We can choose to live in this world without the burden of hate.

 

I do not owe my opponents my affection, warmth, or regard. But I do owe myself a chance to live in this world without the burden of hate.

VALARIE KAUR "God did not give us the spirit of fear but the power of love and a sound mind."

The Universe Within You is bright and beautiful:

 

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE FOR YOURSELF:

 

Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life.

GOLDA MEIR

The human soul "simply wants to be witnessed — to be seen, heard and companioned exactly as it is."

 

The human soul doesn’t want to be advised or fixed or saved. It simply wants to be witnessed — to be seen, heard and companioned exactly as it is.

PARKER PALMER

"CONTINUOUS ACCIDENTAL LEARNING?"

 

Each day I move toward that which I do not understand. The result is a continuous accidental learning which constantly shapes my life.

YO-YO MA

Now?

 

Take your time being....HERE NOW:

 

Since there is nothing but just this moment, the time-being is all the time there is.

DŌGEN .

Now is the Time - Tom Kendzia.mpg

Can we find our jewels hidden deep within us?

 

The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.

ELIZABETH GILBERT

The darkness shows us the stars.

 

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.

OG MANDINO Bioluminescent sail in the bahamas between Chub Cay, Berry Islands and Andros!                                              Stars above and stars beneath

As a Veteran for Peace, I am an Instrument of Peace:

                                                 Peaceful day at the Confederate Monument:

 

Dear Sangha Members, since I told you about Marlena's arrest, I am sending you this excellent letter to the City Council, etc. Marlena is very traumatized, and as a leader there at the monument, she uses a peace sign instead of a raised fist. This may sound arrogant, however, I think if I had been there, the violence may not have happened. Anyway, as I said, i think without mindfulness there is no true peace? I am very grateful for the teachings on mindfulness the last 2 weeks at Sangha. Our BLM group is raising money to pay her bond, and for a lawyer (know a good one?). Also, 2 Unity members of our Sangha contributed to the defense fund. I do feel as a Veteran for Peace, I am a instrument for peace.    Peacefully yours, Ron

This has turned out to be "good trouble", as like I said it is bringing a lot of attention to the matter. This Sunday, they sent 2 young Black officers, who 

were much more rational at the situation, hence no violence. Erin who wrote the letter is also a veteran, and usually carries an American Flag.               AS A VETERAN FOR PEACE, I AM AN INSTRUMENT FOR PEACE

On July 11, 2021 I was participating in a peaceful demonstration against the white supremacist hate-group known as “Flags Across the South”. This group receives weekly permits from City Council, despite violent threats they post online and virulently racist commentary regularly posted on their Facebook page. Instead of grasping the violent nature of huge Confederate flags waving in a location where African Americans have been terrorized since Charleston’s founding, the CPD operates as if the Flaggers are benign and unthreatening and “just exercising free speech”. In truth, they are purposely fomenting hatred and trying to reassert white dominance with their symbology. 

On July 11, a group of pedestrians walking past the “Confederate defenders” statue decided to heckle my friend Marlena Davis, screaming obscenities and goading her to cross the street and “make me” when told to shut up. Marlena did cross the street towards the heckler, and Captain Weiss stepped in front of her and blocked her path repeatedly. He did not say or do anything to the woman screaming at Marlena. The woman’s friends were having to physically hold her back. Ignoring the white woman being violent, Captain Weiss zoned in on Marlena and decided to put his hands on her, and put her in handcuffs, which made the situation infinitely worse and led to mass confusion amongst our group. The result can be seen on several videos that have already been posted online. 

Captain Weiss does not know the meaning of the word “descalate”, nor does he seem to care. His actions on July 11, 2021 at White Point Garden need to be fully and independently investigated, rather than taking his word or the word of other officers who he outranks and intimidates. Captain Weiss arrested Marlena Davis for a  ticketable offense, and got unnecessarily physical with a 70-year-old man who was upset at seeing his friend put in handcuffs for no good reason. Rather than any attempt to calm our group and have a reasonable discussion with Marlena (who lost friends in the shooting at Mother Emmanuel church) Officer Weiss insisted on her arrest and refused to tell any of us what crime she had committed, despite repeated requests. He also grabbed Jerome’s arm (70 year old man I mentioned) and violently twisted it backwards, directing other Officers to “get him”. 

In my view, Captain Weiss violated Marlena Davis’ 4th amendment protections, and seemed to specifically target the African American members of our group despite many of us being in the same vicinity. His actions were not necessary or justified. He was angry, uncommunicative, and seemingly incapable of basic people skills. This is not the first instance of CPD operating in a manner of impunity and I am repeatedly shocked at their very obvious bias on a weekly basis. Internal affairs needs to take these events seriously before someone gets killed. 

I do not pretend that police officers have an easy job. But they made a choice to put on a uniform, and take an oath, and if they cannot learn how to properly operate in the community, then they should stop accepting taxpayer dollars and find a new profession. 

If the City Council cares about public safety or any meaningful racial conciliation, then they cannot remain silent about CPD’s bias nor about weekly gatherings of white supremacists downtown. Enough is enough.

Sincerely, 

Erin Leach-Ogden

Resident of District 5

<marlena at monument.jpg>Marlena Davis

Marlena at Monument

 

 

Go Deep:

 

WORD FOR THE DAY We can’t enchant the world, which makes its own magic; but we can enchant ourselves by paying deep attention.

DIANE ACKERMAN

Live an EZ LIFE:

 The EZ Secret: Living in Ease - a 30 minute teleseminar recorded 1/18/2012 in MP3 Format.

How human spirits soar in success:

 

When we begin to hold our markers for success in concepts like interconnectedness and kindness, when we place our highest value on each other, our children and our relationships, then our human spirits soar.

JAMES ARANA

PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

 

People depend upon peaceful coexistence with each other and with Mother Nature to live in true harmony. No one exists in isolation.

WU TONG

What is the stereotype we hold of ourselves?

 

We must reject not only the stereotypes that others hold of us, but also the stereotypes that we hold of ourselves.

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM I am an instrument  of peace where there is a hatred, let me sow love where there is injury, pardon Where there is doubt, faith where there is despair, hope where there is darkness, light where there is sadness, joy

Seven Days In May (1964) Official Trailer - Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas...

Highly recommend you see this, if General Milley had been like the

right wing lunatic character Burt Lancaster plays brilliantly in this 

country, a coup may have taken place?  Outstanding acting and

a thrilling plot in this movie I found for free on YouTube.

Sacha Baron Cohen Rips Facebook and Other Social Media Giants | NowThis

LET BEAUTY NOW BE WHAT WE DO, with other quotes on beauty.

 

 

 

LET BEAUTY NOW BE

 

some mornings we wake up on empty

to a day that's got nothing but need.

so we reach for a cup of strong coffee,

or maybe a Good Book to read.

 

the words in the gospels are golden,

but they come from so high and so far,

that sometimes it's true the best thing to do,

is pick up a good old guitar.

 

let the beauty we love come and fill us.

let the beauty all around get us through

let the beauty inside be our compass,

let beauty now be what we do, what we do.

 

cause all hearts do long for a beauty,

a secret that's hid everywhere,

and a soft sweet old tune can remind us it shares

in the midst of the deepest despair.

 

There are hundreds of ways joy can find us,

like the hundreds of ways children can play.

there's hundreds of ways to kneel down on the ground,

hundreds of ways we can pray.

 

let the beauty we love come and fill us.

let the beauty all around get us through.

let the beauty inside be our compass.

let beauty now be what we do, what we do.

 

Active Hope is waking up to the beauty of life on whose behalf we can act. We belong to this world.

JOANNA MACY THE OLDER I GET THE MORE BEAUTIFUL LIFE BECOMES. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT THE UNIVERSE IS WITHIN YOU. BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL. YOGI TEA WALK BEAUTIFULLY, TALK BEAUTIFULLY, LIVE BEAUTIFULLY. YOGI TEA

2021 07 11 Rev Margaret Hiller - The Power of Wisdom

ISH = INTERNAL SELF HELPER - DIVINE LIGHT WITHIN - HOLY SPIRIT - DIVINE GUIDE

What if that is joy?

 

What if we joined our sorrows, I’m saying. I’m saying: What if that is joy?

ROSS GAY joy /joi/ Learn to pronounce noun a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. "tears of joy" “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 There are hundreds of ways joy can find us, like the hundreds of ways children can play. there's hundreds of ways to kneel down on the ground, hundreds of ways we can pray.   Rumi

To truly feel gratitude

 

To truly feel gratitude is to sprawl out into the light of the present.

CATHY PARK HONG

From Caterpillar crawling to Cocoon to Magnificent butterfly flying...What stage of life are you in or in and out of stages?

 

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

MAYA ANGELOU AT MUIR BEACH, CA, i HAVE SEEN MANY mONARCHS ON A FLOWERING BUSH LIKE THIS, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS i HAVE EVER SEEN.

Infinite Light and Love is what I See, & what I Be!

 

Hola Relatives - here is affirmation prayer from this evening's sharing and a closing thought to ponder.   Infinite Light and Love is what I See Infinite Light and  Love is what I Be quantumly entangled in non-local infinite cosmic consciousness with everyone, everything. everywhere and all the time.    '"There are times in the evolution of the species when old patterns no longer work and radical, potentially innovative perceptions and behaviors offer the best chance for adaption and survival."  Giorgio Samoini    Sooo, since we are all connected, we are also all empowered to make a difference in what is happening in the world by releasing  outdated fear-based patterns to love-based ones that offer our greatest chances to not just survive, but to thrive.                                                                                                                                       Tomas Pinkson (support@spiritualmedicineteachings.com)

How far you go in life depends on your being ...Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.

 

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER

Trust yourself?

 

Trust yourself; you know more than you think you do.

BENJAMIN SPOCK

ART as a SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (Moi in white hat)

 

ART as a SPIRITUAL PRACTICE July 24th from 11:00am-1:00pm Art as a Spiritual Practice is an open creative art experience that unlocks creativity and spiritual connections to self, source, and others. No art skills needed or preferred! Part exploration, part art fun, part mindfulness, part meditation. The first classes will be a deep immersion into color.  Facilitated by our very own Elizabeth Cain, LUT and former assistant here at Unity Charleston. Elizabeth is an exhibiting member of the Charleston Artist Guild and has been teaching art to all ages for more than 20 years. She has led many classes, book studies, and meditation groups and looks forward to bringing this combo package experience to you each month!   This is being offered every fourth Saturday with only 10 spaces available each month. Please RSVP monthly to lizcain80@gmail.com

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

 

Unity of Charleston Sunday Service Time is 10:30am. WE HAVE RE-OPENED We will continue to also broadcast on Facebook Live! Wednesday Backyard 6:30PM services on Facebook only! Meditation for the Earth and Eco-Justice will be in-person and ON ZOOM every Sunday @ 9:30 am, SEE BELOW FOR DIRECTIONS Nursery and Childrens Program available during service. Usual office hours: We are IN some days due to the virus, but answering emails and voice mails. Please call ahead of time to make sure we are here. Sat. Thur Thursday, 9am-3pm Address: 2535 Leeds Ave. Charleston, SC 29405 Phone: 843-566-0600 Fax: 843-566-9997 Email: UnityCharleston@msn.com Website: www.unitychs.org Minister: Rev. Ed Kosak Asst. Minister: Rev.Sarah Scott Putnam Administrator: James Mitchell Youth Minister: Nomi Garcia Music Minister: Brad Henty Hello all, I was asked to share the quotes I used in Sunday's July 4th talk about Freedom for all and Spiritual Independence. By practicing "inner" spiritual independence, and by continuing to do our work in the world to help everyone know and experience freedom, we remember that we are always free at the level of spirit. "The Divine Plan is one of freedom. The inherent nature of man is ever seeking to express itself in terms of freedom because freedom is the birthright of every living soul." ~Ernest Holmes "We are mutually caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied to a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." ~Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. Remembering that no situation or circumstance has power over us. And when we live from our divine nature, we are wholly and completely free. Abundant Blessings and Love flowing to each of you! Rev. Scotti

Q&A What do you believe happens after death Souls do not live in time and space...dying persons project what they receive...guide or guru or angel helps...incarnation is reviewed...then to the soul place and then on to the next incarnation.

It’s possible for us to have several spiritual roots

 It’s possible for us to have several spiritual roots. To me, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and all religions belong to the spiritual heritage of humankind. We can profit from all of these traditions. We should not confine ourselves to just one tradition. If you love mangoes, you are free to continue to eat mangoes, but no one forbids you to eat pineapples and oranges. You don’t betray your mango when you eat a pineapple. It would be narrow-minded to enjoy only mango, when there are so many different fruits in the world. Spiritual traditions are like spiritual fruits, and you have the right to enjoy them. It’s possible to enjoy two traditions, to take the best of two traditions and live with them. That’s what I envision for the future, that we remove the barriers between different spiritual traditions.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Via Thich Nhat Hanh Gems

April Maynard:

I completely agree. Religion is stories that have been handed down in each separate culture. But the messages are basically the same. Be a good person, lead with love, don’t allow yourself to be harmed or abused.

Just speaking on face value, there are so many intricate parts to the different religions.

Remain calm no matter what...EQUANIMITY, and you can always walk away...

 

The KEY to happiness, this may be the most important thing you ever read?

 

ALL THINGS MUST PASS with BEAUTIFUL ART

 

It's OKAY , if you remake mistakes...whew, thankfully!

 

Joni Mitchell lives the beautiful life she sang...

 This Joni Mitchell reflection is brilliant:

“I don’t know if I’ve learned anything yet! I did learn how to have a happy home, but I consider myself fortunate in that regard because I could’ve rolled right by it. Everybody has a superficial side and a deep side, but this culture doesn’t place much value on depth — we don’t have shamans or soothsayers, and depth isn’t encouraged or understood. Surrounded by this shallow, glossy society we develop a shallow side, too, and we become attracted to fluff. That’s reflected in the fact that this culture sets up an addiction to romance based on insecurity — the uncertainty of whether or not you’re truly united with the object of your obsession is the rush people get hooked on. I’ve seen this pattern so much in myself and my friends and some people never get off that line.

But along with developing my superficial side, I always nurtured a deeper longing, so even when I was falling into the trap of that other kind of love, I was hip to what I was doing. I recently read an article in Esquire magazine called ‘The End of Sex,’ that said something that struck me as very true. It said: “If you want endless repetition, see a lot of different people. If you want infinite variety, stay with one.” What happens when you date is you run all your best moves and tell all your best stories — and in a way, that routine is a method for falling in love with yourself over and over.

You can’t do that with a longtime mate because he knows all that old material. With a long relationship, things die then are rekindled, and that shared process of rebirth deepens the love. It’s hard work, though, and a lot of people run at the first sign of trouble. You’re with this person, and suddenly you look like an asshole to them or they look like an asshole to you — it’s unpleasant, but if you can get through it you get closer and you learn a way of loving that’s different from the neurotic love enshrined in movies. It’s warmer and has more padding to it.”

― Joni Mitchell

7You, Phyllis Weislo, Ron Snow and 4 others

Care