NYR -Acceptance

My current practice is acceptance.

Anything can happen at any time.

I’m pretty sure this is one of those facts of nature, right up there with nothing is ever created or destroyed, and what goes up must come down.

And I’m pretty sure there isn’t much of anything at all I can do about it.

It’s easier to accept when things are going well, and more of a challenge to practice when they are not.

Acceptance  is possible, no matter how scary, painful or hopeless the situation seems.

Practicing acceptance means I understand that I might not be able to see the big picture; might not be able to comprehend every possible solution or outcome.
It doesnt mean I do nothing, in the face of evil, and it does give me strength to get to the right actions I might need to take.
Trusting in divine order, and god's time makes acceptance of all things possible, and it takes practice.

I’ve had a lot of practice recently.
Events beyond my control, have led me to accept I need assistance to move beyond the symptoms of acute trauma I see in myself, and those around me-human, animal and mineral.

I’m thankful for help that is freely given, and am learning, acceptance of help, is part of the balance of giving and receiving.

I’m clear, part of my mission, right now, is to live in witness to god's unconditional, compassionate love, and be living witness to how we can live to be a comfort to ourselves and to others.
Rereading that it sounds so serious-  part of my mission, always is to have fun, sing and dance and laugh a lot!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on acceptance, recent trauma relief, and whatever is on your mind in this new year.

Threshing, Technology and Time

In Quaker communities, a threshing meeting or threshing session can be  defined as “a meeting at which a variety of different, and sometimes controversial, opinions can be openly, and sometimes forcefully, expressed, often in order to smooth the passage of business at a later meeting for worship for business.

 

Originally the term was used to describe large and noisy meetings for convincement of `the world's people' in order to `thresh' them away from the world” ( Britain Yearly Meeting’s Quaker Faith &Practice, 12.26).
A threshing meeting can be called to share factual information, individual views and opinions on controversial subjects, express  preferences, and/or ask questions.

 The Clerk of the session is responsible for making sure that everyone present has a chance to speak.

The recording clerk of the session is responsible for recording, as important factual and climatological minutes will serve the Meeting in continuing discernment of the issue.

Often, threshing meetings  are called when discernment at Meeting for worship to conduct business has failed to come to unity.

Generally it is stated that no decision are to be made, the focus is to bring clarity and greater understanding of an issue, and to separate the "grain of truth from the chaff".

Returning to the agricultural reference of threshing, threshing is one step in a process.

First, there has to be sun, and rain, and wind, and fertile ground and seed planted and nurtured to grow the crop.

Secondly, there is knowing when the time is right to harvest the grain.

Third comes the time of threshing, beating the stalks to separate the part of the harvest that will nourish the body, from that which will be returned to the earth for the next cycle of growth. Winnowing, throwing the threshed grain into the wind can further refine and define the seed.

Fourth is continuing to process the grain-cooking, drying-depending on its intending use.

This is a process- a technology.

Bill Tabor used to talk about Quaker methods and processes  as technology. 

A stick is technology, depending on how you view it and use it.

Use and existence of technology exists, and its what it is in service to and how we use it in service that is the query.

If your Meeting is unable to come to Unity on the use of "technology" in the meeting, please take time to ask each other:

• What is this technology in service to.
• How can we use this technology to serve the mission and vision of our Meeting.
• What are the fears and concerns behind those who state worship cannot happen in the presence of Technology? 
• What is their definition/understanding of technology in that statement.

When we normalize turning to  worship for the answers of these queries and others that will arise, we will realize we have everything we need, including time to respond to them.

Its a practice, a process and a technology and with Divine assistance we can use all we are given to end suffering for all beings everywhere.

Fear Not/ A moment of optimism .

A moment  of optimism:

The current moral panic, is based on a realistic fear, not imagined, that something is happening to encourage us, 

especially our children and young adults 

to have empathy for each other 

and to do what they can to end suffering.

I say to you in this moment, fear not.

You are not alone.

You are not alone.

You are not alone.

Keep repeating this until it is written on your heart and you believe it.

Be Brave.

Let your heart and spirit guide you when, how and what to speak.

Check in with Spirit and community if you feel unsure.

In moments of weakness, call on the heart of the way showers 

jesus, buddha, krishna, allah, the great mother...

You are not alone.

Have Faith.

Even in that which is unseen.

Look at the history.

You have overcome every oppression inward and outward so far.

We know that all the merit of our days is not for ourselves alone, 

and Spirit is eternal in goodness.

Take refuge.

In Spirit.

In the teachings and guidance of eternity.

In each other.

You are not alone.

Together we can and will transform everything into the lighted path.

Remember to be grateful to everyone and everything.

Do good.

Avoid Evil

Pray for help.

While we cannot expect applause, we can take comfort in each other in the present moment.

We are not alone.

In times of weakness, remember those who wish to oppress and dominate, have small, sick, sad, lonely lives, 

Mistakenly, believing controlling others gives them life force.

Look at our beautiful children and grandchildren and all of our mothers and grandmothers who gave and continue to give us

Life

Balance

Happiness

Peace and ease of being

Safety and protection from all harm

Wellness, in body mind and spirit.

And as all one community of life,

we will all continue to do what we can

in this beautiful, perfect present moment.

To end suffering for all beings.

And be free.

Prayer requests, Comments and questions always welcomed.

Need-A few Queries Occasioned

What do we need? Where is God in that need? When one need seems to be in opposition to another's need, I pray to be open to be a part of the meeting place, the covenant of relationship, that transforms opposition into resolution and clearness of right action. God Bless the GrassNotes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1964 Schroder Music Company, renewed 1992. People often think of this as an ecology song, but Malvina wrote it after reading Mark Lane’s comments about the John F. Kennedy assassination. God bless the grass that grows thru the crack. They roll the concrete over it to try and keep it back. The concrete gets tired of what it has to do, It breaks and it buckles and the grass grows thru, And God bless the grass. God bless the truth that fights toward the sun, They roll the lies over it and think that it is done. It moves through the ground and reaches for the air, And after a while it is growing everywhere, And God bless the grass. God bless the grass that grows through cement. It's green and it's tender and it's easily bent. But after a while it lifts up its head, For the grass is living and the stone is dead, And God bless the grass. God bless the grass that's gentle and low, Its roots they are deep and its will is to grow. And God bless the truth, the friend of the poor, And the wild grass growing at the poor man's door, And God bless the grass.

Silence in the Presence

After the mind is in some measure turned to the Lord, his quickenings felt, his seed beginning to arise and spring up in the heart, then the flesh is to be silent before him, and the soul to wait upon him (and for his further appearings) in that measure of life which is already revealed. Now, this is a great thing to know flesh silenced, to find the reasoning thoughts and discourses of the fleshly mind stilled, and the wisdom, light, and goodness of God's Spirit waited for. For man is to come from the poverty of self, into the abasedness, into the nothingness, into the silence of his spirit before the Lord, into the putting off of all his knowledge—wisdom—understanding, abilities, all that he hath done or can do, out of this measure of life into which he is to travel, that he may be clothed and filled with the nature, Spirit, and power of the Lord.

Isaac Penington
presense

silence and worship

My dear friend Joan Broadfield wrote
"About 'silence': It's all about what the invitation calls us to.
If the invitation is for silence, it would not speak to me.

If you are talking about longer than an hour to sit in a listening/waiting way, I'm very interested.

If you are talking about dedicating a worship time of an hour to come to listen in quiet expectation, I'd be interested.

But for me, when the emphasis is on SILENCE, it means nothing to me about spirituality. It is dictating a form, which gets in the way of expectation and listening to God.

I've had my fill of the rhapsodies of silence. That's not to say that a depth of a covered meeting is not important to me: in fact, it is. But I have never had a god-connected experience in one that is emphasizing silence. Paradox: those meetings that are 'covered' are mostly without words."

yes. There are two experiences here. One is weekly worship and I have always maintained that it is in the silence that we worship, not silence itself. I have not experienced an benefit from being silenced.
Many monthly meetings are learning the value of longer worship time. Media has extended worship once a month. All are welcome to this time of open worship that may or may not have a lot of silence.
Individual meetings can discern for themselves the frequency and length of worship.
I'm an advocate of communities and i see Monthy Meetings as communities being visible to themselves.

In addition some are called to live in a state of worship, prayer, communion with God that asks for more than a monthly meeting can provide. When this life called to me, I could not find anywhere, within, or even close to my faith community where I could go for an extended period of life , mostly in silence, within an supportive , nurturing and guided community ;where I was welcomed to just be, in worship and meditation to spend as much time as I needed with my inner and outer Light.

I’m still looking and this is what this blog is about.
I’m willing to create Still Waters Refuge and share it’s gifts with all seekers and I cannot do it alone.
Please join me. In Spirit, prayer, and comment.

on silent refuge

these words from the Great Tree Zen Temple

Silence:
Silence is an opportunity to communicate with our whole being, our body language, our unspoken thoughts, and a creative expression which speaks more clearly than words. It is authentic and all inclusive – in Silence we are able to hear, express, and engage from the core of our Being.
At Great Tree Zen Temple, ‘Silent Retreat’ means to enter into every activity with mindfulness and a desire to honor the quiet within, being present in the moment without the distraction of unnecessary words or discussion. Amidst our busy lives it is often difficult to imagine communicating without words. A silent retreat offers an opportunity to explore and honor the gifts and insights which arise from SILENCE.

These friends speak my mind. It is my prayer to facilitate the being of Still Waters Refuge to support and nurture the space for Friends to retreat in silent refuge, under the care of Friends.
Keep praying
Leave a comment