Dreams Can Change Your Brain, Sunday Service with Guest Speaker Mark Waldman

There is no bad or wrong, but merely the illusion of suffering. I release judgement and replace it with compassion. I embrace Peace as my personal mantra, and use it as the lens through which I see the world. And so it is.

The Proof of Positive THinking

Mark Waldman and Andrew Newburg write a monthly column in the Science of Mind magazine. In the March issue they write:

"If your goals are aligned with your deepest values, and if you immerse yourself in the pleasure of achieving daily goals, your brain becomes more motivated to seek bigger rewards. But brains encode failures more easily than success. 

To overcome this neurological bias toward negativity, do this exercise every evening. Write down five successes you've had that day and savor them. Then write down three things you are grateful for. You'll find a deep sense of accomplishment, you'll sleep better and after seven days, the research shows that your self-esteem will grow over the next three months."

That seems to me to be validating a gratitude journal practice. What you are grateful for expands. This seems like a fairly simple exercise to increase your self-esteem. What could stop you from doing it? Ironically, it is likely lack of self-esteem that will trick you into not doing the work. "Why should you do it? It won't make a difference anyway?" These negative thoughts are what is causing the problem in the first place.

What could you consider a success? I guess that the first thing would be to make a list of things that you would feel great about. Perhaps it could include having a lengthy, refreshing spiritual practice, reading something inspirational, watching an inspirational video ( I recommend "Shots of Awe."), calling your mother or daughter, taking a course, making a phone call, keeping a positive attitude at work, cleaning out a drawer or two, making your lunch, or responding rather than reacting to others around you. Of course, some of you won't consider any of these ideas as accomplishments, so write some of your own, but don't sabotage yourself by making them too difficult for anyone to achieve.

Remember the whole purpose is to keep it positive and achievable.

We are blessed to have Mark Waldman coming to the Center this Sunday. Not only is he a featured columnist for the Science of Mind magazine, but also he has written several books on he subject of science and spirituality including How God Changes Your Brain, How Words Change Your Brain and Why We Believe What We Believe. His is on the faculty of the Holmes Institute and Loyola Marymount University.

He will be giving the message at the Center this Sunday, March 29 and conducting a workshop afterwards. Come and meet him yourself! You will be glad you did.

Metaphysics of Terror, Sunday Service

There is no evil but where Light fails to shine. There is no fear but where Love fails to take root. Today I commit to shine the Light of Love into every dark corner of my mind, my family, my community and the world. And so it is.

Self Appreciation

" There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance;that imitation is suicide;"     Ralph Waldo Emerson

These immortal words in Emerson's essay on Self-Reliance  are just as true today as they were 150 years ago when they were written.

Yet in our current culture we are encouraged to compare ourselves with air-brushed 30-year -old models and to value ourselves by our possessions. Television and print media show us perfect, happy people, perfectly dressed and coiffed,  driving the newest cars. The message is clear that we too can be happy, good-looking and well-dressed if we ...

Nothing could be further from the spiritual truth.

Since the spiritual truth is that we are creative beings, made in the image and nature of Creator, there is absolutely no good reason to imitate or to feel envious! As creative being, our lives are limited only by our imaginations. If we want a certain quality or outcome, we learn to accept it as ours in mind. We learn to treasure the gift of creativity within ourselves.

This is a lesson I have been learning for many years.

When I was a school-age child, I envied my best friend Lois, who always seemed to wear the latest styles in shoes. My parents took our family to a special shoe store, where our feet were carefully measured for the year's sensible shoes. While my friend was wearing penny loafers, I was stuck with saddle shoes. I hated those shoes. they were so old-fashioned! I definitely envied my friend, whose parents let their children buy the shoes in fashion. There were many times that i would have gladly traded my strict stodgy parents for hers. 

During my early-teen years, i was a typically rebellious kid, strong-willed. Some might say stubborn. However, the rebelliousness did not lead me to be an independent thinker. It led me to follow the trends of the day, and to imitate the current Hollywood stars.

Now I can see how blessed I was to have the parents I had, for encouraging me to think for myself and for loving me through all the changes and phases of my life. Ironically, now I think that those saddle shoes were kind of cute.

Saddle Shoes like the ones I had to wear

 

Cute Penny Loafers

You Can't See Them But I likely was Wearing Saddle Shoes

The Myth of Security, Sunday Service

If peace is to be, it is up to me. I release all belief in despair, moral outrage and hopelessness. I embrace my Divine purpose to grow and evolve, to discover and reveal my true nature. I transform the world by living the way of peace. And so it is.

The Myth of Security

Ernest Holmes wrote: 

"The greatest good that can come to anyone is the..absolute certainty of himself, and of his relationship to the Universe, forever removing the sense of heaven as being outside himself..

Such an understanding teaches us that there can never come a time when we shall stop progressing...Such an understanding will rob man of his loneliness, and give him a sense of security which knows no fear." 

What great news this is! Most people think that their security comes from their portfolio, their homes, their possessions. 

But where do all these things come from? They all come from the same place. They come from Infinite Supply through the always faithful Law of Cause and Effect. 

Long ago I was instructed by Divine Presence to stop putting my faith outside myself, and to always trust God! What great advice that was! Much greater than I knew at that time.

Deepak Chopra reminds us that the things we think bring us peace of mind, don't.

Trust God. Trust God. Trust God.

Meditation is the best way to live a life of peace.

I thought you might enjoy one of Deepak's beautiful meditations. This one is a meditation to live a carefree life. He leads the meditation  and there are about 8 minutes of silence. During that time there are beautiful pastoral, deeply peaceful scenes being shown. I watched it all the way through then closed my eyes the second time.
Enjoy.

The Way of Peace Sunday Service

Let me be loved, let me be happy, let me be peaceful. Let my perceived enemies be loved, happy and peaceful. Let all beings be loved, happy and peaceful. Let the whole world experience these things. And so it is.

The Power of Music

I love good music. I have eclectic musical tastes ranging from the early 1900's to present day. I knew most of the lyrics to my parents popular music and still do.  Music is a magical potion that opens the hearts and minds of the listeners. Plato said:

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination
and life to everything.”  

Indeed in our Center, we are deeply blessed to attract fine musicians who light up our imaginations. On many occasions Diane King Vann, our music director, has brought the house down with enthusiasm and joy.Two of our featured singers this Sunday have sung for us before. Do you remember the reprise from les Miserables?  It is a song that calls me to action, "Do you hear the people sing crossing the valley of the night? It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light..." Lyrics like those touch my heart and inspire me to keep climbing.For my birthday last year, Diane  arranged for several of her students to sing the entire reprise, beginning with Jean Val Jean's  heartfelt prayer and concluding with "Do you Hear the People Sing." I was moved to tears. On Sunday, March 8th, we are in for a special treat. We will be listening to the The New World Singers.

The New World Singers

In keeping with the theme of Peace is the Way, and the topic The Way of Peace  and the season for of non-violence,they will be singing:

* SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD

* HEAR MY SONG

* SHINE OUT YOUR LIGHT FROM ME

It is going to be a great Sunday. I know that both the music and the message will appeal to young and young-at-heart alike.

Michael Garamoni - Baritone. Michael graduated from Wagner College with a degree in musical theatre. Some of his favorite roles are: Marius in Les Miserables, The Baker in Into The Woods, and the role that Gene Kelley made famous in Singin’ In The Rain!

Michael is currently a favorite singer for Centers for Spiritual Living, recently performed in a concert “Bent Broadway" for No Square Theatre in Laguna Beach and has just been cast in the Kander and Ebb Show; And The World Goes Round, also for No Square Theatre, performing, 25.

Michael is also pursuing is second career as a writer and has just completed his first novel.

Dominic Leslie - Tenor. Dominic recently graduated in the BFA Musical Theatre program from Cal State University Fullerton, where he played the leads in such shows as; Iillria, All Shook Up, Carousel.  He is currently apprearing as the singing/dancing Tulsa in Fontana Center Stage production of Gypsy.

Dominic is also performing as Daddy Warbucks in Annie, and will be leaving for an international contract with Disney PARIS in early May!

Kellianne Safarik - Soprano. Kellianne is in her senior year at Cal State University Fulllerton, where she is completing her BFA Musical Theatre degree. Kellianne has performed as Olivia in Illyira, and is currently in rehearsals for Ruthless.  She also just appeared in “Bent Broadway” at the No Square Theatre and performs in multiple roles for Disneyland. Kellianne’s voice is heard with The Christmas Belles and many other performing groups throughout Southern California.

Chelsea Vann - Alto/Mezzo Soprano. Chelsea is currently appearing at the Fontana Center Stage, playing the role of Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy. She is also a Wagner College graduate (cum laude) with a Theatre degree, and has performed the last three years in the Broadway National Tour of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Chelsea resides in New York City, and is living the dream of a musical theatre actress. Some of her favorite roles are:Eliza in My Fair Lady, Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables, The Baker’s Wife in Into The Woods, The Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd. Chelsea has been a featured vocalist at churches and centers all over southern California since she was 8 years old! Please visit her at www.chelseavann.com

War Ends Today Sunday Service

The way of peace is love in action. I love my neighbor as I love myself. I love mt enemy as I love my neighbor. Today I find it easy to love everyone and I shift my allegiance to peace. And so it is.