"War of the Gods"

As I drove back from breakfast with a friend, I saw a marquee on a Pawn Shop that read "The gift of jewelry = Love." What surfaced for me was the paradox life holds that one of us was faced with having to "pawn" something while another one of us could purchase a treasure and give it to a loved one.

Paradox plays out everywhere in life. We must develop within ourselves the capacity to be present with sadness while at the same time rejoice with another.
If we cannot hold the paradox of life in our heart, our head thinks we must shoulder the responsibility and make it 'right' for all, condemning us to the fate of the Greek God Atlas.

In the story, the Titans and Olympians were at war over control of the world. Atlas, the leader of the Titans, along with his brother Menoetius fought against the Olympians, led by his father Zeus and his other two brothers, Prometheus and Epimetheus.

In other words, this was the "original" family feud

The Olympians won and Zeus condemned Atlas to holding up Uranus (the sky). This feeling of needing to shoulder responsibility is universal, as the photo above shows a statue of a Greco-Buddhist Atlas. Our Atlas qualities surface when our heart is not content for our mind is hovering over a hurt.

The key to releasing ourselves from "holding up the sky" lies in understanding God does not take sides; God loves as the sun shines and the earth renews in its season.

We bring peace to the Titans and Olympians within us, as we are able to hold the entire world in our hearts, the sadness and the joy, for we understand Love is not in the jewelry, the home, the job, the relationship itself, Love, Life, God is experienced in between the giving, the receiving and the letting go.

Put down the sky, and receive a spiritual Valentine; a realization that Centered in God, all is well with the world and the Gods.

Happy Valentine's Day
Rev Janice