“I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in Spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight; and in the center there grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of the one mother and one father. And I saw that it was holy.”

This beautiful passage comes from Black Elk of the Lakota Sioux Native American tradition. It captures so beautifully how we are all held in the loving hands of Godde as we share this planet Earth . . . all part of a tapestry that encompasses such amazing depth and breadth of life. Creativity in forms unlimited . . . evolving into ever more unique expressions . . . while also harmonizing in a unity of life that ever emerges from the same Source.

We are one in Spirit . . . all held under the branches of The Presence. This year we celebrate the diversity and unity of that connection we all have with that Presence. Together we will journey the world’s spiritual traditions and find the beauty there. We will explore how the power of prayer unites us beyond all outer differences. We will grow in seeing the rich blessings that Spirit brings to all of humankind.

The Bible begins in the Garden of Eden with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and how partaking of that fruit we entered into this realm of duality. The Scriptures conclude in the Garden of Revelations with the Tree of Life with fruit for every season, and how that returns us to the Kingdom of Heaven ~ constant Oneness with Godde.

The ancient mystical scriptures of the Kaballah refer to everything in creation as coming from a great tree of Divine Creation, bursting forth through the sephiroth into the infinite forms of life we see everywhere. That connection still exists, but it is up to us to re-establish the links between heaven and earth with our prayers, good deeds, and compassion. We are called to gather beneath the tree in unity ~ even as Black Elk describes so beautifully.

May this year be one in which our circle expands to include infinite variety while remaining centered in the unity of the Divine Presence. I’ll meet you under the Tree!

Several people requested a hard copy of Jody Bower’s talk from March 1. Here it is . . .

Spirit, the Shadow, and Soul

This year in Unity we are following the theme of Spirit Rising. That’s what Spirit does: Spirit rises. It takes us up to the higher realm, gives us the “higher self” perspective where we see that all is love and all is One.

The quantum physicists say everything is both a particle and a wave – both individual and part of the Whole. We are all part of Spirit – but we are also each an individual soul simultaneously. 

Soul descends. Soul takes us down to where we feel our individuality, our aloneness, our uniqueness. Out of that individuality, that uniqueness, we can bring something new to Spirit. more…

Spiritual Empowerment Series 2008

Imagination: J.K. Rowling and Ritual

June 1 ~ Guest Speaker, Tica Sance

June 8 ~ “It’s All Magic”

Charles Fillmore    “The imagination is that faculty of mind which images and forms.  Everything that is manifest was first a mental picture and was brought into expression by this forming power.”  (From Keep A True Lent)

Albert Einstein        “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows   “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?”

June 15 ~Guest Speaker, Chuck Sances

June 22 ~ “The Magic Of Imagination”

HIGHLIGHTS FROM J. K. ROWLING’S COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AT HARVARD:
The Issue of Failure        (Perception ~ see the world as full of miracles)
Stripping away of the nonessential ~ stopped pretending ~ all energy toward what
really mattered ~ free since still alive tho greatest fear realized ~ can survive
“You will never really know yourself, or the strength of your relationships until both have
been tested by adversity.  Such knowledge is a true gift.”
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you
might as well not have lived at all ~ in which case, you fail by default.”
Imagination        (Creativity ~ see the world as full of your own magic)
“I have learned to value imagination in a much broader sense.  Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation.  In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.”
Plutarch    “What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”
Call to Use Imagination to Change the World with Compassion
“If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.”

June 29 ~ “The True Magic: Love”

The World as A Place of Magic and Miracles

Albert Einstein        “Imagination is more important than knowledge”
“There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

“The power that will reshape and transform the outer world will come forth from the innermost part of each of us . . . The great Power within us is the Creator and the creation, the Giver and the gift, the Dwelling and the dweller. Never relinquish this vision, for this is our purpose for being.” (Only Believe by Unity’s Sue Sikking)

“Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” (Wayne Dyer in The Power of Intention)

The Greatest Power/Truest Magic is Love     Greatest Commandment ~ for all ~ sharing

Harry Potter & The Power of Love    Mother’s love put seal of protection on him ~
Then he did it for his friends ~ willingness did it ~ secret love also broke evil

MBO ~ Most Benevolent Outcome or Magical Blending as One
“I request a Most Benevolent Outcome for __________.  Thank you.”

Compassion’s Automatic Reflexes    Constantly give so paying in advance, barriers melt, vibration in fabric of cause & effect, makes way clear, synchronicity/One with God

The Alchemy of the Christ    See the Divine in all ~ See yourself as co-creator in a world of magic & miracles ~  Master all the aspects of life & lay down life in love
Touch/emotions . . . Time/thoughts . . . Talents/spirit  . . . Treasures/manifestation

JK Rowling at Harvard        Her hope for the graduates: lifetime friends ~ love/affection
“As is a tale, so is life; not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.” (Seneca)

Spiritual Empowerment Series 200

Mastery: The Dalai Lama & Oneness

May 4 ~ “Into The World”

Appreciative Inquiry/Rob Voyle    Supporting people to do what they love
Begin Within ~ With Your Passion    Tell me what you love.  HE BEGAN WITHIN/BUDDHA

Start Where You Are ~ From Here to There    For us, too ~ HE TOOK ONE STEP AT A TIME
What would be a blessing (something more than you have now and is worth the effort to get there) ~  Don’t need to know why you’re at point “A “~ just need to know where you are (release cause/blame) ~ “B” must be positive ~ If want a life of passion, must give energy to that (less distractions/shoulds)

Resource = Re-Source      Easier to move to “B” if can take what valued from  “A” ~ Imagine life a year from now if lived passion starting today ~ listen to objections & honor them

Into The World            Your purpose is as unique as your fingerprint, just  inside (writ on heart)
Dalai Lama    “Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually.”

Buddhist Traditional Blessing and Healing Chant

Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers, and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness
flow forth to awaken and heal all beings–
those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.

By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may your heart’s wishes be soon fulfilled
as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.

By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.

For all in whose heart dwells respect,
who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way,
may your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.

May 11 ~ “The Wind Of Hope”

Mother’s Day & Pentecost    The coming of Divine Feminine/Presence in the world
Father, Son & Holy Spirit ~HS is feminine/creative force ~ possibility/action/manifestation

The Magnificat/Luke ~ Mother Mary    Being a vessel for Presence ~ Intercessory/Rosary ~
With Jesus through all life’s experiences as a loving presence: birth/death/ascension ~ Angel Gabriel said, “Be not afraid”  Mary’s response: “Here I am, let it be done with me according to your word . . . My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God”

The Dalai Lama is the current worldly incarnation of Avalokiteshvara ~ also called Chenrezig or Guan Yin or the  Bodhisattva of Compassion (enlightened being who postponed nirvana to serve humanity)

Avalokiteshvara
Bodhisattva took vow to listen to all prayers of sentient beings in times of difficulty
“Lord of the 6 Syllables”:  Om Mani Padme Hum (no clear translation into English)
So many needed him, his head split into 11 to hear & comprehend the cries of all . . .
To reach out to all, 2 arms shattered into pieces . . . 1,000 arms with eye in each palm

May18 ~ “The Gathering of Masters”

Wesak (This Tuesday)        A GATHERING OF MASTERS
Commemoration of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment & death ~ Mt. Shasta Wesak Festival (Tibetan Buddhis have 28 criteria for a sacred mountain; the only 1 in the US is Mt. Shasta)

Wesak named for legendary convergence of Buddha, Christ & other Masters in the hallowed Wesak Valley in the Himalayas during the Buddha full moon in May ~  Time for increased spiritual awareness individually & globally as Buddha wisdom unites with Christ love.

Water Buffalo in new Natl Geo Film    In Africa – small herd of buffalo – group of lions ahead, ready to attack – baby water buffalo caught by lion at water’s edge – then crocodile grabs the calf & a tug of war ensures  – suddenly, a huge herd of buffalo return  – one tosses the lion into the air & scares it off – miraculously, the calf is okay & returns to its mother and the safety of the herd.
Our Lives   Sometimes we’re like the calf, seemingly caught between lions and  crocodiles ~  We need to remember Divine Presence never gives up and always returns.

Darius & Daniel and the Lion’s Den    Encountering Lions where Divine Presence never left
Satraps said 30 days pray only to king or into lion’s den to destroy Daniel ~ He continued his regular prayers ~ king distressed and prayed: “May your God whom you have faithfully serve, deliver you!” ~ Daniel put into lion’s den, stone over entrance with the king’s seal, the king fasted until dawn, then opened the den up:  Daniel:  “My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me.”  ~ He went on to prosper under King Darius and Cyrus.

Your Lions    What are they?  How have you been reacting?  Fear or faith?
Divine Presence ~ Are you abiding in it?  If not, know it will return instantly!
Spirit responds when even when we call “with groans too deep for words”
“The lion shall lay down with the lamb” ~ true peace between all always possible

May 25 ~ “The Power Of One”

Memorial Day    Honoring those who died in our nation’s service ~ May 30, 1968 Gen. John Logan ~ flowers on Union & Confederate graces in Arlington Natl Ceme ~ coming together ~
National Moment of Remembrance (since 2000) Silence at 3pm ~ remember all

Scripture    No greater gift than to lay down your life
Not just physical but all (time, energy, treasures,  etc)
Mastery    To know and then to live that knowing with greater & greater clarity/passion
The power of one to make a difference

Dalai Lama &  Stele of Jokhang  Pillar in Lhasa at holiest shrine; 823ad “Tibetans shall live happily in the great land of Tibet and the Chinese will live happly in the great land of China”

Dalai Lama’s Nobel Lecture    “Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually.”

The Four Vows of a Bodhisattva
Sentient beings are numberless; we vow to liberate them.    SPIRIT
Delusions are inexhaustible; we vow to transcend them.    MIND
Dharma teachings are boundless; we vow to master them.    HEART
The Wisdom Way of Enlightenment is supreme; we vow to embody it.   BODY
“Love self/others . . . Love God with all your mind, heart, soul, and strength”  Same Vow

What are you willing to lay down your life for?        Be The Power Of One
Liberate your possibilities ~ Transcend your doubts ~ Master one step at a time ~ Live it

Spiritual Empowerment Series 2008

Judgment: Chief Seattle and Rhythm

April 6 ~ “The Rhythm Of The SeasonsCharles Fillmore

“When we awaken to the reality of our divinity, the light begins to break upon us from within, and we know the Truth; this is the quickening of our spiritual judgment faculty.”
Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth    “We need to honor the world of things, not despise it.  Each thing has Beingness, is a temporary form that has its origin within the formless one Life, the source of all things, all bodies, all forms.  In most ancient cultures, people believed that everything, even so-called inanimate objects, had an indwelling spirit, and in this respect they were closer to the truth than we are today.”

Ecclesiastes 3     “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”

Corinne Heline    in her metaphysical classic Star Gates: “Man is a universe in miniature.  All that lies about him in the heavens and upon the earth have their small reflection in his being. . .  So the great wheel of the universe turns, and to the man on earth it brings seedtime and harvest, light and darkness, heat and cold.  . . Viewed with the eye of spirit, each season as it comes and goes renders its own unique contribution to the human unfoldment, and the gifts it brings are spiritual as well as material.”

April 13 ~ “The Power Of The Directions”

Famous Quote attributed to Chief Seattle (but probably “loosely translated” by Henry Smith)
“Every part of this earth is sacred to my people.  Every shining pine needle, every tender shore, every vapor in the dark woods, every clearing, and every humming insect are holy in the memory and experience of my people . . . All things are connected.  Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons and daughters of the earth.  Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it.  Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”

Blackfoot Physics by F. David Peek
Similar Visions Coming From Two Worlds: The Quantum and The Indigenous
Irreducible link between observer/observed ~ no separation one/whole, matter/spirit
The implicate/enfolded order ~ whole is found within each part ~ deeper reality
Essential stuff not atoms, but relationship/fluctuations at boundary of matter/energy
Nature not a collection of objects in interaction but a flux of processes ~ verb based
Healing involves whole person ~ body, mind & spirit ~ renewal process of nature
Ecologists stress interconnectedness ~ sensitivity & complexity of life

Indigenous Traditions of Direction ~ World wide      Of Seasons/time  and  Directions/space
East    Rising Sun ~ coming wisdom, insight, own vision ~ approaching future/light of day
South    Earth ~ Foundation, love, Family & Friends, determination ~ history/past
West    Setting Sun ~ Mystery, Transformation, meditation, commitment  ~ moon cycles
North    Sky  ~ Compass ~ Point of Intention/Focus/Choice/wisdom/freedom ~ next step
Center         Oneness ~ Radiant I AM ~ Inner/Christ Light ~ Present & Presence

April 20 ~ “The Great Hoop Of Life”

From BLACK ELK, Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux (1863-1950)

Over a hundred years ago Black Elk had a vision of the time when Indian people would heal from the devastating effects of European migration. In his vision the Sacred Hoop which had been broken, would be mended in seven generations.  The children born into this decade will be the seventh generation. These are his profound words . . .

“You have noticed that everything an Indian does in a circle,
and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles,
and everything and everything tries to be round.

In the old days all our power came to us from the sacred hoop
of the nation and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people
flourished. The flowering tree was the living center of the hoop,
and the circle of the four quarters nourished it. The east gave peace
and light, the south gave warmth, the west gave rain and the north
with its cold and mighty wind gave strength and endurance. This
knowledge came to us from the outer world with our religion.

Everything the power of the world does is done in a circle.
The sky is round and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball
and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.
Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.
The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon
does the same and both are round. Even the seasons form a great
circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were.

The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is
in everything where power moves. Our teepees were round like the
nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation’s hoop,
a nest of many nests, where the Great Spirit meant for us to hatch our children.”

Twisted Hairs Medicine Society    In 1224 in Oaxaca Mexico there was a gathering of respected medicine men/women/shamans ~ all unique because of their ability & desire to seek knowledge from ALL sources, not limited to one tribe, but from all ~ their focus was on the center of all life, Great Spirit, in all its expressions:

7 Arrows of Dark:  Karma/Attachments/Where we start
7 Arrows of Light:  Dharma/Awareness/How you connect
7 Rainbow Arrows: Transformation/Ilumination/Knowing you are here to make a difference

Black Elk    “And I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in Spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.  And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of the many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center there grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father.  And I saw that it was holy.”

April 27 ~ “ Your Sacred Totem”

Manly Hall/ in the classic Secret Teachings of All Ages
“Realizing that visible bodies are only symbols of invisible forces, the ancients worshipped the Divine Power through the lower kingdoms of Nature . . . The sages of old studied living things to a point of realization that God is most perfectly understood through a knowledge of His supreme handiwork– animate & inanimate Nature.  Every existing creature manifests some aspect of the Eternal One.”

Chief Seattle    Vision Quest for his transition from boy to man ~ His Totem: Thunderbird
Spirit creature of great creative power & might ~ nobility ~ sky bird/thru hole in sky to sun ~
So represents soaring to great heights, seeing all directions, great sight & perception
Related to eagle ~ Great Spirit, resurrection to Christian mystic, soul symbol in hieroglyphs

Your Totem    Represents your life energies ~ head, heart, body, spirit
Which animal has always fascinated you?  When went to zoo as child, what visited first/ most?  What seen when out in nature? Do you dream of animals ~ any from childhood?
What Does It Symbolize?    Research classic meanings & meditate on its connection to you

Star Gates/Corinne Heline  “Man also responds to this cosmic impulse, but less completely & less harmoniously than do the kingdoms of life either below or above his own evolutionary kingdom.  Those below respond more perfectly through an unconscious, instinctive guidance; those above through a consciously attained unity with the Wisdom of God.  Alone among the kingdoms of nature man has fallen out of step with cosmic processes . . . Humanity’s problem in the large, therefore, consists in restoring the harmony which has been broken . . for Spirit and nature, when properly understood, are an harmonious unity, & a spiritual way of life must mean, ultimately, a completely natural way of life, in the best sense of the phrase.”

Spiritual Empowerment Series 2008
Strength: Gandhi and Mantra

March 2 ~ Guest Speaker

March 9 ~ “Gandhi & Soul Strength”

Gandhi”s concept of Satyagraha
Satya = truth; that which is Graha = firmness; planets SOUL STRENGTH

From Eknath Easwaran’s Gandhi the Man: The Story of His Transformation
“Satyagraha is, simply enough, a spiritual force ~a potent, viable source of energy that belongs to all individuals, though few are aware of it . . . the force which is born of truth and love or nonviolence.” MEDITATE TO GROW IN AWARENESS OF YOUR SATYAGRAHA

Gandhi Quotes

His most famous . . .
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Like Eckardt Tolle’s new book, “A New Earth” that we are studying on Oprah.com . . .
“In this age of wonders no one will say that a thing or an idea is worthless because it is new. To say it is impossible because it is difficult, is again not in consonance with the spirit of the age. Things undreamt of are daily being seen, the impossible is ever becoming possible. We are constantly being astonished these days at the amazing discoveries in the field of violence. But I maintain that far more undreamt of and seemingly impossible discoveries will be made in the field of nonviolence.”

A reminder of the importance of Practicing the Presence of the Divine . . .
“Call it by whatever name you like, that which gives one the greatest solace in the midst of the severest fire is God.”

It is up to each of us to contribute to the enlightenment of us all . . .
“If one man gains spiritually, the whole world gains with him…I have not the shadow of a doubt that any man or woman can achieve what I have if he or she would make the same effort and cultivate the same hope and faith.”

March 16 ~ “Into The Realm Of Peace”

White Eagle in The Way of the Sun
“Beloved Brethren, your religion teaches you to feel unhappy at this glorious time of year, and many are heavy with sorrow at the thought of the crucifixion of their Lord & Master . . . May we tell you that the crucifixion is not as you understand it. It is a symbol of the spiritual growth and evolution of man . . . the story of the liberation of spirit from the domination of the flesh and earthly matter . . . a time of sweet surrender to the light and beauty of spirit . . . The crucifixion is a symbol of the initiation in which the soul, having seen the glory of the Father, is able to demonstrate that glory in his actions on earth . . . bring the Christ Spirit into manifestation in daily life.”

“A New Earth” Eckhart Tolle & Oprah
Key Thoughts Stop labeling Look to inner energy, subtle meaning/connections/ let it be
“that is called an oak tree” rather than “it is an oak tree”
Release “mine” Honor things & their energy but don’t attach
Ego Awareness Ego always compares & is never satisfied
Egoic Mind Pattern Labels things, mine, you’re right & they’re wrong
Sense of self worth from things/others opinions
In the Present & In the Presence The PEACE that passes understanding

Your Calling Move from bondage/narrowness into liberation/possibilities
Enter into the consciousness of Peace (Jerusalem) wherever you are
Allow the Peace that passes understanding to enfold you
Peace Mantra Select One: “Peace, be still” “I AM” “Aum” “Shalom” “Namaste”

March 23 ~ “Gifts of Easter”

ECKHART TOLLE in A NEW EARTH
PRESENT “One things we do know: Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful to the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having in this moment.” LIFE AS HERE & NOW
PRESENCE “When forms around you die or death approaches, your sense of Beingness, of I Am, is freed from its entanglement with form: Spirit is released from its imprisonment in matter. You realize your essential identity as formless, as an all-pervasive Presence, of Being prior to all forms, all identifications. You realize your true identity as consciousness itself . . . not as I am this or I am that, but I Am.” EXACTLY AS YOU ARE/INNER SELF

Don Curtis in The Way of the Christ “We are all disciples whether we know it or not. The spiritual path eternally beckons to us. Those who follow the upward path make a conscious decision to follow the Christ Light ~ to aspire to Truth, to embody the good, and to express Divine ideas . . what the Master called ‘the Way, the Truth, & the Life’.”

THE PROCESS OF NEW LIFE Surrender, Enter the Mystery, Return Transformed

Day One: The WAY Non-resistance; release suffering/fear/expectations/attachments
Day Two: The TRUTH Time apart; Receiving; faith to simply be; allow awakening within
Day Three: The LIFE Active; integrating who you are NOW ~ Living the Presence

GIVE ‘UP’ (surrender) . . . LET IT BE (mystery) . . . BECOME CONSCIOUS & LIVE (transform)

PARMAHANSA YOGANANDA in The Second Coming of Christ: “By cooperation with Divine Will, man permits into his life the ready-and-willing inflow of God’s wisdom, power, love, joy . . . to abide in the freedom & joy of an inner heaven on earth.”

March 30 ~ “New Life and Mantra”

Eckhardt Tolle in A New Earth
“Can human beings lose the density of their conditioned mind structures and become like crystals or precious stones, so to speak, transparent to the light of consciousness? Can they defy the gravitational pull of materialism and materiality and rise above identification with form?”
“Only rare beings at the time, such as the Buddha or Jesus, saw the ultimate irrelevance of caste or social class, recognized it as identification with form & saw that such identification with the conditioned and the temporal obscured the light of the unconditioned and eternal that shines in each human being . . . Only though awareness can you see the totality of the situation or person, instead of adopting one limited perspective.”

Gandhi
“If we could erase the ‘I’s’ and ‘mine’s’ from religion, politics, economics, etc., we should soon be free and bring heaven upon earth.”

Mantram, Holy Name ~ A Powerful Transformational Tool to use daily

“A spiritual formula which seekers from all traditions have found can transform what is negative in the personality into what is positive: anger into compassion, ill will into good will, hatred into love. By calming the mind, it gradually integrates divided and opposing thoughts at a deeper and deeper level of consciousness.” (Gandhi, The Man)

Gandhi’s called his mantra “Rama, Rama, Rama” the “Staff of life”
St. Francis used “My God and My All”
Select one to use yourself today and begin to use it regularly.
You can use a name for God (ie. Divine Light) or a short phrase (ie. Peace, be still)

Remember: Meditation is not meant to be a cloistered virtue, but rather a dynamic discipline

Spiritual Empowerment Series 2008
Love: Amma and Touch

February 3 ~ “The Power of Love”

Jean Houston in Godseed “Love is evolutionary energy par excellence. It is the force that allows us to go beyond all our conditions, our expectations, our impediments. It carries us to the thresholds of our lives and allows us to be seized by possibility . . . The more deeply you encounter the Divine Lover, the more sensitively you feel the agony of the world; the more you care called to care more, feel more, and think more deeply. . . In high empathy there is always high empowerment ~ a quickening . . . The Christos.”
CAN YOU FEEL THE POWER OF LOVE BEING QUICKENED WITHIN YOU?

Teilhard De Chardin on Love “Someday when we have mastered the winds and the waves, the tides and gravity, we will harness for God the energies of love, and the, for the second time in the history of the world we will have discovered fire.”
HOW WOULD IT FEEL TO HARNESS THE POWER OF LOVE FOR GOD AND YOUR HIGHER SELF, NOT JUST YOUR MUNDANE SELF?

Anna & The King of Siam, the film with Jodie Foster & Chow YunFat
Prince Chulalongkorn reflects on remembering Anna and his father, the King:
“It is always surprising how small a part of life is taken up by meaningful moments ~ Most of them, they are over before they start . . . although they cast a light on the future and make the person who originated them unforgettable. Anna shined such a light on Siam.”
WHO HAS BEEN THAT LIGHT FOR YOU? WHO HAVE YOU BEEN THAT LIGHT FOR?

February 10 ~ “Circle of Love”

I Corinthians 13: The Famous Love Scripture
Usually heard without really listening, but there is Deep Truth within these words.

The Importance of Love’s Energy ~ Not only what you do, but how and why you do it:
Angel tongues, but no love . . . become noisy gong/clanging cymbal
All prophecies, knowledge, faith but no love . . . then am nothing
Hand over everything but no love . . . then gain nothing

Universal How To Live in Love Handbook:
Be patient . . . Be kind . . . Don’t be envious or boastful or arrogant or rude . . . Don’t insist on your own way . . . Don’t be irritable or resentful . . . Don’t rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoice in truth.

Profound Truth of how love changes our perceptions and allows us to see at soul levels:
Love never ends . . . eternal viewpoint ~ we are eternal spiritual beings
Now we see in a mirror darkly then we will see clearly face to face . . . we can see past outer
appearances and see the soul and Christ Light within everyone
Now we are known in part, then we will know fully and be known fully . . . realizing the Truth
of our Being and into the truth that we are eternal spiritual beings having earthly experiences for Divine reasons and with perfectly chosen others.

There are faith, hope, and love ~ the greatest is love because the others are love expressed:
Faith as love believed in and Hope as love lived into.

February 17 ~ “The Hugging Saint”

Marianne Williamson in Return to Love “When we were born, we were programmed perfectly. We had a natural tendency to focus on love. . . Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here. The spiritual journey is the relinquishment or unlearning of fear & the acceptance of love back into our hearts. . . Love is the intuitive knowledge of our hearts. It is a ‘world beyond’ that we secretly long for. An ancient memory of this love haunts all of us all of the time, and it beckons us to return.” We even carry a mark of this . . .

The Crease above your Upper Lip A mark of how loved we are. An old legend says that before we are born, God kisses soul as we prepare to incarnate. We are then carried and sung earthward by a guardian angel who escorts us to our new body ~ with the mark of the lip crease as a reminder of a Divine Kiss. Instead of “great aunt Lucy’s bright red lipstick kiss” that wipes off, this one reminds us that we are all beloved of God always.

Quotes from Amma, The Hugging Saint and Divine Mother
“An unbroken stream of Love flows from me towards all beings in the cosmos. That is my inborn nature.” AS IT IS YOURS!

“Complete freedom from the bondage of mind & ego will create a flow of love within. People are bound by the past & the future; that is why it is so difficult to find true love in the world. To really be able to love, both the past & the future must dissolve & disappear.”

Sister Rose Mercurio on meeting Amma in Chicago
“Amma affirms in me what I believe ~ that there is a God in each of us, longing to touch the God in everyone else. She has responded to the Divinity, which is in each of us, and she challenges me to aspire to that potential. My background as a Roman Catholic laid the foundation for this belief. Amma simply urges me forward.”

February 24 ~ “Seasons of Love”

Summaries of Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1955)

The Beach
Image: Sea and sand . . . Retreat/cast off things to do
Concepts: Body rests/flow of tides . . . beach-wise mind = patience/faith/open
Quote: “The beach is not the place to work, to read, to write or think. . . One should
lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach ~ waiting for a gift from the sea.”
Mantra: Worship in spirit and truth

Channeled Whelk
Image: Deserted home of hermit crab . . . simple, bare, spiral
Concepts: open door/his exit . . . being in grace/life busy . . . small, portable soul home simplification & inner balance between solitude & communion
Quote: “The final answer, I know, is always inside. . . One is free, like the hermit
crab, to change one’s shell.”
Mantra: Be in the world, but not of the world

Moon Shell
Image: Round, full, pinkish, spiral to center
Concepts: moon solitary & powerful . . . island self-contained & serene . . . deliberate practice of
solitude feeds the soul & taps inner springs then can do purposeful giving
Quote: “Solitude, says the moon shell. Center-down, say the Quaker saints. . . . You will remind me
that unless I keep the island-quality intact somewhere within me, I will have little to give.”
Mantra: Love your neighbor as yourself (remember to love yourself first)

Double Sunrise
Image: Perfectly matched bi-valve, two sides facing each other
Concepts: Pure, new, exclusive, making one world between them . . . changes as perfect unity invaded
by life . . . is exclusive of others . . . conscious acts of communion but then expand
Quote: “The pure relationship, how beautiful it is! . . . Two people, listening to each other, two
shells meeting each other, making one world between them.”
Mantra: Love with all of yourself ~ body, mind, heart, and soul

Oyster Bed
Image: Sprawling, uneven, encrusted shells
Concepts: Working outward . . . weaving web of connections, interdependence, communication,
memories, adaptable ~ later time comes to shed shells
Quote: St. Exupery: “Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together
in the same direction.”
Mantra: With God, all things work together for good

Argonauta
Image: Rare Paper Nautilus, feathery transparent
Concepts: unconditional love, persons as persons . . . like dancing, responding to same rhythm, living
in the moment . . . continuity of change & growth with freedom
Quote: Rilke: “The love that consists in this, that two solitudes protect & touch & greet each other .
. . which makes it possible for each to see the other whole & against a wide sky.”
Mantra: Then we will see clearly face to face

The Beach at My Back Each shell/phase beautiful in its own way . . . remember gifts of each
“When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the
periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here,
some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth. . . .
There are other beaches to explore. There are more shells to find. This is only a beginning.”

Spiritual Empowerment Series 2008
Faith: Martin Luther King And Intention

January 6 ~ “Gifts of Faith”

January 6th is our special Epiphany Service . . . The Twelfth Day of Christmas with The Arrival of the Magi and the sharing of our Spiritual Gifts.

As we release into the Burning Bowl that which it is time to let go of . . . and embrace our new visions for this year with the our Intention Writing, let us remember these words from the Unity classic “Patterns for Self-Unfoldment” . . .

“The use of denial & affirmation in positive thinking is not turning away from reality; it is rather the activity of seeing beyond false appearances to a higher perception of reality.”
Claim this higher reality and step into the Power of Faith that will assist in its manifestation.

The Dalai Lama says the two most important spiritual practices to cultivate are
FORGIVENESS and COMPASSION.
As you release this year . . . do so with the power of forgiveness to free yourself and others
the past.
As you embrace this year . . . do so with the power of compassion to free yourself and
others from judgment as we step into the future together.

Our Unity theme for 2008 is Spiritual Empowerment: Unity’s 12 Powers and 12 Spiritual Masters from the World. Our intention behind this is beautifully expressed in the song that Susan sang on Sunday ~ one that I used in my chapel service during ministerial training. I love these words and call them to unite us in intention this year . . .

And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings . . . with the gift of inspiration
Bear you on the breath of love . . . with the gift of prayer
Make you to shine like the sun . . . with the gift of Inner Light
And hold you in the palm of My hand . . . with the gift of kindred spirits
January 13 ~ “Assurance & Conviction”

One of the most beautiful passages ever written is found in the Christian Scriptures in the writing of St. Paul. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”(Hebrews 11:1)

The assurance of things hoped for is that “knowing that you know that you know” ~ your faith in the unseen potential from which you co-create with Godde.
The conviction of things not seen is that “living as if” ~ your faith in that which is yet unmanifest, but which is forming each moment from your union with Godde.

This reminds us of the importance of perception . . . “BELIEVING IS SEEING” rather than the outer world view of “seeing is believing.”

Charles Fillmore, co-founder of the Unity movement reminds us that “Faith is more than mere belief. It is the very substance of that which is believed. It works by love. Faith working in spiritual substance accomplishes all things.” Out of your faith, your life is truly made.

Mary Mannin Morrissey has a wonderful inspiration to remind us of how deeply our faith effects everything . . .“The universe can only do for you what it can do through you.”
Open to be so spiritually empowered by your faith that your life becomes a clear expression of your highest callings and deepest intentions.

January 20 ~ “A Handbook of Faith:

Gospel of Matthew contains within it a wonderful “Manual for Faith” . . . sequentially expressing how one begins and then manifests what they seek in faith. The lived teachings of the Way Shower and Master Teacher Jesus includes not only the steps to take, it addresses the two pitfalls that we seem to most encounter as we seek to live our lives in faith . . . fear and doubt. Faith truly lifts up above those into the Presence of Godde if we have but a tiny spark of it kindled in Spirit.

1. Centurion’s servant is paralyzed/dying . . . This Roman asked for Jesus to speak the word to heal the servant and it was done.
Jesus’ words: “Let it be done according to your faith” This reminds us to first . . . ASK IN FAITH

2. Jesus in the boat with disciples in the terrible storm . . . Jesus sleeping, they awakened him and he then calms the storm
Jesus’ words: “Why are you afraid, oh ye of little faith? . . . Peace be still.” As we step into our lives we must then remember . . . BE NOT AFRAID

3. A woman touched Jesus’ cloak when in crowd to be healed of bleeding disorder that made her unclean, and he felt her touch him as the healing energy move between them.
Jesus’ words: “Take heart, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” We must remember to . . . REACH OUT and MOVE TOWARD WITH FAITH

4. Two blind men ask him to have mercy on them even though the culture said they must deserve their blindness ~ he asked if they believed and allowed their eyes to be touched.
Jesus’ words: First . . . “Do you believe I can heal you?” Then . . .“Let it be done according to your faith” So we must then open to . . . RECEIVE WITH FAITH

5. Peter (Disciple representing Faith) sees Jesus walking on water and he asks Jesus to call him out to do the same . . . He does so perfectly until doubt begins to sink him.
Jesus’ words: “You of little faith, Why did you doubt?” We must trust the unfoldment and continue focused on the Divine as we step out and . . . DON’T DOUBT

A wonderful summary Truth is found when the Disciples seem to fail in their attempts in trying to heal, so Jesus re-centers them in with this promise . . .“For truly I tell you, if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
EMPOWERMENT KEY . . . JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH DOES BIG THINGS

And then the most important final promise to the Disciples and to everyone . . .
“Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”
EMPOWERMENT KEY . . . CENTER ALWAYS IN PRAYER

So . . . with these KEYS . . . live the life of faith described by the Christian Scriptures
ASK . . . BE NOT AFRAID & MOVE TOWARD . . . RECEIVE & DON’T DOUBT!!!

January 27 ~ “Keepers of the Dream”

Mary Mannin Morrissey writes . . . ” The universe can only do for you what it can do thru you.” What good things are you willing to be the channel of this year? Will you be the creator and sustainer of your own dreams consciously this year?

Each of us began the new year with Setting an Intention for what will unfold. Remember that an Intention starts within and is created by your alignment with Spirit. A traditional resolution is focused on the outer world and manifested by your own will. Quite a difference!

To start with, is your Intention big enough to allow new great and wonderful things? Here are the five key questions Mary Mannin Morrissey encourages everyone to use to be sure they’re visioning big enough . . .

1. Does this possibility enliven you? Allow it come from a desire rather than a
“should” so that it has a sense of joy surrounding it.

2. Does it align with your core values? Being in integrity allows the universe to respond energetically to you in clear, powerful ways.
3. Do I need a Higher Source to make it happen? If the answer is no, it’s time to dream bigger!
4. Will it require me to become more my true self? Life is always calling you to be who you were sent to be, and will support your expression of your Divine LIght.
5. Will it ultimately bless others as well? Since we are all interconnected in Spirit, when we bless others as well as ourselves we are aware of a far greater Source.

Once you have clarified your vision, meditate on it. See it, hear it, feel it, know it. Then allow yourself to give thanks for all that has brought you to this moment . . . and for all that is inspiring this vision in the here and now . . . and finally for all that is yet to come in grace filled Divine Order. See which of the three areas of time & space take the most attention and just reflect gently and lovingly on that awareness. Then open in gratitude to what wonders the Universe and you will create together. Have Fun!