Bre'r Rabbit—Curing The “Mopes”

From Rev. David McArthur (edited by Mike McGuire, not reviewed by the speaker)

Journey into the heart  Bre'r Rabbit had the mopes—he had lost the race to the tortoise and other things were going wrong. So Mrs. Rabbit sent him to the Witch Rabbit deep in the swamp, and it was getting dark. This represents the journey into the heart—a difficult journey. Not everyone gets there. We usually let our brains list all the ways we are not better, not good enough, or not strong enough. Doesn't fear come right in?

First, Witch Rabbit sends Bre'r Rabbit to catch a squirrel. That's your first step—grab your squirrelly thoughts and “tie them up in a bag”.

2nd, Bre'r Rabbit has to get a snake hiding in the grass. It looks menacing. It embodies fear. When we run into the experience of fear it stops us and our knowledge of the beautiful power within shuts down. Bre'r Rabbit sweet-talks the snake and when it relaxes, he snares it, holds it up, and goes. If our attention is solely on the fearful thing, that's all we see. Do we put our attention on the threat of the snake or on the wisdom in our hearts? When our attention is on the heart and what it's telling us, we open and the knowledge comes. It doesn't mean the challenges won't cause pain. But we go into overcare, which is when we focus so much on the hurt or danger, especially for the people we care for, that we don't go to the guidance in the heart. We let fear of what could occur stop the unfoldment of the greater good. It is not that you fear something that is not really possible, but turn from the fear to the heart. Grab the snake and go.

Lastly, take that fear to the heart and follow the guidance within, even if the path is not fully seen. Bre'r Rabbit's final task was to get a tusk from the elephant in the forest. He has no idea how he'll do it, but he goes to get it anyway. The elephant runs into a tree and the tusk just falls off. Sometimes we just have to take on the fear of power we see “out there” over us. But the power (and fear) is in us. Part of the gift of taking on the fear and finding the wisdom is that the fear falls away. It no longer has power over you. That's when it's fun!

Reveal The Beauty

From Rev. David McArthur (edited by Mike McGuire, not reviewed by the speaker)

A Mystical Experience.  The accomplished pianist Komiko tells that when she was 13, she went snorkeling, and a trio of dolphins came and played all around her. Imagine the joy, the beauty, the very quality of life in that moment! Thereafter she awakened nightly to music. She could see the notes and would write them down. It was a mystical experience. She could see more clearly the amazing beauty of life itself. She saw the experience of the presence of God as beauty, and was transformed.

The only thing to see.  You know the only thing that is there is the presence of God, so the only thing to see is the beauty. Like Harry Potter, use your magic wand to direct the intention of both your mind (which focuses) and the power of your heart (which transforms). Focus your intention. Then, when you are ready, use the very special incantation “Reveal the Beauty. Reveal the Beauty. Reveal the Beauty”. It isn't often instantaneous. Sometimes you have to try pretty hard, but it is always there. It transforms barriers.

The Navajo pray

In beauty may I walk; All day long may I walk
Through the returning seasons may I walk...
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk
With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk
With dew about my feet may I walk; With beauty may I walk.
With beauty before me may I walk; With beauty behind me may I walk
With beauty above me may I walk; With beauty all around me may I walk
In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk...
It is finished in beauty; It is finished in beauty

Use the spell.  It is the heart of the mystical experience. You experience the touch of the divine. Your homework this week is to use the spell, the intention to transform, to reach through and see that beauty. And treasure the result! Then turn that wand inward upon yourself and “Reveal the Beauty” there, for you are the presence of that beauty, the presence of the divine!

Who is Santa

The commercialization of Christmas is one of the most sacred parts! Thank goodness Spirit doesn't confine itself to just the religious community. Perhaps you do not like God at all. Yet, Santa gets to you.
 
 Metaphysically, Santa shows up Christmas Eve when we celebrate the birth of a new baby, which represents the birth of a new consciousness. Santa comes from the sky-- from that greater consciousness. And it doesn't seem possible that Santa can come to every house in just one night, but, metaphysically, the higher consciousness is omnipresent, and Santa (the God figure) responds to every one of us. Within the house (your state of consciousness) Santa enters through the place of light and warmth. That is the greater consciousness coming through the heart-- that child place of fulfilling dreams and desires. And you don't get to see Santa, you just get to see the gifts he leaves.

How God – Santa – shows up in an even greater way is the experience of the amazing consciousness of Christmas. It is one of the deepest and most important parts of Christmas. It happens through us. We are the love that happens, that touches, uplifts, and blesses. We are Santa. We understand that Jesus came to give us the awareness of the love that flows through us. Now we get an opportunity to bless. You can be Santa.
  
 You are invited to give to a Santa fund in the sanctuary or in the book center. The second way you can experience the amazing consciousness of Christmas is to open and accept that which blesses you. Express your need or the need of someone you know. Make out your Christmas list. Email Unity Walnut Creek or call the office with you request.
 
Who has the greater joy-- the giver or the receiver? Give and receive. Allow the flow. Budgets are not as important. Let the love be your only guide. Because of you, “Santa Claus is coming to town!”

from Mike McGuire, Prayer Team
Summary of Rev. David's sermon

Awaken into the kingdom of God

“There is only one presence and one power in the universe and in my life, the all loving goodness of God.” Sometimes it doesn't look that way. It looks like our way is strewn with thorns to keep us from our good. The fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty is really the story of how we mature spiritually, how the soul unfolds to know that it is true that there really is only one power.

Often the pain and loss we experience in life shuts down our feeling nature, we fall asleep. We engage in a transient perception that our experience has polarity, that there are other powers over us. We see fire-breathing dragons flying overhead. As the Prince, we overcome false perceptions with the Shield of Virtue (we remain true to ourself) and the Sword of Truth (God is good all the time). At this higher level, then, the Prince (that part which knows the truth) kisses Sleeping Beauty (that part of ourself which feels the truth). In this “mystical union” we are awakened to know and feel at every level who we are-- spiritual beings in a spiritual world governed by spiritual laws. We understand with great compassion the pain and loss in our polarized experience, yet we also undestand that we are much more than we can ever percieve. We are power and love-- that bring forth life itself-- a purpose so sacred on our heart that the universe is aligned to bring it forth.

We stay in the awareness of the presence of the Divine. This is the kingdom of God. This is the “happily ever after”.

from Mike McGuire, Prayer Team
Summary of Rev. David's sermon

The Lord of the Rings

In this audio recording I apply a metaphisical analysis to the epic saga, The Lord of the Rings. The key characters can be seen as aspects of ourselves, and the tale marvelously illustrates the process and journey by which we can move to self mastery as well as the many choices and challenges along the way.
(audio file may take 2-3 minutes to download)

Peter Pan

Here is an audio recording of a talk that I gave on the story of Peter Pan. By applying a metaphysical analysis to the story of Peter Pan, we find that this amazingly rich childhood story provides insights into the true nature of reality.

Pinocchio

In this audio recording of a talk that I gave on the classic story of Pinocchio, I discuss how the characters, choices and events in Pinocchio's journey serve as an allegory of our human co-creative journey to spiritual maturity and awakening.

Star Wars

In this audio recording I explore the epic tale of Star Wars. Looking at the characters and events of Star Wars through a metaphisical lens, we can gain greater understanding of our choices in life and the evolution and maturation of our spritual development.
(The audio file may take 2-3 minutes to download.)