2016 is rapidly approaching and every year at this time I look forward to setting intentions for the New Year.  I was reading the article, “Passion, Wonder and Awe” in the January issue of the “Science of Mind Magazine.”  I loved what the author, Gregg Levoy, said, ” When we uncover our passion it helps reveal… our life’s purpose.”  Setting intentions are wonderful, however what if we set a PASSION for the New Year, not just what we think we should do. I believe digging deep within to truly, authentically bring forth ideas, actions, and activities that make us feel ALIVE, would take us UP a Joy-filled path in the coming year. Since most of us  have a smart phone with APPs. think of putting into your heart and mind the APP of “Authentic Passion Purpose!”  Write down ALL the things you feel passionate about; big, small, crazy, seemingly unreachable, unlimited ideas. The “unreachable, unlimited ideas” are the BEST, because it allows us to LET GO of how we think we can accomplish it, and LET GOD bring the way to us.   Choose to have a PASSION for LIFE everyday.  Be courageous to follow that passion whether it is taking a Zumba class because you love to dance and/or becoming involved in a cause (whales, homeless, environment, interfaith etc….)  you are passionate about. Time to step out of the “comfort box.”  Put the pedal to the metal and your feet to the floor and DO your passion.  The first step is the most challenging, because you are breaking free from fear of the unknown.  Make that PASSION list, bless the list, put a spiritual symbol on the list and affirmatively pray knowing God within is doing the work, bringing forth the opportunities and all you have to do is say YES!
Down load the APP today!
A- Authentic  
P- Passion
P – Purpose

Yogananda Paramahansa said in Whispers from Eternity:
“O Lord, I have long been engrossed in material things. Enthralled by their outward forms, I failed to perceive within them Thy creative Spirit. The starry single eye of my soul insight is now being opened. Through it may I behold creation ashine with Thy Glory.   Bless me, that I ever see the Eastern star of wisdom. May it gleam before my human eyes, alike in daylight and in gloom. Let my wise thoughts follow the wondrous star that leads to the Christ Child of Infinity.”
Beautiful words from a Beautiful Soul.
Let us move through the holidays and into the New Year as Divine Emissaries of Love.  Let us follow our starry single eye of wisdom and insight as we bring only love and joy to all we meet, our families, friends, and  neighbors . Let us continue to see God’s glory in All People from all faiths, creeds, cultures and traditions.
As we celebrate the birth of our Beloved Master Teacher Jesus, let us celebrate the birth of our own Christ Child within – and BE the Christ Consciousness within the  world.
***

We had a fabulous Drumming and Walking the Labyrinth for Mother Earth on Saturday.  It was a sacred event as we Honored the 4 Directions, said individual prayers from Native Indigenous Peoples, drummed, sang, journeyed in a guided meditation and individually drummed our own unique beat. We walked the Labyrinth with intentions to Heal the earth, ourselves and others.   The voice of Wisdom came through to everyone and it was exactly what each one needed to hear.  One lady said, “I am the kind of person who thinks she has to do everything myself.  I don’t seek help. What I received was, to rely on God more and allow Him to come in. I am not alone.”
Her inspiration reminded me of this quote…
Good Morning,  This is God. 
I will be handling all your problems today,
I will not need your help, so have a good day.
What ever healing  is needed, for Mother Earth, our family, friends, political leaders, and/or ourselves, let us rely on God within to fill us up completely with our own wholeness, health, love, joy and peace. As we do this for ourselves,                            we do this for the world.-As Within, So Without
Drumming and Honoring Mother Earth
“Teach your children the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground they spit upon themselves. This we know. The Earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected.”
-Chief Seattle

December 8, 2015

Happy Hanukkah
to our Jewish Brothers and Sisters.

Dear Friends,

“I pray for purification that I may stand forth a clear channel for His Will and His Light.”
-Flower Newhouse, from The Sacred Heart of Christmas.

We in New Thought, have our basic beliefs grounded in the Judaic Christian traditions, so we celebrate Christmas with an open heart and mind.
During this Advent season we remember to honor and celebrate the birth of our Master Teacher and Brother, Jesus the Christ.  Flower Newhouse, (Mystic, Clairvoyant, Metaphysical Minister, Founder of Questhaven Christward Ministries) says in her book (see above) “Humanity needs God’s vessels of consecrated men and women. They are links between God’s thought and the world. Every individual can be a way shower to …LOVE. The Christ emphasized our oneness with the Eternal Source and we are here to manifest God’s Will on Earth and to unfold the Godhood within us.”
Many churches and centers celebrate Advent, and light the Advent Candles.   As these candles are lit, let us light the Godhood Candle within us and reflect daily on BEING the GIFT of LOVE for all we meet, know and don’t know.
I love the prayer from Paramahansa Yogananda below.  I believe we need to expand our love beyond our city, county, country and borders. We are all one family on this globe evolving as fast as our consciousness will let us. We have the free will to expand and love those who need loving the most.  Let us replace anger with love,  fear with love, hatred with love.  If we feel these negative emotions about “another,” then there is some place within us we feel anger, fear and hatred about ourselves.  Let us CLEAN up and CLEAR out these deep feelings that no longer serve us.  We can then BE the sacred vessels of Love that will ripple out to heal our fellow earth sojourners and the world.

Be Thou President of a United World

by Paramahansa Yogananda, Whispers from Eternity

Divine Creator, President of the Universe, Chief Executive of Planets, Stars, and Galaxies! Thy democratic rule, giving the rights of free will and self-evolution to Ty citizen children,is bringing them nearer and nearer to Thine ideals.
Created with the consciousness of omnipresence, we had from Thee a birthright of eternal freedom. Alas, we imprisoned our universality behind bars of selfish interests and narrow-heartedness. May we learn to express our soul warmth of love and understanding, melting all icy boundaries of exclusiveness.
Bless us, O Father, that we form a United World, electing Thee as our Perpetual Spiritual President. with Thy guidance, may we govern ourselves rightly through conscience and soul discrimination.
Teach us to enrich our spiritual opportunities and sympathies by enlarging the circle of our patriotic love, including in it all inhabitants of the earth, regardless of color, caste, class, sex or creed.
O cosmic Lord, help us to respect, with kindness the independence of all They freeborn sons ( and daughters). Whether they are good or
temporarily error-intoxicated, may we honor all as Thy children.
***

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet, The words repeat, Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

December 1, 2015

We just finished decorating our tree and all the house decorations are up. Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly. I am listening to the Christmas Carols on a seasonal radio station. I have wonderful memories of singing and playing them on the piano as my dad accompanied me on his coronet.  I am joyfilled and happy.  Joy to the World. On my walk today I looked up to the clouds and each one looked like a magnificent Angel. Hark the Herald Angels Sing. I believe the veil is thin during this time of year.  The Angels bend closer and we all become a little kinder.  Thanksgiving sets the tone of giving and we carry this through to Christmas and with intentional thought and purpose, continue it every day after.  It doesn’t matter how many people are in the stores, they are brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of God.  Those who celebrate the holiday are busy trying to discover the right gift for a loved one. We Three Kings of Orient Are. This season only comes once a year so let us enjoy it and Be Merry!  The whole reason is to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ. Away in a Manger. He came to renew our minds and bring LOVE into our hearts. He taught us God is within doing the work. Everything Jesus did, we can do also  and even greater things.  What an amazing idea to ponder. We are powerful beyond measure.
The Christ Light is birthed within us as we know and experience this truth.
My favorite carol is “Oh Holy Night.” Verse 3 says, ” Truly he taught us to love one another, His law is love and his gospel is peace.  Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother. …
Let us remember this truth.  We are our brother. We are our sister. I am you and you are me.
Let us help those in need, here in our city, country and in the world. With this consciousness we can bring forth a Silent Night, Holy Night.
***

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Francis of Assisi

Dear Friends,

Paris
We were all saddened and shocked by the events in Paris this past week. I hope you all had a chance to read Imam Taha Hassane’s (Islamic Center of San Diego) interview from the Union Trib. The violent act is a tragedy and we know in our hearts all religions have LOVE as the core foundation in each. We were at a Pax Christi (Catholic) prayer vigil last week. The Ahmadiya Muslims were there and shared the basic beliefs of Islam. The Word Islam means “Peace.” It was interesting to hear that the Pax Christi movement began with a priest and a nun who decided to “Pray for the enemy” during WW2.   Jesus in the Beatitudes said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for those which despitefully use you, and persecute you….”   (Matthew 5:44, )
Let us :
PRAY for All people to embody the consciousness of love & peace on earth today.
PRAY and stand up for our Muslim (and Sikh) friends who get targeted after attacks like this one. Have your congregation call them to see if there is anyway to be in solidarity with them.
PRAY for the terrorists, pray for the children being kidnapped and brainwashed, pray for  those who suffered loss, pray for those who are now on the other side, pray for our leaders to find a higher conscious way for solutions.
REMEMBER: Every person who hates, kills, & terrorizes was a pure innocent  spiritual being when born. Let us see them in that Truth of their being.  Let us know the pure soul, the God essence of who they are.  This LOVE energy will be felt  all over the world!

Our message for you this week is to
“PRAY for  Everyone”.
***

Dear Friends,
I was given a gift by my friend Rev. Ahmondra McClendon. It was a Gratitude booklet called, “Transformation Through Thanksgiving, a 40 day Journey.”  I have been using it daily and have noticed how my 10 daily things to be grateful for have expanded.
The first day or so I was focused and very grateful for my family, friends and “things” in my life.  Now I notice my gratitude is also including,
Sitting in a chair in meditation
The sun rising and setting
The view of hills behind my house
The immensity and awesomeness of God
Everyday my gratitude  is expanding.  One day after meditation, prayer and writing in my gratitude booklet, morning walk and labyrinth walk, I experienced the day filled with a constant God flow. Everything I did was easy and effortless. Everything I needed to buy at several stores I was able to get.  The image came into my mine, and then it was there.  This simple, yet profound and transforming practice of Gratitude I believe changed the vibration and energy wherever I went and with everyone I met.
One saleslady told me,  “You are very kind.”  Another lady went out of her way to help me receive  a discount on my purchase.  The gratitude energy I was feeling inside was felt on the outside as well.   I noticed, what could be small irritations, did not irritate me.  I seemed to be in a peaceful state of grace all day. I even found money wherever I walked.  I just looked down and  a penny or nickel would appear. It was truly an amazing day!
THANKSGIVING is TRANSFORMATIVE – TRY IT!

“Do not try to reform the outer picture. When you meet with any form of degradation, do not look at it, but through it.  Close your eyes, or turn away. Look through the individual, beholding through your spiritual sense the reality of his being. See the Christ in him.  You will then bring about what the world calls healing.”
-Joel Goldsmith,  Conscious Union  With God.

The Journey to Our God Realization

 In the most basic sense the labyrinth represents your personal  spiritual journey; that of venturing to the center of your innermost being and then returning to the world with a broader sense of who you are. It is a metaphor for life’s journey. Inherent within the design of the labyrinth is its archetypical power, dating back some 3,000 – 4,000 years. The beauty is, it is not a maze where you might get lost. The Labyrinth path continues to keep you on your spiritual journey, no matter what twists and turns your choices take you. The Divine Design always brings you back to the purpose for which you were created. That is to discover within yourself your GOD Essence, your GOD Magnificence, your GOD Being.  Knowing that Truth is your Center of GOD power, presence, wisdom, knowledge, love and compassion.  From there, you can bring your God Essence back out into the world, to people, places and things. All will feel this God Energy within you and be transformed.
*
Come walk the labyrinth with us on Wednesday., November 4th at 1:30-3:00. 
(Go to All Faith Center Events for more information)
We will read passages from Pathways to Peace, Inter-religious Readings and Reflections.   For we know when we embrace and behold the truth of our being, we know this truth for ALL and All receives it instantaneously!
***

Look UP and See the Beauty of God,
the Earth, & Mankind!

Dear Friends,
What a glorious morning this was, as I looked up into the sky to watch a magnificent sunrise. It was mystical and I felt the essence of God envelope me.   I watched the colors of gold, coral, pink, yellow, and blue cascade across the hills, clouds and sky. I felt the  Glory of God shinning on me and  all of us saying “All is well, all is good, all is beautiful and so are you!” I felt a profound sense of peace and love coursing through me as if the colors touched the essence of my soul. God was saying in me, “Look UP and bring forth the new day with your magnificence, your beauty, your glorious being.  Be who I created you to be.  Know your ONENESS with and as Me and All there it.”

You are the Glorious Child of God.
You are Splendor in Form!

Be LOVE.
Be in tune with your Inner Guidance
Follow your Intuition
God’s Love and Beauty are speaking to you.
You are part of the Creation and Creator!
***