The following is a Winter Solstice Meditation by the Seraph, Julian, read by Camille Albrecht.

There is a rhythm to the universe, a pattern of escalating energy that brings about change, and there is the rhythm of seasons that permit change within our world.  Within ourselves is this same rhythm; for as above, so below; as within, so without.  No change can occur outside of the structure of the rhythm of the universe.  through understanding the energies of the solstice and equinox, we can use these energies more fully and work with more understanding when bringing about change in our own lives.

There are two active, or launching seasons, and two maintaining seasons.  One of the easiest ways of comprehending these seasons, these energies, is to think in terms of farming.  In the spring, seeds are planted and set into action.  This is a time of great activity.  In summer, we weed, bring balance, and nurture what we have planted.  In the fall, once again, we have great activity through the harvest and celebrate in its fruition.  With winter we now turn inward to mend our “harnesses and fences,” looking within and planning again what to launch in the spring.

Often it is thought the spring equinox is the most powerful of the seasonal energies.  It is powerful because it is the bursting forth of all that has lain dormant.  It is a time of great activity, a time of great push to create.  Day and night are equal.  Creativity is made manifest; the seeds we’ve planted now sprout.  The very blood in our body flows fore freely.  We discover our own resurrection from the inward turning of winter.  We start blooming along with the first flowers of spring and take responsibility for the new seeds we have planted.

After this great push to move forward, we enter a maintenance period, the summer solstice.  This is the time to nurture what was set forth.  There is a calmness, almost a mesmeric quality to this rhythm.  We set a rhythm of what we need to do and just keep doing it.  This is when the sun is closest to the Earth, and we experience the longest day of the year.  We bask in the relaxing warmth of the sun, as a kitten curled in her afternoon nap.

With the fall equinox comes great celebration, for now we harvest.  This is the time of reward for all our efforts put forth.  Our payment comes home—how we acted, how we spoke, how we felt, and what we did.  now the fruits of these return to us.  This is the turn-around energy, because what we sent out now returns to us.  This is the time of fruition; a merry, dancing energy.  Thanks giving.  We can rejoice in what we have created for ourselves and appreciate it.

This is an exciting, stimulating energy.  Now, what we reap may not be exactly what we had initially set out to do.  We may have accomplished a parallel goal or a facet #47 of our initial goal.  So this is a time of reexamination:  What worked and what didn’t?  What were the holes?  Was there enough focus?  And yet, we rejoice in the successful parts.

This is a time of cleansing, of falling away and returning to Earth.  The natural rhythm of the earth is to replenish itself.  We turn under the stalks, bury the child, so to speak.  This is the period of launching of the quiet distant sun.

And now we come to the winter solstice,  when the sun is furthest from the Earth.  The longest night.  The Earth and all life is immersed in the deep darkness, the silence.  This is a time of introspection, of inner mending.  It is time to spend within ourselves.  We have sought outside of ourselves for years.  Now it is time to reacquaint with our very depths; to be in touch with the power passed to us that resides within; to be in touch with the leadership and power that resides within; to assume our responsibility in the running of our universe; to look for God within.

The winter solstice energy says, “I now open up to my responsibility to whatever it is that’s going on.”  I am willing to take hold of it and work with it.  this is a period of deep stillness, silence—a very powerful energy.  Now all of the rhythmic energies are equally powerful, each in its own way.

This is a time to pamper yourself; take the long, luxurious baths, slather yourself with lotions, be good to yourself, befriend yourself.  Look within and see the beauty that you are.  “Now I can be delicious with me.”  This is the rhythm of the winter.

This is the time for planning.  Reorganize, revamp your budget, plan your future, release the “yes, buts…” from your planning.  Throw out habits and attitudes you not longer need.  Let go of the past; throw out those old jeans you no longer wear.  This is a “let go” time.

Love and soothe yourself.  As the bear hibernates to strengthen itself for the activity of spring, nourish yourself.  Empower yourself.  Be at peace with yourself, for this is the energy of the winter solstice.

There is a difference between saying that there is no problem and believing it. To claim peace when none is felt is like standing soaking wet and denying that it is raining. It is not enough to mouth something. One must fully accept that they can live with what is happening. The objective is not to pretend that things are fine but to permit yourself to see its reality. To be able to deal with that reality is what is important.

If you see everything in life that is not idealistic or perfect as a big problem, you are never going to be happy. Handling something in life without seeing it as an assault on you is the beginning of a truly happy life. Things happen. Sometimes you create them and sometimes others do. To live is to experience. That means both the expected and the unexpected.

When something happens, forget what you expected or thought should be. Look at what is. That is the only thing that you can change. You cannot change fantasy. Look at the reality of the situation and seek to change it through new vision and perspective. Old tricks may not work on new circumstances. If you do not limit yourself to set ideas you will be amazed at how you can alter the new space toward a better one.

Ask yourself if your process is ego related or reality related? Then, understanding that, move upon the situation.

Remember always that within you is the power to accept and to change your life.

I want you all to take that statement very seriously. Because the way the world is functioning right now, the way that things are going, no matter where you look, no matter what you touch, something seems wrong. You pick up your newspaper and it can horrify you or you can listen to your news and it can horrify you.

The point to remember is this — there are many things functioning in the universe right now that seem to be very negative but in reality are the harbinger of peace and the harbinger of good. In other words, something is being brought out to be eliminated, brought out to be skimmed from the surface. It is sort of like when you lose your temper and then when it’s over there is peace inside because you have burned it all out. Well, the universe is doing that now and all that apparent negativity seems to have no balance — which is not so — it does have balance. But you don’t hear about the good things. You only hear about the negative.

And as a result man begins to build within himself the thought that he’s got to watch everything he has and be careful that he’s not having something taken away from him. As a result, he stops differentiating between a casual irritation and a major trauma. He begins to see everything in his life that isn’t exactly the way he wants it as something being done to him and that he is being attacked by life and everything is seen as a major trauma. You cannot weigh all of life on the same scale. That’s why they have different weights, so that you can tell what something really weighs.

What I am going to ask you to do in conjunction with this lesson is to begin to seek the gifts that are given to you every day. I want you to literally count the gifts that are given to you — the smiles, the joys, the fresh fruit, the what ever. See that life is giving you a great deal and that if you miss a bus, it isn’t the end of the world. There will be another one along in a few minutes. You see? You have to begin to be very sure you aren’t letting yourself be sucked in to the “nothing good ever happens” syndrome.

It is a time, in this point in time, when the Solstice and Equinox energies are weaving a web of commitment and team work between nature and man. The air you breathe is asking you to accept it more fully. The earth you walk on is asking you to accept it more fully. And the object is teamwork.

So — Bless, Bless, Bless.

I must commend you, Swami G. That was his statement — “Bless, Bless, Bless” — always.  So bless this earth and all within and bless yourself and all within as well, for that is the true teamwork with the Father. And that is what this point in time is all about.

Enjoy who you are. Don’t try to be any body else. Accept the value of who you are. Don’t let any body take that away from you. After all, you are the only one who knows who you are. And again, remember always that within you is the power to accept and to change your life. You can only change yourself when you accept yourself as you are. When you accept yourself as you are and are in touch with yourself, now you can make the changes in your self. You cannot be sneezing and blowing your nose and saying, “I don’t have a cold”, that’s denying what is. Once you accept that you have a cold, you can change it. Nothing can be changed when you are denying its existence. That includes anything that is in yourself or in anything that’s around you. Until you accept it as it is, it cannot be changed.

Many describe this year’s Gathering as one of the best we’ve had yet. Located in the picturesque Bear Mountain Lodge just 45 minutes from Manhattan, the Gathering brought together many new members to the Julian Community along with those who have known June and Julian for years. Most all agreed that the whole weekend was informative, relaxed and geared towards networking — and great fun!

We had wonderful meals from a nationally recognized, award winning chef, Michael Matarazzo (awarded Chef of the Year!). The lodge was spacious yet inviting, set in a State Park amidst woods, overlooking a lovely lake and offering lots of great, do-able hiking.

Saul Srour began the weekend Friday evening with The Opening Ceremony and included readings from several Julian classes. There was such positive response to the readings that Saul agreed to share them with Dan and Nancy Walton to add to the Ring of Light Newsletter. You can enjoy reading these Julian pearls of wisdom in the December Ring of Light Newsletter. If you’re not receiving the newsletter and would like to, please contact us at info@julianteachings.com.

Saturday’s session began with Linda Scheer leading us all in a phenomenal chant and exercise to open and balance our chakras. Linda agreed to be video-taped so we can share the exercise with you on this website. Watch for it soon. You’re going to love it!

The Chakra Opening was followed with my session, Share the Light. Participants were asked to form break-out groups to discuss Julian tips, tools and techniques.  Many of the information was shared with the group as a whole afterwoods. I look forward to posting several of these on the Julian Teachings website for your benefit as well.

John Svirsky followed in the afternoon with Manifestation in a Time of Change. John provided several hands-on suggestions that were practical and seemed highly effective. We came away with some great new tools for manifestation. Saul shared two video clips of June that tugged at our hearts, caused us to once again marvel at June’s wisdom and had us all laughing at the antics of June and the community at one of our prior Gatherings. After another mouth watering meal (oh and did I mention those desserts? Spanish Tapas of sweets!), we all gathered around a campfire to share stories of past fun times.

Sunday opened with Eleanor Johnson providing an information-packed Astrology Update. Eleanor’s classes are always pertinent! The Closing Ceremony was conducted by Larry Scheer and included a beautiful ritual to pass the Light forward to the 14th Gathering followed by The Circle of Light song.

Recordings of any or all sessions are available by contacting Saul Srour at:  info@julianteachings.com

Hugs, kisses and passing the Light from one to another ended the Gathering as bonds were strengthened, new friendships formed and great love filled the hearts and minds of all there.

Here is a big THANK YOU to Saul for all the hard work he put in to making this Gathering such a resounding success!!

Plans for The 14th Gathering of Light are already underway! It is scheduled to be held at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California from September 23-25, 2011. Now is a great time to begin planning to attend. More information can be obtained from Diana Dunckelmann at juliangathering@gmail.com

More information on The 14th Gathering will follow!

I ask myself what would a Seraphim who has been teaching humans since the beginning of time and has watched and taught us through our many incarnations and our many personality selves want for us now.

To accept the understanding that we are one, rather then seeing ourselves different, special, more or less then anyone else. God is, I Am, We are One. I believe that statement combined with God is our Source of all Supply tells me alot of what Julian had wanted for us, his students and for all mankind. If I am one with God, Everyone is one with God, I need to raise my conscious vibration (the power of the will, all is Mind)  to see the high energy reflecting in everything, including natural disasters, earthquakes and oil spills,  economic transformations and healthy challenges. Rather then judge what is happening, by understanding the Law of Cause and Effect, we can see the results of our previous collective actions that brought us to where we are now. This awareness can inspire us to change, to become a higher expression of self, one that tries to raise the consciousness to the acceptance that Divinity lives within each of us and is only waiting for our conscious to focus on the light within.

To accept that in the place where there is no time and space, there is also no separation, when one helps another they help all, when one detracts from another that too is felt by all.

Each day when we live our oneness of body, mind and spirit. Each day when we live as reflection of the light, we mirror the light within, that light burns through the dross and the darkness of separation we begin to understand that to love one another unconditionally is a start of ‘heart manifesting’ in our every action.

So for today, when I come across another I ask, as Julian did in the start of all my readings, “How may I be of service to you this day.”

Today I picked up the book: ‘Self-discovery & Manifestation’. There was something about the seven-year-cycles I wanted to re-read…

Here is what Julian mentioned about the seven-year cycles; and the first seven year cycle in particular:

The seven-year cycles are a flow, a rhythm ~ they are an evolutionary spiral. They belong to every being that has ever been created. Every seven years there is within the system a total change.

By the age of five there begins an aggressiveness that says “No!” By the age of seven you have begun to put a rationale with the aggressiveness: “No, because…”
It is really something very magical that is talking. It is the inner self saying that you are a being who must hold on to your identity. Although you are pliable, you must not permit yourself to be shaped and molded to that which you, in reality, are not.

This year it is five years ago that June passed over “Into my world” as Julian used to say. That makes the Julian Teachings as an organization a five year old, starting to express its own identity. This new website is certainly proof of that!

In the advisory board we strive to help Saul take stock of all the material that has accumulated over the forty + years that June and Julian have taught us ~ as well as explore what directions are open to go from here.

In other words, we are discovering our identity as an organization, and where we want to permit to grow and evolve this identity.

To me this is an exiting process! I can hardly wait to see where it is going ~ to see where it is taking the Julian Teachings. How we, as an organization will grow up. And what we will accomplish in the world.

Julian used to tell us to put our goals as high as we could imagine, and to know that that would just be the first step… To imagine all that we can be, and to realize that we can be even more…

Funny thing is that the last couple of months or so, I have woken up a number of times with ‘Julian quotes’ in my mind. Throughout the years there have been many quotes; little pearls of wisdom that are as true today as they were then…

I would like to invite you to submit your favorite Julian quote!

Hi! We’re excited about all the capabilities we now have through our new website. We’re able to share lots of great information with you, interact with you more easily and provide you with more services and resources.

Donald J. Albrecht, Photographer

Please take a few moments to browse through the site. You’ll see that the Home page provides an overview of the Julian Teachings and what they can offer. For those of you familiar with June and Julian, this is a terrific resource to share with others to let them know what June, Julian and their teachings are all about. For more information, go to the About page. This provides a detailed background of our teachers, including an audio clip from June explaining her connection with Julian.

Be sure to check out the News page. That’s where you’ll find Julian Teachings updates on a regular basis. Our goal is to provide you with timely information on new classes offered, resources available, services and upcoming events. We’ll also be including Affirmations from Julian, along with spiritual tips and tools that you can use in your everyday life.

The Classes pages describe current classes being offered nationally and internationally. Included are descriptions of the classes, who the teachers are and in what location.

Browse the Resources section for access to the books June wrote and Julian’s public workshops. These are rich in timeless wisdom. Recently, the workshops have been digitized, so you can now hear the sessions from your computer or through the convenience of creating your own CD for your personal use! Of course, workshop transcriptions are still available as are recordings on cassette tape should you prefer either of those formats. These books are classics, a must-have for any spiritual practitioner’s library. And, there is a wealth of information available in the public workshops. If you haven’t perused the workshops list lately, treat yourself by doing so now. You’ll be amazed by the diversity of topics available. More than ever before, this wealth of knowledge is highly accessible to you and to those you care about. What a wonderful gift it would be for someone to receive a recording of a Julian topic addressing a current need or interest.

We’ve included past issues of The Ring of Light (ROL) newsletter in the Resources section. This quarterly newsletter is packed with practical, up to date information. Take a look at some prior issues for a feel of what’s included. If you aren’t already receiving the ROL, be sure to sign up by contacting us.

Our annual Gathering of Light is the perfect time to get together with like minded folks in the Julian Community. Connect with old friends and meet new ones in this Light-filled environment. This year’s Gathering takes place in September in New York. All the details of this exciting event can be found on The Gathering pages.

News Archives provides information on past Gatherings, along with gems of wisdom on various topics drawn from the posts Anne Claire Venemans has written over the past year.

This website is for and about the Julian Community. On occassion we will be adding visual content. If you have photos from past Gatherings, or your own best photos or artwork, perhaps you’d like to submit them for consideration to be added to the site. Although we can’t use all work submitted, we would like to create more visual impact. Your work will be credited just as the photo by Donald Albrecht  ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/djaphotography)  is above. Donald is also responsible for taking the photo of June Burke that is located on the Home page.

Your comments and questions are important to us. The Contact Us page provides email links to address your interests, observations and questions. You can also submit your artwork here. Let us know if you would like to be included on our email list. We look forward to hearing from you!