A universal assembly for true discernment
Title: “Material, Emotional & Spiritual Traps”
Description: Rev. Billy explored the traps that keep us bound—materialism, emotional entanglements, and the illusion of spiritual achievement—revealing how they preoccupy and divert us from awakening to our true Identity.
Reading: Stephanie Baquerizo read from A Course in Miracles, Lesson 189, guiding us toward the mind’s final resting place and the choice to reclaim our true self.
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Title: “Practicing Mindful Activism”
Description: In a time of increased suffering from growing economic inequality, social injustices and polarization, what is our spiritual responsibility to activism? By looking at social justice through a dharmic lens we can use the spiritual wisdom of the Four Noble Truths to actively participate in the transformation of our society.
Reading: Rona Marren read The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh, Chapter 28 “Touching the Buddha Within”, Pgs. 418-419.
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Title: “Being Deeply Present to What Is Here”
Reading: Inka Omholt read Sometimes, a poem by David Whyte & transcript of What to Remember When Waking by David Whyte.
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Title: “I Am Determined to See”
Description: Rev. Jacquelyn will review the first several ACIM Lessons and corresponding tips from Consistent Gentle Healing as a reminder of the work we are to do on our spiritual journey to seeing with true perception. As NTI Luke reminds us, “The work you are to do is within the mind. It is a work of being aware, not of the world, but of your thoughts about the world.” We will explore, together, the subtlety and pervasiveness of the ego thought system and how what we have been asked to do becomes lost in everyday life.
Reading: Connie Poole read NTI Luke, Ch. 12.
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Title: “Our Role in the Awakening Process”
Description: If you’ve been on the spiritual path long, you’ve probably heard some spiritual teachers emphasize the importance of spiritual practice while other teachers say spiritual practice has no effect and may even encourage the sense of ‘me doing something.’ In this talk, Rev. Regina Dawn Akers will point toward a middle way, a way between doing something and doing nothing, which is what Regina sees as our role in the awakening process.
Reading: Laura Joy read excerpts from Regina’s personal journal.
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Title: “Practicing the Presence of God”
Description: Time and again, teachers from various spiritual traditions reference the wisdom of Brother Lawrence. In this Gathering, Rev. Cyndi Krupp will guide us back to the source, offering a reading and discussion on the profound simplicity and beauty found in the life and words of this beloved 17th-century monk.
Reading: Jai Segal read an excerpt from Practicing the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence.
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Title: “Lessons in Love”
Description: Indian Master Anthony de Mello described our lives as ‘scripture’, with every event, encounter and experience to be seen as sacred writing that can reveal the Divine to us. Ginny will be reflecting on the lessons in love that she learned from her father, John, who died nearly a year ago, and the ways in which the learning from those lessons is reverberating in her life now.
Reading: Melissa Sternhill read selected poems.
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Title: “Releasing the Manacles of ‘self'”
Description: Fetters are manacles or chains of identity that cause suffering. As these
fetters are broken, the sense of “me” falls away. As the me falls away there is an
acceptance of what is. The struggle ceases and a deeper exploration of what “truly is” expands.
Reading: Carine Dorce read snippets taken from Kevin Schanilec’s website, SimplyTheSeen.com
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Title: “What Is Your Purpose, What Do You Value?”
Reading: Lyn Johnson read excerpts from A Course in Miracles.
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Title: “When the Mind Goes Crazy”
Description: It’s wonderful to talk about oneness, joy, love, and bliss. However, the spiritual path isn’t all oneness, joy, love, and bliss. As we journey towards awakening, we also face a lot of darkness. In this Weekly Gathering, Rev Regina will talk about how dark it can get, how we can recognize darkness as nothing more than the mind trying to regain command and control, and how to pass through the darkness to the light.
Reading: Tina Brown read excerpts from Chapter 4 of The Experience of No-Self by Bernadette Roberts.
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