[Closed] Prayers and/or Energetic Healing Needed Part 3

Borrowing a humane trap from a stranger on the lost pets board. She also is giving us sardines and I am hopeful to have my cat home very soon. Thanks for all of your prayers and comments. 

The cat is home safe tonight.

@ghandigirl 

You must be over the moon!!!

Very happy for you!!

@ghandigirl That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!

Hello all,

Sorry if this appears to be a reply to another post- it's my first time posting here although I've lurked around reading for quite some time. 😉 

I would appreciate some prayers for safety and support for my daughter Rachel.  She is 19 years old and is going out tonight for New Year's Eve. She's had some close calls as well as some traumatic outcomes from using alcohol. But she keeps trying for a different outcome.  The recovery community calls it continuing research.

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year and my sincere thanks.

@contrarianaquarian Dear one, welcome to our community!  I am so glad you stepped out of lurker mode. I know how hard it is to be a mother, how that job never ends, and how you can sit on pins and needles until they are back home again.  I am sending angels to accompany Rachel tonight.  I am surrounding her with angel protection and whatever she requires to stay safe tonight. May she be wise, and careful tonight, use moderation and find strength and happiness in staying sober and being smart.  May she feel the joy of being alert and aware tonight. And may you too feel at peace the rest of the evening.

@contrarianaquarian

Welcome to the forum.  

May you find peace this evening as you ring in the New Year.  May your daughter celebrate the New Year safely and wisely.  May this year bring a grounding and wisdom into her life and may there be many blessings for you both.  

Thank you for the lovely prayers and words of support.

@contrarianaquarian how did things turn out? Is she safe today?

She's back home safely which is the most important thing, but the night was a mixed bag.  Before I went to sleep for the night, I talked to her and she was at her friend's apartment and in for the night. She seemed quite lucid although not completely sober. I wake up to a text asking me to come pick her up about 10-15 miles away from our house. She had Ubered with a male acquaintance to a friend's house and the rest of the evening didn't go well.  Lots of regret and self-recrimination on the ride home.  I'm so grateful she made it home alive and that she trusts me enough to contact me when she's in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. Thank you all for your support and prayers.  It means a lot and I believe helped things turn out better than they might have.

From the New York Times...a great read to start the New Year.  2023 is going to be a better year! (Continuing this on two postings.)

New Year’s habits that are good for the soul

By Tish Harrison Warren

I never know how to think about New Year’s resolutions or whether to make them. On one hand, I am drawn to the idea of new beginnings. I love the intentionality and thoughtfulness that are required to make a resolution. They force me to reflect on what I long for, what the good life might consist of and how to get there, which is a good exercise for all of us at any time.

On the other hand, I am lousy at discipline. So resolutions, to me, can feel ungracious, a yearly visit from a disgruntled drill sergeant, an occasion for needless guilt. This ambivalence springs from a tension I feel between the responsibility to actively seek self-improvement and the reality that, in the end, everything most lovely in life — from love to salvation to goodness to joy — comes as a gift. It is all a mercy. Even our ability to strive toward change is a gift, a grace and not exactly in our control, which is clear to anyone who has ever planned a productive day only to be sidelined by a head cold, a migraine or a broken transmission.

The point of resolutions shouldn’t be to add another task to our busy lives or another brick on the crushing and cruel burden to “do better.” The point is that renewal is always possible, and with a large dollop of grace we can freely try new things; we can continue to grow and change. Last year I asked writers, scholars and spiritual leaders to suggest resolutions that weren’t focused on sculpting a beach body or maximizing one’s earning capacity but were instead practical ways to nourish one’s soul or the “soul” of our society. I heard back from many readers who found delight in trying one or two (or more) of these suggestions, so we’re back again for the second annual “reSOULutions,” this time for 2023.

Begin the day reading about faith.

I’m the early bird of my household. Most days, I’m up before first light. So why do I spend that first precious hour doomscrolling in bed? Even after I get up, brush my teeth and pray, I too often return to things that make me mad on my screen. During Ramadan, I do things differently. I get out of bed immediately after waking, say my prayers, set my intention for the day and then open a physical book about faith (most often about Islam, but not always). I find it so elevating. One purpose of time-bound religious rituals like Ramadan and Lent is to help us reflect upon, and improve, our regular routines. I’m going to use New Year’s to try to bring the practice of beginning the day with a physical book about faith into my everyday life.

— Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America

Narrow your news focus.

As a journalist, I encounter many subjects on which I’m rarely, if ever, willing to comment. It’s not that I think they’re unimportant. On the contrary, I think they’re too important for me to speak from ignorance, and I know I don’t have the background knowledge to give these topics their due.

As a news consumer, consider a similar practice: Resolve to know just a few stories and to know them well. Your time and attention are limited. You can’t do justice to every issue of the day, and maintaining a broad, shallow pattern of news consumption makes you vulnerable to manipulation and confusion. So this year, pick at most half a dozen big stories to follow carefully and in depth. Read books, not just the latest headlines. Learn key names and legislation. Find trustworthy journalists to keep you up-to-date. Then remember your finitude and ignore everything else.

— Bonnie Kristian, journalist and author of “Untrustworthy” and “A Flexible Faith”

Create silence.

The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard has some great wisdom for our age: “Create silence! The Word of God cannot be heard in the noisy world of today.” We need to create silence by spending less time with our screens and being more mindful of the people around us. We need to learn to be still and bask in the gift of the presence of God and our neighbors.

If we don’t create silence, then we may find ourselves engaging in noisy monologues. This is certainly a path to a divisive and violent cacophony. God created us as reflections of his Word to be part of a harmonious symphony.

— Roland Millare, theologian at the St. John Paul II Foundation and author of “A Living Sacrifice”

Write one letter every week.

In a world where a majority of communication is done through a device, the act of writing and receiving a letter has become even more precious. I will write one letter a week to someone I love or cherish, and I will happily imagine the recipients’ delight to find a handwritten note in the midst of their daily bills and mailers.

— Karina Yan Glaser, children’s book author and illustrator

New Year’s habits that are good for the soul, continued

Confront your sorrow.

I love how “courage” derives from the Latin word for “heart.” In the coming year, I want to courageously acknowledge specific ways in which my heart has been broken — by people, by racism, by institutions and even by God — so that I can pursue the healing I need. If we want to be agents of healing to our hurting world, we must courageously and continuously pursue the healing of our own hearts.

— Rev. Michelle T. Sanchez, author of “Color-Courageous Discipleship” and “God’s Beloved Community”

Forget balance and embrace grace.

Every year I strive to achieve the ever-elusive work-life balance, only to reach a place of imbalance. Then disappointment, frustration, uncertainty, anxiety, irritability — or any combination of these — set in. This year, instead of feeling that I’m neglecting family during times of work, neglecting work during time with family or friends or feeling guilty about a lack of productivity during times of relaxation or reflection, I’ll embrace each moment and more deliberately invite grace into my life.

Instead of wallowing in perceived failures, we can pause (even for a couple of minutes) to engage in focused breathing, meditation, prayer or expressions of gratitude. Doing so will benefit our brain health and emotional wellness. Balance is a false construct of a task-based world. Grace allows every one of us to invite peace and harmony into our soul.

— Nii Addy, neuroscientist, associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University and host of the “Addy Hour” podcast

Gather, feast and rest with others.

I’ve practiced Sabbath keeping weekly with my family for nearly 15 years. Having a regular rhythm to stop, rest, delight and contemplate has been soul-forming. Over the past two years, however, I’ve discovered a deepening need to gather with others more intentionally on this day for unhurried conversation, good drink and play. The word “gather” will be a significant word for me. After a pandemic season of being scattered, my wife and I will create spaces for others to belong. Feasting is not something that should be highlighted in our lives a handful of times a year — most notably during the holidays. Feasting needs to be a regular spiritual practice of savoring the gifts of God in the form of people and food, and creative spaces for connection.

— Rich Villodas, pastor and author of “Good and Beautiful and Kind”

Practice nonviolence, even internally.

My resolution is to practice nonviolence in my head and heart. Every morning, after praying, I read the paper and find myself hating on Vladimir Putin and the Russians for the enormous and unprovoked suffering they have unleashed on Ukraine. I can’t do much to stop that war, but I can stop the war in my head and stop the hate in my heart. Nonviolence begins with converting myself.

— Bill Cavanaugh, theologian at DePaul University

Think small.

As somebody who reflects on ethical failure for a living, I have realized how often I get overwhelmed with big problems in our world or my own life, and then assume I need to find an equally big solution right away. This year, I am going to try to take to heart the advice Pope Francis gave to focus first on the small moments of peaceful encounter with the good and with God in our everyday lives. Often it is these small moments of grace which “transmit the joy of living and suggest further good initiatives.”

— Elisabeth Rain Kincaid, Legendre-Soulé chair of business ethics and director of the Center for Ethics and Economic Justice at Loyola University New Orleans

Seek the wisdom of elders.

Everyone I know has an area of their life they are unsure what to do with. Our physical health, financial well-being, relational confusion. We do our best, but honestly, we are a mess. We may turn to Google, TikTok or Amazon for a solution, but we still feel stuck and confused. Before all of these mediated places of advice, we used to go to village elders and ask for wisdom. They were the people who knew our lives and our family histories. They could see our individual strengths and weaknesses. From this vantage point they could offer nuanced and practical advice — ancient wisdom that was able to be applied specifically to our circumstances. We need this again. We need eye-to-eye, knee-to-knee, heart-to-heart advice — counsel that comes from wisdom but is offered from flesh-and-blood people who will see it through with us. Pastors, parents and grandparents can watch our progress and celebrate, as well as challenge us. This requires getting up close to people and being vulnerable. But isn’t that what we all really need?

— Jay Pathak, national director for Vineyard U.S.A., a network of churches

Thank you, friends, for your wisdom, thoughtfulness and inspiration! Again this year, I think I’ll start small and pick one or two of these that feel challenging and hopeful to me. All of them require some effort and more than a little grace.

Spoke with my mother. She was lucid. She will turn 91 in February. I am so blessed to have a close relationship.

I wrote a poem once that began, "I am my mother's memory..." 

The balm for my sorrow:to be able to cry with my mother, lighting the candles.

As I research and read, I am learning that adult child estrangement is common and insidious and none of us want to talk about it, or live it. ,

I can say this about that, this is a master class in acceptance, of self, of a child, of love wherever it can be found and a mother's love that she can never erase. I open up my sad heart and give her to G d to watch over. 

I realize I will never understand but I am tolerant and forgiving to a fault.  Still my trust is shaken. "With every goodbye you learn."

@lowtide 

What a great article to present to us.  Thank you.

Each entry was enlightening and will read them again to savor their advice.

2 really spoke to my heart. First

First, the one about letter writing. I like the idea of writing a letter once a week to someone .  TO connect on that level.  

Second, this one.

I’ve practiced Sabbath keeping weekly with my family for nearly 15 years. Having a regular rhythm to stop, rest, delight and contemplate has been soul-forming. Over the past two years, however, I’ve discovered a deepening need to gather with others more intentionally on this day for unhurried conversation, good drink and play. The word “gather” will be a significant word for me. After a pandemic season of being scattered, my wife and I will create spaces for others to belong. Feasting is not something that should be highlighted in our lives a handful of times a year — most notably during the holidays. Feasting needs to be a regular spiritual practice of savoring the gifts of God in the form of people and food, and creative spaces for connection.

— Rich Villodas, pastor and author of “Good and Beautiful and Kind”

My husband's family used to have big Sunday family and friend gatherings.  They were wonderful, lively, connecting, fun  and informative.  I think this has been missing in my life, not just during Covid years but in general with the pre-covid hectic way my family family led our lives. Our family had Friday night dinners for a time with extended family until my girls reached high school and high school activities took over. Time to bring back the new/old Sunday afternoon/evening dinners and gatherings with family and friends again.  

I can do this!!

@lovendures 

I think that is a lovely idea. A lot of feasting is good. Gatherings are good.

For myself I am a bit of a recluse but feast as often as possible, even if it is just the two of us here.

Have been ill. Tonight I wrote a plan/prayer for healing. I am dedicating myself to healing my body, mind , and spirit. I have been afraid ,but I am not afraid tonight. 

I am seeing myself holistically. I am seeing my disorders as partners that help me guage how I am doing, And I  am seeing my cats as angel souls sent to help me believe in joy.

I lost myself. I lost my way and I absolutely lost my faith. TONIGHT I continue to rededicate myself to healing. The strength card came up for me. I look like the woman on the card. Years ago I painted a self portrait of myself as rhe strength card.,I will move it out of storage tomorrow and meditate on it.

Hello friends,

I am requesting prayers and light for my family. After 3 years of dodging Covid we finally were exposed by my granddaughter.    Thankfully we are experiencing mild symptoms with fever and headaches.  Some of us are dealing with the stomach issues.  We feel grateful that we are vaxed and boosted. Prayers and light can only help.  Thank you all.   We are in New Jersey and cases here are spiking after the holidays.  Kids are wearing masks when they return to school.   Be safe out there. Everyone is sick of it.  I understand that too.  Peace ☮️ 

@febbby23   Oh, what a bummer.  I hope and pray your symptoms remain mild.  If you can get Paxlovid, I recommend you try it.  Both my spouse (60-something) and a dear friend (70 something) got Pax. and were riding bikes and mowing lawns within 2 days of starting it.

@ana thank you and all.  We are feeling much better and we are on the mend.  Thank you for your prayers and light.  All in all this was mild for us. We are very blessed.   Thanks.

My father died in 2003 and while no one can replace him, I befriended an elderly gentleman who has become my friend, mentor, and second dad.  He's been ill since October and this past week in particular things have taken a turn for the worse.  I talked to his wife on the phone on Saturday and just received an email from her today that he's in the hospital.  He had a blood draw, and the ER doc said his hemoglobin was only 4 when it should be 14.  A rectal exam showed blood.  He's had several bags of blood pumped into him.  The gastrointestinal doctor is going to do a scope this morning to learn more.

Please, anyone who is able, send some healing energy his way.  I'm not ready to lose another father figure in my life.