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Group Sharing / Submissions for December 31
2025/2026
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"He had first to feel himself free from all ties of blood — free even from the possibility of such ties. The Individuality in the Nathan Jesus was to stand before the world not only as a ‘homeless’ man (like the Buddha who left his home for unknown domains) but as one liberated from all family connections and from everything associated with the tie of blood. He had to experience all the pain that can be felt when a man must bid farewell to everything that is near him, and stand alone; he had to speak from the experience of utter loneliness and the abandonment of all family ties. Who was this Being?"
The above passage from the reading last night brought to mind the story of Parzival ( a block I will be teaching once we return to school from the Christmas break). There is this seeking that brings a sense of homelessness. There may even be the sense that a goal has been achieved, yet it is but a temporary stop, still to be fully transformed. There are many moments in my life where this idea of homelessness may be experienced. As a nation, the Philippines has over 2.4 million people working overseas (known as overseas foreign workers or OFWs). They are continuously homeless. Their family situations are not always the best even though going abroad is a choice to try to make a better life. Many are under employed: teachers working as domestic helpers, doctors who choose to be nurses. And many may be abused and some have even been killed. Yet, the number continues to increase. In their homelessness, they find their true being in others, in other OFWs who are in their locations. They find a home in these new communities. People in the world today who may feel homeless do so perhaps because others in the world, it could even be me, make them feel homeless. - Raphael (Philippines) |
We are all on the road to somewhere ... Happy New Year's Greetings to all of you wherever you are now or will be soon on our journey into the future, into the unknown ... as we dare to explore this coming year 2026. Thank you for being part of this year's Holy Nights Journal! - Conrad (Sophia Institute)
Seventh Holy Night 30/31 -12 reviewing July last year (2025) - Physical: Garden, garden garden. Surrounded with bramble roots, tomatoes, beans, plants. I went regularly to Clifton Nurseries but also B and Q to buy lovely plants. I took care of the garden rubbish as well. I visited Robin, a granddad and his grandchildren - two little kids in Thames Mead, a brutalist estate in London and had a meal at a nice restaurant at an art centre by the lake. Towards the end of the month, I got rid of a massive amount of garden junk, from the previous occupants of the garden, the same family since world war 2.
Soul: Etheric encounters in the garden. While cutting the bramble large and complex roots, I realized I was tackling an old network of roots, like the veins of a body or the roads of a country. Lovingly I cut them (sometimes actually with angry energy as they were massive). I hoped that the gesture would allow new energy to come. I recited healing mantras. I was loving doing that nourishing and deeply meaningful work. We were also taking care of the front garden. The art project of Sweden got confirmed and so did the one in LCCA. Soon I would begin my brand new lecturing job teaching mature students.
Spirit: The garden took me to the spirit realm. Plants seemed to greet me when I entered it. I saw butterflies and birds and they all seemed to greet me. - Marie (England)
Soul: Etheric encounters in the garden. While cutting the bramble large and complex roots, I realized I was tackling an old network of roots, like the veins of a body or the roads of a country. Lovingly I cut them (sometimes actually with angry energy as they were massive). I hoped that the gesture would allow new energy to come. I recited healing mantras. I was loving doing that nourishing and deeply meaningful work. We were also taking care of the front garden. The art project of Sweden got confirmed and so did the one in LCCA. Soon I would begin my brand new lecturing job teaching mature students.
Spirit: The garden took me to the spirit realm. Plants seemed to greet me when I entered it. I saw butterflies and birds and they all seemed to greet me. - Marie (England)
2024/2025
Artwork from Holy Nights 5-8
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The movement of what is spirit from above and spirit from below is experienced as the year draws to a close. Just as the past year reminds us of what we did and awaits release, the new year comes and brings expectations and reminders as well of what we aim for. As I write this on the first of January 2025, I ask if what I have lifted up to the cosmic realm as 2024 drew to a close will be the lessons I need to stream to me from above as I stride into 2025.
- Raphael (Philippines)
- Raphael (Philippines)
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It has been lovely witnessing all the creative sharing during the Holy Nights worldwide. Thank you to all who have posted. It's also been helpful to view the variety of artistic output and to hear the insights gained. Thank you to all of the teachers here.
- Tamara (Australia)
- Tamara (Australia)
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Those cards are very nice! (see December 30). Making a calendar every day ... so far at July. - Kathe (Texas)