I remember a song made popular through the work of Louise Hay that goes like this:
"Doors opening, Doors closing,
Doors opening, Doors closing,
I am safe, it's only change."
I seem to be living that song lately. People leaving, people showing up. And through it all, I am safe. It's only change. Please join me in loving, praising and raising our latest departures, Mike Hiraoka and Carmin Dalziel. And join me too in accepting their perfect, right replacements.
We are safe, it's only change.
“All distress is a resistance to change.” I’m paraphrasing Judge Thomas Troward here. And man oh man, has change been a-happenin’ at CSL lately! I can’t make the changes stop (nor should I) and I can’t like all the changes, but I can decide not to resist them. Ah! Sweet relief! I invite you to decide the same.
I seldom look forward to things any more. I pretty much enjoy the day as it unfolds, taking it a day at a time; the past is gone, the future unclear. That is, except at this time of year when many of us at CSL start packing for Seabeck. This week together with my spiritual family is truly the closest thing to Heaven I've ever experienced!
I can't wait to see what crafts we'll be doing, who's in the talent show and if anyone wants to play hearts with me in the bookstore. Some of my most vivid, playful, heartfelt moments have happened at Seabeck. And, it still holds a magical place in my heart.
This year will have special meaning for many of us because it will be Carmin Dalziel's last year at Seabeck as camp co-director. I can't wait to see how the magic of Seabeck lifts us all up even in the grief and sadness of Carmin's departure.
The title of Gary Simmons' weekend workshop, "The Art and Practice of Living with Nothing and No One Against You" sounds intriguing, metaphysically correct, and I wish it were required curriculum in schools and company inservice trainings. I can't help but believe that kind of information would do us all some good. Gary is a famous presenter in Unity Church circles so I'm glad he can spend some time with us at CSL.
The week of August 2nd I'm off to the United Centers for Spiritual Living's summer camp on the Monterrey Peninsula - Asilomar. Like all things it has its plusses and minuses. The biggest plus for me though is getting to see old friends I only get to see once a year. For me this is like going to a Spiritual Family Reunion.
The only constant is change. If we are going to enjoy life, we get to enjoy the changes within it. When we resist any kind of change, we resist an opportunity to embrace life's next great gift to us.
The Youth and Family department underwent a huge change recently with Debbie Sztain's departure. And very soon we will have an opportunity to embrace a new director, Deanna Freeman. Please join me in welcoming her officially on August 1st. And repeat with me (if you like) this line from a song: "I am safe; it's only change."
I passed this out to those in attendance on Sunday, but wanted to give others a chance to use it.
A Modern Day Psalm by Rev. Kathianne Lewis
O Divine Spirit, wake me up to what is True, Eternal and Good.
Keep me steady while the world shifts and changes and rearranges itself.
Don't let me stumble or fall in any way.
Keep me cheerful when all those around me are pessimistic and whiney.
Let my Love and Joy lift them up and soothe their fears.
Keep me focused when the multitude of distractions cry out for me to partake of their pleasures.
Don't let me trade a short-term thrill for the long-term rewards of discipline and commitment.
Keep me positive about the future even though what makes it on the news is the latest crisis or example of human failings.
Let me be the one to share the Good news that all people are created by Goodness and together we can create beautiful solutions for what ails the world.
Keep me faithful to the highest truths I know, even when my doubts loom large.
Let the Faith within me grow and dissolve the last vestiges of disease, debt, distress, loneliness, poverty or ignorance within me.
Let the Light of my Faith ignite the Faith of others so that all can know: God is the Ultimate Source of all Good things.
With these words my life is shaped.
Glory to God in All!
Today I asked those people who were on the morning call (40 Days to Love) to start priming the pump of love by giving it out today. What a really fun and satisfying game to play. Who can I love today? How can I express love in a way that they can receive it? This is better that Sudoku!
Wow, what a weekend! 130 of us just completed the Power of Love retreat on Sunday and Love is in the air. (Yes I know that Love/God is everything so Love IS the air.) I'm confident the work we all did together to open our hearts will ripple through our church community and continue to bless many!
Many people asked me on Sunday to publish my "New Declaration of Independence" I read during the service - Here it is and feel free to pass it on.
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men and women are created in the image and likeness of God, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable powers; among these are the ability to start over - to create a new beginning.
To enjoy and truly experience life, liberty and happiness, conditions are instituted among the men and women, deriving their permanency from the common consent of those involved. When any form of condition becomes destructive to the pursuit of life, liberty or happiness it is the right of any person to alter or abolish their participation in the collective illusion of uncontrollable circumstances and institute a new condition, laying its foundation on the Principle of Goodness. Which means Life, Liberty and Happiness for ALL.
When a train of grievances, losses, failures, disease and troubles have continued with no seeming relief - to the point of massive suffocation of the Spirit of Man (or Woman) it is every person's right, it is their duty, to throw off such a condition and establish a new consciousness for their future security.
The Spirit within says - "Rise up! And proclaim your freedom, liberty and Spiritual Authority over every matter and concern!"
We, therefore, the people of God, Spirit, Gia, Sophia, Jehovah, Allah - assembled here today, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for validation of our highest intention, do, by the authority of the Good people everywhere, solemnly publish and declare our right to be free from all bondage to loss, lack, loneliness and heartbreak, and we absolve our allegiance to the way things have been before. All ties to the past that have hampered our freedom to choose are dissolved! We are free!
LET FREEDOM REIGN!
I love the idea of Win-Win and I think we've come up with a dandy. Come to a free concert/gala (you win) which is the closing celebration for Gourmets for God. During the concert, with free refreshments (you win again) we will hold an auction with great opportunities to bid on cool trips and free concerts in your home. For every dollar raised up to $10,000, CSL will donate that amount to the Gulf Coast clean-up (CSL wins, the Gulf Coast benefits).
I discovered a wonderful video on YouTube today: “What I believe: Spiritual Living.” It’s pretty straightforward and covers all the basics without being at all preachy. When someone asks you what you believe about God or the nature of the Universe, you could let this video do the talking. Let me know what you think.
The polls are in! If "spiritual but not religious" were a denomination in the United States, it would have more members than any of the others. Wow! And if you consider how many people reading this blog consider themselves "spiritual but not religious," we can be comforted in knowing we are a large portion of the American population. And if you are under 30 years of age, and fall into the "spiritual but not religious" category you are in the overwhelming majority for your age group (75% consider themselves spiritual but have no religious affiliation).
It sounds like a bunch of people out there are avoiding churches. They might be. However we also know these spiritual types are still seekers and want inspiration, empowerment and a community of people to interact with. Lenny Bruce might have gotten it right years ago when he said, "Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God."
What Centers for Spiritual Living offer is a place to rest, refresh and renew our connection with that great "something greater than ourselves," or as Ernest Holmes put it, "The Thing Itself."
We don't have a lot of dogma, and only a few traditions that people can participate in to the degree they are willing. Personally (and I admit I'm prejudiced), this way of teaching is perfect for the "SBNR."
So if you know of other "SBNR" types, no matter where they live, tell them about Centers for Spiritual Living. We have all of them available with a link on this website (on the "about us" page).
Let's spread the word - "Spiritual But Not Religious" unite!
Almost two years ago we did a Sunday talk series on Buddhism and business based on the book “The Diamond Cutter.” I loved the book and those teachings as well as a lot of other people. This summer we will be doing a series sequel based on a new book that simplifies “The Diamond Cutter,” called “Karmic Management.” This sound like a business book and I do believe the authors want to market it to business types, but hey, we’re all managing something (unless of course we have finally given that up! Praise God!). I think the focus for me while reading and teaching from this book is: What is a sure-fire, deeply spiritual way to get the Good I’m seeking? The Buddha had answers…and they sound a lot like Ralph Waldo Emerson’s. Oh goodness, maybe Emerson was the Buddha!!!
This summer starting June 6th, we are going to revisit the teachings of Buddha in a "What would Buddha do?" sort of way. I'm going to use the book Karmic Management, which is a great business supplement, however the principles can be used in any area of life.
We'll address topics such as:
It should be an interesting journey together...
It was so wonderful to "love on" the volunteers who just returned from a week of building houses with Habitat for Humanity in Mississippi. They did such good work and also seemed to have so much fun. You just can't beat that!
I love getting a chance to work with so many wonderful people, one of which is Eddie Watkins Jr. This Sunday we will be doing a Stream of Spirit service with questions from the congregation, inspiring words and music. Whoo hoo! Let Spirit flow.
Let's keep Rev. Michael Ingersoll in our prayers today as he has surgery on his arm so that he can "fly" through the air once again. (He's not a bird; he's a trapeeze artist.)
I love the diversity of religious backgrounds showing up in our church lately. Besides the "expanded" Catholics and Protestants; we have our fair share of Jews, and a smattering of Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists.
This speaks well of us having a universal message that can be appreciated by people from different cultures and backgrounds. I think Ernest Holmes, the founder of our denomination, would be pleased. I know I am.
This week I go in for Jury Duty. Because I’m a minister I’ve been able to get a “pass” for almost 22 years. However, this time when the summons came I knew it was my time. If we all give just a bit, we make the world a better place, whether we are giving our time and energy to our civic community, our county, our church or religious organization or serving the Earth in general; small actions made by everyone make a huge difference in the end. There are so many ways you can become involved in the unfoldment of order, balance, harmony and peace this coming weekend. Check out the church calendar and the Facebook page for more details.
