3/13/11 Reverend Susan Galvan, Community Life Minister, Unity of Walnut Creek

We can think of ourselves as a plain, ordinary wooden cup, not trusting oneself to have the wisdom or the knowledge to form our own judgments. Then we come to realize there is more to life than just “sticking it out” until death. We begin a journey of self exploration, building a new sense of self– bigger, more durable, shinier. Feeling empowered, we develop a highly polished self, like a shiny silver cup. Then we sense there may be more, a deeper level beyond self. We ask, “How can we be of service? What is our purpose?” But are we waiting for a telegram from God with our job description? If we listen, the still small voice inside asks, “Why not find the joy this time?” But service is hard work and it takes a lot out of you. How can joy and service go together? Discover that it isn’t so much what you do but a shift in your awareness. With a sense of gratitude, service is joyful. The joy becomes exuberance, like a bubbling fountain. Life has transparency. It is not obstructed by “stuff”. It rings, it has resonance, like a crystal goblet. But a crystal goblet is more vulnerable than a wooden or silver cup. Your vulnerability is your willingness to be open to the service of the divine.
Unity of Walnut Creek has changed. We now see the world beyond us, the divine beyond us. There is a flow back and forth from the outside to the inside and out again. Each of us as individuals can find a path of service to see through the transparency and see the divine in everything we do. The life we share here deserves the best we have to give joyfully. Find the joy this time. Pray–

Beloved Presence, to Thee I raise my whole being,
A vessel emptied of self. Accept, Lord,
This my emptiness, and so fill me with
Thyself – Thy Light, Thy Love, Thy
Life – that these Thy precious gifts
may radiate through me and over-
flow the chalice of my heart into
the hearts of all with whom I
come in contact this day,
revealing unto them
the beauty of
Thy joy
and
Wholeness
and
the
serenity
of Thy Peace
Which nothing can destroy.

3/6/11   Reverend David McArthur

How do we let go of what no longer serves us? –of judgments and of judging ourselves? What do we really let go of?
There are 2 processes. 1) affirmation– which we are pretty good at, and 2) denial, which is taking power away from what no longer serves. It is “letting go” of hurt and pain. And also it is letting go of the wonderful things when it is time to move on!
When we try to let go with the head we suppress the feelings, which show up again because there has been no completion. In Unity we have a different way. It is through the power of the heart. We complete what is there. Sometimes it is easy; sometimes we have a lot of drama and pain. Doing it with the heart completes it and it no longer has power over us. When you walk away with peace, you really get to walk away. How?
1.    Be honest with yourself. Admit the anger, hurt, or loss that you feel. Look honestly and connect with yourself in a deeper way.
2.    Have compassion for yourself when you feel hurt, pain, and loss, and even when you have a wonderful experience that comes to completion. Compassion heals. Understand the pain, but feel the love, the compassion, that sense of care. Feel that touch of the divine which heals. Hold the feelings in your compassion, where the healing takes place. Compassion is love– God’s healing love in you.
3.    Feel appreciation. Feel gratitude for what you have gained– the compassion, the wisdom which you can now use in this journey. You are a wise, spiritual being. Say, “Look what I did!– at what I have gained! Look at what I gave myself!”
4.    Be neutral. Hold the situation, the feelings in your heart. They are not good, not bad. They don’t have to end, they don’t have to continue. Stay in your heart. Know, “Spirit is taking care of things beyond my understanding.” Let it be. Let it be and be ready for the next step.
5.    Ask. The Infinite Intelligence will let it go or change it, but follow the direction you get! When you do your letting go in honesty, in compassion– it completes. The letting go is not about what you let go. It’s about what you are stepping into in Spirit. Let Spirit do Its amazing work in you!
Honesty. Compassion. Appreciation. Neutral. Ask.
Let Spirit do Its amazing work in you, and enjoy!

Reverend David McArthur

How do I know my purpose?– recognize my heart’s desire? As a spiritual being, you are an infinite soul choosing to enter into a human experience with things dear to you coded on your heart. When you are in tune with this the universe conspires to unfold the purpose you are about. The more in tune you are to that the more there is harmony and flow. You move beyond your troubles to focus on your purpose. The divine flows more effectively in you and through you. So
1. Stand up. Stand filled with the presence of the divine, in a place where you are aware of possibilities and of the blocks you have. In that space there is the past and the now and the potential of the future.
2. Now walk forward through the blocks, the limits, into the time beyond working them out.
3. Step into that future place when your beautiful purpose is in a state of fulfillment. Feel it done. It is there within you.
One of the signs of your purpose is that which has called you again and again. You have been saying “yes” to one thing after another. It is a set-up! Make that step through your limits to the Presence within you, the fulfillment of your being, your purpose, your deep passion, responding to what is meaningful to your heart without any idea of the result. Spirit will open the next door. You don’t have to know the end. Appreciate that you don’t know where it’s going. If you did, it might be harder to say yes. The purpose is already given, and in the Mind of God it is already fulfilled. Spirit is omnipresent in time and space. It’s a complete conspiracy. Divine Intelligence has the purpose of fulfilling your purpose. It has given everything that you need.
Maybe you say, “ no– I’m done with that.” When you take a side turn, your guidance system says “recalculating”. But each time you say “yes” the purpose of Spirit flows more. Have the love and respect of what is put in your heart. Spirit takes us through changes because it is growing us, and when you’re about what your heart really desires you feel wonderful. You can keep going regardless of what it takes. You are touched by commitment, no matter what the obstacle. The more you align with it the more you experience fulfillment. You are full of energy no matter how hard it was. Say yes, and then yes, and then yes! It may cause growth– but that’s what makes it fun!