LECTURE - SUNDAY 7th APRIL 2024
PRESENTED BY SHELIA MORGAN
I AM SO HAPPY AND GRATEFUL
So many random thoughts coming through it is hard for me to even think about what order to put them in, but I absolutely trust in Spirit that the right words will be said despite my muddled thoughts.
I certainly do not want to take up too much time today as we have the lovely Eleanor Walker here all the way from Scotland. It is certainly a pleasure and a privilege to be working beside her again. Our first encounter was at the VSU last September where she also met Sue Palmer (who has been both her student on Zoom and Itinerary guide this time around) and Val which is why she has come all the way to Mornington. I love her no nonsense, honest attitude, and fine abilities as she works, which have come through not only her natural abilities but with the discipline of study, meditation and prayer and being brave to travel the world as an advocate for Spiritualism.
Anyway, I digress but thank you Eleanor for coming here today. It is such a pleasure to see you again.
During my morning journaling, I have added picking a card and having a ponder on it. The cards I am working with now are, “The Answer is Simple” Oracle Cards by Sonia Choquette. The first morning the card was ‘Be Patient’ and the picture is of children lining up to go down a slide. I don’t know about you but I remember that feeling very well, of trying to hurry everyone up because I wanted my turn. Well, the words in the Guidebook really made me think, “The physical Universe vibrates at a slower pace than the mental one does. Therefore, although it may appear that your Spirit’s desire is far away at this very moment, this isn’t actually true; rather, it’s in the process of coming into realisation. Just as the hidden roots of a plant are grounded and fed by Mother Earth long before the flower buds and opens into bloom, so too is your Divine creation in the process of becoming a reality.
Quiet your impatient ego and feel the pulse of the Universe as it joyfully feeds your personal intention. Trust in Divine order and give things more time.”
I had never really thought about Mental time being quicker than Physical time, but it makes so much sense now that I think about it. That big question of why can’t I have it now and the realisation that my impatient ego is often in the way of allowing the best outcomes at the best time to happen.
Another time I was U tubing, and the catch line was ‘Change your Life in 5 minutes.’ So I thought, yes I have 5 minutes to look at this and looked with an air of defiance and scepticism but you know, it actually has stuck with me, which is the heading of this article and focus of the talk.
The premise is that instead of waiting and wishing and maybe even longing, you call directly to your Spirit and the Universe to support you in a very simple way by starting the sentence with, “I am so happy and grateful” and then you can either stop there or you can fill in the blank with anything you wish to happen.
For instance, I am so Happy and Grateful that my health and mobility are improving all the time.
I am so Happy and Grateful that my children are all well and getting on with each other and me. I am so Happy and Grateful that my work brings me so much joy and abundance.
I have always been Grateful for everything in my life and have worked with affirmations especially when working with Reiki II but I feel the difference by adding, I am so Happy. It changes the vibration and tone of the prayer, and I am able to help my impatient ego to be patient. It absolutely feels freeing, so let’s do an exercise. Turn to your neighbour right now and tell them what you are so happy and grateful for. Tell them about something you want in your life right now.
Numerological this year is a Year 8 bringing possibilities of harmony and balance, however often it is easy to slip into old habits of having conversations about what is wrong with the world today. We must be aware that collectively we must be diligent in our thinking, speech, and actions and remember how lucky we are to be Spiritualists where we can remind each other to turn towards the Light automatically. By ‘coincidence’ the card which literally jumped out as I started to shuffle them today was ‘Spread the Light’, encouraging me to witness and acknowledge the light in others, appreciating everyone around me and to spread the Light all day.
This is how we will live in a better world with our dreams in our mental vibration quickening into our physical world. I am so happy and grateful that we have given a donation to our local Community Centre as I see in them as people working together, enjoying each other’s company and Spreading the Light of Community in such a positive way with positive outcomes for all. Their café reaches so many people and how cool is it that a bakery and a Supermarket give donations which helps the greater community and, above all, the smiles on the welcoming volunteers and everyone involved shows that we can all make a difference one step at a time.
I am so happy and grateful that the information centre is helping so many people have a better and more dignified life in everything they do. May they have all the funds they need to continue growing.
There is one more story I would like to share with you. It’s a clip that my son Ben sent to me. A man was talking to a Rabbi, boasting to him how much he loved fish. The Rabbi looked at him and said, ‘Oh, you love fish, do you? You love them so much you hunt them, and kill them, gut them, and then eat them. It sounds like you have a funny idea of love.’ He turned to the man and said, ‘Sometimes relationships are like that. You want something from the other person rather than giving to the person. We call this “Fish Love” for true love is when you wish only to give to the person, and they only want to give to you. This is what love really is - Giving to another.’
My family is no different from other families with all its dramas and foibles. They give us the best of times and then they can also give us the most challenging of times and I love this quote which I shared with my family, it is from the Dalai Llama,
Be Kind Whenever Possible
It is Always Possible.
May love and blessing be with you all and smile, Life is Perfect just the way it is right now.
Sheila Morgan , Mornington Spiritualist Church
HOMILY - VAL OLLIVE
PRESENTED SUNDAY 7th April 2024
SEEK THE ANSWER WITHIN
The other day l watched the story of Moses on Netflix, and I must admit I did enjoy it. It gave different points of view from Professors to Academics and the like.
It told of how he went into the desert for forty days and forty nights, how he spoke to God and received the Ten Commandments.
While watching this, l started to think, (not easy for me), how is this so? l thought the idea was to lead the people to the Promised Land where peace would reign. Its was not like that at all, in order to get where they wanted to, they had to overcome the People of that land. So, one has to ask, “What have we learnt in the past 2000 years or more. The Promised Land was to give them everything they needed however, did it.”
Are they still looking for that perfect place, but what would happen if they realised that all that they are looking for in the Promised Land is inside of them. Moses disobey God a few times. Being human he got impatient and didn’t have the FAITH that he should have, that indeed God had a plan.
Perhaps if we had FAITH in something bigger than ourselves, we would realise that Spirit guides our footsteps in the journey of our lives. We have been told many times that everything we need to live this life, is inside of us.
Why therefore do we continually look outside of ourselves for validation? We are, so it is said, made in "His" image. So, is it possible that we only need to look within to find the answers we seek.
The answers are there for us to find, all we have to do is look within ourselves.
Sit quietly and realise that Spirit is within you and if you listen to that quiet voice within you will be guided to find your answers. Now, it might not be the answers you want, for example Tattslotto numbers, or when is the next fella coming into your life, (I’m still waiting), However, you will be guided towards to the answers you seek.
I’m not here to tell you how to live your life and what to do, however I am here to make you think. To make you look beyond.
We are not just this here in this physical body. This is just what we play around with while we are here, but this is not all we are and don’t forget, whatever you learn here today, it will have a ripple effect because, what you take out with you when you are talking to others you will give them a glimpse of what Spirit is about.
There are so many people out there today who are seeking and searching for answers. They might not know what they are seeking, however if they come to place of Spirit, like our Church, they will find it.
It is finding that peace within yourself, finding that peace within your heart and having an open heart, compassion and love will always bring you home to yourself. That’s what it is all about. I give everyone a hug when you come in to our Church because we are all "One", we are all connected. It does not matter how much you think you are an individual, you are, and will always be connected to those that surrounded you.
Look for the answers within yourself and that is where you will find them.
Also I would like to touch on another point. it is what YOU do in this world. The thing is that this life is about "serving others" not just about serving yourself. Yes, indeed you have to look after yourself first, because if you can’t look after yourself and see to your own needs first, then how can you look out for others. You can’t, can you?
If you have nothing in your tank, if you are half empty then how can you give to others?
So begin by sitting quietly and getting in touch with you and your Spirit, you will replenish your tank and be able to share your understanding of Spirit with others.
Take a moment and think about!