For Sunday December 27th, 2015

Hello everyone, as we prepare to face another year of political extremes let us recall the lesson of Hitler and Ghandi, that a person's personal views typically reflect the individual's internal strife. 

And, by virtue of this video age, that listening to someone with the sound turned off allows us to get a 'feel' for the person without the distraction of words. 

May we sit this evening for the strength and courage to observe with clarity and kindness. May we allow others the space to follow their own path. May we see the Divine within all whom we meet.  

Thank you,

Richard

For Friday December 25th, 2015

Hello everyone, may we each find that the Yule Hole of our hearts reaches out infinitely. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 20th, 2015

Hello all, at a recent interfaith prayer service for the people involved in the San Bernardino tragedy the common thread among all the speakers was to find peace within yourself, and then pray for the lost.

The suggested technique was this: with full recognition of understandable human reactions from heart-sinking sadness to thoughts of righteous anger, just stop and take a breath, or two, let those breaths make space for the Divine to come in. When you've made a connection with the Divine, then pray for the victims, who are innocent, as well as for the perpetrators, who are lost. 

Our greatest enemies, the fear and anger which shuts out the Divine, always come from within. May we sit this Sunday for inner purity. May we sit for those in pain. May we sit for those who are lost in the dark. May we sit for all who struggle.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 13th, 2015

Hello everyone, in seeking to solve world problems look first within. Finding even an unpleasant truth within ourselves not only allows us to heal that piece, but to see and understand the larger dynamics of the world. 

Said in another way introspection as a process of self-improvement is essential in life, yet it ought not be self-enclosing. Introspection properly used leads to greater awareness, and awareness leads to compassion and truth. 

This process of starting within to find a personal truth then seeing it at work in the outer world leading to the enhancement one's compassion, is a microcosm of a greater circle. The beginning and the end are one.

Let us sit this evening for that personal process and for the end result. May we find our demons. May we lovingly release them. May we see the unbroken circle of our existence.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 6th, 2015

Hello everyone, a flyer which advertises roll-playing as a costumed character shows Star Wars characters to be extremely popular. Taking a closer look shows that people portraying anonymous Storm Troopers from Darth Vader's Galactic Empire, the villains known as "Vader's Fist," far exceeds the number of people playing characters from Luke Skywalker's Rebel Alliance, known as "The Good Guys."

Can it be that more people are attracted to the appearances of external power, weaponry and mass mobilization, than to a sense of personal freedom and ethics? It's hard to say.

However, there apparently are many in this world who are desperately attached to the illusion of external power, the idea that one can force people and situations into some manner of conformance. 

In truth, the future of our world depends upon authentic power, having a personal relationship with the Divine Source.

May we sit this Sunday for authentic power. May we find it within. May we support it without. May it be the wish of the world.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday November 29th, 2015

Hello everyone, here's a quote from Christopher Reeve: "At first dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable." The spiritual transformation of the Earth is just such a dream. Over the past century over 150 million humans have died at the hands of other humans, with that in mind a spiritual transformation seems impossible. 

Looking at the anger and divisions in the world today it still seems improbable. 

Yet, in time and for each of us, the illusion of our separateness will melt into the truth of our connectedness and it will be seen as inevitable.

May we sit this Sunday for that melting. May we sit for the melting of walls in the world. May we sit for the melting of the walls within our hearts.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday November 22nd, 2015

Hello everyone, the refugee crisis stemming from the difficulties in Syria is large, and certainly more complex than we can see. It can however be simplified down to this; there are those who want peace and those who want war. 

This evening may we petition for Divine Light to come down on all who are involved. May the peaceful find strength. May the warring find their hearts. May the lost find home.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday November 15th, 2015

Hello everyone, in his talks and writings Jeff Foster <http://www.lifewithoutacentre.com/> often makes a distinction between where the mind goes and what the heart knows. With the attacks on Friday in Paris the mind easily goes to retribution, retaliation, justice, protection, and so on. And yet the heart knows it is profoundly sad. 

It's sad that people were terrified, maimed, and died. It's sad that there are those who are so lost as to perpetrate such horrible sadness upon others. It is further sad that all this sadness is claimed as a retaliation for a previous sadness. 

The human condition can bring you to tears.

Yet there is always hope. In our tears we often turn to something higher than ourselves, something beyond our minds and in touch with our hearts, something closer to us than breath itself. 

May we sit this Sunday for that closeness. May we sit for it within ourselves and may we sit for all who are hurting.

In Reverence,

Richard

For Sunday November 8th, 2015

Hello everyone, as we all long deeply for that relationship to the Creative Forces, we make our way toward it with little steps – little human steps. Without the opening blast of an enlightening experience there is no other way. 

Step by step, day by day, we apply our free will toward the more loving path. We make our tiny movements as individuals, as rain drops, wearing down a mountain of ignorance and self-delusion. 

May we sit this evening for our little loving steps. May we find each in turn. May we see our way forward as a beauty unfolding. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday November 1st, 2015

Hello all, the crisis in Syria, the diplomatic attempts at resolution, and the ongoing difficulties of the refugees continue to tug at the heart. May we petition God this evening to shine it's Light down upon all involved. 

May we lend our own internal resolutions to the ongoing Light of the world as well.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday October 25th, 2015

Hello everyone, it has been said that one description of hell is to always have your own way, forever. Imagine never getting out of your own thoughts, even if they're all good thoughts, a cocoon of limitation which never reaches chrysalis.

Humanity currently sits at the verge of spiritual adulthood, while people and nations play endlessly at power and money games. 

May we sit this evening for the willingness to look beyond. May we look beyond ourselves, whatever our own limitations might be. May we look beyond whatever we may see in others. May we simply look, to see what may be.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday October 18th, 2015

Hello all, I'm a bit hunkered down here and just got back from helping my son pick up a large drill press out of town. Sorry for missing the boat. 

Let's pray for the refugee situation coming out of Syria, ok?

Love and sorry to all,

Richard

For Sunday October 11th, 2015

Hello all, in this physical world we come to know ourselves by watching how we relate to others. Our internal wishes, desires, biases, little hates and selfishnesses are all laid out before us. We see them clearly played out in our thoughts and actions. Whenever we engage in the lesser parts of ourselves we wound our own consciences, that part of ourselves which is the manifestation of the Divine.

May we sit this evening for the strength and courage to hold the higher path. May we set aside our lesser selves and immerse instead in the Divine expression we truly are. May 'Thy will be done' in and through us. 

Thank you,

Richard