The Truth of Light

This past Sunday, we at Unity Spiritual Center Denver had the honor of hosting Dr. Jacob Israel Liberman as our guest speaker and workshop facilitator. Over the past five decades, Dr. Liberman has become a respected and accomplished expert in the fields of light and vision. I would do a disservice to him and his work by attempting to summarize his insightful teaching. Instead, I recommend visiting his website and reading his books. I will, however, share my perspective on couple of things he talked about.  

Dr. Liberman spoke about how animals have been observed to possess a “sixth sense” that alerts them to potential danger. He used the example of the wild animals who sought higher ground in advance of the tsunami that struck Indonesia in 2004. While no wild animals died, more than 200,000 people were killed.

He asserts that we, too, have a “sixth sense” or intuition, but that we have learned not to pay attention to it. Instead, we have learned to operate from our conditioned minds which insist that we conform to societal norms and learn to fit it. Thus, at the detriment of our essential nature, we learn to respond to external prompting, rather than to the natural light of our souls and the Light of God that is constantly drawing us to the perfect unfolding of our innate nature.

Rather than being guided and moved by the natural flow of light in us, through us, as us and all creation, we resist and restrict our awareness through our thinking, which he calls “worrying.” He states that most of our thinking is worrying about what we did in the past or what we need to do in the future. Our worrying prevents us from entering into a state of presence with all that is revealing itself to us in every moment.

As I sit here in my office gazing across the room at the amazing schefflera plant pictured below, I notice that each leaf is turned toward the light of the sun shining through the window. Years of seeking the light has resulted in branches that twist and turn as they stretch toward the sun. I can’t imagine that this plant worries about whether the light will shine or if it is the most beautiful and perfect specimen of a schefflera. It simply seeks, follows, and takes in the light and grows in its own perfect expression.

Just as plants are designed to grow toward, assimilate and reflect the light without care or concern, so are we humans. The Light of God is always calling us to everything we need when we need it. We can trust it, or not. We can align to it, or not. We can say ‘yes’ to it, or not. In truth, that is the only function of what we know as freewill. Either we follow the light, or we don’t.

When we can relax and trust that each moment will and does reveal to us what we need to know and what we need to attend to, we are more receptive to the call of Light. To assist us in reconnecting with this guidance, Dr. Liberman suggests we practice attending to anything and everything that calls to us or “catches our eye.” For example, if you walk into the bedroom and the unmade bed catches your eye, make the bed. If you walk into the kitchen and dishes in the sink catch your eye, wash them. If a book on the shelf catches your eye, pick it up, open it and read. The more we practice following the light that “catches our eye” the more in alignment with Light we become. We eventually remember our true nature and allow it to unfold naturally, just as the plant does.

He also shared something that struck me at my core. He said that we humans spend a great deal of time and expend inordinate amounts of energy trying to create safety, security and predictability in our lives, even though they do not exist in the world as we know it. Life is constantly moving, flowing and changing, and we are being carried along with it. Attempting to create safety, security, and predictability resists the natural flow of light and life and creates stress.

As I contemplated it this morning, I became aware of how many choices I have made in my life in an attempt to create safety, security and predictability. I know that the desire for those things is based in fear. With the assistance of years of therapy and introspection, I also recognize that the fear stems from childhood conditioning. Previously, I would have said that, in my case, the need for safety, security and predictability had more to do with emotional safety than with physical safety. However, I now realize that the fear of emotional abandonment by my mother, father, or other primary caretakers also extended to a fear of physical abandonment. Even though I now know that I do not need to fear abandonment, my limbic brain is conditioned in that way.

I was nearly brought to my knees this morning with a sudden flash of light. It struck me right between the eyes when I became aware of the many ways I have given up on myself and refused to follow the guidance of the Light in an attempt to maintain what I believed to be safety, security and predictability.  

In denying the light and life of God calling to me and expressing as me, I have, at times, succumbed to fear and “hidden my light under a bushel.” I feel grief as I embrace this awareness. I know that I can mourn having denied my truth. I can also celebrate the new awareness. And, I can begin now to make different choices. I can choose to slow down, pay attention to the light that is calling to me, as well as to the light that is shining as me. I can allow the light to guide me to my greatest unfolding.

Above all, Dr. Liberman’s talk, workshop and book have reminded me that everything is born of Light. Even the biblical account of creation told and shared by those with no empirical or scientific knowledge states that the first emanation of God is Light.

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. – Genesis 1:1-3 NRSV

We are inextricably connected to all life through the Light that imbues every cell of our bodies. It is the same Light that lives as all creation. We may appear separate, but at our essential nature, we are One. As we awaken to this Truth, we are set free. Free to love. Free to follow our own Light. Free to be all we are created to be.

I encourage us all to follow the light of our souls. It is leading us to the remembrance of who we are as the Light of God that enlightens the world.

Living Our Mission

Over the past few weeks in my lessons at Unity Spiritual Center Denver where I serve as senior minister, I have been sharing my thoughts on our recently created mission statement. Our mission statement is –

We inspire transformation. We live consciously. We connect authentically.

Each week I have talked about one of these three elements. You may access audio recordings of those lessons here.

When I talked about connecting authentically, I spoke about the importance of connecting with our thoughts, feelings, desires and needs. In addition, I shared about the value of giving ourselves empathy and compassion when we are stimulated by another or by the events in the world. Further, that authentic connection also includes sharing our feelings, needs, and desires with another while being open and willing to hearing theirs as well. Authentic connection requires us to be honest with ourselves and vulnerable with others.

When I shared about inspiring transformation, I said that transformation begins in consciousness, but that true transformation most often requires us to take some action that will demonstrate our transformed consciousness in the world. Transformation asks us to be willing to connect with our judgments about ourselves, others and the world, to inquire about them and to understand them. When we are willing and able to do that, we are released from bondage to them. It is claiming ourselves as new creatures through the processes in which we consciously engage and the actions we take as a result.

This past Sunday, I talked about living consciously which is first and foremost about connecting consciously with our divine nature and the divinity in others and in all things. It is also about being conscious of ourselves and how we relate to others in our humanity with their humanity. Living consciously requires us to be in relationship to ourselves and with others from the awareness of our oneness – our shared spirituality and our common humanity.

As a spiritual community, our opportunity is to afford avenues for people to connect with their divine nature; learn spiritual practices that will assist them in living from their divine nature; and support them in living lives of connection, peace, sufficiency and love. We do that through our services, classes, workshops and events. My prayer is that we are successful at doing that.

In line with those intentions and in alignment with living our mission, we are offering a 4-week class entitled, Divine Sparks – Living our Compassion as Spiritual Practice. The class is based on the principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), the life work of Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. The class has been developed and will be facilitated by Susan Kaplan, a certified NVC trainer. It will meet on the four Mondays in November from 6:30 – 9:00 PM. If you are in the Denver area, I highly encourage you to register and participate in this workshop.

I was first introduced to NVC in 2004 by a friend who had recently returned from an International Intensive Training (IIT). An IIT is a residential immersion experience of learning and practicing the principles of NVC. She was on fire with what she had learned and couldn’t wait to share it with others. Her passion for it was contagious. I, along with a group of other members of our spiritual community, participated in the first class she facilitated. I was intrigued by what I learned in that class, but in no way did I fully grasp the enormity of what I would experience with NVC in the ensuing years.

In the months that followed, I not only attended other introductory classes offered by her, I also volunteered to be her assistant for one of them. Over the years, I hosted and participated in her workshops and in those presented by other NVC teachers who came to the Dallas area where I was living at the time. I couldn’t get enough. I learned more with every experience. I have continued to attend workshops and training intensives, as well as facilitate classes and workshops based on the principles of NVC.

While at its foundation NVC is a simple four-step process – observations, feelings, needs and requests – integrating it as a way of connecting with self and with others constitutes a profound paradigm shift. NVC is more than a way to communicate: it is a spiritual practice. 

As with any spiritual practice, NVC has the potential to transform one’s consciousness. In fact when practiced intentionally and intently, the principles of NVC, primarily empathy and compassion for self and others, will inspire a profound shift in the way we connect with and understand ourselves and each other. As we are transformed, we assist in the transformation of the consciousness of humanity. As consciousness is transformed, we practice authentic connection and model it for others. In practicing authentic connection, we live consciously. When we live our mission as stated above, we contribute to manifesting our vision. Our vision is

A spiritually awakened world living Oneness.

I so fully believe in the life-transforming potential of NVC that we are offering this class for a $10 materials fee and requesting an “intentional contribution” at the end of the class. An “intentional contribution” is an opportunity for class participants to make a financial contribution which reflects the value each one places on what they have received. There is no set minimum, maximum, or suggested amount. This will be discussed further in the class.

If you would like to experience the power and potential of Living Compassion as a Spiritual Practice, please REGISTER HERE.

Between Us

In my post of August 15, 2018, The Problem with Evil, I shared about my interaction following a recent Sunday service with a young man who had some questions about Unity and our teachings. I said, in that post, that I was looking forward to having a more in-depth conversation with him when and if it happened. Well, that conversation happened this past Friday.

As I said in the previous post, he is Catholic. The conversation started out with both of us sharing a bit about our journeys with religion and spirituality. He then asked me quite a few probing questions about New Thought, our association with Christianity, our connection with “New Age,” and our hosting of mediums, kirtans, and channels. From his perspective, all of these are doorways to “evil.” He even used the words ‘cult’ and ‘occult’ to characterize our beliefs and practices. While it never became overtly contentious, the conversation eventually evolved (or devolved) into what I perceived from him as a critical denouncement of Unity and New Thought.

Further, it was the closest to “witnessing” and an attempt at conversion that I have experienced since leaving the Baptist church. After about an hour and a half, I chose to end our meeting because I was feeling saturated and irritated. While it was an enlightening conversation on many levels, it was not what I had anticipated when scheduling it.

From my perspective, while he used words that seemed to indicate interest in understanding as well as care and concern for me and my eternal soul, it felt neither loving nor connecting. To the contrary, it felt as if I was being interrogated and called to defend myself, my beliefs, and the entire New Thought movement. I believe I did my best to listen respectfully, share openly and respond honestly to his questions. In retrospect, while it became more and more uncomfortable as it continued, and while I walked away somewhat shaken by it, I gained something from the conversation.

I was reminded that one’s total assurance that what he or she believes is the Truth can be both an asset and a detriment. While I don’t agree with much of what he believes, I respect his commitment to it. He has studied the history of Catholicism and has based his beliefs on its teachings. He has dedicated himself to living his life according to the tenets of his religion. I respect and admire that. I think many of us in New Thought could take a lesson from that level of commitment and dedication to living the principles.

However, when one is so convinced that what he or she believes is the absolute Truth, it does not allow for being open to the ideas and beliefs of others. It blocks authentic connection with one who does not adhere to the same beliefs or with one from different cultures and life situations. That level of right and wrong thinking sets up division and does not allow for honest dialog and understanding between people.

This is true whether it concerns religion, politics, social justice, or other issues. When one holds that their view is the only “right” one, it follows that everyone else is “wrong.” Conflicts arise in families, among neighbors, and countries because of this kind of black and white thinking. It has been the cause of many so-called “holy wars” throughout history. It is also the underlying stimulus for many other atrocities inflicted by humans upon other humans. That level of assurance and dogmatic approach to beliefs is based in fear, not love. When one has to be “right,” there is an underlying fear of being mistaken that drives one to behave in ways that are exclusory and can lead to conflict, including war. This is not supposition. It is observation. 

Additionally, the idea that Unity is a “cult” has been around since Unity was founded. Yes, Unity is unorthodox in that we do not subscribe to the Orthodox doctrines of Christianity. Yes, we follow the foundational teaching of one man, Jesus Christ, who taught that the greatest commandment is Love – Love God, Love Neighbor, Love Self. Yes, we are devoted to one idea – the divinity of humankind and our potential to realize and embody that divinity as Jesus did. The foregoing does not constitute Unity as a “cult” any more than traditional Christianity itself.

As for channels and mediums, I know that there are some who profess to bring forth information and guidance from higher dimensions, but who are in actuality charlatans. However, I also know that there are those who connect with knowing beyond the normal. In fact, I would assert that mystical truths in the Bible were received by men who were connected to a field of knowing beyond this third dimensional reality. I cannot believe that God, as wisdom, stopped speaking to and through humankind when the Bible was canonized by a council of men who were at least as interested, if not more so, in power and control than in the spiritual well-being of the people.

God speaks through many who are willing and able to open to and receive divine guidance. I believe that Unity’s founders, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, were two such people. There were many before them and many who have followed them. We have the God-given power of discernment. Each of us has the ability and the responsibility to develop that power and to judge by righteous judgment the teachings that are and are not in alignment with the Divine. That is not a decision for one man or group of men to make on behalf of all people. That can only be determined through one’s personal connection with the God within.

While kirtans, as such, are not part of the tradition, chanting has long been accepted and encouraged in Christianity. Melodic recitation of words and phrases of spiritual significance has been a spiritual practice of Christians for centuries. Chanting is meant to attune one to the Divine and promote spiritual development. Kirtan, a Sanskrit word, is a group experience of chanting which is intended to assist participants in having an experience of the Divine. In Unity, we believe that there are many paths to God and to an experience of God. Chanting, no matter in what language or style, is just one. We host kirtans because we strive to offer as many paths as possible to a personal experience of God.

I do not expect everyone to understand or accept Unity’s metaphysical approach to the teachings of Jesus Christ, nor to our positive practical approach to living a spiritual life. However, I would greatly appreciate respect for the path I have chosen. I hope that I would never presume to tell another that their beliefs are “wrong” or “evil.” I might share with them what I believe and be open to discussing our differences, but I trust that I could do that from a place of understanding and respect. We may not share the same beliefs about religion, spirituality, politics or social issues, but it is my intention to listen, do my best to understand, and to remember that nothing is either black or white, right or wrong. There is always room in the space between us. Love abides in that space. May we always strive to connect in the space of Love.

In closing, I want to express deep appreciation and gratitude for last Friday’s conversation. Even though it was triggering in some ways for me, it inspired me to think through some of the ideas presented here and helped to solidify my commitment to the Unity teachings of acceptance and inclusion for all. I strive to not only believe in those principles but to practice them. I want to help others do the same.

I invite you to listen to my friend Denise Rosier’s song Between Us as a reminder of our true nature and what lies in the space between us. We are Love. We are One.

In My Knowing

Earlier this week, J and I made the short drive from Denver to Kenosha Pass in hopes of seeing some fall color. While much of the vibrant gold of the aspen trees had already faded at the higher elevation, we were able to enjoy vistas of color as we stopped at clearings along the hike and looked out  upon the glory below. In addition to the remaining golden aspens, we marveled at the yellows, oranges and reds of the other deciduous trees revealing their fall splendor, as well as the crystal clear blue sky and the wide array of greens and blue-greens displayed by the Colorado evergreen trees. It was perfect weather to enjoy the day and the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

The trek reminded me of how much I appreciate the change of seasons. Fall has always been my favorite time of year. It may have something to do with being born in the fall. In any case, I love when the air has a slight chill, the wind is crisp and the leaves begin to fall. Living in Colorado, we are blessed to enjoy the best of all four seasons.

Even when witnessing the coming of fall and knowing that the snows of winter will soon follow, I can be at peace. Although more than one snow per year was new to me when moving to Colorado, I have learned to appreciate it and its innate beauty. While at times I tire of the snow during a long winter season, I always know that spring will come. The trees will once again come alive with new green. The flowers will bloom. The air will warm. Spring will come followed by summer. And, once again, the air will chill, the wind will blow, and the leaves will change colors and fall. I know that seasons come and go. It doesn’t require faith or trust. I KNOW.

As I hiked the trail at Kenosha Pass, I was reminded that in a similar way each of us experiences seasons in our lives. They are not predictable as are the seasons of the Earth, but they do come and go, some lasting longer than others. While we often resist it, each of us is in a constant and continual process of change, transitioning from one season of life to the next and the next. We must rely on our KNOWING to help us flow through these transitions with confidence and ease.

When we find ourselves in the dark and cold of winter, whether it be the experience of an illness, a loss, or any other profound change in our lives, it is helpful to KNOW that this, too, shall pass and spring will come again. These times require a level of KNOWING that goes beyond faith or trust. Faith and trust can be powerful allies in these times, but KNOWING will see us through.

KNOWING is beyond the thinking mind. It is deeper than the heart. KNOWING is centered in the depth of the Soul. KNOWING allows for no doubt. KNOWING eliminates fear. KNOWING arises from a conscious connection with Source.

It requires neither faith nor trust to KNOW that morning will follow night as the Sun peaks over the horizon. It requires neither faith nor trust to KNOW that spring follows winter. This same consciousness of KNOWING is essential in our lives. Even in the darkest times, when we KNOW that light will dawn, we can be comforted and encouraged. Spring will come again and new life will spring forth to brighten our world.

As I was writing this, the words of Psalm 23 began to sing in my head. Below is the translation that came to me. In the video below, I guide you through the process with follows:

I invite you to sit comfortably, take a deep breath, allow the breath to focus all of your awareness in your heart, with the next breath drop even deeper into the area between your solar plexus and your navel, now breathe even deeper into your pelvic bowl – the seat of the Soul. This is your connection to KNOWING. Rest your awareness there as you read these words, or listen to my recording of them. Blessings to you!

NOTE: I use ‘I AM’ to refer to the Christed Self, Higher Self, True Self, or Divine Light.

I KNOW that my ‘I AM’ is my guide.
In my KNOWING, I want for nothing.
I rest in green pastures of abundance.
I drink from the still waters of Spirit.
My Soul is refreshed and renewed.
I follow my KNOWING as I walk the path that leads me to my highest good.
Even though I walk through pain and loss, I do not fear, because I KNOW that my ‘I AM’ is always with me.
In my KNOWING, I am comforted and calmed.
Even when I worry and doubt, I KNOW that all of my needs are met.
I am blessed beyond measure.
I KNOW that only good comes to me now and for all the days of my life.
I KNOW that I dwell in eternal peace, harmony and goodwill.

Authentic Connection

On Saturday, September 14, Rev. Toni Boehm, facilitated a group of 40 Unity Spiritual Center Denver members in a process to discern our vision, mission and core values. It was a fast-paced and effective process. In little more than 4 hours, the group was able to develop powerful statements that will help guide us as we chart our course and move into our future.

Although there were a few dissenting opinions, both the vision and mission statements were overwhelming approved by those present for the service on Sunday, September 15. They were also ratified by the Council at the meeting on Wednesday, September 18.

Our vision statement is the highest vision we can hold for our world. It is -

A spiritually awakened world living Oneness.

Our mission statement expresses what we will do to help manifest our vision. It is -

We inspire transformation. We live consciously. We connect authentically.

Our core values are: 

Transformation, Connection, Inclusivity, Spirit-led, Inspiration, Innovation.

A team of four volunteers is working on developing clearly expressed definitions for each of these, as well as outlining at least three actions that each of us can take to live into our core values. They have set October 31 as their deadline for completing this process. You will be hearing more about that in November.

I am personally thrilled with the outcome of this process. Our vision and mission statements and core values are rich with potential and possibility. They give us much for which to aspire. They also provide me with fodder for Sunday messages.

Over the next three Sundays, I will be exploring each of the three statements that make up our mission statement, beginning this Sunday with “We connect authentically.”

As a community, we have said that one of the ways that we will engender a spiritually awakened world living Oneness is to connect authentically. If we wholeheartedly commit to connecting authentically and all that doing so entails, we will contribute mightily to realizing our vision.

Authentic connection includes, first and foremost, conscious connection with the Source and with our True Nature/Spirit/Soul, or by whatever name we know it to be, as an individuated expression thereof. As I mentioned in my post last week, it is time for us to begin to more fully and completely embrace our essence as the Christ/True Light/Word, again, by whatever name or nature you know it.

We connect in many ways, predominantly through prayer, meditation and contemplation. We may also connect in other ways such as through music, nature, dance, and play. There are many empowering ways to authentically connect with our Soul. However we do it, the important thing is that we do it. Each of us is here to bring our unique and wondrous Selves into manifestation. To do that, we must be authentically connected to our Self.

Authentic connection also includes connecting with ourselves as we show up in these human bodies with our desires, needs, longings, history, beliefs, conditioning, and all that makes up our unique personalities. Self-awareness and self-connection is key to knowing what motivates us and what triggers us. It is also essential in learning to accept and love ourselves right where we are while also recognizing our potential for greater realization and embodiment of our True Nature.

Authentic connection is also imperative as we navigate relationships with each other. Authentic connection asks us to risk being vulnerable, to share our feelings, to be honest about our desires and disappointments, and to be willing to hear the same from another, even when doing so has the potential to stimulate uncomfortable feelings.

Authentic connection also includes the willingness and availability to be present to those who are different from us. This includes differences in religion, race, sexuality, gender identity, political ideology, or any of a number of labels that we allow to segregate us.

Our commitment to living the statement, “We connect authentically,” calls us up to a high standard. When we strive to remain conscious of this commitment, notice when we are not fully living it, take actions to change our thinking and our behavior, and correct our course accordingly, we will most surely contribute to a “spiritually awakened world living Oneness.” Because we will be much closer to being spiritually awakened individuals who are living Oneness.