For Sunday February 24th, 2013

Hello to everyone, while watching PBS shows about school shootings the concepts of community and connections came up strongly. Largely unheralded in the past few years are the over 100 school shootings which were seriously planned but never occurred. These were avoided by students having a close, trusting relationship with the adults in their environments.

Also, there are communities which are known for having long-lived residents. Here again the main component seems to be community connections and friendships.

This Sunday may we sit for the types of connections which enhance the health of communities. May we sit for friendship, compassion, listening, and sharing. May we sit for a closer human family. May we sit for others, and ourselves, as we continue to move toward the One.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 17th, 2013

Hello all, for thousands of years the great teachers have agreed; we are all of One but do not see it. It requires looking deeply, but when we look at another do we see an expression of the Divine, or our own biases?

May we sit this Sunday for that deep, connective sight. May we see beyond the surface. May we see One.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 10th, 2013

Hello to all, it is said that we were originally intended to be a physical expression of Divine Love and Joy. While it is possible to become spiritually lost, in many ways we still express that original plan. When you look at a picture of a smiling loved one do you feel the warmth in it? Have you seen a child take the hand of a trusted and loving adult? Have you sat with a friend who had nothing to say, but needed you there?

It may be that we approach our perfection in such moments, and others like them.

May we sit this evening for that perfection in us. May we sit with open hearts, knowing the way is always open. May we sit together with all humanity, just as we are.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 3rd, 2013

Hello all, it has been said that even during the worst storm the ocean itself is at peace. It allows the storm to 'be' with the knowing that storms are a natural part of existence. Turmoil occurs on the ocean as it does in our lives. If we can accept difficulties with grace and appropriate action rather than fear, fighting, or denial, it can go a long ways toward bringing serenity into our lives.

May we sit on Sunday, February 3rd for that serenity which accepts difficult times and also looks for the growth which may be inside them.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 27th, 2013

Hello all, it is said that the phrase "turn the other cheek" was from ancient days when a superior would simply backhand a subordinate without even looking up. In this instance the action of "turning the other cheek" would force the superior to use their other hand, requiring him to turn his body and thereby see the subordinate's face.

As such it was not intended as an invitation to more abuse, as in the current understanding, rather it was an attempt at human connection during a time of difficulty.

May we sit this Sunday for those human connections upon which the world rolls so smoothly. May we create them in our own lives and respond to them as offered by others.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 20th, 2013

Hello all, here is a request from Don Brennan. Having grown up in a deeply alcoholic family myself I'm familiar with the disruptions that codependency can cause, and with the motivating force that it can be for healing, growth, and as a pathway toward the Divine. Thank you all, Richard.

"Hey Richard,
It's been a while. I hope you are well. May I make a request?
If so, would the group consider sitting for the attendees and presenters of the CoDA retreat that will happen next weekend on Hilton head Island, SC? It is a practical environment where people with codependence can learn to deal effectively with that disabling disease.

I helped found the retreat three years ago and since its inception we've seen some remarkable changes in people's lives.  It's one of few places, in my experience, where a group of people who have difficulties stemming from childhood & family trauma --that affects their relationships with themselves, others and whatever the Higher Power is-- can get real help.

Several presenters will share their stories of recovery from codependence --what they were like, what happened and what they are like now-- and what tools they used to effect that recovery.  The retreat committee has also invited the Whitfield's to talk about some of the underlying issues of codependence, and tools that they have used in their own lives to address those issues.

My request is to sit for those presenting and those in attendance in the hope that they can all become open, willing to share and hear, and be willing to learn tools to help them face their problems head-on, so that they can recover and find serenity, hope and healthy relationships in their lives.

All my best,
Donald"

For Sunday January 13th, 2013

Hello everyone, Neil Douglas-Klotz, a renowned Aramaic scholar, makes the point that Jesus could not have said, "I am the Light" because there is no word for "am" in Aramaic. He goes on to claim that the proper translation ought to be, "I, I, the Light". He clarifies this by saying it's a statement which refers to the smaller, Earthly, personal "I" becoming in alignment with the larger, spiritual "I" of our greater being, and that is how we become One with the Light.

So, rather than being a statement about himself, it was meant to be a statement of guidance.

This Sunday, may we sit in accordance with that guidance. May we sit for our smaller selves to recognize the guidance of our higher selves, that our higher guidance become more clear, that we join in the greater experience of the One.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday January 6th, 2013

Hello everyone, in his book, "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined," Stephen Pinker states that our world is becoming more peaceful in many significant ways. At the same time our reaction to violence is more acute. This seems to indicate a growing sense of compassion in the world. Yes, there are still lost souls who do horrific things. But, as foretold by many, we may well be seeing a gentle spiritual emergence upon the Earth.

May we sit this Sunday for the continued blossoming of those on the path, and for those still lost. May we fulfill Divine Will in our own lives, for those we touch, and in the world at large.

With reverent appreciation for all of you,

Richard

For Sunday December 30th, 2012

Hello everyone, it may have been Thomas Merton who said, "If we saw ourselves as we truly are, we would fall down and worship one another." This reminder of our actual spiritual size and reach is comforting after recent tragedies. It is possible to become very lost in this world, yet our true nature lives on.

May we sit this Sunday for that true nature to come through. May we set aside our obstacles, even for a moment, to see ourselves as we are. May we see ourselves as Stanley saw Lyn Mocejunas, "Sails now full, with a fresh breeze:  all is drenched with love."

Thank you,

Richard

Further comments on December 21st - and a focus for Sunday the 23rd...

Thank you to all who wrote in. Something Barbara said brought up another thought. Barbara wrote:

Richard,
I can totally relate to what you wrote.
If I wrote out the story of the last 20 years of my life, I can see a theme that goes along with the theme of the Harmonic Convergence and now "the end of the world as we know it."
And thank goodness it feels like a new world, at least inside of me and around me too. The way to change our world for the better is one person at a time and if we are a student of our own inner life IT is happening.
Love to you,
Barbara

The idea that a prophecy can be fulfilled in many different ways brought this story to mind:

More than 1000 years ago there was a prophecy which was highly celebrated by the Tibetans of that time. The prophecy stated that the borders of Tibet should be sealed, no outsiders should be allowed entry, in order to preserve the spiritual purity of their culture. It went on to say that some time in the future there would be a cataclysmic event in the Lhasa valley which would kill 3/4 of the people living there. This event would be a signal that it was time for Tibetans to leave the Tibetan plateau and carry their spirituality out into the rest of the world. This is not to say their religion, but their spirituality, the true compassion of their hearts.
In the course of time the borders were not sealed and much of the western world crept in, a car, a movie camera and projector, flashlights, wrist watches, magazines, and so on. It turned out that when the actual cataclysmic event occurred, an earthquake which cracked an ancient and holy temple in 1981, there was no one in the valley to celebrate the fulfillment of the prophecy. It was just a horrifying earthquake to them. However, Tibetans had already been flung to the far corners of the globe by other events. The prophecy had been fulfilled, though not in the manner foreseen so long ago.

The sad part is that spiritual sensitivity had diminished to the point where no one in the Lhasa valley could recognize the culmination of a prophecy which had been proclaimed so many years before. Perhaps we're in a similar situation now.

Perhaps there is something beyond our cultural imaginings, beyond the quick and easy doomsday scenarios so popular and sensational, which we are here to be a part of.

May we set aside our previous ideas, our thoughts, biases, and beliefs, and simply be. May we be the observers who join in when called, the volunteers who respond from the heart. For those who feel pulled to assist a world in transition, may we each answer as called.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 16th, 2012

Hello all, the shooting at Sandy Hill Elementary School in Connecticut has brought to mind Tom Sawyer's reply when asked about the shootings at Columbine and Virginia Tech. Here are some highlights from his answer:

It is a subject that has many aspects and has festered for over three generations. Since the '50's there has been a dissolution of the core family. Child raising moved away from chores and responsibilities toward entertainment. The idea of "a man's word is his bond" began loosing ground. Society became promiscuous, in the true sense of the word, and we knew it. The '60's were worse, easier yes, but worse for the children. Modern conveniences replaced the need to work hard on a daily basis. It became easier to lie and be forgiven rather than take initial responsibility. The family dinner became lost for many households, and weekends were for each individual, separately. There were fewer and fewer people who would take care of themselves and do sports, work, or prioritize 'doing good and interesting things' rather than just 'seeing and being seen'. Entertainment began to push societal limits for a 'shock and awe' effect. Movies, sports, and even religions have tweaked their organizations in order to keep and/or hang onto their numbers. Schools have been the worst where, for fear of hurting the self-esteem of the child, administrations have taken on the role of being heroes rather than teachers, discipline has continually slackened. In movies and from societal attitudes came 'well nobody pays all their taxes anyway' and 'a rip-off is ok, it's not like a real crime'.

He goes on to mention the impersonality and total insensitivity of computers. He wrote this response in 2007, before the spread of social media, and said that he ought to write a treatise on the social climate that developed so children could kill. He died a few weeks later.

May we sit this Sunday for honest, real connections between people, truly from the heart. May we sit for living our own honorable lives, and supporting others in their search and growth. May we sit for increasing spiritual connection in the world at large.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 9th, 2012

Hello to all, the problems of humanity are many-fold, multi-layered, and mountainous. Over generations and through the eras we have gotten ourselves into quite a fix with economies, religious differences, inter-racial difficulties, wars between countries, and road-rage among neighbors. To be embroiled in such thinking is to be lost, entangled within self.

There is always an opportunity to open our minds to search for spiritual answers. From garbage collector to government leader each person may do this in their own life, in their own place.

May we sit this Sunday for the willingness to take up that search in ourselves, willingness in others, and willingness in the world at large. May it be that Divine Light come down to provide us guidance.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 2nd, 2012

Hello all, as humanity inches itself toward spiritual destiny, like a flower bud opening one petal at a time, occasionally clinging tightly curled, may we ease the transition with our own lives, our own hearts, our love for self and others. May we show tolerance, patience, and an understanding of difficulties encountered in growth.

This Sunday, as we observe a tremulous unfolding of faith, may we reach for the depths of our own as we sit in time, loving a common future.

Thank you,

Richard