Latest news with #spirituality
Globe and Mail
3 hours ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Your daily horoscope: June 2, 2025
There are more important things in life than making money and climbing the greasy pole to success and over the coming year you will find yourself pursuing goals of a more spiritual nature. Remember: The more you help others the more the universe helps you. Don't let the fact that you recently said something you regret spoil the whole week for you. If you have feelings of remorse the only way you are going to get past them is to seek out those you wronged and say sorry. Make sure you mean it. You should know by now that there is no such thing as something for nothing in this world. If you gained handsomely from someone's generosity the universe will expect you to be generous in return. How can you make them happy today? Do what you can to help a friend in need but don't put yourself out to such an extent that your own plans suffer. This may be one of those occasions when the best advice you can give them is to toughen up and sort it out themselves. You can sometimes be too nice for your own good and the planets warn it would be a mistake to let someone off the hook for an offense they should be penalized for. If you don't feel able to punish them then just ask someone who will. You may be an outgoing Leo but you need to spend some time alone today to get your thoughts in order. Only then will you be able to push ahead with your plans while ignoring your critics, of which there may be more than a few. This is a great time to approach employers and other powerful people and let them know about your latest big idea. Don't wait for them to invite you to speak, take the initiative and let them know who you are and what you can do. The time is fast approaching when you will be in a much better position to push ahead with your plans, so get both your personal and professional houses in order and be ready to seize the initiative when the moment arrives. Leave your rivals trailing. You have been endowed by the universe with an incredibly strong willpower and if you go after a goal of some sort over the next few days there is no doubt you will reach it. Try not to tread on too many toes along the way though! If a partner or loved one makes a mistake of some kind today you are advised to pretend you did not notice and to carry on as usual. They will know that you know, of course, but your sensitivity to their plight will earn their considerable gratitude. You can at times be a bit too serious and your main aim today should be to lighten your mood so you can enjoy life more. Time spent with a friend who makes you laugh could be the best investment you have made in a long time. Be open about what you intend to do over the next few days and invite loved ones to join you in the journey. Because you are such a self-contained individual others tend to see you as overly aloof and that's an image which needs improving. The more upheavals there have been on the home front of late the more receptive partners and loved ones will be if you offer them an olive branch. You don't have to admit it was all your fault but you do have to shoulder some of the blame. Discover more about yourself at
Arab News
18 hours ago
- General
- Arab News
A dream fulfilled: Saudis accompany parents to Hajj for the first time
RIYADH: Hajj is often described as the journey of a lifetime. For many Saudis, it is even more meaningful when it is shared with their parents. Young pilgrims accompany their mothers and fathers to Hajj as a way of renewing their commitment to family and to create a deeper sense of spiritual responsibility, especially among first-time pilgrims. The experience becomes an intergenerational bond built through shared rituals, resilience and reflection. 'You need someone to guide you — and who better than your mother?' said 22-year-old Ethar Abdulrahman. For her, the idea of going to Hajj alone felt overwhelming: 'It's not easy for someone my age to go through Hajj alone. You need someone to guide and support you, and emotionally you need someone to ease the loneliness of being away from family. Having that person be your parent is just beyond amazing.' While accompanying her mother, Abdulrahman's role quickly shifted from daughter to caregiver — one who packed thoughtfully, walked attentively and remained emotionally present through every stage of the pilgrimage. I wasn't just performing rituals. I was also caring for someone I love — holding her hand in Tawaf, supporting her through heat and crowds. I'll never forget those moments. Rania Al-Mutairi 'I packed medications and creams in case she got tired or needed anything,' she said. 'The most meaningful moment was after we finished the stoning ritual and returned to the camp. She would tell me stories about the Prophet and how difficult Hajj used to be before all the services and facilitation. It brought a sense of history to the present.' Spending days and nights side by side, praying, walking and resting, had a profound effect on their relationship. 'It brought me much closer to my mother,' said Abdulrahman. 'I realized how wise and spiritually grounded she is.' For Rania Al-Mutairi, 24, the decision to accompany her mother held deep intentions. At first I was anxious about the time and logistics, but soon I realized Hajj isn't a race. Slowing down with (my father) gave me more time to reflect and be present. It was a spiritual recalibration. Hamad Al-Qahtani 'I wasn't just performing rituals,' she said. 'I was also caring for someone I love — holding her hand in Tawaf, supporting her through heat and crowds. I'll never forget those moments.' She described the journey as a spiritual and emotional balancing act: 'When your focus is on someone else, it can be easy to forget your own needs. But somehow Hajj makes you grow into both roles — servant and seeker.' The role of a caregiver during Hajj is not limited to carrying bags or fetching water. It is about constant emotional attentiveness — watching for signs of exhaustion, navigating crowds carefully, and offering reassurance when the heat or pressure becomes overwhelming. Hamad Al-Qahtani, 26, accompanied his elderly father and said the experience transformed his understanding of patience. 'My dad walks slower and needs frequent breaks,' he said. 'At first I was anxious about the time and logistics, but soon I realized Hajj isn't a race. Slowing down with him gave me more time to reflect and be present. It was a spiritual recalibration.' One of the most moving aspects of these journeys is the storytelling, with older pilgrims recalling their first Hajj decades ago under vastly different conditions. 'Every time we sat down to rest, my mother would tell me how she did this 30 years ago,' Abdulrahman recalled. 'Back then, it was tents with barely any cooling, long walks with no shade, and limited access to health services. 'Today I watched her marvel at the buses, the apps, the water stations. It reminded me of how far we've come as a country — and how much easier it is now, thanks to the efforts of the Saudi authorities.' You need someone to guide you — and who better than your mother? Ethar Abdulrahman While many young pilgrims embark on Hajj focused on their own internal transformation, those who accompany parents often find their biggest growth comes from the act of service. Serving a parent during Hajj is, for many, a form of worship — one that aligns with Islamic values of honoring one's mother and father, especially in moments of vulnerability and need. Al-Mutairi said: 'I think I learned more from serving my mother than I did from any book. Hajj gave me the space to observe her strength, her patience and her unwavering faith. It taught me what submission really looks like.' The young Saudis feel there is something profoundly symbolic about guiding a parent through the same rituals they once performed for their own elders. The circular nature of the experience — care being returned, support offered back — creates a spiritual loop that extends across time and generations. While every pilgrim walks their own path, those who share it with a parent carry more than just ihram and water bottles. They carry legacy, love and a living reminder that faith is not only inherited but also nurtured.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- General
- Times of Oman
Monday column: As the road to faith begins
More than two million pilgrims are now arriving in Makkah for the Haj ritual expected to start on June 5 and the target will be the Kaaba built by the Prophet Abraham many thousands of years ago. But most of them know that the road to the holy city begins at home at a much earlier date. The greatest challenge of them all is to prepare the mind to satisfy the moral readiness needed for the pilgrimage. Many would realise that the challenge of maintaining the 'spirit of Haj' after this religious performance is too hard to meet in their daily lives. This is often the case when the mental preparation was too casual to begin with. The performance of the Haj is one of the obligatory Five Pillars of Islam "for those who can afford" but it goes without saying it is also for those who are ready spiritually. Much older people would remember and tell you that an intense mental preparation would start years before one sets foot on the sacred grounds. There is a general tendency to accept the fact that once one is financially able then one can pack his bags and go. There is a danger here of trying to satisfy one of the religious obligations and get it out of the way so you can continue with life by doing other things. To some people, it is like a thorn on the side that has to be dealt with as soon as possible. They are those who go and perform the Haj just because most of their friends have done so and they feel they have to go. You don't go when you feel you need to go but only when you are ready for it. At the same time, you should gear yourself for that day sooner rather than later. People wiser than I would argue that there is no guarantee you would live to the day when you are prepared to go. I would argue, too, that since you only perform this ritual because you are repentant and one of the conditions is never to consciously repeat your sins, then there is no point in going and coming back only to start all over again. Remember as a child when your parents asked you to clean your room? You cleaned up because you were told to do it, not because you wanted to. You knew that there was no guarantee of not messing it up again at a later date. However, as you grow older and wiser, you realise that you need to clean your room regularly and you would make every effort of not messing it up. We may never reach that stage of religious perfection but there is every chance of getting near it as we get older and wiser. The Haj is a solemn promise to Allah not to go back to the old undesirable habits. I am not sure that some of those who make this journey really understand the awesome responsibility they are about to accept. There is only one way to go after that and we all know which way. Nevertheless, to see a throng of hundreds of thousands of people around the Kaaba does stir a feeling of spiritual awareness. Thanks to technology, we can all watch and follow it closely in the comfort of our own living rooms. It is amazing how people from all walks of life rub shoulders, regardless of status or nationality, and become humble before the Creator. I do not think you can get any closer to all the goodness of the world anywhere else. It is the pinnacle of faith and the self-realisation for those who believe.
Fox News
a day ago
- General
- Fox News
America is rediscovering its soul and reviving the sacred
Faith is making a comeback in America. This is not a statement of hope, but one rooted in research, confirmed by cultural observation, and underscored by national conversations from the White House to the locker room. Recent findings from the Barna Group reflect a spiritual resurgence that is both unexpected and undeniable. According to their data, more Americans—particularly Millennials and Gen Z—are returning to church, reading Scripture, and expressing a desire for spiritual depth. What was once considered a post-Christian society is now showing signs of rediscovering its soul. This reawakening begins in the home. The Barna study reveals a growing hunger among families to center life around transcendent values. The notion of God is no longer confined to stained-glass windows or whispered prayers at bedtime—it is returning to the dinner table, to everyday conversation, and to the moral compass guiding how parents raise their children. Amid cultural chaos, many households are reclaiming their role as the first sanctuary, the first seminary, and the first school of truth. We are also witnessing faith step boldly back into the public square. From the reestablishment of the White House Faith Office to proclamations such as President Trump's deeply reverent Easter statement—arguably the boldest and most Christ-exalting language ever issued from the executive branch—faith is once again shaping the national dialogue. The National Day of Prayer is no longer a symbolic moment; it is an echo of America's founding covenant. This is not about partisanship—it is about spiritual substance becoming part of our civic discourse. But faith is not only being expressed in private homes and public offices. It is emerging in every sector of society. Consider the arts and entertainment world: from American Idol contestants boldly singing worship songs to NFL players kneeling in prayer before and after games, the name of Jesus is being lifted—not with fanfare, but with authenticity. These moments are no longer anomalies. They are becoming patterns. From postgame interviews to acceptance speeches, we are seeing athletes, artists, and cultural figures not just nod to faith, but name their Savior. What we are witnessing is a pushback—not just against unbridled secularism, but against a deeper threat: secular totalitarianism. A culture that once told people to keep their faith private now finds itself enriched by public expressions of belief. Why? Because when secularism becomes dogma, liberty becomes endangered. And in this moment, Americans of all backgrounds are realizing that religious liberty is the final firewall protecting our freedom. This resurgence is not only a victory for people of faith—it is a victory for all people. A nation rooted in a Judeo-Christian moral framework—where the rights of individuals are endowed by God, not granted by government—is a nation that guarantees freedom of conscience, even for those who disagree. It is precisely because of this framework that the atheist, the agnostic, and the seeker can speak freely. This is what sets America apart. Even cultural voices once perceived as indifferent to faith are reexamining their foundations. Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has recently acknowledged a belief in Christ. Joe Rogan, whose podcast reaches millions, is exploring matters of spirituality and ultimate truth. We are living in a moment where scientists, philosophers, and artists are converging on something ancient: belief. We are entering what can only be described as an age of religious enlightenment—a season in which faith and reason are no longer in tension, but in tandem. This is the age of Aquinas and Augustine, of Kierkegaard and Lewis, of Tolkien, Lennox, Wright, and others. An age where orthodoxy is not an obstacle but a lifeline. Young men and women are hungry for truth, tired of relativism, and ready for something real. This is the pendulum swinging back. Not toward nostalgia—but toward a rediscovery of eternal absolutes. We must celebrate this moment. But we must also steward it. Because what is being built today may very well become the foundation for the America our children inherit tomorrow.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm living proof you CAN speak to dead loved ones. All you need is dark room and a mirror: DR RAYMOND MOODY
The desire to communicate with dead loved ones - to apologize, to say 'I love you' or simply to hear their voice one last time - is both powerful and universal. But such encounters generally feature only in movies like Ghost and Truly, Madly, Deeply, or in the empty promises of charlatans preying on the bereaved.
