Old Believing’s Blog

I was asked to post the following information that I have learned through practicing my spirituality over the years and serving on the Parish Council…I am hoping that a spiritual leader (priest, etc) can add to this discussion from their formal training as a theologian….

DISCUSSION ON THE GREAT LENT–What does it mean to me?
The first day of Lent is to be honored as an auspicious day. It is a day that we are asked not to plan anything as we prepare for the Great Lent prior to Easter. This means for any ministries or religious groups to avoid scheduling meetings on that date, or doing much but truly preparing ourselves for the Great Lent and the practice of giving things up (cleansing or purging) for lent.

Many of us believe that Lent is just giving up foods recommended to give up so that we can cleanse in preparation for Holy Week and Easter. But cleansing foods, which ultimately helps us purify our body is only one part of it. As children of God and truly spiritual beings (even if we don’t realize this) we are a trinity and as such a collection of Mind, Body and Soul, if we only focus on one part of this trinity of our being then we are not completing our true Fast and preparation for HOly Week and Easter.

I have learned as I evolve into a beautiful and worthy human being…and worthy to be a child of God, I have learned that Fasting is more then giving up foods. What works for me is also to give up items that will help purify my soul as well as my mind. Therefore, what works for me is to give up the following with the foods:

Mind– “Bad Thoughts’, “Feeling like a victim”, “Pitty”, “unhappiness”, “being limited in my thinking”, “sadness–yes sadness anything that prevents us from being truly happy we are alive!” etc do you see where I am going with this…we need to purge anything that is detrimental to us including our thought process so that we work on purifying..and cleansing our thoughts.

Soul–“gossiping”, “striking and hurtful comments”, “jealousy”, “revenge”, “not feeling worthy”, “not honoring our godliness,” etc, etc, anything that would prove detrimental to our soul–the anchor of our existence.

For me, Great Lent, which starts with the first day…sort of the “premiere” or “debut” to the Great Lent means a commitment that involves my entire being–not only giving up foods for my body, but giving up other things that help me cleanse and purify my Mind and Soul as well.

I would love to hear others’ thoughts on this concept too.