Feeling The Divine Presence, Sunday Service

I feel the Presence, the Power and the Activity of Divine Spirit in me and around me. I accept this Presence with complete confidence. And so it is!

The State of Presence

What are the moments that take your breath away? When the light falls on leaves in a certain way, I am acutely aware of the beauty of nature. When I hear music that stirs my soul, I see beauty; when I hear the poetry of David Whyte or Mary Oliver, something awakens.

"Beyond the beauty of the external forms, there is more here; something that cannot be named, something ineffable, some deep, inner, holy essence. Whenever and wherever there is beauty, this inner essence shines through somehow. It only reveals itself to you when you are present. Could it be that this nameless essence and your presence are one and the same? Would it be there without your presence? Go deeply into it. Find out yourself." 

Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, pp 96-97

I first traveled to Southern California in May of 1993.  A stunning tree, unknown to me as a Canadian, was flowering everywhere. I had never before seen a tree that was entirely flowers -- the beautiful Jacaranda. I was high on life, beginning the next part of my life as a senior minister. There was beauty everywhere.

The second part of the quote is very important. The beauty to which we are responding is the Presence of the Divine in us.  This is vastly important. By being still, by letting the chatter stop, we touch the Thing Itself, the beloved within.

This Thing is magnificent! It is breath-taking! Take a moment today and appreciate the wonder that YOU are.  Don't think about it. Just let the sacred self within bedazzle you.

Poet John Keats wrote Ode to a Grecian Urn in the  early 1800's and said:

'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'

Swing Time Cabaret Brings Sweet Memories

Tonight our Center's Choir is presenting their annual choir show, Swing Time Cabaret.

I watched the dress rehearsal last night and it is a great show! I realized that with the exception of a Spanish song, I knew the lyrics to all the songs. Some have been great favorites. The choir planned to surprise me with one some, "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" made famous by the Sons of the Pioneers. The reason I like the song so much is because of the beauty of the three-part harmony!

When I was a kid, there were always sing-alongs, whether travelling by car or around a campfire or a piano. My dad had a good tenor voice and loved to sing. My mom had a strong alto voice.Many of my cousins and sisters and brothers are quite talented too. When we were young adults and were getting married, at family gatherings, after the dance there would be a lot of singing. That is really when my passion for the tumbleweeds began. My cousin's husband, and her two brothers sang beautifully together. They almost always would say yes to my request. Please note we would have been singing some standards but mostly current rock and roll music. Although my prairie roots led me to have direct knowledge of tumbleweeds (they are very prickly), country music wasn't a favorite. I was very fond of my cousins and saw them a few times a year. After university, we saw each other less often, usually at a family gathering -- weddings and funerals. One of the trio of singers is a man named after my Grandfather, Herman, but was only ever called Buddy. Later as an older teen it shifted to Bud.

The entire show is fantastic, everyone needs a lot of love for the countless hours they put into learning their music and choreography. Still the highlight of the show for me was a soul-filled song, sung by Diane King Vann, called "My Buddy." Immediately my cousin's face was before me. We haven't connected in person for much too long. The music made me realize how much I missed seeing him.

Isn't it interesting how music can evoke something deep within us? Sometimes it evokes a memory of the first time you heard it; at others the song itself seems to describe a person or a feeling within you. I believe it is one way the Universal Presence makes Itself known to us. When our hearts open by whatever means, it is Spirit within us, opening to a greater idea of life and ourselves.

Tickets will be available at the door.

Say Yes to It All

As Palm Sunday rapidly approaches, I am internally pulled to our annual presentation of some of the music from Jesus Christ Superstar. I interpret the events of the Holy Week metaphysically. It is one of my favorite Sundays. Why? because the music is deep and evocative? Absolutely! The music touches something within us that relates both to the human condition and the Divine Presence.

One of my favorite songs is Gethsemane, Jesus prayer in the garden.He has just shared dinner with his friends.  He asks his disciples to stay with him while he prays but they fall asleep. Jesus knows what is about to happen and in this moving song, he prays to God to find another way for him to fulfill his destiny. It is easy to bring compassion to this man. Usually there is not a dry eye in the house following that song. The lyrics are:

"I only want to say, if there is a way.

I have changed.  I'm not as sure, as when I started.
Listen surely I've exceeded expectations 
Tried for three years, seems like thirty. 
Could you ask as much from any other man?"

Then I was inspired/ now I'm sad and tired

Take this cup away from me,  for I don't want to taste its poison,

Feel it burn me,

We may never have that life-ending experience looming over us, but almost everyone can relate to doing what needs to be done in times of need. I have often known that I should take  a certain direction, but because I didn't know how it would end,hesitated about taking action. Sometimes we hesitate to please others, sometimes to avoid danger or sometimes just to avoid change.

In her poem, The Invitation, Oriah Mountain Dreamer writes:

"It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray yourself. If you can be faithless, and therefore trustworthy."

Being true to myself means I am listening deeply to the Presence within and allowing that guidance to direct my course. Our authentic self knows only to stay on the right course, to go in the direction of the highest good. It is human to want support. When have you needed support emotionally and your friends or spouse couldn't be there for you? Perhaps they didn't understand your need. perhaps like the disciples, they just went to sleep. Going to sleep metaphysically means forgetting who you are; forgetting your spiritual dna. We forget who we are when we think we are not enough; when we think that somebody is against us. The Truth is that the entire Universe is always conspiring to obey our commands, to follow our wishes, which It knows as our beliefs.

Stay awake. Connect with the Presence. Connect with  friends. Of course, we have been given the gift of choice and free will. We get to set the direction of our dreams but the way to them may be filled with obstacles. Remember the nature of God as Law  is fulfilling our desires. Say yes to it all.