For Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Hello all, I find I'm still thinking about politicians working together for public good this week. I have a couple of quotes addressing this. The first is from the world of business, please note the date:

"No employer today is independent of those about him. He cannot
succeed alone, no matter how great his ability or capital. Business today
is more than ever a question of cooperation."
Orison Swett Marden   (1850-1924, American author, founder of Success Magazine)

And the next came from a clean joke website:

"Not all the teeth put into our laws these days are wisdom teeth."

The many problems of today require wisdom and cooperation, as they always have. So, may we sit this Sunday for our leaders and problem solvers to listen within, to listen from Above, and to have the strength to cooperate amidst the vast distractions of modern life.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Hello all, our local school system receives extra financial aid by having a large number of students in 'advanced placement' classes. The classes are enlarged with good average students, who sometimes struggle to keep up. The teachers are encouraged to become better teachers, and the administration gets the money it needs.

There are difficulties in Washington DC which sound like an 'us versus them' attitude within branches of government. The problem seems to be decisions being made based more on personal or party gain than on public good. In such instances it's easy to imagine the influence of power and wealth as being a tremendous distraction.

Admittedly, these are simply stated examples, and I do not have specific answers. Yet there is a common element, concern for the public and the future is too often placed on the back burner. So, this Sunday may we sit for cooperation to be prized above conquest, for the future to be more valuable than momentary desires, for inner guidance to rise above outer influence. May we sit for our decision makers, of all parties and levels, that they may listen within and consider well before acting without, and perhaps ourselves as well.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Hello all, an image occurred to me last Tuesday evening as I entered meditation. I 'saw' myself cradling Barbara at chest height, much as one might cradle a child, although she was fully adult sized and absolutely weightless. To be holding her warmly, and directly in line with my heart, was comforting and satisfying. My mind wandered from time to time but the image stayed for the entire session.

The next morning I had an appointment to tutor a reluctant student. Her attitude switched from 'I'm cute so you'll let me do less' to 'If I have to work at this then I don't like you' at a moment's notice during the weeks we had worked together. I thought it was a bit childish for someone of seventeen to put so little effort into her own senior project. I had talked with her faculty adviser and quite honestly was considering dropping the volunteer position. On the way there I had the image of cradling the student.

I didn't know what to expect when I walked in. I didn't know what I would do. However, at the moment of eye contact I smiled. Honestly. She smiled as well. Please, never underestimate the power of an honest smile. We went on to have one of our best sessions ever. Did her attitude change because of the cradling? I can't say. Did my attitude change because of the cradling? Yes.

This Sunday may we sit and cradle those whom we have difficulties with, those whom we love, and maybe ourselves a little bit too.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Hello all, in a conversation recently the subject of the Tiger Woods scandal came up. After all the jokes were thoroughly reviewed this commonly asked question arose, "Should celebrities be held to higher moral standards than lesser known folks?" Perhaps the question misses the point. It may be that celebrities are assumed to have higher moral standards due to an inner desire on the part of the public to have someone to look up to.

In the early 70's I moved into one of 5 or 6 apartments above a laundromat. Within a year the roof caught fire and was damaged to the point where we all had to move out. The firetrucks and debris in the street made it a public event. During the moving out an elderly woman came up to me and said, "I'm sorry to see you go. I live alone and I always felt better seeing your light on at night, knowing you were there." I had never met her before. She lived across the street and 3 houses down.

You never know who you may be the hero of, often in seemingly small ways and yet mean a lot to others. This Sunday may we sit for all heroes, and the hero within us all. May we be open to the Light of divine guidance that we may shine in our lives and be available for others to see.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, January 31st

Hello all, in a recent conversation about conflicts between people it was suggested that you imagine your Higher Self and the Higher Self of the one you're in some kind of conflict with. These two Higher Selves might pass each other on a pathway and merely nod to each other, or shake hands, or 'high five' as they pass. This imagery, it was suggested, can be useful in getting us out of our ego-based viewpoints and remind us, we're all here for the experience of physical life.

A quick image like that, practiced often, can be a kind of prayer toward Oneness, the intention being to reach beyond our perceived differences. If we can see from a perspective which is above our current divisions then perhaps we can act more effectively on the level of the divisions.

As Einstein said, "You cannot solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created it."

This Sunday may we sit for that Higher Level, that the connections which exist above be reflected here below.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, January 24th

Hello all, I was listening to a discussion of the history of money recently. Before there was money people traded and bartered in ways which required some personal interaction. After the invention of coins people could accumulate wealth in an unprecedented manner. Concerns about this led to the spread of the King Midas story, as a teaching tool.

In one of the many versions of the King Midas story the god Dionysus grants the wish of 'golden touch' upon the king not due to any special attributes of Midas but rather because Dionysus knows Midas well. In his kindness and mercy Dionysus allows Midas to learn his lesson in the manner of his own choosing. So by the time Midas had turned his food, his water, and his daughter into lumps of gold his heart was broken enough to be open. That is when Dionysus lovingly removed the spell, but he did not restore the daughter. The past is the past.

The timely endurance of this story may be due to lessons yet unlearned of our own. So, this Sunday may we sit for freedom, for the strength and courage to face ourselves, to release our weaknesses, and to open our hearts to that which truly endures.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, January 17th

Hello all, as indigenous peoples know so well, the Earth is our home. We are thoroughly entwined with this Big Blue Marble which floats in space, an integral part of it's fauna, physically dependent upon it for life. When it 'does it's thing' tectonically we are involved, and often humbled. We find ourselves somewhere within a giant mixing bowl of chaos, karma, dumb luck and human decisions, and our response is key.

Typically there is a spiritual cleansing after a natural disaster as people reach out to each other in ways they may not have done the day before, neighbor helping neighbor, stranger helping stranger. If you feel called to be of help in some way, donations, physical assistance, prayers, or whatever you find comes to hand, please feel free to follow. For this list let us devote our Sunday time, and whatever other time you feel called to, to the people and land of Haiti. May the Love of God come down for the Highest Good of all, in whatever form that may be.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, January 10th

Hello all, there was an article in the paper recently about a teacher in Seattle, Washington who teaches a class in thoughtfulness. It warmed me to read it. Here is spirituality on the ground I thought or "The game is afoot" as Sherlock would say, only it's a game of the heart. The game of God. Here is a link to the article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010604939_kindnessclass27m.html

And to the online class he teaches:

http://onlinekindnessclass.wordpress.com/

This Sunday may we sit for thoughtfulness, from the heart, toward ourselves, toward others, and in the world.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday, January 3rd

Hello all, Mary and I recently heard a lecture by Craig Bullock who runs the Assisi Institute here in Rochester, NY. He was talking about how to come before God. Do you bring your aches, pains and complaints? You might. Do you bring your achievements, accomplishments, awards and medals? You might. Do you bring your family and friends, the number of those who love you? You might. After reviewing all these, in terms of what to bring before God, Craig's comment was, "I got nothing. I got nothing but nothing."

This struck me. It's as fine a description of humility as I've seen. How do you describe that which is a lack of things we typically name? A lack of the things which we often hold dear in our attempts to deal with this world? How do you describe leaving it all behind and just being before God? I don't know a better way.

So this Sunday may we sit for that attempt, to bring 'nothing but nothing' before God.

Thank you,

Richard

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Richard