Knowing this Day

Let this affirmative prayer always begin your day-

In this moment and all moments I know the Divine Presence. The infinite applied through me as Ease and Grace in every activity I take on. Where there is struggle I now see new ways in mind to the outcome. I fully access my creative nature...I fully access God within in my work and my life today. It is in that way that I wake up, prepare, engage and complete my work today. I know the Universe supports me, I support me, my surroundings support me, my friends and family support me and the great unfolding happening now. As I participate in this activity of life even more life pours through me. I am so blessed. I am so full. I am so capable. I am Divine activity and love in action all at the same time. With open arms I embrace the I Am that I am. I accept my greater good. I celebrate it all. And knowing all this is already done I release this word into law. My mind is clear and it is most certainly so!

The Only way to Salvation

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life promotes discussion on topics where religion and public affairs intersect.  It is a nonpartisan group and does not take any position on policy debates.  With that introduction the US Religious Landscape Survey was created from interviews with over 35,000 adults in the US.  I was impressed with the  summary which led me to read the rest of the report. The idea of Faith in the unseen is broad and the human constructs we create can be limiting.  When I was a youth I found the absolutism of salvation and damnation constraining. So I think it is interesting that adults today are willing to see a bigger picture of the Divine. Which view is 'correct'?  In survey and interview work there is no right answer.  It is only a statement of what is.

Summary:
"A major survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that most Americans have a non-dogmatic approach to faith. A strong majority of those who are affiliated with a religion, including majorities of nearly every religious tradition, do not believe their religion is the only way to salvation. And almost the same number believes that there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their religion. This openness to a range of religious viewpoints is in line with the great diversity of religious affiliation, belief and practice that exists in the United States, as documented in a survey of more than 35,000 Americans that comprehensively examines the country’s religious landscape."

The Divine is Everywhere

Jesus was the body manifestation of God, the Divine, the Universe.  During this holiday season look to see the Jesus in each one you meet.

The Realization Process- Visioning

Recently I've made a conscious effort to catch up with friends and colleagues and to introduce myself to a wider circle of new people. As a result a few weeks ago I attended an evening networking meeting at a nearby church.  Networking is really a discussion in commonality where strangers openly share their plans and listen to the aspirations of others. Together they look for common elements, companies, opportunities that may be helpful during job search. The people I have met are genuinely interested in sharing contacts and strategies to help each other.

I met Judy at a networking meeting. She had recently left her work position and was beginning her search for a new opportunity.  She no longer wanted to use her skills in the old way, she was ready to apply them and learn skills in a new area. She wasn't sure of the next step but she was clear that she was done with her old role.

As the meeting was winding down I suggested to Judy to consider this question, 'What is God's idea for greater expansion of my work?'  It's a question designed to support the identification of a higher purpose in work and to move from uncertainty to clarity in what's next. Although there are many church denominations and dogma may make them seem separated, the fundamental Truth is that the Universe wants every individual to flourish. You see it in nature all the time.  Trees crowd each other reaching for sunlight, vines crawl up a wall, thousands of acorns drop from a single tree. You can also see it in individuals, companies and groups. An idea carefully formed wants to grow larger and expand.  My question to Judy came from the Visioning Process (highlighted here) which is a great tool for individuals and groups to open up their mind to a greater idea and greater potential in any area of life. It honors the connection we have with a bigger intelligence and recognizes the insight that comes when you listen.

The next steps after Visioning become more clear day by day until you know it's time to move ideas to plans and action. It is part of the Realization Process...of how ideas come into physical form. I saw Judy again this week at different meeting and will post more on 'the search' and the application of Visioning in future posts. In closing, what is your answer to 'What is God's idea for greater expansion of my work?'

John Muir and Emerson on PBS

The National Parks PBS series aired in 6 episodes from Sept 27 - Oct 2. It's online now this week through Oct 9 and can be purchased for $99 DVD ($129 Blue Ray). Or if you miss it I'm sure it will play again on pledge weekends.

For me, all six nights were good, but the best, the most fascinating were the first two nights. The common character in both episodes was John Muir, the naturalist and conservationist. In Episode One- ' The Scripture of Nature (1851-1890)' was the period of the Transcendentalists, the literary, philosophers and poets who believed that spiritual ideas transcend the material existence. For the past two years I've taught a class on Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Transcendentalists. During the 8 week class students are asked to increase the amount of time they spend in Nature and to keep a journal. John Muir spent years in the Yosemite valley and used a journal to characterize and interpret his experiences. The episode talks about how Muir would climb a tree during a storm in order to experience the rain from the tree's perspective (43 min. into the episode). His experience of Yosemite, the giant Sequoia forests and the great outdoors was that of the most holy place, his Sanctum Santorum. That is how I feel during a hike in the woods. That is what is revealed to each student as they study Emerson and they experience the multiple ways unity appears in nature.

I haven't been to Yosemite for 15 years but I understand the beauty in the meadow, the waterfalls and the granite. I visited Yellowstone for the first time in 1991, driving with a van full of family and staying for about a week. I visited again for a day in 2007. Each time I experience the wonder and the beauty as demonstrated in this one picture.

How Big Is Infinite?

Ok, if you believe that there is a creative idea, a force, and it can be represented as human but is also more than human, i.e. a non-personalized spiritual form then let's call that form Universe. As a name 'Universe' fits well because it represents the vastness we can not see and do not fully understand, yet we know it is there. It provides great mysteries for thought as we think about its bigness, its size and our relation to it.

Well represented graphically, this 2:34 video begins to describe our size on Earth compared to other planetary and galaxy objects...the infinite nature of the Universe.

Extraordinary Teens

One of my activities has been working with teens. When I was a teen, I attended an old brick church, Tinicum United Church of Christ in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Two formative activities were the confirmation classes and the 'Youth fellowship'. The worship services felt mechanical and I sang in the choir because my sisters were organists at the church. In the classes I remember it was the first time I felt an interest in exploring the meaning of the mystical. Even though it was a high structure curriculum the teacher was willing to engage some of my requests for proof and greater understanding in a way that was much more acknowledging than my parents concern and resistance to the topic.

In the Youth fellowship we had a circle of 15-20 teens who met, discussed spiritual topics and also created and went on adventures together. From theme parks, to retreats, dances, to attending a Billy Graham crusade in NYC. These were good times, spiritually, intellectually and socially.

We have that here at the regional level, and have created that locally. Three ministers have worked with the parents and teens to create an 8 week program. We'll study these types of topics and rotate teaching duties.

• Speaking about Spiritual Topics with friends
• How, when and why we pray
• Inputs from the many sources of media
• Ways to forgive
• Knowing your prosperity
• Being in service to our community
• ... and I'm sure we'll add more.
  

We begin tonight, meeting every Saturday (sometimes Sundays)in the early evening. Parents will rotate through and provide assistance. Feel free to comment on your teen spiritual experiences.