Love and conflict (12.29.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

This morning I'd like to talk about love and conflict.

Love is the foundation of everything and the glue that holds the Universe together. Conflict tears it all apart.

Love is all we have left when we shed the constraints of our Ego world. There seems to be a lot of conflict (and power struggle) in a world dominated by Ego. Ego thrives on separation and Spirit is pure love. To connect to Spirit we can practice acts of love and kindness, remembering that we are all ONE. If we are all One, all a part of each other, then the power struggles fade away and Ego loses itself in pure love.

As we try to raise our vibration to a higher frequency, we will find it easier as we begin to release our Ego self that tries so hard to dominate and maintain the status quo. Ego would like for us to react and retaliate when others around us are treating us negatively. Ego is only trying to protect us and as a result, we often find our self in a fight or flight mentality. Instead we should remain calm and remember that when we react, we are allowing Ego to be in control. Conflict is an illusion. We are fighting our self.

If we listen to our Higher Self, we know that conflict is not what we want. How can it be when Spirit is pure love? We don't really want to hurt our self, which is what we do we we hurt others.

To avoid and resolve conflict before it begins, we must listen to Spirit instead of Ego. This is not easy, and in fact is very difficult in the heat of the moment.

When I find myself angry, it seems like the last thing I want to do is love my "enemy." No, my Ego often rules the moment and I find my Higher Self sitting on the sidelines, watching.  After the Ego tantrum, my rational self returns and tries hard to clean up the fallout created by my reactionary Ego moment. No one wins. No ONE.

Instead, as we progress on our Spiritual journey, we must train our self, and this means our Ego, to practice love in the face of conflict. If our Higher Self is in control, then that is wonderful and we should not react at all, but if instead, our Ego is still running the show, then we have to tame it and teach it to react with kindness instead of anger and more negativity. This becomes easier the more we do it.

The Ego part of our self is like a child that feels threatened by almost everything. If we can allow our Higher Self to guide our Ego with love, then perhaps we can diffuse conflict and have a more amenable outcome to most negative situations that arise.

In most conflicts, we can choose kindness instead of reacting with the same negativity that is being thrown at us. If we see the Wholeness of our self, we realize that somehow the negativity we are experiencing is a reflection of some part of our self that is hurting and crying out for love. Feed the love and not the anger. Love thyself.

This is certainly easier in theory than in practice in a world that promotes separatism and feeds the Ego mentality. But we have to try. If we want to change our world (and our lives) to be one of peace, love and kindness, then that is what we must practice. We must become what we want our lives to reflect.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Today is Now (12.22.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

Today, I'd like to focus on the NOW.

What is it? Simple. It is past, present and future all rolled into this single, glorious moment we are in. There is nothing else.

You can think about the past, but your memories are occurring now. You can visualize the future, but your ideas are happening now. Now is absolutely all we have.

This moment is right now. This moment I am alive. I breathe, my heart beats...I am life now.

In this moment what am I feeling? I can choose to alter my mood to one of peace and joy, if it is not there already. This moment creates the next. How would I like to go into the next moment? With feelings of love?

I choose to practice acts of kindness and love in this moment, knowing those acts will reflect back into my next moments.

This is how we create the life we want to live---by creating a perfect NOW moment.

Now, this morning, the sun shines and I am in awe of its life giving force, enjoying the warmth and light that comes to me now. There is a sprinkling of new snow on the ground and I am blessed with the moisture that will melt into the earth.

Right now, I can acknowledge all of the things I am grateful for.

Right now, I can practice kindness and patience with the people I am with.

Right now, I can remember that my Ego is an illusion, and I can choose to listen to my Higher Self.

Right now, I can be love.

Right now, I can feel my connection to All That Is, the Wholeness, the Oneness.

Right now, I can simply be, without any judgement of self, of others, or situations I find myself in.

Right now, I am.


Let us all practice being present in our NOW moments. Let us simply be. In the NOW.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Happy Winter Solstice

Happy Solstice everyone!!!

May your days grow brighter and bring warmth.

Other worlds (12.15.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

This week as we navigate the cold temperatures here on our little farmstead, I have found the same subject coming up over and over again in the reading material I find myself surrounded with. It shows up in books, in articles, and even in an online class I have been taking. That subject is, remarkably enough, out of body travel or astral travel.

Now, I tried this when I was a teenager, without much luck. Actually without any luck at all, but I remained interested and aware of the possibilities.

It seems odd now that this would show up, but, I like to be thankful for gifts from the Universe, and having so much time to spend inside, I began to read. As I delved more into the subject, trying to determine if some of my dreams are actually ventures to the astral plane, or another dimension, I discovered that there are many conflicting opinions on this. However, those who have been actively studying out of body experiences, and regularly recording their data, seem to all conclude that there are several other dimensions that we as spiritual beings have access to. Our dreams may be one door to these other dimensions, but there are other ways to get there as well, such as deep meditation.

This is interesting as I have been meditating regularly for many years now, but have not been aware of traveling out of body as I slip into Alpha, the most aware trance-like state of consciousness. Perhaps I need to go deeper? This usually leads me to fall asleep, and I'm back in the dream land, which may or may not be another dimension.

Another subject that has been coming up for a while is quantum jumping, which involves actively visiting parallel realities (or dimensions) in order to gain some perspective on a more successful or happier version of ourselves. Is it possible that we can simply slide into a parallel dimension without even noticing? Obviously there are infinite possibilities for alternate realities, such as how our lives might look had we made different choices. Because we have vast amounts of choices in any given day, imagine the potential spin off for different versions of ourselves in slightly different realities.

All of this information allows my mind to stretch and expand as I begin to wonder about the solidity of the fabric of my current reality. Is it possible that we, as a unified culture, can slide or jump into another dimension where humanity is not destroying the planet and everything on it? Is it possible that as we, as individuals, can make minor changes to our own lives, recognizing the potential to change the outcome of the shared human experience?

One thing I did learn this week from all of my reading, was that regardless of how many dimensions there may be out there, or inside of me, as it may actually be, the underlying message seems to be the same. There are other realities we can't even begin to understand, and the physical death of the body is another doorway into higher dimensions. It would appear, however, that as we travel throughout our life (lives) the most important thing to consider is the evolution of our spiritual selves. When we leave this reality, we may very well find ourselves in another dimension facing the very same lessons we have been facing in our physical form.

There is absolutely no way around it then. We must continue on a path to better ourselves and raise our spiritual vibrations so that no matter which reality we find ourselves in, it will be one of joy, love and happiness. And it doesn't matter which dimension we are in, the truth of it is that our reality (or realities) mirrors what is inside of us--our thoughts and feelings and attitudes about ourselves and our world.

Keeping this in mind, it becomes so important that we learn to rise above Ego and practice kindness, expressing love to everyone and everything. Keep positive thoughts in your mind. Thoughts become our realities. Let us all work together to create a reality of peace and love on a beautiful and healthy planet that sustains life. We can do this. With a little  bit of determination and active control of our thoughts, we can reshape the future of our planet and humanity to one of peace, love and unity.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Cabin Fever (12.8.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

It is cold out there! So much of the country is in the midst of a winter storm with very cold temperatures. The most important thing now is to keep warm and make sure you have enough provisions to get through these cold, winter days. It is also vital that we take care of our mental and spiritual selves.

Some of us enjoy the winter weather, and use our time to play in the snow, and that's wonderful. But some of us find ourselves fighting a sour mood that comes in with the cold.

While, for some of us, it seems like it will never end, be assured, this too shall pass and soon we will be embracing the warm winds of Spring.

The cold, and our bad moods, may seem overwhelming, but we have to remember to keep positive thoughts in our minds and warm, positive visions in our heads as we go about our days. We can use this time to strengthen ourselves through meditation practice, through learning new things and even by reading mind opening books. We might try to finish indoor projects we never got around to or begin something entirely new. It is important that we do not allow ourselves to be sucked into the negative thinking that tends to come with the freezing temperatures. Instead, we can use this time to expand our knowledge and our awareness.

Some of us may be suffering from "cabin fever," seemingly stuck in our homes as the snow blows outside. Reach out and make connections. Call an old friend and catch up, write a letter to a relative you haven't seen for a while, invite your neighbors into your home and share a warm meal, but try to stay connected to others. If you can get out, you might take a class somewhere and meet new people. You can take online classes too, and most have chat rooms to connect to other students.

We can also use this time to explore and strengthen our family relationships. Spend a little more time with your spouse and/or your children and share the love in your heart. Your family may consist of friends and pets, and that's okay too. All of life is your family. Spend time with them and share good feelings. Cuddle up and stay warm and enjoy some quality time with the beings you love.

As the cold wind blows and the snow flies, and the temperatures drop, we can still warm our spiritual selves by sharing the love in our hearts, and connecting to life around us. We are all One, and we are never really alone. It is important to remember that each of us is connected to the rest. Show gratitude for that connection and nurture yourself and others through expressions of love.

Stay warm.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Pieces of the visualization puzzle (12.1.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

This past week and a half of bitter cold weather has left me in a sour mood, where I mainly focus on finding a warmer place to move by surfing the internet in the hope of finding an affordable and vacant place in a nice small town, where the lows never fall below 20 F. This is not productive for anyone.

I have neglected my spiritual self, my artistic self, my family and my household chores as I lock myself in my own mind and try to create a dreamscape of sunshine and blue skies, a warm house and a warmer climate for my family and farm animals to live in. None of this actually changes the cold temperatures that haunt me. Nor does it seem to change my crankiness.

This leads me to think more about the act of visualization, and how when done correctly and in a focused manner, the act of daydreaming can indeed bring about the changes we desire, if we let the Universe in to participate in our co-creation.

I have been studying the subject of creating my own reality for a while, but rarely have much luck in attaining my goals. Why is that, I have to wonder? What am I doing wrong?

Well, most likely in my case, I forget to actively visualize several times a day. I forget to be specific, and instead my thoughts oscillate between here and there and never settle on a specific scenario I would like to create. Also, my negative self talk tends to sabotage anything positive I have been creating. One little word, one negative thought, one negative sentence spewed from my mouth, and it's all gone--all of my positive visualization is wiped away, erased from my creative canvas.

I have read that it takes seven positive comments to undo one negative. This is in relation to child rearing, but I suspect the same might be true for our own self talk. Seven positive words or thoughts to undo each negative, or to counter the negativity we have created with our reactionary words. Think about that.

Wouldn't it be better to not say the words at all? Or think them (which is much harder, in my opinion)? Certainly something to aspire to. But, in the event we do find ourselves thinking or speaking or even acting in dis-empowering ways, we have to balance the energy by turning it around. If you can, stop the negativity and begin to act in a positive and kind manner, even if it is in your own head. Thoughts have a lot of power and energy.

As we gain control of our thoughts and words, we tame Ego, and are much more likely to have positive results as we create the life we want to live.

We can practice our visualizations, which are so powerful in their own right, as we strive to live more consciously. See the world you want in your mind and flesh out the details. Be there, live there,  and do this for a few minutes each day, reveling in the joy and happiness the vision brings you. It never hurts to continually think about this as you go about your day, picturing how you'd like things to turn out, but do not get stuck in how the current reality does not match the one in your head. Do not let the negativity in to cloud your beautiful vision, for when you do, it fades away into nothing.

Instead, realize that creation takes time. As you think about the wonderful life you want, you are laying the foundation for tomorrow. Those thoughts are creating, working together to weave a future where your dreams come true.

Find gratitude for the things you have now, and take small steps to take yourself toward the life you see in your head. Those small steps certainly include thinking positive and countering negativity as it pops up. While I may think I am working towards my goal by endlessly searching for a warmer climate to relocate to, and this does help with visualization, as I neglect my current reality, I forget to find gratitude for what I do have, and this is a big part of the puzzle. Without gratitude, I spiral into negativity, and this erases the good work I may have done thus far in achieving the life I want.

This week, in the aftermath of Thanksgiving, we should continue to find gratitude in our own lives for what we do have--family, friends, shelter, food, electricity, water, clean air---and in spite of the obstacles in our lives, we should strive to keep our thoughts positive.

Hold your visions and dreams close to your heart and don't let them be washed away with a careless word or errant thought. If you find yourself in a negative state of mind, remember to be in the NOW, where, generally things are just fine and how they should be. Get yourself back on track with positive thoughts...about anything at all. (Guided meditation can help with this, if you are having trouble coming out of a negative spell.)

As you continue to create positive in your life (positive thoughts, words, actions), then more positive will show up in your life and you will find synchronicities or coincidences occurring that are leading you toward the vision you have created for yourself--the vision of the best life you want to live and the best person you want to be.

Good luck.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Happy Day of Gratitude!

Give thanks. Let us come together to celebrate everything in our lives that we are thankful for on this Day of Gratitude. Let us celebrate each other, our lives and the planet we live on. Let us be thankful that we can recognize that we are all One and be thankful that in that connection we can find the answers to help each other and our planet heal.

Happy Day of Gratitude everyone!

Namaste.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

A simple life (11.24.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin, is a book I have been trying to read for about a week now (found in a local thrift store). It is a wonderful look at living from a more ecological perspective, choosing a life of simplicity over the pursuit of material things. The result of simple living is a more spiritual based life that is also beneficial for the environment.

I have been living simply for a long time. In my childhood simplicity was a common practice that was the norm due to lack of money coming into the household. We learned to wear our clothes until they wore out, make food from scratch and recycle (we used to get money for aluminum cans). I even learned to sew from one of my aunts, giving me an opportunity to make doll clothes for the few hand me down dolls I possessed.

As I grew older, I often resented my life circumstances and longed for a life filled with the material comforts that most of my classmates took for granted. As my family began to acquire more money and as a result, more things, I found that something was still lacking. I was so much more than my clothes that my classmates now approved of. I found it all so very shallow. But still, I tried so hard to fit in, to chase the American Dream.

Later, as a single mom, once again I was faced with living a life of simplicity, but this time I found joy in baking and creating things for my little girls from materials at hand. I made them cute little dresses and nightgowns, rag dolls and homemade birthday cakes. Unfortunately, it never seemed to make them as happy as the store bought gifts they received from other members of my family. There seemed to be a stigma attached to money. The more you had the better you were. Or so it seemed.

As I now head into middle age, I realize the path my life has taken has taught me a great deal about living simply. Lack of money was always an obstacle that kept me from really being able to do the things I wanted to do, like have my own house and a car that didn't break down every week. But, learning to budget and make things with my own hands was more rewarding than shopping and throwing my money away on the plastic garbage that filled the store aisles.

Eventually I began to make enough money to have a few things, but I found that I was selling my soul to the Corporatocracy for very little return. I was no longer able to spend time with my kids because I was working most of the time, and chasing a college degree. None of it amounted to anything. My time was lost. My girls grew up in a materialistic world with a typical consumerist mindset that is so common in the American culture.

I vowed to try again. My jobs became less important and my quality of life became a major focus of my time. I began to spend more time on my artistic pursuits, shrugging off the judgments of the people around me. I realized it was more rewarding to shop in thrift stores for clothing and other items than spend time in big box stores and waste money on clothing and goods that never seemed to last very long. The less money I needed to live on, meant the less time I had to work and the more time I could spend doing what I really loved.

I was fortunate to find a partner who was open to my changing mindset. Together, over the last twelve years, we have learned how to make almost any food item from scratch, we have learned how grow our own food and preserve it through the winter. We have learned how to raise animals for meat (although I am still having trouble with the processing of the meat animals), raise goats for milk, make quilts and some clothing items, build greenhouses, barns and even a house, and other invaluable skills on our path of simple living.

Every day is a new challenge as we teach our kids how to live alternatively  in a world focused on materialism, and a world at odds with the fact that the economy is failing and most likely will never recover. As a family we find more joy  and satisfaction in creating a life based around spirituality and meeting our needs through our own hard, hands on work. I really enjoy trying to piece together a way of living that is healthy and clean, puts our own human spiritual evolution at the top of our priorities and also works to live more sustainably with nature around us.

I have found that as we let go of our so called needs, most of which are fabricated by the media and the corporatocracy in an attempt to get us to buy, buy, buy, life automatically seems to get simpler. I no longer have any need or desire to keep up with the Joneses or chase a nonexistent American Dream built on hype and greed. Now I find my needs are simple, like my life. We need clean, GMO free, chemical free food. We need clean, non toxic air and water. We need clothing to cover ourselves and keep us warm as the weather gets cold, but it does not have to be fancy, nor does it have to be name brand or high dollar. We need a vehicle that is dependable, but we don't need to buy a new one every few years. We need shelter, but we don't need a McMansion, or even the huge suburban homes that have become the American norm. What we do need is clean and affordable housing, for everyone, housing made from natural materials and not the chemically laden building materials that have become code required in so many counties around the nation.

Living a simple life, by choice, not forced by poverty (although you can change your perspective even in poverty) will allow you to get to know a more authentic you, and maybe push Ego aside for a little while as your spirit shines forth in unencumbered joy. Your spirit is not concerned with material things, but is focused on your connection to each other, to the planet and to the Universe/Source/God/Tao/All that is.

This week I'd like to focus more on simplicity. Turn off the television and pick up a book that challenges your way of thinking. Take a few more walks. Learn a new skill that makes life simpler and more rewarding, like baking bread or creating hand made gifts for the holidays (if you choose to celebrate the upcoming consumerist, propaganda filled, days of spending). Most importantly, spend time with people you love. Spend time, not money. Show people how much you care for them through your loving presence. Love is free. And it is so very simple. Open your heart and allow free expression.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Each of us as part of the Whole (11.17.13)

Good Morning. Happy Sunday!

I have been talking about Oneness in many of my sermons, and today I'd like to explore that concept a little deeper.

Oneness, We are all One. One with each other, One with the planet and all living things, and ultimately One with the Universe, or Source, or God.

As we begin to function as if we are all One giant organism, we begin to value one another for the contributions we each make to the Whole. We do not give up our individuality within the Whole, no, quite the opposite actually. We find our own inner strength in who we are and in who we have developed into over the years of our lives. Our experiences create who we are and no two of us are exactly alike, although we are still all One.

Confusing? Perhaps. Let us examine a metaphor that has been used a lot to explain the concept of Wholeness--the human body. The physical body is made up of many intricate parts and pieces that ideally function well together to create the human being that makes each of us who we are. Each system has its job. The Circulatory System pumps blood through the body, bringing nutrients and oxygen to the various parts of the human body. The Skeletal System gives form and protection to the human body. Each individual cell within the human body is a system within itself, and each cell is part of a bigger system. Each unique cell may or may not know about the rest of the human body or the other systems, or even the other cells within its own system, but each individual cell has a purpose within the Whole, in this case, the human body.

The Universe is kind of like the human body. Ultimate Reality may even be bigger that that, but for now, we will think of all of the systems that make up the planet we live on. It is truly immense, isn't it? And each of us is kind of like a cell within a system that functions to make up the Whole. We each have our part to play. Every single one of us is important and has some critical contribution to make to the functioning of the Whole.

We are all connected in this way--we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves. We are One. On Earth, we share the same air, the same ground, the same sky. We are all connected, literally. Not one single one of us exists in a vacuum. I breathe. You breathe. The molecules in the air are connected to each other, bumping up against the molecules that make up the ground, the molecules that make up me and the molecules that make up you. We are all connected in the simplest way. We are all part of the giant, living organism that is the Universe. We are the cells that do our respective jobs that contribute in some way to the rest of it--the bigger picture.

We are also connected by the Universal Collective Unconscious, which is kind of like the brain of the organism, on some level. We have all noticed how ideas seem to come at their time, and they come here and there, and everywhere, to people not geographically connected. Sometimes an idea will gain momentum as more and more people come to accept it. This is why it is so important to keep our thoughts positive, because even though we think our thoughts are our own private affairs, they actually float out into the collective unconscious and have the ability to influence the bigger picture. If the majority of people are focused on negativity, violence, competition, and the material world, then that is what becomes the reality in the physical world.

What we see around us is happening within us, and vice versa. We are a mirror of the world and it also is a reflection of us. Take a look at yourself and your thoughts, and how your are living your life. Most of humanity is functioning from an Ego perspective, and as a result, our Universe is dominated by Ego thinking and Ego behaviors.

Individuality is a fine thing. We celebrate our diversity which brings color and flavor to the Whole organism that we all make up collectively. Our error lies in Ego, When we fail to recognize the other parts and pieces of the Whole, and how another's contributions are just as valid and meaningful as ours, we fail to function as One and instead find ourselves living in Separatism, which ultimately is killing the planet and the human species (as well as other species).

Separatism is a dis-ease of Ego. It is a lie. We are all ONE, and we must realize this before we can heal ourselves and our planet, and then function as the harmonious organism that we really are.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Ego (11.10.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

This past week I have been stuck in the clutches of Ego, and let me tell you, that can be an unhappy and difficult place to live.

Ego catches us unaware and tricks us into feeding its needs instead of being aware of the higher good and remembering we are all one. It is Ego's job to promote selfishness, and to turn off any connection to higher self and the whole that we are naturally a part of.

As I went through my week, I was not always aware that I was living from an Ego perspective, but I did notice that something was not right--my mood was off and I was quick to anger. I had little patience with anyone around me and was more concerned with what I was doing or not getting done, as the case might be.

So, how does this happen? As we travel our spiritual path, in a place of awareness, sometimes we sidestep the spiritual reality, without even being aware of it, and find ourselves instead in another place, one we might recognize, but one that feels different. It is a heavier vibration, and it feels like maybe we slipped into a parallel universe. It is recognizable, but we feel out of place and want to be back in the lighter vibration, happier and more carefree. Eckhart Tolle would call this the "pain body." The pain body feeds on negativity and unhappiness, coloring the world around us with bleakness and eliminaties all hope.

In my own experience, I think daily stresses build, leading me to react instead of stopping to view the issues from a higher perspective. I become trapped inside my human self (sometimes the pain body) and forget that I am a spiritual being, and much more than the human body I inhabit. Ego loves this. Ego would like to keep us unaware that there is a spiritual side to not only ourselves, but to the entire Universe.

Once one becomes enmeshed in Ego thinking, it seems very hard to disengage and get back to a place of love and living in the now. Meditation can help with this. It can be as simple as going for a walk in a natural setting or simply sitting alone in a quiet place for a while, but you have to disengage from the Ego and regain a higher perspective on reality. You have to be able to release the material world around you and allow yourself to expand into all that is...the Universe and the energy of love.

The Universe will fill you with a new energy of peace and joy, if you let it. Step away from your troubles, for they are the concerns of Ego, and notice the beauty of the planet that you live on. As you bask in the simple peace and love that is the natural state of your spiritual self, you will find the ties of Ego are letting go. When you recognize Ego and how it has taken hold of you and your thinking, it starts to diminish and release its grip on you.

It is important that we allow ourselves time every single day to reconnect with our higher selves, or nature, spirit and the Universe. It is through this connection that we maintain a relationship with all that is, instead of falling into the trap of Ego and the material world.

This is not to say that we can't retrain our Ego to become more loving and joy filled, striving for peace and the greater good--we can, and that is very important on the spiritual journey,  but for this day and this week, let us simply recognize Ego for what it is and notice how it plays out our in our own lives.

As we recognize Ego, we start to release it, and it in turn releases us to be who we really are--a spiritual being of light, filled with love and joy. We are all One, connected by the love and energy of the Universal Consciousness.

When you find yourself feeling out of sorts, take some time to reconnect with your spiritual self, through some form of meditation. Feel the love of the Whole surround you and fill you with peace and joy. And then, go back and view your life from this new perspective, one that is not clouded through the eyes of Ego, and you will find yourself functioning in a higher and  lighter vibration, and a much happier place.

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry

Quiet Revolution (11.3.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

As a minister, it is important that I do not share my opinion or endorse any political candidates. Keep religion and politics separate--or so They say, even though religion abounds in politics and politics plays out in any organized religion. We live in a giant hypocrisy, not a democracy, as was intended by our founding fathers, who, I might add, were also all white, rich, fairly religious men.

So, here is the thing then: While I cannot endorse any political candidate (and why would I want to at this point?), I can offer my opinion on how we as an American Culture can get out of the mess we are in, and it does not involve supporting the same old broken system. I say we abandon this sinking ship before it takes us down with it.

Several members of the alternative press have been writing about revolution coming to America. Certainly something is needed to change the power structure we all live under, but violence does not have to be the only way.

Once, I strongly believed the Occupy Movement was going to be enough to wake up a sleeping and brainwashed populace and engage everyone in taking back our country. Nope. Most Occupiers enjoyed the activism and the non-violent communication building techniques they learned, and then gave up when the states came down hard on Occupiers in various cities around the nation. It was scary, for sure, and I would be in error if I suggested all participants of the movement disappeared back into the mainstream from which they came. Many Occupiers have gone on behind the scenes to build more community and to remain active in subtle ways that will defeat the system in the long run.

That's what we need to talk about now--the subtle ways we can actively participate in changing the power structure of America and how We, the People, can take back our country.

Violence is not the answer. Guns will not save us, no matter how many firearms people hoard in their closets and compounds. You can't outgun a tank, or a bomb-dropping drone. And to assume your neighbors are going to join you in some armed uprising is hopeful, but doubtful, not to mention the really negative odds of the police force and military coming to aid in some civil uprising against the federal government. I just don't see it happening. There must be another way.

Without the violence, what do we have? Quite a bit actually.

Getting back to the whole idea of Oneness, how can we commit violence upon ourselves and not expect a disastrous outcome?

No, love is the only way. We must learn to love each other, and banish the fear that our government would have us live in. If we continue on in fear, we will only succeed in turning on one another, trying to protect what we think we need to have. Truth is we don't need anything so badly that we need to kill over it.

Now, I know it will take a while for people to realize that there is no lack, that there is enough for everyone, and every single day we can each do our part to help that idea come about. Share. Share love, share knowledge, share food, share time, share ideas, share kindness, share clothing and blankets, household items and tools, share skills, share whatever you can to help another when they need it, and in turn you will find the help when you need it.

Let us abolish greed in our own lives. We all live in abundance. We only need to open our eyes and our hearts to find that abundance and to let it into our world.

Start building a community within your community. Meet your neighbors. Start gardening and participating on local levels. People like to eat good, clean, organic food. The fastest way to meet others is to join gardening groups and visit your local Farmers' Market. If we all started growing our own food and buying our food locally, that would definitely cause a glitch in the workings of big government.

Buy everything local if you can. I like to shop in thrift stores for my family's clothing, and also for books, games and toys. This keeps money local, re-uses items, and does not support big industry. Revolutionary. Plus, it's a lot cheaper in an economy that is failing.

Barter. As we connect to more and more people in our community, we are finding more opportunities to trade for goods and services. We trade a lot of produce from the farm for things we can't make or grow, but that someone else can.

Ultimately, the less we rely on the government for our needs, the less power they have over us. As we begin to function as resilient communities, we will find new ways to overcome shortages and to meet the needs of all of our community members, thus functioning as one whole, interconnected community.

We are all One. Let's start acting like it. The rest of the world will come around...one person at a time.

Love to all.

~ Rev. Kerry

Oneness (10.27.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

This past Thursday was Global Oneness Day, and there was an amazing telecast put on by a collection of people that was absolutely outstanding. Marianne Williamson, Bruce Lipton, Gregg Braden, Ken Wilbur, Jean Houston, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and many other well-known names in the Evolutionary Consciousness Movement (my words) participated. It was a real reminder about the paradigm shift that is occurring among certain sectors of humanity--a paradigm shift that recognizes the interconnectedness of not only all people, but all things within the Universe.

I have spent the remainder of my week going over these conversations in my mind, wondering how I can see more of my world as a part of me?

As humanity transitions from a materialistic society based in commerce and industry to ONE humanity that is focused on helping itself to overcome the perceived lack, and a society based on reciprocity instead of the bottom line, there will be many periods of trial and error as we try to overcome our own EGOS and live as one unit--one humanity--one living organism that includes all things within the Universe.

We can help each other in this noble endeavor by acting in our own lives as if we are a part of everything around us, for we are. We really are. There is no separation, only the illusion of separation, which some would define as the separation from God/Source/Spirit/Universe, and which is in fact our Ego selves maintaining and practicing the common misconception that people and all living things are individual organisms living individual and separate lives.

It is not so. Many indigenous societies have long held onto the belief that people are a part of the Nature they live in. As a result, they have managed to hold onto many traditions and ceremonies that work in conjunction with the Earth and also with God/Source/Spirit/Universe. These traditions may include healing practises, religious practises, philosophical practises, and living practises, all of which encompass more well-rounded cultures that nourish not only the self as spirit, but also the self as planet, and the self as Universe.

As we go about our day, and our week, let us try to remember that we are a part of something bigger playing out--something we may not understand, and something we don’t even have to understand. Humanity is on an evolutionary journey to become more than what it is now and the collective unconscious is changing to hold love and peace in the highest regard. This massive thought movement will indeed bring peace and love to the world and to the Universe as we all reconnect with ourselves and establish the bonds to our Higher Powers.

As we all begin to recognize ourselves in others, we will begin to practice compassion and love in our families and communities, which will in turn create a wonderful ripple effect, moving from our circle of influence out into the Universe around us. It is through this recognition of self as All That Is that the biggest changes to Humanity and the Universe will occur.

Be of service to those around you. Help out when you can. Spread kindness and love into the world. Release the pettiness of Ego thinking and Ego living and allow the spiritual being that you are to come forth and live in harmony with itself.

We can create a Universe where abundance is available to everyone. The first step is to remember who we really are. We are spiritual beings and pieces of the bigger spiritual entity we are all a part of. I am you. You are me. We are one. We are all one living, growing, loving, interconnected being.

I love you.

~Rev. Kerry

Happy Global Oneness Day!!

Happy Global Oneness Day everyone! May we all take some time today to acknowledge our connection to each other, to everything, to the Earth and the Universe. Find love in your heart and share it. We are all one.

Love you.
~Rev. Kerry

Eco-spirituality (10.20.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

Eco-spirituality. What is it? It is the connection between science based ecology and spirituality. It is not generally political in nature, although many eco-spiritualists find themselves standing up for the rights of the planet and all living things on it.  

Eco-spiritualists hold the Earth and all living things in reverence and realize all are one in the wholeness of the Universe, and one with all things, both living and non-living. People are a part of the great web of life, and the Earth is a living entity in it’s own right, both divine and scientifically based.

Eco-spirituality suggests that environmentalism can be practiced as a religion and that it is our responsibility to live, work and play in sustainable ways, holding both life and Nature sacred in all that we do.

All people are equal with the simple rights to have basic needs met, such as access to food, water and shelter. Profit should never be put before people or before the good of the planet. All of our actions should be well thought out and the ramifications considered before we decide to exploit any resources, including living beings.

Humans are an intricate part of the natural world, and eco-spirituality aims to explore how to reconnect people with the Earth so that the continuance of the human species is assured, in conjunction with healing and restoring the planet, as well as learning to live in environmentally conscious and sustainable ways, leaving a positive impact on life and nature.

There is a divineness inherent in all things and an underlying reality to the Universe that is not bound by the concrete and fabricated ideas of mankind.

In a time when global warming has reached epic proportions, and the future of the planet and all living things are in question as a result of man made climate change, a new gospel needs to be preached around the globe, and eco-spirituality holds within its multi-faceted belief system the answers to build a new religion based upon environmentalism.

All religions that hold Nature as sacred embrace the tenets of eco-spirituality. Let’s work  together to create an even stronger eco-bond that allows the very ideas of environmentalism to shine forth in a new paradigm that allows us to come together and worship our planet Earth, all living things, and the entire Universe as one being, and in so doing, consciously decide to live in ways that are congruent with nurturing life and the sacredness of the world we live in.

Eco-spirituality allows us all an opportunity to “get back to nature” to relearn the gentler ways to live on the planet while fulfilling our own needs and sharing community with all of Nature around us.

We have a sacred connection to Nature and the Earth, and as we realize our own spiritual ties to the planet that sustains and supports us, we will begin to heal--not only our beloved planet Earth, but ourselves and our living communities.

~Rev. Kerry

Seeking and growing (10.13.13)

Good Morning! Happy Sunday!

Yesterday we took a trip across the valley to Crestone, to the Yaktoberfest. This is an annual event held by the Cho Ku Rei Ranch, which raises Yaks in the San Luis Valley, near Crestone, Colorado. The kids were able to pet baby Yaks, get their faces painted and have balloon animals created for them by a clown while the local children made their own balloon hats. Do they have a class for that at the charter school?

We haven't been to Crestone for years, since my six year old was a baby and my son was growing in my belly. At that time we were looking for a new place to land, a local community of like-minded people who are spiritual without being religious, people who are environmentally aware and active in the choices they make in day to day living, and people who are creative. Crestone has all of that. Maybe more so than the average community. Crestone is the spiritual mecca of Colorado, and is home to many spiritual centers. Called the "Shambala" of the Rocky Mountains, many spiritual seekers find themselves in Crestone, for one reason or another.

I enjoy visiting Crestone. The tiny town is growing, and has a few more businesses in the downtown area from the last time we drove through.

But, this post isn't about Crestone, it's about seeking. Seeking new places, new experiences, new ways to live more responsibly with our Mother Earth. Crestone, and the people that have chosen to live there, in the frigid winter temperatures of the high desert, remind me of my own choices. My partner and I chose to live a little less comfortably when we moved from our beautiful Victorian house near downtown Colorado Springs a few years ago, and out into the country. We were seeking an alternative to the crashing American Dream and the lies espoused by the mainstream American media.

Funny (and long story) how we eventually landed in Taos (again), another spiritual center of the Southwest. Taos is a great place and a magical place for anyone seeking new experiences, and will always leave one with mysterious memories to be pondered later.

But now, we find ourselves seeking again. This time we are seeking a place to call home, a place we can run our farmstead and spiritual center, while welcoming other "seekers" on their paths as well. We are seeking a community of folks who share in our vision of living an alternative lifestyle to the American mainstream culture. We have met a few people here and there and are very thankful for their energy in our lives.

But, while I continue to look at houses and dream of properties that would be just right for all of our plans, I am brought back to a lesson I learned long ago--while I was still living in the city in that great, old Victorian house: you must grow where you are planted. You must thrive wherever you are, in the circumstances you find yourself currently in, be that a tiny apartment in the city or a tiny house in the country that is too small and doesn't belong to you. Never stagnate.

Whatever circumstances you might currently find yourself in, the growth of your soul depends on what you do with what you have. Are you open to new experiences and new learning opportunities? Are you grateful for what you do have, every single day? Do you love all of the people that come into your life, and value the opportunity to exchange ideas and listen to all the wonderful things they might have to teach you?

While I continue to look for a place to land and build our special place, I am constantly seeking adventure and opportunities that will advance my own spiritual journeys. We may be stuck here now, renting a small farm, but we are thankful for this place and this land to grow our gardens and raise our livestock. We are thankful for everything we learn as we move from place to place, and all of the wonderful people we meet in each community we temporarily land in.

One important thing I have learned from all of our moving around is that I am still growing as a spiritual being. I seek and I find. I seek ways to advance my own enlightenment and the Universe always sends me ample learning opportunities. As I continue to seek, I continue to grow. My curiosity and love of adventure keeps the energy flowing in my own life and every new experience allows me to grow as an individual, raising my energetic vibrations to higher levels.

This week let's try to seek new experiences and opportunities that might help us grow as people and as communities. Come together and learn from each other and enjoy time spent in the company of fellow spiritual travelers. We are all seeking and we are all growing.

Enjoy the journey.

~Rev. Kerry

Appreciating Nature (10.6.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

The weather is turning cold now, here in the San Luis Valley, and as Fall settles in, I begin to notice the changes around me. The trees are turning gold, the flowers have gone to seed and different birds have begun to show up around the farm.

This morning I awoke early to the sounds of the neighbor's dog barking, and as I looked out the window to see where the dog was, I noticed a coyote standing on the other side of the fence near the road. He was watching me as I watched him.

My six year old daughter sleeps on the top of the bunk bed she shares with her brother. When she woke, she was mesmerized by the Magpies hanging out in the trees outside her window.

There have been several Magpies flying about the garden space this morning along with several other small birds. Beautiful small blackbirds pick through the hay in the goat yard, and there was a Mockingbird singing outside my bedroom windows early this morning. The Mockingbird song makes me think of Spring, but I am not fooled by the 20 F temperature outside the front door.

The air is crisp and cool and the breeze holds a chill as Autumn wraps her arms around this Rocky Mountain valley. The mountains in the distance have a slight dusting of snow from the storm that came through a week or so ago. The skies are clear and the air is fresh, and I am thankful to be a witness to the changing of the seasons, taking the time to notice the subtleties of  Nature as she puts on her Fall attire, getting ready for her last celebration before she settles in for her winter nap.

The golds, reds and oranges, the purples, greens and browns, all of the colors of the high desert--the colors of certain plants setting off contrasting colors of the plants beside and the landscape in the distance--it is a visual smorgasbord to the eyes that take the time to really see.

This week, make some time to bear witness to the changing of the seasons, immersing yourself in the colors, the fresh air, the sounds, and enjoy the healing warmth from the sun on your skin. Become a part of the Nature that is your true self and set aside the distractions of the man made world for a little while to realign with the spirit inside that seeks communion with the natural world.

Become one with the trees, the grasses, the birds, and the wild animals that wander searching for food. Become one with the sky, the clouds, the mountains in the distance. Feel the spirit of the Mother Earth as you breath in cool, clean, crisp air, and let yourself simply be in the nature that is a part of you. Let it heal and replenish your soul, connecting with all that is.

~Rev. Kerry

A beautiful life (9.29.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

Do you have a beautiful life? Are you living a life you love to live? If not, why not?

We should all be living wonderful lives full of beauty and happiness. So, how do we get the life we want?
We create it.

That may sound a little out there, but it's true.

After forty some years of trying to fit into the world around me, at some point, I realized my fundamental mistake: I don't have to fit into the world, but instead, I can create the world to fit me.

This new perception on my life has given me my own power back. I will never be a victim to anyone or anything, because I am in charge of what happens to me.

It's not easy to change perception in the midst of life, especially if you are entrenched in "main steam" thinking, which typically does not allow for what is called "magical" thinking. But, this is the error of humanity. We have spent hundreds of years perfecting the scientific method to the point where we as people do not allow for anything to occur outside of so called "science." Everything relies on sensory data. Unfortunately, so much of what comes into our brains bypasses our five senses, but it also gets filtered by our brains to fit into the world we know.

We are distracted by an American culture that caters to the five senses. As a result, how much of reality do we miss?

What if we could retrain our brains and ourselves to let more of the world in? What if we could train ourselves to actually participate in the creation of the reality we experience?

We can.

It is not easy, but it is easier than it seems. Changing perception begins with the little things. We have to cut out the unnecessary distractions (like mindless television).  We also have to learn to spin the things that happen to us into a positive light.

This is how the Law of Attraction comes into play, with our input, bringing us more of the same. I don't know about you, but I'd like to bring more good things and experiences into my life, and I can do this by focusing on the things I like in my life and not on the things I don't like or don't want.

I am also actively allowing new experiences into my world--perhaps things that don't fit into the scientific definition of reality. While I have always done this to some degree, for instance listening and interpreting "messages" from the Universe (which may actually be messages from my higher self), I am doing this more. I am participating in the web of life, feeling my own connection to everything around me.

The rose blooms for me. It does. Sure it does. It is a beautiful gift that I notice as I walk by. As I notice and appreciate such living beauty, I am grateful for witnessing such a miracle. In my gratitude and appreciation, I am sending out a message that I like it, that I want more of this beauty. And then I see a bluebird perched on the fence, watching me, and I notice the greenness of the grass beneath my feet, and the white, wispy clouds floating in the bright blue sky. Beauty surrounds me. I am thankful for living in such a wonderful place.

My perception of my world has changed by simply being present and noticing the things around me. I choose to notice the beauty of the world, and so more beauty is available to me. What I focus on expands.

Did I actively participate in creating all of those beautiful moments I just described? Yes. I was seeking more beauty and so my perception changed to allow more beauty to be available for me to experience. Complicated? Maybe. But not as much as you might think.

If we can live our lives consciously, which means we are present in the moment and aware of our thoughts, we can actively create the world around us through our intentions and vibratory frequencies. By maintaining a happy and positive frequency, we raise ourselves to a new level of reality in which happiness and beauty exist everywhere we turn. Amazing.

By becoming aware of our thoughts and choosing happier thoughts, we experience more joy in our lives. It becomes easier the more we do it, because like attracts like. The more happy thoughts we have, the more happy thoughts we have. The happiness grows and it becomes easier to deal with those moments of negativity when you are filled with joy and happiness. It becomes easier to see the silver lining as your energy frequency is raised to a higher frequency of happiness.

So, this week, let us try to create beauty in our lives by focusing on the beauty around us. Appreciate and express gratitude for the things in your life that make you happy, and watch as those moments of joy grow into more moments of joy. As your perception changes, your life will change too. Allow the magic to happen and be amazed!

Love.

~Rev. Kerry

Compassion (9.22.13)

Happy Sunday!

Yesterday was Global Peace Day, so today, I wanted to talk about compassion.

Not only should we express compassion for all of our fellow human beings around the globe, but also for ourselves, which I feel is often overlooked. It is through our compassion for our self first, and then for others, that we find peace within, and then outside of our self in the world around us. This is how true peace is born.

Often we find it easier to bestow kindness and compassion on someone else, as we ignore our own personal need for kindness and compassion, at least from our self. We certainly do notice when people treat us harshly, and perhaps we react quickly with a snide comment or other unkind behavior. However, if we are seeking peace in our lives, it would do us well not to react to people who are treating us negatively, but to counter any and all negative or unkind behaviors with love and compassion and kindness instead.

We've all heard how a person in pain expresses more pain in the world around him or her. It is this person who needs the most love. We certainly can do our part to send every single person we encounter some positive energy, instead of reinforcing the negativity with more negativity. (Remember that like attracts like.)

But what about how we treat ourselves?

Most of us have a negative voice in our head that might tell us we are not good enough or successful enough or whatever. We may even sabotage things in our own life to ensure our own unhappiness. Why would we do this? What's going on?

A person full of pain expresses more pain in the world around them. Why would it be different within our self? If we are talking bad to our self, or suffer from a low self-image, it would seem that somewhere within there is a person who is in pain, whether that be the little child we once were, or an older, but still hurt, version of us. Somewhere in our lives, something must have occurred that caused such great pain that we then turned that pain inward through our negative self-talk. Sometimes we even sabotage the things that seem to be going well in our lives.

Now it is time to forgive, if we can, and that means forgiving our self for anything we may have done in the past that we are not happy about. Stop judging that event and release it. We need to feel some compassion for that person who experienced something painful or traumatic. We certainly would if that person were a friend, or even a stranger we see on the local news. Why not show the same compassion for ourselves?

It is time to practice love and kindness, not only in relation to everyone in our lives and on the entire planet, but also, and most importantly to our self.  We have to learn to love that hurt person inside, and feel some compassion for what they have been through. After all, it is all in the past, and that person is someone different from who we are now.  We have to shower that person with love, showing our compassion for what they have been through. Isn't that what we do when our family members are having a rough time? Do we not consider our self part of our own family?

We are all one. Inside, outside, it's really all the same. We are all one huge, big family. If we see someone who is in pain, we extend love, and their pain will be lessened. So let us feel compassion for those around us, and let us feel compassion for ourselves too. We are only human. All people make mistakes. The great thing is we can learn so much from our mistakes, enough that perhaps we don't even have to call them mistakes anymore, but rather, learning opportunities.

This week, let's take some time out to give ourselves some one on one time, and spend our quality time expressing love and compassion for our selves. Let's all do something we love, meditate, get out into nature, take a long soak or sauna, and whatever we choose to do, let's do it with the intention of giving and receiving self-love. The more we love ourselves, the better the world looks, both inside and outside.

~Rev. Kerry

Happy Global Peace Day!

Good morning!

Today is Global Peace Day.

Happy Global Peace Day everyone!

May you find peace today and every day. Find the peace in your heart and share it with the world!

~Rev. Kerry

Keep it positive! (Sermon 9.15.13)

Happy Sunday everyone!

This week I have had a lot of life lessons that seem to pertain to the Law of Attraction, which essentially says "like attracts like." Positive attracts positive, but negative attracts negative as well.

As my week unfolded and "perceived" negative events occurred, I tried to remember that I am responsible for how I react to everything in my life. My reaction makes all the difference, not only to the current situation, but also to my future.

Our thoughts and emotions have a very big impact upon our lives. It is becoming clearer and clearer in the world of Quantum Physics that how we think about things helps to shape them. We are in fact helping to create our future by how we are behaving now, including what we are thinking about, and how we are feeling.

If I have a negative start to my day, say spilling my coffee all over myself, and I react negatively, in anger or frustration, I may continue the re-activity by stubbing my toe while changing my clothes, or tearing off a button, or some other mishap. Inevitably, my day continues to get worse. Everyone has had days like this. It is pretty common in our lives.

But, what if I tell you that it is no accident that our day goes from bad to worse? What if I tell you that the first negative occurrence, like spilling the coffee, created a negative chain of events that led to a really bad day? Negative attracts negative. And, throw in a little emotional angst, like anger or frustration, which we feel whole-heartedly, and you've got a negative whirlwind going, spinning out of control for the rest of the day.

How do we stop it? How do we cut the negativity off and stop the landslide of bad things from happening? How do we turn our day around?

Put a spin on it. Just like the spin doctors that twist national events for the mass media, we need to twist our own negative events so that we can see something positive in them. I know it can be difficult, especially if the negative event is large and life changing.

The first step is to recognize it for what it is. Can you change it? If so, do so. Even if you have to begin small, you have to start somewhere, and any step forward is a step in the right direction. Activity to change your situation should help bring you out of the negativity. If you can't change it, then acknowledge it, feel the emotion, but don't dwell on it. Don't get stuck in the negative emotion or negative thought pattern.

Even one positive thought or emotion can help turn things around. Like attracts like. Remember a happy moment in your life, and really feel it, like you are there again. The emotional charge helps draw the positive energy back into your life, and pushes the negativity away.

Remember how I spilled coffee all over myself? Well, what if I laughed at myself and thought, "Oh, I didn't really want to wear this outfit anyway. That bright yellow blouse has been calling to me, and now I have an excuse to change." (Colors have an impact on our moods and emotions as well, so choosing a bright "sunny" color might very well put another positive spin on the day.)

Now, I have cut off the negativity--stopped it in its tracks--derailed it, so to speak, and my day progresses normally, or even down a positive path, perhaps becoming one of the best days of my life! Why? Because I noticed what was happening and reacted in a controlled and intentional manner, not letting the negativity get the better of me.

How can we become more intentional in our day to day reactions, so that we are consciously creating a life of happiness and positive intentions? Practice being aware of our reactions, both positive and negative. If we can notice how we are behaving in any situation, we have taken the first step in correcting any negativity that is trying to invade our lives.

As we remember that "like attracts like" we will become more conscious of the patterns in our lives. If we want to change anything, including a bad day, we must spin it so that we are functioning from a more positive place. Instead of dwelling on what we don't want, we must focus our emotional energy on what we do want.

Even if it seems trivial, know that your thoughts and emotions are creating your tomorrow. Wouldn't it be better to approach the future from a positive place? I know that when I react to events and even to others from a positive place, everyone around me seems calmer and happier, which leads to a better day...for everyone.

We can change the world, one positive thought at a time!

-Rev. Kerry

On Peace and Love (Sermon 9.8.13)

With the impending actions of the US involvement in Syria looming over all of us, I'd like to spend some time today reflecting on peace, and how we can create peace in our own lives.

If it is possible that each one of us actively created our own lives, is it also possible to think that on a larger scale, our actions are reflected out into the world around us?

I believe it is. I am suggesting here that the world is a mirror of ourselves. As we look at the world around us, what do we see? Is it a peaceful and loving world? Is it a world full of hope and caring individuals that help one another in times of need? Or is it an unkind and violent world?

If the world we see outside of ourselves is not a world we are happy with, perhaps we need to examine ourselves and our own personal lives.

Ask yourself if you are acting peacefully within your own life and in your interactions with others. How could you be more loving or peaceful in your day to day dealings with other people? How do you treat strangers that you come into contact with? Do they receive as much kindness and consideration as people you know well? Is the need to be right or the need for control of a situation more important than perpetuating a world of peace and love?

Perhaps we could spend some time examining how we treat everyone in our lives, and not just people we know well, although in some cases we may actually find that we treat strangers with more respect and kindness than people we see daily. Are we taking our relationships for granted?

If we subscribe to the idea that we are all ONE, and that each and every single being on this planet Earth is a part of ourselves in the wholeness of all that is, we must then ask ourselves how we would like to be treated. The Golden Rule applies here as we realize that by treating each and every person or creature as a part of ourselves, we will also be treated in kind. Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.

Is it possible that by treating every living being with respect and kindness, that that same respect and kindness will be reflected back to us? I believe it IS possible. I also believe that the road to peace begins at home, first within ourselves and then within our families and within our communities.

If a person is a "stranger" does that make them less human than ourselves? Isn't it in fact true that the stranger is not only my brother or sister, but is also me?

Let us reflect today on giving love through our kind actions and words to others. Let us also take a moment to remember that in the bigger picture of spiritual life, we are all pieces of a greater whole...smaller spirits that come together to make the ONE, the ALL that is.

We are all ONE.

Let us now take a moment to quietly reflect, and meditate on peace in our own lives and peace universally for all beings we share the Earth with. Let us send a prayer of love and an energy wave of peace to all peoples struggling to find peace within themselves and within their communities.

May we all walk in love and practice kindness to all living beings today, and from this day forth.

-Rev. Kerry