About Heart Sessions

Hello all. This blog is intended to honor the group meditations initiated by Tom Sawyer, now carried on by friends of his since his passing. Being physically spread out as we are we have agreed to sit down in our own homes at the same clock time, 9pm EST on Sunday nights. We sit for at least 20 minutes, although sitting for longer periods is no problem if you so choose.


There is no specified technique for these meditations. Precisely prescribed actions sometimes become unauthentic and what is meaningful for one person may not be for another. So if you choose to assist you may use a favored technique or listen within, apply self-honesty, and allow growth. There is no political or economic agenda involved. There are no dues or dogma. The essential point is an honest willingness to help.


Each week there is a suggested focus as posted on this blog. We previously had been using an email list but now, through the kind assistance and generous guidance of Barbara Whitfield and Donald Brennan, we have the pleasure of this blog forum. Loving thanks to you both. Comments may be left by clicking the "Leave Comments Here" link below each post.

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Sunday, March 6

For Sunday March 6th, 2022

Hello again, it's difficult to ascertain if the situation in Ukraine is deteriorating or stalemating with saber-rattling. In any event there still are many who suffer the effects of war. May we offer our prayers this evening, and perhaps other options will come our way as well.

Xapis,

Richard

Saturday, February 26

For Sunday February 27th, 2022

Hello to all, may we once more come together in spirit to pray for all those involved in the situation in Ukraine. When two or more are gathered in my name...

Thank you all,

Richard

Sunday, February 20

For Sunday February 20th, 2022

Hello everyone, to be reverent is to have an attitude of honoring life, that all life has value. Reverence is a perception of the soul. It is engaging in a form and depth of contact with life that is well beyond the shell of form – into essence.

Those who dwell on the shell of form, the five senses of life, tend to lean toward the accumulation of external power – financial, political, military – through thoughts and actions. Those who feel the call of their hearts, authentic power, lean toward reverence. Reverence is not an emotion. Reverence is a self-created environment which brings forth patience – and nourishes the spiritual unfoldment of the individual.

May we sit this evening in reverence, in deep respect for all life. May we peek into the Oneness of life where that which is ineffable is known.

Thank you all,

Richard 

Tuesday, February 15

Kundun Movie

Just as a 'in case you're interested' moment, Martin Scorsese's acclaimed 1997 film Kundun, about the life of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet is available on YouTube. Apparently there was a bit of a dust-up with China about the film's release. It was shown in a few theaters back then and is available now only on YouTube.

Here is a Wikipedia article about it: 

And here is the YouTube address:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzjme-bnbrA

Enjoy,

Richard

Sunday, February 13

Peace Meditation for Ukraine

World Synchronized Meditation:
I've been told that James Twyman will travel to Ukraine for A Worldwide Synchronized Meditation, Feb. 20th at noon New York Time.
Known around the world as The Peace Troubadour, Fr. James Francis Twyman will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine to focus a major peace meditation on Sunday, February 20 at noon ET time.

Also, Eileen Lindsay has written in asking what times my friend will be holding the prayers for Ukraine on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It turns out there are no set times. Please feel free to join in as you may feel the call.

Thanks to all of you for everything you do,

Richard

Saturday, February 12

For Sunday February 13th, 2022

Hello everyone, a friend will be beginning a three day prayer vigil with another group; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, focused on the situation around Ukraine. Even though we've just done so, I have offered to start him off with us sitting for that situation once again. If you'd care to, you are certainly free to continue joining them in spirit for any of those days. 

Prayer can be described as loving vibration, a power of its own and a petition to Source. The more people who join in creating that loving vibration the more powerful it is, "Whenever two or more are gathered in my name..."

Namaste`

Richard

Sunday, February 6

For Sunday February 6th, 2022

Hello to all, as you may expect the truth empowers us while that which is untrue contaminates us. It doesn't matter whether we are the speaker or the listener who takes it in.
 
So, when approaching rhetoric of any kind be it political, financial, racial, societal – whatever occurs within ourselves is our clue. The contamination may take the form of anger, disgust, paranoia, or irritation.. Or we may find the fruits of the spirit bloom. It's an internal process and requires absolute honesty.

May we sit this evening for our own internal viewing. May our motivations be true and our lens be clear. May truth be knowable and well shared.

Thank you all,

Richard 

Saturday, January 29

For Sunday January 30th, 2022

Hello to all, it has been said that not everything you face can be changed – but, to change anything at all, you must first face it.

That which comes to mind during the quiet of meditation is not our enemy. It is our indicator, our yardstick of acceptance – acceptance of ourselves. What comes to mind can be seen as the self-entertainment of an untrained mind. Note it and gently set it aside. When it returns, note it and again gently set it aside. It is not our goal to subdue it, fight it, or suppress it. Our goal is to simply be quiet.
 
May we sit this Sunday for the quietude which is our birthright. May our busy minds release their grip on the world. May we find that which is on the other side of activity.
 
Thank you all,

Richard

Sunday, January 23

For Sunday January 23rd, 2022

Hello everyone, the religions which have been built up around the words of the great prophets tell us how to love and what to love. But the great prophets themselves simply tell us to love.

All people, all the time, even ourselves, simply love. 

May we do so now, no matter how late I get this out...  :o)

Thank you all for your patience,

Richard

Friday, January 14

For Sunday January 16th, 2022

Hello to each and every one of you, it has been said that the purpose of life is not to be happy, nor is it to suffer - but that the purpose of life is to experience. 

When that experience is met with strength, courage, self-honesty, and some humor, then growth occurs – growth which can diminish suffering and bring happiness.
 
May we sit this Sunday to love ourselves by employing enough strength to be courageous, and enough self-honesty to see the humor in our growth.

Thank you,

Richard

Sunday, January 9

For Sunday January 9th, 2022

Oh, for heavens sake, I sent this out without a subject line. Well, here it is again in case anyone is as confused as I am about what I'm doing... :o)

Hello everyone, "It's madness to hate all roses because you got scratched with one thorn, to give up all dreams because one of them didn't come true, to give up all attempts because one of them failed.
It's folly to condemn all your friends because one has betrayed you, to no longer believe in love just because someone was unfaithful or didn't love you back, to throw away all your chances to be happy because something went wrong.
There will always be another opportunity, another friend, another love, a new strength.
For every end, there is always a new beginning.....
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret:
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly;
what is essential is invisible to the eye."
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "The Little Prince"

He is, of course, talking about not just interpersonal romantic matters but the true work of the heart in the redemption of humanity. Our ability to honestly connect with our hearts, and to guide our lives from there in all situations, is the 'essential' that he's talking about.

May we sit once more for that astonishingly beautiful self-honesty which connects us to our hearts. May we be gentle with what we find there. May we share the best of what we find there with all.

Thank you all,

Richard 
Hello everyone, "It's madness to hate all roses because you got scratched with one thorn, to give up all dreams because one of them didn't come true, to give up all attempts because one of them failed.
It's folly to condemn all your friends because one has betrayed you, to no longer believe in love just because someone was unfaithful or didn't love you back, to throw away all your chances to be happy because something went wrong.
There will always be another opportunity, another friend, another love, a new strength.
For every end, there is always a new beginning.....
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret:
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly;
what is essential is invisible to the eye."
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "The Little Prince"

He is, of course, talking about not just interpersonal romantic matters but the true work of the heart in the redemption of humanity. Our ability to honestly connect with our hearts, and to guide our lives from there in all situations, is the 'essential' that he's talking about.

May we sit once more for that astonishingly beautiful self-honesty which connects us to our hearts. May we be gentle with what we find there. May we share the best of what we find there with all.

Thank you all,

Richard 

Sunday, January 2

For Sunday January 2nd, 2022

Hello everyone, wow, what a treat it is to write 22 as the year we're in. Several sources claim the number 22 denotes a high spiritual vibration. We are more than ready for it.

Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman wanted to write "a lyric to honor the hardships, hurt, hope, and healing of 2021 while also harkening the potential of 2022." She titled it "New Day's Lyric", here it is:

"What was cursed, we will cure.
What was plagued, we will prove pure.
Where we tend to argue, we will try to agree,
Those fortunes we forswore, now the future we foresee,
Where we weren't aware, we're now awake;
Those moments we missed
Are now these moments we make,
The moments we meet,
And our hearts, once all together beaten,
Now all together beat."

She goes on to write:
"This is such a unique New Year's Day, because even as we toast our glasses to the future, we still have our heads bowed for what has been lost," she wrote. "I think one of the most important things the new year reminds us is of that old adage: This too shall pass. You can't relive the same day twice — meaning every dawn is a new one, and every year an opportunity to step into the light."

So here we are, wisened from our past, aware of our responsibilities to the future, and ready to step into the Light. May we sit for the loving steps we will take.

Thank you all,

Richard