Another last-minute inspiration... Eileen and I regularly hang out with folks from the Baha'i Fellowship of LI . One of the members sends out a weekly text containing inspiring memes on the theme of blessings. So, about an hour ago, I went searching for "super bowl blessings" to send to the text thread and my eye caught this article about the Eagles' wide receiver A.J. Brown . Disregarding a thought that was concerned about including "G-d" in a post, I'm throwing caution to the wind... Let's see how and where it flies.... As I see it, A.J.'s remarks (in the text and enclosed video) invite us to play our positions as effectively as possible - with focus and passion. Eagles WR A.J. Brown knows it's 'a blessing from God' to get back to Super Bowl - Sports Spectrum (01/28/25) After reading the article and watching the videos it contained, my mind remembered a great Steve Miller Band song. As I scanned the search results, my imagination landed on this first song. It's filled with images of fathers and their sons... Seal - Fly Like An Eagle (Official Video) [HD] (03:52) Fly Like An Eagle Scene - Space Jam (1996) 4K Movie Clip (02:19) Abba-Eagle (lyrics) HQ Audio (04:42) From Midfield to Middle Earth.... The Eagles Are Coming | Compilation of Scenes from LOTR & Hobbit (06:35) After the Game...the Career...is over... As I listened, I imagined several ways I was interpreting this song. I'd like to hear your thoughts, including any examples from your life... "Same dances in the same old shoes You get too careful with the steps you choose you don't care about winning but you don't want to lose After the thrill is gone After the thrill is gone After the thrill is gone, oh After the thrill is gone" After the Thrill Is Gone - Eagles (03:56) For the YOUNG EAGLES (Children) of our Shared World Fly Like An Eagle ~ Steve Miller Band {Music Video HD} (05:57) #music #humor #eagles #Bahai #blessings #TheEagles #football #SuperBowl #AJBrown #Seal #SpaceJam #ABBA #MichaelJordan #LOTR #TheHobbit #MiddleEarth #SteveMillerBand

Finding rays of hope in the pages of a new book and on the murals of city walls... NEW BOOK “The Tears of Things” - Richard Rohr How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair? What can we do with our private disappointments and the anger we feel in such an unjust world? Click here to listen to Richard talk about the work at a 2024 summer festival in the UK. Friday Jan. 10 6 PM ET The staff of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) introduces Richard's new work. YouTube link Fri. evening after-video update: The 2-minute video trailer was visually stunning as it showcased artist Noé Barnett's transformative creativity as Richard spoke. You can explore both artists further in this post. More than any other person, Richard has helped me SEE more completely... CITY WALLS Noé Barnett, Albuquerque muralist and painter, infuses the streets with life through his vibrant creations. Artist's gallerywebsite "The words of the prophets are written on subway walls and tenement halls..." ARTISTIC POETIC RAGE... (WARM UP/PREP) "Do not go gentle into that good night", "Rage, rage against the dying of the light". --Dylan Thomas Interstellar - Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Scene (01:12) “Let Us SPRAY!” 🎨 This week’s CAC’s email announcement also introduced us to a young Albuquerque artist: Noé Barnett. WOW!!! If you’re like me and find visual art helps open pathways to seeing in new ways, click here to explore his website . It includes examples of his street mural work as well as text ("Readings") outlining what’s helping his journey of understanding.  Once on his site/studio, as you explore these links, watch this visionary artist at work: —Studio —Streets —Reading To get the full sensory impact …Do this on a laptop or computer … The Southwest's "painter of light"... The artist making new wine from grapes of wrath... "BRUSHES UP!" "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Wayne Gretzky I found this quote as I checked out the artist's "Reading" page. In this next image, in the upper left, the quote is providing visible motivation... ...to boldly go where no one has gone before..." Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise . Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before! Take a side trip here to explore the origins of these words that launched each episode of Star Trek. Artist's Bio Noé Barnett, a muralist and painter, infuses the streets with life through his vibrant creations. A native of Albuquerque, NM , Barnett's roots have shaped his approach to art. With a burgeoning reputation as a key player in the mural scene, Barnett has transformed public spaces into canvases in multiple states, bringing art directly to the people. His murals are more than mere decoration; they are dialogues in color and form, engaging communities and using light to invigorate public spaces with new narratives. As Barnett transitions into the fine art arena, he carries with him the same ethos that has defined his street work: art as a catalyst for reflection and discourse. His fine art pieces delve into the light, using it as both a subject and a medium to harness it, synthesize it, and turn it into paintings that influence. All while maintaining the accessibility and boldness that characterize his larger outdoor works. Currently, Barnett is expanding his portfolio and actively contributing to exhibitions. His work not only adorns the walls of city streets but is also beginning to claim its space in galleries and private collections. Through his art, Barnett invites onlookers to pause, ponder, and perceive the world through a lens that is at once critical and hopeful. Richard's New Work [from the CAC website] In his first major work since The Universal Christ, Richard Rohr offers a wholehearted and hope-filled model for the world today, grounded in the timeless wisdom of the Hebrew prophets. "The Tears of Things" will be released on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair? What can we do with our private disappointments and the anger we feel in such an unjust world? In his most personal book yet, Richard Rohr turns to the writings of the Jewish prophets, revealing how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a crucial path forward today. The prophets’ writings reflect the full spectrum of human maturity. In almost every case, their initial rage and their accusatory words evolve into a profound pathos and lamentation about our shared human condition and the world’s suffering. Through astute critiques of culture and institutions, and their journey from anger to sadness, and ultimately compassion, the prophets exemplify what Rohr calls “sacred criticism”—a distinct approach to confronting evil and injustice that acknowledges the wholeness of history, the interconnectedness of every living being, and the reality of a divine and universal love. In this, they set the stage for Jesus, who follows this identical pattern. Drawing on a century of biblical scholarship and written in the warm, pastoral voice that has endeared Rohr to millions, The Tears of Things breathes new life into ancient wisdom. It paves a path of enlightenment for anyone seeking a compassionate way of living in a hurting world. This link on the book website will also take you to the YouTube event. Tears of Things Website GALLery (gallery) "They gave him wine mixed with gall to drink...but, after tasting it, he refused" --Matthew 27:34 Wine mixed with bitter herbs or myrrh created a potion that dulled the sense of pain. The mixture of sour wine and gall was often given to the suffering to ease their pain in death. Jesus refused to numb his experience of the suffering of our world. Searching the S&G lyrics returned these messages: Hope...Light...amidst the despair...the darkness... Truth...amidst lies... Motivation... My Street Art Post Gallery Did this post in Jan. 2023 to celebrate the artistic creativity of a friend's son... Takin' it to the Street Artists-1: Jesse Kreuzer...Mural, mural on the wall... And this one to celebrate this Connecticut artist's 2020 encouraging brush strokes... Takin' it to the street Artists-2: Ross Clark...Mural, mural on the wall... #art #murals #walls #StreetArt #NoeBarnett #Albuquerque #RichardRohr #CAC #CenterForActionAndContemplation #WayneGretzky #StarTrek #Interstellar #DylanThomas #JesseKreuzer #RossClark

On a Saturday in April 2023, after my monthly Men2Men circle, I felt an invitation to take a walk into the woods... My adventures walking the sacred paths in Brentwood on the land of the Sisters of St. Joseph can be found in several places (i.e., "posts") on my blog. See links at the end of this one. In this tale, we'll visit these three: Labyrinth Solar Array Thera Farm LABYRINTH The Cosmic Walk as a Labyrinth...Earthbeat (an NCR project) --[from the article] The Cosmic Walk is a ritual created by Dominican Sr. Miriam MacGillis of Genesis Farm in New Jersey . It has been modified and facilitated by many people around the world. The Cosmic Walk is a way of bringing our knowledge of the 14-billion-year Universe process from our heads to our hearts. It is a simple ritual that can be performed in a large room or outdoors. A spiral representing the entire almost 14 billion years of the cosmic and evolutionary journey is laid out on the floor or ground. SOLAR ARRAY THERA FARM Teddy and Sr. Karen Burke Sister Karen tending the garden... "The harvest is plentiful..." 2017 Season Thera Farm @ Sisters of St Joseph - Sister Karen Burke (08:18) [from the description] "Photos from the 2017 Season at Thera Farm @ the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, NY. The Sisters are leasing 27 acres of the motherhouse grounds to six different organic farmers. The purpose of this initiative is to use the land sustainably, give organic farmers on LI an opportunity to lease land at a low rate, and provide healthy, local food to our neighbors. This video shows the work and produce of Teddy Bolkas , one of the farmers." Walking soundtracks... Please meander over to the Cosmic Walk-2 post (see link below) for some tunes to accompany you on your journey... Other Cosmic Walk Posts Cosmic Walk-1...discovering a path to the origins of our universe in Brentwood, Long Island Let's travel together thru time & space to the origins of our universe...along a Cosmic Walk in Brentwood...   Cosmic Walk-2 "O my soul, you come and you go through the paths of time and space" Let's go to the Brent Woods where we'll experience a BIGGER story than just HIStory & HERstory...   Watermelon T-Man: THERA FARMS: FOOD & MUSIC THERApea (Aug. 2022) #music #Men2Men #SistersOfSaintJoseph #Brentwood #CosmicWalk #labyrinth #SolarArray #woods #path #SisterKarenBurke #TheraFarm #TeddyBolkas #OrganicFarm #watermelon

Consider this an Eve of INSTRUCTION post (sorry, Barry McGuire )…. My observations stand regardless of the party leaving or entering the arena... Neither the party on the right nor the party on the left has in mind the best interests of the people beneath them , as they use their money and power to CONTROL our daily lives... in THEIR best interests...  We are all connected... Theologians and scientists tell us we’re all connected. Our EVERY thought, word and action reverberates to EVERY other person, plant, animal and beyond. THEY MATTER!!!  Symphony of Science - 'We Are All Connected' (ft. Sagan, Feynman, deGrasse Tyson & Bill Nye) (04:11) So, let's begin paying attention to the nature of what we are thinking, speaking and doing... It's NOT in our best interest to demean another person in thought, word or deed... OUR thoughts, words, and deeds ARE affecting everyone and everything else! NEXT, let's try wishing our “enemies” well... "The cosmos is also within us"...and them... The above lyrics (up to and including "us") from the "Symphony of Science" video are echoed here in this composite video edit of two performances of George Harrison's transcendent song performed here on Long Island in 2005 & 2006. The Beatles' Magical Orchestra: "Within You Without You" (2006) (07:30) Theologians, scientists and others with wisdom remind us we’re all connected. Our EVERY thought, word and action reverberates to EVERY other person, plant, animal and beyond.  A Song for the Inauguration… …and for the first day of the rest of our lives... Bob Dylan - It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - With Lyrics (07:28) Full lyrics here The Emperor's New Clothes Lest you be called a fool, it's in your best interests to go along with the majority opinion...BUTT...If you're courageous enough, you can continue to call 'em as you see 'em and you're sure to find kindred spirits in life's alleyways (See "Courageous Fools..." below). The Emperor’s New Clothes | Full Movie | Fairy Tales For Children (12:34) As the tale unfolds, the only person who says what he actually sees is a young child... SO, Children, teach your parents well... And you, of tender years, Can't know the fears that your elders grew by, And so please help them with your youth, They seek the truth before they can die. Teach your parents well, Their children's hell will slowly go by, And feed them on your dreams The one they picks, the one you'll know by. Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry, So just look at them and sigh and know they love you. Kids Sing "Teach Your Children" to Graham Nash (03:55) “And a little child shall lead them…” NOTE: Finding this next video and on the national celebration of the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is why I write. First, to learn...and then to share what I'm learning. The sign held by this young 1963 civil rights protester during the Birmingham Children's Crusade highlights the hypocrisy of some fundamentalist Christians and their leaders. The Children's March: Birmingham Children's Crusade (07:06) On May 2, 1963, thousands of children gathered at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in place of their parents, who, under Alabama law and social oppression, faced harsh penalties such as loss of their jobs and jail time if they protested the racist and unjust segregation laws of Alabama. In response to the mass arrests of the children, Commissioner of Public Safety, Bull Connor , finally ordered police to use police dogs, high-pressure fire hoses, batons, and arrest these children if "deemed" necessary. Despite this harsh treatment, children still participated in the marches. On May 5, protestors marched to the city jail where many young people were being held and continued practicing their tactics of non-violent demonstrations. Jail cells were filled to capacity with children, and there were not enough police to manage the children. [ Source ] From weavers of cloth…to Weavers of tunes...that shed light on the holes in the fabric of our society… With a hammer, bell and a song they sing out DANGER and WARNING ... Well, I got a hammer And I got a bell And I got a song to sing All over this land It's the hammer of justice It's the bell of freedom It's the song about love between all of my brothers All over this land The Hammer Song (If I had a hammer) - The Weavers - (Lyrics) (02:17) COURAGEOUS FOOLS: "You better duck down the alley way...Lookin' for a new friend" These next 2 are right out of the Birmingham's Children's' Crusade: As are these prophetic words: While some on principles baptized To strict party platforms ties Social clubs in drag disguise Outsiders they can freely criticize Tell nothing except who to idolize And then say God Bless him . [ Source ] Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official HD Video) (02:15) #music #humor #parody #children #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr #BarryMcGuire #science #connected #love #BeatlesMagicalOrchestra #ChiefSeattle #BobDylan #EmperorsNewClothes #GrahamNash #CivilRights #BirminghamChildrensCrusade #TheWeavers #hammer #bell #song #leaders #SpecialInterests

--from my extensive collection of license plates and their frames. This one belongs to a nearby dermatologist... Self-care messages are all around us... And let's start with ourselves...  Found this version just now on MLK's holiday and Inauguration Day. ...and like M. J. tells us...start with the man in the mirror... Skin Deep - "Underneath we all look the same..." Buddy Guy's song opens with this reminder... Buddy reminds us that we need to practice the Golden Rule ...knowing it, is not enough... I sat my little child down when he was old enough to know I said out there in this big wide world You're gonna meet all kinds of folks I said son it all comes down to just one simple rule That you treat everybody just the way You want them to treat you Skin Deep featuring Buddy Guy | Playing For Change | Song Across the USA (05:32) Happened upon this next gem when I called my dermatologist to reschedule my annual skin check...See, my MUSE is on duty 24/7. You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover / Bo Diddley & Ron Wood (06:27) Gimme me some Extra Skin... Buddy Guy Skin Deep Jan 26 2024 Legends Chicago (04:16) Deeper still...your original face... [from the next link] There is a famous Zen koan that asks, “What is your original face, the face you had before you were born?” Waking up is not about copying anyone or anything. It can’t be. Because as soon as we are mimicking something, we are recycling someone else’s experience. We are one step removed from the source; we are no longer rooted in our own moment-to-moment revelatory experience. My basic point here is that the more we discover our own Original Face, the face we had before we were born, the more confident we become in expressing ourselves in unique ways. In a sense, great spiritual teachers feel to me like great “artists of the spirit.” And like an inspired musician, poet, or painter, a spiritual artist knows that he or she must spend time in the space of not knowing and then trust the melodies, visions, words, and guidance that come through. Your original face - sounds true What is your original face zen koan | What is your original face before your parents were born? (04:13) #music #humor #skin #love #neighbor #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr #BuddyGuy #PlayingForChange #RonWood #BoDiddley #zen #koan #face

Shalom , Salim , Peace , Paix , Paz ... These reflections arose after I viewed a friend's text meme that depicted snow falling on a Victorianesque New England scene that included a cozily-lit home, a church, several snow-covered trees, a blinking star and the words: "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" SCORECARD of Rights & Wrongs Click link to go to that section. War is Over...if we want it...Let's come together and IMAGINE this... Children cry out in song... "Nobody's right if everybody's wrong..." Who is my Neighbor (LEGOS)? 313 A.D. Church & State join forces...and those on the "bottom" lose 1914 WWI Christmas truce In other news 7 O'clock News Hallmarks ( fantasy ) replaced by MAUL marks ( reality ) Parents Advisory: most of the included materials such as videos and articles are in appropriate for pre-school and elementary-aged children. War is Over...if we want it...Let's come together and IMAGINE this... HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER). (Ultimate Mix, 2020) John & Yoko Plastic Ono Band + Harlem Community Choir - MSN (03:34) Children cry out in song... International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression - 4th of June -- It is commemorated on this day as a response to the suffering of Palestinian and Lebanese children in the context of the 1982 Lebanon War. O little town of Bethlehem (modern-day lyrics by Don Hinchey) The occupation of Palestine... O' Little Town of Bethlehem, modern version (2017) Joy to the World (modern version) - Ramallah Friends School (04:00) "Nobody's right if everybody's wrong..." For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield Cover (03:10) Who is my Neighbor? Unlike the others, the foreigner stopped, cared for the man's wounds, put him on his horse, carried him to an inn and paid the innkeeper to care for him until he returned.... The Good Samaritan (Legos) (01:44) 313 A.D. Church & State join forces...and those on the "bottom" lose The last great formal persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire ended in AD 303. Ten years later, Christianity was legalized by Constantine I. After this structural change, Christianity increasingly accepted, and even defended, the dominant social order, especially concerning war and money. Morality became individualized and largely sexual. The Church slowly lost its free and alternative vantage point. Texts written in the hundred years preceding 313 show it was unthinkable that a Christian would fight in the army, as the army was killing Christians. By the year 400, the entire army had become Christian, and they were now killing the pagans. [Click link below to continue reading...] From Bottom to Top - Center for Action and Contemplation Added 12/28/24...the landscape seemed topographically appropriate... 1914 WWI Christmas Truce Photograph of soldiers playing football in No Man’s Land during the Christmas truce. The Incredible True Story Of The World War 1 Christmas Truce - MSN Dec. 2024 A video reenactment... Christmas Truce of 1914, World War I - For Sharing, For Peace (03:40) In Other News... SOURCE Christians In Damascus Celebrate Christmas Eve Amidst Tensions | News9 (04:35) UNITED NATIONS — Women and children are the main victims in the Israel-Hamas war, with some 16,000 killed and an estimated two mothers losing their lives every hour since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel, the United Nations agency promoting gender equality said Friday. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says nearly 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, 70% of them women and children. The United Nations says more than a half million people in Gaza — a quarter of the population — are starving. [Source: next link] Women and children are the main victims of the Israel-Hamas war, U.N. says - npr (Jan. 2024) 7 O'clock News SILENT NIGHT /7 O'CLOCK NEWS Amazing cover! (VIDEO) (03:27) #music #humor #peace #Christmas #children #war #Bethlehem #SilentNight #ChristmasTruce #BuffaloSpringfield #JoshTurnerGuitar #SimonAndGarfunkel #WWI #truce #CenterForActionAndContemplation #RichardRohr #ammunition

Hello, We Try Harders! The other morning on my way to my foot doctor, as we passed the intersection of Old Country Road and E. Gate Blvd...I pointed to this building at 900 Old Country Road: ...and told the taxi driver “That’s where I used to work.” We Try Harder - Then... Here's where I hung my hat for many years until Avis was purchased by Cendant and they moved us all to Parsippany, NJ. General Motors Later, as I was telling this to our son John, he replied by saying that one of his recent girlfriends lives in the below condominium complex in N. Tarrytown, NY. It's erected on the former site of a GM plant. THEN... For over 100 years GM was building 12 million of America's automobiles... A Look Back At GM’s North Tarrytown (Sleepy Hollow) Assembly Plant NOW... 25 Years After GM’s Closure, Sleepy Hollow Welcomes New Developments There AUTO be a law… Here's what happens after Moe asks Curley Joe to give him the wheel.... Classic Cartoons - 3 Stooges leading off.. #5 in this collection also includes another auto theme: Parking Space w Oswald the Lucky Rabbit In this next short, Moe gets his head stuck in a pipe and the guys try all kinds of ways to free him... The Three Stooges Auto Repair Shop (03:19) Rockaway Beach "Shake Shack" - then...and now... THEN... In my teens, I worked summers at NYC’s Rockaway Beach in the boardwalk concession shown above at Beach 97th Street . One of my assignments was manning the combination ice cream cone and shake machine… ... 1 for me…1 for the customer…Repeat… 😋 NOW... Today's 97th Street Concession even has music jams... "Rockaway Beach Snack Bars are located on the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk in Queens. Menu items vary by location. The 106th Street Caracas snack bar offers arepas, which are corn flour- pita like rounds filled with a variety of ingredients. The 97th Street location has 8 different counters offering items from burgers, to beachy Korean fair, Italian ices, and lobster rolls. There is also a beach shop at this location where you can purchase clothing, sun tan lotion, and other beach related items. Finally the Beach 86th Street location or the "Rippers" offer breakfast burritos, tortas, burgers, and cold drinks for the hot summer days." SOURCE Original Shake Shack - then... 2001: Shake Shack sprouted from a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in Manhattan to support the Madison Square Park Conservancy’s first art installation. The cart was quite the success, with Shack fans lined up daily for three summers. An instant neighborhood fixture, Shake Shack welcomes people from all over the city, country and world who gathered together to enjoy fresh, simple, high-quality versions of the classics in a majestic setting. The rest, as they say, is burger history. With its fresh, simple, high-quality food at a great value, Shake Shack is a fun and lively community gathering place with widespread appeal. We’re known for delicious burgers, chicken, hot dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine, and more. SOURCE Rockaway Juke Box Tunes Here's JD our storyteller...singing of places now gone...but not forgotten...his song follows these photos... Urban version of Hawaii's famous "Pipeline" surfing break... Rockaway Beach - JD (04:22) More tunes follow about this waterfront escape from the summertime heat... The RAMONES - "Rockaway Beach" - Live at The Rainbow Theatre 1977 (It's Alive) (01:52) Rockaway Beach 🏝️ (Ramones) - The Beach Boys Live at Marymoor Park in Redmond 8/27/2023 (03:16) "Pop, Pop...Fizz, Fizz... "Oh what a relief it is..." from the summer heat...Found this in a local store... RATTLE Before coming to Avis, I worked in retail and dealership repair shops where I interfaced with car owners who frequently complained of rattles... 1 pcs red Rattle Roll Car Ball Play Toy Kids Game Gifts Shaking Bell Interactive Toys Bill Haley & His Comets - Shake, Rattle & Roll (Stereo Mix) (02:29) Hiss...DISSclaimer: While cobra snakes do not have rattles, this is a fun car tune... HEY LITTLE COBRA - The Rip Chords (02:03) The king snake also doesn't have a rattle...It's a constrictor...and it "preys" before meals ...by squeezing its victims... Crawling King Snake - The Doors (04:57) Is the hiss we hear from the microphone or from this lead singer? Fleetwood Mac - Rattlesnake Shake (07:04) ROLL... There are SO MANY car songs...And, rather than pick a few favorites from my mental Wurlitzer juke box...I'm allowing you to use your quarter and select one of more from this cool article...It also includes some great classic car photos...like this: The songs that prove rock and roll is obsessed with cars - Hagerty Media [from the article] " Music has evolved immensely since Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats wrote what many consider to be the first rock and roll song." Olds produced this best-seller from 1949 to 1999...A 50-year run!!! The song's video features several 1949's. OKAY...I changed my mind...In my role as the DJ for this post, here's that tune... Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (02:59) #music #humor #food #shake #rattle #roll #Avis #ShakeShack #GM #GeneralMotors #Tarrytown #JohnTittmann #ThreeStooges #cartoons #RockawayBeach #JD #TheRamones #BeachBoys #BillHaleyAndTheComets #TheRipCords #snakes #TheDoors #FleetwoodMac #JackieBrenston #TheDeltaCats #Olds #Oldsmobile #JukeBox #Wurlitzer #soda

Last evening, as the winter solstice was preparing to turn the season, I enjoyed an online celebration of Sufi poet Rumi's reflections on the theme of our unity. Our time together was sponsored by the  Dances of Universal Peace  movement (see links at the end for information about them)...So, as we listened to the readings, we were encouraged to get up and allow our bodies to add movement to the poet's mystical imagery. At selected times, we were also given opportunities to share a favorite Rumi poem or a poem or reading we had selected in advance. My "Turn, Turn, Turn" offering in below. Next LIVE Dances: Sunday Jan. 5 2-4 PM Baha'i Cultural Center 11 W. Jamaica Ave. Valley Stream NY The next Zoom presentation will also coincide with a solstice event: Friday March 21 7-8:30 PM Zoom link To get notified about these events: Feel free to contact Mariam ( brodger55@yahoo.com ), Dahlia ( dahlia@dragonfly-moon.com ) or Uwais ( abrnd2@aol.com ) with any questions. Visit our website for past readings, poetry and links to events of interest: www.nynjzoomdupeace.mailchimpsites.com   We are one song... These thoughts helped us prepare our hearts for our evening together: Beloved Friends, Please join us on Friday, December 20, 2024 at 7:00 PM for a sacred celebration of the season and in praise and celebration of the Sufi master and poet, Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi . Join hearts, hands and voices in poetry, song and prayer to honor the light and love within and with us all.   Our gathering will intertwine Dances of Universal Peace  with the poetry of Rumi and reflections on this sacred season. We'll have an introduction to the practice of dervish "turning" with time and space for your own sacred turning with our semazens.   Help us create a deep, immersive experience into the ecstatic unified awareness of Love, Harmony and Beauty that Rumi offered us through his poetry. Our sharing time will be dedicated to the poetry of Rumi. If you wish, please bring a short Rumi poem (or other love poem) to offer into the circle. We hope you'll join us for this special celebration of Love and the return of the Light. Look Within... In our opening moments, someone read their abbreviated version of a Rumi poem about looking for G-d...This is what I remember: "I walked into a temple looking for G-d and he wasn't there... I walked into a church looking for G-d and she wasn't there... I walked into a mosque looking for G-d and they weren't there... Finally, I looked into my own heart and there I saw Him ; He was nowhere else.” An original version here. Why we turn...To know and experience at the same time... Here's a 3-minute video introduction to the Rumi -inspired Whirling Dervish movement: CNN: Mystical dance of Whirling Dervishes (03:09) "Turn! Turn! Turn!" "To everything - turn, turn, turn There is a season - turn, turn, turn And a time to every purpose under heaven A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep To everything - turn, turn, turn There is a season - turn, turn, turn And a time to every purpose under heaven A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones A time to gather stones together To everything - turn, turn, turn There is a season - turn, turn, turn And a time to every purpose under heaven A time of love, a time of hate A time of war, a time of peace A time you may embrace A time to refrain from embracing To everything - turn, turn, turn There is a season - turn, turn, turn And a time to every purpose under heaven A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rend, a time to sew A time for love, a time for hate A time for peace, I swear it's not too late!" Turn, Turn, Turn/ Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds + Bob Dylan The Tambourine... The spiritual meaning of the tambourine is often associated with its role as a rhythmic and celebratory instrument in various cultural and religious traditions. It symbolizes joy, unity, and the power of music to connect individuals to the divine. The tambourine’s vibrant sound and its use in rituals and ceremonies are seen as a means of invoking spiritual ecstasy, facilitating communal worship, and inviting the presence of higher energies or deities. Additionally, its circular shape and jingling bells can represent the cyclical nature of life and the harmony that can be achieved through collective expression, making it a symbol of spiritual connection and celebration. (Source link below) Sufi Whirling and Ecstasy In Sufi Islam, the Sema ceremony involves the mesmerizing practice of whirling, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the tambourine . The whirling dervishes use the tambourine’s  beat to enter a state of ecstasy and divine communion. The spinning motion and the music together create an experience of transcendence, where the boundaries of the self dissolve, and the individual becomes one with the divine.  (Source link below) Spiritual Meaning of the Tambourine Life is a Circle Game... "And the seasons they go round and round..." Circle Game - Joni Mitchell - PS22 Chorus (04:59) The evening's concluding song... We were sent out into our worlds with the mission of being peacemakers. Our guitarist combined the words of the "Shalom Shalom Shanti" mantra with the music of "Silent Night." I was not able to find an online version. But I did find this one: Shanti Shalom Salaam (Peace) (04:53) As I was taking in the music of "Silent Night", this Simon and Garfunkel song started playing. The background radio news track reminds us why we need to be peacemakers... 7 O'clock news / Silent Night by Ananth Menon and Vedanth Bharadwaj (S&G cover) (02:25) For more on the Dances of Universal Peace... Dances of Universal Peace WANTED: Musicians & Participants to enJOY Dances of Universal Peace #music #dance #peace #Sufi #DancesOfUniversalPeace #TheByrds #BobDylan #Rumi #tambourine #JoniMitchell #PS22Chorus #circle #SimonAndGarfunkel #AnanthMenon #VedanthBharadwaj

I’m here to promote Ann Marie Bermont’s new YouTube channel. Ann is daughter of my friend Steve who I’ve mentioned in other posts. A fellow surfer, Steve was my first automotive instructor, as he says: "we played together with cars." Among my discoveries on Ann’s new channel,  I enjoyed hearing her and her animated narrator - Emma provide a classical violin accompaniment to 3 children’s fables: The Fable Project: Rumpelstiltskin The Nightingale Ferdinand the Bull Violinist: Ann Marie Bermont Narrator: Emma Tattenbaum-Fine Here's the first: Rumpelstiltskin...the other two follow... Rumpelstiltskin by the Brothers Grimm In each tale, Ann provides emphatic violin and facial accompaniment to the spoken text ...as in this scene where the reader has just told us that the greedy king on receiving his first straw-spun-into-gold, locks the poor miller's daughter away to spin more straw into gold... Rumpelstiltskin - Ann Marie Bermont (13:26) A Golden Tale! Rumpelstiltskin, Retold and Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen The original text - updated with current IT terms - causes the emperor to banish the real nightingale in favor of his AI substitute. The humorous text put a smile on Ann's face... Pretty soon, the head guy was using Ctrl, Alt, Del to try and fix the glitches. Frustrated, he became ill and his subjects could only visit him via Zoom. The real deal heard about the emperor's misfortunes and returned to his bedside where he sang him to health. The Nightingale - Ann Marie Bermont (14:38) Ferdinand The Bull by Munro Leaf His favorite pastime: not snorting...but sniffing... Ann's face captures Ferdinand's puffing and snorting after he sat on a bumble bee... After Ferdinand is picked to the bullfight in Madrid, Ann alternates bowing and plucking... Ferdinand The Bull - Ann Marie Bermont (11:30) WELL DONE - Both of you!!! Disclaimer: Everything I know about classical music I learned from Looney Tunes...and our son John.  John - tickling the classical ivories Schumann - Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17 - John Stephen Tittmann (29:22) More of John here...Classical plus Star Wars The Brothers Warner Tom & Jerry | Face the Music! | Classic Cartoon Compilation | WB Kids (21:27) Weekend Update: Emily Litella on Television Violins - SNL (01:20) #music #humor #AnnMarieBermont #EmmaTattenbaumFine #Rumplestiltskin #TheNightingale #FerdinandTheBull #TheBrothersGrimm #HansChristianAndersen #MunroLeaf #LooneyTunes #WarnerBrothers #TomAndJerry #JohnTittmann #SaturdayNightLive #EmilyLitella #GildaRadner

These reflections originated after listening to a Michael Singer podcast sent by a friend named Tom . To enable us to reduce the unnecessary suffering of being TOO SERIOUS, I've sprinkled in some light-hearted fun. Knowing Michael's approach to life, I think he'd agree. E32: Transforming Struggle into Strength: The Art of Conscious Living - Michael Singer Dec. 8, 2024 (1 hour) --" True peace comes from letting go of preferences and consciously interacting with life as it unfolds. Life’s moments, good or bad, are unique experiences to be appreciated and respected. Embracing challenges with openness can transform struggles into meaningful experiences. This shift in consciousness toward acceptance fosters an elevated, peaceful inner state. This is the foundation for deep spiritual growth." Singer lays this key question before us: "How did I decide what I wanted...and didn't want?" He adds can we replace our thoughts about what we THINK we want... with the JOY of interacting with LIFE... AS IT COMES... Beginning the Journey... Right from the start, Singer tells us that becoming aware of and then eliminating our preferences IS AN INSIDE JOB . It's OUR choice. That said, most of us tend to use psychological reasoning to blame someone else for the results of the choices we've made. Start by becoming aware of the Trash... "Take out the papers and the trash Or you don't get no spendin' cash If you don't scrub that kitchen floor You ain't gonna rock 'n' roll no more Yakety yak (Don't talk back) " Tiny Toons _ Yakety Yak By The Coasters (02:21) Awakening... "We are awakening (awakening, awakening) To the calling of the mystic Awakening (awakening, awakening) In the flowering of the heart Everybody here Melting into presence Overflowing effervescence Rising in love" Deva Premal & Miten with Manose - Awakening/Om Shanti, In Concert CD/DVD (07:07) It's an INSIDE job... Singer adds that we live in a single occupancy apartment ( there's only "ME" inside )...So, in the words of Michael Jackson : "We have to start with the man in the mirror." This philosopher's got the key to happiness figured out: "Why not tell him what you want?" Oops , counter-productive... Could it be as easy as in this next cartoon & song? The choice is ours... Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy (01:25) Give up Control... Our attempts to CONTROL our lives and those of others lead to CHAOS...KAOS... Max is showing us that he's NOT SMART...yet... Making friends with cockroaches...even on Mars... Singer uses cockroaches to help us notice our preferences. He uses the example of an astronaut who's the sole survivor of an expedition to Mars. Somehow, a lowly roach also survived. Here are his observations from the transcript: "Do every single thing that helps you. If it helps you, I’m all in favor. Lemme tell you a secret until you stop pushing that stuff away and learn to let it pass through and touch you and learn what it’s like to be touched by things. Even things that are not pleasant. You understand that, right? A roach is running across the floor. We don’t like roaches. Okay? How are you dealing with that? Did it ruin your day? I’m not going home ever again. There could be roaches in the wall. Yes there could. You can ruin your life because a roach ran across the floor. Or you can look at it and say, do you know that as one of life’s oldest living creatures back to the dinosaurs? Really? That is the evolution of that roach. Oh my God. Doesn’t mean you have to kiss it. It doesn’t mean you can’t pick it up and take it outside if you’re into killing it, okay, deal with it. Whatever it is. It doesn’t mean you can’t deal with it. It means you enjoy dealing with it. It’s called respect. I respect that there’s this creature running around on a floor. It’s old way older than you. You understand that? Not that particular one, but it’s heritage is way beyond human beings. And so you start with some respect and then you just, once you’re not freaked out over it, you let it touch you. Oh my God, look what’s here. And you deal with it. I’m not going to tell you to deal with it. That’s not my business. It’s your business. " "I told you once, if you go to Mars, you’re on Mars. You’re by yourself. No one else made it. You sit in there in the middle of the dirt, dust, red dust, there’s nothing there. It wouldn’t take hours. Maybe I'll give you a couple of days and somehow a roach made it in the ship. Alright? And it comes running across the sand. I’m telling you, you will chase that roach, but not to kill it, to make friends... to have company. Hi, where’d you come from? Oh, you’re from Earth. Oh boy. A fellow Earthling." HUBBLE yourself in the sight of the (star) Lord... Singer while sweating in Miami: "It's too HOT...I don't like it!" Replace complaining with AMAZEMENT... [from the podcast transcript] It was back in the early seventies when I moved out here to be in solitude or I failed. But anyways, to be in solitude, it was hot. I had a VW van. It wasn’t air conditioned. I live in a house. I had no air conditioning and it’s the summer in the Florida, 97 degrees. So it was hot. And he make you used to complain. Alright? Finally one day looked at him, complaining, complaining, complaining. I stopped him. I was meditating. I was able to do that. I said, Hey, you in there? Why is it hot mom? A nice discussion. You have to push your mind away. We can talk to it. Why is it hot? So he said, because the sun is hot. I said, what is the sun? He said, there’s a star. Do you know that The little twinkles you see in the sky at night, that’s one of ’em. Exactly one of those. You’re just close enough to a star to feel its heat. Ever think about that? That’s pretty neat. Who doesn’t like stars? You’re close enough to a star to feel the heat that’s pouring off that ball of fire. And guess how close that star is? 93 million miles away. Miami’s 360, 93 million. And it’s so hot that you’re complaining. Wow. You get to do that with your mind. You get to use your abstract mind to understand reality and sit there and say, that is neat. It’s neat. I told you, you do not get sunburned. You get star burned. That’s a whole other attitude, isn’t it? I’m so close to a star that will gets red far out. And so you just start using your intellectual mind, your higher mind. I have nothing. That’s the mind, the personal mind that’s full of your junk that you shoved down there over the course of your life and then built all these concepts and views and opinions and preferences and hopes and dreams. All that garbage you built in your personal mind. Why is it garbage? Because he built different ones. She built different one, and you’ll have different ones tomorrow. They're just nothing. You love somebody tremendously until somebody tells you something about ’em. I don’t know if I like ’em anymore. One more experience. Your mind changes. This doesn’t change. Suns with 93 million miles away for 4.5 billion years. Give or take a few miles. Let’s have your foundation be truth. Therefore, you can handle reality because your foundation is truth and for reality is truth. And so now you are enjoying, I swear since that that time, if I get out of my car and it’s hot out, which is quite often, I can’t not stop face the sun, feel that heat pour on me and think I’m sitting on a planet, tiny little planet of which 1.3 million fit inside that star. And I’m just ing that star. Somebody. What’d you do today? A 360. What’d you do this year? A really big 360. That’s all you orbited the sun. You just orbited a star. Don’t worry, you only have 89 day of them. You might as well enjoy ’em. You can do this, can’t you? What’s stopping you from doing this? Absolutely nothing. Nothing. And then I don’t know why it turns me on so much I’d like to share with you. That’s a star. You’ve seen pictures of the star out in the red burning with the flares, right? Pretty far out, right? Okay, that’s the star. Alright, how many are there? Oh, there are 300 billion in your galaxy. How many? 300 billion of those things in the Milky Way galaxy. Well, how far away is the next closest to us? How far away is that? Alright, 4.3 light years, which means nothing. That’s a nice number. 4.3, right? What’s the light year if I took a beam of light, held it above the earth. You got it? I have it in my finger. Let it go for one second. It’s circumnavigated the globe seven and a half times now. Fast enough for you. What’s a light year? That speed every second for a year and 4.3 light years is the next closest star. Alright? Ever. Think about it’s the next closest star and there’s 300 billion and you’re worrying about what exactly is freaking you out. There’s something wrong here because there’s nothing to be freaked out about. It’s kind of far out reality, isn’t it? But you got pretty myopic, didn’t you? Every little thing bothers you. Why don’t you try expanding your frame of reference into what reality? I think for a moment, that’s the closest store. There’s 300 billion, they’re all the far away and there’s 2 trillion galaxies. What are you worrying about? Why are you getting so caught up in nothing? Nothing for the few years You’re here in the middle of nowhere spinning through space and you make a fricking mess of your life, didn’t you? Alright, work with yourself, raise yourself. I just gave you a way. Science can help you. Science is wonderful. It is. You don’t have to be a scientist. Just pay attention to what they found. Pay attention to what’s happening out there with the Hubble and the James Webb and this stuff. It’s like, please, I beg you. They were looking at reality. What you’re looking at here is the 0.1 minus 7 billion part of reality, and you’re freaking out over it. You decided to like or not like it. How about we open up? That’s what it’s called to be open. That’s what it’s called to expand your frame of reference. People talk about expanding consciousness in the sixties. We talk about that expanded consciousness . Let’s not talk about expanded consciousness. Let’s talk about not contracting consciousness. Consciousness is already expanded. It’s universal. Well, why don’t I experience that? You have contracted your consciousness down to this tiny, tiny little thing called your thoughts, your feelings, your body, what you like and what you don’t like. Oh my God, how much of the universe is that? I like to call it this statistically insignificant. That’s what it is. Learn not to do that. Work with yourself. Raise yourself if you do that. Look, I gave you all kinds of clues on how to do that, but do it every moment. It’s not just meditating or doing this or that. Yes, meditation is wonderful. I don’t talk against it. I talk into meditation. I do not. I meditate. But I’m telling you, you spend much more time not meditating than you do meditating. So I would like to tell you what to do when you’re not meditating. Okay? Let somebody else tell you what to do when you’re meditating. Plenty of people, but I’m telling you that you can change your entire life almost instantaneously by doing what I’m telling you about. See, they say you change your life by getting what you want. No, you change your life by expanding your consciousness so that you’re in awe that any of it exists. There’s a person over there, I don’t know her. That person has 25 trillion, 25 to 30 trillion living cells making up her body. Wow. Trillion, right? They’ll talk to each other and that’s what your body is. There’s not something there, but these cells binding themselves together. Wow. How do I not respect her? Well, she has different views than me. Well, I don’t care. Why do people have different views? You’ve just been through an election. Why do people have different views? People say, how could somebody go for that? How somebody, because your mind is the sum of your learned experiences. Your mind is her mind is her mind is his mind is what else is going on in your mind, but the sum of your learned experiences. So don’t say, I don’t understand why somebody can think like that. #music #humor #TheCoasters #DevaPremal #Miten #Manose #journey #awakening #control #chaos #KAOS #MaxwellSmart #MadMagazine #AlfredENewman #BobbyMcFerrin #preferences #attachments #desires #MichaelSinger #podcast #SoundsTrue #Hubble #cockroach #

A variety of ways to come together... ME NU... Dec. 8: 3-5 pm Annual Holiday event @ West Hempstead's "Holiday at Hall's Pond" --food, music, crafts...Intersection of Hempstead Ave & Nassau Blvd Dec. 9: 1-2:30 PM "Beatles vs. Stones" --ZOOM: Keith Crocker's animated lecture with clips Dec. 14 8-9:30 AM Men2Men Brentwood, NY --monthly men's circle...starts with full cafeteria breakfast... Dec. 14: 1 PM - "SHE SPEAKS: Women of the Bible Have Their Say" --Theater troupe @ Islip Arts Council South Shore Mall Bay Shore, NY Now thru Jan. 3: Creche exhibit Sisters of St. Joseph Brentwood, NY --while not open to the public, you can view 2023 highlights in this post Now thru end of Jan.: Pedro Charvac's Art Exhibition W. Babylon NY Library Jan. 18 2-5 PM Art Share: "The Spiritual Purpose of Life's Journey" Valley Stream, NY Moving beyond presents..."Enough" - Kevin Griffin Musical Meditation: "Winter Solstice Dreaming" - Estas Tonne Sun. Dec. 8 Holiday at Hall's 3-5 PM Holiday Fun at Halls Pond! Where: Intersection of Hempstead Ave & Nassau Blvd W. Hempstead When: 3-5 PM Meet me at my station: the popcorn cart Join us this Sunday, December 8th, at 3 PM as the West Hempstead Community Support and Civic Association kicks off the holiday season with ‘Holiday at Halls Pond”! We caught up with association president Maureen Mahoney at Halls Pond, where she gave us an exciting preview of the festivities including crafts, entertainment, food (including kosher hot chocolate and cookies!) & Tree and Menorah lighting at 4:30 PM Plus, Maureen shares her vision for 2025, her thoughts on the community, and how YOU can get involved in this vital organization. Don’t miss out—come down to Halls Pond this Sunday and celebrate with neighbors and friends! In the event of rain or snow, the event will be held at the West Hempstead Secondary School North Cafeteria.  Holiday at Halls Pond (05:38) - West Hempstead Echo Mon. Dec. 9 "Beatles vs Stones" 1-2:30 PM Film maven and friend Keith Crocker frequently presents on music and horror. Keith Crocker's "BEATLES VS. THE STONES- DOMINANCE IN THE U.K.CHARTS". --Free Zoom courtesy of LIU's Hutton House. "Two of the most popular rock and roll acts to emerge from England engaged in friendly fire during the turbulent 1960’s. Both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones fought hard to dominate the airwaves and keep their songs on the #1 charts. Join us as we examine the relationship between these hit-makers, as well as analyze each group’s style of music and mutual respect for each other. You will learn how other British musical acts were influenced by the genius songwriting of both Lennon and McCartney and Jagger and Richards." ZOOM LINK With Dr. Faustus, MD (a.k.a, Keith Crocker)...It's not what we see...it's what we don't see... Sat. Dec. 14 8-9:30 AM Men2Men breakfast and circle time Where: Sisters of St. Joseph Campus, Bldg 4 1725 Brentwood Road, Brentwood NY 11717 Take some time away from the hustle and bustle as we gather together to consider the changing of the seasons of our individual and collective lives. If interested, text me (516-850-2493) and I'll give you the guy who handles registration. Sat. Dec. 14 1 PM Acting troupe "SHE SPEAKS: Women of the Bible Have Their Say" Where: Islip Arts Council @ South Shore Mall 1701 Sunrise Hwy Bay Shore, NY Now thru Jan. 3: Exhibition of Christmas Creches Where: Sisters of St. Joseph Brentwood Campus Kean Center Bldg. 5 1725 Brentwood Road Brentwood, NY 11717 Due to staffing limitations, it's not open to the public. BUT, continue reading below to enjoy last year's event and a walkthrough video. Enjoyed last year's inaugural event. Here's my friend Ray's driftwood entry into the exhibit. He calls it "De Mari"  (Latin for "of the sea"). He fashions these from driftwood he collects. Baby, I've got a crèche on you... --includes this 30-minute video of the 2023 exhibit: It's beginning to look a lot like C rèche mas...(32:47) --Please excuse my amateur status... Now thru end of Jan.: Friend Pedro Charvac's Art Exhibition Where: West Babylon Public Library 211 New York 109, West Babylon, NY 11704 --In lobby near Gallery area Hours: Sun. 1-5 pm Mon.-Thu. 10-9 Fri./Sat. 10-5 Stairway to Heaven... Includes his self-portrait: His homeland: Guatemala Baha'i Community Art Share: Come and create your own expression When:Sat. Jan. 18 2-5 PM Where: Baha'i Cultural Center 11 West Jamaica Ave Valley Stream, NY Eileen and I have enjoyed many in this series that rotates among written, visual, performing and musical arts... Moving Beyond Presents..."Enough" - Kevin Griffin To listen to "Enough", log into your Spotify account: Seasonal Meditation... Estas Tonne - Winter Solstice Dreaming (Live) (12:48) #music #art #theater #meditation #HallsPond #WestHempstead #WestHempsteadCommunitySupportandCivicAssociation #KeithCrocker #JanetRudolph #SistersOfStJoseph #PedroCharvac #KevinGriffin #EstasTonne #LIBahaiCommunity #EstasTonne

ROAD MAP FOR OUR JOURNEYS... Introducing the Center for Action and Contemplation Who we are Our Teachers CONTEMPLATION Advent events at the Center for Action and Contemplation Virtual Sit Meditations for Advent 2024 (4 Sunday's @ 11:30 AM ET) Advent email series Musical Preparation Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) Prepare Ye (from Godspell) For those for whom the darkness seems overwhelming...yet somehow inviting... "I will follow you into the dark..." (music) "Hello Darkness, my old friend..." (music) "The fruitful darkness...Is all around us... In bloom " (music) Winter Solstice: Amid the darkness...enLIGHTenment... ACTION What to do while we WAIT... "What are you waiting for" (music) **************************************************************************************************** Introducing the Center for Action and Contemplation Sending along some mindful resources to enable us to find some light in this season of growing darkness, including some reflections from Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) - the person and group that's most influenced my journey of spirit...by enlarging my vision through introducing me to appreciate how other spiritual traditions sit before the mysteries of life...and...death...and rebirth... darkness ...and... light ... Through these associations: I found the wisdom of the 12 Steps ...initially through Richard's "Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the 12 Steps " I became part of "Men2Men" - a monthly men's group that gathers regularly in Brentwood on 2nd Saturday's to sit together and share how these ways of seeing are helping our individual and collective journeys. With my wife Eileen , we formed a monthly "Gathering" group that meets in our home to share our lives as we chew on topics related to Richard's offerings... Email link about these events and more... Who We Are Franciscan Richard Rohr founded the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in 1987 because he saw a deep need for the integration of both action and contemplation—the two are inseparable. As Father Richard likes to say, the most important word in our Center’s name is neither Action nor Contemplation, but the word and . Contemplation is a way of listening with the heart while not relying entirely on the head. Contemplation is a prayerful letting go of our sense of control and choosing to cooperate with God and God’s work in the world. Prayer without action, as Father Richard says, can promote our tendency to self-preoccupation, and without contemplation, even well-intended actions can cause more harm than good. OUR VISION "Transformed people working together for a more just and connected world." Instead of accusing others on the left or the right, Jesus stood in radical solidarity with the problem itself, hardly ever offering specific answers to the problem. Instead, his solidarity and compassion brought healing.  In today’s religious, environmental, and political climate, our compassionate engagement is urgent and vital. When we experience the reality of our oneness with God, others, and Creation, actions of justice and healing naturally follow. If we’re working to create a more whole world, contemplation can give our actions nonviolent, loving power for the long haul. Our Teachers (read more about each here) Brian D. McLaren, Dean of Core Faculty James Finley, Core Faculty Barbara Holmes, Core Faculty Richard Rohr, CAC Founder and Emeritus Faculty Cynthia Bourgeault, Emeritus Faculty CONTEMPLATION and ... Virtual Sit Meditations for Advent 2024 Join us for free Advent Sits Meditations, guided by Richard Rohr’s book Preparing for Christmas. Date: Sundays Dec. 1, Dec. 8, Dec. 15, and Dec. 22. @ 11:30 AM ET Featuring: CAC Faculty & Staff Location: YouTube (see links below) Replays will be available for each sit. About This Event Advent season can generate a wide array of emotions as we gather with others and reflect on the past year. We invite you to step away from your preparations this holiday season and join us—if only for a moment—in a place of stillness and grace. These LIVE Advent Sit Meditations will be broadcast on YouTube  each Sunday morning during Advent, December 1, December 8, December 15,  and  December 22, at 8:30am Pacific Time (PT).   Fr. Richard Rohr reminds us that “the celebration of Christmas is not a sentimental waiting for a baby to be born, but much more an asking for history to be born!” Join us for a series of contemplative gatherings designed to celebrate and release what has passed, and make room for what is to come.  “Advent is, above all else, a call to full consciousness and a forewarning about the high price of consciousness.” —RICHARD ROHR Event Details Join our contemplative community on YouTube every Sunday during Advent, LIVE. Click the YouTube link next to the day you plan on attending. @ 11:30 AM ET Replays will be available for each sit. December 1 : Watch on YouTube December 8 : Watch on YouTube December 15 : Watch on YouTube December 22 : Watch on YouTube Sign up for the Advent Email Series   In addition to attending these free online meditations, we hope you’ll sign up for our free Advent email series !   Every Thursday, you will receive a teaching in your inbox to ground your Advent practice and prepare you for the next virtual sit meditation.  Sign Up for the free advent email series OR... Alternative: Prefer not to be on an email list? Simple click this link to explore the Daily Meditations: themes and individual ones . Musical Preparation LAY DOWN Melanie & The Edwin Hawkins Singers LIVE '70 (Candles In The Rain) (07:25) Meanwhile...in Central Park... "Prepare Ye" ~ Godspell (1973) (02:35) For those for whom the darkness seems overwhelming...yet somehow inviting... Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You into the Dark (Official Music Video) (04:00) "Hello Darkness, my old friend..." SIMON & GARFUNKEL - Sound of silence (1967 Live) (03:16) "The fruitful darkness...Is all around us... In bloom " Trevor Hall - The Fruitful Darkness (03:37) When I look back on those years gone by All those mountains standing in my mind I could have folded, could have turned around But all good stories have their ups and downs So, I had to find my way through I had to find my way through I had to find my way through I had to find my way through The fruitful darkness Is all around us In bloom The dark within my dark Is where I found my light The fruit became the doorway And now it's open wide The dark within my dark Is where I found my light The fruit became the doorway And now it's open wide The dark within my dark Is where I found my light The fruit became the doorway And now it's open wide The fruitful darkness (the fruitful darkness) Is all around us (is all around us) The fruitful darkness (the fruitful darkness) Is all around us (is all around us) The fruitful darkness Is all around us In bloom Winter Solstice: Amid the darkness...en LIGHT enment... ... and ACTION... What to do while we WAIT... Nickelback What Are You Waiting For (04:43) #music #Advent #preparation #CAC #RichardRohr #contemplation #action #Melanie #EdwinHawkinsSingers #Godspell #CentralPark #Nickelback #candle #darkness #DeathCabForCutie #SimonAndGarfunkel #subways #WinterSolstice #Rumi #Eileen #TheGathering #12Steps #Men2Men #Brentwood #ThichNhatHahn