Let there be Light

Today is a typical day in Vancouver. Wet, dark and dreary. I have to have my old metal fillings replaced soon. It turns out they are way past their due date, and are probably leaking toxic amounts of mercury. I will have them replaced with something more biologically friendly.
I am also in the middle of preparations for our anniversary/fundraiser next Saturday, the 5th of November. The fundraiser is for our conference next summer entitled, "Living Gold". In very olden times, gold was considered a sacred substance, to be kept only by kings and priests. In recent times, it has fallen into a much sought-after metal, the result of which, we now have gaping holes in the Earth, filled with the toxic substances used to extract this metal. Our challenge now is to fill those cavities with healing substance. If you read our friend Felix' earlier blog on light, you can see where I'm trying to go with this. It is a fact that this silvery light is visible under the right conditions during the Act of Consecration of Man. Many of us can attest to it. Much like the silvery light in this picture, it is a spiritual substance that can fill our hearts and heal our spirits. Whether it is in the dark recesses of our souls, or man-made mining pits, we can allow God to work his wondrous healing if only we give Him the opportunity.
See you there.

Destiny

The following is strictly my own opinion, formed over several months of wrestling with the concept of "Sophia", and also partly out of Rev. Locey's talk this past Sunday on "The power of powerlessness."

I would like to first start off with a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt:

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning elsewhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified on Dec. 10, 1948. Among the 9 committee members who drafted them were China, USSR, Lebanon and Chile, and of course the USA, represented by Eleanor Roosevelt. At this point in our history, it is worthwhile reviewing these Articles and asking ourselves: How are we doing? Alas, neither Canada nor the US has the right to consider ourselves better than any other so-called Third World country. It is still an ideal to which each and every country must hold itself.

Past: Philosophy, the love of wisdom (Sophia)
Present: Anthroposophy, the wisdom of mankind
Future: Philanthropy, the care and nurturing of mankind's potential

Alexander Hamilton in the first paragraph of the first Federalist Paper, launched the Founders' argument for ratification of the US Constitution by noting that "It is commonly remarked" that Americans were at a new place in history, in which for the first time they could design their own government, for the betterment of mankind. "This" he said, "adds the inducements of philanthropy to those of patriotism." He was saying that the United States of America was being created as an intentionally philanthropic nation, a gift to mankind.

Philanthropy is what is being called forth out of the past, for the sake of the future of all mankind. This was the destiny intended for North America by our forefathers.

This can only be accomplished when we remind ourselves again and again of Christ's admonition to "love our enemies." How can we possibly consider ourselves to be a Christian nation when we fail to follow the most important and basic tenet of our faith, which is to "love one another"? He did not mean just people who are nice to us, or who have something we want, but even more so, those who hate us. Rather than finding the most efficient methods for mass destruction, we must set ourselves to finding the most efficient methods to provide all the basic needs and rights as set out in the Declaration of Human Rights, which we signed over 60 years ago.

Never before in the history of mankind has there been a greater need faced by so many around the globe. Never before has the spirit of American know-how, and Canadian can-do, been needed.

North America has welcomed, and benefited from, immigrants from all over the world. It is time for us to start giving back, so that we can truly say: We are the World, We are the People.....So let's get busy.

Seeds of the Spirit

Today in the northern hemisphere is the first day of Fall. This is the wonderful time of year when one can enjoy crisp weather, beautiful fall colours and all the bounty of harvest time. Fruit, nuts, grains and vegetables have all ripened and are ready to release their seeds for the following year. These seeds are spread far and wide by wind, birds and animals. Then they are embraced by mother Earth, to be protected over the dark days of winter from bitter cold and harsh storms. In early spring, the days start to grow longer, and the rays of the sun warm the earth, encouraging the seeds to send out first roots, then tender green shoots. Gentle rains follow, and between the 3 elements of earth, sun and water these shoots slowly grow into plants. The 4th element, also an essential part of the process, is the wind, for without the wind to move the clouds, there would be no rain.
One can also ask the question, where does rain come from? This is the mysterious cycle of evaporation and condensation which again requires the 3 elements of water, sun and earth working in harmony, facilitated by the 4th element, wind. Clouds form over vast expanses of water, then are moved by the wind towards land. As the clouds get closer to land, the water vapour becomes heavier and heavier, until, reaching high ground, the water is released. It then journeys on and through the earth until it reaches a lake or ocean, and the process is repeated. There is a book beautifully written by Dr. Emoto on the journey of water. It's worth looking for and reading if you have the chance.

On atmosphere during the service

This thought has been going through my mind for a few years now but just in the last two days I realized I have thought enough about it to tell or ask other people as well. I would actually love to hear from others how they perceive the so called "intangible" aspects (in terms of the five senses) of our Services whether they are sitting in the Congregation, celebrating the Act of Consecration of Man or serving at the Alter on either side. For myself I do not "see" something other than what is before me every time but sometimes I do very strongly. It could be an elaborative dwelling of thoughts on something mentioned in the Sermon or in the reading of the Gospel or it could be a general perception of a different kind of "light". Before I ever served a few years ago I would sometimes see different forms of "light atmosphere" off and on (no, I am not talking just about how the wisps of smoke from the Censor waft around the Chapel space!) but now while I do try to serve at least once a month I sense this light quite often. It does not even have to be sunny out but if the combination of mood of the day, the floral arrangements and pre-service conversations with other people is good I am often perceptive enough. Then, while serving, the reflections of the candles off of the Chalice and Censor can really heighten the effect. Plus by the time Christmas rolls around and it happens to be one of the late night services, look out, I am prone to get goose bumps! I have heard others talk about how they have sensed a strong Presence, sometimes in connection with a friend or a loved one who has crossed the Threshold. Also, just yesterday, one of my co-workers mentioned how she was sure a certain person I was close to in my family was present during our conversation and even if this person was not strongly connected to our group in Vancouver there was bound to be a higher connection in the current revealing of space and time. She definitely mentioned the feeling of light and mood during the Services in the way it comes to her. So if one of you has more to share on this topic it would be a great way to connect before or after our Celebrations and especially if we happen to have Potluck on that day too!

Movement

The picture above is of a cloud formation called a chinook arch. Note the stunningly beautiful colours, which occur at sunrise and sunset. A chinook is a special wind experienced particularly in southern Alberta, but can be felt as far north as Fort St. John, and as far south as New Mexico. It's warm air coming in from the Pacific Ocean, dumping precipitation on the west side of mountain ranges, and resulting in warm dry air on the east side. A rapid change in temperature results, as much as 100 degrees difference (-50 to +50, recorded in the Black Hills of South Dakota), with winds gusting up to 106 mph. One of the reasons my brother loved Calgary was that they enjoy 30 days of chinook on average over the winter months. They know that unlike the east coast, they do not have to resign themselves to 6 to 8 months of cold weather. Sooner or later, there will be a chinook, melting snow and bringing a feeling of spring if only temporarily. I used to tease him, though, that on the other hand they can also experience a dump of snow pretty much any month of the year, including high summer. In other words, they live in an environment of constant change. In Alberta, the joke goes, if you don't like the weather, just wait a moment.

This is an extreme example of constant movement, involving the 3 elements of wind, earth, water.

Here's a wonderful quotation (from a tango website) I found recently with regard to movement:

Movement is life. Stillness is only a perception. Movement is everything, sound is movement, light is movement, love is movement. To move is leaving a state in order to seek another. It is believing that there is no end, following a path, forever. If we move, our horizon moves, reaching distances we could have never even imagined. In all of us, something always moves. Movement is the essence of being alive, the deep manifestation of living. Where there is movement, there is life.

Through meditation and contemplation, we create stillness, which in turn creates an opportunity for movement.

I am looking forward to Thomas Meyers' lecture tomorrow on meditation and the call of Michael.

Sparky

Invitation to...

Watch your mailboxes in the next week or two, as your board of directors is sending out a very special invitation. Some of you may already have noted it on your calendar. We will be marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of our church on November 5th. This celebration will also be an official fundraiser for the Living Gold 2012 international conference next July. We are very pleased to be able to combine these two events together in such a way.
I noticed that my last blog was called "Giving Birth".
For this one, I would like to talk about the word, "crowning". This is one of those words in the English language that can have a variety of meanings. It can be either an adjective or a verb.
Let's take the adjective first:
Over the past 40 years, we have so far had 4 priests: Rev. Hegg, Rev. Grimm, Rev. Kientzler and Rev. Locey.
I would like to point out that of the 4, Rev. Werner Grimm has served our community for 32 years now, and I feel that our 40th anniversary could be considered his "crowning" achievement, to a great extent. We are very fortunate to have both Werner and Dietmot still participating so actively. Without Dietmot, we would not have home made bread for communion, or flowers gracing our altar so often.
As a verb, particularly on the subject of birth, you also have the term "crowning", which is when the baby's head first makes its appearance. This is the moment when all of a sudden that baby is a living reality. You still don't know anything else about this baby, but you know it is going to be here any minute! This picture can be applied to the 2012 conference. It's getting closer and closer, and one day we will wake up and know that it is almost upon us.
We have our anniversary on the one hand, celebrating all the hard work and support with which our church has been blessed over the years, and on the other hand, the 2012 conference: heralding the beginning of something new for our community.
There is usually a lot of preparation and excitement in a family when a new baby is coming. Friends, relatives, and co-workers all want to get involved. Maybe it involves fixing up a nursery, or helping the mother so she doesn't get too worn out, or making sure all the necessities will be on hand to help the family with unavoidable costs.
As we look back on the 40 years that have already passed, we can also ask ourselves, is all in readiness for what lies ahead? What kind of legacy are we leaving for those who will be coming after us? Is everything neat and tidy and in good repair, or is it all falling apart?
By now you may have noticed the bolding of the number 40. This is because coincidentally, it takes about 40 weeks from the time of conception the birth of a baby, and come to think of it, as of the middle of October, we will have 40 weeks left before the conference!
Let's get ready for that baby.

Sparky

Giving Birth

This week in Washington, DC, the Dalai Lama is hosting a very special 10 day event called a kalachakra, or consciousness raising. The image above is painstakingly created in sand at the beginning of the event, and then dissolved at the end. It's a very solemn, yet at the same time joyous, occasion, filled with hope and promise.

What does raising your consciousness mean, and how do you go about it?

To me, it means breaking through an invisible barrier. We all have things that hold us back: fear, pain, anxiety, anger, the desire or need to hold on to things that are familiar to us, or just stuff in general. That little voice inside your head that tells you, don't do it! We all have stored memories and feelings this little voice brings up when you are faced with making a decision - it's part of who we are up to now. You can suspend or dampen this voice for brief periods of time, but not forever.

But there is another voice that speaks from the heart. It will always tell you the truth. It will always tell you the right thing to do. Being able to examine and transform negative thoughts, memories and feelings helps you to listen more to what is in your heart, waiting to be brought forth. The more you can do this, the more you are able to "raise" your consciousness.

Some people describe it as being "reborn". In a very similar way, it's like being pregnant and giving birth. A baby is a symbol for hope and promise for the future, but to get there, you have to go through a whole lot of changes, some painful, some not. Sometimes that baby just doesn't want to come out! (That would be my first child - 3 weeks late, and 36 hours of labour.) The good news is, you are filled with such gratitude and euphoria when the baby finally arrives, that you forget all about the pain. You forget that by the time you're ready to deliver, you just want to pack up and go home - that's the little voice inside your head. You know it's about persevering and pushing through, because something unimaginably wonderful is waiting.

It's a joy that everyone wants to share in and be a part of.

Do you know the song, I Have a Dream, by ABBA?