21 December, the shortest day

St. Thomas day, St. Thomas gray,
The longest night and shortest day.

December 21 is usually the shortest day of the year, yet this day usually commenced the Christmas preparation of cleaning and baking. Although we no longer honor St. Thomas on this day, we can still use this day as a reminder to put in exerted efforts and start finishing our external preparations for Christmas. All the rest of the week should be more of spiritual preparation.

Father Francis X. Weiser tells of some other old customs of this day:

In some parts of central Europe ancient customs of “driving demons away are practiced on the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle (December 21) and during the following nights (Rough Nights), with much noise, cracking of whips, ringing of hand bells, and parades of figures in horrible masks.
In a Christianized version of this custom farmers will walk through the buildings and around the farmyard, accompanied by a son or one of the farm hands. They carry incense and holy water, which they sprinkle around as they walk. Meanwhile, the rest of the family and servants are gathered in the living room reciting the rosary. This rite is to sanctify and bless the whole farm in preparation for Christmas, to keep all evil spirits away on the festive days, and to obtain God’s special protection for the coming year.

SOURCE

When the darkness is the thickest, the fear is the strongest. People with less awareness and understanding thought that they could keep the ‘devil’ (our fears) at bay by making noise and scaring it away.

Funnily enough, the opposite is true. Fear can only be eased away in the silence. The more we experience the fear, the more we need to sit down and connect with the Divine Presence.

The devil lives in our minds, in our thoughts and it shows up as anxiety, worry, concern, distress, upset, unease, disturbance, etc. We may not even notice it in activity filled life.

Today, on the 21st of December, we are asked to face our fears.

This morning I watched this video below.

Just like with Matthew, it hit me with a lightning bolt. I must start saying no, I must prove myself that I am not desperate any more. Desperation is a form of fear, fear of not having, anxiety about the future, financial insecurity.

What to do?

Today is the day of facing our deepest fears (if we chose it to be). We are asked to sit in the silence for a while look the fear in the face and say: NO MORE! Then we must thank the fear for protecting us by saying: Thank you for having protected me from destitution up until now. Thank you for being on my guard. Then we let go: I now let you go, you can go to sleep now, you can rest. I will take care of myself from now on. Then we look up (inwardly), connect with the Divine Presence and release it all up, back to the Ultimate energy of Love, that is God. I see the fear dissipate into stardust. … It is done. Amen.

The Forgiveness Process

When we don’t forgive and let go of the past, we keep on re-living it.

It means that each time we are in a ‘similar’ situation to the event that once caused us distress, we keep on re-living it by being reminded of that event in the present. Until we forgive and let go of what happened in the past, our responses are tinted with the emotions generated in the past.

For example, if you had a challenging relationship with your father, it is likely that you will bring many emotions and beliefs you created as a result of that relationship about men into every relationship you have with men. You cannot see them for who they are because you place some of the beliefs and emotions created in the past on your eyes like a pair of tinted glasses.

Forgiveness is something I call Grace-Tool for Self. Forgiveness is not about judging others’ actions and graciously ‘forgiving’ their wrong-doing. In the process of forgiveness we move through different stages until we arrive to a new level of freedom.

First, we need to accept what happened just as it was. We need clarity on it. We connect with God or the Divine Presence and embrace the experience just as we had it, as we remember it. We simply accept that this event occurred and that we were part of that experience. No blaming, no shaming.

I am aware that it is easier said than done, but without this first part of the process, forgiveness cannot happen. What you want is to remove the emotional charge from the event.

This is what I do: I say to myself: I can see clearly what happened. This… and this… and this … happened. I stop blaming myself and others in this situation. I am ready to let it all go so I can become freer in myself and happier in my life experiences.

When you feel, that you are aware of and in total acceptance – not making it right or justifying! – of that particular event that you wish to forgive and release, you can move into forgiving.

Forgiving has two parts:

We must forgive our participation and contribution to the event that occurred, first. I look at where I judge myself for creating the experiences for myself. I also look at the feelings and emotions I generated during the event and forgive them. I use this sentence and fill in the end until I feel complete. “I forgive myself for judging myself for …” I look at different aspects of my ‘contribution’ to this event and my experiences of this event. I keep on doing this until I feel that the emotional charge start to dissipate.
The second part is the letting go part. I consciously move into detaching myself – mostly emotionally – from the event. I look at others’ participation, and what I blame them for. Then I consciously release the way I see their actions and participation to my destress. With that I leave the past event behind me. I say to myself: (in case someone else is involved in this event) I do not know why you did (…) and why you said (…). It is yours to handle. I acted to the best of my abilities at the time. I detach myself from this event on all levels: mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. I accept what happened. I stop feeling a victim. There is nothing to fix or change with this event any more. I release trying to justify or making it right for myself or others. I stop blaming myself (and you). I love myself and accept myself (and you). I release all this into the Light of Spirit and ask for total Healing.

By Grace-tool, I mean, that when forgiveness actually happens is not up to us. It is not a decision we can make. We need to keep on doing the forgiveness process until we feel the weight shifted. It is a bit like peeling an onion. When it does, we will experience a change in our responses, feelings, and actions. It is the result of forgiveness-being-done.

Until then, until the forgiveness takes place, we need to keep on going back to the past event and all the emotions, thoughts, feelings and action related to that event and keep on consciously embracing, forgiving and releasing them.

If you need support with the Forgiveness Process, please get in touch. In Loving, Rev Kudlik

Easter Message, a video

This is the video recording of the Spiritual Communion Service we held at Unity Daily Word UK. Rev Kabelo Letebele from Unity Johannesburg, South Africa, started the service whereas Rev Kimerie Mapletoft, Director of Silent Unity, UK introduced the program. Main speaker: Rev Ildiko Kudlik, UNITY EUROPE

(Please note that some of the songs are not shown in the program because of YouTube Copyright laws. Pls find the entire program and the songs below. )

EASTER SERVICE

Candle Lighting

I would like to ask you to light a candle or switch on a Candle App on your phone. As we light this candle, we remember that we have a light just like this within us. It is the unique essence of who we are. As we light the candle, we connect with this deeper part of ourselves and connect with the Divine Presence.

This song is to remind us of our loving relationship with the Divine/God.

The Lenten Journey

The Lenten Season is a 40-day journey of release and purification. We are getting ready to embrace a higher level of consciousness.

I walk the Lenten journey yearly now. Every year I am offered a different ‘main theme’ to work on. This year, my main learning seems to be ‘going with the flow’. I am leaning to release struggle and embrace neutrality and total acceptance of what is.

It is especially challenging for me because I am a ‘controller’. I want things the way I want them. My ideas are often flawed and limited. My life is way greater than what I can comprehend and therefore I don’t really know what’s best for me. I know what I want, and I struggle to get it because I often move ‘against’ the flow of Life. All my struggles would cease if I could just let it all go and move into Divine Order. (which is not a pre-destined fate or apathy!)

Silence and Contemplation

I would like to invite you to listen to this short mediation and contemplate on your own personal Lenten Journey: What was it like? What have you discovered? What have you become aware of? What are the major ‘let go’s’ this year?

After listening to the meditation stay in the Silence for a while.

Forgiveness

Often as a result of looking at our shortcomings, we find ourselves wanting and so we judge ourselves. We think: “I shouldn’t have …”

I would like to invite you to remember or to read the part of the Bible that depicts the Crucifixion story in the the New Testament.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

²⁶As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!”’^[b]

³¹For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³²Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[c] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

³⁵The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

³⁶The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

³⁸There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[d]” (NIV Luke 23:26-43)

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

This sentence to me is a sign of total acceptance of what is and forgiveness.

Silence and Forgiveness

Now, I would like to invite you to listen to this short meditation on Luke 23:43

After you listened to the meditation you may want to stay in the silence and remember the different things you judge yourself for, then just say:

I forgive myself for judging myself for …

Resurrection

What do you think the resurrection story about?

Can you imagine that Jesus’ resurrection story is something that happens inside of us? Jesus’s story can be understood as the story of our own consciousness. As a result of having walked the Lenten Journey, having forgiven our ‘sins’ (by sin we understand our shortcomings and error thinking) we find ourselves on a higher altitude, on a higher level of consciousness, and in greater Oneness with the Divine Presence as well as in greater Loving within ourselves.

Song and Silence

I would like to invite you to experience ‘this higher altitude’ by listening to this song.

As we listen to the next song, I would like to invite you to close your eyes and experience being lifted …

After the song, stay in the Silence for a while.

Thank you listening and spending this time with me. I hope you found the meditations and songs uplifting. I wish you a blessed Easter Holiday.

40 Days of Love – Day40+7

40 Days of Letting Go, Letting God

From Release to Embrace

introduction

Rules

At the link below, you can find the audio recording of all the Rules. You can randomly choose one and contemplate on it. It may bring you some insight or something to let go of today.

ESTER SUNDAY, the Holy Week

Today, we are releasing any attachment to our physical life and embracing God’s Love for us.

Today, as we release the ultimate attachment which is to our physical life, we remember that our souls continue their spiritual journey aft er death but that our
human lives are on an upward trajectory while we are here.

Today we celebrate all that the Easter story means to us. In resurrection we realize that we have risen to a new level of consciousness on our journey of enlightenment.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Today we affirm: Today I let go of all attachments and arrive to a higher plain.

Note : My writing is based on the book “40 Rules of Love” by by Elif Shafak (See more about the book here (click) ( and The Lent booklet by Unity.org

Holy Week or Passion Week

Holy Week in the Christian year is the week immediately before Easter.

Holy Week begins with the commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednesday), climaxing with the commemoration of the Mystical or Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. Holy Week concludes with Christ’s rest in death and descent into hell on Holy Saturday.

Christians believe that Jesus rested in death from the ninth hour (3 pm) on Good Friday until just before dawn on Sunday morning, the day of his resurrection from death, commonly known as Easter Sunday.

Holy Week liturgies generally attract the largest crowds of the year. Many Christian cultures have different traditions such as special liturgies or services, floats, sculptures or live reenactments of Christ’s life, his arrest and crucifixion (also called the Lord’s passion, the Passion of Christ or Passion of Jesus)

Looking at the ‘story’ above, what do you think this week could be about in terms of ‘Lifting one’s consciousness?’

introduction

Personally, I think it is important to find the True meaning behind the word ‘LOVE’, understand it and experience it as a Spiritual Quality inherently within us.

I am going to walk this 40-day Lenten journey contemplating on the True meaning of Love, Divine Love, Spiritual Love for me by experimenting with the 40 rules and quotes from the Lent Booklet. Every day, between

the 14th of February and the 28th of March 2024,

I will post a ‘rule’ from the book ’40 rules of Love’ and an a release idea from the book ’40 days of Let go, Let God – Lent 2024′ by Unity.org. Then, we will contemplate on it and share about it in the UNITY EUROPE Facebook Group (CLICK HERE).

Download the LENT BOOKLET @this link 2024 Lent English

Let’s walk this journey together!

Join me by …

either reading the daily blogposts I create – SEE THEM HERE (CLICK) – or joining the FACEBOOK GROUP (CLICK) where I am going to share my writings and daily contemplative questions. I will also post a short video/audio material on the daily posts. (click on the buttons below to join)

FACEBOOK GROUP

YOUTUBE

ALL POSTS IN THIS SERIES

40 Days of Love – Day40+6