THE ADVENT SEASON:

a metaphysical interpretation of Christmas

Faith, Peace, Love, Joy

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Order your downloadable version of the 2023 Christmas Booklet, “The Sweetest Christmas” at this link.

 FAITH:  WEEK 1 – Part 1 

ADVENT: the season of “coming.” Many Christian traditions recognize the four weeks prior to Christmas as “advent”, which refers to the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. We all anticipate the arrival of the baby Jesus who is bringing great gifts for us: faith, peace, love, joy.

I prefer to think of this season as the “becoming” time…..it is the time when I celebrate the birth of these great qualities in myself. It is the time when I focus on being faith, peace, love, and joy in this world. Think about the power of that belief:

WE, YOU, ALL OF US, CAN BE THE VERY EXPRESSION OF FAITH, PEACE, LOVE, AND JOY IN THIS WORLD.

Just like the sun rises above the horizon in this picture, you too can “arrive” today and go forth as faith, peace, love and joy. Merry Christmas.

 FAITH  WEEK 1 – Part 2     SEVEN STEPS FOR BUILDING FAITH

1. TURN OFF your news media sources…. ALL of them, Fox, CNN, NPR.  Just stop listening
2. CANCEL your newspaper and news magazine subscriptions.  (You will not miss any important info because you do #1 and #2.)
3. FIND a spiritual home where you can visit at least once a week where like-minded people are working to grow spiritually and find the divine within.
4. READ positive books and listen to podcasts and videos by people like Wayne Dyer, Deepok Chopra, Eric Butterworth, Myrtle Fillmore, Napolenon Hill, Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale, Leo Buscaglia, Marianne Williamson, Brene Brown.  Shut down the flow of trash (#1 and #2) and increase the input of good stuff.  Remember, GIGO…. “garbage in; garbage out”
5. DAILY ACTION:  turn your mind and heart to the positive many times each day.  Set your alarm for every hour or two hours and just take two minutes to be still and focus on an affirmation that uplifts you, like:  “I am happpy because I know I am divine and filled with love.” 
6. SUBSCRIBE to Daily Word Magazine, an amazing daily dose of inspiration, love, and joy.  http://www.dailyword.com/faq/what-subscription-options-are-available
7. RADIATE:  this will happen automatically as your grow, but it is also good to think specifically about sharing your love and light with those around you by smiling, giving a compliment, holding a door, assisting someone, letting others in while driving, just simply acknowledging a person as you pass while entering the grocery, and so on.  These small acts of kindness lift others tremendously and help them also to believe that fear is “false evidence appearing real.”

FAITH  Week #1, Part 3

FAITH is the topic of Week #1 of Advent. Watch this brief clip from “my main man,” the Dalai Lama. Have faith that you can bring about what he suggests. Namaste.  (press “control / click” to open the link).

https://www.facebook.com/powerofpositivity/videos/10155540214357371/?t=47

photo credit John Hain

FAITH WEEK 1 – Part 4

 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

 —Hebrews 11:1

What do you believe in? What beliefs exist for you no matter what happens? Perhaps you believe that parental love is absolutely permanent and infallible. No matter what happens, you can count on Mom and Dad. And that is true for many of us.

But try to reach beyond even this powerful love to an understanding that there is only one presence and power in the universe, a divine love, and that loving presence has nothing else to do but take care of you (Rev Joel Baehr).

Your belief, your FAITH, in this divine presence is never shaken. And you believe in it without needing to see any evidence of it. In the Christmas story, Mary represents this faith. She is the symbol that shows that each of us can give birth to the “Christ spirit” in us, during this season, and every day of the year.

Reverend Dale Worley explains it this way:

“It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of the Christmas season. There seem to be so many demands on our already hectic lives. However, we can give ourselves a Christmas gift every day! When we take time to be still, to be alone for a moment, and to listen to that still, small voice within, we let our hearts and minds rest. We remember the things that are truly important to us. We might also discover there is a Christ child that lives inside of us, waiting to be expressed in our own unique and individual way.”

Merry Christmas

photo credit pixabay

FAITH  WEEK 1 – Part 5

“Like Christmas shining at the end of the long year, so the light of faith shines at the end of the long journey toward it. It does not matter how you have come, nor how slow your journey toward light and understanding has seemed. The light of Christ is shining steadily in you, through you, and for you. It shines like the Christmas of YOUR life; it proclaims the presence of God; it sings songs of rejoicing because the birth of the Christ spirit is in YOUR midst.”

–Martha Smock, long-time editor of DAILY WORD magazine.

FAITH  Week 1   Part 6:  “Choose Hope!”

Reverend Kathy Beasley affirms:

“Hope is a spiritual practice I return to often because it is the one thing that removes the sense of uncertainty from anything.” 

WOW!  It’s like a pill, like aspirin.  I just take it and pain (or depression) goes away???   I know you are saying, “It’s not that simple.  My life is full of frustrations.  My boss is abusive.  My family is toxic. My bank account is empty.  My spouse ignores me.  My kids don’t listen to me.”

If those  words float across your mind, then try this idea:

1. FIND just one issue, incident, fact in your life for which you can be grateful.  I know you can do this.  Just give it a try.
2. FOCUS on that issue in the silence for just a couple of minutes.
3. REPEAT this process several times daily.  Feel the relief and joy that exists because of this one detail.
4. JOURNAL about this experience.  Make a list of these small things for which you are grateful.
5. RE-READ your list during your daily “prayer time.”

Folks, we are working in the spiritual world.  It is true that things can change in an instant in the world of your mind.   So simply give these tips some “human time” to percolate in your consciousness, and start making your list today.

And here’s one more idea: think about all the children around you who are right now hoping for some very specific gift for Christmas. Think about the child who wants this very special doll.  Think about the certainty that child has that THAT doll is coming on December 25.  Think about all the boys and girls with great expectations for Christmas morning.  You can rediscover this sense of hope, and when you combine it with the items you now have on your “gratitude list,” you too will soon be affirming……

I remember that my life is full of hope and promise.

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Bill Babin

is available to speak / teach / consult at your

ministry / martial arts academy / convention / event

602.692.3723     bill@billbabin.com