that would result from the events of the next few days, was not yet revealed.

As the hurt and betrayal of realizing one of his disciples would turn him into the Pharisees was revealed, Jesus knew deep in his heart, in the core of his being that his relationship with God required of him total obedience. Although he did not yet know what that would mean in the very real terms of life and death, he knew his faith in the Lord was strong, and he made the commitment to be faithful and obedient, no matter what the result. He knew that God was Love. He knew that to the very core of his being. And, whatever Love required of him, he was willing to give.

This brings us to what in my mind is the most important part of the Easter story. The most significant decision in the life and death and ultimately resurrection story of Jesus all happen on this Thursday before the events of Good Friday and before Easter could even be imagined. Here were the events that make the life of Jesus amazing as we ponder on the stories of Holy Week. At this time the events had not yet reached a point of no return. The outcome was not assured. A thousand possibilities could emerge to change things from what seemed to be the consequence of unfolding events.

There are those who believe that Jesus went through this most important night of his spiritual life, acutely aware of what was happening and what would happen from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Cross and even to the Resurrection of Easter Sunday. But to me, that dilutes the significance of Maundy Thursday and the strength demonstrated on Golgotha and the Cross. It is the humanness of Jesus that makes this story unique. It is the humanness of Jesus that makes a reflection on this Holy Week what gives us as disciples on a spiritual path hope and power. It is the humanness of Jesus that calls us to follow him and try to live up to his example.

As the Passover feast began, on Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday, Jesus knew he had to do some extraordinary things. First, he must confront his betrayer. To have his intuition and spiritual insight reveal to him the betrayer and not speak out seemed wrong. After all this man, this betrayer had followed him, walked with him and worked with him for three long years.

And as Jesus looked out over his beloved friends and followers he must have realized that no matter how much he had hoped the logical consequences of that betrayal might not come to fruition, if the powerful did their worst to him he had to leave those who had followed him so faithfully some remembrance, some ritual to guarantee that all he had taught about God in the three years he wandered were not forever lost. If the worst result were to occur, the act of betrayal by one of his own made possible, He wanted to leave his disciples one last act, a ritual, a symbol to express the message he had taught.

Fortunately, Jesus was a biblical scholar. A Rabbi well versed in tradition and the scriptures. What he understood about this new way of understanding God, this profound astounding Love that God had revealed to him, represented a new kind of relationship with God. A relationship based on Love, a relationship of forgiveness and grace; a new covenant. So what he needed to leave these loyal friends and followers was a ritual to convey a new covenant relationship with God, a relationship much more pervasive and profound than the old covenant of “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” He needed a new covenant that demonstrated Divine Love; that showed love in a tangible, visceral manner. And since, if the consequences of this night were what he feared, he would show his love for God and his love for all his fellow man by making the ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice of his life. It is said greater love has no man than this that he would lay down his life for others.

Since this ultimate sacrifice was certainly possible with the way events were conspiring, he would use the willingness to sacrifice his life, his body and his blood as the symbols of this new covenant, this ritual of remembrance.

As the time of his betrayal approached; since Jesus could well foresee the possible consequence of the traditional religious leaders getting him in their hands, he felt the need for prayer. He wanted to be surrounded by his loyal followers who loved him before he surrendered himself to his enemies. So he went with them to Gethsemane. He asked that they wait with him and pray with him. The hour was late. It was dark, and he needed the comfort of the love of his friends as he turned in complete obedience and surrender to the God he knew so well and loved so fully in prayer. And considering the devastating consequences of the events that seemed to be conspiring against him, he petitioned God that what he was seeing, as not only the possible but also the probable result of this night, could pass him by.

Imagine the hurt and betrayal he felt as he rose from prayer to find his followers sleeping. Here at the most painful and dangerous point of his life and his mission, they could not stay awake with him and pray with him. As he returned to prayer he made his ultimate decision, his final choice to demonstrate love. Perhaps he did not fully understand the reason his life must be forfeited to demonstrate this. If this is what was required, he surrendered his will to the will of his Father in full trust and obedience that he would give, whatever was required of him, even his body, even his blood to demonstrate Love.

Having made this decision when his captors came to claim him he went without resistance. The torture and indignations of what is called Good Friday were born with as much dignity as he could garner. Circumstances were no longer in his control. Having made the decision to follow this all through to its conclusion, he took up his Cross and carried it to the Hill of Golgotha. Jesus, being the teacher that he was, could not help but share his perspective of the events on the way to the hill of crucifixion. I am sure he struggled to understand why this sacrifice was necessary. Perhaps God needed to demonstrate a miracle as the scriptures told of miracles with other teachers and prophets who were faithful to God.

He need only suffer what pain this path offered remembering his purpose to demonstrate love. This was certainly a dramatic way to do it. But his faith and trust that it was necessary and important were absolute. He had prayed for this cup to pass by him and here he was, so it must be substantial. He knew God loved him. He knew he loved God. If this was the best way to demonstrate that love, he had faith that whatever the pain and the sorrow of this moment in time, it had a purpose. Although he might not understand it all, he had come here of his own agreement, his own surrender, his own willingness to be a symbolic sacrificial lamb to this new covenant he had come to understand.

Nailed to the Cross, between two thieves, pierced in the side, finally realizing that the miracle he expected would not be a dramatic rescue to demonstrate God’s power. He cried out to God, the first lines of a Psalm, Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.” But as he did this he knew the words of the Psalm ended with an assurance of God’s faithfulness.

And then Jesus gave up his life.

We are told that at that moment the veil of the temple was rent. A mystical event had taken place that opened the separation between God and Man. Divine Love, the Love of the sacrifice that Jesus chose to make was anchored on the earth. The full meaning of what happened on that day in symbolic and mystical import may not be understood by our conscious mind. We know it was something special. We are aware it changed the way man reaches out to God and the way God reaches out to man.

The miracle that Jesus counted upon to save him on the Cross, the true miracle and meaning of the story of Easter occurred after the events of Holy Week in the astounding, unprecedented occurrence of the Resurrection. Jesus could not have predicted this for this miracle was outside of the understanding of mortal man. It was, however, a miracle that demonstrated something so filled with love and embedded with a grace that it had changed life as it was known 2000 years ago into something that could not be imagined when Jesus placed the Cross he had been forced to carry to the hill of his death.

The life of Jesus, the choices and decisions he made empower us as humankind even if we do not understand them; it shows us the potential and the power that we can possess as human beings.”
– Genevieve Gerard

This lesson, this victory over death itself may be beyond the comprehension of man. It remains today a promise of hope, a promise of eternal life, a miracle of love and sacrifice that impacts the world and continues to affect the world today. And no matter what else humanity may learn in his quest for God. No matter what is demonstrated on the spiritual path. This demonstration of love, given by Jesus will remain unparalleled, unique and worthy of the honor and the glory. That a man can choose to sacrifice his whole being to bring love to the world continues to astound us today and will amaze us in the ages ahead.

Namaste,

Genevieve Gerard

The Blessing of Love on All that you Do!

Be One With the Body of Christ
The Meaning of The Lord’s Prayer
Easter Ponderings on Resurrection
Love One Another
Recommended Meditation

I Will Serve All The Days of My Life Meditation

Last updated 3-25-2018

Holy Week Reflections Read More »

Difference Between Prayer and Meditation

Genevieve Gerard

The Difference Between Prayer and Meditation

This article is part of my on-going series on Prayer & Faith and Meditation.

The spiritual journey, no matter the name of the path or the structure of the belief has always contained the techniques of both prayer and meditation.

Some paths include both prayer and meditation, comfortably vacillating from one to the other depending upon the purpose or needs of the moment.

In many ways prayer and meditation are twins, but they are not identical twins. They differ in subtle but significant ways.

When I was first taught to meditate by a Maharishi Yogi; as I was leaving the instruction called an “initiation” back in the 1960s, I recall pondering about the experience I had just had. I remarked to myself that I had previously known the state of consciousness that I had just experienced at the conclusion of a time of deep prayer; a state I had referred to as “prayer beyond words.” Ponder on this!

Even at that young age the universality of the path we take to connect to our Soul struck me. Beyond the connection to our Soul, which I have come to believe is the hearts desire of everyone, exists the desire to connect with a higher source (God), however, you define God.

Each one of us needs time and space for recollection, meditation and calmness…. Thanks be to God that this is so!”
– Pope Benedict XVI

It is to reach the Soul and connect to God that people along all spiritual paths engage in the practice of both prayer and meditation. And although both prayer and meditation serve a similar function there are differences in both the purpose, method, and outcome of the two practices.

Prayer is you speaking to God & meditation is allowing the spirit to speak to you.”
– Deepak Chopra

Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra on prayer vs. meditation

Prayer has always seemed to be best suited to times when praise or petition is the need. In times of great need, prayer seems to spring naturally from the human heart as we reach out for help and healing in times of danger, distress, and pain, be it physical or emotional.

In times of trouble we reach automatically for the help and intervention of the Divine, even if we have no sustaining belief in the Divine. It is archetypal in the human experience to reach out, indeed cry out for that which is beyond our human limitations for help and comfort.

Likewise, in times of transcendent joy praise rises spontaneously in our heart. Even if we do not conceptualize what we are praising that welling feeling, praise accompanies the experience of great joy and great love.

I deepen my experience of God through prayer, meditation, and forgiveness.”
– Marianne Williamson

Meditation is best suited for contemplation, deepening our understanding or quieting the chattering mind and engaging the power of our higher source (Soul) to bring about the desired result. One would meditate for deep relaxation, healing and to invoke the power of our intention using techniques such as visualization.

Meditation is more a conscious approach than prayer and as such garners the best result when entered into with conscious intent and regularity. The continuity of consciousness that disciplined practice of meditation grants makes meditation the technique of choice when one desires a specific outcome, which is why visualization is a technique incorporated into most meditations.

There exists a myriad of techniques of meditation designed by spiritual leaders and masters throughout time to bring the student of meditation to the desired state of consciousness, being or understanding.

In understanding the subtle differences that exist between prayer and meditation, we are empowered to draw from these two ways to connect with our Soul and connect with our Source using whatever method is best suited to our desired outcome.”
– Genevieve Gerard

Fortunately, we can choose and use whatever technique best meets our needs at the moment, freely guided by the wisdom of our inner nature and our Soul in any moment of time to receive what we need.

I encourage you to explore prayer and/or meditation and see which resonates with you.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

QUICK FACT: This post has been viewed 2,035 times. Checkout our other related posts below.

Hand-Picked Posts That You Might Also Like

Faith, Freedom and Fulfillment
My Prayer for You Today
Mindfulness and Meditations for Daily Joy
Recommended Guided Meditation

I Am Feeling Free Guided Meditation Visualization

Learn How To Calm Strong Emotions and Transmute Fears and Doubts

Last Updated 11-03-2019

Prayer & Faith

Angels Are Among Us

Angels Are . . .

The Nature of Angels

Meditate to Invite Angels to Appear

You May Also Like:

Experience Praise and Gratitude

Songs of Praise

Using Songs of Praise As a Meditation

The Lighter Side of Praise and Gratitude

Praise and the Law of Attraction

Integrate Praise In Your Exercise

Dual Awareness

The Spiritual Side of Praise

Hand-Picked Posts That You May Also Like

Be One With the Body of Christ

The Blessing of the New Group of World Servers:

Love of the Christ Mantra

Beloved Lord Prayer

You Might Also Like

My Prayer for You Today

My Prayer For You

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

Recommended Meditation

What We Can Learn From a Childhood Prayer

Meaning of the Childhood Prayer

The Deeper Meaning of the Prayer

I Will Fear No Evil

Meditation Insights of the 23rd Psalm

The Lord Is My Shepherd

You Might Also Like

Recommended Affirmations

My Christmas Prayer

Mantra

Recomended Meditation

Best Prayer of Thanksgiving PDF Download

A Prayer for Thanksgiving

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

Embracing God’s Will and Your Divine Nature

Hand-Picked Posts You Might Also Like

Recommended Meditation

Ponderings on Resurrection

Holy Week Reflections

You Might Also Like

Recommended Meditation

The Difference Between Prayer and Meditation

Hand-Picked Posts That You Might Also Like

Recommended Guided Meditation

Embracing God’s Will
and Your Divine Nature