Good news for 07/31/20 - Respecting the inherent worth and dignity of every person by wearing a mask

From KFDA Channel 10 TV in Amarillo Texas on 07/30/20.

Good work by the people in Amarillo, Texas in keeping each other safe.

 

For more click here.

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This means they treat people with respect. During the Covid-19 pandemic this principle is demonstrated by wearing a mask to prevent the spread of the virus. This is not just a matter of compliance with public health guidelines but a matter of our UU faith.

Good news for 07/30/20 - Good government works for the people

Today we are starting a new feature on UU A Way Of Life tagged "good news."

 

Here's what happens when you have a competent governor, competent health department, and sane citizens.

In New York on 07/29/20 The number of total hospitalizations hit a new low. Yesterday, there were 586 total hospitalizations—the lowest  since March 17. There were 72 intubations—the lowest since March 15. Of the 73,546 tests reported yesterday, 777, or 1.06%, were positive. Sadly, we lost 13 New Yorkers to the virus. 

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. One example of this principle in action is appropriate, legitimate, effective, efficient implementations of social polices and in these days of the Covid-19 pandemic none are more life saving, and efficacious than good public health programs.

Religion in the public square - Roy Zimmerman, "Vote him away"

With the racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, corruption, and amorality there probably has been no president and presidential administration more at odds with UU principles than Donald J. Trump and the Trumpists.

We UUs covenant together to affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of democratic process without our congregations and society at large. If there was ever a time for UUs to act on their conscience, be true to their principles, and advocate for justice, equity, and compassion in our human relations, it is now. Do what you can, where you are, right now to advocate for the implementation of policies and practices more in line with our UU principles.

 

Spiritual Practices - Component #3: Working miracles

Working miracles

The third component of spiritual health is forgiveness. The cardinal sin is blame, attack, and vengeance. The spiritual practice is what in A Course in Miracles is called a “miracle.” What is meant by the term “miracle” in A Course In Miracles is not some supernatural phenomena which is akin to magic but rather a change of mind and heart.

A miracle is something we can practice when we shift our perception from the world of the ego to the world of the Spirit. We shift our perception from the place of fear to the place of unconditional love.

Blame, attack, and vengeance is based on fear. We fear losing something whether it is a relationship, a material object, status, reputation, getting our way, even saving face. Disrespecting someone can bring out the worst in ourselves and in others because our egos become hurt.

Forgiveness means giving up making other people or circumstances responsible for our unhappiness. We decide to no longer play the victim and dwell on helplessness, but rather to tune into our power to decide how we will respond whether in love or in hate.

We have tens of forgiveness opportunities every day when our feelings are hurt, or we are annoyed, or become angry, and we can stop and ask ourselves “What would love have me do?” It is this awareness of a choice which we always have, and the choice itself that strengthens every time we choose love instead of blame which arises from fear and guilt.

How many times a day do you pause and ask yourself “What would love have me do?” and then do it? There are multiple forgiveness opportunities every day. Look for them, reflect on them, and act on them. When we do, we change our hearts and work miracles.

Letters from Hilton, NY - Letter #2: On Kindness

Letter #2: On Kindness

It’s been quite a month in Hilton, NY. Harry has been working on the component of spiritual health which is named “kindness.” Harry explained to us that kindness isn’t the same thing as being nice. Harry said, “Jesus was always kind but He wasn’t always nice.”

Elmer Sandbagger said, “You gotta be tough or people walk all over you. You gotta show them who’s boss.”

Karen Golden spoke up and said, “Elmer, you’re always so gruff. I know that deep down you have a heart of gold, but you sure don’t show it and people are a little afraid of you.”

“Too bad,” said Elmer. “It’s not my problem what other people think of me. I couldn’t care less.”

Ted Marketer chimed in, “It helps to be diplomatic if you’re going to make the sale. You’ve got to suck them in before you stick it to them. You know, get them to like you. Be nice.”

Jennifer Goldigger couldn’t help at this point to point out, “Getting them to like you is where the money is. You’ve got to butter them up whether you feel like it or not.”

Roy Christian blurted out, “But it’s not always kind to be nice. Buttering people up to manipulate them seems to me to be mean. You’re just manipulating them and playing them for fools.”

Jennifer replied, “Roy, as P.T. Barnum said, ‘There’s a sucker born every minute.’”
“I know,” said Roy, “but buttering them up just to take advantage of them seems mean to me.”

Jacob opined, “Politicians do it all the time. They look at people, smile at people, kiss babies, and lie right to their faces. I always wonder whether they believe their own nonsense.”

“Of course they do,” said Elmer, “or how could they live with themselves? I don’t think I have ever met a kind politician. There are plenty of nice ones, but it’s rare to find one who is kind. They’re too Machiavellian. You can’t trust any of them.”

Harry said, “There are plenty of mean people in the world who pretend to be nice and there are kind people who sometimes aren’t nice at all. It seems a little confusing, but of this I am sure: kindness is the true measure of a person because kindness takes integrity, compassion, honesty, and generosity. I am working on being more kind. I look for the little spark of goodness in every person and focus on that. I am intending to do a good deed daily and also do random acts of kindness.”

And that’s the way things have been in Hilton, NY this month where Harry is doing a good deed daily, Elmer has doubts about the idea of kindness to begin with, Jennifer is in it for the money, Ted turns on the charm to manipulate people, Jacob doesn’t have much respect for politicians, and yet they all seem to agree that increasing kindness would contribute to a better world.

Spiritual Book Discussion - The Spiritual Child - Where does one get a spiritual compass?

Where does one get a spiritual compass?

“Spirituality is the central organizing principle of inner life in the second decade, boosting teens into an adulthood of meaning, purpose, thriving, and awareness.” The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller, p.3

 Adolescence is a time for forging one’s own identity and finding one’s place in the world. It is a time for the vision quest, leaving home, and learning how to make one’s way to self sufficiency. It is a time when the developing person needs an inner compass beyond the family of origin. Without this inner compass, the person is adrift, confused, perplexed, scared, and then depressed.

To soothe this confusion, perplexity, fear, and depression our society offers chemicals, sex, glamour, status seeking, and risk taking behaviors. The other option is to turn inward and experience a relationship with a Higher Power which provides guidance, intuitive wisdom, courage, and grace. From where does this inner spiritual growth and development come? Did you feel a connection and faith in something bigger than your ego self? What kind of guidance, support, and nurturance did your spirituality receive? From whom? From where? From where will your children and grandchildren receive such nurturance and guidance?

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UU A Way Of Life - Book of the Month, August 2020, The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller

Beginning in August, 2020, UU A Way Of Life will be featuring a book on spirituality which will be the book of the month. Please read along with us and leave your comments. 

The book for August 202 is the Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller. (If you buy the book from our UU A Way of Life Amazon ad UU A Way Of Life gets a small commission at no charge to the buyer,)

Read with us and join in our discussion of The Spiritual Child.

Lisa Miller’s book, The Spiritual Life, is based on science. Dr. Lisa Miller is a professor of Psychology and Education and the director of the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University.

The book focuses primarily on the first two decades of life. She writes, “The absence of support for children’s spiritual growth has contributed to alarming rates of childhood and adolescent emotional suffering and behaviors that put them at risk.” p.3

As a Psychiatric Social Worker with over 50 years of practice in the fields of mental health and substance abuse with clients of all ages as an individual, couple, group, and family therapist, I can support Dr. Miller’s statement having witnessed spiritual impoverishment as being a contributing factor to my client’s mental health and substance abuse problems.

In this increasingly secular age when more and more families are unchurched and religious training and membership is ignored if not disparaged, how are parents to nurture the spiritual life of their children when wider social institutions are not nurturing their’s?

With the rates of childhood depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide on the rise how are we to respond as parents, caregivers, professionals, and citizens in our society?

Join us as we explore some of these questions this month as we read, “The Spiritual Child” by Lisa Miller.

We are starting a Spiritual Book Discussion group. Please join us to add your thoughts, ideas, and preferences to our discussions.

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