A Holistic Lenten 5-Finger Devotional

A service recreating the dramatic last events in Jesus' life, but it is left unfinished, because the story isn’t over until Easter Sunday.

This is the audio recording of the Memorial Service for our beloved Jan Blumenthal-Eng (10.17.1958 - 10.14.2021), which took place on her birthday, 10.17.2021, in Harrisburg, PA, at The Colonial Park United Church of Christ, with The Rev. Don Adams (Peace Community Chapel/Old Greenwich, CT) officiating. Special thanks go out to The Rev. Cindy Garris, pastor of The Colonial Park UCC, for allowing us to use the church, as well as CPUCC's Music Minister, The Rev. Scott Siciliano, for lending his talent.  We'll cherish you forever, Jan. Rest In Peace.

The Easter Story -- the Resurrection Story -- is about the triumph of love over death. Death is never the end of the story. Easter says, “Nothing can take away my joyous, celebrating heart, my heart for life, this new morning dawn, still breaking.” And Easter says to us all: “Lift up your faces, and live out of this great possibility, this GREAT STORY - that this day dawns for you and for me and for everyone! HAPPY EASTER! "Easter is about NEW BEGINNINGS. A reminder that the light of a NEW DAY is a time to RESURRECT YOUR LIFE with PASSION, PURPOSE and HAPPINESS to SHARE with the world." - Anton K. Kressnig

As we begin the final week of Lent, our 40-day spiritual journey will be coming to an end, as we make our way to the celebration of Easter. I hope that, during this time of self-examination, prayer, (maybe) fasting and service, I hope you find yourselves not only in a different place than where you began, but at the destination of more abundant life. Thank you for joining us!

The season of Lent invites us to go on a 40-day spiritual journey. Lent is a time to take a good look at ourselves, a time to intensify our living for The Divine and each other, a time to pay particular attention to our faith. Since Lent is often called a journey, at the end of Lent, we should expect to find ourselves somewhere different from where we started.

The season of Lent invites us to go on a 40-day spiritual journey. Lent is a time to take a good look at ourselves, a time to intensify our living for The Divine and each other, a time to pay particular attention to our faith. Since Lent is often called a journey, at the end of Lent, we should expect to find ourselves somewhere different from where we started.

The season of Lent invites us to go on a 40-day spiritual journey. Lent is a time to take a good look at ourselves, a time to intensify our living for The Divine and each other, a time to pay particular attention to our faith. Since Lent is often called a journey, at the end of Lent, we should expect to find ourselves somewhere different from where we started.

The season of Lent is a season that originated in the very earliest days of the Church, as a preparatory time for Easter. Lent is a season of soul searching, reflection and taking stock, and is often called a journey. The season of Lent invites us to go on a 40-day spiritual journey, where we are challenged to reflect on our lives, to meditate, receive healing, and strengthen our faith. That means that at the end of the Lenten journey, we should expect to find ourselves in a different place than where we started. A LITTLE ABOUT THE FINGERS For anyone who knows us, you know that Mitzi and I have been longtime self-help teachers, as well as practitioners of the healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu, an art which helps us better know and help ourselves. In helping ourselves, we are better able to help other people. The wise Sages who brought Jin Shin Jyutsu to the world, believed that the attitudes (emotions that get stuck) cause the physical, mental/emotional and spiritual disharmonies in our bodies. By holding the fingers, we can harmonize the attitudes and help ourselves feel better. As a guide: THUMB helps the attitude of WORRY; INDEX helps the attitude of FEAR; MIDDLE helps the attitude of ANGER; RING helps the attitude of GRIEF; PINKIE helps the attitude of PRETENSE; CENTER PALM helps the attitude of DESPONDENCY I hope you’ll keep this guide and use it whenever you need. Peace.

Wednesday, February 17, begins the season of Lent, a season that originated in the very earliest days of the Church, as a preparatory time for Easter. Lent is a season of soul searching, reflection and taking stock, and is often called a journey. The season of Lent invites us to go on a 40-day spiritual journey, where we are challenged to reflect on our lives, to meditate, receive healing, and strengthen our faith. That means that at the end of the Lenten journey, we should expect to find ourselves in a different place than where we started.  Lent begins on Wednesday, Feb. 17 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Saturday, April 3, which is the day before Easter. Here’s how the 5-Finger Prayer  works: After a few centering breaths: We begin by holding the THUMBS and praying for those people who are closest to us; Then, we hold the INDEX fingers and pray for those people who point things out to us, our teachers and our mentors; We then hold the MIDDLE fingers, the tallest fingers, as we pray for our leaders; Next, we hold the RING fingers, typically our weakest finger, and we pray for those who need extra attention and prayer - the weakest among us; Now, we hold the  PINKIE fingers as we pray for ourselves; And, finally, we hold the CENTER PALMS, as we pray for every being under the heavens. A LITTLE ABOUT THE FINGERS For anyone who knows us, you know that Mitzi and I have been longtime self-help teachers, as well as practitioners of the healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu, an art which helps us better know and help ourselves. In helping ourselves, we are better able to help other people. The wise Sages who brought Jin Shin Jyutsu to the world, believed that the attitudes (emotions that get stuck) cause the physical, mental/emotional and spiritual disharmonies in our bodies. By holding the fingers, we can harmonize the attitudes and help ourselves feel better. As a guide: THUMB helps the attitude of WORRY; INDEX helps the attitude of FEAR; MIDDLE helps the attitude of ANGER; RING helps the attitude of GRIEF; PINKIE helps the attitude of PRETENSE; CENTER PALM helps the attitude of DESPONDENCY I hope you’ll keep this guide and use it whenever you need. Peace.