For Sunday January 28th, 2018

Hello everyone, the grief we experience around the passing of a loved one can be softened by awareness of a higher perspective. Looking at the flow of life through its many stages; birth, buoyant youth, adventurous young adult, productive middle years, and the decreasing abilities of old age, we sense a feeling of completion coming on. 

The passage from material to spiritual is at hand, like a graduation.

May we sit this Sunday for higher perspectives. May they give us strength and courage. May we honor the 'bigger picture' of everyone's life.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 21st, 2018

Hello to everyone, ex neo-nazi Chris Picciolini talks about the need for empathy and compassion in his TEDx talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSH5EY-W5oM

May we sit this Sunday to take up his challenge of showing our compassion to someone we may think is undeserving of it. May we have the self-honesty to recognize it within ourselves. May we have the courage to act on it. May we bring our hearts into the world for its healing.

Thank you all,

Richard

Just for the beauty of it...

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=7604

For Sunday January 14th, 2018

Hello everyone, in times of turmoil we search for answers amidst fear and anger. But there are no answers to be found within fear and anger, only continuation of the same.

We must somehow go through the fear, through the anger to the clear open space on the other side. There we will find answers which allow room for peace to grow. 

May we sit this evening for the internal sight which sees beyond our minor selves. May we find answers that strengthen the spiritual glue which holds society together.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday January 7th, 2018

Hello everyone, Wendell Berry wrote, "When the people make dark the light within them, the world darkens." 

And here is a poem of his called The Peace of Wild Things

"When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free." - Wendell Berry

May we all find the peace of wild things, that we may light the world. 

Thank you all,

Richard