I LOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Halloween. Besides being one of my holidays it brings out the macabre in me!!! HEHEHEHEHE Gotta love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diana
neverthere
JoinedPosts by neverthere
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12
Halloween Anybody?
by simplesally inis anybody going to get dressed up this year?
take little ones trick or treating?
parties?
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71
Poll - What kind of Ancient People are YOU???
by LittleToe inare you: a minority group called "jew" a majority group called "greek" a minority group called "christian"
to believe in christ, the jews asked for a powerful sign, before they would believe.. to believe in christ, the greeks appealed to logic and wisdom, before they would believe.. to believe in christ, the christians simply believed, and treated it as a personal calling.. which category do you believe you fall into 1, 2 or 3?.
.. 1cor.1:22-25 - the message.
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neverthere
I too am a Celt!!!! LONG LIVE SCOTLAND!!!!!!!!!!!
Diana
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I'm going to be a Grandma again
by Lady Lee ini am thrilled .
my oldest daughter has an 8-yr old daughter.
since then she has been trying to have a second baby with no luck.
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neverthere
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOURS LEE, WHAT A GREAT THING!!!!!
Diana
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spiritual burnout
by neverthere inhi, i thought i might share this with you, i copied it from another web board that i belong to and although it might not be "christian specific" i thought that i might share...... .
spiritual burnout.
burnout is a condition of physical and emotional exhaustion as a result of.
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neverthere
Go right ahead Frannie, I don't mind in the slightest
Diana
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spiritual burnout
by neverthere inhi, i thought i might share this with you, i copied it from another web board that i belong to and although it might not be "christian specific" i thought that i might share...... .
spiritual burnout.
burnout is a condition of physical and emotional exhaustion as a result of.
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neverthere
Hi, I thought I might share this with you, I copied it from another web board that I belong to and although it might not be "christian specific" I thought that I might share.....
SPIRITUAL BURNOUT
Burnout is a condition of physical and emotional exhaustion as a result of
repeated and long-term exposure to high levels of stress. It happens when one
overzealously engages in an activity to an extent where, on physical,
psychological, and emotional levels, one can no longer adequately function. It
is a result of imbalance. A person who is "burned out" has used up all
resources and often suffers from depression, anxiety, short temper, lethargy,
mood swings, loss of or increase of appetite, loss of interest in sex, and
inability to interact well with others.
Add the spiritual factor to burnout, and there's really big trouble. The
spiritual level encompasses one's personal connection to the divine, and one's
way to make sense of how each individual's web of life interweaves with the
lives all around us. Spiritual burnout magnifies all the symptoms of burnout.
The loss of the connection to the divine spirit can send a person into a
destructive spiral. It is especially forceful if the burnout was caused by an
overload of spiritual activity.
Spiritual burnout can cause feelings that divinity is not listening, not
appreciating all the work being done, and ultimately, can cause anger and/or
depression. Why honor a divine spirit that doesn't give a damn? Does that mean
divinity doesn't exist?
When people are devoted to a cause, activity, or belief, they tend to throw
themselves into it to the exclusion of everything else. When the devotion
isn't returned in the same fashion, then resentment, anger, and depression
often result. Sometimes, the person burning out will intensify his or her
efforts, and this becomes a destructive spiral. What can we do?
Everyone needs a break once in a while. Academics have sabbaticals, a practice
I wish would be common throughout all professions. Taking a "time out"
occasionally is important. It allows one to reassess goals, desires, and
affirmations. It also allows time to reflect on the past, to find out where
the patterns are, how those patterns fit together, and which ones need to
change.
Books on magical study emphasize the need to work every day. This is a fact.
In order to truly live a magical life, one must work each day to integrate
spiritual beliefs into daily living. However, that does not mean that one can
never, ever, take a break, or that taking a break will force one to start again
at square one.
The most common types of spiritual burnout that I have witnessed among magical
people are as follows: the overzealous student, the overworked high priest or
priestess, and the person who has a tragedy occur and feels unsupported.
The Student
When you start down a new path, you want everything NOW. You want to have a
complete set of beautiful, charged, fully operational tools NOW. You want to
be adept at a hundred spells with a hundred percent success rate NOW. You want
to be able to glide through life and receive acclaim for your grace, prowess,
and shining light NOW. The truth of the matter is that it takes time. If you
do not master the basics, you cannot master the higher levels of skill. There
is no substitute for hard work, study, and experience. There is also no
substitute for mistakes. Threw a spell and it bounced back? Why? Couldn't be
bothered to learn how to cast a spell properly? Well, what did you expect?
When you make a mistake, take the time to trace back the ritual. Break down
the elements and see what didn't work. It could be carelessness, it could be
unfocused intent, it could be you were misleading yourself. Rework the spell
over and over until you get it right, but don't feel you have to do it all in
one day. Spread it out over a period of weeks or months. It's like coming up
with a new recipe in cooking. You've got to test it.
Read as much as you can, talk to people, and correspond with people. Take a
class. Maybe you need a new teacher.
Keep your studies balanced with your mundane life. Remember, eventually you
won't be leading two separate lives. They will be integrated. Enjoy time with
non-magical friends and family. We live in a magnificent, diverse world. Take
advantage of it.
The High Priest/Priestess
If you're leading a group, it's terribly easy to fall into martyr syndrome.
I've done it myself a few times. I've watched several high priestesses around
me do it, and crash and burn. Yes, teaching is an enormous responsibility.
These people have put their trust in you, but they are also still responsible
for themselves.
The best way of working that I've found is to allow students, coveners, etc.,
to participate in all aspects of the ritual. Let them help plan. Let them
take on specific tasks such as calling in directions, consecrating the
elements, and walking the elements around the circle. Teach them and let them
do. Have the feast after the ritual be a potluck. If you're
having an open circle, tell everyone who's invited what to bring. Most people
are honored by an invitation to ritual and they are delighted to bring a
covered dish. It makes them part of things.
The most important thing is: if you're feeling overworked and
under-appreciated, communicate. Don't accuse your students or coveners of
being ungrateful. Simply state what you are feeling, without judgment toward
them, and ask for help. I think you'll be surprised at how quickly they will
rally around you. If certain members continue irresponsible behavior, consider
asking them to leave. There is nothing wrong with following different paths.
A Person Dealing With Tragedy
Terrible things happen to good people. It doesn't mean that you've done
something to deserve it, or you're being paid back for something done in a past
life, or that God/dess hates you. I don't have a pat answer for every
situation, and I know that saying "there's a reason for everything in the web
of the universe" is no comfort.
The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone, be it on the
spiritual plane or the physical. There are counselors, clinics, support
groups, the Internet--whatever you're going through, if you reach out, you will
be able to find someone to help.
Find places that make you feel calm and comforted. If you can't create a
section of your home that is a sanctuary, find someplace close by where you can
retreat. Depending on what sort of sanctuary I need, I have several different
places in New York where I go; a favorite coffee shop, a corner in a book
store, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (yes, a church), and Central Park.
These are places where I can get my bearings, hear divinity speak, and feel
safe while trying to make sense of the world. Once you get grounded and
centered and start to get things in perspective, you can consider active
options to change what you need to change.
Ego
In every instance, stop and take a long, hard look at yourself and how you are
behaving in the world. Where is your ego involved in an unhealthy way? What
are you trying to prove and to whom by trying to be the ultimate magical
person? Why do you think the entire universe needs to be concerned with you
right now?
There is an enormous difference between healthy self-esteem and ego. Ego often
hides under a martyr syndrome or goodness syndrome. Ego also hides within
insecurity. Separate out where your ego is causing you more pain and more
burnout. It might be painful, but, in the long run, it will serve you well.
Take a look at what motivates your actions and what responses you need to
change.
Taking Time Out
There are times when you simply need to take time out from everything, no
matter what. You may feel that you want to rethink how you relate to divinity,
or you want to commune with divinity once a week instead of on a daily basis.
There is nothing wrong with that, as long as it is done in an honorable fashion.
Time outs can be ritually begun and ritually ended. First of all, figure out
what you are getting away from. Then figure out what you want your time period
to be. If you belong to a working group, ask for a leave of absence or ask to
be cut out completely from the group if you're fairly sure you won't come back.
Don't just stop attending events and abdicate or ignore your responsibilities.
Especially once you've been initiated, this is a breaking of your oath, and
there are consequences. Yo need to leave in an atmosphere of love and trust.
If you are part of a group, participate in a leaving ritual. Whether you are
on your own (solitary) or working with a group, do your own ritual, even if
it's just lighting a candle and explaining to divinity that you need to take a
break.
While you're on your break, do things that you enjoy. Do things that you've
denied yourself, as long as they don't hurt you or anyone else. Most of all,
listen. Divinity has unusual ways of communicating, and you may receive the
answers you seek when you least expect them. Use the mindfulness that you
learned in your work to enhance your rest and appreciate everything around you.
It doesn't have to be a burning bush to have a message. -
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Any news about Vicki Boer?
by neverthere inhi there, was just wondering if there has been any news yet on vicki's case, what with the judgement still pending regarding costs.. diana
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neverthere
Hi there, was just wondering if there has been any news yet on Vicki's case, what with the judgement still pending regarding costs.
Diana
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HELP!!! HELP!!!! HELP!!!!!!
by proudassmonkey inok i need some help from who ever has dealt w. their jw parents.
this is the email i got from my parents: .
dear melissa, .
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neverthere
Melissa, I have no advice or response for your parents only this
((((((((((((((((((((((MELISSA))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Neverthere
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All Canadians and people with satellite, watch this tonight !!!!!!!!!!!
by run dont walk in.
wednesday september 03, 2003 ........ the fifth estate airs at 9 pm on cbc in your time zone, it will be rebroadcasting and updating the vicki boer story.
hope you all will be watching, or at least set the vcr.
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neverthere
Hey Vicki, I saw it!!! You looked fabulous, the girls did too. I don't think that you sounded like a sore loser, you sounded fine!! My lawyer now has a copy of the tape I made of it.
Diana
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haunted houses
by free will inso, that spooky season is almost upon us again.
how many of you, will go on haunted house tours or delve into anything spiritistic?
i mean we don't want the demons to attach to us, do we?!
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neverthere
I grew up in a haunted house and many of the places I have lived since then were haunted. We recently sold my mother's house (the same one I grew up in) and now OUR house is haunted. You see, though my hubby believes in these things we picked a house that was "quiet". Well no sooner did the spirits at my mum's hear that we were leaving and some followed us!
Sometimes it freaks hubby out, but I recognize all of them, the feelings are familiar, especially since some are family.
Totally freaked him out once though, sleeping in his apartment, which was in the basement of the house he grew up in, told him I could hear the dog barking, he said, well that's kinda funny since the only dogs are at your house. So I proceeded to tell him I didn't hear them like I heard my own dogs bark but like you hear something that isnt there anymore. LOL he could hardly believe it!!!
Diana
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Has there ever been any who came here to snoop/snipe/whatever...
by berylblue in...who ended up staying because her or his thinking had been changed by reading the posts here?
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neverthere
I came here to snoop for a different reason. I was curious about what had happened in the Vicki Boer case. Then I found all you WONDERFUL people (and Vicki too, what a surprise for me!) and I had to post!
Diana