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“I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” Revelation 2:17; 3:12 In New Thought spirituality we celebrate the White Stone service and ceremony, usually on a Sunday early in the New Year. As I’ve mentioned before, I consider this to be one of the New Year’s Spiritual Trilogy services and ceremonies, preceded by the Christmas Eve and the New Year’s Eve Burning Bowl services and ceremonies. The New Year’s White Stone service and ceremony is an opportunity for us to envision the intention of good for the new year as a one-word spiritual ideal that we commit with the intention to the white stone. The symbolism of the white stone finds its origin in the time of Jesus. At that time it was custom to give anyone being released from prison, or slavery, a white stone indicating to all that person’s liberation, emancipation, and freedom. It indicated and symbolized a fresh start and a new beginning, and a new name by which to present themselves to society and the world. The new name would be written on a white stone and indicate to all that the holder of the white stone and the new name was free from their past and redeemed in the faith and hope of a new beginning. Jesus indicated this same practice in the calling and renaming of his disciples. At that time, a person’s name had more social significance than it does for us today. To name something or someone is to define them, to give definition to a thing. Spirituality, to name something is to declare its character and its consciousness. The giving of a new name indicates a rebirthing, a renewing, a receiving of a new conscious, and new character and thereby a new destiny. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 We find our new name, our liberation, and emancipation from the past, in the Christ . In the consciousness of the Christ we are set free from the bondage of the limiting consciousness of the sensate-self, released, liberated, and emancipated to experience and express the fullness of Divine life, abundantly. “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed.” Luke 4:18 The New Year’s White Stone service and ceremony is a demonstration of our decision and determination to live differently in the new year, with the intention indicated by the word of our White Stone. It is a time of rebirth and renewal, a time of remembering the truth of who we are and why we are here in this human life experience. A name is a promise and prophecy of who we are and who we aspire to be. A name is a consciousness, demonstrating as a character and manifesting as a destiny. To take on a new name is to take on a new consciousness, the promise of a new character, and the prophecy of a new destiny. “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 The Christ and the name, consciousness, and character of the Christ is our true hope and destiny. In Christ, we are blessed with all we need for a Divine life, abundantly. Intention 2022 is the time to take on the new name, the awareness of a rebirthed recognition of the Divine Christ, and a renewed realization of our Christ-ness, empowered to live the new year in discipleship to the consciousness of the Christ by regifting the truth, right, and the good of our Christ-ness to each other, and the world. This blog is an excerpt from my booklet INTENTION 2022: Insight and Inspiration for Living in the New Year with Intention, Purpose, Power, and Prosperity. Get your copy on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3mKz08L For more detailed info on the lesson content of this blog or any other Unity Magna Ministries services contact Rev. Clive deLaporte at: admin@umagnam.org
Clive deLaporte Spiritual Director at Unity Magna Ministries UWM Ordained Minister & Licensed Teacher CSL Affiliate Minister IWA Integrative Wellness Life Coach |