Author name: Treesong

I’ve been noticing once again that the themes of my spiritual life really do tend to fall into synch with the themes of the seasonal holidays. These past few months of harsh, cold winter have been like a trip into the underworld — and the coming of Imbolc has been like the return of my inner sun, rising to meet the springtime sun on the horizon.

It looks like I’ll be missing part or all of my shift at the Co-op today due to the challenging travel conditions. So, rather than catching up on any of my numerous other tasks in life, I thought I’d write a new blog entry about the weather, my life, and anything else that comes to mind.

The “beatific vision” is a religious term for the eternal and direct perception of God that is said to be enjoyed by those in Heaven. For me, though, the Divine — or “God,” if you prefer — is not a bearded old man who rules from on high in some distant Heaven. The Divine is all around us, and within us, right here on Earth. Therefore, the beatific vision is not some distant mystical state that we will only experience once we’ve shed this mortal coil. It’s the birthright of every living being — and it can only be found through the power of universal love.

Samhain is always a big time of year for me. This year has been no exception. Now that the old year has passed away and the new one is waiting to be born, I thought I’d share some of my latest reflections on the state of my life and the state of the world.