Advent

As many of you know, today begins the Christian season of Advent. I do not talk openly very often on this blog about my faith (for many reasons), but here is a synopsis. While I was baptized and raised as a Christian, and consider myself a Christian to this day, I also have deep respect for all religions and believe that they are all true. Thus said, I do not believe that Jesus is the only way, I believe that Christianity is a way...a way for personal transformation from within. And this brings me to my next thought, and that is that I treat pretty much the entire Bible as metaphor. That being said, I look at this Holy Season of Advent not as a time of waiting for the literal return of Christ...but a time for renewal; a transformation of myself, a time for introspection, a time of re-birthing the Christ within me, you, and everyone. And this is a time I think I need each year...a time to remember to look inward so in turn I can go outward. The below prayer was written by Paramahansa Yogananda, in his little book called Metaphysical Meditations; I posted this before but find it so beautiful I thought I'd share it again. Peace be to you, my friends; I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

A Christmas Vow

"I will prepare for the coming of the Omnipresent baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of my consciousness, now rusty with selfishness, indifference, and sense attachments; and by polishing it with deep, daily, divine meditation, introspection and discrimination. I will re model the cradle with the dazzling soul qualities of brotherly love, humbleness, faith, desire for God-realization, will power, self-control, renunciation, and unselfishness, that I may fittingly celebrate the birth of the Divine Child."
--Paramahansa Yogananda