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!

You Don't Need Fixing — Just Alignment

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

You hypocrite!  “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” But looking to fix others only brings you back to fixing yourself. Most of you are self help addicts. But “you will wake up and know you don't need fixin'.” An alignment is all that's needed. “It's a time shift into silk and a field environment of love.”

Appreciation.  A business woman confessed, “I am the queen of roadrage!” She went on to say that every morning when she pulled out onto the highway to go to work, she felt every car was out to get her. By the time she got to work she was already exhausted and out of sorts, and everyone knew it. But now she was telling of a discovery she had made. Appreciation. She had a whole new attitude from appreciating things. On the drive to work now, she appreciated the road and the scenery on the way. When she got to work, she appreciated she had work. She had committed to an experience of appreciation. It's alignment. Use appreciation for alignment day after day. “It's a time shift into silk and a field environment of love.” It comes from all the great teachers. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” It's not fix it, it's alignment.

Peace.  Love one another. Appreciation is a part of love. Peace is also a part of love, and finding that spiritual center is alignment. It is all that's needed. Lao-tzu, from the Tao Te Ching: “She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes, without danger. She perceives the universal harmony, even amid great pain.” It is not ignoring the great pain which we touch in life, but “...she has found peace in her heart, centered in the Tao.”

It cannot not be there.  Like the small child who takes you by the finger and brings you into her world, connect with someone who loves you. It's always there! You are a beloved child of God! And the One who loves you is within. Reach in and take a hold of it! It's always there. It cannot not be there.

Alignment.  You will wake up and know you don't need “fixin'”. Not now, not ever. The great thing is neither does anyone else! Phew! That makes it easier. There is an alignment—that's all that's needed! Bless you!

O Holy Night

The birth of the Christ child was the beginning of a spiritual awakening continuing to this day. The love and care of Jesus’ birth inspires a rebirth of our own spiritual connection.

As we express our love for family and friends, as we select gifts for loved ones, we are each affirming the value of love in our lives. God is love. The more we allow ourselves to feel and express our love, the deeper our spiritual rebirth becomes.

The Christmas carols, the manger scene and our beautiful Christmas services each call us to remember what is really important. They call us to recommit to living the love we really are. Let your heart enjoy the birth of your love into a whole new level of living this Christmas.

—Rev. David McArthur

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

Love God in all things

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and that the second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. The experience of love for self is experiencing God because God is love. Appreciating the frequencies, the energies, the textures of life is part of the experience of heaven. The sweetness of life is God; the wonderful flavor and richness of life is God. God's love is the only way that the richness of life is open to you. Your body is love with a physicality to it, so that you may play in the things you love. Every moment there is divine energy moving through you – you don't even have to be right! It's absolute love. God is everywhere and in everything. God is abundant. Let the love of God in.

The people in your life are God expressing, asking you to step up to be who you can really be. You are loved. There's not people and God, there is only God. The child falls, and gets up, it does something wonderful, it makes a mess. Regardless, the parent delights in the child. And God delights in us, messes and all. We are so blessed.

So let in that which fills your heart. You are loving yourself; you are feeling God. You don't have the power not to have it, only not to feel it. Let it in, fill you up, overflow in and through you, as you. You are the love.

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

Experience the Now Moment

When we react to events, we project our past experience into the future. But there is a different potential that can be brought forth, another dimension in which we live, in which we access an amazing goodness and love. The doorway is through the heart. Go into the Silence. It is a place with the most amazing power to it, a place where we step through dimensions of consciousness.

Be present in the “now moment”, and add in appreciation. And for the power, add to the moment your awareness of the presence of God. Right now that amazing everywhere-present life force is flowing into you, filling you with life and illuminating your mind every single moment. It is there loving you. It has been in this eternal moment of now since you stepped forth into being. It folds you in infinite love. Even as you breathe, It breathes you. It is so unlimited that we literally cross dimensions of consciousness and activate higher levels of our soul purpose and bring forth higher creation. It is how we create with unlimited possibilities. In the now your higher purpose has nothing to stop its full expression as you bring it forth, and it has the power to transform whatever it is that's before you because it is not limited in the mind.  It is the unlimited presence of divine love moving in and through you. You are one with that. And when you open to that, when you say yes to this moment and this Presence in it, you are blessed ... There is no limit.

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

Care is applied Love

When we love, the One we are really loving is God. When love is present, the limits we normally see do not bind us. The state of love can change us from moment to moment. Commit to love and care.

Care is applied love. How powerfully we care expresses our love. Our first assignment is to be the love we are and care for ourselves and others.

The gift of love opens us to see others as they truly are. However, they do not need to choose to bring forth the truth we see. We often combine our vision with our expectations, but love need not return through the ones we love.

The gift of love frees us. Through the feeling and practice of care, we are being the instrument of love. The gift can come any way. Sometime it gives us time to be alone. The assignment is the same, to love and care for someone, even if it is yourself.

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

The Power of Thanksgiving

You know this amazing power because you have used it many times. You have felt the transforming experience of your deep gratitude for something in your life. It may have been your heart recognizing the beauty in a moment with a special friend, or receiving the blessing of a break-through that you had long desired. It may have been as simple as feeling the warm sun on a crisp fall morning, or the touch of a little one’s hand in yours.

When your heart opened to that very special feeling of thanksgiving, you felt uplifted, blessed, renewed and filled with hope. Even if it was a dark rainy day, you felt an inner glow.

The power that lifts us, opens us and blesses us is the presence of Divine Love. When we experience true thankfulness, the power of Spirit flows into our lives. In that sacred moment we have opened to consciously perceive God’s goodness. That goodness desires to pour itself through our lives in every moment. The feelings of thanksgiving have the power to open our lives to this unlimited goodness.

Rev. David McArthur

Appreciation

The second most powerful force in the earth… is “appreciation!” It is impossible to feel it or express it too much. The deeper you go into the consciousness of appreciation, the more you will behold the infinite life that right now is flowing into and through you.

Appreciate for a moment your body, with its amazing organs and systems, and your mind, with its miraculous capacity to perceive and understand life. Appreciate the constant provision for your material needs that are being met every moment.

You can appreciate the things in your life that bring deep fulfillment, your family and friends, the capacity to understand, heal hurt, comfort another and receive support. Yet there is more—even more amazing gifts: of your life itself, your eternal soul, your oneness with Divine life and intelligence, the amazing love that enfolds and lifts you every moment, every choice, every experience for eternity.

To appreciate is to reach into the infinite and find it is already in your own heart.
—Reverend David McArthur

Let it shine

Let it shine... and have fun!!

Every Sunday, after singing our peace song, we remember our true state of being, the presence we choose to be. We are the love, the light and the peace in the world right now. We remind ourselves as we go forth for the rest of our week to “let it shine… and have fun!”

Yes, fun is spiritual! God gave us the most wonderful spiritual biofeedback device. It’s designed to tell you if you are in touch with the Divine. It operates on a simple principle: when you are in touch with your spiritual nature, you feel good. Wow, is that simple!

This marvelous feedback device is the human body. When you are in touch with the Divine, you feel good because Spirit is flowing into and through your body. You feel clear (which feels good) because Spirit is flowing into your mind. Even in difficult situations, spiritual connection takes us from the state of frustration or despondency to purposeful, intelligent understanding and wise action (and that feels good).

When you are learning about God, your heart fills with meaning. When you are connecting with others, you feel the flow of God through you (and that feels good). When you are loving, you are expressing God (and that feels the best of all).

—Reverend David McArthur