I was working on something different for this show, an episode in which we might look at decoding Dan Brown and his writings.  But on Tuesday, July 21st, One of my very best friends wrote a new chapter into my life, and opened my eyes to see far more than I intended to ever see.

For all that I'd been through, this was the first time that I'd been with someone at the time they crossed over from this life to the next.  Death is something which some people prefer to not discuss.  Nevertheless, it is the one life-event which each and every one of us will face eventually.  And he made an effort to share his with me. 

His name was Lionheart.  He was a cat, of the variety some people call "American shorthair," or what some people call "tuxedo" because his coat made him look as if he were in such formal attire.

He came into Lady Stormy's life about three years before I did.  She literally rescued him off of the streets, saving him from a crowd of kids who were abusing him.  I was known to refer to him as Lord Pan's "vice president".

He and I became close the moment we met.  Then again, that would be expected from the way he introduced himself to me. 

And at the end, he held on until I was there.

And I think there was much that he was trying to tell me.  And yet the most profound lesson I learned was both subtle and obvious.  I'm hoping you can see it in what I offer here. 

I offered the story of Dave Carrol last week in some comments about the news, and since then I've seen even more of the story.

And I could not help but think of the stories such as the one about David and Goliath.  I slept through ever-so-many tellings of that story in Sunday School!  The story wasn't so bad, but it was presented in the manner of the stories of how some parent or grandparent had to go miles every day through so many feet of snow to get to school....  But Dave Carrol made it suddenly take on relevance.

Goliath was a big warrior, and an airline is usually a big corporation.  There was a shepard boy named David who accepted Goliath's challenge.  Dave Carroll was a relatively unknown country singer who got fed up with how an airline treated him when their baggage handlers damaged his guitar. 

And there is where we begin to see the lesson in the stories.  And perhaps it is a lesson that might not be obvious unless one tale is shown in parallel with another that is more contemporary which we can relate to.

See what I mean!  It's part of the reason we get to say "So mote it be!"

Blessed Be!
 

And here, I offer a salute to some of the dearest friends I've ever had.   I'm talking about my four-footed friends.  And yes, there are those who do not have four feet who would fit in this category, but my experience has been with the ones who do in fact have four feet.

Give them broad enough horizons, and I am not sure just how much they might be able to do.  But I do see their level of understanding.  At any rate, the level of understanding in the ones which Lady Stormy and I have as our "kids".  They not only have names and personalities, they have tastes. 

It is also amazing the respect which they show to things spiritual.  And to our altar.

Having them around definitely has its rewards, even if there is the fact that we know that they are not immortal and their lives are shorter than ours.  And the rescued ones seem especially special.  All of ours are either rescued or descended from someone who was rescued.  The gratitude can be said to extend to their childrens' children because Apollo is the grandson of a cat Lady Stormy rescued many years ago.

Whether they bark, meow, or something else, here is a special moment for our four-footed friends, familiars, and fellow travelers on this road.

Blessed Be!

PS:  The "news and comment spot" will tell you of where you can see just how much power this new media can have - check it out!

Perhaps the most under-rated and under-appreciated of spiritual practices is the mantra.

The matter gets complicated by the number of people who think they don't use mantras when they actually are, and the number of other folks who think that they are using a mantra when they actually are not!

The mantra is probably one of the most ancient forms of spiritual expression.  It is also potentially the most powerful.

So, let us explore what makes a mantra powerful.  And let's see how you might be able to make some good use out of mantras.

It isn't quick, so don't think that overnight you'll master something which others work with for years.  But you'll make a beginning and make progress. 

Some things about mantras you'll know from your own experience, and others you'll discover along the way.  Perhaps the most important discovery along the way is what works for you.

Blessed Be!