For Sunday November 30, 2014

Hello all, as protests continue around the shooting in Ferguson, MO., one question stands out - where is wisdom? There's plenty of blame to go around. Cries for justice ring out. Certainly there is a high level of frustration on all sides, along with the occasional call for calmness. But where is wisdom, insight into the human heart, and a larger perhaps uplifting perspective?

At the end of apartheid in South Africa the Truth and Reconciliation Commission understood that the focus of retributive justice is to fix blame for the past, but the basis of restorative justice is to create the future.

Our courts and judicial systems must do their thing, but our future lies in whatever we may do next. Under the heading of "There's no one you couldn't love if you knew their story" let us sit this Sunday for the wisdom and love to treat all we encounter as we wish to be treated ourselves. 

With heart-felt thanks to all,

Richard

For Sunday November 23rd, 2014

Hello all, the traditional Irish folk song 'Bonny Portmore' is a lament of the demise of Ireland's old oak forests, often sold for English shipbuilding. Loreena McKennitt's version features the lines:

All the birds in the forest they bitterly weep,

Saying, "Where shall we shelter, where shall we sleep?"

  - and -

If I had you now as I had once before,

All the Lords in Old England would not purchase Portmore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niS4Emp64q8

It's a reminder that money is fleeting, often gone in one generation. But our children, our grandchildren - and their grandchildren, will have to live on the land we leave behind.

May we sit this Sunday for the realization that money is not the final measure of life, that there are many to come along behind us, and that we are merely shepherds upon this Earth for a short time. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday November 16th, 2014

Hello everyone, someone said recently, "If you look closely at my scars, you can see glimpses of gold." She was talking about her arm, but it holds just as true for the heart. As time passes, and life teaches its lessons, we all gain cracks and missing pieces. And, in time, it's possible for the repaired places to be stronger than the original. 

The Japanese art of Kintsugi is a method of repairing pottery using a resin mixed with gold. It's also a philosophy which speaks to breakage and repair becoming a part of one's own history. 

May we sit this Sunday for cracks and missing pieces to be repaired, strengthened, and to shine like gold; in ourselves, in others, and in the world.

With grateful thanks to all,

Richard

For Sunday November 9th, 2014

Hello all, just as each moment of life is precious, those moments may also be very difficult. And since we are spiritual beings having a human experience there is always a balance to be met. In the case of the long-term care of a loved one there is a beauty which cannot be measured, while the difficulties sometimes too easily encroach upon our humanness. 

May we sit this evening for those who have, are, or may yet be dealing with a long-term care situation. May support be found. May forgiveness for missteps be immediate and complete. May the beauty shine through along the way.

In gratitude,

Richard

For Sunday November 1st, 2014

Hello everyone, Eda Long just sent this quote from Thomas Merton:

"You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope."    

~Thomas Merton

This seems to apply equally well to personal and worldly situations. Each of us has, at every moment, the opportunity to respond from our best and for the best.

May we do so this Sunday evening, and every other moment we may find.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday October 26th, 2014

Hello all, in light of the violence in Ottawa Canada, when the teachings of a religion are twisted into violence we all lose. Those who cause the most pain being the most lost, their journey back to Source being all the more difficult. 

May we sit this evening for true spiritual leaders to be heard. May we sit for the lost to find their way home. May we sit for those affected to be restored according to their Divine nature.

Respectfully,

Richard

For Sunday October 19th, 2014

Hello all, the Ebola crisis has reached a fevered pitch in the media here.

Hejon writes in about increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula. 

Nigeria completely contains the Ebola virus with basic quarantine procedures and has no crisis. 

Perhaps there is also a reasonable way to relieve tensions in the Koreas?

May we sit this evening for sensationalism to take a back seat to careful, thoughtful action. May we each find within us the compassionate quietude we wish to see in the rest of the world. May divine Light shine down upon us all.

With great thanks,

Richard

For Sunday October 10th, 2014

Hello all, the poet Rumi says the reeds used in musical instruments, once cut from their source, make only crying sounds. We can look back at world history, or any individual life, and recognize the 'crying sound' of being cut off from our own Source.

More specifically, I'd like to ask that we direct our energies to the 'crying sound' of the Ebola epidemic again this week. Something as simple as an early detection test would be a great help.

In petition for the Light to come down,

Richard

For Sunday October 5th, 2014

Hello everyone, a celebration of life was held today for Elaine Sawyer, widow of Tom Sawyer. Famous for growing beautiful roses even into late December, this is one of her poems...

We all live by means of water, life force from our creator.

Water... life for humanity, spring drink of dew upon the newborn grasses.

Spring we renew again and unbeknownst to fellowman we grow by true

nature's water to become leaves upon the trees of life so warmed by sun rays

- our truest love for one another grows.

Summer is parched searching for falls rest.

Fall leaves turning mixed rays of light -

Succumb to winter slowly dying. It is renewed by almost a

death experience - it seems... the Winter game.

We are circles unending... the renewing seasons of life.

Elaine Sawyer 1994

May we all fulfill our loving place in circles unending...

Richard

For Sunday September 28th, 2014

Hello all, a recent conversation brought up the idea that it's the little things that count. Here are two examples far more elegant than I. The first is a video of Reinee Pasarow talking about her NDE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aM6anwqDJOs

And the second is a reading from Edgar Cayce:

There is that access, then, that way, to the Throne of grace, of mercy, of peace, of understanding, within thine own self. For He has promised to meet thee in thine own temple, in thine own body, through thine own mind . . . And then enter into the holy of holies, within thine own consciousness; turn within; see what has prompted thee. And He has promised to meet thee there. And there shall it be told thee from within the steps thou shouldst take day by day, step by step. Not that some great exploit, some great manner of change should come within thine body, thine mind, but line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. For it is, as He has given, not the knowledge alone but the practical application--in thine daily experience with thy fellow man--that counts.       Reading 922-1

May we sit this evening with the beauty we may find here...

With loving thanks,

Richard

For Sunday September 21, 2014

Hello all, once again the question of what's important brought up the ebola epidemic. May we petition for the Light to shine down upon all involved. May we join in with our best.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday September 14th, 2014

Hello all, while overshadowed by seemingly unstoppable war news the ebola epidemic continues. In this sometimes overwhelming onslaught of horror and outrage may we take a moment to quiet ourselves and ask that God's Light come down. May lessons be learned and attitudes change. May we reach out in whatever way falls to hand.

In reverence,

Richard

For Sunday September 7th, 2014

Hello all, in his book Enlivening the Chakra of the Heart, Florin Lowndes lays out seven stages of descent by which things on this Earth may have arisen from purely spiritual archetypes. He describes the development of a pencil but you can also see the, somewhat slower in time, the opening of hearts. The sequence is:

Spiritual Archetype

Descent through a 'family tree' or related concepts

The dawning intention, discovery, conception, motivation in the human mind

Creation

Embryo stage

Birth and growth

Maturing, perfection, completion

If we look back from the Magna Carte in England; to the Declaration of Independence in America; to our own Labor, Suffragette, and Civil Rights movements; to Tiananmen Square; to the Arab Spring we can trace a growing sense of compassion in the world, the caring for self and others. The difficulty of the struggle and the various obstacles involved also become very clear. 

Currently the news media is filled with reports of difficulties and obstacles as 'lost souls' kick back in fear-driven anger. Yet, history shows us that archetypes come through, hearts open and minds change. 

May we sit again this evening for the fulfillment of spiritual archetypes. May they pass down through those involved into full completion. May we have a loving understanding of the difficulties and be of assistance as we can.

Thank you,

Richard