Thursday, November 28, 2013
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
Sunday, November 24, 2013
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
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
Sunday, November 17, 2013
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
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
Sunday, November 10, 2013
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
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
Sunday, November 3, 2013
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
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
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