I just bought a Guillotine Bagel Slicer

 I just bought a Gullotine Bagel Slicer. I buy bagels by the dozen, slice them in half and throw them in the freezer where they will keep frozen for months. When I want a nice toasted bagel, I take one out of the freezer and pop it in the toaster. Smothered in butter or cream cheese or peanut butter and jelly or make a bagel sandwich with just about anything and you will experience a little bit of heaven on earth.

Book discussion - Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy by Kenneth Pargament.

I am reading Kenneth Pargament's book, Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy, and will be posting a series of articles on some of the ideas he discusses. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts as well.

These articles will be posted on Markham's Behavioral Health. Visit the Markham's Behavioral Health and subscribe so daily notices will arrive in your email inbox when new articles are posted there.

Spiritual practice of UUs - Cultivating religious literacy is a key practice of UUs

 

Developmental models are in general agreement that human beings, from birth, go through a series of stages or waves of growth and development. The lower, earlier, junior stages are initial, partial, and fragmented views of the world, whereas the upper stages are integrated, comprehensive, and genuinely holistic. Because of this, the earlier stages are often called “first tier,” and the higher stages are called “second tier.” The difference between the two tiers is truly profound. As pioneering developmental researcher Clare Graves put it, with second tier an individual “goes through a momentous leap of meaning.” That leap is what Integral is all about—Integral Thinking and—yes—Integral Practice. At the Integral stages of development, the entire universe starts to make sense, to hang together, to actually appear as a uni-verse—a “one world”—a single, unified, integrated world that unites not only different philosophies and ideas about the world, but different practices for growth and development as well.

Wilber, Ken; Patten, Terry; Leonard, Adam; Morelli, Marco. Integral Life Practice . Shambhala. Kindle Edition. 

 

Unitarian Universalism is not what is usually meant by the term “religion”. UU integrates the six sources in an integral fashion. It’s goal is to provide a more holistic, comprehensive, and integrated understanding of the perennial wisdom which has been accumulated by humanity.

 

Participation in Unitarian Universalism meaningfully assumes a level of consciousness that only a small percentage of humans on this planet currently possess. This is not to say they are superior or elite but rather have simply incorporated understandings at previous stages of development into the subsequent stage.

The manifestation of this level of consciousness is embodied in two of its seven principles: the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and a respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. These two principles require what Clare Graves calls a “momentous leap of meaning.”

 

What is the practice that facilitates this stage of consciousness? It is the development of religious literacy involving the knowledge of the world's great religions and wisdom traditions. This requires study and experience interacting with people from multiple religious traditions. This requires an open mindedness and curiosity that allows investigation and adventure.

 

People who engage and participate in Unitarian Universalism have passed through the egocentric and ethnocentric stages of consciousness into the worldcentric and integral. The egocentric and ethnocentric are sometimes referred to as the “first tier” of consciousness while the worldcentric and integral are “second tier.” Unitarian Universalism is a “second tier” religion. Probably only 20% of the American population in 2021 has a worldcentric or integral level of consciousness so as a second tier religious denomination, UU will has relatively small percentage of the population as members, only about 200,000 in the United States.

 

The practice of cultivating religious literacy is key practice of UUs.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #242 - This day is God's. It is my gift to Him.

 Lesson #242

This day is God’s. It is my gift to Him.

What do we really know? Do we know what is best for us? Hardly. How many times have our choices steered us wrong and later we regretted what we have decided. One of the hallmarks of a spiritual life is to recognize and acknowledge how often we’ve been wrong. The need to be right is the work of the ego.

In Alcoholic Anonymous, participants are encouraged to give up their willfulness for willingness, to turn their willfulness over to their Higher Power.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning which takes us to the place where we turn our will over to the Holy Spirit, the Muse, our Intuitive Wisdom.

Today, we should ask ourselves several times throughout the day, “What would Love have me do?” When we do this, it is our gift to God.

Spiritual Practices for UUs - Mortality and death

 Mortality and death

What are UU practices in regards to mortality and death? Send me your experiences and understandings to davidgmarkham@gmail.com or leave a comment.

A recent survey found that only about a third of people had discussed making wills with their partners, or their wishes concerning their funerals. It’s almost as though we believe that dying doesn’t actually happen. At least not to us. The fact is, death is a universal certainty. Yet most Americans’ interactions with it are limited to times of crisis. In a culture that’s obsessed with prolonging life, death is seen as a failure—dark and depressing, macabre and morose. Death is the stuff of thrillers and sad poems. Lauren Bohn, YES!, October, 2019

Spiritual practices for UUs - Ask, before making decisions, "What would Love have me do?"

                                                       What would Love have me do?

UUs covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Where is this search to take place, and how is truth and meaning to be found? Applying this principle in one’s daily life takes consistent practice. One way of practicing this principle is to ask oneself whenever one is faced with a choice about how to respond during the course of one’s daily life, “What would Love have me do?”

At first implementing this practice takes a great deal of awareness, intention, and effort. With practice, the question guides our actions in a much more natural and flowing way. When learned, our lives become much more peaceful and joyful no matter the external stress.

This practice of asking “What would Love have me do?” brings us to a place of truth and meaning just as the principle intends.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #241 - This holy instant is salvation come.

 Lesson #241

This holy instant is salvation come.”

In A Course In Miracles the word “salvation” means the healing of the separation. We become One with God doing God’s will which is to love. “What would Love have me do” becomes our navigational North Star, our point of reference as we make choices about how to manage the things which come up in our lives.

In Alcoholics Anonymous it is suggested in step three that we turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understand our Higher Power. Not my but Thy will be done.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the love for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. We know that we are not separate but One and in this holy instant of recognition salvation comes.

Today, we practice this lesson by asking as we face choices about how to respond to things that come up for us “What would Love have me do?” When we choose the loving way, salvation comes.