Category Archives: Spiritual practices

Pumpkinhood Principles – Fun Spiritual Song

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Singing this song on Sunday was lots of fun! I put the refrain in the bulletin, and the congregation sang along. We ran through it once and by the next time, they were pros! It’s a great feeling to hear a group singing my songs… After all, songs are meant to be shared and enjoyed!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good recording of us, so here’s the solo version.

Pumpkinhood Principles – Lyrics

Instrument: Lady – tenor Flea ukulele

1. Even in the seed you find the pumpkin
All that grows is good and all good grows
Even in the seed you find the pumpkin
God is everywhere, giving pumpkins care
Showing that where God is more good flows.

Refrain:
Be the pumpkin, shareing with your patch
Be the pumpkin, what you put out you’re gonna get back
Be the pumpkin, God within a seed
Be the pumpkin, love is all you need

2. Pumpkins are complete in their perfection
The holy spirit lives in big and small
Pumpkins are complete in their perfection
In God’s image great, every one is made
Goodness is the stuff that makes them all
Refrain:

3. Pumpkins work together with their nature
They shape the life they want and call it fine
Pumpkins work together with their nature
When somethin they don’t like comes up in their lives
They let it rot and choose a new design
Refrain:

4. Pumpkins live and flow within the present
Like a prayer they see that good is now
Pumpkins live and flow within the present
Maybe meditate on all they create
Feeling God inside them shows them how
Refrain:

5. Pumpkins live the principles of spirit
Knowing them is not enough you see
Pumpkins live the principles of spirit
And when they’re on display, in a tiny way
Pumpkins share the gifts of Unity
Refrain: (Twice)

Be the pumpkin, love is all you need!

Principles of Pumpkinhood – Unity Talk

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Also available as a Youtube video.

How do pumpkins teach spiritual principles?

Based on Unity’s 5 basic principles, this talk offers a fun possibility that pumpkins do indeed teach spirituality, if we’re willing to learn from them.

Unity’s 5 Basic Principles

1. God is absolute good and everywhere present.
2. We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good.
3. We are co-creators with God, creating reality through our thoughts.
4. Through affirmative prayer and meditation, we connect with God and bring out the good in our lives.
5. Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them.

Principles of Pumpkinhood

1. Pumpkins are absolute good and fully present, even in their seeds.
2. Pumpkins are complete beings, created in goodness. The spirit of good lives within each pumpkin; therefore, all pumpkins are inherently good.
3. Pumpkins are co-creators with nature, creating experience through their presence.
4. Through flowing with God’s good, pumpkins connect with God and experience good in their lives.
5. Knowledge of these pumpkinhood principles is not enough. We must show them to the whole patch.

Remember – The Loa Song

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I’ve written hundreds of songs, and during the past 2 years most have been metaphysical/spiritual in nature. But if you only hear one song, I want this to be it. It’s pretty, maybe a little sad in an opening-up kind of way, contemplative and joyful all at the same time.

Remember, also called The LoA Song (for Law of Attraction), is one of only 2 completely acoustic tracks on

Crystal L. Howe: And so It Is, Vol. 1

You’ll understand why, when you listen and feel empowered by its message.

Remember (The LoA Song) Lyrics

Instrument: Lady – tenor Flea ukulele

Refrain:
Remember to remember
The greatness in you
Remember to remember
Your nature of truth
remember to remember
To radiate love
remember to remember
As below, so above.

1. My thoughts are all one with the in and outside;
I think what is good and create my desire.
Refrain:

2. My feelings are one with the low and the high;
I feel what is good and create peace inside.
Refrain:

3. My body is one with the Earth and the Sky;
I see what is good and give thanks for this life.
Refrain:

As below, so above.

Download Mp3

Right click and choose “Save target as…” or similar to download and save the mp3.
Remember – Law of Attraction Song

Live Like a Leaf Meditation

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Live like a Leaf – Meditation

This meditation with a Seven Metals singing bowl was part of my Live Like a Leaf – Metaphysical Talk and the accompanying spiritual seasons song. The meditation is a peaceful reminder to flow with your inner seasons to make the most of them.

ZPoint: 4 Parts to Inner Peace

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ZPoint is a simple and effective healing and clearing process. It has 4 main components that are described below.

1. ZPoint clearing program.

Also called a cleansing or healing program, this is just a set of action statements. The first time you use ZPoint, you will either read them, or they will be read on your behalf. Both ways are equally effective. The ZPoint clearing program is completely benign and is the basis of the process. It tells everything else how to work together. You only need to read or hear it once, and it will stay with your subconscious mind forever. This is the part of your mind that stores dreams, past events, memories, beliefs and more.

2. ZPoint cue word.

The cue word triggers the healing program to work. Like a light switch, it turns the program on. You can use any word as your cue, or change it any time. However, we recommend a word that doesn’t evoke an emotional response. Some good words are yes, thank you, and peace.

3. ZPoint releasing circle.

ZPoint requires an imaginary circle. Also called a clearing circle, you can visualize it as a well, a pot, a hole, a bubble, or anything else. The releasing circle is simply a tool, where you intend (put or imagine) the feeling you want to clear.

4. ZPoint clearing statements.

Clearing statements bring up things in the subconscious mind. One is, “I clear all the ways I feel that feeling.” “That feeling” is the feeling you intended into the releasing circle. Your subconscious mind is smart, and it’s your servant. When you tell it to clear all the ways, it does so, without question.

There are several clearing statements in ZPoint. All are designed to reach every aspect of a feeling, issue, circumstance, relationship, and anything else you put into the releasing circle.

ZPoint releases the need to be specific about what you’re clearing. With some other processes, you need to choose specific events or memories and clear their emotional charge individually. But ZPoint is so open-ended that it works well with general clearings. These general clearings of “that feeling” are just as effective as a specific clearing of, for instance, “my 18th birthday party” would be.

Your only job in ZPoint, after you fill the releasing circle, is to repeat your cue word. Is it simple? Yes! Is it repetitive? Yes! But does it work? Yes, try it for yourself!

For more information about the ZPoint process, visit Grant Connolly’s ZPoint for Peace website at
www.zpointforpeace.com

Throat full of Song: Communication Prayer

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This is a stream of consciousness piece. Notice how it starts focusing on what I don’t want – a tight throat and the inability to speak. A feeling that I can’t speak because what will others think?

Then, it moves into what I do want – a clear throat.

Finally, the flow moves to how it feels to be free, able to speak, and connect with others.

This is affirmative prayer. It must start somewhere, and the only place to start is where we are. Here, it starts with pain that is physical, but over all, emotional. But as long as we move from that consciousness of pain and victimhood, it’s all good!

May this prayer facilitate your own shift in consciousness, whether about the words you speak, or anything else.

Metaphysical Communication Affirmative Prayer

What can I say about words? I can’t, because I have no words to say. SO how can I say anything? Or how can I say something? What I mean is, how can I speak, how can I bring myself to speak? I don’t even know what it is I need to say. What would be healthy? What would serve my highest good?

And when I figure it out, how can I say it? I feel so tight. So closed. But at the same time, I know I need to speak. Well, I know I need to speak because if I don’t, this tight feeling will stick around. And I don’t want that.

What I want is a free-feeling throat, open, a vessel of cummunication. An empty vessel, through which all things flow that are good, true, and so on. I listen with this free and clear throat center, and I speak from it. Free and clear, open and honest, firm and gentle. Not worrying, not wondering what others will think if I speak or if I don’t.

My throat is open; with love, I affirm this now. And as far as finding out what to speak, that comes from intuition, from the great power within. All beauty, light, love, peace and joy come from this powerful source. And I affirm now, in perfect peace, that that source, is my source. I accept and receive all that is good from source, that is only good.

My words flow effortlessly. I listen effortlessly. I love unconditionally, and I enjoy life. All communication flows unimpeded through me, and I revel in gratitude as I connect with myself and others. And so it is!

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Allow – The Blessing Song

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Sometimes we don’t feel very blessed… So we have a choice: DO we wallow in the un-blessed feeling – and thereby create more crap? Or do we pick ourselves up, even if it’s just a little at a time, and get to where we actually do feel blessed?

I’ll allow you to choose! 😀 But as for me, I’m choosing to get to blessed, to feel what I know to be universally true already. Because universal truth is only practical when we can and choose to apply it.

This is a live recording from May 20, 2012, at Unity of Reading. The album version has uke, a bass line, vocals and hand percussion! A great song to put you in a place where you feel blessed and so, allow more to come to you!

Check out the album on CD Baby!

Crystal L. Howe: And so It Is, Vol. 1

Allow – Lyrics

Instrument: Lady – tenor Flea ukulele

1. Blessed am I in the silence
Blessed am I in a crowd
Blessed am I in every way
As blessed as I allow!

2. Loved am I in the silence
Loved am I in a crowd
Loved am I in every way
As loved as I allow!

3. Great am I in the silence
Great am I in a crowd
Great am I in every way
As great as I allow!

4. I receive in the silence
I receive in a crowd
I receive my greatest good
As much as I allow!

Which Path is Mine?: Choosing the Right Direction

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Whether you’re deciding between two things you could buy, finding a spiritual community, choosing a relationship partner, or anything else in life, you’re on a path. But is there a right path and a wrong path? Do “the cards” just fall where they will? Or do you alone determine your destiny?

I’m asking myself these questions, even as I try to bring you some intellectual understanding of possible answers. But these possible answers are truly the key. Anything is possible! No path is pre-determined as either yours or mine. I do think we come into this world asking for certain experiences, for particular people to be in our lives, etc. But I also believe that as we think, react or respond to things, and have different feelings and emotions, we determine our future path. What we think, do and feel today, determines what we’ll experience tomorrow. And not necessarily tomorrow, as in the next day of the week, but tomorrow, meaning in the future.

If you’re facing a hard decision now, it’s because of what you’ve thought in the past. For instance, if you can’t decide which car to buy, it’s because you’ve had undecided thoughts about it. “I could buy this one. It’s…” Fill in whatever that one is that you find special. “But that one has…” And then you start up with, “Is one better than the other? Less expensive? Made elsewhere?” And because you’re asking these questions, by virtue of the Law of Attraction, you receive… not answers, but more questions!

I’m not saying we should stop asking questions! I’m suggesting that the best course may be to take the questions into meditation. Imagine them into a container, a circle, or something else that keeps them in one place. Put in the questions you consciously have, and all undecided parts of yourself. And do a clearing meditation. As thoughts come up, let them pass by you, into the clearing vessel. Asking questions is great; getting caught up in them doesn’t feel good.

So, is there a right path? In my evolving beliefs, no. There is alignment, where you take the path of least resistance. And there is misalignment, where maybe you take a more difficult path. But in the end – whatever that is! – I believe we are all where we need to be, when we need to be there. In other words, whatever path you take, you’ll “come out all right in the end.” And you truly don’t need to wait for the end! You’re coming out all right now, just by being aware that you have choices, but also that you don’t need to get caught up in always choosing the very best, with your intellectual, so-called logical mind.

Make a decision now! Buy that car, enter into that relationship, try out that spiritual community! You don’t have to stay there forever. All things in the physical are “just for now” anyway. SO enjoy them!

Thanks for bearing with me as I come to some peace of mind myself on these points!

Many blessings, now and always, on your own ever-changing path!

Why Ukulele?: Giving Things Value

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“Things only have the value that we give them.” –Moliere (1622-1673)

Take my ukulele, for instance. I have a strong affinity for the instrument, to put it mildly. I believe things about the uke that proud parents believe about their kids:

* My uke is cute.
* She… is a She.
* Every uke has its own spirit, personality, likes, etc.
* The ukulele is a smile… in sound.

Before I get too carried away with my personal sentiments about the greatest little instrument in the universe, let me tell you, there is another side to this coin, or so “they” say:

* Some ukes sound better than others.
* Some are easier to care for than others.
* Some ukes are imperfect, poorly made, and don’t last long.
* Some ukuleles are weird…

Are any of these things true? The positive things are, for me. But again, why? Because I believe them. I give the ukulele value because of my beliefs about it. My beliefs cause the feelings and responses I have about a ukulele or anything else.

This applies to everyone, and everything in life. Why do parents love their children? Because we have a belief that we must, that it’s natural, that they need us. But if we didn’t have those beliefs, well, our relationships with our kids might appear much different than they are now. Would that be a bad thing? There’s no telling, but it would be different.

Going further, how many times have you said, “I can’t do that because…” The good news is, you’re right! And the bad news is… you’re right! If you believe you can’t do something, you certainly won’t do it – you can’t, until you believe you can. By believing you can’t, you give that limitation value. Take the value away by changing your belief and giving value to the accomplishment instead, and chances are great that you can do all things – even “that” one.

What do you love? Money, another person, security, hobbies, work, food, pets, flowers, cars? The single reason you love something is because you give it value.

And now to the question I often ask: Does that serve you? If giving money value, that is, loving it, feels good and furthers your life, then it serves you. But if it makes you feel obligated, stuck, limited, or fearful of what may or may not happen either now or in the future, it no longer serves you. Maybe this value did in the past, but it doesn’t anymore.

So as always, you have a choice. DO you wallow in guilt and discomfort, still assigning value? Or do you lovingly release it, taking away its value for you and joyfully moving forward?

It’s all up to you. “Things only have the value that we give them.” And we, means you!

Why ukulele? Because I said so, that’s why! :d

Handwoven Spa Washcloth – Clearing the Subconscious

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Loopy Spa Cloth

This loopy spa washcloth seemed like a luxury to me. That’s why I wove it – it was something I wanted, and all the better because I could make it myself. A lot went into weaving this, but much more came out of it.

Tabby or plain weave is what most people think of as “weaving.” Threads travel over, under, over, under each other, interlocking to make cloth. The spa cloth is plain weave, too, but each pile loop is picked up individually.

Like the subconscious mind, the plain weave serves as a background. It’s there, but it’s not our focal point. However, if it weren’t for the plain weave foundation, there would be no loops to focus on. If one thread goes astray, losing its place in the weave, potentially the whole cloth can unravel.

Unraveling happens, or seems to happen, in our lives when a thread is out of place. Remember, these are the background threads, the subconscious. Things we don’t focus on, but that drive everything else. These are thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, memories, and assumptions. When one is out of place, meaning maybe we believe something that’s not true, the whole fabric of our lives unravels.

Maybe it unravels gradually, or just appears to have a flaw. For example, we have all the money we want, but lack the kind of relationships we desire. How can we put that thread back into place, so that it supports our focus?

This is where the spa aspect comes in. People go to a spa to relax, unwind, to be cleansed, renewed and invigorated. Using this metaphor, we can also cleanse, renew and invigorate our subconscious mind. We can gently, lovingly and easily replace the belief – the thread – that doesn’t serve us. In turn, we replace it with something that serves a fulfilling purpose.

Cleanse the background, so the focus becomes clear. Make sure the plain weave structure of your life, the supporting subconscious, is clear and bright. Prayer, meditation, fun, friendship, journaling, and spending time in nature can be valuable ways to cleanse the subconscious. Doing things we love, reading and listening to uplifting material, attending group activities like Metaphysical meetings, drum circles, energy/Reiki shares and more, are positive reinforcement as well.

My purpose here is to offer practical tools for demonstrating, that is, showing and living, the life you want. As I create this for myself, I automatically create it for you and for the world. Won’t you pick up your metaphorical or literal spa washcloth and join me in the freeing process of cleansing the subconscious to create a great, conscious and visible reality?