For Sunday, June 27th, 2010

Hello all, if we look at the entire course of human history as if it were the life of a single individual we might see correlations in the growth of maturity. The millions of early known years could be seen as a childhood, where simply existing here was satisfactory and sufficient. The advent and growth of technology, from tools to metallurgy to steam to nuclear and communications, could be the teenage years where we have seen our strengths and realized we can change and adapt our environment to our desires, often without regard for consequences.

The next step, to the mature use of our strengths with restraint and consideration for others and the future, seems to be long in coming. If it's true that we stand teetering on the brink of our 21st birthday, balanced between single-minded selfishness and compassionate cooperation, perhaps it will take only a breeze to tip the scale, perhaps a gale.

This Sunday may we sit for that breeze, for the desire to conduct ourselves maturely, for the loving growth into spiritual adulthood.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, June 20th, 2010

Hello all, Dr. Masaru Emoto is a Japanese Scientist who has done extensive research on how the energy of love changes the molecular structure of water at the quantum level.
You can check out his web sites: http://www.hado.net/ or www.masaru-emoto.net/english.

He has proposed a simple prayer for the Gulf of Mexico:
To whales, dolphins, manatees, pelicans, seagulls and all aquatic bird species, fishes, shellfish, planktons, corals, algae and all ion creatures in the Gulf of Mexico,

I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.

Unity Church of Venice, in Venice, Florida, is inviting Churches to gather their spiritual communities on Sunday, June 20, 2010 and surround the Gulf of Mexico waters in love and prayer at 3:00 pm Eastern time. I pass this on as an offer to join in the 3pm prayer and our own 9pm link-up as well.

Humbly offered,

Richard

For Sunday, June 13th, 2010

Hello all, as I understand it ship builders had fairly denuded European forests around the time of Columbus and his travels. The invention of steel ships, creosote to make railroad ties last longer, and the mining of coal for heating, took much of the burden off the forests of the New World.

The whaling industry started with off-shore jaunts of three weeks and became three to four year trips, searching for whales all over the world. By the mid 1800's the petroleum industry stepped in to replace an insatiable consumption of whale oil.

The advent of new technologies has fed our desire for consumption so often, in recent history, that it has become an expected promise. However, we live on a ball floating in space, with enormous distances between us and the next available thing to be consumed. Perhaps it would be wise to treat our resources, and indeed our home, with a bit more respect, or even reverence.

This Sunday may we sit for the care of Mother Earth, our home, our sustainer. May we treat what we find here kindly, lovingly, for ourselves and for those who come after us.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Hello all, I've just received this note from Barbara Whitfield about her appearing on the Biography Channel of A&E. She is asking that we dedicate our meditation of Sunday, June 6th to her taping session of the following day. I've watched Tom reach out to people many times, to those who are interested and those who are reluctant, in incredibly beautiful ways. May we sit for Barbara to be gifted in the same loving way during the taping of this show, and afterward as well.

Thank you,

Richard

Here's Barbara's note...

Dear Richard,

I am being flown to Miami next Sunday afternoon June 6 for an interview to be done by the Bio Channel/ A and E the next morning

June 7th starting at 9 am EST. It will take approximately two hours. This is going to be shown in the fall and will be repeated over and

over on a new series called Beyond and Back. Bio Channel is already showing the pilot which is excellent. I will have one third to one half of a full hour airtime as there will be either two or three of us telling our stories: what we were like before our NDE, and then how we are now.

When I was on Donahue many years ago, I was debunked by the president of the national atheist society and a cardiologist who had a book out saying that the Light in the NDE was Lucifer in disguise and I was naive! At that time I had a whole order of nuns praying for me and I was the strongest I had ever been!

So I just thought, wouldn't it be wonderful if our meditation group could think of me this coming Sunday night and send me energy for Monday morning?

Please send it for Monday Morning so I can sleep through the night on Sunday! And this isn't for me personally, but for me to relay this message that Tom and all of us want to relay -- that there is no death and dying is safe!!

Thanks, Richard,

Love,

Barbara

Barbara Whitfield

www.barbarawhitfield.com

www.cbwhit.com

bw11@mindspring.com

For Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Hello all, in 1964 the 'Gulf of Tonkin Incident' was used as justification for what became the Vietnam War. It can be argued that everything which occurred in the following 9 years can be traced back to the phrase, "...some kind of discharge" from a North Vietnamese boat, although the nature of the discharge was never determined.

The incident is controversial and research into it now brings up many questions about the desires of the leaders and how the events were 'spun' into providing what they wanted. The beginnings of nearly all wars look uncomfortably alike.

Today the world deals with an incident between North and South Korea. What are the desires of the leaders? Are their thoughts and actions motivated by purely political and industrial concerns? Are they listening for guidance from a Higher Source? We can pray they listen, and listen well.

This Sunday may we sit for a spiritual resolution to the current crisis, that the leaders, and everyone involved, listen Above for guidance. And if you happen to give it a moment or more between now and Sunday, that's good too.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Hello all, most of us who knew or met Tom Sawyer did so because of his NDE, which occurred on this day in 1978. The work he became aware of within that NDE is still ongoing, people still need spiritual guidance, the 'Big Blue Marble' still needs help.

This Sunday may we sit for the continuation of that work, the spiritual up-lifting of humanity, the shepherding of our home the Earth through it's natural course, the strengthening connection to our higher selves and beyond.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, May 16th, 2010

Hello all, the Dalai Lama says our enemies are often our greatest teachers, by bringing our human inadequacies to the surface that we may deal with them. To do so requires the courage to face ourselves honestly and the strength to resist less-than-loving human tendencies, buoyed up by a broad spiritual perspective on life.

These things are not always easy as we struggle with our human-ness. Compassion for our weaknesses, and those who bring them up, is essential.

This Sunday may we sit for the compassion, the strength, and the courage to shape our own lives into the highest ideal we can grasp, into a practical spiritual presence on Earth.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, May 9th, 2010

Hello all, I've gotten some requests that we focus on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico this week. Difficulties of all kinds, naturally occurring or the result of human intervention, can serve many purposes. Whether brought on by karmic requirements, the chaotic nature of weather and tectonic plates, or simple foolish human inadequacies, such things can inspire compassion, heroism, and sometimes miraculous moments.

In our humanly limited view of the world we often miss larger perspectives. It is entirely possible to impinge spiritual progress by wanting everything to be comfortable and familiar. Perhaps someone needs to overcome fear and perform an act of selfless heroism for their own personal growth. Perhaps someone else has spiritually agreed to experience helplessness and despair in order to inspire compassion in those around them.

It's easy to underestimate our own innocent ignorance. Situations which we label as 'sad and bad' are often springboards to spirituality. Should we stop every difficulty and make it go back to 'normal'? Should we never be tested that we may bring out our better sides? Or should we willingly rise to address whatever is presented to us with wisdom, compassion, and appropriate loving action?

The answers to this are many, and entirely individual.

May we sit this Sunday for the wisdom to act, the wisdom to love, the wisdom to be fully engaged with all facets of this earthly life, and to respond in kind with 'As Above, So Below'.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, May 2nd, 2010

Hello all, here's a little story:

One day up in heaven God was flowing along in his typically loving, creative way when he began singing a song. During the words 'Zip-a-dee-doo-dah' he gathered up the bits and pieces of energy that would come to be the physical universe. As he sang 'Zip-a-dee-ay' a wild chaotic spiral of galaxies, stars and planets burst forth from the endless exuberance of His timeless moment. On the word 'My' humanity itself came into being. A vast array of diverse peoples breathed into existence by boundless Love and the sheer Joy of Creation.

As He spoke the word 'oh' humanity came to hear His voice and notice it's own surroundings. The material world was found to hold many enticing possibilities. Attachments were formed as attention turned from the timeless connection with Source to the limited enchantments of time and space. As he sang the second 'my' humanity's hearing faded from timelessness into limitation leaving only the ongoing hum of the beginning of 'my' to be heard.

As time has passed the story has come down us that "Om" is the sound of all creation. It is possible that it merely signifies the limits of our perception, and we have yet to hear the fullness of God's song.

This Sunday may we sit for that fullness, in ourselves and in the world.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, April 25th. 2010

Hello all, something on the radio recently sparked a thought. The event being reported upon seemed to me to be an anger-based impulsive reaction to some previous situation. It seemed that replying in a thoughtful manner to the previous situation was a concept that was quite lost.

As I look back on my own life I see many times where I have reacted on the impulse of anger, regretting it later after thoughtful observation. And I know that in my work life, and with friends, I much more appreciate being responded to thoughtfully than receiving an angry impulse reaction.

So, anger-based reaction or thoughtful response, which ever way is chosen becomes the set-up, the foundation, the building block of the future we will soon be a part of; whether it be tomorrow, next year, or next generation.

Let us sit this Sunday for the concept of thoughtful response, in ourselves, in our leaders, in the everyday popular world.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Hello all, reports this week of an earthquake on the Tibetan plateau has caught my attention. In 1981 an earthquake nearby, in the Lhasa valley, fulfilled an ancient prophecy. It was the signal that it was time for Tibetans to go out into the world and spread their spirituality, not necessarily their religion, but rather their compassion. This quake signals no less of a need for compassion today.

This Sunday may we sit for the people of the earthquake, for the increase of compassion, for a grace-filled completion of spiritual prophecy.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Hello all, I don't recall if I've mentioned that I'm directing a play for the first time, a comedic melodrama. The amount of preparation work is surprising. Arranging rehearsals around the schedules of a 15 member cast is daunting. There are 5 cast members who have never acted before and appropriately require extra coaching. It's easy to get buried for hours in the daily flurry of emails. I had to fire an uncooperative cast member this week and find a replacement. And there's also a dance number. I don't have to choreograph that, whew.

I have been 'whelmed' by the busy-ness of it all. I've found it very challenging, engaging, invigorating - and difficult to step away from.

Yet I notice that whatever aplomb I may bring to the effort is a direct reflection of spiritual growth. The ancient saying "As Above, So Below" is not only a guidance and a prophecy, it can also be observed, striving for it's own fullness, in an ordinary day. We need only take the time to see with loving eyes.

This Sunday may we take that break, step back from our day, see with the broad perspective of loving eyes, and join in with the ongoing beauty of "As Above, So Below".

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, April 4th. 2010

Hello all, I heard Mark Johnson speak on "Peace Talks Radio". He continues to make these kinds of videos under the heading of "Playing for Change". His foundation of the same name provides music schools, lessons, a bed for the night, whatever is needed in impoverished areas of the world. A quote, as near as I can recall, from Mark, "Religion and politics can do a lot. However, they're both steeped in separation. Music can more easily bring people together."

Here's one of the videos, One Love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xjPODksI08&feature=channel

This Sunday may we sit for the true One Love, as it lives in all hearts, is expressed in all cultures, and is lived from within.

Thank you,

Richard