One Instance of Compassion Changes the World

This past Sunday, Dr. Heather shared the video below....

Being a dog lover, I was so moved by it and went home to Google it and show my sons.  I was pleased to find that Eldad videos many of his rescues and airs them on YouTube to raise awareness.

My immediate reaction was, "I want to do that and change the world!"

When I  got out of my head and really thought from the heart, I realized my connection with Eldad wasn't wanting to save dogs, but compassion.

I show compassion in many other ways every single day.  

I show it to my boys, my husband, I show it to my clients in business, I show it to my friends.  

What I viewed as an amazing show of compassion from Eldad Hager was nothing more spectacular than what each of us does every given day...he simply videos it.

My desire to change the world like I immediately thought Eldad was is happening.  For me, I change women's lives...one person at a time.

I tell my boys everyday to make someone smile today...they change one person's life each day.

My dog, Lucy gives me such an overwhelming show of love everyday as she follows me all over the house, then rests her head on my chest every night...she changes my life every day.

The realization of how I change lives everyday just as Eldad does, has had a deep impact on me this week.    I am more aware of it when I do it. 

Don't ever underestimate the power YOU have to change the world.

It doesn't have to be in large, worldwide movements.  

Changing the world means affecting someone's life each day in a positive way...i.e. making them smile, buying a stranger a coffee, helping someone with their groceries.

When we do this, we not only affect that person for a moment, we show them compassion and it naturally encourages them to do the same.

So, I ask you...what can you do, today, to change the world?

Breaking The Illusion of Limitation

Teach and practice, practice and teach.
That is all we have;
That is all we are good for;
That is all we ever ought to do.
Ernest Holmes

When Are You Due?

When Are You Due? A timely talk by our very own Dr. Heather Clark

Tweeting with Spirit @ClarkDRHeather

"No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, know that you are welcome here."

Come tweet with us! #CSLCV

Childcare provided for infants and up.

Sunday Services 9:00 and 11 a.m.
32261 Camino Capistrano, Suite D-105
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

2012 CSLCV Annual Retreat

On Saturday, March 10, 2012, I attended my second annual retreat at the Center for Spiritual Living - Capistrano Valley.

I made my decision based on my previous year's experience, one that transformed my thinking, but also, being new to the center in 2011, I was surrounded by people who truly had my highest good at heart.

It was a feeling I hadn't felt before and one that I needed at that point of my life.  I left the 2011 retreat a new person and reveled in the thought that once one uplevels Spiritually, they never go back to the "old" level, which had not produced the greatest results in my own personal life. 

As I walked into the 2012 retreat themed:  Waves of Awakening - On Sacred Shores I expected a lot.  I expected much of the same results as I had the prior year.

Dr. Maxine Kaye delivered intense, yet humorous exercises and dialogue that allowed us to deeply understand that everything in life is "sacred, but not serious."  Meaning...everything is sacred in that it holds meaning in our life, but yet, it's not serious.  No matter how bad it may seem, there is something to be learned, yet it, too, shall pass.

I left the retreat with two major takeaways:

• How far I'd come in only one year.  At last year's retreat, I was a mess.  I "rolled" into the Center with many circumstantial challenges about a month prior.  I felt at ease to learn and release the "crud" that was going on within me, thus creating the "crud" going on outside of me and creating my "cruddy" circumstances.  In only one year since then, I realized how transformed of a person I have become.  My life is completely different as a result of learning the lessons taught at CSLCV, implementing them daily into my life, taking advantage of classes offered so I can truly learn the ins and outs of this great philosophy, and giving of my time to the Center.
• Be careful what you "wish" for.  I mean that with all the positivity in the world.  As I looked back a year, I truly decided to "test" this new-found philosophy of Science of Mind...(new to me, not new to the world).  I set a few intentions for the year ahead of me, held true to the vision, emotion and action to allowing those intentions to occur, and EVERY one did.  As I looked back on the demonstrations of the previous year, I realized how powerful one's mind is, therefore, I am now extremely careful with the thoughts that I allow to "rent" space in my mind.  I have "wished" for things in the past.  Things, that quite honestly, were for an increased life for me, but not necessarily for all involved, and it didn't make for a really abundant life.  Now, I think in terms of increasing my own life for the best of all involved, and I will say, it makes for a much more satisfying life.

With much gratitude, I extend my thanks to the committee who organized the event and delivered another transformational day for our members.

I'm already excited to see what the next year will bring!

The Magic in the Ordinary for St. Patrick's Fun

The Center’s recent Parenting Forum inspired me to look at my favorite parenting books. The one that jumped off the shelf to me was 10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting by Mimi Doe. The book is well loved with water damage, coffee stains and dog-eared pages. Somehow in the hustle and bustle of the past 3 or 4 years, I forgot about this book. It called to me. I thumbed through the pages and landed on the chapter, The Magic in the Ordinary, which, to me, seems perfect for the month of March when our belief in magical leprechauns is ignited.

In the chapter Doe reminds parents that “By inviting her (the child) to see the magic in the ordinary, you strengthen her spirituality so that it lives forever in her life. When she reaches adulthood, your child will have no need to search outside herself for something to make her happy.”

 

This week ignite the magic with these activities:

• Make a fairy home in the garden using recycled materials, rocks, shells and sticks.

• Lie on the grass and daydream with your child as the clouds float past.

• Brainstorm and make a leprechaun trap out of recycled materials (cereal boxes, yogurt cups, strawberry baskets) with your child. You can even paint rocks gold to use as bait.

• Buy green food coloring with plans to turn milk and toilet bowl water green (I always put the food coloring in the tank so when the children flush in the morning the toilet bowl water is green) while the children sleep on March 16. When they wake up on St. Patrick’s Day let them discover the leprechauns’ mischief.

• Find a patch of clover (or buy some at the garden center and plant it in a pot) and search together for a four-leafed one. Talk about other lucky charms or special items children can carry with them in their pocket or backpack.

Above all, we know that magic happens when we connect and, really, taking time to make the week special is all about connecting as a family.

Join us with your child at the Center this Sunday. The children will explore Faith with me and the Youth Church team. We will be discussing how the Law always works using natural laws as examples. 

Written by Juli Isola

CSLCV 2012 Retreat With Dr. Maxine Kaye

Dr. Maxine Kaye was our guest speaker for the Waves of Transformation on Sacred Shores at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley 2012 Retreat. Here she graces us with an affirmative prayer blessing all who will take the time to listen. http://theconsciousconnections.com

Fukushima Remembered in San Clemente

This weekend we stood united in truth with our brothers and sisters from Japan. A year ago the entire world watched in horror as Fukushima experienced a devastating earthquake & tsunami. A seaside village, a surfing town, with a nuclear plant, not unlike our San Clemente.

Pray For Japan.

Universal Family

The one who has learned to love all people will
 find plenty of people who will return that love.


~ Ernest Holms

The Value of Continued Learning

We are taught transformational strategies at the Center for Spiritual Living - Capistrano Valley.

I will be the first to attest to that.

That said, I have expanded the implementation of these strategies by truly delving into other authors, workshops, seminars, etc. that support the same teachings as Science of Mind.

There are times when a nugget of information...most likely a life-altering one, is read from different viewpoints, in different contexts, and all of the sudden, it takes one last viewpoint for that nugget to come together and make sense in mind.

When that happens, there is an expansion in mind that one cannot fully express, only experience, however, when it's experienced, the mind can no longer ever go back to the way it was. 
It stays expanded.

I personally invest hours of time each week to continued learning. 

To increase myself, my knowledge, and my purpose, so that I can increase the lives of others.

In order for me to do so, I must trust in the those who have gone before me and expanded themselves so I can continue to learn and be expanded myself.

This week I will be learning from a mentor who has expanded herself in Spiritual ways that aspire to, Dr. Maxine Kaye.

Dr. Kaye will be teaching from a Science of Mind background, her perspective on living a Spiritually-oriented life and truly finding success in every part of one's life.

Who doesn't want that?

If you are ready to expand yourself, increase your value on others, and truly find success in every aspect of your life, join me this Sunday, March 11, 2012 from 1 - 3:00 p.m.  Attendance is based on a Love Offering so give what you see fit.  CLICK HERE for more information and to RSVP.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost

The CSLCV Band

Music Creates An Emotional Response.

& Our band ROCKS!

Here is a little snippet to get you in on Sunday.

Enjoy!

Effective Prayer Starts With You

Rev. Dr  Heather Clark

Why aren't my prayers answered? Does the Big Daddy have something against me? NO! I don't think so. The aspect of the Divine that answers prayers is impersonal "gives to all alike." And is crazy about Its Creation -- me and you!. So if my prayers are not answered, then it must be in my consciousness not in the Universal Mind and Heart. The nature of effective prayer is in the belief of the one praying.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

Today is Dr. Seuss's Birthday, Read with a kid!
You will be so glad that you did.
Oh the places you will go!

Knowing the "How" to Achieve a Vision

When we have a vision, it is sometimes easy to allow our minds to get away from us and consumed with the question, "But, how do I make that happen?"

I saw this quote by Thomas Troward, and it answers that question beautifully,

"Any anxious thought as to the means to be employed in the accomplishments of our purposes is quite unnecessary.  If the end is already secured (in your mind), then it follows that all the steps leading to it are secured also."

To sum it up...

Simply keep the vision...attach to it, but surrender the 'how,' and the steps will follow.

How nice is that?