Reconnecting The Soulful Dots

Lately my mind has been occupied with one of my favorite activities: counting my blessings.

And when I count my blessings, the very special people in my life, who have crossed my path, are at the top of the list.

This past week, I tasted the tastiest soul food of hearing from not one, but 5 people who all hold a special place in my heart. Five souls that I lost touch with who I was so very happy to hear from again.

One was a dear friend I studied with many moons ago, who moved so very far away. A soul-sister with whom I used to share little haikus, silly little doodles, and moments of mindfulness. Another soul sister whose beautifully generous spirit I shared soul-nourishing alternative books and philosophies and a tender softness that comes with the best hugs. Another was my one & only treasured childhood friend that I still keep in touch with. The one I shared the madness of teen years with, and decade after decade of life-changing events. Another was a special young man, who sadly had moved to Toronto sometime ago. A young man filled with such a bright light and wisdom and love. And another special young man who is a very talented photographer. The young man who took my very mischievous portrait picture that grace a few of my websites.

Ah what goodness, what light from them all.

My day was made all the brighter from hearing from each of them.

And hearing from them made me think of all the areas of my life where I have been blessed with the connections that feed my soul.

All those Positive People in Toronto & all over the world who shared this spiritual journey with me.

The wonderfully eclectic collection of wonderful new friends I´ve made from the many events I´ve hosted & attended in my ever-busy social life.

The dear friend I found again after 10 years of searching. So far away across an ocean but so often in my thoughts.

My best buddy with whom I shared a night of sci-fi movie goodness and most excellent cheese, not too long ago.

My dear dad. Much too far away from me, who is in my heart and thoughts every day.

It is time to catch up with all my emails, all my phone calls, all my messages, with all the soulfully-rich people who have touched & blessed my life.

My Spiritual Self

Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) – Heaven/Where True Love Goes

Well, with a name like Anima Blue, how can I not talk about my spiritual self?

A friend from my past who shares my Italian heritage described my nickname best: the blue poetic soul. Yes, that sums up what Anima Blue means to me, very well.

I have a curious soul and curious beliefs.

Beliefs like no other because they are a strange amalgamation of many different spiritual influences that crossed my path over the years. From the friends I made, of many different faiths. Of men I dated as well. Of posting in spiritual forums over the years out of curiosity to learn about others. Facebook has been a tremendous tool to nurture my spiritual growth. The Facebook group I started there – Synchronicity & *Being* In The Flow – was the thirsty earth that nourished so many wonderful sharing spiritual partnerships from the people who stopped on by.

So what are my spiritual beliefs?

Oh a good dose of generic Christian, with some Buddhist thoughts thrown in. Bits and pieces of other faiths and belief systems. I am fascinated by all faiths and believe all faiths have some core of goodness in them. Like the universal belief in LOVE.

Yes, Love. I added a video to this post because I find this beautiful song from Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) so eloquently illustrates how there is Love within all faiths that believe in a Higher Power.

Do I believe in God? Well yes I do. Do I pray? How do I pray? Very personal questions, aren’t they? Well, I am not one to be a crusader and go forth to convert the multitudes into what I personally believe in. That would be hard to do for the simple fact that my spiritual beliefs are complex – yet so simple – but are hard to explain. Which is why I am kind of going round in circles here.

So this is how my spirituality manifests in me. I don’t know go to a church every Sunday. I stopped doing that when I was nine years old, mostly out of contrariness I think. Yes, stubbornness definitely runs in my family. I got a double dose from both parents.

Occasionally, sometimes a few times a year, on a good year, maybe at least once a month or more, I’ll stop in a church somewhere and pray. And sit for awhile. And get on my knees and recite some of the childhood prayers that I still remember. I’ll usually light a candle or two, for the loved ones that I have lost.

But often-times, this is how I pray. You know how sometimes you pick up the phone or dash off an email to a friend because you just remembered something you wanted to share, or you wanted some advice? Well that’s kind of how I pray. My conversations with God are simply a never-ending dialogue that start and stop when I remember. In good times and in bad. I try to remember to give thanks.

One thing I know is that God lives in my heart. I feel God’s presence most in those moments when I am feeling the most love.

So for me – God is LOVE. Simple as that.