February 21, 2016 – Love Guides My Way

Rev. David McArthur
Love Guides My Way

Guidance is there with each of us at every moment. With it we can ease through life. We are not meant to suffer or struggle our way through anything.

When I was learning the new world of my legal career I was in a relationship which was really important to me. I was fairly intelligent and analyzed it in my head. I could list all the reasons to spend our lives together, and all the doubts. I really didn’t have a clue. Was this woman to be the life-time mother for my little girl? Or were we simply in a wonderful relationship for the time and then with love and respect we’d go our separate ways?

I was learning as well the world of my spirituality. So I went to my heart to “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things will be given you.” We created an affirmation together. If we were right for each other and are to be together, that it would become clear to both of us; or if not, then that would become clear.

Then about a year and a half later I was at my parent’s looking out at the beautiful mountains beyond Jackson Hole, and suddenly I knew. I knew it would be right. I wasn’t “thinking”, I was “knowing”, and with that knowing the questions disappeared. So I proposed and June is our 40th anniversary!

I found guidance works better if I check in regularly. The guidance is always there—such love, such care! Whenever I feel uncomfortable it is one way I know I need to get into the connection with my heart. This is checking in, looking forward, “what are my next steps?”

There is a difference when change happens in the moment. Lani, who leads our youth program here, has a deep connection with her spiritual self. At her job at Whole Foods she was called into the office. She had lost her job. Her immediate reaction was to put her hand on her heart and focus on the love there. She told me she knew she was cared for. She told her supervisors that she understood how this was hard for them, that they had to do what they had to do. She chose not to be a victim! And she told me her guidance when she got the job had been clear that she would work there for 2 years, and it had been two years and two weeks! It was time she move on.

There is an intelligence, a path to your soul that will reveal itself to you. It is love. Love will guide your way. When you get to the knowing the yes/no argument fades. The soul has said “Yes. What I have for you is already prepared and is waiting to be given.” Affirm, Love guides my way! Love guides my way! Love guides my way! It’s a beautiful, beautiful experience. Whatever you need to know is already given. Ask! Go to the beautiful wisdom of the spiritual being that you are. The response is love. That’s what guides your life!

Play

February 21, 2016 – Love Guides My Way


Rev. David McArthur
Love Guides My Way

Guidance is there with each of us at every moment. With it we can ease through life. We are not meant to suffer or struggle our way through anything.

When I was learning the new world of my legal career I was in a relationship which was really important to me. I was fairly intelligent and analyzed it in my head. I could list all the reasons to spend our lives together, and all the doubts. I really didn’t have a clue. Was this woman to be the life-time mother for my little girl? Or were we simply in a wonderful relationship for the time and then with love and respect we’d go our separate ways?

I was learning as well the world of my spirituality. So I went to my heart to “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things will be given you.” We created an affirmation together. If we were right for each other and are to be together, that it would become clear to both of us; or if not, then that would become clear.

Then about a year and a half later I was at my parent’s looking out at the beautiful mountains beyond Jackson Hole, and suddenly I knew. I knew it would be right. I wasn’t “thinking”, I was “knowing”, and with that knowing the questions disappeared. So I proposed and June is our 40th anniversary!

I found guidance works better if I check in regularly. The guidance is always there—such love, such care! Whenever I feel uncomfortable it is one way I know I need to get into the connection with my heart. This is checking in, looking forward, “what are my next steps?”

There is a difference when change happens in the moment. Lani, who leads our youth program here, has a deep connection with her spiritual self. At her job at Whole Foods she was called into the office. She had lost her job. Her immediate reaction was to put her hand on her heart and focus on the love there. She told me she knew she was cared for. She told her supervisors that she understood how this was hard for them, that they had to do what they had to do. She chose not to be a victim! And she told me her guidance when she got the job had been clear that she would work there for 2 years, and it had been two years and two weeks! It was time she move on.

There is an intelligence, a path to your soul that will reveal itself to you. It is love. Love will guide your way. When you get to the knowing the yes/no argument fades. The soul has said “Yes. What I have for you is already prepared and is waiting to be given.” Affirm, Love guides my way! Love guides my way! Love guides my way! It’s a beautiful, beautiful experience. Whatever you need to know is already given. Ask! Go to the beautiful wisdom of the spiritual being that you are. The response is love. That’s what guides your life!

February 14, 2016 – A Valentine From Your Spirit

Rev. David McArthur
A Valentine From Your Spirit

Happy Valentine’s Day! A whole day to do exactly what we’re supposed to do everyday! Today the best Valentine you’ll get is from your spiritual self.

Any spiritual process starts with self awareness. So get comfortable and start with being aware of your body, your mind. Nothing is right or wrong here, just be aware. We’re inviting our spiritual self to show up. Now be aware of your feeling self. On a scale of -5 (bad) to +5 (feeling great), just see where you are now—it’s not good or bad. Just be aware.

Now remember a time you felt deep love for someone. Just focus on that. Experience the feeling of that love. Let it grow in you. Let it fill you. Keep that feeling as you check in with yourself on the -5 to +5 scale. What number do you have now? Did it go up? There’s a reason relative to the core understanding, “God is love”. What we did was enter into our connection to the divine presence that we have. When Spirit flows in it lifts us. It lifts our sense of wholeness. We feel better because we are connected to that infinite love. That’s your valentine!

Are you ready for a super valentine? Remember a situation this week when you felt uncomfortable. We feel less connected, separate from divine love then. Do self awareness again, -5 to +5. What is the feeling there?

We’re always connected to Spirit but we connect more deeply and powerfully when we become aware. Put your hand on your heart. Now go again to your feeling of love from a moment ago. Remember that feeling. Enjoy that feeling. That feeling is right here right now. Feel your love; it’s a beautiful thing. Enjoy it, that connection with that part of you where the divine nature is a part of your being.

Now sincerely ask, “What would you have me do in that situation?” That presence—the spiritual power, the light, the intelligence—flows through you and directs your response and your thoughts. Go again into the experience of self awareness. Ask, “What am I feeling around that situation (-5 to +5) now?”

It’s not that “God loves” like grandpa loving the kids; it’s that God IS love. Charles Fillmore said it’s the “unifying, harmonizing power”. This amazing spiritual self we have is wise! Just practice it. God is love. God is love. God is love.

When we’re uncomfortable, once that love is there, God is there. That amazing intelligence! Have an amazing, beautiful, love-filled Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2016 – A Valentine From Your Spirit

Rev. David McArthur
A Valentine From Your Spirit

Happy Valentine’s Day! A whole day to do exactly what we’re supposed to do everyday! Today the best Valentine you’ll get is from your spiritual self.

Any spiritual process starts with self awareness. So get comfortable and start with being aware of your body, your mind. Nothing is right or wrong here, just be aware. We’re inviting our spiritual self to show up. Now be aware of your feeling self. On a scale of -5 (bad) to +5 (feeling great), just see where you are now—it’s not good or bad. Just be aware.

Now remember a time you felt deep love for someone. Just focus on that. Experience the feeling of that love. Let it grow in you. Let it fill you. Keep that feeling as you check in with yourself on the -5 to +5 scale. What number do you have now? Did it go up? There’s a reason relative to the core understanding, “God is love”. What we did was enter into our connection to the divine presence that we have. When Spirit flows in it lifts us. It lifts our sense of wholeness. We feel better because we are connected to that infinite love. That’s your valentine!

Are you ready for a super valentine? Remember a situation this week when you felt uncomfortable. We feel less connected, separate from divine love then. Do self awareness again, -5 to +5. What is the feeling there?

We’re always connected to Spirit but we connect more deeply and powerfully when we become aware. Put your hand on your heart. Now go again to your feeling of love from a moment ago. Remember that feeling. Enjoy that feeling. That feeling is right here right now. Feel your love; it’s a beautiful thing. Enjoy it, that connection with that part of you where the divine nature is a part of your being.

Now sincerely ask, “What would you have me do in that situation?” That presence—the spiritual power, the light, the intelligence—flows through you and directs your response and your thoughts. Go again into the experience of self awareness. Ask, “What am I feeling around that situation (-5 to +5) now?”

It’s not that “God loves” like grandpa loving the kids; it’s that God IS love. Charles Fillmore said it’s the “unifying, harmonizing power”. This amazing spiritual self we have is wise! Just practice it. God is love. God is love. God is love.

When we’re uncomfortable, once that love is there, God is there. That amazing intelligence! Have an amazing, beautiful, love-filled Valentine’s Day!

Play

February 7, 2016 – Brer Rabbit Finds Wisdom & Compassion

Rev. David McArthur
Bre’r Rabbit Finds Wisdom & Compassion

It’s time to turn to the sage Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit got the mopes—being all down and feeling it’s hopeless, losin’ his smarts. His Ms. say he got to go down to Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money the Witch Rabbit in the deep dark swamp. There, Witch Rabbit say for Bre’r Rabbit to catch her a squirrel. Sitting at the bottom of a big tree, he has a couple of rocks in a sack and he smacks them together. A squirrel asks what he’s doing. Bre’r Rabbit says he’s cracking hick’ry nuts in the sack. “Hick’ry nuts!” says Squirrel. “Can I crack some?” he asks. Bre’r Rabbit says “Sure!” and lets Squirrel into the sack. Real quick he closes the sack and takes the squirrel to Mammy Bammy Big Money.

This is the first step we’re told to take on our spiritual journey, to take control of our squirrelly mind. (In the Eastern studies it’s “monkey mind”.) Bre’r Rabbit can take this step because he journeyed to the heart wisdom (Aunt Mammy). Get into the heart; use the power of the heart to control the mind so that which is within you, the flow of your being, becomes conscious in your mind. It’s how you control the mind so intent and wisdom flow out. This is how you transform your life.

The 2nd thing Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money asked of Bre’r Rabbit was to fetch that snake rattlin’ in the grass. He was so skeert he wanted to run away, but he talked Snake into uncoiling so he could be measured. Rabbit pulled a string from his pocket, but instead of measuring Snake he looped the string around Snake’s neck quick like and pulled it tight and dropped Snake into the sack for Aunt Mammy.

This is facing your fears. The wisdom within is greater than your fear. It removes the power of your fear and releases you. Your heart is that wise. Affirm, My heart is wise. It connects you straight to the spiritual power that you are. My heart is wise all the time. My heart is wise all the time. All the time my heart is wise.

The Witch Rabbit’s 3rd instruction is for Bre’r Rabbit to bring her an elephant tusk. He went far into the forest to find an elephant. As one came near he hollered “Howdy! Bre’r Lion say you too big to be very strong.” Angered, Bre’r Elephant ran at a really big tree again and again to knock it over. One of his tusks fell out. Bre’r Rabbit quickly grabbed it up and ran to Mammy Bammy. Bre’r Rabbit asked what he had to do to get his smarts back, now. “I don’ wan’ you do nuthin’ at all. If you was any smarter you’d be ruination of da world!” And Bre’r Rabbit didn’t feel the mopes anymore. You see, Elephant was the big impossible thing in our lives we can’t do anything about. Not so for the wisdom in our hearts.

There was plenty of compassion here. Ms. Rabbit and the Witch Rabbit both are women (our feeling nature). Now it’s time to take it to the next step, and your wisdom knows your next step. That’s compassion! My heart is wise! My heart is wise! My heart is wise! It will take you on your journey to your own Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money!

Play

February 7, 2016 – Brer Rabbit Finds Wisdom & Compassion

Rev. David McArthur
Bre’r Rabbit Finds Wisdom & Compassion

It’s time to turn to the sage Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit got the mopes—being all down and feeling it’s hopeless, losin’ his smarts. His Ms. say he got to go down to Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money the Witch Rabbit in the deep dark swamp. There, Witch Rabbit say for Bre’r Rabbit to catch her a squirrel. Sitting at the bottom of a big tree, he has a couple of rocks in a sack and he smacks them together. A squirrel asks what he’s doing. Bre’r Rabbit says he’s cracking hick’ry nuts in the sack. “Hick’ry nuts!” says Squirrel. “Can I crack some?” he asks. Bre’r Rabbit says “Sure!” and lets Squirrel into the sack. Real quick he closes the sack and takes the squirrel to Mammy Bammy Big Money.

This is the first step we’re told to take on our spiritual journey, to take control of our squirrelly mind. (In the Eastern studies it’s “monkey mind”.) Bre’r Rabbit can take this step because he journeyed to the heart wisdom (Aunt Mammy). Get into the heart; use the power of the heart to control the mind so that which is within you, the flow of your being, becomes conscious in your mind. It’s how you control the mind so intent and wisdom flow out. This is how you transform your life.

The 2nd thing Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money asked of Bre’r Rabbit was to fetch that snake rattlin’ in the grass. He was so skeert he wanted to run away, but he talked Snake into uncoiling so he could be measured. Rabbit pulled a string from his pocket, but instead of measuring Snake he looped the string around Snake’s neck quick like and pulled it tight and dropped Snake into the sack for Aunt Mammy.

This is facing your fears. The wisdom within is greater than your fear. It removes the power of your fear and releases you. Your heart is that wise. Affirm, My heart is wise. It connects you straight to the spiritual power that you are. My heart is wise all the time. My heart is wise all the time. All the time my heart is wise.

The Witch Rabbit’s 3rd instruction is for Bre’r Rabbit to bring her an elephant tusk. He went far into the forest to find an elephant. As one came near he hollered “Howdy! Bre’r Lion say you too big to be very strong.” Angered, Bre’r Elephant ran at a really big tree again and again to knock it over. One of his tusks fell out. Bre’r Rabbit quickly grabbed it up and ran to Mammy Bammy. Bre’r Rabbit asked what he had to do to get his smarts back, now. “I don’ wan’ you do nuthin’ at all. If you was any smarter you’d be ruination of da world!” And Bre’r Rabbit didn’t feel the mopes anymore. You see, Elephant was the big impossible thing in our lives we can’t do anything about. Not so for the wisdom in our hearts.

There was plenty of compassion here. Ms. Rabbit and the Witch Rabbit both are women (our feeling nature). Now it’s time to take it to the next step, and your wisdom knows your next step. That’s compassion! My heart is wise! My heart is wise! My heart is wise! It will take you on your journey to your own Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money!

January 31, 2016 – Creating Sacred Relationships

Brenda Wade, P.H.D.
Creating Sacred Relationships

So many of us have a story of how we came to Unity. When I was working my way through the University of Washington, I found that modeling paid better than waiting tables. So I learned to look good even when I was feeling bad. I was working really hard on my studies. I wanted to be in my head. I wasn’t in my feelings, and you know what they say: “If you’re in your head and not in your feelings you are depressed.” I was. I was dissociated. One day I thought I was having a heart attack, but the doctor said it was a panic attack! I had made a habit of inauthentic behavior, of hiding my feelings.

Make a choice of unlocking your feelings, your heart. Right now tap your hearts. There is a very small gland on your heart which releases a hormone when you tap over your heart. In Unity we are all about opening the heart.

About that time a friend tried to tell me about Unity, but somebody’s church was the last thing I wanted hear about. However, for some reason I wandered in one day on a noontime meditation. The minister zeroed in on me and my built up resentments, and told me to unlock what really causes the pain. I opened up. I even told her about my boss. I didn’t like him and he didn’t like me. She said to bless him. Blessing a situation or someone is more powerful than resentment and complaining. So I started blessing my boss, the air he breathes, his clothes, just everything about him. In two weeks I felt better. Soon he even changed his attitude toward me.

In six weeks I was offered my dream job. I hadn’t even applied for it! It was my first national TV show. Similar things happened. Why? Unity gave me the belief I wasn’t alone, that there is something within us that wouldn’t damn me but love me. I had learned to open my heart and connect with other hearts.

We want people to come close, but no, not that close. It’s push-pull. Most often we keep ourselves safe with the blame game. “It’s your fault.” We carry hurt, guilt and shame that we got before the age of 8. Before then, a child believes whatever is wrong in their relationships is their fault. So right now I want you to tap your heart, and say to your 8 year old self, “You are 100% lovable!” Repeat. Take it in deeply. Repeat. That hurt, that wound that brought you to Unity was necessary to get you here. So for that say, “I am 100% grateful for this pain!”

I am 100 % lovable. You are 100% lovable. We are 100% lovable. There are many instances where we can do this. ISIS, you are 100% lovable! The NFL, you are 100% lovable! The Post Office, you are 100% lovable! We are one—it’s the magic of Unity. Bring this spirit of oneness and love to everything.

God bless you. I love you. Every one of us is a light. When we join these lights together there is power that can heal anything!

January 31, 2016 – Creating Sacred Relationships

Unity of Walnut Creek, January 31, 2016

Brenda Wade, P.H.D.
Creating Sacred Relationships

So many of us have a story of how we came to Unity. When I was working my way through the University of Washington, I found that modeling paid better than waiting tables. So I learned to look good even when I was feeling bad. I was working really hard on my studies. I wanted to be in my head. I wasn’t in my feelings, and you know what they say: “If you’re in your head and not in your feelings you are depressed.” I was. I was dissociated. One day I thought I was having a heart attack, but the doctor said it was a panic attack! I had made a habit of inauthentic behavior, of hiding my feelings.

Make a choice of unlocking your feelings, your heart. Right now tap your hearts. There is a very small gland on your heart which releases a hormone when you tap over your heart. In Unity we are all about opening the heart.

About that time a friend tried to tell me about Unity, but somebody’s church was the last thing I wanted hear about. However, for some reason I wandered in one day on a noontime meditation. The minister zeroed in on me and my built up resentments, and told me to unlock what really causes the pain. I opened up. I even told her about my boss. I didn’t like him and he didn’t like me. She said to bless him. Blessing a situation or someone is more powerful than resentment and complaining. So I started blessing my boss, the air he breathes, his clothes, just everything about him. In two weeks I felt better. Soon he even changed his attitude toward me.

In six weeks I was offered my dream job. I hadn’t even applied for it! It was my first national TV show. Similar things happened. Why? Unity gave me the belief I wasn’t alone, that there is something within us that wouldn’t damn me but love me. I had learned to open my heart and connect with other hearts.

We want people to come close, but no, not that close. It’s push-pull. Most often we keep ourselves safe with the blame game. “It’s your fault.” We carry hurt, guilt and shame that we got before the age of 8. Before then, a child believes whatever is wrong in their relationships is their fault. So right now I want you to tap your heart, and say to your 8 year old self, “You are 100% lovable!” Repeat. Take it in deeply. Repeat. That hurt, that wound that brought you to Unity was necessary to get you here. So for that say, “I am 100% grateful for this pain!”

I am 100 % lovable. You are 100% lovable. We are 100% lovable. There are many instances where we can do this. ISIS, you are 100% lovable! The NFL, you are 100% lovable! The Post Office, you are 100% lovable! We are one—it’s the magic of Unity. Bring this spirit of oneness and love to everything.

God bless you. I love you. Every one of us is a light. When we join these lights together there is power that can heal anything!

https://www.facebook.com/Dr.BrendaWade/

Play

January 24, 2016 – I Am Compassion

Ron Salazar, L.U.T.
I Am Compassion

Two weeks ago Rev. Sheila taught us to live each day with a compassionate heart; not to climb into a friend’s pit of depression. Instead, hold the ladder to help them climb out. Last week Rev. David asked us to affirm for others and ourselves, “I hold you in the compassion of my heart.” I have the third week of speaking on compassion, and I ask you to say with me, “I am compassion.”

Charles Fillmore said compassion is “A characteristic of love and mercy prompted by an understanding heart. A compassionate mind sees the error, but does not condemn.” So when we are compassionate we are using the power of love. It is one of the 12 powers which are the expression of the divine spirit. Unity says compassion is the attracting, harmonizing power. When you feel love for anyone, even if they can’t give it back, there is still a peace within you.

There is someone in my life whose lifestyle had reached a point where I knew she had to change. Out of love I went to her to tell her she needed to change. I knew I was right, but she was really resistant. I saw I had to let go of my judgment of her, even though it was made out of love. I had to let go of being right. So I went to her in compassion, and she was then open to change. Now things are working out really well. Compassion is how we stay out of the pit and hold the ladder with love and spiritual wisdom.

You’ve heard that if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Stay in the power of love and SPIRITUAL judgment. When Jesus told those wishing to stone the adulteress that he without sin cast the first stone they melted away. Then he told the adulteress, “Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more” (John 8:11). His compassion saved her.

Love is the harmonizing and constructive power. During World War I, on Christmas night, in 1914, the German soldiers left their fox holes and began singing Silent Night. Allied soldiers joined them in the celebration. Gifts were exchanged. The war resumed the next day, but for one night their compassion brought peace.

Your responsibility is to express your own individual experience of the divine spirit within you. Be yourself. Express your own experience of God and it helps others to do the same. That’s how WE ARE COMPASSION. Myrtle Fillmore: “As you do this, you will touch the reality of individuals, and you will invite only the best from them.”

It isn’t that we each have good in us, it is that all of us ARE good. If divine spirit is love, is compassion, and we are expressing the divine then: I am compassion. I am compassion. I am compassion. Thank you! Have a beautiful Sunday!

Play

January 24, 2016 – I Am Compassion

Ron Salazar, L.U.T.
I Am Compassion

Two weeks ago Rev. Sheila taught us to live each day with a compassionate heart; not to climb into a friend’s pit of depression. Instead, hold the ladder to help them climb out. Last week Rev. David asked us to affirm for others and ourselves, “I hold you in the compassion of my heart.” I have the third week of speaking on compassion, and I ask you to say with me, “I am compassion.”

Charles Fillmore said compassion is “A characteristic of love and mercy prompted by an understanding heart. A compassionate mind sees the error, but does not condemn.” So when we are compassionate we are using the power of love. It is one of the 12 powers which are the expression of the divine spirit. Unity says compassion is the attracting, harmonizing power. When you feel love for anyone, even if they can’t give it back, there is still a peace within you.

There is someone in my life whose lifestyle had reached a point where I knew she had to change. Out of love I went to her to tell her she needed to change. I knew I was right, but she was really resistant. I saw I had to let go of my judgment of her, even though it was made out of love. I had to let go of being right. So I went to her in compassion, and she was then open to change. Now things are working out really well. Compassion is how we stay out of the pit and hold the ladder with love and spiritual wisdom.

You’ve heard that if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Stay in the power of love and SPIRITUAL judgment. When Jesus told those wishing to stone the adulteress that he without sin cast the first stone they melted away. Then he told the adulteress, “Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more” (John 8:11). His compassion saved her.

Love is the harmonizing and constructive power. During World War I, on Christmas night, in 1914, the German soldiers left their fox holes and began singing Silent Night. Allied soldiers joined them in the celebration. Gifts were exchanged. The war resumed the next day, but for one night their compassion brought peace.

Your responsibility is to express your own individual experience of the divine spirit within you. Be yourself. Express your own experience of God and it helps others to do the same. That’s how WE ARE COMPASSION. Myrtle Fillmore: “As you do this, you will touch the reality of individuals, and you will invite only the best from them.”

It isn’t that we each have good in us, it is that all of us ARE good. If divine spirit is love, is compassion, and we are expressing the divine then: I am compassion. I am compassion. I am compassion. Thank you! Have a beautiful Sunday!