I will get some of the other videos up here too!
Please subscribe to my channel at youtube.com/c/BarbaraGraver
Not everyone in the U.S. is on board with Thanksgiving and I understand that. Every year in fact, I think about whether our family should celebrate it or not. This year however we did. Not because we're not aware of the issues surround this day but because we really are grateful for all that we have.
Not all that long ago, I was sure that the new age and occult was something I’d left behind completely. Then came a night when I couldn't sleep.
And for some reason, I decided to turn to a guided “brain wave meditation” for comfort. This was a meditation I was very familiar with. One that had lulled me to sleep many times when I was deeply involved in the new age.
The meditation itself was expertly produced and there was a seductiveness to it that I welcomed. I listened to it three times over before I fell asleep.
The next day, however, I didn't really feel rested - instead I felt down and kind of off. So I decided to listen to some other meditations on the same YouTube channel. All of which were produced by the same “brain wave” company). Just to see if there was something I had missed.
As I listened to these meditations, I noticed that many of the vibrations and background tracks were unusually deep in pitch. And, underneath the pleasant voice over, I sensed an underlying darkness. It felt malevolent.
I unsubscribed from the "brain wave meditation" YouTube channel and began to think about what had happened. The more I thought about it the more certain I felt. The meditations were dark and I had embraced it.
The fact that this had happened to someone who was well acquainted with the spiritual dangers of the new age – was sobering. And it gave me a new appreciation of the threat this stuff can pose.
And there is a lot of this kind of content. On YouTube and elsewhere.
New Age and the Occult in the Mainstream
Sometimes it seems like the new age and occult is everywhere. Here are a few examples.
- A professional organization to which I belong, the American Holistic Nurses Association, promotes numerous new age modalities.
- The first tier of meditations on my FitBit app are by Deepak Chopra.
- Popular health and wellness resources focus on new age, Eastern and even occult practices.
- YouTube searches for wellness or relaxation or related topics almost always return a host of new age results.
So it’s no surprise really that people consume new age and occult content. Unfortunately, for some this content will serve as a gateway to even deeper involvement in the occult.
I know this because I was of those people. And – as it turns out – still have the protentional to repeat the same mistake.
Even though I know that the new age and occult doesn’t actually offer anything. Even though I know that its guidance is circular, its peace is an illusion, and its tenants are false.
The Good News
The good news is that there are Catholic and Catholic friendly alternatives to everything the new age offers. And - unlike new age and occult practices - these alternatives actually work.
I've realized that this is important and that I want to keep posting on this topic here and on YouTube.
I'll be posting all of my old (and new) videos here (and on my BarbaraGraver.com site) but you can also check them out on my YouTube channel too at YouTube.com/c/BarbaraGraver).
And if you can please subscribe!
I've been having some studio issues this week but I hope to get my first video up by the weekend!
All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king. - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of The Ring
I'm participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing) for the first time this year. For those who aren’t familiar, the challenge of NaNoWriMo is to write a complete, 50,000 word novel during the month of November. And I've reached the halfway point and while I am struggling I'm also learning a lot about writing.
I didn't blog much during November or work on my etsy shop and, while I did manage to get to Mass and say the Rosary most mornings, my focus on my home definitely slipped. So, I'm happy to go back to writing at my previous pace.
But the main issue that came up for me during NaNo is the conflict I'm feeling about writing any kind of popular fiction. Before I came back to the Church I had no issues. Now, I sometimes feel that I'm writing things that conflict with my Catholic faith.
This is not to say that Catholic authors can't write genre fiction because, of course, they can. J.R.R. Tolkien managed it. And lots of people in the Catholic Writers Guild seem to be managing it too.
So maybe I'm over complicating it.
I may just need to read more Catholic fiction. And I'm going to be addressing it in prayer, as well.
Vision is a German film that chronicles the life of the 12th century Christian mystic St. Hildegard von Bingen. The film begins with her early childhood and covers all of the known major events of her adult life. It is subtitled but moves at a readable pace.
St. Hildegard von Bingen was not only a visionary. She was also a gifted healer, a painter, religious leader, poet, and composer. One of the things I especially liked about Vision was the beautiful sound track based on St. Hildegard's own compositions. I was less impressed with emphasis on the saints personal relationships.
Not that I doubt that she had them or suffered at times with them, as do we all. But, to me, she is so much more than that.
St. Hildegard's Visions
According to multiple sources, including Barbara Newman, author of Voice of the Living Light: St. Hildegard of Bingen and Her World, St. Hildegard experienced (and recorded) a series mystical visions that she had been having since childhood. These writings describe a brilliant light pouring down from heaven, which the saint referred to as "the living light."
Because angels appeared to St. Hildegard in her visions, she gave a lot of thought to the relationship between angels and man. The saint foresaw an apocalyptic future giving way to a new heaven and a new earth as described in the book of Revelation.
Direct translations of St. Hildegard's visions may be found in Hildegard von Bingen's Mystical Visions which I have not read. But hope to read soon.
St. Hildegard attributed most of her accomplishments (including her incredibly beautiful musical compositions) to her visionary experience. But she remained modest throughout her life, giving all glory and honor to God as shown in the following letter to another religious leader:
A wind blew from a high mountain and, as it passed over ornamented castles and towers, it put into motion a small feather which had no ability of its own to fly but received its movement entirely from the wind. Surely the almighty God arranged this to show what the Divine could achieve through a creature that had no hope of achieving anything by itself. ~ St. Hildegard's letter to Abbot Philip
St. Hildegard and Holistic Wellness
St. Hildegard believed in a strong connection between body and soul and regarded physical disturbance as a sign of a deeper imbalance. Her pharmacopoeia, The Physica (Hildegard von Bingen's Physica: The Complete English Translation of Her Classic Work on Health and Healing) discusses the specific medicinal qualities of plants, elements, living creatures and metals.
The Physica does mention the use of crystals which (as an ex new ager) I do not recommend. It is worth noting, however, that St. Hildegard seemed to be attempting to utilize the mineral (rather than the magical) qualities of the stones. In many instances she placed the recommended stones directly against the skin or asked the patient to hold them in their mouth.
To me, fact that the Physica must be read critically (like all historical medical treatises) doesn't detract from its value. As one of the three female doctors of the Catholic Church, St. Hildegard's medical and visionary writings may be taken seriously.
To me, fact that the Physica must be read critically (like all historical medical treatises) doesn't detract from its value. As one of the three female doctors of the Catholic Church, St. Hildegard's medical and visionary writings may be taken seriously.
St. Hildegard's Legacy
Assuming a leadership position throughout her life, St. Hildegard served as magistra of the sisterhood at Disibodenberg and went on to found her own convent at Rupertberg in the face of great opposition. She was the author of the Physica three books of visions, numerous musical works and what many consider to be the first morality play.
Canonized after her death, St. Hildegard's progressive and holistic approach to the treatment of illness was far ahead of its time and an inspiration to anyone with an interest in holistic wellness.
Her many visions are thought provoking and well recorded.
Her delicate and haunting liturgical melodies speak directly to the heart. To me, their survival over these last 800 years is a remarkable testimony. I listen to them often. To me, they are more effective then any new age or Eastern meditation.
One of the things I love about St. Hildegard is that she reminds us our Catholic faith IS all encompassing. Thanks to St. Hildegard and other saints we are the recipients of both a rich mystical tradition and an approach to wellness that is well worth exploring.
Please note, the post includes Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you chose to purchase through Amazon I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.
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