On yet another Wednesday evening we gathered on Zoom to hear the beautiful prayers and readings and listen to the lovely music. It had been a grey day, but outside the sun was finally making an appearance. Thank you everyone. Healing followed as always.
Please continue to pray for those trapped, and now attacked and seized in the straits of Hormuz.
Ann Marie Hogan is with us Sunday in Chawton!
Join us!!
Where have all the buttercups gone? I was quite shocked to actually see buttercups in a nearby park this morning because, quite frankly, they have not been as visible as I remember from my youth.
Buttercups of the meadows, usually the Meadow Buttercup, along with the Corn Buttercup, have indeed been in sharp decline through the decades. Along with many other wildflowers, their habitat has diminished through housing development, intensive farming, and pesticides.
This buttery yellow wildflower, blooming from May through June, is surprisingly toxic to cows if eaten in large quantities. She is also known in folklore as “crazy weed,” amongst many other names, as breathing in her scent was believed to drive one insane. That lore even included advice for picking them, for one was supposed to utter this verse quietly:
“Gold below, gold above…
I take none, I seek no trove…”
A folklore charm to keep the nature spirits happy… lest you have your voice stolen and be led in circles till sunset!
Her spiritual symbolism is one of radiant joy, renewal, and innocence, along with the golden blessings of every moment.
I will always remember, as many will, from childhood, the picking of them with wild abandon and placing those beautiful luminescent yellow petals beneath the chins of playmates to see that golden reflection, confirming who indeed liked their butter.
We welcomed our good friend, Jeanette Foote, to our little church last night in Chawton. What a lovely evening. Jeanette shared such an inspired address concerning healing, so perfect for the end of Healing Awareness Week in the UK, and so perfect for our church, because we are all about healing.
Jeanette then went on to bring many lovely messages. Thank you so much for an evening filled with warmth and laughter. Our own Nerina took the helm and chaired the evening beautifully.
We thank the family for their readings and prayers. Thank you, Julie, for running our music. Thank you, Sue, for your hospitality. Thank you also to our healers and trainees who were on hand afterwards. The set-up and break-down were done very quickly, as many hands do indeed make light work.
Prayer of the Week
Please pray for the sailors trapped in the Straits of Hormuz. They are so vulnerable, and running out of supplies, and we send prayers for their safety with all the events happening in the region.
Calendar up tomorrow.
Have a beautiful week!
It is a little grey today in these parts, but we know above those clouds is the ever-brilliant blue sky and sunshine!
One of the beautiful things about this springtime season is the constant emergence of life all around us. Surely it is enough to soften even the hardest heart. We seem to be transported to a place of innocence as we see the flowers, trees, and bushes bloom. I am personally transported when I see my stunning lilacs flowering again so boldly, or when I become aware of the creatures and their little ones taking their maiden steps.
We think of the badger as a quiet, shy, and reclusive creature. Although nocturnal, this is the time of year when they can often be seen at either end of the day, as the cubs venture out from the sett. The young ones are silly and playful, a complete delight to watch if you are ever fortunate enough to do so. Delayed implantation has allowed the young to be born into a springtime of favourable conditions.
They will grow into hardy creatures, with stout bodies and sharp claws, as well as a not-so-delightful odour to ward off predators! And did I mention they can run up to twenty miles an hour? Not too shabby for a creature that looks just a little clumsy. We can trace badgers in England back at least half a million years, roaming the land alongside wolverines and bears, no less.
The writer Kenneth Grahame cast his character ‘Badger’ as a wise mentor and protector in his beloved children’s book The Wind in the Willows. Little surprise then that the badger’s symbolism is wisdom, along with tenacity and determination. Spiritually, he reminds us to dig down and understand as fully as we are able, and we are all about that!
Last evening, after another glorious spring sunny day, our friend Spencer Rose came to visit. What a lovely evening, as he shared his thoughts and brought our wonderful messages. We had such a lovely time. Thank you so much, Spencer, for coming to see us! The lovely Chris Elliot chaired the proceedings beautifully, as we heard the lovely prayers and readings from The Family. Thank you.
Thank you, Julie, for running our music last night. Thank you, Sue, for your hospitality, and of course, Carole was in the house producing a very lovely chocolate cake.
We thank our dear healers and those training for helping so many last night, and thanks as always goes to everyone who helps with set-up, break-down, and washing up.
Prayer of the Week
Please pray for the Natural World. Sometimes we are the reason for their struggles, as we take away land without enough concern for the plight of those who share it. So many are trying to educate us and make us aware of what the land, the waters and the air around us need in order to sustain all the other life that lives and breathes alongside us.
Calendar to follow later.
Have a beautiful week.
It is heavenly out there.
Don’t miss it!
Picture credit Andy Rouse Photography.
Yesterday we gathered on Zoom in the early evening. Goodness, our mid-week service goes so quickly. It’s our small oasis in the week. It is always nice to see what people have chosen to read. Thank you, everyone! The healing followed.
Please continue to pray for unity in this world, so sorely needed.
Spencer Rose is with us on Sunday in Chawton!
Join us!
The catkins have arrived, now we are truly in springtime. The Goat Willow, or Pussy Willow as it is so lovingly called, is a welcome arrival for early pollinators. Those soft, silver catkins protect the delicate flowers within from the chilly days until the sun warms their world. Native to the UK and Europe, with relatives in the Americas, this tree offers a quiet beauty.
Willow has long been associated with healing. Its active component, salicin, an active ingredient of aspirin, has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. Native Americans understood its healing ability, using willow in their daily lives for ailments and pain control.
The catkins themselves resemble tiny kitten paws, and a Polish legend tells of a mother cat, distraught because her kittens fell into a fast-flowing river while chasing butterflies. It was the willow branches, bending low over the water, that gave the little ones something to cling to, saving their lives.
The willow is a symbol of renewal, resilience, and adaptability, and even weather magic, as twigs thrown into the wind are supposed to calm storms. Perhaps someone was working that magic, as yesterday gave us a truly glorious spring day, with no rainstorms in sight, and we came to church in high spirits.
Although Louise Barnes was unable to join us, her cohort, Jenny Hedley from Reading, offered truly beautiful, inspired prayers and thoughts. Thank you, Jenny. Your words were truly lovely. The evening was chaired by our own Alison Keogh.
Our family, as always, shared heartfelt readings, followed by beautiful messages from our house mediums with two of the fledglings. Thank you to Nerina Dannat, Virginia Gordon, Julie Shearman Searle, and Aimee Andrews. It was a lovely evening, complete with another beautiful cake from Carole, warm conversation, and healing on offer from healers and trainees
Thank you also to our music team, Julie and Lisa, and to everyone who helps set up, break down, and take care of the washing up.
Prayer of the Week
Please send a prayer up for unity in our world. Its lack is the cause of so much division, not only on the world stage but within our communities and homes. May we learn to see others as ourselves, beyond differences of culture, politics, or belief. Anything less is sheer spiritual ignorance.
The calendar will be up tomorrow.
Wishing you a beautiful week!
Hello sunshine !
The garden birds are busy preparing at this important time of year, and the birds of prey are going through the same motions and stresses also. The Eurasian Sparrowhawk may be one of the smallest birds of prey, but it is mighty in its own way. After a decline in numbers several decades ago, they are now quite abundant around the UK.
From March through to June, you can witness their stunning aerial “skydancing” displays, part of their dramatic mating ritual. The female takes charge of nurturing the eggs once laid, while the male goes on the hunt, using that remarkable stealth to provide the extra food needed. One swoop with a sudden shower of feathers often signals a sparrowhawk nearby.
Interestingly, the females are quite a bit larger than the males, which is unusual. Symbolically, they represent extreme focus and awareness, reminding us to pay attention. They are also linked to new beginnings and, in some traditions, are thought to be spiritual messengers.
We were fortunate to have one of our own spiritual messengers last night, as our dear friend Lesley Knight came to visit. What a beautiful evening it was. Lesley shared beautiful thoughts and gave wonderful evidence of continuing life, along with such lovely messages. Thank you so much.
Our own Sarah Dorgan chaired our gathering beautifully, and we are grateful to our family for the beautiful prayers and readings. Thank you to Julie for the music, Sue for her hospitality, and to Carole for another divine cake creation.
Thank you to our healers, always ready to help afterwards, and to all the wonderful healing trainees. And thank you to everyone who helped set up, break down down, and take care of the washing up.
Prayer of the Week
Please, let us pray for peace everywhere. May leaders find peace within themselves and become more aware of the consequences of their actions.
Calendar to follow.
Have a beautiful week!
We gathered yesterday evening on Zoom, after a glorious, beautiful day full of the joys of spring. We love to see each other mid-week and share the lovely prayers, readings, and music. The healing followed. Thank you, everyone!
Please continue to pray for compassion in this world, and the hope that we can all look at each other with kinder eyes.
Lesley Knight is with us on Sunday, in Chawton!
Join us.
We welcome Valentine’s week, not necessarily the unceasing rain, but there is much afoot in the world of love. All life in our wet woodlands is gearing up, and amongst them, the rabbits of our countryside are well into their breeding season.
There is only one rabbit species in England, the European rabbit, introduced into England by the Romans in 43 AD, and most probably kept as pets or food. This population was thought to have died out as they were kept enclosed and unlikely to survive in the wild. The Normans then introduced them for meat and fur, but it was in the fourteenth century that rabbits managed to escape and go AWOL. Rabbits, being rabbits, quickly increased in numbers and formed colonies.
Rabbit numbers have declined in the UK, and rabbits are not a protected animal, although certain cruelty laws still apply. Their symbolism is luck, no surprises there, and also fertility. They are associated with the feminine and also the moon. and represent the transition from winter to spring, and renewal
Last night, many braved the rain again to come to our little church with a big heart in Chawton. We were delighted to welcome Lorraine Francois and Alan Salmon as our guests. What a lovely evening of inspired thoughts by Alan, and messages brought by them both. Thank you so much. It was a lovely night. Our own special Nerina chaired the evening. Thank you, Nerina!!
We thank Lisa for running our music. We thank the readers, the hospitality, Carole, and Sue. We thank our diligent healers and trainees, and also those who help with the set-up and break-down. Everyone makes it light work.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Please add to your prayers all those who are dealing with cancer.
Thank you.
Calendar up later
Have a lovely Valentine’s week!
Love is in the air!
Alton Christian Spiritualist Church 