The Magnificence of Living a Good & Kind Life- 27th January 2024

Luciano Balduino

Often goodliness is overlooked when in a confused and complicated modern life the applicant is deterred from the straightforward. We can find ourselves at these internal crossroads moment by moment, whereas the simplest measure to ascertain by is of goodness and kindness and nought else.

In the spiritual worlds these inclinations and actions are the only currency to empower and move us forward, to be enabled to navigate further shores.

Goodness and kindness.

For what is it to be spiritually adept - an acrobat of thought, a scholar of the supreme - if we are to stray far from our own goodness and our own kindness to self and to others.

And it can be spoken of in terms of virtue, of higher principle, and principalities, and we may talk in the abstract about these two qualities and can consider them here - but let it be said at the outset that even that consideration would take away from their properties one knows, and can easily identify, if honestly reviewing oneself. There really needs to be no explanation for what these two things truly are.

However for the purposes of study we can look a little closer and all the while remembering that we are already well qualified to know and enact goodness and kindness throughout the day in our own personal hemisphere of life.

Morality was a concept introduced in intellectual circles during a period where society needed to question its overall activities, and in part this was a genuine assertion of the collective conscience, however it was also the beginning of isolation within the individuality; of deferring to a ledger - whereupon the notion of one’s behaviour might become sterilised amongst the homogenous collective agreement rather than with the internal knowing of right from wrong - and the sense, the true sense, and happiness for that matter, that goodness and kindness can bring.

For if one defers to a group (whether it be religious or societal) for these measures, they have already departed from themselves by doing so, and left behind the exquisite precision of their navigating intuition.

In other words if one needs to ask, they do not know -  or do they?

Wilful ignorance, inner blindness, denies the self the practical means to move forward. And it is here that the review of the day can be most useful with these things in mind. What could I have done, what should I have done? By this measure, What did I not see? Who did I not see before me? And there it is.

The shades of wilful blindness are upon us in this discussion for so very quickly we may conceal our own faults and flaws, our shortcomings, and hush the inner dialogue to the question of how are we to be brave enough, stern enough and strong enough to push back energetically, thoughtfully, and contrast all that is mundane with the joyful fervour that is Christly, practical, and helpful and be quick to respond to a circumstance where our powers can help - truly help - and heal with open arms and open heart.

Each spirit genuinely loves this world - it is our natural way to give, to care, to be charitable - and there can be no higher instinct or pedigree than this.

Living Loose- 21st January 2024

Luciano Balduino

A contracted etheric body will directly affect the movement of the skeletal and muscular system in one’s body, for it is our etheric vitality that feeds the limbs and organs, and circulates within, similarly to our bloods - yet pulsing and radiating quite differently also.

And this is neither food nor energy, but rather a pure vitality that is required to sustain longevity.

What is the difference? Energy: energetic activity, combustion, or decomposition, can occur within its own sphere – within its own permit, and does not exceed itself. Vitality however, increases - gathering its properties from places without – related, yes, but same, no. This is a distinct and important difference, because one may be mistaken for another.

The activity of energy can for time be used as a physical reserve, and to all appearance, the body is working well, and yet if the vitality is low (there will always be some present) it is not obvious until you can observe the flow of the movement, and whether or not it is elegant or has become rigid, stilted, stiff, and so on.

Tai chi, Eurythmy, Yoga, dance - these activities draw into the body that much needed vitality that is etherically and astrally fruitful.

If one is confined to bed a living rigor mortis can rapidly set in. Vitality by association can be exceedingly helpful i.e. remedial massage in a rhythmic manner, and moving water (as a little fountain) placed in the room will draw some vitality into the atmosphere. For it is knitted and rhythmic movement that helps the body to bring to itself the vitality required in order to resist the affluence of the life-force all about them and the deterioration that would follow.

One can live for some time with low vitality, but not live well, and by appearance body is functioning – which is how it is naturally as it ages, for the adult human body is not as adaptable as one might hope.

As the inner life has changed throughout time, the human body, when compared to all other species, is the least adaptable to change and to aging.

This is speaking of its self – worn, worn down and yet adorned with the Christos. The spirit of Man, the soul of Man, and all of the higher aspects and associated helpers are all stronger, more resilient, more vividly living in each of the realms - although sadly it is more or less the physical body itself that strains and struggles throughout the combined experience.

The overlay of etheric vitality renews sinews and circulation, and re-establishes the connections of the incarnating spirit to the flesh.

Some, most, particularly in later age, become dislodged from their body – walking beside it as it were – whereas this practice will lead to the stiffness of joints, as described earlier.

Walking? Yes – it may coax some vitality, especially if the mind is calm, and not caught in a fury of worry or hurry.

This is more about finding our own inner ballet – and it is not necessary that you recite any movements learned – flowing elegant movements can be intuited and performed privately, and their cosmic beneficence can be experienced immediately with a lightness, a connectivity, a smiling … as you are pushing into the ethers and drawing back - working on your actions becoming fluidic once more, with a gentleness that is slowed and delicate – you can find them yourself, and the work of the imagination in this process will further add to the infilling conjunctions, drawing vitality back into matter, renewing your body, your mind, and your life.

The Power of Blessing-14th January 2024

The earliest of songs, of chants, of morning calls upon this earth were, and are, that of incarnation - of the blessing of the divine outpouring making manifest, and the sanctifying of the spaces surrounding … of the spirit extending its reach. All species of the realm pour forth.

And it is the very first sounds of the day (or first words spoken) that are the most potent. The draw-down from the heavenly spheres is released as a blessing into the physical world enabling a thriving for the depleted from the day before.

And it is that various cyclic energies ebb and flow - however those that truly sustain and maintain the world and its occupants do so within the outpouring of the morning.

The birdcall effectively feeds the ethers and beings; not only of the physical environment, but also the spiritual beings as well.

This encapsulates the profound blessing given out by our own daily activity here in the World - particular and quite extraordinary - and there is controversy also!

For those who go to the silence with wholehearted and sincere prayer, into that space where healing may be curated: we say yea, this is quite fine and purposeful and so forth - and there is a measure of activity within the silence to be found.

Yet add to this the spoken word or sound or movement (of beads perhaps and even) and the accompanied activity then incarnates the blessing into the world officially by its busyness and resonance (which can be further strengthened by repetition).

The spirit of cognition needs to abrase and excite and inflame and ignite and thereafter combine within and into the mix here and hereafter.

There is such connectivity all about us - life itself is this process of energetic transference.

Orthodox Christmas- 7th January 2024

In very ancient times it was once thought that an effigy in pure gold could come to life, and all manner of creations were forged, molded and sculptured in this shining yellow metal with the firm belief, and often realised, that the inanimate could become so imbued - and alike to Pinocchio, would be given not only flesh, but soul.

And when the world was more malleable than it is now, this was not distinct from possibility - even creations in stone would animate - although their natures may have been more akin to the trolls than the gods.

And this is where the original effigies began - characterisations were cast both small and large of spiritual beings as portals to the divine, that were not only representative, but a conduit to that figure of worship, be it of nature or of divinity.

What is now our Holy Communion was but a revolutionary change in a similar practice. However in this instance Christ Himself instructed:

You will find me in the wine,

you will find me in the vine,

you will find me in the bread

and in the grain field there stand I.

You need not make an image of me

for I shall live in you,

You need not make a duplicate

to live outside of yourself

for although we may hold hands

and walk together

I am in every living being.

Needless to say the statues became redundant with the appearance of our Lord; although in whimsy, or beauty, or artefact, creative moldings and designs would and could still encourage the nature spirits, the elemental beings, the fairies etc.

Yet they would not come alive, and were now simply as a doorway through to the imagination and beyond, connecting to beauty and other realms as well.

Yet these statues themselves were nothing but representations, whereas the living Christ reanimated us: the human being connecting through Him in us to a much higher and substantial reality.

Through Him we become reinvented, revivified, and so lively in spirit that our soul is connected to each brother and sister in nature, in kind, in love for this World that is His.