Michael A. Michail

Spirituality * Culture * Self-Expression

Month: April 2021

Don’t Know Much

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On April 25, 2021

In Self-Expression

Awhile ago, my feline friend, Bella, wasn’t feeling well, so I took her to see the veterinarian. The Vet did a full exam – blood tests, x-rays – even kept her overnight to work on her symptoms. In the end, the Vet didn’t know what was wrong with her, how she got sick or how to treat her – and could not explain how Bella got better all on her own.

I recently read about a tomb uncovered on the island of Cyprus – my ancestral home. The tomb was 9,500 years old and contained a human and a cat laid out side by side surrounded by decorative jewels and artifacts. The cat died of natural causes and was clearly a beloved member of the family. Cats are not native to Cyprus so someone deliberately brought her to the island with them. This is the oldest evidence of cat / human fellowship ever found – far older than even Egyptian sources where cats were deified. Since it is unlikely that this is the actual first human / cat pairing, our relationship with domesticated cats must go back several hundred years before the internment. I think it is safe to say that humans and cats have closely interacted for more than 10,000 years.

10,000 years of cats living with us in society, in our homes, even sleeping in our beds – and yet, what do we know about them? Not very much. We can make guesses about their behavior but, who knows what’s really going on in the mind of a cat?

For that matter, what’s going on in the mind of a human? After a million years or more of history, what do we know about ourselves? Not very much.

There are dozens of competing scientific theories of personality and human psychology as well as many more theories in the realms of philosophy, religion and spirituality – but, nothing really definitive. Why do people do the things they do? It’s all just guesswork and speculation. After a million years of being human we still can’t say for sure what it means to be human. Why do people seek power over others? Why do people kill? Why do people adhere to fanatical belief system? Why do people fall in love? The are no clear answers.

Yet, there are many people who will tell you that they know the exact reasons why spirits, angels, demons, deities and extraterrestrials do the things they do: what their motives are, why they are on Earth, what they want for and from humanity. How could anyone know such things when they can’t tell you why one human prefers strawberry to pistachio ice cream? THEY CAN’T. It’s at best well thought out speculation and at worst self-delusion or deliberate attempts to deceive.

In reality, we don’t know much about cats and dogs; we don’t know much about humans; and we, certainly, don’t know much about other worldly beings. We just don’t know much about anything at all.

Soul Hackers

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On April 18, 2021

In Spiritual

There seem to be a lot of criminal types around the world eager to hack into my website.

Why?

I don’t sell anything. I don’t collect information. My site is certainly not all that popular – in fact, I think more people are trying to hack into my site than actually read my posts. So why am I being targeted?

Criminal hackers don’t seem to spend a lot of time choosing their victims – they just assault anyone available. I have a website and that’s enough to make me a target. The philosophy seems to be to just attack enough sites and eventually one will pay off. Of course, I have some protection that keeps the lazier crooks from pursuing me. However, if they thought I had something of value for them, they would surely be able to break through my defences.

This reminds me of another type of criminal – vile, spiritual criminals commonly known as demons or evil spirits. How do they choose their victims? Pretty much the same way. They go after anyone that gets in their line of sight. They are malicious and heartless but very opportunistic and seek easy prey. Offer a defence and they will back away. Give them a chance and they will inject you with spiritual viruses that corrupt your body, mind and soul.

 Movies and books portray demonic possession in the most extreme, loathsome evil and violent form. Yet, most of the time, soul hacking, evil spirits only infect a person with enough venom to make them feel bad, personally, and act out in negative ways towards others. Full bodied, out of control possession is reserved for special cases.

As with criminal, computer hackers, soul hackers will do the most damage to those with the least protection – those that open themselves up to the intrusion. For example, people who actively seek contact with supernatural entities – through seances, spirit boards or occult practices – are more likely to get a response from the demonic “dark web” and suffer the diabolical consequences.

And, just as there is software available to protect people from computer hackers, there is also protection available from soul hackers. Perhaps the most accessible is the “Armor of God” passage found in Ephesians 6:11 -18. It’s a truer defence than charms or amulets.

Obviously, no defence is perfect and if a criminal or demon really, really wants to hurt you they will find a way through your shield. But, you should try to protect yourself as much as possible from both human and non-human assaults – at least enough to stop the lazier, random evil goons from molesting you.

For My Mother

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On April 12, 2021

In Uncategorized

On April 12, 2020 my mother transitioned from this life to the next.

Because of the China Virus, the authorities would not permit a proper funeral or memorial service – but the family muddled through, as did many other citizens, I’m sure.

Today, on the anniversary of her passing, I decided to post the eulogy I wrote for her, to send my thoughts out to the virtual universe and, perhaps, on to her in Heaven.

Love you, mom.

Martha Michail
May 15, 1931 – April 12, 2020
Beloved
Grandmother, Mother, Sister and Friend

In Memoriam

My mother was a woman much loved by all who knew her and she gave much love to all the people she knew. She was a hard-working, honest woman. She helped everyone she could in a thousand ways. She was always a friend; always a comforter. She has left this world a little better for having lived in it. Everyone who knew her and loved her are better for having lived in the warmth of her understanding. 

She came to this country in 1947 – while still just a teenager. She left behind a country that had been through a great war and was plagued with economic suffering. She came here as an orphan with her two sisters, Georgina and Thanasia, leaving behind a world she could not be part of, hoping to find a place, here in Canada, where she could make a better life. She married my father while still a young girl and had five children – of which I am proud to be one – four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

She cared for her family, built a home and did her best to make a good life for all of us. She worked hard. She was a woman who wanted nothing for herself – she wanted only to give rather than to receive. She devoted her life to helping her family and her friends. 

We always knew her as a strong woman. Even as she got older, found it difficult to move around and eventually was confined to her bed, we always thought – and I know she always thought this, too – that she would be bouncing back to full vigor any minute and digging in her garden or preparing another big meal for her family and friends and getting up to dance again at the next party.

She loved dancing and when she couldn’t dance herself, she enjoyed watching her family dance.

Mother liked seeing people having a good time – and she was very open to new people coming in to join whatever party or activity we were having. Whenever one of us kids brought someone home, she was always welcoming and pulled them right into the family – she was happy to be everyone’s Mom and I can recall so many, many people over the years who were happy to be part of the love and warmth she freely gave out. 

I found it strange, sometimes, that people we might have stopped associating with years ago still kept in touch with her – I often heard people declare that she was the kind of mother they wished they had. And I guess that’s the defining statement about her– she was everyone’s Mom.

You know, in a spiritual sense life is like a vacation – sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it’s disappointing. Sometimes you get a sunburn or you lose your hotel reservation – but many times you see wonderful things and share beautiful moments. Whether its fun or disappointing it is just a vacation and eventually you go home. In the spiritual sense home is not on this Earth but somewhere else.

So now, our beloved Mom is gone – but gone where?

Back home. 

She’s gone from our sight, that’s all. But though we don’t see her anymore her Spirit is still out there full of love and joy just as we remember her. And while we say that she is gone there are others waiting for her and welcoming her home. Like my uncle Bob, whom she loved and cherished and spoke of often after he too passed away. Her parents await her, as does her sister, Thanasia, and other family members who went home before her. Also waiting to welcome her are many of the extra children that she, herself, welcomed into the family and good friends she loved dearly who have also gone on ahead of her – Robbie, Margaret, Mike, Kathy, Darla, Maria and others. And, of course, my father who I’m sure has prepared a special place for her. They are all waiting for her and welcoming her home.

Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the caterpillar shedding its cocoon to become a butterfly. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where we continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

Mom has gone home. 

We can shed tears that she is gone – or we can smile because she lived and shared her love with us.

We can close our eyes and pray that she will return – or we can open our eyes and see all the joy and love she left us. 

Our hearts might be empty because we can no longer see her – yet we can know that we are full of the loving spirit that she shared with us, 

We can think about her only as someone who is gone – or we can cherish her memory and let it live on.
 
We can cry, shut ourselves down and be empty inside – or we can do what she would want:

smile, open our hearts, love …

…and go on with the dance. 

My Birthday

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On April 8, 2021

In Self-Expression

Today, April the 8th, is my birthday and I think I’ve finally accepted the idea of being middle aged. However, I still think I’m far from being mature.

Today I will do all my favorite things: meditate, exercise, study, sing, dance and …

Oh yeah …

… eat copious amounts of junk food and drink alcohol until I pass out.

Strange as it seems, some of us treat celebrations, especially of birth, as an excuse to over indulge in self-destructive behavior. We eat too much, drink too much, stay up too late, and, maybe, try to get into some trouble all in the name of having a good time.

It’s almost like we’re saying to Death “come and get me, you bastard, I’m not afraid of you.”

Yes, it is very strange. But then, life itself is strange. We find ourselves, year after year, perpetually spinning around our little star wondering what life on Earth is all about and what, if anything, awaits us after we leave our earthly bodies.

Well, that’s a different discussion.

Today, as I celebrate the occasion of my birth, I humbly offer you, my faithful readers, these words:

 Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound.

Easter

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On April 4, 2021

In Holidays

Unlike Christmas which is always celebrated on the 25th of December, the date for Easter varies from year to year and across different calendar traditions.

It was decided in the early centuries of the Church that Easter would be observed not as a remembrance of a particular date, such as a birthday, but as an acknowledgement of a special experience that is of significance to each individual Christian. The Easter ritual is a collective proclamation of belief in the resurrection expected by every Christian to occur for them in their own lives.

In the standard Gregorian calendar used around the world, Easter is calculated as the first Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of the Spring equinox. If the full moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is typically observed on the following Sunday. The early Church established this process for many reasons one of which was to distinguish Easter from all other religious events that seem to occur around the beginning of Spring, including the Jewish Passover.

Nevertheless, a lot of non-Christian elements have attached themselves to the celebration. These include Easter Eggs and Easter bunnies that clearly are related to concepts of life, fertility and rebirth but don’t have anything to do with the sacrifice made by Christ on Good Friday.

The key and central premise of Christianity put forth by the early Church is that Christ died on the cross, He was buried and then rose from the dead. His death was a sacrifice for the sake of humanity and His resurrection is the sign that all who believe in Him will likewise escape spiritual death and enter the Kingdom of God. St. Paul acknowledged that this core belief would be a problem for Jews and pagans (1 Cor. 1:23) but it nevertheless is the defining element of Christianity. 

Christ is the universal Lamb whose blood is shed for human redemption. He rose from the dead as a promise that we, too, will live again.

As St. Paul observed “If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, our preaching is worthless and so is our faith.” (1 Cor. 15:14)

Obviously, not every one will believe in the resurrection or accept its significance in the world. To many people, Easter is just a celebration of rebirth in nature connected to many other Spring rituals. However, the resurrection at Easter is the central point of faith in Christianity. To deny this is to deny Christ. You can’t be a Christian if you don’t accept the resurrection at Easter and also acknowledge that the resurrection is a declaration of the redemption of all humanity who choose to accept it.

Easter isn’t about parades, colored eggs, bunnies and chocolate treats: it’s about the blood of the Lamb shed for human salvation and the promise of eternal life with God.

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