1/20 Bohm Dialogue — Death, Loss and Transition
For January our topic will be Death, Loss and Transition.
In 2015 we dialogued twice on the topic of death, first with Being Mortal, which turned into a practical, medical, end-of-life information session, and with the second (Death) we got back to our more intellectual/philosophical/spiritual charter.
All transition and loss is stressful and for most of us Death seems like the ultimate transition – we may dread it or welcome it, but why? For materialists it is simply the end of consciousness and thus suffering, and that thought can be a great comfort to the living. For others it is simply a gateway we must pass through to who-knows-what. The continuance of consciousness may be consoling but the prospect of the unknown and possible further suffering — maybe not so much.
Join us to listen to what others think and to share what you think. The Religious Exploration Salon is a group that meets 3rd Sundays to discuss various topics in the format called Bohm Dialogue which emphasizes respectful listening and balanced, synergistic sharing. For more details about how Dialogue works, please see this intro.
Everyone is welcome. You are welcome to think about the topic beforehand but no preparation is required or expected — come as you are with whatever thoughts/intuitions you have, ready to listen, learn and contribute. We next meet Sunday January 20 at 7pm in the Brackett Room.
Contact Paul Reising, Tom Yelton or Jan Hardenbergh for more information.
Read MoreSpirituality Book Group Saturday Jan. 19, 10am – Blavatsky!
All who are interested are welcome to come on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 10am the Spirituality Book Group is meeting to discuss “Madame Blavatsky : the mother of modern spirituality” by Gary Lachman.
“A thoughtful biography of one of the most polarizing pioneers of alternative spirituality, the occult-mystic Helena Petrovna Blavatsky.
Pioneer. Visionary. Provocateur. Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky—mystic, occult writer, child of Russian aristocrats, spiritual seeker who traveled five continents, and founder (with Henry Steel Olcott) of the Theosophical Society—is still being hailed as an icon and scorned as a fraud more than 120 years after her death. But despite perennial interest in her life, writings, and philosophy, no single biography has examined the controversy and legacy of this influential thinker who helped define modern alternative spirituality—until now.
Gary Lachman, the acclaimed spiritual biographer behind volumes such as Rudolf Steiner and Jung the Mystic, brings us an in-depth look at Blavatsky, objectively exploring her unique and singular contributions toward introducing Eastern and esoteric spiritual ideas to the West during the nineteenth century, as well as the controversies that continue to color the discussions of her life and work.”
Interestingly, Lachman was an original member of the rock band Blondie.
We hope to see you Jan. 19, in the Brackett room at 10am.
For more information, contact Tom Yelton or Leslie Lowe.
Read More
Yule – Winter Solstice Ritual and Feast – Sat. 12/22, 6:00pm
Please join us for the Earth Center traditions group’s annual Winter Solstice Ritual. We will celebrate the Shortest Day of the year on Sat, Dec 22 at 6:00pm. We turn the wheel of the year and bring back the sun, a chance to leave things in the old year and gather others for the new. The ritual will be followed by a pot luck feast and carols in the Parish Hall.
The ceremony is appropriate for those approximately 12 years and up – use your own judgment. Childcare is available if requested by Thursday before the event (12/20). The children are welcome to join the adults for the feast.
If you are interested in helping in any way ( reading, singing, drumming, setting up, clean up), see Tom Yelton.
Read More12/16 Bohm Dialogue — The Value of Community
For December our topic will be The Value of Community.
18 years ago the first incarnation of the FPS Salon read and discussed the book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam. In 2003 he wrote Better Together: Restoring the American Community, but by most accounts, the overall failure of American communities that Putnam was lamenting in 2000 has continued to this day. A recent article from Alternet.org lists “5 ways American policies and attitudes make us lonely, anxious and antisocial” and claims that “At each stage of life, we are being stunted as human beings.”
Why is community valuable to humans? If it is then why do people seem to have trouble finding it, building it, and supporting it? Have we somehow moved beyond community, or are communities thriving in unexpected places? Is an online community the real thing or a poor substitute? What would make a real community thrive in America today?
Join us to listen to what others think and to share what you think. The Religious Exploration Salon is a group that meets 3rd Sundays to discuss various topics in the format called Bohm Dialogue which emphasizes respectful listening and balanced, synergistic sharing. For more details about how Dialogue works, please see this intro.
Everyone is welcome. You are welcome to think about the topic beforehand but no preparation is required or expected — come as you are with whatever thoughts/intuitions you have, ready to listen, learn and contribute. We next meet Sunday December 16 at 7pm in the Brackett Room.
Contact Paul Reising, Tom Yelton or Jan Hardenbergh for more information.
Read MoreSpirituality Book Group Saturday Dec. 15, 10am
This has been postponed till Jan 19 due to the Nancy Moore memorial service.
All who are interested are welcome to come on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 10am the Spirituality Book Group is meeting to discuss “Madame Blavatsky : the mother of modern spirituality” by Gary Lachman.
“A thoughtful biography of one of the most polarizing pioneers of alternative spirituality, the occult-mystic Helena Petrovna Blavatsky.
Pioneer. Visionary. Provocateur. Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky—mystic, occult writer, child of Russian aristocrats, spiritual seeker who traveled five continents, and founder (with Henry Steel Olcott) of the Theosophical Society—is still being hailed as an icon and scorned as a fraud more than 120 years after her death. But despite perennial interest in her life, writings, and philosophy, no single biography has examined the controversy and legacy of this influential thinker who helped define modern alternative spirituality—until now.
Gary Lachman, the acclaimed spiritual biographer behind volumes such as Rudolf Steiner and Jung the Mystic, brings us an in-depth look at Blavatsky, objectively exploring her unique and singular contributions toward introducing Eastern and esoteric spiritual ideas to the West during the nineteenth century, as well as the controversies that continue to color the discussions of her life and work.”
We hope to see you Dec. 15, in the Brackett room at 10am.
For more information, contact Tom Yelton or Leslie Lowe.
Read More