Seeking Our Common Good

The longing in our heart is the language of the One Love that lives within. It speaks to us in another tongue trying to remind us about that which we seek, we already are, we just haven't realized yet.

There is a common good, common to all, and we discover it when we allow ourselves to recognize our connection to one another. 

In his book, Beyond Religion, Ethics for a Whole World, His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks about secular ethics which he defines as the values that serve the greater good or ethics that are both inclusive and beyond religious beliefs.  

“Secularism is to imply mutual tolerance and respect for all faiths as well as for those of no faith tradition.”  HH Dalai Lama

His Holiness goes on to suggest that there that there are basically two world views.  

"To put the matter at is simplest, there are some who believe, at one end of the spectrum, that we are by nature fundamentally violent, aggressive, and competitive; while others, at the other end take the view that we are predominately disposed toward gentleness and love."

Of course there is a lot of wiggle room between these two perspectives.  I'd like to think that humanity is at its core good and that perhaps at one end of this continuum are individuals whose needs are great and not met.  Perhaps the aggressiveness we experience in others is a response to the world around them that is not meeting their needs.  And at the other end of the spectrum are individuals whose needs are met and find it easier to draw on their internal nature of 'gentleness and love'.  That both world views are just two sides of the same coin, so to speak.  One draws from external circumstances and the other, from internal experience.

It’s pretty easy to be spiritual when our basic needs of safety, satisfaction and connection are met.  Not so easy when we are in an experience that threatens those needs.

So our practice is to come down from the mountain top and learn how to walk out this philosophy in the world.  It's the art of being in the world AND of it. 

Seeking our common good requires that I acknowledge and embrace my humanity so that I can see my sister/brothers humanity; and once we remember that we belong to each other, together we can rise up and connect through our common values.

So here is something to contemplate for this week:

• What part of your own humanity are you resisting or struggling with?  
• Is it possible that this resistance is holding you back?  
• Who would you be if you loved what you are struggling with, what is your challenge trying to tell you?

Happy Harvesting!

Oneness and the Power of Kindness

February's theme is Oneness.

It's a big idea.  Oneness isn't something you can point to or easily see because we are immersed in it.  Probably the best synonym for what Centers for Spiritual Living means by Oneness is Panentheism.  The belief that Spirit is greater than the universe itself and includes and saturates all life.

I love this quote from Ernest Holmes, author and founder of the Science of Mind philosophy and Centers for Spiritual Living:

"We are in the Water of Infinite Life as the fish is in the ocean.  The Spirit of Life is all around us. It flows through us. It permeates everything and flows through every condition. And yet we are still looking for it."

So how does one experience Oneness?

I think it's sort of like the wind, we can't see the wind but we can see the effect of it.  We see the leaves blowing in the wind or a flag waving in the wind, but we don't actually see wind itself.

I'd like to think Kindness is like that.  One of the many effects of Oneness.  We extend ourselves to others in kindness as a way of connecting, caring for and having compassion for one another.

I tripped across this lovely story (from Elizabeth Gilbert) about kindness recently that I'd like to share with you.  It demonstrates the power of a kind act that reminds us that we are all in this together.

Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated—with one another; with the rainy, sleety weather; with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here. 

But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. "Folks," he said, "I know you've had a rough day and you're frustrated. I can't do anything about the weather or traffic, but here's what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don't take your problems home to your families tonight—just leave 'em with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I'll open the window and throw your troubles in the water. Sound good?" 

It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who'd been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other's existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious? 

Oh, he was serious. 

At the next stop—just as promised—the driver reached out his hand, palm up, and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up—but everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.

As we explore this idea of Oneness this month, let it remind us that we are all in this together.  While we are all many and varied, we are also interconnected.  Oneness shows up in the effects of our actions in the world.  How will Oneness show up through you, what acts, words or deeds will you demonstrate as your part of the whole of humanity?

The reflection practice this week is to pay attention to how you show up in your little slice of life.  Consider how you can use kindness to be the peace, love, beauty or joy you want to see in the world.

Love,

Alice 

Don't Mistake Avoidance for Enlightenment

or Building a Life Grounded in Truth Part 2

This week we are considering how to use spiritual laws in our lives.

"We are in the world and of it and it is good that this is so".  

 Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind pg 56.2

Dr. Holmes goes on to say the world is ok when we view it correctly.  

I think it is easy to interpret "viewing it correctly" as choosing only to see what we individually label as good.  But when we do that, are we in the world and of it or are we trying to rise above it so that it doesn’t touch us? Honestly, only you can answer this question.  

Holmes is clear that “we will not refuse to help the helpless or lift up the fallen, but we will refuse to wallow in the mud because of our sympathies”.  This takes skill building.  

Do not think that just because you don’t experience something that it does not exist.  And please don’t mistake your avoidance for your enlightenment.  It takes the skills of self awareness and alignment to recognize which state we are in; and the two go hand in hand as we practice mindfully being present in the world and with each other.

Maybe correctly viewing the world's state of affairs or a friends challenges means that we acknowledge the situation, and then rather than immediately praying it away, we pause long enough to stand in love and see the human condition that now exists in the human experience so that we can walk through it and into a greater wholeness.

Reflection Practice

Consider what is grabbing your attention this week?  Can you mindfully be present with what comes up long enough to see what this situation is bringing up for you?  Take a few minutes to investigate your feelings.  Go beneath the feelings and allow your inner wisdom to guide you to what wants to be known by you, why is this situation or person grabbing your attention?  Journal or contemplate this and see what you discover about yourself?

Building a Life Grounded in Truth Part 1

Welcome!
I am dedicating this blog to Center For Spiritual Living’s 2019 theme Spirituality in Action

For January our topic is Grounded in Principle
There is a tradition at Centers for Spiritual Living where we review our principles during the month of January.  We intentionally come home to our basic ideas.  So far we have reviewed the first 3 chapters of the Science of Mind book by Dr. Ernest Holmes.

The Thing Itself - Absolute Cause - The Seed
The Way It Works - Absolute Law - The Soil
What It Does - Absolute Manifestation - The Plant

When we understand the creative process, how the Universe moves from consciousness to form, we can align ourselves with this process and learn to work with it. Ideas and thoughts are like seeds.  The universe needs us to decide what seeds we want to plant.  Universal principles or spiritual laws then accept these seeds as our ideas or thoughts that we are planting.  It (the Universe) is just the medium, like soil, for our ideas, our beleifs and our thoughts.  The ideas we nurture and cultivate become our reality, our experience... the plant.

As individuals that practice and integrate spiritual principles in our lives (can I call us spiritual live-ers?) we understand this powerful process.  Our words and thoughts are creative.

We know truth,
We speak truth and then
We experience truth.

Quote:
"The arrogant have not perceived the simplify of faith, but the pure in heart see God.  The farmer has seen the Heavenly Host in his fields.  The child has frolicked with It at play. The mother has clasped It to her breast and the fond lover has seen It in the eyes of her beloved.  We look too far away for Reality."    Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind

Affirmation:
There is a power for good in Universe greater than I am, and I say YES! to its' perfect expression through me!

Reflection Practice:
Consider what truth you want to experience today; what values do you want your reality to be reflective of?  What ideas and thoughts are you seeding to that end?

Spirituality in Action in 2019

Welcome!

This year Centers for Spirituality is focusing on Spirituality in Action.  Each month we'll look at a principle and how we can incorporate it into our lives and begin to walk it out into the larger community.

Here is the program for 2019

January    Grounded in Principle
     Book of the Month - Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes

February  Seeking the common good & Oneness
     Book of the Month - Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World
                                     by H.H. Dalai Lama
March       Choosing Integrity, being truthful in facts & motives
      Book of the Month - The Inward Journey by Dr. Howard Thurman

April         Promoting Diversity through unity and inclusion
      Book of the Month - Stained Glass Spirit by Tracy Brown

May          Demonstrating care for each other through Compassion
      Book of the Month - The I of the Storm by Dr. Gary Simmons

June          Protecting the vulnerable & Empowering each other
      Book of the Month - A New Republic of the Heart by Terry Patten

July          Advocating freedom of thought and Creativity
      Book of the Month - The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton & L. Hardin

Aug          Respecting other nations & peoples, being Grateful
      Book of the Month - The Gentle Art of Blessing by Pierre Pradervand

Sept          Ensuring good stewardship of creation through Love
      Book of the Month - Spiritual Ecology:The Cry of the Earth 
                                          by Llweellyn Vaughan-Lee
Oct           Cherishing the human family and our Unity
      Book of the Month - The Principle of Oneness by Russell Anthony Gibbs

Nov           Practicing moral Spiritual Leadership
      Book of the Month - The Tao of Leadership by John Heider

Dec           Celebrating all spiritual paths  
      Book of the Month - Thou Art That by Joseph Campbell

** Some books may change as we get closer to the monthly topic

Each week I'll post a brief summary of the ideas from the previous Sunday's talks and offer a reflection practice for you to consider.

Here's to a powerful year of taking these powerful principles into action.

Love,
Alice

A World That Works For Everyone

Friends I hold to a vision that we can create a world that works for all.  I know in my heart it is possible, but sometimes when I look around me it seems so far away.  

My friend and colleague, Rev. Martha Quintana, posted this beautiful prayer coupled with a recent experience she had and she seems to have captured what I think a world that works for everyone could look like.  With her permission I'd like to share it with you.  Words to live by, in deed and in thought.  Thank you Rev. Martha.

Holding Up the Sky by Martha Quintana

I came back home after a week at the Parliament of World Religions. I’ll never be the same. I experienced a world where people honor and respect their different cultures and different appearances of the Divine while holding themselves in reverence. The Goddess came out to play in every woman and no man was left behind. I saw a world that worked in the thousands of people who exchanged ideas, imagined a world where all people are cherished, and where, finally, all have enough – enough food, enough housing, clothing, enough love, enough self-regard, and enough God. Authentic.  I stand proudly with my New Thought brothers and sisters in this dream. 

Today, I pray this vision that we humans evolve so high that we hold up the sky.

Prayer by Martha Quintana

There is a World so vast that it goes beyond the Earth. This World, the Divine Universe, lives, breathes, and has Its being as every star, every point in space, all creatures great and small, and all light everywhere. This World is Peace, Love, Divine Harmony, Goodness, Beauty, and Truth. This Divine World knows that it knows that it knows, and all is born.

I am born of this Divine World. As it knows Itself, it knows me and, like it, I am peace, love, divine harmony, goodness, beauty, and truth. I know that I know that I know. I am a woman of faith and anything that would hinder this faith now falls away never to return. As I know this for me, I know this for each person who lives this prayer.

I affirm and declare the Planet Earth is restored to balance. Every drop of water is pure and clear, and the temperature of the Earth’s surface is adjusted to hold all life.  Every creature on the planet, animals and humans, have enough. Every creature is restored to its natural beauty and truth.  I affirm every child, woman, and man goes to bed tonight having eaten good food and drunk good water, having good shelter, wholesome love, and knowing that great self-regard is the order of the day. 

I affirm that the Creator who stands in every person is authentically seen. I stand with the billions of people who hold this vision and know it is already made manifest.  Of this, I am sure. 

I am grateful for the Divine that allows Itself to be known in all cultures in the language that can be heard and seen. I am grateful for the ears to hear and the eyes to see and grateful that these abilities grow every day. I am grateful this day that every human being has enough and that all the balance of Nature has been restored for all beings. I am grateful for the Centers for Spiritual Living and for New Thought Religions because these are good places filled with people of faith. I am grateful.

I release this word back into the Law knowing that I know that I know. As faith. And so it is. Amen.

In my philosophy we talk about the power of a mental equivalent that we hold in our minds and hearts so that the Universe can use it as a pattern when it is creating through us.  Take this vision as your vision, this prayer as your prayer, know with me this vision and that our world is changing for good.

Namaste my Loves, Namaste!

Alice

ATTRIBUTION:

Rev. Martha Quintana, Senior Minister

Rio Grande Center for Spiritual Living4374 Alexander Blvd. NE, Suite TAlbuquerque, NM 87107www.rgcsl.org

No Words - They Are Not Enough

Recent events in Parkland, Florida have hit America hard.  Once again innocent children and their teachers are gunned down in what is supposed to be a safe place.  It seems there are a lot of people debating the merits of back ground checks for gun purchases and the lack of resources for people with mental health issues.  I see lots of finger pointing and there seems to be plenty of blame to go around.

And where does this get us.  17 people, most of them children are still dead.  What are you willing to do to end violence and mass shootings?  Yes I'm asking you, just like I'm asking myself.  

I feel very powerless over these many tragedies that keep happening in our world.  It doesn't satisfy me to make others responsible.  So I must ask the question what am I willing to do?

There's a story about Gandhi that I think illustrates this point.

A mother brought her child to Gandhi one day frustrated.  She told Gandhi that he was constantly eating sugar and she needed help to get him to stop.  Gandhi looked at the boy and told the mother to  bring him back in a week.  A week later the mother and son came back.  Gandhi walked over to the boy, looked him in the eye and said firmly, "Stop eating sugar!"  The mother looked at him incredulous and asked, "we had to wait a week for you to just tell him to stop eating sugar?  Really?" Gandhi looked at her and said, "I needed a the week so that I could stop eating sugar first."

So I must ask myself the question, where am I still harboring violence in my own consciousness?   What am I willing to do in my own world to change?  Let's think about this, let's feel into this together.  What could each of us do in our own lives that would make the world more peaceful?

In the end it's not about our words, it's about our actions, words are not enough.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas because I truly believe there is a solution.