on a pilgrimage to the island of Bali.
$2889.00 (land only)
In Africa on a Shoestring the writer describes Djibouti as “the sedentary capital of a nomadic people, an African city designed like a European settlement and a kind of French Hong Kong in the Red Sea." Read about it on Wikipedia, it’s got markets, stadiums palaces and mosques.
We are offering our first ON-LINE Foundations Class for Youth, age 16-21. Please post the attached flyer in your Teen Room, and pass it on to youth you know who might be interested.
This is being offered because a number of our centers don't allow youth to take Foundations before age 18 or 21. We also have a number of youth who are attending college where there is no Science of Mind Center who are interested in taking our classes.
The class is the NEW Foundations curriculum and is fully certified by UCSL, as are all of our on-line classes. It is being taught by one of our most loved and treasured teachers, Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson.
Blessings,
Rev. Linda
Rev. Linda Reppond
Managing Director
International Youth and Family Ministries
United Centers for Spiritual Living
573 Park Point Dr.
Golden Colorado 80401
Office 720-279-1632
Fax 303-526-0913
contact rainbow@revrainbow.org
Namasté from Varanasi, India January 20, 2010 Dear Friends, A lot is happening here in Varanasi with our new eco-center. Please click the photo or text below to view the update. VIEW UPDATE Namasté, shivani Sonoma Ashram Foundation http://www.sonomaashram.org/ info@sonomaashram.org 707-996-8915 A 501(c)3 non-profit educational and service organization, Federal Tax ID: 94-3151595 |
From my colleague, Rev. Frances Lorenz
________________________________________________________________
Answered Prayers is an orphanage just outside Port au Prince. It is an organization members of my congregation have supported in the past. They do wonderful inspiring work in Haiti and place orphans in homes in the US.
The orphanage was affected as per intermittent input and twitter as well. One of the caregivers at the infant orphanage was killed in the quake. The American directors/caregivers of the infant/toddler house, Alli and Jamie, are 2 hours away (on a good day) by car, but the roads are impassable. They will probably have to abandon their vehicle to get back there. We have not received word of them today.
The 3 orphanages are standing right now but they are all in danger of collapse. No one can get in right now, and no one can get out. Only the military and those with boats.
The orphans are the most vulnerable. The caregivers have their own families and worries to attend to. There are 3 American women caring for the children in 2 houses and then there is Margarette directing the other house. We don't know what is going to happen, but we want to make sure that the kids have the support they need and that their caregivers do too.
They expect that many more children will become orphaned as a result of the quake and that their caseload will increase.
To donate directly: http://www.answeredprayers2.org/
On the web site there is "Donate" on the upper left. (PayPal and they do take 4% up front.
Our local contact in the NW is Kris Baker. Checks sent directly to Kris with an indicator that UCSL or CSL sent them would be great.
Kris Baker, CoB
Answered Prayers
677 Pend Oreille Loop
Colville, WA 99114
Thanks for your consideration of this worthy organization.
Rev. Frances Lorenz
Sacred Social Action Core
Center for Spiritual Living-Tacoma
206 N J Street
Tacoma,WA 98403
“The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.” ~ Thomas Merton
What words can possibly be spoken to address the unspeakable. The January 11, 2010, magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti has left most of the world at a loss for words. Natural calamities like this are never easy to understand. How is it that life and the universe can appear so beautiful one moment and so brutal the next? Yet, life will go on as it has for millennia. What baffles me the most is that it too often requires this magnitude of human pain and suffering to get the world’s attention.
What is encouraging to note is that in spite of (and perhaps because of) all the pain and loss, each time we have a “natural” disaster there seems to be a deepening of the awareness of the interconnectedness of all people inhabiting this planet. Perhaps that is because there is something within each of us which knows that at the level of Spirit we are all one and, perhaps, equally as vulnerable. We feel a sense of connection not only with the countless thousands who have died, but also with others who now are left homeless, parentless, childless, broken and in utter shock.
Something is stirring in the soul of humanity and while some may not know that’s what it is, millions of human beings are awakening to a sense of their unity with others and something larger than themselves. The results are manifesting as acts of compassion and generosity that we seldom see on a global basis; there is a vibration of common brotherhood being felt. The awareness of this interconnectivity is rising in the consciousness of our species now and shocking events such as the Haiti disaster only quicken the vibration.
Because the source of this tragedy was Nature rather than man, individuals, governments, religions, countries, and organizations from various corners of our world are connecting for a common purpose. A true call to compassion transcends borders, boundaries, economies, color, religion and politics. So, perhaps from the epicenter of this natural catastrophe some good for humankind can possibly arise. Because of this tragedy we can bear witness to the heart of humanity once again opening and beating stronger than ever, building bridges that span oceans and continents. This sort of bridge can supersede language, religion and cultural barriers, because it connects hearts with hearts.
This is one of those times where we can see the very best of ourselves and others emerge through the very worst of crisis’ and misfortunes. It’s about compassion, loving-kindness and generosity of the Spirit. Meister Eckhart summarized it so beautifully when he wrote, “You may call God love, you may call God goodness. But the best name for God is compassion.” Let us continue to be bridge builders by extending the best of ourselves to others long after this crisis passes. Remember that compassion and generosity is something we can practice every day, not because we should, but because we can -- it’s hardwired in the nature of our being. If what is happening on the other side of the planet is too wide a gap for you to bridge, perhaps you need look no further than a street corner in your own town to build a bridge of the heart. There is great wisdom in the saying, “Think globally, act locally.” Be a bridge builder today and don’t wait for a crisis in the world to be reminded thatyou are the one who makes a difference.
Peace,
Dennis Merritt Jones
*** Please forward this to those you care about ***
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Please join us in daily affirming these prayers on behalf of those who have been affected in Haiti:
As love enters, fear vanishes.
I am so filled with Love that no fear can enter my thoughts.
I am not afraid, for I know that a Perfect Intelligence guards and governs all of life.
This perfect Love in me casts out all fear.
I know that the Spirit of Life within the people of Haiti is alive and strong.
There is nothing in me that can obstruct the awareness that Spirit is where they are.
I daily remind myself that their Life is wrapped in Gods Life.
I know there is something at the center of my being that is absolutely certain of Itself, and that
same something is in all people.
I know that this consciousness I am establishing in me is making a beneficial and powerful
contribution to their experience and is adding to the ease and success of the relief effort.
Today I have faith that this word of prayer I am speaking is dissolving every negative thought or
impulse that would throw a shadow of unbelief across the threshold of my expectation.
I feel my oneness with the people of this country and through that oneness I release a powerful
courage and strength.
I give thanks that through this knowing, something magnificent is being birthed.
I lift my cup of acceptance, knowing that the Divine outpouring will fill it to the brim.
Today I consciously identify myself with everything that belongs to goodness, truth and beauty,
and I do so for my fellow citizens.
I identify myself with the Living Spirit–with all the power, all the presence and all the life there is.
I am at peace.
Beloved Colleagues,
Let us join together in prayer – as we do our personal spiritual practice and as we meet in groups – for the people and the country of Haiti. Let us know the truth we know – the One Power, the One Presence, the One Life that is God – and accept that Love is moving through this situation, that God is making a way out of no way and that there are seemingly miraculous revelations of good.
Never before have I seen our world respond so quickly and compassionately to aid a country in distress. It reminds me of white corpuscles rushing to the scene of a injury or infection in an individual body. To my eyes we are seeing a revelation of Oneness and Love that we have never seen before quite in this way. I am inspired by this today even as I feel the devastation and loss that is taking place.
I spoke with Rev. Gregory last night and will speak with Steve Burton this morning to review what we have done in the past regarding receiving financial contributions for disaster relief. We will publish this information as soon as possible today. Rev. Frances Lorenz sent information about the Haitian orphanage her congregation has been supporting (To donate directly:http://www.answeredprayers2.org/).
If you tune into CNN you will find periodic information about places to donate, like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
In Love and Peace,
Dr. Kathy Hearn
Community Spiritual Leader
I am in the current play at SRJC opening this month and running until Feb 7. Barbara Kingsolver Stories is done in Word-For-Word style by the actors. Director John Shillington has created two stunning one act plays from Kingsolver stories Why I Am A Danger To The Public and Rose Johnny. I look forward to seeing you there!
Additionally, there is one performance at the Petaluma Campus' new Carole Ellis Hall on January 28 at 8:00 pm.
Jennifer Mann, RScP
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
"I am open to Life beyond my wildest dreams"
Extracted from Wikipedia:
Kingsolver was born in Annapolis, Maryland, spent some of her childhood in Africa where her father was a medical doctor, and grew up near Carlisle, Kentucky.
Kingsolver attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana on a music scholarship, studying classical piano. Eventually, however, she changed her major to biology.
In the late 1970s, Kingsolver lived in a number of places, including Greece, France, and Tucson, Arizona, working variously as an archaeological digger, copy editor, housecleaner, biological researcher and translator. She earned a Master's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona. Deciding after that to quit biology and become a writer, and not wanting to admit that to her thesis advisors, she told them that she had to care for an (imaginary) injured relative.[4] She then took a job as a science writer for the university. The science writing led to some freelance feature writing and journalism. In 1986, she won an Arizona Press Club award for outstanding feature writing. Her first novel, The Bean Trees, was published in 1988.