Peace

I've been enjoying the Advent Booklet Unity provided this year. We still have a few copies in the office if you're interested and want one.

The first week of Advent is all about Faith. The second week of Advent is all about Peace. The entry for Tuesday, December 12, was especially powerful for me.

Sometimes during the Advent season, peace seems far away. How can we find it in such a busy, challenging time of year? 

First, we can remember that peace is not something we need to seek. Peace is embedded within us. The question is not, "How do we find inner peace?" but "How can we cultivate, nurture and activate the peace already within us?" 

A commitment to peace means that in the midst of all the situations and people who come our way, we will find a way to remain calm and peaceful. We can gently catch ourselves anytime we leave our peace, and take a moment to breathe and come back to it. 

Peace is the best gift we can give ourselves - and everyone around us!

I wish you the ability to recognize the peace already in you (as I am trying to do this season) and, when we leave our peace, to remember to breathe and come back to it.

Love,

~ JEAN

Birthday Wishes

Every birthday I seem to receive at least one unexpected card. So this year in early November I found myself wondering what wonderful cards I will receive and from whom - possibly from an unexpected person or persons. This birthday more than lived up to my expectations.

My husband always gives me very sweet cards. This year's is a vase of flowers embroidered on fabric. (A vase of fresh flowers is often the first thing we see (and a visitor would see) when we walk in our front door. This last summer we enjoyed a wonderful collection of dahlia bouquets.) The inside of the card reads: There are a MILLION REASONS to celebrate you. Your birthday makes a million and one.





















A dear friend sent me the one on the left. The inside reads: You're a beautiful person, inside and out, unique and full of life. You have a place in this world, a story to tell, a difference to make. And you're already doing that - beautifully! You're loved for who you are, for all you're yet to be - for always!

The first two cards I kind of expected, not that I take them for granted. I am happy to receive them and I love their messages.

This last card (above right) came from one of my nephews and niece-in-law. It was very unexpected and a very pleasant surprise. The inside reads: You're wished all the things that will make this birthday your kind of day.

I don't know about you, but I'm still practicing accepting nice things said about me. And I'm trying to shorten the time between me thinking "Really?" to "I accept and appreciate what this card says about me." And I set the intention to live up to the best of my nature.

~ JEAN

Wisdom from Reading

My last post was excerpts from a novel I read at the recommendation of my granddaughter. Today I am sharing from three sources - two excerpts are from two novels I recently read. The third excerpt is from the Daily Word. They all touched me, were thought-provoking and seemed directed especially for me.

~ It is by delving into yourself that you escape imprisonment. (p. 94)
~ What was healing, in the end, if not the making of peace? And what was living if it was not for love? (p. 118)
~ People forgive more easily when they understand - but when they cannot understand, they forgive in order not to suffer. Every morning you will forgive without understanding why, and you will have to start again the next morning, but at last you will be able to live without hatred. (p. 148)
From The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery

Even when you think you can't bear it, you can bear it. Sometimes you have to let time carry you past your troubles. (p. 154)
From Arcadia by Lauren Groff

Monday, July 10, 2017 Daily Word: Now Is the Time
Affirmation: Now is the time. This is the place. I am the one.
~ Life is filled with adventures, moments of beauty, or heartfelt laughter. So why would I allow the busyness of material life to edge out my deeper priorities and values?
~ Every moment is precious. Now is the time for me to forgive, reach out, and express my love. Now is the time to live as prayer in action - in gratitude for the gift of my life.
~ I recommit today to being fully present in the moment - to the content and awareness of God's presence. I allow Spirit to take charge of my life, aligning my priorities with my values. I trust that I am always in the right place at the  right time. I am always in - and acting as - the presence of Spirit.
~ In faith, I affirm: Now is the time. This is the place. I am the one.

You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. Romans 13:11

I hope you get something out of these too.

~ JEAN

Finding Unity Principles in The Secret Garden

My granddaughter asked if I had read The Secret Garden. I had not. “Should I?” I asked. Her reply was an emphatic “Yes!” So I did. It’s a story about a 10 year old English girl named Mary who is raised in India mostly by her Ayah and other native servants. When her Ayah and both her parents die of cholera, she is sent to Yorkshire, England, to live with her guardian. Some of the cast of characters include thehousemaid’s younger brother Dickon who has a way with animals, the gardener who introduces Mary to the robin who leads her to the key to the Secret Garden and a sickly boy named Colin who is the son of her guardian.

The menagerie of animals Dickon brings to Mary’s home and eventually to Colin’s sick room include a crow named Soot, a fox cub named Captain, two squirrels named Nut and Shell and a shaggy little moor pony named Jump.

Mary transforms from a cross, tyrannical, selfish 9 year old to an eager, curious, healthy little girl of 10 as she learns to run and play outside and then to plant a garden and then to make friends. Magic appears throughout the story: “Mary Lennox had heard a great deal about Magic in her Ayah’s stories, and she always said that what happened almost at that moment was Magic.” That moment was when a small gust of wind “swung aside some loose ivy trails” that revealed the door to the Secret Garden. Soon the robin leads her to the key to the door. More Magic.

Pictured in Tasha Tudor's illustration are Mary (clockwise, starting
bottom left) with the gardener, Dickon (with shovel)
and Colin planting a rose bush

As Colin gets better Mary introduces him to the Secret Garden. He takes to it, gets healthier and healthier and then begins lecturing on Magic. “Magic is a great thing and scarcely any one knows anything about it except a few people in old books – and Mary a little, because she was born in India where there are fakirs. I believe Dickon knows some Magic, but perhaps he doesn’t know he knows it. He charms animals and people… I am sure there is Magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it …”

“’When Mary found this garden it looked quite dead,’ the orator proceeded. ‘then something began pushing things up out of the soil and making things out of nothing…I keep saying to myself. ‘What is it? It’s something. It can’t be nothing! I don’t know its name so I call it Magic…When I was going to try to stand that first time Mary kept saying to herself as fast as she could, ‘You can do it!’ and I did. I had to try myself at the same time, of course, but her Magic helped me – and so did Dickon’s.’”

“Every morning and evening and as often in the daytime as I can remember I am going to say, ‘Magic is in me! Magic is making me well! … You learn things by saying them over and over and thinking about them until they stay in your mind forever and I think it will be the same with Magic.’”

Later Colin does a chanting meditation: “The Magic is in me – the Magic is in me. It is in me – it is in me. It’s in every one of us…Magic! Magic! Come and help! Now I am going to walk round the garden,’ he announced. Colin is able to walk and wants to celebrate his healing “I feel as if I want to shout out something – something thankful, joyful!”

The gardener suggests that Dickon sing the Doxology. “Dickon answered with his animal charmer’s smile. ‘They sing it i’ church,” he said. ‘Mother says she believes th’ skylarks sings it when they get up i’ the’ mornin’.” And so Dickon sings:

“Praise God from whom all blessing flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.”

Colin declares “I like it. Perhaps it means just what I mean when I want to shout out that I am thankful to the Magic.”

When Dickon’s mother visits the garden she tells the children that there are many different names for the Magic. She calls it the Big Good Thing and the Joy Maker. Colin’s distant father who was traveling around the world experienced something that “seemed to have unbound and released him, very quietly.” Coincidentally (or not) that was the same day as Colin cried out “I am going to live forever and ever and ever!”

I recognized Unity principles throughout the story. I wondered if Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author, was a Unity student. I found this on Wikipedia:

“In December 1890, Burnett's oldest son Lionel died from consumption in Paris. After his death, she turned away from her traditional faith in the Church of England and embraced Spiritualism and Christian Science. These beliefs would have an effect on her later life as well as being incorporated into her later fiction.” (Ms. Burnett wrote The Secret Garden in 1911.)

When I finished the book, I asked Unity people if they knew this book. Two adults both said it was their favorite book growing up - reading it at about the same age (14) as my granddaughter. I love when I run into anything that introduces Unity principles to the general public. And I love that thousands of children have read this story and gotten a feel for some of our principles in a story they love. I wonder what my granddaughter thought of all this. Can’t wait to talk to her about it.

~ JEAN

P.S. All of the quotes from the story are from The Tasha Tudor Edition of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett; illustrated by Tasha Tudor; published by J.B. Lippincott, New York, in 1962.

P.P.S. I grew up in a Methodist Church in Wheaton, Illinois, where we sang the Doxology after the offering every Sunday.

Something New

Today's Daily Word is

Willingness.

I love the concept of being willing. It works for me to be willing to forgive and love, to be open and receptive to forgiving and loving someone in my life when I'm not completely ready to say Yes I can. Yes I'm willing is a great first step.

In today's meditation, the affirmation is:

A willingness to try new things brings freshness to my life.

The challenge within the meditation is

Today I purposely choose to do something new.

I find myself scoffing when I run into a challenge like that. It's unlikely that I will have the opportunity to do something new that day because my day is likely to go along in its usual way. (For me having a day go along in its usual way is a good thing.) Sometimes driving home a different way is given as an example. Meaningless to me. See I'm still scoffing.

As I often do, I took the meditation challenge literally. Then I gave the idea some more thought and realized that's not the intention of the meditation. I can take the challenge like this: If I run into an opportunity tomorrow or the next day to do something new, I will choose to be willing to step into that opportunity.

I get it. When I get the chance I will step into something new - no fear, no doubt, just openness and excitement at the opportunity. Just willingness to try something new and enjoy the freshness it brings to my life.

~ JEAN

My Pathway Within

Last time I wrote about all the beauty where I live.

Then I read the Daily Word for Monday, August 21, which was Inner Peace. Part of the meditation reads:

There are sounds and images that instill a sense of harmony in my heart. A babbling stream, a breeze rustling the leaves of trees, the crackling of a fire, or the soft shimmering light of a candle bring comfort.

I would add to that list looking at my flower gardens and walking my dogs. The meditation continues:

These outer phenomena calm my mind and spirit and help me get in touch with internal peace. Whenever I need serenity and quietude, I call upon one of these sensory experiences to move me into the realization of who I am. I spend quiet time in the secret place of the Most High, reflecting and listening.

No wonder I love where I live so much. Not only is it physically beautiful. It also provides a pathway for me to go within - to listen to my inner guide and know that, no matter what, all is well.

~ JEAN

Handling Summer

Readers may know that I struggle with the summer heat every year and, unfortunately, too often not successfully. Some days when it's very hot and I've been active - walking the dogs, pulling weeds, etc. I sometimes feel that no matter what I do - stand in front of the air conditioner and drink an ice cold drink, my body will never cool off again. That is a very unpleasant feeling.

Cosmos

Blue Morning Glory

This summer I've been happy to experience cooler (mostly) summer temperatures. That has allowed me to notice and appreciate the beauty around me at home without mixing in grousing about the heat. Here are some of the dahlias, morning glories, cosmos, sunflowers, and animals in my life at home.

Sunflowers and Dahlias and Bumblebees

Callie and Big G (gray) our female and male feral cats who come every morning for breakfast.

I hope you have some similar sweetness and beauty to appreciate where you live.

~ JEAN

Blessings

Last week I wrote about Day 29 in A Forty-Day Guide to Prosperous Living in Even Mystics Have Bills to Pay by Unity Minister Jim Rosemergy. Today I'm writing about Day 30. It is titled:

Today I am aware of my blessings.

Here is part of Rosemergy's meditation:

"Thanksgiving is one of the doorways to a consciousness of God. Today I give thanks for my blessings, but the day will come when thankfulness will rise up within me whether or not there is something to be thankful for in my outer world. Eventually I will always walk a path of thankfulness with God 

This evening before you go to sleep, write what has blessed you most today."

I've heard in the past of people keeping Gratitude Journals and this lesson reminded me of that. I found a small notebook in my office and decided to use it to begin keeping a daily record of my blessings at the end of each day. So far I have recorded three days but only every other day - and I know I need to get into the swing of writing down my blessings - remembering each evening to pay attention to my day.

Where will I keep my little notebook so I always remember? When will I make the time - right after brushing my teeth every night? If I do that, I can keep my notebook on my bathroom counter.

As you can tell I've set my intention to do this - now I'm working on how to make sure I do it. One step at a time...

Blessings to all my Unity family.

~ JEAN

Loving and Lovable

I’m sure it’s no coincidence that this is coming to the surface while I am in the process of facilitating a book discussion course on Myrtle Fillmore’s Healing Letters.  This morning I woke up feeling anxious, as I sometimes do.  In searching my mind for the source of my discomfort, I determined that I was anxious because I hadn’t completed an assignment on time for a class I am taking through Unity Worldwide Spiritual Institute.  In searching further, I concluded that it wasn’t as much the fact that the assignment was late that was causing me anxiety as it was that this particular instructor might be upset with me for not handing it in on time.  Every once in a while I become aware of the inordinate amount of time and energy I expend on a daily basis worrying that somebody might be upset with me.

I’m past the point of delving deep into my childhood memory banks to figure out what might have happened to me to make me behave this way.  I have done that work, and my conclusion is that it’s just as much my own nature as it is anything that my parents might have said or done to make me believe that I am only worthy of love if I do things perfectly.  I have three children, and only one of them shares this need-to-please character trait of mine.  Maybe I passed it on to him energetically, as perhaps my father passed it on to me.  Or maybe we all just came into the world with that inclination.  I think I have decided that ceaselessly analyzing this kind of thing gets me nowhere.

What I do know is that my worrying that people will be upset with me stems from a deep feeling of unworthiness, a feeling that I am somehow inherently unlovable.  The affirmation “I am a loving and lovable Child of God” seems to neutralize this error thinking.  So I use that affirmation to remind me of what’s true.  My feeling of unworthiness seems to be seated in my solar plexus.   I feel nauseous when I become aware of it.  So I breathe into that part of my body to help get the “stuck” energy moving again.

So what now?  I’m not sure there’s anything earth-shattering for me to do.  I’m just grateful for the awareness that this script is still playing in my background.  Every once in a while it comes to the surface for me to look at.  And when it does, I get an opportunity to adjust course a little.  Each time it rises into the light of day and is bathed in my awareness and attention, it loses a little of its power before it dives back down into my subconscious.  Maybe I’ll always have this script playing subtly in my background.  Who knows? But it doesn’t have to keep me from doing what’s mine to do.  Awareness is everything.  Spiritual principle is empowering.  I am a loving and lovable Child of God. 

And so are you.

~REBECCA  

Blessing My Bills? Yep!

When Rebecca decided to facilitate a book discussion on "Even Mystics Have Bills to Pay" in March and April earlier this year, I decided to participate. There was a group of us who showed up on six consecutive Monday nights.

"Even Mystics" is subtitled "Balancing a Spiritual Life and Earthly Living." The gist of the book for me is when I know that God is my Source and a consciousness (or awareness) of God is my supply I am taken care of. The book was written by Rev. Jim Rosemergy and consists of twelve chapters in three Sections plus Section Four is A Forty-Day Guide to Prosperous Living. I first finished the book and then on June 1st I began making my way through the Forty-Day Guide, not getting hung-up on proceeding literally over 40 days.

Today I'm writing about Day 29 in the Forty-Day Guide. It is titled:  Today I bless my bills and their payment. Rosemergy writes:

"When we are rich in Spirit, we pay our bills with joy. When we are poor, if we pay our bills, we often do so begrudgingly. The power company has supplied us with electricity for a month, allowing us to live in relative comfort and to do things associated with modern living, but we resent having to pay the bill. We have so many current needs, and what about tomorrow? We reluctantly mail the payment but wish we can use the money for another purpose. This attitude and behavior are signs of a consciousness of lack, a belief in a limited supply and fear of tomorrow. 

Many people have begun to pay their bills in a different way. In the lower left-hand corner of their checks where "For" is imprinted or on the bills they return with payment, they write, "Blessings" or "Thank you, God." They have received a service, so they give thanks. This does three things. It acknowledges God as the Source, expresses joy rather than resentment when paying bills, and establishes a giving state of mind. These are chief ingredients in the heart of a prosperous person."

Yesterday was bill paying day for me. Actually I had two bills and one membership to pay. The instructions in the lesson were for me to "write a simple blessing that expresses an attitude of thankfulness. Hold each bill or invoice or payment between your hands. Hold your hands prayerfully and speak aloud the blessing you have written. Do this whenever you pay a bill until thankfulness is a natural part of your way of being."

I wrote: Thank you, God within, for this organization and for the ability to easily and comfortably pay this bill or membership or gift. I am so blessed and I am so grateful.

I had never looked at my credit card bill or any of my bills in quite this way. I realized I am very grateful for the vet who takes care of my doggies, for the grocery stores where I buy the food and other supplies for my home, and for the service station that supplies the gasoline for my car so I can drive to my appointments, to visit friends, to attend meetings and many other things. These are just a few of the companies I appreciate that show up on my credit card bill.

I choose to be rich in Spirit and I pay my bills with joy. Thank you, God within.

~ JEAN

SILENT UNITY AND UNITY'S FIVE-STEP PRAYER PROCESS

SILENT UNITY

Do you know about Silent Unity?

Silent Unity, the worldwide prayer ministry of the Unity movement, has been praying with people seeking spiritual support for 125 years. It is a 24/7 prayer ministry—which responds to prayer requests via telephone, postal mail, online, or via the UPray mobile app—and it serves people of all faiths from all parts of the world. 

Silent Unity prays affirmatively, believing that God is everywhere present and active in and through all lives, and serves with sensitivity, compassion, and confidentiality. From the moment a prayer request is received, the sender is lovingly enfolded in prayer. After a response has been provided, the prayer request is placed in the Silent Unity Prayer Vigil Chapel (at Unity Village in Missouri), where prayer is continuous, for 30 days. 

In the sacred space of the Prayer Vigil Chapel, all prayer requests are enfolded in prayer. Here someone is praying 24 hours a day—praying as a kindred spirit, in a consciousness of oneness with God.

The ever-shining light at the top of the Chapel is a reminder that you are never alone—not even in your darkest hour. Silent Unity is as close to you as a prayer. It is the light that shines for you!

The Silent Unity prayer ministry is supported primarily by freewill offerings.  Every prayer request is held sacred and confidential and receives the same loving attention, regardless of donation or ability to donate. No matter how you contact Silent Unity, you will first receive personalized prayer and then a letter of support.

To contact Silent Unity, click here for contact information.

UNITY'S FIVE-STEP PRAYER PROCESS

Are you familiar with Unity's five-step prayer process?  Prayer is a means by which to commune with God.  This Five-Step Prayer Process is designed to help enrich your experience and your awareness of the Divine Presence.

1.     RELAXATION – Take a moment to relax your body.  Get comfortable in your chair.  Rest your hands gently in your lap.  Bring your attention to your breath.  As you breathe in and breathe out, imagine a warm, white light streaming in through the top of your head and gradually filling your being down to the tips of your toes, as all tension and stress leave your body.   Breathe in light, breathe out tension.  Breathe in peace, breathe out stress. 

2.     CONCENTRATION– As you continue to breathe slowly and deeply, let all thoughts melt away and turn your attention to God.  You might like to use a mantra to help you stay focused.  For example: “Breathing in, GOD IS.  Breathing out, I AM. “   In Unity, we use prayer as a way of becoming more aware of God’s presence in our lives.  In prayer, we let go of our wants and needs and seek only to expand our consciousness of God.

3.     MEDITATION – In the silence, become aware of the feeling of God’s presence.  Let that Holy presence envelop you and support you.  Imagine that you are breathing in and breathing out in synchronicity with the breath of God.   Attune yourself to that Divine energy.  Rest in this sacred space for a while.

4.     REALIZATION – In the stillness of your soul, know with certainty that you are One with God.  Allow this realization to permeate your being.

5.    THANKSGIVING – Give thanks for the awareness that you are One with God, that God is all-knowing, all-loving, ever-present and fully active both in you and as you.  With gratitude, affirm "Amen."

~REBECCA

Not Letting Doubt Stop Me

The most profound experience for me during Lent this year was the slip of paper I drew from Rev. Carmela's basket in mid-February. My slip of paper said:

"Doubt: Believe God has a plan for you that is beyond anything you could imagine. The future is brighter than you could ever realize."

I've been studying about Fear and this reminder about Doubt was perfect both in content and in timing for me. I keep a copy by my desk at work and in front of my keyboard in my office at home. Every time I read it, I say to myself; "Oh yea! Don't let doubt get in the way of you doing this or that!"

Here's one example: I had an opportunity to go visit my sister who was babysitting her grandson who had a liver transplant at age 6 months. Now he's a year and 4 months old, in the 30th percentile of weight and he has about 10 teeth. The only time I had seen him in person he was in a hospital bed and couldn't be picked up. The one "hurdle" for me was to figure out how to take public transportation "all the way" to Brooklyn and back home.

I said to myself (after looking at my reminder on Doubt): "I can do this." I had handwritten directions with the right subways to take. On Wednesday,  April 19, my husband took me to the bus in Clinton. An hour and a half later I was walking up the steps to Stanley's apartment. My sister Nancy and I had about three hours together with Stanley before I retraced my steps and another hour and a half my husband was picking me up at the bus stop. Everything went smoothly and even faster than I expected.

I think about doubt stopping me from having that day and I am so grateful I didn't let it.

At the end of Lent, on Easter Sunday, I chose this affirmation:

"My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:2

As I studied with Rebecca's class on "Even Mystics Have Bills to Pay" by Jim Rosemergy, I resolved and am willing to know in my highest soul-self that God is my Source and Consciousness of God is my Supply. So my affirmation is just a reminder of that resolve.

I began working the Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up hints again this week. My office continues to need my attention. At the same time, I am dealing with a couple minor health issues with as much calmness as I can muster. I just continue to not let doubt stop me and to know that God is my Source and my consciousness of God is my supply.

I'm so grateful ...

~ JEAN

Vacation Envy

This week is Spring Break week for the schools near my home, and for the past several days I have been looking at pictures on Facebook of my neighbors and friends and their families in warm, sunny places like Florida, Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, and Mexico.  Today, as I was taking my morning walk and thinking about how envious I am of those who are traveling this week, I realized that I actually had a gnawing, awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I was physically uncomfortable thinking about how much I longed to be resting on a beach or frolicking in the rain forest like the people in the photos.

I just finished facilitating a 6-week book discussion course on Even Mystics Have Bills to Pay by Rev. Jim Rosemergy, a longtime Unity minister who is currently pastoring a church in Fort Myers, Florida. Rev. Rosemergy is a mystic at heart, which means the underlying theme in all of his teachings is that rather than seek material things or particular circumstances in our lives, we should put aside our earthly needs and turn our attention to seeking God.  By trusting that an awareness of God's presence is enough and by cultivating such an awareness, he says, we will find that all of our earthly needs are met.  With these teachings fresh in my mind as I walked along the edge of the pond near my house, I asked myself if God could be enough to satisfy my longing.

It's funny to watch where my mind goes when I am attempting to alleviate my own discomfort.  My initial thought was that I wasn't willing to let go of my desire to be traveling.  I didn't think that a consciousness of God could be sufficient to quell my craving.  This, along with a nagging fear that I might never have the means to travel the way I'd like to, made me feel even worse than my initial feeling of petty jealousy over the Facebook photos.

Thankfully, my next thought was to ask myself, "What is it that this type of travel represents for me?  What am I really yearning for here?"  My answer to that question was simple: I am yearning for some time to rest; I am yearning for a change of scenery; I am yearning to experience something new; I am yearning to have fun with my family.  Once I had distilled my hunger down to these basic terms, I asked myself again - could God be enough to satisfy my longing? And this time my answer was "yes."  I decided I could trust that in seeking God and God alone, my longing for rest and adventure and fun might be satisfied.  It might not come to me in the form of a vacation to Costa Rica, but I am willing to let go of my earthly desire and seek God and see what happens.

~REBECCA

Impermanence

One idea that is becoming clearer in my mind as I get older is the idea of impermanence.  The nature of life is that things are always changing.  It was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who said, “We step and do not step in the same river twice.”  I remember reading this quote in high school and being in awe of its cleverness.  “Of course,” I thought - because the water in a river is always moving, when you step into a river the second time it is not the same water that you touched when you stepped in the first time.  So true.  Like the water in a river, life is always moving and changing. 

 

It wasn’t until recently, though, that my understanding of the idea of impermanence began to have a positive impact on my experience.  Eric Butterworth in his book In the Flow of Life says, “life comes to pass.”  At first glance, one might interpret that to mean that life happens or life transpires.  But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that what Butterworth is driving at is that life comes for the purpose of passing.  In other words, in life, situations and circumstances come and go, and things don’t stay the same, and this is exactly how life is meant to be.   The sooner we get on board with this idea, the easier it becomes to get into the flow of life.

In her book When Things Fall Apart author Pema Chodron makes the case that the majority of suffering for human beings is caused by their tendency to be constantly striving to get “solid ground” under their feet, when in truth in life there is no such thing.  The ground is always shifting and changing.  In Buddhism, impermanence (or anicca) is recognized as one of the three characteristics of existence. The Buddha taught that because no physical or mental object is permanent, desires for or attachments to either causes suffering

I find lately that as I go through my days, this idea of impermanence is really beginning to sink in.  While I don’t enjoy the idea that my loved ones will not always be with me or that the happy circumstances of my life are only temporary, I do notice that accepting this truth brings a suprising sense of peace and calm.  I also notice that I get lots of comfort from understanding that many of the negative circumstances of my life will eventually pass and that I don’t have to get too wrapped up in them or give them too much attention.

When I look around my house and I see shoes and clothes and books and my children’s other belongings strewn from one end of my living space to the other, it’s easier for me to relax in the face of the mess and remember that there will soon come a day when my children are no longer living in my house and that this particular mess is only temporary and I can focus more of my attention of enjoying my children while they are still living in my home.  

When I am feeling stressed about finances and I find myself wanting to focus too heavily on the struggle to make ends meet, I can remind myself that this too shall pass and then it becomes easier to relax and enjoy the things that I have rather than agonize over the things that I don’t.

As a person who craves routine and has always tried desperately to bring order and regimen to her life, I would think that this idea of impermanence would bring tremendous discomfort, but instead I am finding as I get older that embracing the idea of impermanence brings joy and a sense of freedom that I have never known in all of my years of trying to keep things under my control.

~REBECCA

Belly Breathing

I just completed a five week study which Rebecca facilitated of Thich Nhat Hanh's book Fear. Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm. It was terrific and I recommend reading the book.

Here are two "practices" that have

been very helpful for me. You all may already know about deep breathing to calm yourself. I did too. TNH has a section on what he calls Belly Breathing. As you know, I've been dealing with fear lately. I've found belly breathing more successful than I ever expected at calming my fears - whether I'm in traffic, waiting in line or at odds with a dear friend.

The other internal message I have found extremely helpful from the book is this acknowledgement: I am fine right now. No matter what's happened in the past or what might happen in the future, I'm fine right now. And I also know that I will be fine no matter what.

As you probably can guess, there are quite a few more practices in this wonderful little book on Fear. But I wanted to share these two because they worked immediately for me.

So the next time you're stressed, give yourself 10-20 minutes, belly breathe and know "you are fine right now."

~ JEAN

Power of the Year

On a recent Sunday we showed the movie: The Sound of Unity: The Twelve Powers. Each of us was encouraged to wear the color of our chosen power. Ever since I read the meditation on Imagination in the Advent booklet, Imagination has been the power I intend to concentrate on in 2017. So on that Sunday I wore the sweater pictured here. Only after I put it on did I realize that the sleeves deepened the meaning of the 12 powers in my life for 2017.

The blue in the sweater could be Imagination and Faith - I'm open to that. The light green in the sleeves is Strength; the gray (silver) is Will; the purple is Power; and the brown is Release. I'm open to all of those too.

From the Advent booklet:

"Imagination: Today I pause to imagine the life I AM led to live for myself, and for the world. I know this vision is mine to achieve. I blend my Imagination with Faith and Love, and I express the Power to create new possibilities."

"Strength: I AM One with infinite Strength. I express that strength with love and compassion as I move through a day of creative opportunities."

"Will: I AM One with the Will that achieves its purpose through me. Free of all reluctance and resistance, I joyfully undertake the work that is mine to do."

"Release: I AM always in the flow of infinite spiritual energy. All that I need today flows to me now. All that no longer serves my spiritual purpose flows easily away."

All of these meditations guide me and encourage me to do what is mine to day each day - to make each day count and, ultimately, to make this year an amazing, growing experience.

Coincidentally - whoops, there are no coincidences - Unity's 2017 Theme is "Unleash Your Divine Potential."

I hope the same for all of us.

~ JEAN

Christmas Morning Imagined

Christmas morning a 13-year-old girl somewhere in Hunterdon County opened her Christmas gifts. Her eyes widened with pleasure when she saw a collection of makeup and a glittery outfit of tights and a top – two items on her wish list. Her younger brother, a 3-year-old boy, opened a Monster Machine truck. I imagine them saying “Just what I wanted!” with huge smiles on their faces. At the same time, in another household, a 6-year-old girl unwrapped a beautiful doll who looked a lot like her. And in yet another household, a young mother watched with delight as her one-year-old son opened a Mickey Mouse (who he loves) toy and her 2-year-old daughter opened a Dory fleece blanket.

I imagine all the parents of all the children in the three families we at Unity Spiritual Center adopted wrapping these items at night after the kids were asleep. (That’s why we donate unwrapped gifts and wrapping paper.) The next morning colorful wrapped presents appeared under their family Christmas trees.

I wasn’t there to actually see these sights, yet I believe that’s what happened this Christmas.

 * * * * * * * * * * *

A recent Daily Word was “Giving.” The affirmation was:

Through giving, I receive.

One of the favorite parts of my job at Unity is to contribute to our quarterly service projects. This year’s Giving Tree fell at a time when I was going to be out of town visiting my mom in Illinois. We only had one week to make this project happen this year.

I’ve always known that I don’t do the Giving Tree by myself. This year is living proof of that. I was able to type up the gift requests before I left. Rebecca, my dear co-worker, then stepped in. She and her daughter Ryli made the gift tags; Rebecca created the display just outside of our Fellowship kitchen on Sunday, December 4.

The gifts for “our” three families were due back on the following Sunday, December 11, so we could comply with  the United Way of Hunterdon County Helping Hands program’s request that all gifts be delivered to them in Flemington on Monday, December 12.

Then our wonderful, generous Unity family made it work. I returned from a great week with my mom to learn that all 29 tags had been taken, except one - for me. Gailann Bruen and I organized all the donated gifts into three family bags after the December 11 Sunday service. Driving those bags to Flemington to the United Way office gave me great pleasure.

I don’t know the names of everyone who gave gifts. It’s not important that I do. What is important for me, and for all of us, is to believe in those Christmas scenes above – we helped make them happen - and to believe that when we all pitch in, when we all give, a wonderful thing happens: we receive far more than we give.

Through giving, I receive.

And I am grateful.

~ JEAN