Tag Archives: Spiritualism

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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 !

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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!

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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.

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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!

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Walking through the woodlands this morning, I must admit there wasn’t too much inspiration in a visual sense. No wonder this month inspired the song lyrics ‘January sick and tired you’ve been hanging on me’, and yet my ears had a feast of bird song and then the unmistakable loud drumming of a woodpecker, most probably The Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

None of the birds have a chance to moan about this month, for they are preparing. Finding their mate is of the utmost importance, and the woodpeckers are no different. The drumming is to establish their breeding territories. The Greater Spotted Woodpecker is small with a black and white plumage and a dash of red at the back of the head for the males.

As food is scarce, you may get a treat and see them in your garden. Along with the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and the Green Woodpecker, they are fully fledged native residents in the UK. A woodpecker’s Spiritual symbolism is that of persistence, divine timing, and communication, encouraging us to dig deeper to find inner wisdom. A good example for us as we move through the start of this year.

And what a start to the year we have had. Last night in Chawton, we had another of our own taking the podium, as in the lovely Sarah Dorgan, who shared such meaningful, inspired thoughts, and then went on to bring so many messages. Well done, Sarah. We had a lovely night!! Chris Elliot was our chair, making a great team to lead us through the evening.

We thank the readers also for raising the energy. We thank Lisa for running our music. Carole and Sue, we thank you for the hospitality and cake!! Thank you to our healers who were quite busy last night! And of course, busy hands setting up, breaking down, and washing up. Thank you!

Prayer of the week.

Please pray for the bereaved. Some suffer a very sudden loss, and some experience the loss of a child, which can be especially difficult. Please pray that they can all be lifted into understanding and Peace which can change everything.

Calendar up later.

Remember, the endless rain will give us such a lush springtime.

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We gathered last night on the longest night of the year, on our Winter Solstice, for our Christmas Divine Service in Chawton. It was a beautiful service of readings, prayers, the singing of carols, and the lighting of the Advent candle for LOVE by Malcolm. We also had special readings, which were beautiful.

We thanked many people last night for their service and help throughout this year. Sue and Carole both received bouquets for their wonderful hospitality and baking. They have taken things to a whole other level. This was so well deserved. We have been spoilt!

We thank Graeme, who sets up the chairs and generally helps with the setup for our gatherings and also takes our offerings. Of course, Julie and Lisa both run our music. Thank you so much. We thank Nerina, who does so much behind the scenes with membership and many other things. We also thank Alison for booking our mediums and managing our social media. We thank Chris Elliot for working as our Treasurer, and both Steve Lidett Williams and Nerina Dannat for their roles of Vice Presidents.

We thank the chair rotation team also, as they lead proceedings and help keep us in line. We thank our wonderful healers, who were on hand again last night to help. Thank you to our committee members, who are all actively involved in the smooth-running of this church. We cannot forget to say a huge thank you to our visiting mediums. Their dedication to working with spirit helps so many. We are so glad to welcome them to our little church, and we thank our President, Rob Harvey, who runs and oversees our church and the events connected. Rob also runs two clairvoyant/healing circles in addition.

We are a family, a Spiritual family, imperfect but passionate about our community and the community beyond.

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Prayer of the week.

Please pray with gratitude for those with lighter bodies, the angels, the helpers, and the healers. They understand our plight. They are our champions. We understand they work tirelessly to help us along our path, while not interfering with our gift of freewill. May they be blessed for all that they do.

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This Christmas will see many with their families, but some alone. Some with the sting of fresh loss, some further along that path. Some with illness, worry, and loneliness. Many in this world are suffering right now. Many other kinds in this world also suffer along with us. This experience is not always for the faint-hearted, yet we have a gift, a boy child who brings us goodness, light, understanding, and healing. May we focus on the very real reason for this season of joy. So, among the tinsel and mince pies, pause and remember your loved ones are closer than you think, and all is well, so allow your heart to be filled with Love from Above. We are on a journey together. Alton Christian Spiritualist Church wishes you a Happy and blessed Christmas of Joy and Love, and a Peaceful and very Hopeful and Happy New Year

We will reconvene on Wednesday, 7th January, on Zoom, and in Chawton on the 11th January.

Watch our calendar.

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Life is not quite like a box of chocolates, but greeting the day, we really don’t know what we are going to get. We have had it all this past week, from rain and snow to beautiful blue skies and sunshine. Mother Nature is keeping us guessing.

Along the woodland path on one of my recent walks, after heavy rain, a robin was singing his heart out as if it were springtime. It definitely was a bright song. Maybe he is confused, also. Robins are with us year-round, and also sing year-round, but we tend to picture them only on snowy ledges near Christmas.

He is territorial, especially through the winter season, guarding his resources. He has become a symbol of spirit visitors, soothing the souls of those in loss. This association stems from the many supernatural experiences people have had regarding robins and their behaviour. He is rather special, so we put a little extra bird food on the table as those days get colder. I promise he will sing you a cheery song.

Jenny Docherty was in the house last night and brought her energy, her laughter, and shared her thoughts with us, and then went on to give some lovely messages. Thank you so much, Jenny. We enjoyed having you!

Steve Lidgett Williams chaired the evening brilliantly, as we heard beautiful prayers and readings and sang some beautiful hymns. Thank you, Julie, for our music. Thank you, Sue, for running hospitality, and thank you to our healers, always standing by.

Prayer of the week

Please pray for all the children in the hospital and especially at this time of year. It is devastating for a child at any time, let alone as we near Christmas.

The calendar will be up soon.

Have a lovely week, everyone!!

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As the rain pours down and the grey skies creep in, nature counteracts the dim skies with the leaves coming into their own right now.  Who needs flowers at this time of the year?  The leaves are truly starting their own festival of colours.

The silver birch is especially striking. This ‘Lady of the Woods’ is a graceful and elegant sighting in our woodlands.  Her triangular shaped leaves turn to a signature yellow gold, and with her silvery white bark she inspires so many faux decorations.

She is a healing lady also, known for her anti-inflammatory, cleansing, and diuretic attributes.  The Native Americans used her bark for wound healing, and also as a painkiller, very similar to willow, which they also used and was marketed, with additions, as aspirin.

Her symbolism is one of protection as well as fertility, and in days long ago birch twigs were given to lovers as some form of encouragement!!. Most importantly in many different ancient cultures, she was known as a clear connection between the physical and the spiritual realms.

Well, that is what we are about every time we gather.  Last night we welcomed the lovely Haylie Fox to Chawton.  Haylie gave us her beautiful energy and such an inspired address, and then went on to bring our lovely messages. Thank you so much, Haylie. We loved having you! Alison Keogh chaired our evening.

We say thanks to the family for their beautiful readings and prayers.  Thank you to Sue for the hospitality, Carole for the cake, and Lisa for running our music.  We thank our wonderful Healers on hand afterwards and everyone who sets up, breaks down, and washes up each and every week!!

Prayer of the week

Please pray for a wave of radical prayer in this world, so that we do not just hope when we ask, but believe with our whole being that what we ask spiritually for others as well as ourselves, has already been received.  Jesus said it first.  May this give us a radical faith and knowing that we can share with others.

Calendar up soon.

So what if it rains…Look at those colours!

Have a beautiful week!

This video shows three mediums all working, sharing short messages.

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Last Sunday, we had three mediums delivering short messages while Rob provided insightful explanations about how these messages were being conveyed and what the mediums were sensing around them. This is something we plan to bring beyond the Church setting soon. We’re looking to host events where Rob can discuss topics like ghosts, spiritualism, life after death, and answer questions from the audience. The second part of the evening will feature live demonstrations, similar to what you see in this video.