For Sunday December 31st, 2017

Hello everyone, the Oneness we seek is the ultimate connection. But our current social structure is rife with division, where cracks are often wedged into chasms and then hardened with angry rhetoric. 

People caught up in the recent floods and hurricanes react naturally by reaching out to each other, instinctively responding to an inner knowing of human connection. We need not wait for disasters to bring this out.

May we sit this evening for that knowing connection. May we step past our social/political thinking and find a deeper truth. May we take a step toward the Oneness we seek.

Thank you all,

Richard

Birthday of Mother Meera

Just a quick note to say that today, December 26th, is the birthday of Mother Meera who was born in 1960. She is one of humanity's spiritual anchors, currently living on Earth. 

For Sunday December 24th, 2017

Hello everyone, a lot has been said about the birth which will be celebrated tomorrow, and there's a lot more which can be said. For now, let's allow that the birth was meant to show us how to be, to show us the way Home.

May we sit this evening for that guiding Light. May our sight be clear. May our hearts be open. May our will be Thine.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday December 17th, 2017

Hello everyone, if we can indeed and truly release our fears and angers we'll find we have opened ourselves to another voice. With the circular chattering of the mind out of the way our hearts become free to speak, sometimes with surprising wisdom. 

It may require some effort over quite some time before finding a moment of peace. But from that peace can come a voice at once familiar, seemingly new, and greatly needed in this world.

May we sit this Sunday for that quieting of mind which allows so much more than thought could ever produce to come lovingly through.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday December 10th, 2017

Hello to all, the phrase, "I release my fears and angers, dear God," is deceptively simple. Looking honestly into it's depth you can find; a statement of intention, a declaration of personal purpose, a promise for the future, a petitioning of the Divine, an awareness of the foibles of the lower self, a desire to change, a love and prioritizing of the higher self, a vision of and commitment to a greater world, humility to let go of the familiar, courage to face the unknown, and faith in the power of connection to Universal Source.

Yet none of this is in the words but rather in yourself, in the honesty and depth of meaning you bring to the phrase.

May we sit this Sunday for that which is within our grasp, for that which we can control, that we may be the change we wish to see in the world. 

Thank you all,

Richard

Special Request for Tuesday December 5th, 2017

Hello everyone, Stanley Peele has asked that we honor a friend of ours who passed on this summer, after 101 exceptional years on Earth. Like all great teachers Vaughn Boone was a friend to all who met him, and an astonishing healer. I'd like to turn this Tuesday's meditation over to Stanley who has written the following:

Massive acts of violence are on the increase.  We can change this tendency if we respond to the violence by extinguishing the violence within ourselves.  Each time we exhibit kindness, each time we practice forgiveness, each time we pray for others – each of these acts will ricochet around the world.   And bring us peace.

 

Vaughn Boone lived the kind of life we aspire to – a dedication to love and peace.  His spirit will continue to have an effect on us. 

 

By taking time to honor him, we can renew our efforts to remove all feelings of hate from our hearts.   And replace them with love!!

 

Yes, acts of violence are present.  Yet, let's remember that acts of kindness and love are far, far more prevalent!

 

"I feel so thankful that God has provided such a way

By which we can rise above this house of clay

To experience in rarified realms beyond our dreams,

As we soar in endless space following His light beams."

 

Vaughn Boone

 

You are warmly invited to join a meditation to honor Vaughn Boone and to re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals he lived by.

 

This will occur on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 9 PM.  Each person can stay in their own homes or where ever they might be.  (No central gathering is planned at this time.)

For Sunday December 3rd, 2017

Hello everyone, comedy guru Swami Beyondananda talks about changing the world, "...when it comes to healing our lives - or the world - the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. The heartless minds that value money over all else have tried to convince us that their inhuman nature is our human nature. I say if we want the Golden Rule to overrule the rule of gold, we have to embody the heart core values of truth, beauty and goodness."

I don't know how to say it better. This Sunday may we sit to see ourselves clearly, laugh at what we find, and love beautifully.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday November 26th, 2017

Hello everyone, the preciousness of life doesn't change. We can have good days and difficult times. We can have personal glory and be made to feel a fool. But the preciousness of life remains.

There is nowhere else to get this schooling, nowhere else to learn such lessons as come to us, nowhere else to apply ourselves to such grace as in these three dimensions.

Let us sit this Sunday with the awareness of where we are, of what we've been given, and of what we've been challenged with; to bring the beauty of heaven into this world.

Thank you to all who bring good news,

Richard

A Thanksgiving prayer from Stanley Peele

I hope Stanley doesn't mind but I couldn't find any better way of saying this:

 

 (Picture courtesy of Joe Riley)

THANKSGIVING PRAYER

Dear God, as we give thanks to you,

Let us allow Your Love

To enter in.

In this time of turmoil and fear,

Let peace enter deep within our souls;

And pardon all insults.

Insulate us from hate Completely.

Help us to go to that place of serenity

Where judgment cannot enter.

Let love shine from us

Like sparking dew in the morning sunshine.

Let this prayer for peace be done

Every morning, at every meal, and every night.

 And when walking, with every step.

So that,

When we pray for peace on earth, then,

As it is within, so shall it be without.

Stanley

.

__,_._,__

For Sunday November 19th, 2017

Hello everyone, the Civil Rights marches of the 1960s, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest in Beijing, the Arab Spring, and today's flush of sexual predators can all be seen under the same heading. While there have been differing levels of success, each comes from the position of, "I ought not be treated this way."

As people on the foundational levels of society find their voices, as hearts are opened to the awareness of mistreatment, humanity moves forward. While we don't know the length or curvature of this road, its outcome is Oneness.

May we sit this evening for further travels. May we sit for the shortening of this road. May we open our hearts that Oneness may make itself known.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday November 12th, 2017

Hello everyone, a high school student once asked Mr. Rogers what the greatest event in American History was. He answered, "I suspect that like so many 'great' events, it was something very simple and very quiet with little or no fanfare (such as someone forgiving someone else for a deep hurt that eventually changed the course of history). The really important 'great' things are never center stage of life's dramas; they're always 'in the wings.' That's why it's so essential for us to be mindful of the humble and the deep rather than the flashy and the superficial."

This matches what is learned by Near Death Experiencers in their life reviews, that it's the small things that really matter over time.

May we sit this evening for the forgiveness and the grace from which may spring the humble and the deep.

Reverently submitted,

Richard

For Sunday November 5th, 2017

Hello everyone, in his work A New Peace Paradigm 

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author Paul K. Chapell says we humans are born with many spiritual and psychological cravings. These healthy and appropriate cravings can become twisted when entangled in the chaos of personal trauma. A few he mentions are:

The desire for purpose and meaning in one's life turns into meaninglessness and nihilism when entangled in trauma.

The need for nurturing relationships is reduced to mistrust due to trauma.

The desire for personal or artistic expression is shut down or expelled as rage by the effects of trauma.

And trauma turns the spiritual need for belonging into alienation.

These can be easy to see as we look out into the world. And, we may find some of them on the inside as well.

May we sit tonight in hopes of seeing where trauma may have twisted our own spiritual cravings and of finding where our kindness may help untwist some of the trauma of others.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday October 29th, 2017

Hello to all, as our society becomes more and more divided it becomes more and more essential to connect. Loving comes naturally while anger, hate, mistrust and separation are all learned during the chaos of life. 

Perhaps, through an exchange of dialogue, civil conversation, and genuine curiosity we can begin to blur the imagined line between friends and foes. Perhaps we can find and nurture the growth of connection, and experience the relief of letting go of harsh judgements. 

This Sunday may we let those who are without sin cast the first stone, while we reach out a hand.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday October 22nd, 2017

Hello everyone, the seed of every human foible and horror can be found within every one of us. Every anger, fear, jealousy, greed, paranoia, bits of guilt and revenge, egotistical chest thumping, and woe begone depression which we find so objectionable in 'those people' can also be found, to some degree, within ourselves.

It is very simple to say these come from a lack of connection to the Universal Source. It can be very difficult to purge them and maintain a clear connection to Universal Source, especially in times of turmoil, but that is our life's work.

This Sunday may we strive to become the clarity we wish to see in the world. May there be wisdom in our choices. May there be love of humanity in our hearts.

With reverence,

Richard

For Sunday October 15th, 2017

Hello everyone, at times like this when societal embers of anger, fear, and divisiveness are often fanned into flames it becomes essential to look within. It can be quite challenging to set aside justifications for how we think and feel, but it must be done in order to connect.

When people are entrenched in their thinking it becomes very difficult to change their minds. But it might be possible to change their hearts – if we have changed our own.

May we sit this Sunday for the self-honesty to see clearly. May we find our true center. May we reach out from there with patience and understanding in hopes of true connection.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday October 8th, 2017

Hello everyone, I'd like to turn this evenings meditation over to Stanley Peele, a good friend and exceptional mentor to me. He writes:

OUR REACTION TO THE MASSACRE IN LAS VEGAS

What should we do in response to the massacre in Las Vegas?

We can have increased security in hotels and other buildings.  That may help, but a determined killer will not be deterred.

We can put fences around our property.  However, we cannot fence the world.

We can hire more police.  We can arm ourselves.  That is what we have been doing.

We can increase the use of electronic devices to detect the presence of weapons.

We can tighten the regulations about the sale of weapons and the kinds of weapons that are legal.  However, it is unlikely that our government will take any meaningful steps in that area.

All of these are natural responses.  However, they have not worked.  Violence has not been stemmed, and the magnitude, the inhumanity of the violence is increasing. 

There is another way.  All the responses to violence listed above are directed outwards, to other people.   We should also look inward – at ourselves.  What is our response to mass killings?  Fear?  Anger?  Blaming others?  Blaming the hotel?  Blaming the police?

All of these things miss the point.  Since the beginning of civilization, we have been missing the point.   The point is, we should react with inner kindness as well as outer protection.  When Cain murdered Abel, that act could have taught the survivors that killing was not the path to travel on.

The failure to learn this lesson has been repeated billions of times through the pages of history.

We have to protect ourselves, yet to do this without inner reflection is fruitless.

Let's respond to the Las Vegas massacre by increasing our kindness to others.  There is no better way for us to honor the 69 people who were killed and those who were injured there. 

Let's be more aware of the needs of others around us.  We can try to follow the boy scout law, a part of which is to be "trustworthy, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind and cheerful." 

Remember the "random acts of kindness" movement of a few years back?  Let's harken unto that.

Make today about someone else! 

Specifically, let's do at least two acts of kindness every day for 30 days.  If we do that, perhaps it will become habitual.  Then, if enough people do it we can glimpse the Garden of Eden.

Stanley Peele

Oct. 7, '17

Thank you Stanley and thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday October 1st, 2017

Hello to everyone, a living caterpillar wraps itself in a cocoon and dissolves into a messy white goo before emerging as a butterfly. There is nothing about the goo which suggests a butterfly. However, if you closely examine an adult caterpillar you'll find the beginnings of a set of wings just beneath its skin. So it sometimes is with us. 

We each have what we need inside to take flight but often have to go through a transformation first; minds need to expand, and most importantly, hearts need to open. The white goo is a messy but essential step. 

May we sit this Sunday with an acceptance of whatever 'white goo' we may find in our lives. May we take comfort in the wings within. May we see the wings in others.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday September 24th, 2017

Hello everyone, here's a quote from Vincent Van Gogh. "The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides, and in its depths it has its pearls too." 

We see the the storms in harsh antagonistic attitudes, the tides in the swing and sway of public opinion, and the pearls come forth in the way strangers swarm in to help each other during times of disaster. 

May we sit this Sunday for those who are caught up in natural disasters, for those caught up in disasters of their own making, and for the beautiful friends and strangers who swarm in to be of help.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday September 17th, 2017

Hello everyone, we are exposed to a lot of strife in this world. We find far too many opportunities to engage in the anger of it's 'us' against 'them' or the paranoia of 'they' are against 'us'. This mangled frenzy of 'divisiveness above all' was sorely put to the test with hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Sadly, it too often takes a natural disaster for people to wake up to their inner heart and reach out a helping hand yet – it did happen. 

Huge masses of people worked together to help out neighbors and strangers alike before, during, and after the storms. 

This is where we find the real truth of humanity, in our natural compassion. Such disasters are not designed to be 'tests'. The Earth and the weather have to do their thing, after all. But we can see it as having passed a test of our innate spirituality.

May we sit this Sunday in gratitude for our actual truth. May we remember it well into the future.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday September 10th, 2017

Hello all, if you would care to let us take not just this Sunday but this full weekend to pray for all those involved with Hurricane Irma.

Respectfully,

Richard

For Sunday September 3rd, 2017

Hello to all, as has been said many times - those who aggravate us are our greatest teachers for they bring emphasis to the least loving facets of our natures. The justifications for our opinions can be unassailable in our minds and our righteousness unquestionable in our minds. But if we are less than loving, then it's all in our minds.

Anger carries great power, fear subverts responsibility, revenge claims to be its own reward. Yet all of them come from the smaller self, which is separated from our home in Universal Consciousness.

May we sit this Sunday for true knowledge of ourselves. May we find the self-love which becomes outward-love, which is the language of Universal Consciousness.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday August 27th, 2017

Hello everyone, other than absolute saints each one of us can be divided up into two parts. There is the part of us which is continuously connected to Universal Consciousness, and there is the part of us which has separated itself from Universal Consciousness, commonly called ego. The job of those who love outwardly is to learn to identify which part of us our impulses are coming from.

The fruits of the ego, anger, fear, and revenge, are powerful, addictive, and temporarily satisfying. But the fruits of the spirit bring contentment, an encompassing satisfaction, inner peace, and kindness toward self and others.

May we sit this evening for the capacity to identify and choose well from among the impulses that arise in our daily lives. May we have the courage to search for greater guidance, and the strength to follow it.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday August 20th, 2017

Hello to all, we see much disturbance in the news these days. We have our understandable reactions to it; fear, anger, sadness, disgust, disapproval, etc. To be able to recognize our initial personal reactions, set them aside, and search for something greater from within ourselves can be very helpful.

We would not think so highly of Nelson Mandela if he had persecuted his jailers. We would not be so impressed with Malala Yousafzai if she had wished to kill the people who shot her. 

Are they exceptional people or are they good people who found exceptional strength and compassion within themselves?

May we sit this Sunday for the strength and courage to find our own greater selves – and to reach out to others from there. 

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday August 13th, 2017

Hello everyone, the ancients tell us of the two waves of souls coming to the Earth plane, the first getting lost and forgetting their spiritual beginnings with the second wave coming as a rescue attempt. They also tell us that some of the second wave became lost as well yet still retained many of the 'spiritual gifts' of charisma, intuition, and perhaps more. 

It is from this group of 'lost second wave' that we find false prophets, selfishly driven and enamored of the wealth, power, fame, and followers that can be accumulated by the use of their 'gifts'. Herein lies a lesson – we are all susceptible to some extent. 

In order to recognize these common human frailties in others it helps to first identify them within ourselves. 

May we sit this Sunday with self-awareness, self-honesty, and a true desire to clarify our connection to Universal Consciousness.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday August 6th, 2017

Hello to all, the ancients tell us there were two waves of souls which came to the Earth plane. The first wave, quickly lost in the experiences of the material world, forgot their connection to Universal Consciousness. The second wave, intended as a rescue attempt, had to involve themselves in materiality but retained a memory and some connection to Universal Consciousness. 

In modern times these groups can be roughly described as those who love outwardly and those who love selfishly. The goal of the outward-loving is to reach, connect, and remind those who self-love that Universal Consciousness is available and waiting.

May we sit this Sunday with the understanding that we are all One, yet some are lost. May we reach out in an honest, heart-felt manner whenever possible. May the separated return to the Universal.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday July 30th, 2017

Hello everyone, on the surface these appear to be tumultuous times with groups of people spread out like islands in a turbulent sea. Yet we know that far beneath that surface we're all very connected. Traveling between islands brings to mind the grand and eloquent word 'coddiwomple' meaning to travel purposefully toward an unknown destination. 

While we know the final destination is an awareness of our connections, the unknown part is when all islands will grasp the insight to look below the surface.

May we sit this Sunday for the experience of our connections. May we know their truth. May they guide our lives.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday July 23rd, 2017

Hello everyone, in times of turmoil and anxiety it's wise to remember the ancient saying, "When you walk toward the Light, the shadow of your burdens will always fall behind you." And, there are a number of techniques to help you walk toward the Light.

*Belly Breathing – 'fight or flight' responses cause chest breathing, belly breathing can be calming.

*Gratitude List – an accounting of things you are grateful for can help refocus your attention.

*Third Eye Mantra – focusing on the third eye area while repeating the Serenity Prayer, or the Lord's Prayer, or Om Mani Padme Hum, or whatever you find that works to direct your attention spiritually upward.

These things, and others, work to strengthen our connection to our Higher Selves. They also disconnect us from the residue of old fears and angers which the subconscious mind clings to. 

May we sit this Sunday for the original meaning of the word 'Amen' which was, "I commit." May we commit ourselves to improving our spiritual connection and thereby reap the contentment and satisfaction which comes from 'walking toward the Light'.

Amen,

Richard

For Sunday July 16th, 2017

Hello everyone, science tells us that all the planets, stars, and galaxies are in their exact positions because all of the others are in their own exact positions. It is the great harmony of nature, the great balance inherent within Universal Consciousness.

Humans, with the free will to separate themselves from Universal Consciousness, have drawn themselves out of balance with a love of power, wealth, and the various attractions of material sensations.

Yet the connection to Universal Consciousness is still available. It can be found in an appreciation of nature, the laughter of a child, and in meditation.

May we sit this evening for our own connection. May we find our internal balance. May we 'set things right' within our own hearts.

Thank you all,

Richard

Prayer for Vaughn Boone

Vaughn Boone completed his passing through of this life on July 13th at 11:45pm, aged 101 exceptional years. Husband, father, teacher, healer, mentor, magician, he was many things to many, many people. Now he is more. There is an unbroken chain reaching upward from our glorious tiny little lives all the way back to our Universal Source. He has always been a sturdy link in that chain, now a notch higher.

We who were fortunate to call him friend celebrate his graduation from this life, even as we grieve. 

He played many tricks during his time here; ropes, cards, coins, and flowers would appear and disappear; jokes, ventriloquism, songs, and music poured forth; stories, healings, and an eager helping hand all flowed from his open, loving heart. 

He did many tricks, but his greatest was to evoke the Master Magician within the hearts of those upon whom he poured his love. The same Master Magician who he always held dear and always served. The same Master Magician who holds all of us dear.

We like to say, "God speed" or, "Go with God" and, "May God be with him" when someone we love passes. We try to express what we wish for them. We innocently miss the point. Our human words cannot convey the otherworld beauty within which Vaughn now lovingly resides.  

Let us celebrate his life, emulate his love, and look forward to meeting him again when we all come together in the Greater One.

Reverently submitted,

Richard

For Sunday July 9th, 2017

Hello to all, if you come upon a thirsty person wandering in the desert and offer them a picture of a lake you would do no good for them. If you taught them about the chemistry of water it wouldn't help them; technical descriptions of dams, rivers, and sluiceways would be useless. They need actual water.

Similarly those who are spiritually lost, lacking in love, need actual love. Whenever we can find an honest connection then share our hearts, it helps them find their hearts. 

May we sit this Sunday for the setting aside of differences in favor of finding connections. May we share honestly in the hopes those connections may grow.

Submitted with reverence,

Richard

For Sunday July 2nd, 2017

Hello to everyone, for those whose desire is to love outwardly the turmoil of the world can be distressing. Yet still, the fruits of the spirit are an integral part of the world's design and cannot be displaced. 

At times such as these those who love outwardly are called to be shepherds, showing the way by nurturing the fruits of the spirit within, for the purpose of sharing.

Love, kindness, compassion, and harmlessness will never go out of style – or be unneeded.

May we petition God for the personal strength and serenity to be good shepherds in this time of transition.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday June 25th, 2017

Hello everyone, a recent healing class was instructed that if they did not perceive the light flowing through them, they should imagine it doing so. This can lead to problems. 

For many individual reasons perceivable light does not always accompany a healing or an attempted healing. If the designated healee is not to be healed for some reason then light may well not flow. If the designated healer is doing something which blocks the flow of energy they would be better off knowing so than covering it with their imagination.

When doing spiritual work it is important to know the reality of a situation. To 'fill in' what you think is missing is to practice self-deception at a time when you most need to know what is true.

May we sit this evening for seeing clearly, for knowing truth, for having the honesty to face what is. May we see ourselves as we are.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June 18th, 2017

Hello everyone, existing in a three dimensional world is a gift because it allows the opportunity to see ourselves, if we take the time. When we observe ourselves, without comparison or condemnation, in every relationship we have whether it be with people, events, or even things we show through clearly – because our side of the relationship comes entirely from us.

Just as any form of judgement is too often used as an ending of a thought process, seeing clearly allows further insights.

May we sit this Sunday for the freedom of non-judgement. May we look at the world as it is and ourselves as we are. May we find what is just beyond our self-limited thinking.

With reverence,

Richard

For Sunday June 11th, 2017

Hello to all, I'm sending this early but summer must be in full bloom by this particular Sunday. It can be a reminder that we ourselves are always in some stage of bloom. Arctic wooly bear caterpillars survive through 5-7 winters before transforming – and: 

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths." 

- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross 

May we find our way to becoming the beautiful people we are meant to be.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday June 4th, 2017

Hello everyone, in this time of strife I'd like to return to Thomas Merton's interpretation of the Taoist sage Chuang Tzu:

So, when the shoe fits,

The foot is forgotten.

When the belt fits,

The belly is forgotten.

When the heart is right,

"For" and "against" are forgotten.

May we find the way to get our hearts 'right' and to then connect the 'right' way with others in this time of need.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday May 28th, 2017

Hello everyone, may we sit this Sunday for everyone involved in the Manchester bombing. May we include those who lost their lives, those who were injured, the un-injured concert goers, the general public, and all who lost their innocent naivety on Monday. 

Such attacks can surely harden the heart with fear and anger in a world where there is already too much of both.

If you would care to, please also sit for the perpetrators of the bombing. The desire to bend the world to your liking through violent actions is not only misguided but brings a heavy toll upon the soul.

In reverence,

Richard

For Sunday May 21st, 2017

Hello to everyone, the many variations of external power, money, position, military might, are bound to fail in the long run. Being that the only true power in the universe is Love it needs to be brought forth. One miraculous looking way of doing this is through healings. 

If you describe yourself as a healer, or have had healing experiences while in the sleep state, the call is to get better at it. Learn to do it while awake, you'll do a better job and others may more easily see.

May we sit this evening for all healing, the healing we need, the healing we can do, and the healing of all.

With reverence,

Richard

For Sunday May 14th, 2017

I'll be away from my computer for a week or so. So I'm sending this coming Sunday's and next Tuesday's meditations today. Enjoy!

Hello everyone, Edgar Cayce says to remember the recipe of making three people laugh every day. He doesn't say whether it should be the same three or three new people every day - but the message of spreading joy is clear. 

May we find it within our hearts to smile and may we spread that smile to others.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday May 7th, 2017

Hello everyone, in a time of such political discord it becomes all the more important to treat each person we meet with the best of our human grace. We have no idea how many miles they have walked, nor how well their shoes fit our feet. 

May we sit this Sunday to be the gentle spot someone may need, to be the relieving moment of laughter, to be the honest smile in a difficult time.

May this era of discord be eased by our grace.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday April 30th, 2017

Hello everyone, if we had been working telepathically you all would have been telling me to slow down and not try to do everything at once. So it seems that's a good focus for this evening – the care and nurturing of the self.

May we take our time to heal. May we sit back and breath. May we let ourselves rest.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday April 23rd, 2017

Hello everyone, it is possible to affect the future of the world with attitudinal changes. A change of attitude from less loving to more loving is one of the most beautiful things a person can experience or observe. Such changes are entirely internal yet can have an enormous affect on the outer world. 

Here's an exercise: choose someone you feel would benefit from an improved attitude. It can be a world or national figure, someone down the street, in your family, or a random passerby. It's your choice, anyone you want. Choose them, then love them. Love them absolutely. Try desperately to love them enough that they love themselves enough to change their attitude.

You can spend as much time on it as you wish, five minutes or five years, but it must come honestly from the heart. 

NDEers tell us that in our life reviews we will see the fruits of our labors.

Thank you everyone,

Richard

Good grief...

It's only this morning that I realized I had missed yesterday's meditation completely. I have an excuse for being distracted, if it helps at all. My step-brother passed away on April 1st. Yup, he was a big time joker and somehow it was very fitting for him to pass on April Fool's Day. The thing which was such a distraction for me was that I had been asked to officiate at his funeral service which was held on Saturday the 15th. Somehow I was completely wrapped up in preparing for that and looking forward to Easter at my daughter's house on Sunday. The Sunday evening meditation never entered my mind. Sheesh...

Well, I guess we have to accept our human frailties as lovingly as we can, then carry on. So, Tuesday's focus will be coming soon and I'll 'resurrect' my efforts for next Sunday.

Thank you all for your understanding,

Richard

For Sunday April 9th, 2017

Hello everyone, we humans are fantastic at justifying absolutely anything. Whatever impulse occurs within us can be instantly justified by our mind. We then gleefully follow that impulse with the unshakable belief that it was the justification which came first.

Yet the teachings of Buddhism tell us to watch what our minds are doing. There is always a wise, outwardly loving path available. Are we searching for it or simply following internal impulses and justifications?

May we sit this evening for the awareness of our own inner workings. May our biases, angers, grievances, and habitual thought patterns become clear. May we search for the wiser way.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday April 2nd, 2017

Hello everyone, division creates war. The war may be outwardly destructive or internally conflicting.  Whether it's geographical, cultural, ideological, financial, power based, or a selfish artifice of politics, as long as a pattern of division exists in our hearts and minds we are bound to produce war. 

We look for external forces as protection, military and legal, against that which we continue to create internally. All this while science gets closer and closer to proving what the ancients have said for eons, that we are One.

May we sit this evening for the greater truth. May we set aside our thinking mind. May we release conflict and find connection.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday March 26th, 2017

Hello everyone, this quote still resonates, "...humor and irony are proof that we are only travelers through this world, not trapped within it." 

The ability to find a larger perspective is always at our side.

May we sit this evening with the awareness that new perspectives are always available and often needed. May we see. May we see farther. May we see ourselves anew, as if from afar.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard

For Sunday March 9th, 2017

Hello all, being that we are spiritual creations a promise lies within us, a promise sometimes dormant, sometimes ignored yet still holding as true and pure as the moment it was given.

Heaven on Earth awaits for us to join the dance. And, in the words of T.S. Eliot, "At the still point, there the dance is."

May we sit this Sunday for the dance which is found in stillness, for 'Heaven on Earth' to be, and our promise fulfilled.

With loving reverence,

Richard

For Sunday March 12th, 2017

"Hello everyone, life today is pretty easy for us. We don't have to hunt for food, we don't have to walk to the creek for water, and we have hot water all day long. That's why it's not always easy to know which way a USB plug needs to be facing and why it's so difficult to get a tiny phone charger cord plugged in. It's an attempt at keeping the pioneering spirit alive."

These are the kind of thoughts which come to mind after four days without electricity due to a windstorm here in Rochester, NY.

All is well now so let us sit this evening for those who work in extremely adverse conditions for the benefit of others. From the electrician repairing broken wires high in the air with 50mph winds and below freezing temperatures to the hospital nurses figuring out how to 'make do' until the roads are clear enough that relief workers can arrive, let us sit in appreciation for them all.

Gratefully submitted,

Richard

For Sunday March 5th, 2017

Hello everyone, there is a joke under the heading of 'Sayings of a Jewish Buddha' which goes. "If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?" It's a fun way of saying that we have to take care of things on both levels, physical and beyond. 

Our bodies are exceptional vehicles which allow us to do our work here in the physical world and it's best to take care of them. Tom Sawyer once generalized that babies and old men have decreased abilities when it comes to remote healing.

May we give our bodies the care they need. May we use our presence here lovingly. May we join them both in one.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday February 26th, 2017

Hello everyone, we understand that bad choices bring experiences, experiences bring wisdom, and wisdom brings better choices. So what are we looking at when we see someone we call wise? We're looking at someone who has made a lot of bad choices, and has learned.

To accept and learn from our own past choices requires forgiveness, which comes from love. In our lifetime we can be shown love; we can share love; and we can give love, even to ourselves.

May we sit this evening for the self-love which brings forgiveness, that we may accept and learn, and move toward wisdom ourselves.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday February 19th, 2017

Hello everyone, the St. Francis saying, "Make me an instrument of your peace" is sometimes unconsciously followed by, "In spite of my own pain." But the message carries far more personal responsibility if it's seen as, "Help me to find the way out of pain, through your Grace, and I will spread what I have learned."

How can we teach that which we have not fully and deeply learned?

May we sit this Sunday for the courage to look deep, to find where we 'miss the mark' spiritually, and for the loving strength needed to heal whatever we find.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday February 12th, 2017

Hello to everyone, may we ask this week that God's Light shine down upon the situation at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan. Atmospheric radiation from the crippled plant has recently increased in a marked way and it could use some assistance. 

Reverently submitted,

Richard

For Sunday February 5th, 2017

Hello everyone, can we treat others with kindness and forbearance even when we drastically disagree with them? Well, Pope Francis says our relationship with the Creator can be seen in our relationship to creation which is to say, how we treat others is a measure of our love.

  

In these times of strife and acrimony can we see how the opinions of the mind are different from the knowledge of the heart? Can we give priority to our 'heart of hearts' rather than to our limited thinking?

If we can then we can build a future. If we cannot, we will copy the past. The choice lies in our hands.

May we sit this evening for our inner courage, our inner peace, and may wisdom come forth.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday January 29th, 2017

Hello everyone, Tibetans are the only people known to have changed from a warrior culture to being peaceful and spiritually oriented. Despite being warriors they still maintained a connection to the Earth and saw themselves as shepherds of the Earth rather than owners free to exploit resources for profit.

This compassionate core provided them with a foundation upon which Buddhist teachings could build a new focus for their society.  

Today in our fractured and often exploitive world what compassion do we have to build a better world upon? Perhaps the compassion we show to each other. 

May we sit this Sunday for the strength and the will to treat everyone we interact with compassionately. May we treat all others as we would like to be treated ourselves.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 22nd, 2017

Hello to everyone, self-awareness is a difficult and often painful path. Our inner conflicts can be embarrassing to discover and uncover. One way to avoid such torment is by following authority, relinquishing our challenging inner work to follow preset rules in hopes of achieving happiness.

But authority creates power which corrupts the leader and blinds the follower. It leads us away from the matter of our inner issues and gives a balm which is temporary at best. 

May we sit this Sunday for the courage to dig in. May we see ourselves clearly and lovingly. May such love fully 'be' on this Earth.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday January 15th, 2017

Hello everyone, in this sometimes troubling era discerning false prophets by the fruits of their labors can take time. The fruits to look for are laid out by all the great religions and are known in your heart; patience, wisdom, wonder, kindness, and loving outwardly rather than inwardly to self, among others. 

It is possible to hold these same fruits as a benchmark for ourselves and give the gift of time to all concerned.

This evening, as we seek to improve the world, let us improve ourselves within it. May we sit for these fruits in our lives. May we may recognize them in others.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard

For Sunday January 8th, 2017

Hello everyone, when we can 'smile from our hearts' at all people, when we can see them as aspects of the Divine no matter how lost they seem to be in our view, we enlarge our hearts and create connections.

At times like this when there are those who would profit from division and anger these connections are critical. 

This evening may we begin building our future from the inside until it shows on the outside. 

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday January 1st, 2016

Hello everyone, in this season of political and economic discord between the left and the right, fake and real news, haves and have-nots, it may be well to retain a broad perspective. 

Yes, each of us must follow what we find in our hearts and do the work which comes to hand. But even snowflakes with their myriad variations are not in angry conflict. Each is different, some landing among the trees and some upon the ground, yet keep in mind it is winter – summer will come, and all will rejoin.

May we sit this evening for the presence of mind to see the fuller picture, even when delving into details.

Thank you all,

Richard