“Forgiveness is the key that can unshackle us from a past that will not rest in the grave of things over and done with. As long as our minds are captive to the memory of having been wronged, they are not free to wish for reconciliation with the one who wronged us.“ Lewis B. Smedes.

For over 20 years I carried a grudge, an anger closer to hatred of my own mother. I felt totally justified and was utterly convinced I had the right to express openly this anger against what I believed was my mother’s absence and lack of caring, love or any motherly feelings toward me since the death of my father. In fact I drew my strength from these things to carry on with my life.

Bestselling author Dr. Bernie Siegel is a well-known proponent of alternative approaches to healing not just for the body, but the mind and soul as well. In 365 Prescriptions for the Soul: Daily Words for Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit he prescribes daily doses of inspiration, hope and love designed to help us navigate whatever challenges life throws our way.  Here’s a sampling of the guidance and wisdom he lovingly offers:

Prescription #12:  Black Holes of Renewal
When we need to find our energy and source, the place to look is in the darkness. It is in the black holes that the energy of creation lives. Whether we are speaking of the universe or of an individual, darkness is the source of life.

Nearly five years ago, author and entrepreneur Gay Hendricks had an idea to create a DVD club that would provide films about love, compassion and inspiration.

His idea soon grew into Spiritual Cinema Circle, a subscription-based DVD club which finds movies at film festivals around the world and delivers them to members each month on a DVD that they get to keep.

So, what exactly is spiritual cinema?
Box office hits such as FIELD OF DREAMS, GHOST, WHALE RIDER and WHAT THE #$*! DO WE KNOW are all well-known examples. According to Hendricks, “Spiritual Cinema is the kind of entertainment we really need these days: movies that make you feel at better about being human.”

On Christmas Eve, the king invited the prime minister to join him for their usual walk together. He enjoyed seeing the decorations in the streets, but since he didn’t want his subjects to spend too much money on these just to please him, the two men always disguised themselves as traders from some far distant land.

They walked through the center of the city, admiring the lights, the Christmas trees, the candles burning on the steps of the houses, the stalls selling gifts, and the men, women and children hurrying off to celebrate a family Christmas around a table laden with food.