We are imbued with the ability to use the most powerful healing force in the universe: Love. It cannot be destroyed. It can be ignored. By denying its power, we cause ourselves and others pain. Embracing it is the only answer. Through the power of love, we can release ourselves from history’s entanglements and begin again. Love heals and makes whole.
Embarking on this transformative journey of shifting from individual moments of peace to continuities of peace, we must release attachment to how it’s always been, how we want it to appear, and ready ourselves so that Divine Possibility can have its way with us. An ancient Zen story provides guidance. It tells about a university professor who went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. “It’s full! No more will go in!” the professor blurted. “This is you,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup.” We must empty ourselves so that we are available to new learning and new experiences.
We are always at choice: the choice of how we are to be in each and every situation, the choice to be a conscious activity of God, the choice to apply spiritual principles to every circumstance, the choice to remember that the Truth that we know within must express into and as form, as circumstance, the choice to simply perpetuate our mistakes or learn from them and manifest our global vision of a world that works for all.
The Heart of Peace Initiative invites you to be a catalyst for global healing and sustainable peace, transforming moments of peace to continuities. You are encouraged to experiment with being a conscious presence as peace in a variety of settings and being kind and respectful when circumstances might lure you to be otherwise. We welcome you to meditate with us weekly on Facebook for Collective Peace Meditation at 1:00 PM (US Mountain Time) and for our array of other peace practices throughout the year.
Start 2023 by attending the World Healing Peace Meditation at 12:00 PM GMT December 31, 2022 (7am Eastern) on Center for Spiritual Living, Heart of Peace, Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.com/centersforspiritualliving/.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
By: Reverend Trish Hall, Centers for Spiritual Living Metro
It serves no purpose to deny what is happening globally and locally. Unless we acknowledge that there is a problem, we are powerless to make changes. How do we walk the tightrope of being fully engaged, committed to transforming the problem, yet not lose ourselves in the problem so that we become a force of separation? The passion that ignites our desire to manifest a world that works for everyone, can all too easily become divisive rather than unifying. Spirit stirs us to recognize that which needs to change, to seek solutions, to be impassioned to cause change, and to do so in ways that unite rather than separate us.
We receive conflicting messages: we must “feel it to heal it,” yet warned, “That which you focus upon expands in your experience.” Recognizing what needs to be changed demands that we look objectively at ourselves and circumstances. Simultaneously, we must feel it and sense it deeply, in order to muster the energy to be a cause for change yet not get so consumed by it that we lose perspective and become ineffective. We must place our focus on healing – to call forth the Divine Truth that shifts human experience at the level of cause. Divine Truth does not deny circumstances. It provides the means to effect lasting change of circumstances. It diminishes the human propensity to get distracted and waste energy on behaviors that widen rifts and entrench the sense of separation. It calls us to be healers – unifiers that dissolve the sense of separation.
So what is “healing”? The simple answer is to make whole. We must reunite our divided nature, releasing our fixation on what is wrong with the world and opening to pure potentiality – to accepting responsibility for doing our part to heal ourselves and the world. Sometimes in the midst of chaos, it is hard to see “Truth beyond appearances.” Sometimes, it is hard to remember when surrounded by alligators, that we are there to drain the swamp – to remember it is the Truth that sets us free from the alligators.
Ernest Holmes declared, “We have within us, a power that is greater than anything we shall ever contact in the outer, a power that can overcome every obstacle in our life and set us safe, satisfied and at peace, healed and prosperous, in a new light, and in a new life.” Simply because we have it is no assurance that we use it for good purpose – that is a matter of choice. How then do we choose to be? Do we use this power peacefully, as compassion, healing of strife and global chaos or do we remain imprisoned by beliefs that global peace is not possible because it has not yet been experienced? Do we take responsibility for our past mistakes, learn from them, and redirect our thoughts and actions? Do we uproot our misplaced faith in the inevitability of that which is not desired, or do we embrace the power within and be catalysts for change – catalysts for peace?
It is time to subdue all inner conflict by giving no further attention to the many distractions – the side issues that divert us from the fulfillment of our goal. We achieve this by engaging all our thoughts and feelings in constructive, creative, and productive consciousness – by being peace.
Please consider joining us or the annual World Healing Meditation that commences precisely at 12:00 AM GMT (7:00 AM Eastern) on December 31st. You can do this individually, or in-person groups or join the Heart of Peace Initiative which provides an hour of inspiration including affirmations, meditation and readings focused on the realization of global peace, healing all aspects of the world, revealing peace at: facebook.com/events/716551799681145
Nelson Mandela: “Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social markers of difference.”
Deep within their beings, John Randolph Price and his wife, Jan, understood true Peace. They envisioned millions of people around the planet joining together in a “global mind-link” to heal the world and reveal peace, so they launched the World Healing Day, December 31, 1986. Their concept was clear – a moment in time in which the consciousness of millions would be linked in a single focus: A worldwide, congruent embodiment of healing and harmonizing Planet Earth. The power of such clarity in any moment is unstoppable. Recognizing the challenge of sustainability, they established it as an annual event strategically placed right before the start of each year. This year is the 37th annual gathering. It has grown consistently. Most people, once they have participated, feel the call to do it again and again.
The Heart of Peace Initiative of Centers for Spiritual Living Global Services took up the challenge to engage a mind-link, as the Prices had envisioned, to transmute moments of Peace into continuities. The Initiative’s vision sees millions of people diving into the consciousness of peace, healing, and harmony at random times as well as specific events, spontaneously reconnecting with the mind-link. The Prices believed, and we agree, that the sense of connection is a powerful factor in peace building.
There is a traditional African concept of humaneness, for caring, sharing and being in harmony with all of creation. In In Zulu or Xhosa, the term is “ubuntu.” A friend told me, “The concept is easy: I am because we are.” Peace arises when we connect with and care for one another. Whether we call it Amani (Swahili) or Ukuthula (Zulu) or Peace, we are intuitively drawn to it.
Alas, we humans tend to get distracted by the swirl of worldly circumstances. Often distractions trigger attitudes that are the antithesis of harmony. Yet, that innate desire within to connect stirs ever growing numbers of hearts to heal and allow peace to prevail. The undulating, rippling effect of this desire is contagious and lifts the consciousness within everyone, everywhere whether they are conscious of what is happening or not.
When we look around, the world – even our individual thoughts – seem rife with examples of discord, violence, and disasters. It can be overwhelming. The voice of doubt may raise its head, questioning, “What difference can I possibly make.” The answer is, “You make a world of difference! Every act of love, of kindness, of compassion ripples out touching and transforming others who consciously or otherwise do the same.” Just imagine the result if each one of us raised these simple acts to the level of commitment and took responsibility for the influence we have on others.
One of the things you can do is participate in the annual World Healing Meditation that commences precisely at 12:00 AM GMT (7:00 AM Eastern) on December 31st. You can do this individually, or in-person groups or join the Heart of Peace Initiative which provides an hour of inspiration including affirmations, meditation and readings focused on the realization of global peace, healing all aspects of the world, revealing peace at: facebook.com/events/716551799681145
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
How are you feeling about the approaching holiday season? As we near the end of 2022, our first “Post Pandemic” year, we know that re-entry into society has taken on different forms for different people. For some, it has presented a real challenge.
As we prepare for upcoming holidays, Tysons Interfaith is pleased to offer a series of blog posts authored by members of our faith communities that highlight reflections on self, our place in the world, and suggestions for re-entering society and promoting comity among family and friends.
We need to socialize-we are social creatures. We need to be able to have community, to come together, to share a language, a friendship. Covid changed all that. Isolating at home became the new normal. Now with vaccines and anti-viral medications, people are returning to socializing indoors and outdoors. This can lead to anxiety for many people. Taking a gradual approach will help most people ease back to socializing again.
We adapted to a new reality, living with the uncertainty and fear of the impact of a deadly Covid virus. We were forced to physically distance from family and friends with video calling becoming the primary way of socializing. It was challenging. We are creatures of habit, but we became accustomed to isolating at home. Now that we are used to isolating, it will be another transition to engage in person with others both indoors and outdoors.
Dealing with long periods of isolation can increase social anxiety even for those who are naturally extroverted. For those of us who enjoyed the isolation because of underlying social anxiety or being introverted, the return to awkward social situations is even more terrifying. You are not alone. Many people are dealing with these same feelings.
We have missed out on subtle forms of communicating like facial cues and body language which don’t come across over video or talking to people with masks on. The introvert and those with a diagnosis of social anxiety may have felt “comfortable” for the most part during the lockdown. Their challenge is having to deal with their difficulties in returning in person to social situations. Be understanding of your situation and the situation of others. Gradually begin to restart your social interactions, at first with people you are comfortable with. Make your initial interactions short, gradually increasing the time as your comfort level improves. Reward yourself for your effort by indulging in a solitary activity that brings you joy. Be kind to yourself. This might not be easy. Be kind to others. This may be difficult for them too.
Social anxiety, generalized anxiety, agoraphobia and other issues may require extra help. For those with conditions that impact their ability to function in society and are not successfully making the transition, professional help may be required.
As we enter the busy holiday season, here are a few of my thoughts on ways to keep one’s equilibrium:
CONNECT WITH LOVED ONES
HAVE A SENSE OF PURPOSE
FIND WAYS TO BE OF SERVICE
EXERCISE, GET GOOD SLEEP, EAT WELL
LIMIT SCREEN TIME AND AVOID GETTING OVERLOADED WITH INFORMATION YOU ARE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT
MAKE SURE YOUR INFORMATION IS COMING FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE
FINDING HOPE AND OPTIMISM CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT OR YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
How are you feeling about the approaching holiday season? As we near the end of 2022, our first “Post Pandemic” year, we know that re-entry into society has taken on different forms for different people. For some, it has presented a real challenge.
As we prepare for upcoming holidays, Tysons Interfaith is pleased to offer a series of blog posts authored by members of our faith communities that highlight reflections on self, our place in the world, and suggestions for re-entering society and promoting comity among family and friends.
So, I’m invisible? Black women more often go unnoticed, according to this article.
As an Ethiopian-American woman, I devised defense mechanisms to avoid discrimination. I ignore the color of people’s skin. I choose to see the world through people’s eyes, instead of waxing philosophical about the color of people’s eyes. My perspective is shaped by people’s words and their actions, not their silhouette. You can have extra curves and I won’t dwell on it.
How we perceive the physical world directly affects our spirit. I spend one minute focused on my perceived invisibility and I’m down in the dumps. But, no, my heart will go on. Did I not cry as I watched the Titanic sink? Do I not write poetry about world hunger? As Sade put it in the “King of Sorrow,” “I’m crying everyone’s tears.”
If you are reading this, it means you trust me with your heart and soul. We read to experience the heights and depths of emotion and intellect. You have probably heard my laugh. It’s a loud, contagious cackle. I smile all the time. I get depressed. At times, I feel invincible and sometimes I can’t sleep, because there’s a world in need of repair (tikkun olam). I’m restless, but I enjoy sitting for hours drinking tea and eating lamb kabobs, hummus, falafels and baba ghanoush with my friends. It takes little to make me happy. Happiness is a heartbeat away! Are you breathing? Say, “Amen!”
And that’s all I have to say, “So be it!” If you want to change the world, appreciate the people around you. Love yourself. Seek opportunities to cherish diversity. The world is not so black and white. Those are two extremes. We meet somewhere in-between. Choose to see the best in people and give credit where credit is due. Remember everyone makes an important contribution. Defy stereotypes. Life is too short to hide behind descriptions that distance us from each other. We are meant to know one another (Qur’an 49:13). We are designed to love and be loved. If you go unnoticed, your soul is still of infinite worth and you are beautiful as you are.
Remember what Hagar said, “You are the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). If you’re hurt or if you suffer, trust that God is near. He has a purpose for your pain. Intimacy with God is to be treasured. He is closer than your jugular vein. Also, surround yourself by people who care about you and be uplifted. Don’t worry about what the polls say. You are precious. Tear down any barrier within yourself that is an obstacle to giving and receiving love (Rumi). Love is sometimes hidden, but you don’t have to hide anymore. Let your light shine, even if that light is blinding. So what, if no one notices? Be. Sometimes that’s all God commands and miracles happen.
How are you feeling about the approaching holiday season? As we near the end of 2022, our first “Post Pandemic” year, we know that re-entry into society has taken on different forms for different people. For some, it has presented a real challenge.
As we prepare for upcoming holidays, Tysons Interfaith is pleased to offer a series of blog posts authored by members of our faith communities that highlight reflections on self, our place in the world, and suggestions for re-entering society and promoting comity among family and friends.
The interfaith community has observed a noticeable reluctance to rejoin in-person sociality after the isolation of COVID lockdowns. It may be that it’s just easier or feels safer to attend online. For others it may be the challenge of depression or addiction resulting from isolation.
In addition, recovering from COVID isolation during the upcoming holiday season intersects with the long-standing problem of isolation and disappointment felt by many during the holidays.
The phrase “to put yourself out there,” while it may be overused, has an important element of truth: there is risk in trying to develop or maintain a friendship. What if my outreach is not reciprocated?
Nevertheless, people need people. A friendly word, a smile, an unexpected act of kindness, or an interest in others can be life-changing or at least help us through another day. It’s been said that if you are with a group of people and assume that half of the group is facing a life crisis, you’ll be right most of the time. Whichever half we’re on, in-person interactions can be the “Balm of Gilead.”
Call upon your faith in God to help you have the courage to make the effort to resume in-person sociality by trying to focus on lighting up someone else’s life. Try the smile, the compliment, the kind word, an unexpected card or gift. Especially in all-important family relationships, express appreciation, offer help, ask for forgiveness, give forgiveness, or if needed make an apology. Listen. Look for common ground. See the good in others; everyone has a gift and talent.
If we feel alone, volunteer to help others. With thousands of refugees and new immigrants in Northern Virginia, the needs are great. In volunteering you meet the best people in the community. You may wish to visit the Tysons Interfaith website Resources page, which lists volunteer opportunities and area non-profits with whom our faith communities partner. When we lighten the burdens of others, our burdens seem lighter.
Take advantage of your unique opportunity to fill the world with peace and goodwill this holiday season!
I wanted to share with you an exceptional program I have been involved with that is currently seeking volunteers.
Work Life from Jobs for Life, is an eight-week Biblically based program that seeks to break the cycle of joblessness and poverty by giving people the tools they need to find and maintain meaningful employment.
Mentors, teachers and professional coaches are needed for the upcoming class which will meet January 9 – March 9, 2023 on Mondays and Thursdays from 7pm – 9pm at the Lamb Center, 3160 Campbell Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031. Business owners and managers who are interested in helping people step into financial health are also needed.
While this is a Christian-based program, I have worked with volunteers and clients from a of a variety of faith traditions. It is so rewarding to be reminded of the brotherhood of humanity as together, we restore a sense of purpose and dignity to people and families in need.
There will be an In-person interest meeting on Saturday, October 29 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the Lamb Center.
For additional information, please visit this write-up from Centreville Presbyterian Church: https://centrevillepres.com/project/jobs-for-life/
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Have you been thinking about volunteering and you’re wondering what organizations are out there needing help? Here is a great opportunity for you to explore.
On October 12, 13, and 14, 2022, Fairfax County will host a virtual “Venture Into Volunteering Fair.” More than two dozen non-profit organizations and Fairfax County agencies will share how they incorporate volunteers into service, and all will be available to answer questions. (Although this event is listed on the Fairfax County Department of Family Services Older Adults webpage, volunteerism has no age restriction!)
Venture Into Volunteering Fair
October 12, 13 and 14
10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
passcode: venture22!
OR
by phone: 888-270-9936
Conference Code: 114531
You can join at any time, for any of the 30-minute presentations. No pre-registration is necessary.
For more information on the organizations featured in each session, and the daily fair schedule, visit the Fairfax County Venture Into Volunteering page. If you are unable to attend a particular session, or have questions after the event, feel free to reach out to that organization directly using the contact information in the daily fair schedule.
If you have questions about this event, technical assistance, or need reasonable accommodations, please contact VolunteerSolutionsRecruitment@FairfaxCounty.gov or call 703-324-5406.
Can’t make the virtual fair? Check out service opportunities and Tysons-area nonprofits listed on the Tysons Interfaith Resource page: https://tysonsinterfaith.org/resources/
Shiloh Baptist Church, the beautiful church that sits on a rise just south of the intersection of Lewinsville Road and Spring Hill Road, celebrates 150 years of service to the community this year.
Founded in 1872 by Cyrus Franklin Carter, who also founded other churches in the area (First Baptist Church of Vienna and First Baptist Church Chesterbrook), Shiloh was central to the post-Civil War Odrick’s Corner Community. To read more about the history of the church, please visit shilohbcva.net/our-story.
To commemorate this special anniversary, Shiloh held a series of events including a community picnic in July, and a “Spotlight on Shiloh” event at the McLean Community Center in August. The celebrations culminated in a special worship service held on September 18.
The September 18 service, in addition to celebrating the church’s sesquicentennial, also recognized Rev. Dr. Robert F. Cheeks, Jr., and his wife, Minister Constance Cheeks, for their fifteen years of leadership to the congregation. It was a joyous occasion that included the presentation of a commendation from Fairfax County by Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, and the reading of congratulatory messages from Governor Youngkin, the leadership of National Cathedral, and from Lewinsville Presbyterian Church which has been partnering with Shiloh Baptist in Bible study.
Shiloh Baptist is a member of Tysons Interfaith. At least four Tysons Interfaith communities were represented at the September 18 service. Pictured here at the service is Fazia Dean of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center.
Tysons Interfaith congratulates Shiloh Baptist on their 150 years of enduring service to the local community. We look forward to continuing to partner with them to weave the values of spiritual connection, spiritual learning, mutual support, and community service into the fabric of the greater Tysons area.
A recent lead article in the Christian Science Monitor Daily really caught my attention. On September 15, editor Mark Sappenfield published a piece entitled “Butterflies, capitalism, and the golden rule.”
Butterflies, capitalism, and the golden rule
Editor
| When the world gathers in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, Kim Polman will be there to talk about butterflies – kind of. Ms. Polman is co-founder of Reboot the Future, an organization built on the idea that the golden rule – cherished in various forms by all human cultures – is the basis for societal and economic transformation. Ms. Polman is not alone in thinking capitalism needs a reboot. On one hand, capitalism has generated unprecedented wealth, lifting wide swaths of the world out of poverty. But it is also at the basis of what some call the “death economy” – extractive and exploitative practices built on competition run amok. She’ll be in New York to discuss the new book she helped write, “Values for a Life Economy.” The key to pivoting from an extractive, exploitative capitalism to one that embraces all and the planet is recognizing our deep interconnection. “We are all connected, and we are all responsible,” she says. “We need to wake up to the idea that we are not just here for ourselves.” She’s talking about nothing less than a shift in our economic paradigm. From the days of Adam Smith, capitalism has been about how competition holds our lower natures in check. Can we really expect more of ourselves as humans? That’s where the butterflies come in. When the caterpillar starts its metamorphosis, its cells actively resist. It tries to stop the process. “But the cell that holds the vision of the butterfly is innate in the caterpillar,” she says. The ability to transform is already there, and it only becomes active under duress. For humans, she says, that visionary cell is the golden rule – the innate, natural impulse to treat others and the world the way you would wish to be treated. “Our work,” she says, “is to reach a tipping point.” |
Isn’t this a wonderful thought to be discussing at the United Nations? An economic paradigm shift based on a deeper understanding of the Golden Rule.