'The Love that Lives Within' Sunday Service October 29th 2017

"I look within for my answers, trusting the Guidance of Love and the wisdom of Right Thinking." And So It Is!

Replacing Old Patterns Sunday Service

 Infinite Love is silent power behind all things, all life. This power is mine to use. Knowing the supply is endless, and my pattern is Love, I let go of the past and begin to create a success pattern now. I fill my conscience with truth, knowing it must be expressed in my life. And so it is.

Centers For Spiritual Living Ordination

Our Vision: “Global Heart” 

1. We envision the emergence of the Global Heart to balance and guide the further evolution of humanity. 

2. We see a world free of homelessness, violence, war, hunger, separation and disenfranchisement. 

3. We see a world in which there is generous & continuous sharing of heart and resources. We envision a world in which forgiveness, whether for errors, injustices, or debts, is the norm. 

4. We see a world in which borders are irrelevant. 

5. We see a world which has renewed its emphasis on beauty, nature and love through a resurgence of creativity, art, and aesthetics. 

6. We see a world in which fellowship prospers and connects through the guidance of spiritual wisdom and experience. 

7. We envision a world in which we live and grow as One Human Family. We envision "UCSL" as a bridge across the illness and illusion of separation thereby dynamically empowering the vision of Global Heart. 

8. We envision "United Center for Spiritual Living" as united and actuated by this compelling vision of a healthy world (a world experiencing Global Heart) & is ardently committed to bringing this vision forth through its ministries & its transformative teaching. 

9. We see "UCSL" as a global community of people pervasively caring for and about each other and the entire human family, thereby bringing the gift of active compassion to the world. Our local churches and communities become "points of inspiration and influence" effectively advancing the vision of Global Heart.

The Centers For Spiritual Living Ministerial Code 

EVERYTHING I HAVE IS YOURS

The beautiful lyrics in the song, Everything I Have Is Yours, are a blueprint for living a heavenly life. Hear these words as a message of love from the Universe to you and come explore this song further with us this Wednesday night, September 24th at Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley at 7:00pm.

EVERYTHING I HAVE IS YOURS

By Rick Dale 

Copyright 2003

AND IT’S HEAVEN, WHEN YOU ARE CLEAR

BUT TO STAY THERE YOU, HAVE TO BE HERE AND NOW

YOU HOLD THE KEY TO EVERYTHING

BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO

WHEN YOU HEAR THE ANGELS SING...

EVERYTHING I HAVE IS YOURS

EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS MINE

ALL THE TREASURES OF THE WORLD

ALL THE BEAUTY THAT YOU FIND

ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS CHOOSE

ALL YOU REALLY GOTTA DO IS DECIDE TO ACCEPT IT INSIDE

YOU PICK YOUR LIFE, IT’S UP TO YOU

I GIVE YOU ALL, WHEN YOU GIVE TO EACH OTHER

THOU ART MY CHILD, I AM IN THEE

SO WHY ARE YOU EMPTY WHEN YOUR LIFE IS FULL OF ME

EVERYTHING I HAVE IS YOURS

EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS MINE

ALL THE TREASURES OF THE WORLD

ALL THE BEAUTY THAT YOU FIND

ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS CHOOSE

ALL YOU REALLY GOTTA DO IS DECIDE TO ACCEPT IT INSIDE

YOU’RE IN HEAVEN, NOW YOU ARE HERE

BUT TO STAY HERE YOU MUST BE AWARE OF WHO YOU REALLY ARE

YOU ARE THE KEY THAT OPENS THE DOOR

SO OPEN YOUR MIND AND FIND OUT WHAT LIFE IS FOR

EVERYTHING I HAVE IS YOURS

EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS MINE

ALL THE TREASURES OF THE WORLD

ALL THE BEAUTY THAT YOU FIND

ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS CHOOSE

ALL YOU REALLY GOTTA DO IS DECIDE TO ACCEPT IT INSIDE

EVERYTHING I HAVE IS YOURS

EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS MINE

THE SUN, THE MOON AND ALL THE STARS

AND EVERY SINGLE THING THAT SHINES IN THIS UNIVERSE BELONGS TO YOU

ALL YOU REALLY GOTTA DO IS DECIDE TO ACCEPT IT

IT’S UP TO YOU MY BELOVED

ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS LET IT IN, LET IT IN

ACCEPT IT, INSIDE

Musical Message of Love

Wednesday Wisdom February 12th at 7:00 p.m.

Whenever two or more are gathered in the name of the Infinite, there is Love. And so, Karyn Allen and Rick Dale have come together for this Wednesday's Wisdom with the divine offering entitled "Musical Messages of Love."

While words of Love are important, they need a vehicle to take them from the realm of ideas into the kingdom of heartfelt emotion, and that vehicle is music.

Through songs of Love, Karyn and Rick reach into the Deep to bring eternal truths to all who are open to the Love of the Divine.

With a little help from their friends Wade Wooldridge and Hans Smith, Karyn and Rick bestow their gift of music and wisdom in the form that is accessible to young and old, from all walks of life.

"Exuberance is beauty." ~ William Blake

My week has been filled with youthful exuberance; visiting a brand new Icelandic horse and spending time with my beautiful granddaughter!  What a blessing and a beautiful reminder of the vitality of life.

I invite you to see the beauty this week in the lavish vigor that is all around you.

WISDOM FROM THE BEATLES?

The Beatles are unarguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Their music has infused the ears and minds of our planet for longer than I have been alive. But, how many times have you really listened to the music and contemplated its spiritual essence?

On Wednesday night, August 14, 2013, at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley I, along with fellow musicians Rick Dale and Dave Friedman presented a unique concert at our weekly Wednesday’s Wisdom service entitled, “The Greatest Metaphysical Hits of the Beatles: An Evening of Music and Inspiration.” The hour consisted of several Beatles hits, some very well-known and others somewhat more obscure, including a discussion of the metaphysical meanings behind each song. The enthusiastic audience not only enjoyed reminiscing and singing along with the music; they also were given a new awareness about each piece’s lesson on living a more expansive and satisfying life.

The evening opened with the profound “Blackbird.” Although Paul McCartney wrote this song about the civil rights struggle for African-American freedom after reading about the race riots in the US, we can take this song and apply it to our own lives today. The struggles we experience in life (and we all do) actually teach and strengthen us so we are able to move forward and realize our dreams. The lyrics “take these broken wings and learn to fly…” say that no matter how broken we may believe ourselves to be, we can still learn to fly, and when we fly, we shine light upon that darkness that once held us back; “Blackbird fly, into the light of the dark black night.” The musical journey continued into the evening, travelling the long and winding road through laughter and tears.

The evening concluded with a rousing rendition of “Hey Jude.” Paul McCartney wrote this song as “Hey Jules,” intended to comfort John Lennon’s 5-year-old son Julian as his parents were divorcing. (The change to “Jude” was inspired by the character Judd in the musical Oklahoma.) For us, the meaning at depth is that of the human condition, both at its bleakest and at its most exalted. We indeed can take a sad song, or a sad life, and make it better by calling upon the divine power of love.

And as a very wise man once said, all you need is love.

WHAT BRILLIANCE IS TRYING TO EXPLODE THROUGH YOU?

“Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul — and you answer.”   ~Terri Guillemets


There It is...knocking at the door of your heart, tapping at the thresh hold of your mind, silently screaming from the depths of your soul, pestering you to let It in...What is this?

This thing is simply your own splendor urging to express itself through you.  It is your divine nature attempting to make its contribution to the world, and when it is blocked or disregarded, it can show up in life as discontentment, anger, depression, etc...


The beautiful artwork you see above was created by artist, poet and graphic designer, Eric Hart Samuelson.  I met Eric for the first time in 2009 when we took an extensive 2+ year long class together.  In that class of 12 students, we all spent numerous hours together learning, growing, and really getting to know each other (a life-long bond we will all forever share and cherish).  But most importantly, we began to learn and unleash things about ourselves that were  buried beneath old beliefs and shaded by the expectations of others.  During one of our class projects, I got to see, first-hand and for the first time, the brilliance that was Eric's artwork.  Not that we were competing with each other, but his project totally blew everyone out of the water!

Why am I writing about this?  As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”  We all have a brilliance that is urging to express through us.  It may be deeply hidden away within ourselves or simply waiting to surface by means of our own receptivity to it.  Eric's calling laid dormant for a while and finally surfaced while doing some inner work.  Thank goodness he listened to his divine urges or we wouldn't be experiencing his exquisite artwork.  If you hear that knocking from your soul, open the door and see what's waiting to come through you.  The world deserves to see your gift!

Please check out the rest of Eric's artwork and let him know how much you appreciate his gifts:

http://www.onemindcommunications.com/paintings

http://www.onemindcommunications.com/mixed-media

http://www.onemindcommunications.com/photography

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Just the other day, Rev. Pattie Mercado and I were having a conversation about Thomas Troward, who was one of the key influences on Dr. Ernest Holmes and the teachings of the Science of Mind, and it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes of his:

"You never get what you want just because you want it.  But you always get what you believe whether you want it or not."  

This is such a statement of freedom for me.  Why?   Have you ever prayed or pleaded for something like winning the lottery, getting the perfect, well-paying job, or finding the perfect mate even though you didn't feel deserving of it?  When you really go within yourself and examine those pleads or prayers, did you really believe that you were going to attain them or was it just hopeful (doubtful) thinking?  The freedom for me is knowing that believing is seeing, rather than seeing is believing. When everything in your heart and soul is telling you yes, that is believing.  When your head is messing with you, telling you why you should or why you shouldn't believe something or move forward with it, that is simply the ego or fear trying to make sense of whatever your dream is.

One of my all-time favorite movies is "Field of Dreams," not only because it involves baseball, but because of the profound leap of faith and belief Ray (played by Kevin Cosner) took to allow his dream to unfold at the risk of losing all of his and his family's material wealth.  Listen and watch the argument between his intuition and his ego...

"People will come."  BELIEVE in your dream, and watch it manifest!

PRACTICE MAKES THE MASTER

PRACTICE MAKES THE MASTER

On Wednesday night, Rick Dale and I had the blessed opportunity to share an inspiration talk entitled, Practice Makes The Master.  This title came from a quote I heard from author and Toltec teacher, Don Miguel Ruiz, which states, “Practice makes the master. It's not about learning; it's about taking action and practicing your art (your art, meaning everything you create in your life).  As an artist, if you practice love and you keep practicing and practicing, the moment comes when everything you do is an expression of your love.  How will you know when you have mastered love?  When the story you tell yourself is an ongoing romance.”

I LOVE that...when the story you tell yourself is an ongoing romance!

So, we decided to share some simple daily practices which could be instrumental for just about anyone to experience an ongoing romance with life.  

• Practice Love--Share your love through Love Lingual:  quality time, touch, words of affirmation, receiving gifts, or service to others.
• Practice Silence--Get quiet, even if it's just for just a few minutes during the day to allow Infinite Wisdom and Infinite Peace to move through you.
• Practice Gratitude--Ponder someone for whom you are truly grateful and write them a note to let them know how much they mean to you.
• Practice Balance--Balance your life between work, rest and play.  Take the time to rest, even if it means missing out on something else.  Your body and mind with thank you.
• Practice Saying "No!"--Say, "No" to what is not working in your life and say, "Yes!" to a greater idea that does serve you.
• Practice Joy/Fun--Even if you're not feeling the joy, go out and find some fun to be had, even if you have to go to a playground and swing.  It can change your whole physiology and your attitude.

These are just a few basic ideas that can help you experience an ongoing romance with life and so easy to implement.  As Rick stated at the end, "Court life; light some candles; take Life out on a date; treat It with LOVE!"

PS.  I have to say that the pinnacle of the evening for me was watching my beloved 16 year old daughter get up in front of everyone and sing the song, "There Is Only Love".  Her raw (untrained) talent shone through and moved us all to tears.  Click on this link to hear the sweetness: 

Youth Is Not Wasted On The Young

How often do you get a chance to experience what it's like to be a teenager again?  I was so blessed to have that opportunity.  Today, I attended "A Day At Camp," which was facilitated by the In-Flight Teens at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley, and it was amazing!

Having three children who have had the experience of attending Summer Camps and Winter Camps and never having experienced it myself always left me a bit curious. My kids have always come home from camp with so much love, excitement, and connection in their hearts.  There is such a "buzz" that they feel and share with us as they recall the events of the past week. Not only have they made life-long connections with others, I have seen each of them grow into beautiful and confident people. I think the most common thing they verbalize from the experience is the feeling of total acceptance. While at camp, they don't feel judged or put down, only raised up. I often hear from many of the teens, "I wish I could live at camp." 

As a gift to the parents and our spiritual family, the inspired teens from the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley created a day that gave us a small taste of what they do while they are at camp.  I feel very confident in stating that all of the adults who attended were quite moved, amazed and simply impressed with the depth, sharing and fun that was experienced.  We not only learned about Love Lingual (the different ways we express our love toward others), we also got to strut our stuff out on the catwalk whilst being barraged with words of praise, and got washed with love during a completion workshop, the Angel Wash.  Now I know why they are walking on air upon their return home.

What a gift today was!  I feel so blessed to have had this wonderful experience and incredibly grateful that my children have the camp experiences and the Science of Mind philosophy to take with them the rest of their lives.  May they always realize how amazing they are, just the way they are. 

And So It Is! 

Life's A Play

LIFE'S A PLAY

No one living knows in what sort of life our souls hover prior to birth.  We only belatedly discover that, when the bright lights go on, it’s show time.

We come into this world with no idea how to deal with it, or what our part in it is to be.  Because the experience is absolutely new, and because we inhabit these animal bodies that constantly grow and change, there is much to learn; and perhaps the most daunting assignment is the comprehension of time itself.

As we take the first steps into existence, we are directed by those souls who care for us, and those around us.  The scripts we are given are incomprehensible.  Many of the people in whose charge we have been placed have some experience, but little wisdom.  And most challenging of all is that we are allotted a finite amount of time in which to accomplish the mastery of our role in life.

In the perceptions of our youth, this rehearsal seems interminable, the lights too bright, the stage too hot.  Many of the other actors among whom we find ourselves are less than cooperative; we learn the strange sensations of pain and fear, and the delight of pleasure and joy.  We are frustrated by the fact that this rehearsal is part of the play of life itself, and that even our attempts to prepare ourselves for it are on display; we are forced to learn its complexities while performing, and realize that the rehearsal, and even the intermission are important parts of the play as well.

In Act II we discover human love.  It is so utterly mesmerizing that we often forget our lines.  We are introduced to the most exalted feeling ever experienced, while at the same time playing the fool.  We open ourselves to other actors without inhibition, only to find ourselves in the bleakest state imaginable.  This is where we fall back upon the ultimate values we have learned from the beginning, and use them to propel ourselves forward, for the show must go on.

But the ultimate love scene we all must play is not with another actor, but with the Director, God Itself.  God has cast us each in our unique roles, and has given us everything needed to live a full and good life; it is up to the individual actor to play that part to the utmost.  This requires that we stay acutely aware of the Beloved in every moment of our lives, acknowledging that Presence in every situation and every person, and expressing our heartfelt gratitude for the gift of life.

Life’s a play, but without a script.  The Director wants us only to give our best, push our boundaries, enjoy the performance and be decent with each other.  The next play, in the next world awaits us all.  When the final curtain falls, and you take your last bows, what will the reviews say?

--by Rick Dale
Rick is an accomplished singer/songwriter who is currently appearing in the musical play, "Route 66" at the Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente, CA.  He is also a very involved and highly regarded member of the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley.

How Do You Cleanse Yourself?

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." ~Victor Borge

     I must admit, my life is very full.  Although some may call it hectic, I love all that I do and all of the people in my life. But at times I really have to stop and remember what I am doing and where I'm going next...my girls' schools, lacrosse practices, games, meetings, work, etc... Thanks to my iPhone calendar I do a pretty good job at staying on task.  Through all of the busyness and continual doings, relief is a simple and cleansing daily practice for me. My beau, my girls and I all love to LAUGH.  There's usually not an evening where we don't sit down to dinner without someone cracking a joke or telling a funny story about the day. In fact, as I am writing, I'm hearing the laughter of my daughters as they recall a past event with their cousin and aunt. Also important is that as we all laugh together, we stay connected as a family unit, and that is priceless.


"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."  ~Victor Hugo

     There was a time in my life when laughter was not a practice, and I was pretty much living in despair. My marriage was failing, I was financially stretched, and my light was definitely NOT shining. Time seemed to move at a snail's pace and rarely would you find me in a happy mood. As soon as my marriage was complete, my beloved sister-in-law surrounded me in her love and her presence, and wow, was that a gift! She and her family were always laughing and goofing off. The times with them were filled with belly-aching laughter and streaming tears of joy. As far as I'm concerned, ROTFLMAO was invented in her household. All of the muck and mire seemed to vanish. My time of winter became the sun that began to shine upon my face and I was healed.

 
"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." ~Yiddish Proverb

     As a child, when I was feeling down, I found solice in watching re-runs of "I Love Lucy," which would literally make me laugh out loud and everything was alright. I guess it was intrinsic at the time. As an adult in my darkest times, I sometimes forgot to turn to laughter, but now I realize how important it is. If I am alone and feeling overwhelmed with no one to laugh with (on rare occasion), I can turn on my television and catch an episode of my favorite TV show, "The Big Bang Theory" and instantly find something to laugh about. Or, I can read a funny book or logon to the internet and find something to chuckle about. When that happens, the stresses of the day are no longer stinking up my emotions and my consciousness and my soul is cleansed with the healing power of laughter.



     What practice do you best utilize to cleanse your soul? If you don't have one yet, try laughing. You'll be amazed at the results.  After all, as Milton Burle said, "Laughter is an instant vacation," and who couldn't use a nice vacation.  Bon voyage!

LIVING IN THE MOMENT

My daily commute to work always consists of listening to positive music that uplifts me and keeps me centered, especially whilst dodging crazy drivers on the I-5 and trying to stay safe.  I spend a lot of time with Jason Mraz in my car, not only because I adore his voice, but also because his music is so filled with LOVE and truth.  In his song, "Living In The Moment", he starts it with:

If this life is one act
Why do we lay all these traps?
We put them right in our path
When we just wanna be free

I will not waste my days
Making up all kinds of ways
To worry about all the things
That will not happen to me

So I just let go of what I know I don't know
And I know I'll only do this by
Living in the moment

How much time do you spend thinking and worrying about the future?  I know that I tend to stress myself out thinking about all of the daunting tasks that are set before me.  Then, I remember that right here and right now, all is well.  Tomorrow is not here.  I stop, look around, and see the amazing beauty that surrounds me, living in Southern California, and remember to be grateful for my surroundings, my health, my friends, my family and all the gifts that I receive from every person I meet on a daily basis.  When I do that, my stress tends to dissipate little by little.

Later in the song Jason sings:

I'm letting myself off the hook for things I've done
I let my past go past
And now I'm having more fun
I'm letting go of the thoughts
That do not make me strong
And I believe this way can be the same for everyone

And if I fall asleep
I know you'll be the one who'll always remind me
To live in the moment

 
How often do you dwell on the past and hold onto anger and resentment?  What I know is that every experience we have had has brought us to this moment in perfection.  Although those not-so-pleasant experiences don't appear to be in alignment with our greater good, there is always a gift of some type in which we cannot always see.  Whether or not it can be seen right now, the key component is LETTING IT GO and not allowing it to keep creeping up in our present lives.  Why live in the past!!!  What would happen if you just let it go and didn't dwell upon it?  What would you lose?  What would you gain?  Just something to think about.

The song concludes:

I'm living in the moment
I'm living my life
Oh, easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
Peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home
I'm living in the moment


Easy and breezy...doesn't that sound heavenly!  If I'm at peace with myself and the world, life is easy and breezy, and who wouldn't want that.  I'll take it.  Thanks to musicians such as Jason Mraz and so many other amazing songwriters who grace my car stereo, I do take it and live it.  See you on the roads   Namaste'


 

LIFE: This is what I believe about it. What about you?

One of the beauties of life is diversity.  Each person is an important thread in the tapestry of life and each one has a personal belief system that either works for them or doesn't.  This is what I believe...

I believe that every living being is born a perfect creation of a Universal Energy; some may call it God, Source, Spirit or Unconditional Love. Whatever terminology moves and inspires someone is very personal to each. This Universal Energy has no limits or boundaries in power, presence or scope, and is here to be expressed by means of us, humankind.  We are Its expressions and are inherently imbued with, and part of, this power that embraces all life. I believe that any ideas or actions of fear, hatred, anger or resentment are simply a disconnect from this Source and that the authenticity of every person is that of LOVE.  When we are truly in the awareness of our own magnificence, our own truth, all is indeed well in our world

Bring Your Unique Gift to the Holiday Boutique!

Do you have a unique gift or talent that you'd like to share with others during the Holiday season?  



If you craft, cook, sew, paint, etc., we want you to be represented in our 2012 Holiday Boutique.

On Sunday, December 2nd, after the service, your beautiful creations will be made available to sell to our congregation and to the general public, right here at the center.

Sign ups will start in November and are free to members. We request a 10% tithe back to the Center on your sales for the day. 

Please contact Rev. Karyn if you have any questions: email or 949.240.6463 x 103.