For Sunday June 28th, 2015

Hello all, this Earthly life is designed to put us into a state of relationship, our inner selves at work in the outer world in such a way that every thought and action tells how we're doing spiritually. 

Then, when we pass from this world, a 'life review' will be a powerful teacher. Taken from the point of view of unconditional Love, with none of the head games which clog our psychological thinking, we will then see ourselves with true clarity.

We need not wait, observing ourselves is available now. May we sit this evening to be aware of our motivations, our intentions, and the effects we have on others. May we see ourselves more clearly than we have before. May we be forgiving of ourselves and others. May we bring forth the Divine within.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June 21st, 2015

Hello all, as Pope Francis states, our relationship with the Creator is reflected in our relationship to creation. Among many other things this includes the two big P's - individual people and our individual planet. 

Under the heading of 'What you do for the least, you do for me' it's clear to see the application to our treatment of those who live with us now. However, 'the least' also applies to the many generations yet to come and inherit the Earth, of which we currently have stewardship. 

A loving desire to take care of the Earth, our home, is clearly essential. Taking care of the Earth as a future home for those who will come later is the future piece of the puzzle. 

May we sit this Sunday for that desire. May it spread in our hearts. May it spread in the world. May it spread in the hearts and minds of all others.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June14th, 2015

Hello all, in our humanness we look up to leaders and innovators, those who strive to set the pace and guide the effort. In doing so it's easy to miss the quiet servants, those who attract no attention but are always attentive. 

Both are important in this world. Both have their place and purpose. And it works best when both are servants of the spiritual.

May we sit this Sunday for our own awareness. May we recognize an inner purpose in our efforts. May we be true to our personal callings as we hear them.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June 7th, 2015

Hello all, in spite of all the world's political machinations Black Elk says, "Peace comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers." 

Toward this 'knowledge of belonging' we sow seeds. An honest smile, a word spoken or a hand stretched out in compassion, even something as minor as attentive silent listening can be a small piece of oneness occurring one on one. 

Over the course of a lifetime these seeds accrue. Their increase is in the hands of the Divine.

May we sit this evening for our sowing of seeds. May the Divine step in as needed. May the experience, the 'knowing' of oneness, kindle within all.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 31st, 2015

Hello all, it is typical and usual for us to desire a comfortable, pleasing life. Yet it is through the process of suffering that we all meet our true selves, that part of us which comes up from the layered depths of our psyche. And it is our anger which shows us whatever it is that we truly hold dear. 

In the ongoing life of the soul these are necessary experiences to have. Over a lifetime and more they accumulatively teach us of our 'relationship to' and 'relationship with' the Divine. 

Our difficulties are our teachers.

May we sit this Sunday for awareness of the deep value of our teachers. May we look them squarely in the eye. May we find ourselves there. May we lose ourselves in the Divine within.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 24th, 2015

Hello all, the essence of beauty lives always within us, as a birthright. When we spot it in the outer world it resonates within. As David Whyte says in his book Consolations, "Beauty is the harvest of presence, the evanescent moment of seeing or hearing on the outside what already lives far inside ... the conversation between what we think is happening outside in the world and what is just about to occur far inside us."

As we strive for worldly transformation, may we sit this evening for the expression of spiritual beauty from within. May we be attuned to recognize it. May we join in whole heartedly. May it be.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 17th, 2015

Hello all, the ancient Tibetan mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum' is a six syllable meditation on generosity, ethics / morals, patience, diligence, renunciation, and wisdom; one concept for each syllable. It is an attempt to put that which is ineffable into words, to bring higher beauty down to a scale which can be stated - that it might be passed on. When done well it carries us far beyond dictionary definitions. 

May we sit this Sunday for that opportunity to launch ourselves beyond our typical thoughts, and beyond all thoughts. May we lose ourselves in a greater awareness. May we finally find 'ourselves.'

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 10th, 2015

Hello all, to reach out and ask for help when we find ourselves 'missing the mark' is an elegant thing. The simple phrase 'Dear God, fill my heart' carries many changes. Self-honesty is essential to notice our position and a degree of humility is required to do the asking. The final outcome is as much as we can be open to.

May we sit this evening for these qualities. May we find them within ourselves. May we bring them forth honestly. May divine will be done.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 3rd, 2015

Hello everyone, seeing the results of earthquakes, tsunamis, riots, war, and dis-ease, we may well ask, "Why am I here?" At times the question is asked as a victim's plea, "Why do I have to put up with such and such?" But it also can be a request for insight into an outward-loving purpose in this life, "How can I be useful and helpful?"

Taking a tip from Edgar Cayce, "...get the answer from the mental self! Then enter into meditation, in the wee hours of the morning, when the world at large is quiet - when the music of the spheres and the morning stars sing for the glory of the coming day, and ask the soul; and let the spirit of self answer. Audibly? Yea, within thine own heart will come the answer..."

May we sit this Sunday for those quiet, individual answers. May we find how we each are to be helpful, to be useful, to be spiritually fulfilled. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday April 26th, 2015

Hello all, it can be amazing to realize that the solution to many of the world's problems are well within our simple reach. The spread of AIDS can be stopped immediately and completely with monogamy. Racism is avoided by tolerance and cured by compassion. Religious differences fully settled with Ram Dass' comment, "Every religion is the product of the conceptual mind attempting to describe the mystery." (Thank you, Barbara)

Simplistic? Yes, elegant answers always are. The difficulty lies in the application. 

May we sit this evening for the courage and wisdom it takes to fulfill our spiritual selves. May we find it within. May we encourage it in others. May we be and spread the seed.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday April 19th, 2015

Hello everyone, many know the difficulties of our lives have purpose in the long term. Each soul meets itself continually on the path to reconnection. And not only our lives serve these purposes but the life of the world at large as well. Roughly put, we are teaching ourselves eternal lessons, at sometimes great immediate cost. 

As the costs pile up, environmental and human, it's good to remember that Love is the only actual power in the universe. Our love and compassion for lost souls is an essential piece of reconnection, to them, within ourselves, and to the Infinite.

May we sit this evening for the compassion of reconnection. May we find it honestly, May we share it fully. May it light our way forward in this world.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday April 12th, 2015

Hello all, it may not be true that our greatest fear is the fear of death. Our greatest fear may be that of not being loved. A person may face death a number of times before they actually die. But the fear of not being loved can be an ongoing thing, endlessly warping a person's life.

As we look at the world today what do we see which may indicate a lack of love in people's lives? Nearly everything; from addictions, to obsessions, to misunderstanding wealth and power as happiness; from racism and religious intolerance to atrocities enacted upon other humans due to an attitude or belief system; we are astonishingly creative at what we're capable of in the absence of love.

Yet we have barely begun to touch what we're capable of when our hearts are full.

May we sit this evening for those full hearts. May we sit for those who are here and those yet to come. And may we sit for the sharing of the love within our own hearts this day.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday April 5th, 2015

Hello everyone, what if the biblical phrase, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" is an incomplete quote? It is typically mentioned as if it ended with the words "to me", making it a personal statement of martyrdom. However, when you imagine it as, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do to each other" it instantly becomes global in meaning, deeply relevant to all the ages of humanity, and tightly bonded to another well known phrase, "Love one another."

May we sit this Sunday for religious/spiritual readings to be seen from the most loving perspective possible. May we find it ourselves. May we share our love with others. May we all simply, "Love one another."

Thank you,

Richard