God has given each of us a guardian angel to accompany us on our journey to heaven and eternal life. But how should we interact with this spiritual being who is always with us?

First off, we should think of our guardian angels as friends. There arent any secrets between us, as they see everything we do. Its a good idea to greet them and ask for their assistance during the day.

And why not also form the habit of mentally greeting the guardian angels of those we meet?

This will help us to treat the person, whether he be an acquaintance or a family member, with the respect his human dignity deserves.

Angels know things much better than we do. Recall the dialogue Tobias had with the angel Rafael in the book of Tobit 5:5-6:

Tobias said to him, Do you know the way to Media? Yes, he replied, I have been there many times. I know the place well and am acquainted with all the routes.

So we can also ask our angels for advice whenever were in a difficult or dangerous situation. Their assistance is important particularly in moments of temptation. Remember, their mission is to keep us from sin and guide us to heaven.

Many spiritual greats have given us insights into how to foster a relationship with our guardian angels.

According to an account in the Encyclopedia of Angels, Pope Pius XI confided to the future Pope John XXIII that when he had a particularly difficult issue to resolve with someone, he would send his guardian angel to first discuss it with that persons guardian angel. If there was disagreement, he might even ask that persons guardian angel to help him to understand the others point of view. The accord of the angels, the pope said, would make it easier for the human interlocutors to come to an agreement.

Padre Pio would ask his spiritual children to send him their guardian angels whenever they had a need. The saint often wouldnt sleep at night for all the time it took him to attend to the needs of his spiritual children as presented to him by their guardian angels.

Read more: Padre Pio on listening to your guardian angel

St. Therese of Lisieux wrote a poem to her guardian angel. Part of it recounts how she used her guardian angel to keep her close to those she loved.

O thou who speedest through all space More swiftly than the lightnings fly! Go very often, in my place, To those I love most tenderly. With thy soft touch, oh! dry their tears; Tell them the cross is sweet to bear; Speak my name softly in their ears, And Jesus name, supremely fair.

Its also good to remember that not only people have guardian angels, but that corporations, parishes, dioceses, cities and other entities are dedicated to the care of the angels.

When St. John Vianney arrived to Ars, sensitive as he was to the spiritual realm, he greeted the angel of the parish and the guardian angels of all his parishioners.

St. Francis de Sales, in a letter to a bishop, recommended that he invoke the angel of his diocese.

And in Portugal, there is a feast for the angel of the country, the same one who appeared to the little shepherds of Fatima.

Whats most important is that we try to imitate the guardian angels, seeking to be like angels for other people, doing all we can to assist their journey to heaven, where one day, all of us together, saints and angels, will contemplate the face of God.

Read more: 5 Amazing facts about guardian angels

Translated and adapted from Aleteias Spanish edition.

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How can I foster a relationship with my guardian angel? - Aleteia EN

There is an enduring quality to the works of Dr. Seuss.

On March 2, fans of the beloved author will celebrate the anniversary of his birth. Kids of all ages clamor for Cat in the Hat parties and public readings of his works.

Seuss was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in 1904 in Springfield, Mass. He published his first book, And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street, in 1937.

Today, his books are still published in dozens of languages. Some charts rank his Green Eggs and Ham as third on the list of the best-selling English language books of all time, second to Websters dictionary and King James Version of the Bible. There was even a Latin edition of Green Eggs and Ham published in 2004, which sold more than 600,000 copies.

While considered a childrens author, many of Seuss works carried underlying adult themes. According to biographers Judith and Neil Morgan, Seuss purposely infused books like The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who and The Sneetches with his political beliefs on environmentalism, isolationism and racial intolerance.

Some of us take Seuss content and view it through our own lens, too, adding even more meaning to the beloved stories.

Consider Oh the Places Youll Go. Its written in a way that makes it easy to apply to a host of milestones. As a result, its often given as a gift for births, baptisms, marriage and more.

One blogger received a special copy of the book for her high school graduation many years ago. Hers contained handwritten Bible verses that corresponded to the story.

For example, there is a page with a confusing series of paths, accompanied by the words, Youre on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy wholl decide where you go.

Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path is written on one of the pages paths.

It may then be natural to infer religious and moral themes from Seuss works.

You could read The Lorax Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. Its not and expound on its moral imperative. Or take Kid, youll move mountains from Oh, the Places Youll Go from a spiritual perspective.

The Rev. Robert L. Short wrote The Parables of Dr. Seuss, in which he mines the subtle messages of Christian doctrine contained in stories like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Green Eggs and Ham.

Shorts book frames Seuss as a first-class Christian-thinker. For example, Short likens Horton from Horton Hears a Who as a savior figure.

I was amazed at what I found when I started looking at it all this Christian imagery was very carefully factored into his stories, Short told the Associated Press after the books publication.

The retired Presbyterian minister also wrote similar books based on Charles Schultzs Peanuts Gang and did presentations on Calvin and Hobbes and the last episode of Cheers.

Some pair Shorts Seuss book with The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss by the Rev. James W. Kemp, a retired United Methodist pastor. This book contains Bible studies, and a reader guide is available.

Email me or follow me at Twitter.com/karrisgolden for links to Seuss-themed games, printables, event information and the Bible-verse Oh, the Places Youll Go.

Read more:

Finding spirituality in Seuss - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

LOIS HECKMAN

Spiritual. When asked about their beliefs, this is what I often hear from couples who wish to be married. But what exactly does this mean? Literally, spiritual means relating to things of the human spirit rather than material or physical things. But in a more religious context it can mean a wide range of ideas.

For some it means they embrace the idea that there is more to life than what we see, while rejecting the dogma of organized religion. They feel a connection to something beyond themselves they may call the Divine, the universe, the sacred, God, or it might even remain nameless.

Spirituality can be a very open-ended concept, and is not incompatible with religion or belief in God.

In the latest Gallup poll Americans are still predominately Christian. 69% of us are Protestant, Catholic or other Christian denominations; Mormons are 2% and Jews are 3%, the other category is only 5%, which surprised me because it seemed so small, and 18% have no religious identity (2% did not respond). Other polling sources come out with similar, if not identical, results.

However, Gallup did not offer the category spiritual as an option. If they had, my guess is the numbers would have looked very different.

I have met with many couples who want to connect to their faith traditions, but in ways that are more compatible with a 21st century view of the world which includes science and our evolving ideas and knowledge. Think about Galileo and the Church in 1600s for a great example of what happens when dogma trumps progress.

So how does one honor spiritual ideas and values in a wedding ceremony? There are probably as many ways to express it, as there are different paths of spirituality itself.

Sometimes I simply make a statement of fact, saying that the couple share a sense of spirituality, and perhaps try to describe it, if possible. For example, they find peace and meaning in nature.

Other times we include specific poems, excerpts or quotes from various sources, that reflect their worldview. There is wisdom everywhere, and it doesnt take long to find it.

Some of my favorites sources are in poetry and literature, along with classics such as Rumi, Kahlil Gibran, Celtic writings, Lao Tse, and Buddha; but it is the couple themselves who will direct me to the right inspiration. The texts of Hinduism (the Vedas), and of course the Torah and the Bible all contain beautiful and meaningful words. There are scientists such as Neil DeGrasse Tyson and naturalists such as John Muir, who have written eloquently about our place in the universe.

Beyond words, there are rituals that connect us to earth, air, water, fire, nature, culture, ethnicity, history, art and family. The possibilities are endless, and its always challenging and exciting to explore how we humans view our place in the world.

To me, being spiritual means putting great value on love and goodness in the world. What could be more beautiful than that?

Lois Heckman is a certified Celebrant. She writes about creating meaningful weddings, focusing on ceremony and ritual, diversity, with a touch of the humor and the unusual. http://www.LoisHeckman.com

Excerpt from:

Tapping into the wedding spirit - Pocono Record

When Stephen Jay Gould, the great educator and geologist spoke of the relationship between the spiritual sphere and the scientific sphere, he said that science and religion were non-overlapping magisteria or NOMA as it now shorthanded. By this, Gould meant that religion and Science do not hold a competing view of reality, and one should not try to annex the territory of the other. Gould in what Hitchens described as an overcompensation for a misspent youth of Marxism alleged the two disciplines could be happy neighbours in an unentangled dualism.

We still live with the turmoil created from the popular turf-war between the emotionally-satisfied believer and the dorky debunker: New Atheism still attempts to roll-back religion as the believer pleas for respect and equal time in classrooms. The immovable object and unstoppable force meet in a perpetual collision at School Boards around the US, at protests and counter-protests, and counter-counter-protests. However, the argument has evolved or at least mutated and I say this with only a tinge of irony.

An order of social scientists on the political left blabber on about how we have entered post-modernity to a point of indulgence. Post-modernity means we have ventured from the mass-consumption of modernism where everyone gets a can of Coke, to the niche and self-tailored post-modern consumers who demand a double-espresso with cheese and vinegar, because they live such individual and interesting lives. People will demand more from their lives, more bangs for their bucks and more pyrotechnics for their pounds; we to take them to new and interesting directions: from areas as disparate as fashion to finance to finger-painting; oh yes, grown men finger-painting, it happens. People in postmodernity will throw-off the old metanarratives that tell you have to live life for a more thrilling and sexy story.

Our spiritual lives have a comparable thirst for novelty; we crave the numinous and Marxs traditional opioids bore us. We want a new and better form of energy. Alas energy is channeled in our case via a kitsch crystal from Griselda the Wise: the rituals and consecrations of yesteryear are day-by-day replaced by the hip drum-circles of a newer and cooler spirituality, and like the shackles of older faiths we ignore the discord between the evidence reality and our feelings. Our secular life is increasingly dogged by the same faith-based arguments, but they are now shrouded in psuedo-academese and appeal to the high lords of uncredible gobbledegook, twaddle, and tosh, and even more unfortunately: they fool many of our so-called educated class.

Spiritualism was a popular mythology in the early 20th century. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when he was not writing about the skeptical adventures of Detective Sherlock Holmes was himself a believer in fairies and a proponent of outliving death. Post-modernism whos very ugly step-child is Hipsterism has resurrected this mess of a movement with not just wood-headed hippie dippies, but with public officials whose belief that all truth is relative invades public life.

The invasion of pseudo-science and psychic nonsense surfaced as far back a the Reagan administration. The culprits were and indeed still are charlatans at best and ignoramuses at worst. The novel cults of unreason interested Mr. Reagan and his wife Nancy; both were keenly aware of astrology and invited a California-based astrologer to advise her on numerous occasions. This same astrologer told the New York Times she had no influence over policy. However,I hold a healthy skepticism towards her claim. How could she not have a large influence if her advicewas truly heralded? If Reagan discovered more about his own psychic state: how his lifecycles, relationships and discovering and achieving his goals; then how can this possibly stayout of his political life? Surely he would feel he were doing a disservice to not share his mostpsychically-revealed self.

Everyone is well-aware that the allegedly rational candidate for President Hillary Clinton is afollower and admirer of the waffler Deepak Chopra. Deepak is a man whose primary occupation is to sell books to the credulous and scientifically ignorant. A recent sparring matchbetween Deepak and science communicator Professor Brian Cox in the quantum soup Deepakwould call twitter sparked due to Deepaks meaningless statement that The universe isexperienced in consciousness, known in consciousness & made out of consciousness.

Many of the more scientifically literate members of the public know to scoff at Deepaks bullshit (to quote Richard Dawkins),but the former first lady of the United States does not. Infact, Dawkins notes in The Enemies of Reason that Deepak was Hillary Clintons spiritualadviser. How can we trust a woman so ignorant of the rules of evidence to make good decisionson anything at all? Let alone Science! Yes, sure, she has a Science Advisory Committee, butshe is the one who appoints them. How long until quack pseudo-scientists and homeopaths getpromoted to counsel her?

A post-modern society rejects the enlightenment and is the epitome of the feels overrealszeitgeist. Bleakly, this is the mentality of a large fraction of the college-aged and overly educated,and thus the same data deprivation translates neatly into the identity politickingmyself and others lament. When one places evidence as secondary to data there is literally norational argument that can be had. Is the answer for more scientists to go into politics? Do wehave to make politicians take science modules so they can be informed? Do we tell the college-agedto shut their whiny mouths if they cannot debate reason with reason?

See the article here:

Specious 'Scientific' Spirituality - Conatus News

Rabbi Shais Taub

Rabbi Shais Taub, an internationally known speaker, writer and teacher on topics of Jewish spirituality and known for his work in the field of addiction will speak at the Boulder JCC on March 1 at 7 pm. The talk is free, and everyone is welcome.

Taubs talk comes on the heels of Jewish Awareness Disability and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), which is celebrated for the month of February, and is focused on inclusion of people with disabilities in Jewish communities.

While most people would not consider addiction to be a disability, addicts are the one group of people that others may feel OK about not including, Taub says. Yet he adds that those with addictions and those without share many similar qualities, and everyone, whether they have a direct connection to addiction or not, will gain personal insights from his talk.

An addictive personality may be no more than an exaggerated version of that which makes us all typically human, he says.

The New York Timeswrote about Taubs influence beyond the Jewish world, noting that he found an eager audience among Christians.

National Public Radio dubbed Taub an expert in Jewish mysticism and the 12 Steps and The New York Times called him a phenomenon. His bestselling book, G-d of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction, was the number one selling Jewish book on Amazon.com and was praised by Publishers Weekly as a singular resource for those in need. Taub is also a frequent and popular contributor to The Huffington Post.

He runs a nonprofit organization, Conscious Contact, which helps individuals and families to find spiritual healing from addiction and other problems.

Overall the hope is to create awareness and set in motion future discussions about what our Boulder Jewish community can do to help families and individuals affected by addiction, says Susan Glairon, a volunteer organizer for the event.

In Colorado, Ramah in the Rockies is working to address addiction issues by opening a wilderness based addiction and therapy program, saysJory Hanselman, wilderness therapy program director of Ramah in the Rockies. At the March 1 event, Hanselman will speak briefly about Ramahs new program, BaMidbar, and will be available for questions immediately following the end of the program.

Taubs talk is sponsored the Boulder JCC, Chabad at CU, Chabad of Longmont, Ramah in the Rockies, Boulder Jewish Family Service, the Oreg Foundation and by Congregations Bonai Shalom, Har HaShem and Nevei Kodesh.

Yehudis Fishman, a popular teacher of Torah and Hasidic writings says, If I were leaving this world and could recommend only one book to everyone I know, it would be G-d of Our Understanding.'

For more information about this event, email Susan at sglairon@gmail.com. Rabbi Taub will offer a second talk for the CU Boulder community on March 2, 7:00 pm in Humanitites 150, sponsored by Chabad at CU. For information about the CU event, contact Leah at leah@jewishcu.com.

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Rabbi Shais Taub Addresses Connection Between Addictive Personalities and Spirituality - Boulder Jewish News

The Rev. Cal Lord For The Bulletin

I couldnt believe what I was seeing as I rounded the corner and headed for the door. People were spilling outside and the sound of music was in the air. I dont think anyone could have predicted the success of this simple fundraiser.

It was a great idea. Get a few musicians together and ask them each to sing a song. Invite people to come and enjoy the jam session. Then ask them to make a donation to the Warm Center. At the end of the day they had 20 acts.

They called it Pass the Guitar. I watched as one performer after another took the stage in front of a standing- room- only crowd at Christ Episcopal Church in Westerly. They promoted it as 20 acts, one guitar but it was really all about Warm.

The musicians and the audience came together to help support the center and the compassionate way that it moves people from homelessness to permanent housing. I loved the way they did it. It was positive and powerful

When I see things like this, George Bernard Shaws famous line, often attributed to Robert F. Kennedy, comes to mind: You see things; and you say Why? But I dream things that never were; and I say Why not?

I like the idea of doing something positive to support the causes we believe in. Im not talking about marches or rallies. They are fun but dont have a lasting impact. Im talking about getting involved by volunteering to make a difference.

The truth is that it was people of faith that started many of the great institutions in our communities. Many of the schools, hospitals, libraries and agencies like Warm are here because someone had a vision and stepped up to see it through.

Jesus sent us out to be a light, to bring his hope, love, grace and salvation to the world. Our call is to make a difference. You cant do that by sitting on the couch. So grab your guitar, your shovel, your wallet or whatever talent you have and lets do something that will make a difference.

God bless. See you in church.

The Rev. Cal Lord, of Norwich, is the pastor of Central Baptist Church of Westerly. Reach him at calstigers@gmail.com.

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SPIRITUALITY: God expects us to use our lives to make a difference - Norwich Bulletin

Narayan Mitra is the pastor of Merritt Baptist Church.

Editors note:The views expressed in this column dont necessarily reflect those of the Merritt Herald and its staff. The Herald welcomes qualified writers with views on this or other faiths to submit their work to newsroom@merrittherald.com, to be considered for publication.

Even before my next scheduled Faith story appears, the month of Lent will be upon us, reminding the faithful of the purpose of weaning ourselves away from worldly temptations.

Hopefully, the victory aspired would help believers, not just for this season but throughout the year ahead.

As far back as 2,000 years ago, James, the half-brother of Jesus, reminded the persecuted and the scattered Christians of the godly privilege of believers undergoing temptations with these words: Blessed (or, happy) is the man that endures temptation (James 1:12).

Temptation is one of the inescapable facts of life. It was in operation even in the life of the holy Son of God when he was on earth.

It is a fact to be reckoned with in the life of every man or woman who seeks to serve the Lord.

As we read the record of the temptations of Jesus and if we try to explain them away only as allegories, we would do away the inspiration that leads people to victory by using the Word of God.

It was not only during the 40 days in the wilderness that Jesus suffered being tempted of Satan. There was at least one occasion when, discoursing with his disciples, he told them to be aware lest they fall into temptations.

It is not possible for any one of us to go far through life blind to the awful, insidious force of temptation.

There have been times in all of our lives when sometimes we felt that escape from temptations is almost unavoidable.

At Jesus baptism, after the Spirit of God had descended upon him, he was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Again, as he faced Jerusalem for the last time, who could realize the awful agony as he cried out to one of his own beloved disciples who tried to dissuade him from all that the cross meant to him?

Then, at Gethsemane, in that awful paroxysm of the fury of the evil one, there was the awful experience of pain and loneliness of Jesus.

At times we too face our version of Gethsemane. Let us remember then that we shall also have the angels of God standing by to support and strengthen us.

We would not feel alone then.

Sometimes there is a danger that we think of Christian life far too much in terms of some catchy hymns. Whereas it is a contest in which we should feel that we are in a real battle and cannot afford to let our guards fall.

It was not for the purpose of reclining on couches of scented rose petals that we were bidden to take on the whole armour of God.

No matter how fierce, how overwhelming the forces that are arrayed against us, they are not greater than the forces that lead us on to victories.

Right into the very heat of the furnace there stands besides us, One like unto the Son of God and says, I, too, have felt the scorching flames. I know what it means. I, too, have suffered being tempted, yet I did not sin.

Let us blot out forever from our mind the thought that because Jesus was God, therefore in some mysterious way temptations did not have the same power as they have for us.

It means that Jesus, when he was only a boy, was tempted just as we were when we were boys.

Then, as he grew up to be a young man, those temptations that attack us attacked him too.

But, here is the glory of it for us to learn he came through victorious, without sinning.

So, to every child of God we can say: Take these words for strength, consolation, and encouragement the words of power and just hold on to them in the hours of temptation. They are the words of God.

And not only he suffers with us, he is able also to succour them that are tempted. That is the crux of the whole thing for us.

He overcame. His power is available for us if we want to overcome.

What does it all mean?

First of all, it is true that we are being tempted more than ever before these days. The devil would not easily part with his slaves, even though the redemption money has been paid by Jesus.

Also, before we gave our life to Christ, we were drifting. We were going easily down the stream and were not conscious of the terrific force of the current that held us in its grip.

Now we have begun to pull against the stream and are realising how strong the current is.

We cannot drift against the stream.

But, perhaps this is the most encouraging fact of all that God has allowed us to go into the wilderness to be tempted because He knows we are going to win.

Again, listen to the Word of God: When he is tried, he shall receive a crown of life.

That crown is promised to the person who is tried and tested and who triumphs.

Here is then the promise of victory: No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.

But with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

That means every temptation carries with it its own way of escape. This is the promise of victory.

Narayan Mitra is the pastor of Merritt Baptist Church at 2499 Coutlee Avenue, Merritt. You can reach him via email atmerrittbaptist@gmail.com.

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MITRA: The toxic spirituality of temptation - Merritt Herald

Posted: Thursday, February 23, 2017 1:42 pm

Students have encounter with their faith and spirituality Connor Cahill Editor-in-Chief Creightonian.com |

The weekend of Feb. 10 saw more than 80 students, faculty and staff depart on an integral part of their faith journey, known as Encounter.

Encounter is a retreat hosted by Creightons Campus Ministry and started in the mid-90s and the event celebrated its 34th retreat this month, according to a Campus Ministry retreat coordinator, Craig Zimmer.

The retreat is held at the Creighton University Retreat Center in Griswold, Iowa.

Out of the 85 to 90 participants of the retreat, 65 of them were students, 10 were student leaders, who were accompanied by a faculty or staff member, and three to four of them were student support team leaders.

For the student support team leaders the preparation happens weeks in advance.

Support team leaders meet six weeks before the retreat, while the two student coordinators meet eight weeks before to prepare and plan the retreat.

The large number of participants and length of planning is not the only thing that sets Encounter apart from the other retreats.

The focus is special, said student coordinator Hank Elbert. You really look inward to who you are and how you relate with God, Jesus and your community. Its very holistic in its spiritual focus; all these different aspects of who you are and what your faith is can be explored.

Zimmer explained that Encounter asks different questions than the other retreats to challenge the students to think about their faith and spiritual life and what it challenges them to do.

Encounter is people reflecting on their own experiences, said Zimmer. Were not teaching them anything. We are asking for them to reflect on their own lives.

Brittany Hall, a Campus Ministry retreat coordinator, said the retreats are a step along the way for someones faith journey.

This retreat is open to anyone in anyplace on the faith spectrum, said Hall. Whether they are experiencing a very deep relationship with God that comes out of the Catholic tradition, if they are just putting their toes in the water or if they come from a different faith background, they are all welcome.

While there is no long-term connection provided by Campus Ministry for the students who have gone on the trip, Hall and Zimmer are certain it makes a positive difference in the students spiritual and faith lives.

Definitely one of the challenges is that we dont know what people do with it, moving forward, said Zimmer. But one of the things the retreat does, it invites people to think about their relationship with God as something much bigger, something beyond going to church for one hour on a Sunday. They think about God being active in their lives in ways they didnt think about before. Hopefully there is an impact, but we wouldnt know.

For many students, the experience they share during the Encounter retreat is one they will carry with them throughout their life as they navigate college and beyond.

Some of the insights Ive had through my reflection on this retreat about faith, about life, about me are timeless and will stick with me, said Elbert. Additionally, I think Ill carry an appreciation for peacefulness in my life [...] this peace will always have value, and Encounter will help me know how to find it in my post-Creighton life.

Posted in News on Thursday, February 23, 2017 1:42 pm. | Tags: Encounter Retreat, Faith, Campus Ministry, Spirituality

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Students have encounter with their faith and spirituality - The Creightonian

Spirituality is a tricky word to use in any discussion about business. Spirituality takes on a variety of meanings that range from religious experiences to healing crystals and is often tied to personal development and practices. But spirit can play a role in the overall development and maintenance of a company. Mitroff and Denton, in their study of spirituality in the workplace, found that senior executive, HR executives, and manager all felt that spirituality was an appropriate discussion for the workplace when defined as the interconnectedness of people and places, and differentiated from discussions about religion. They reported that people believe strongly that unless organizations learn how to harness the whole person and the immense spiritual energy that is at the core of everyone, they will not be able to produce world-class products and services.

Spirit originally derives from the Latin word spiritus meaning breath or inspire. You could say that, with each breath, an individual chooses whether to fracture or strengthen an organization. The choices you make define the overall foundation of the enterprise. When the spirit of the business is cohesive, then individuals integrate more seamlessly into the fabric of the company. For employees, spirit provides authenticity and self-awareness as part of the framework for how they work. As Ashmos and Dushon stated in their article, Spirituality at Work, people want to feel connected to work that is important, and they want to feel connected to each other.

These three actions, when incorporated into the environment of your organization, offer inclusion and acceptance that support the spirit of your business. These behaviors help to fortify the whole company by reducing fractures that weaken interconnected relationships between people and the world.

Webcast, February 23rd: 3X Your Outbound Revenue by Replying to Prospects at the Right Time

1. Words and Actions Match

The words you say and the actions you take are a foundational part of the spirit of your organization. When you have an awareness of how your actions and your words impact people and situations around you, then you are better able to see the big picture. You can more effectively recognize how you connect with other people and the world when you understand the impact your behaviors have on the surrounding environment. Matching your words and actions provides authenticity that tells people your true nature. When your words and actions do not match, then there is a fracture in behavior and people do not know which is your true nature, your words or your actions.

2. No judgment of good or bad, or wrong or right

It is very easy to play the blame game. There is a subtle difference between saying, He is wrong. versus, I do not care for that situation. When you take away blame, you reduce the chance of decreasing personal value and increase the chance of keeping individuals accountable for their work. People work more cohesively together when there is not a dividing line, real or imaginary, holding them apart.

3. Focus on the goals, not the problems

Fear of the unfamiliar, many times, puts people into a protective mode. Fear of not being accepted can also introduce a protective wall. The focus of work, when fear is present, shifts to people protecting their turf and looking for problems that separate them from other employees. Problems cause barricades. Goals encourage focus. No matter who you are or what you believe, putting energy into completing the goals keeps the focus on the end results and binds people together in a collective breath of success.

Individuals and organizations who embrace these three actions help to build trust and reduce fractures that can ultimately break down companies. The spirit of your enterprise becomes more cohesive when you connect people to each other in ways that inspire instead of fracture your business.

Writer, researcher, and advisor on human potential for personal and organizational development. Dr. Reed has mentored people from a variety of organizations to include businesses, not for profit organizations, schools, allied health agencies, Chambers of Commerce, governmental entities, and churches. She has taught courses on world religion and world cultures Viewfullprofile

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3 Spiritual Elements That Make Your Company More Cohesive - Business 2 Community

Noted American iconographer Phil Zimmerman returns to the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse to teach the sacred art of iconography.

Two separate retreats are available: The Holy Face, May 21-27; and Jonah and the Whale, July 9-15.

All skill levels are welcome. Each retreat is limited to 25 participants, and all paints, brushes and other materials are provided.

Both a meaningful prayer practice and a technical art form, iconography has been a vital part of Eastern Christian worship since the beginning of Christianity. Icons are often referred to as windows into heaven. Zimmerman will guide participants step-by-step through the process of writing or painting an icon in the Byzantine style, following ancient guidelines and techniques while using modern artists materials.

Each day of the retreat will include prayer, reflection and historical information specific to the icon. All materials and supplies are included. By the end of the week, students will have a beautifully completed icon varnished and ready to display. Zimmerman has created hundreds of religious icons for churches and private collectors throughout the world. Based at his St. John of Damascus Icon Studio in Pennsylvania, he has taught more than 2,000 students.

Cost is $625 for the full retreat, which includes all meals and six nights stay or $505 for commuters, which includes retreat, lunch and supper. Register at http://www.FSCenter.org, 608-791-5295 or in person at 920 Market St.

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Franciscan Spirituality Center offers two iconography retreats - La Crosse Tribune

Kara Moses

21st February, 2017

Rewilding aims to regenerate, reconnect and restore, to create healthy, functional ecosystems

Imagine if everything in the world around you was conscious - every tree sacred, every rock, every falling leaf. Imagine if you felt they were closely related to you, like cousins, always available to offer wise guidance, gentle healing, fierce protection and a deep sense of belonging. How differently might we treat each other, the non-human world, and ourselves?

This is the intimate, sacred, relationship countless generations of humans had with nature. Natural cycles unfolded around our ancestors with profound meaning; they were not separate from them. They honoured their need for spiritual connection and understanding of life's mysteries through earth-centric ceremony and ritual, with deep reverence for nature.

With the spread of patriarchal 'sky God' religions over pantheistic Earth-based spirituality, our ancient reverence for nature was eroded as 'heathen' traditions were exterminated. The subsequent rise of reductionist science, capitalism and the eventual 'death of God' has led us to worship the gods of material accumulation instead. We see ourselves as separate from nature, and nothing is sacred; the natural landscape provides little more than a backdrop for our dramas of self-interest.

We have built a false world upon a world-view of ecological disconnection. Ignoring ecological limits and cycles, we live high-speed lives that deny nature's ebbs and flows, cultivating 'useful' species and eliminating those that threaten or inconvenience us. In our attempts to tame and control, to de-wild, we also de-wild ourselves. We deny parts of us that frighten and inconvenience us, ignore messages from our animal bodies as we stare at screens under artificial lights, inside concrete buildings. Research shows that disconnection from nature has negative impacts on the health of individuals, communities and society - and of course on the natural world.

The recent surge in interest in 'rewilding' reveals a yearning for a different way. Rewilding aims to regenerate, reconnect and restore, to create healthy, functional ecosystems. This is achieved through 'cores, corridors and carnivores' - protecting core wilderness areas, reconnecting habitats for free movement of wildlife and restoring lost keystone species.

But, as key parts of the ecosystems we dominate, humans must be part of the rewilding. A rewilding of the self is a re-enchantment with the natural world, a re-awakening of our senses and intuition, a dissolving of the false boundaries between our atomised selves and our Earthly home. It is a restoration of meaningful connections with nature, our selves and each other. Ultimately, it is a regeneration of our sacred relationship with the natural world; our spiritual selves must too be rewilded. Organised religion feels out-dated, irrelevant or questionable to many people, particularly younger generations. Yet growing numbers of people are exploring being 'spiritual but not religious', revealing an appetite for meaning, community and spirituality without the sanctimony.

Rekindling a sacred connection to the Earth and its inhabitants has the potential to feed this hunger, support the growth of a life-affirming society, heal the sickness of our times and transform social relationships. Increased time in nature brings greater happiness, better mental and physical health and emotional resilience. Research also shows that feeling more connected to nature also leads to positive action.

As individuals, communities and society, we must build resilience to withstand the challenges of transitioning to a life within ecological limits. To build a life-affirming society from the ashes of a dying system will require great skill, creativity and courage. We can tap into vast resources by connecting with nature. Nature's ways are powerful and wise, and we can take part in that web of power and wisdom. The wise guidance, gentle healing and fierce protection are all there if we develop the humility to hear it.

Efforts to address the planetary crisis must include a contemporary spiritual ecology to cultivate the deep humility and fierce resolve required to live sustainably and create a new story about the place of humanity in a post-capitalist world.

This Author

Kara Moses is a freelance writer and facilitator of nature connection, outdoor education and grassroots activism. She facilitates programs to connect people to nature, themselves and each other, and bring nature awareness into various spheres of society, from architecture and wellbeing to spirituality and social change. Kara is a Spiritual Ecology Fellow of St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace and is leading a retreat in April: Rewilding Spirituality: a spiritual exploration of our connection to the natural world. More information here.

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Rewilding Spirituality - The Ecologist

Difference Makers: Religious unity

WMAZ is sharing with you the stories of Central Georgia "Difference Makers."

We define that as the people who don't just talk about big problems, they take action.

We're sharing a story about a group of women from different faiths who come together to unite people of all religions.

They focus on their shared spirituality, instead of their separate faiths.

On a typical morning at Highland Hills Baptist Church, it might strike you as odd to see Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women together under one roof. But, thats exactly the point.

They call themselves the Women's Interfaith Alliance and got to know each other on a personal level, through the simple act of passing plates of food.

It all started when the Islamic Center of Middle Georgia held an open house in 2011 and welcomed their Christian neighbors.

We thought about making our religion more understood, educating non-Muslims about our belief system, dispelling some of the misconceptions, establishing human relationships, and building bridges between our two faiths, said Eman Abdulla.

Abdulla said that first meeting, and the smaller ones that followed, help foster a stronger relationship and break down misconceptions.

Flo Martin, a Central Georgia Methodist, found her way into the group several years ago.

Many meals later she now calls these women friends and defending their beliefs is personal to her.

And I've just said, that's my family. And when you're family and you're connected, you stand, and so for me it's been a boldness, it's been a way to know that perfect love casts out fear, Martin said from the balcony of her church, Centenary United Methodist.

These women don't just talk, they put their faith into works.

Flo Martin on Atlanta protests

They buy groceries, feed schoolchildren, help refugees through Abdullas work in Atlanta, and gather donations for the homeless.

Betty Taylor worships at Temple Beth Israel and says what she gains from this group makes a difference in everyday life, including trips to the gym.

Some people there know that I'm Jewish and one day I came in and Rosha, one of the Muslim ladies, was leaving we run over and hug each other and Rosha was telling me how later one of the ladies there was saying, 'you know her how do you know her? Taylor said.

She answered that they formed the unlikely friendship by making an effort to listen and over time, understand.

Its something one of her Muslim friends would agree with.

You have to respect other people's journeys as well even though they might take other paths you know but you respect the journey. And also getting to know more and more that we are one in faith you know, we worship the same god, we have very similar ideas on values and we do believe that our religions come from the same source, Abdulla said.

We do have so many commonalities, we laugh over the same things and cry over the same things, Martin told WMAZ.

And they also share joy over the simplest of things.

Learning their faith in a higher power doesn't divide them, it unites them.

At their February meeting, about 80 women attended the Interfaith Alliance lunch.

That's the best attendance they've recorded since they started in 2011 and it continues to grow each month. If youre interested in attending their next meeting, you can check out their Facebook page.

If your church or religious organization is doing something like this to bring people of different faiths together we want to hear about it. Comment in this story on our Facebook page, or send an email to eyewitnessnews@13wmaz.com.

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Central Georgia women set aside different faiths for shared spirituality - 13WMAZ.com

Lisa Smith

Pear Tree Point School invites parents and community members to attend a special talk given by Psychologist and acclaimed author, Dr. Lisa Miller, on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Louise Parker Berry Community Room on the first floor at The Darien Library.

Miller presents the next big idea in psychology: the science and power of spirituality. She defines spirituality as being an innate nature to seek and perceive transcendence, a connection to a larger universe. These abilities and drives can work together to develop a two-way relationship with a high power God, the creator, the universe, or nature for example.

With the understanding that our community represents a range of beliefs and religions, her focus is on cultivating our childrens natural spirituality. She also shows that a person can be spiritual without being highly religious.

Dr. Miller explains the link between spirituality and health by demonstrating that children who have apositive, active relationship to spirituality are:

Space is limited and spots will be booked on a first come, first served basis.Guestsare asked to RSVP at:[emailprotected].

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Pear Tree Point School offers talk on science and spirituality - Darien Times

Relationship coaches Maeve and Orv Fry will present a workshop, Spirituality and Sexuality, from 7 to 9 p.m. March 2 at Inner Path, 200 Commercial St., Nevada City.

The class is part of their monthly series Relationship as a Spiritual Path.

The Frys say that melding spirituality and sexuality isnt necessary for a fulfilling relationship.

But, it would enhance connection and personal growth, Maeve Fry said.

The Frys have been relationship coaches and educators for 19 years in Nevada County and call their practice Relationship Igniters. They are a married team of 20 years who work together to assist couples and individuals in the art of relationship, communication, intimacy and sexuality.

For more information, email maeve@relationshipigniters.com or visit http://www.relationshipigniters.com

To register online, see http://relationshipigniters.com/relationship-as-a-spiritual-path.html

Cost at the door is $25; with pre-registration and payment online, the cost is $20 on or before Feb. 27.

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Workshop offered on spirituality, sexuality - The Union of Grass Valley

Im again reading through Gisela Kreglingers bookThe Spirituality of Wine, and it is a terrific read.

The chapter begins with the words, Wine is a great mystery and a profound gift. And while one might think that the Bible would speak against the desire and temptations of wine, it speaks far more of its enjoyment. She write:Many learned women and men have marveled at this lavish gift of God and have put their delight and gratitude into poetry, song, and reflections. It should not surprise Christians that win features so prominently in the Bible, but it often does surprise people, especially those in religiosu communities that view alcohol in negative terms only. She points out that the spread of Christianity in western Europe coincided with the spread of viticulture, many monastries specialized in wine production.

Kreglinger maps the origins of viticulture in the ancient near east, Greece, and Palestine. She surveys wine in the Bible, noting claims that it is a gift of God, its use as a medicine and metaphor, and its role in eschatology.

This is a book to read with some pasta, a glass of rot wein, and a comfy chair!

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The Spirituality of Wine - Patheos (blog)

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Most people want to change their lives but few people actually do. The difference comes down to the power of habits. Habits govern our lives and allow us to engage in a multitude of daily tasks without overloading our cerebral circuitry. Over the past few decades, advancing science in brain research has given us untold insight into how God has hardwired us when it comes to habits, especially how to start, stop and change habits.

For instance, every habit has a cue, a routine, and a reward. If your habit is to go to the gym after work, then your cue is when that clock hits 5:00 pm. Your body begins to anticipate a good work out. After the routine of an hour at the gym, your body feels energized and refreshed, flowing with positive chemicals released throughout the body. If you want to start, stop, or change a habit, you need to deal with cues and rewards. If you want to refresh your soul and take your faith to new heights, here are five spiritual habits that will change your life.

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5 Spiritual Habits That Will Change Your Life - Beliefnet

Every last week ofFebruarythousands of people come together to camp at Rancho La Merced near Uvita for the transformational festival Envision. The event is built by teams of volunteers and the organizers of Burning Man festival to model a tropical utopian community using the ideals of creativity, permaculture, sustainability, and eco-building. Transformational festivals are co-created by the participants to be safe, inclusive spaces where fear and societal conditioning can be overcome through spiritual expansion and social collectivity. The festival hosts some of the worlds best DJs and musical performance artists; headlining this year are Opiou, Autograf, and Raising Appalachia.

Envision incorporates yoga and workshops designed to liberate, heal, and empower. A diverse selection of vendors offer healthy, whole food and there are spaces where people can go for healing body and energy work. Envision is unique because it is a family-friendly event that centers around healthy lifestyles and communities, conscientious action, and creative expression.

Envision began as a small music festival held in Dominical and has since evolved into an event put on by the same people that created the Burning Man festival in Nevadas,Black Rock Desert. Burning Man began in 1990 as a counterculture festival about radical inclusion, participation, and freedom of expression. Festivals like Burning Man or Envision feature world music, seminars, workshops, ceremonies, and installation art. They are called transformational because they are gatherings dedicated to awakening human potential and inspiring people through art, spirituality, movement, and education.

The land where the event takes place (Rancho La Merced) is integral to the atmosphere created at the festival. The desert where Burning Man takes place is stark and absurd, complete with artful chaos amid sand storms and intense desert weather. This environment leads participants to be self-reliant and transform their lives by facing their fears and overcoming mental conditioning.

Envision, in the lush jungle near the ocean, is a scene of peaceful cohabitation with nature and respectful acceptance of all beings no matter the cultural differences. Through the creation of a space far from the realities of everyday life, transformationsare supposed to become possible in the form of self-realization. Through self-realization, people can experience unity and happiness and transcend the old systems that make up society.

Get your tickets today and #ViveLaExperiencia

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Express Your Spirituality: Be Part of Envision Festival 2017 | The ... - The Costa Rica News

American iconographer Phil Zimmerman returns to the Franciscan Spirituality Center, 920 Market St., to teach the sacred art of iconography. Two separate retreats are available: The Holy Face, May 21-27; and Jonah and the Whale, July 9-15.

Zimmerman will guide participants step-by-step through the process of writing or painting an icon in the Byzantine style, following ancient guidelines and techniques while using modern materials.

Each day of the retreat will include prayer, reflection and historical information specific to the icon. All skill levels are welcome. Each retreat is limited to 25 participants, and all paints, brushes and other materials are provided. By the end of the week, students will have a completed icon varnished and ready to display.

Zimmerman has created hundreds of religious icons for churches and private collectors throughout the world. Based at his St. John of Damascus Icon Studio in Pennsylvania, he has taught more than 2,000 students.

Cost is $625 for the full retreat, which includes all meals and six nights stay or $505 for commuters, which includes retreat, lunch and supper. Register at http://www.fscenter.org or call 608-791-5295.

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Spirituality center offers iconography retreats - La Crosse Tribune

Photo courtesy of Cannabis and Spirituality

It was just two years ago that then-Indiana Governor Mike Pence passed the highly controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act that, in part, helped Bill Levin to legally birth The First Church of Cannabis. At the time, the church was widely reported on and was viewed with both awe and contention. Many were shocked and scandalized, but most people were extremely skeptical of using cannabis as a holy sacrament or part of a religious practice. Cannabis and Spirituality: An Explorers Guide to an Ancient Plant Spirit Ally is a book that highlights this reality with the respect it deserves.

Award-winning author and pharmacologist Julie Holland, who edited the seminal academic collection of essays in The Pot Book, writes the foreword which provides a great foundation for the tone of the book. While lauding the therapeutic effects of medicinal cannabis, she notes that theres been less of a focus on its spiritual effects across cultures and eras throughout history. Thankfully, this book continues to bridge the gap between our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

In this collection of essays, editor Stephen Gray gives a platform to a wide range of voices within the cannabis industry as well as writing a few pieces within the collection himself. As a lifelong student of many spiritual practices and author of Returning to Sacred World: A Spiritual Toolkit for the Emerging Reality, Gray is no stranger to topics that walk the edge of mainstream culture and this book is no different. His reverence for cannabis is apparent throughout the compilation from referring to cannabis as a euphoriant to his selection of authors to contribute to this project.

These experts in their fields and practitioners of an assortment of healing modalities to share their insight on the connection between cannabis and spirituality in this collection of essays. The thoughtful piece touch on a number of topics from sacred rituals and group ceremonies to everyday practices of creativity with an essay about the link between cannabis and creativity by Floyd Salas a fiction writer who won the 2013 the lifetime achievement American Book Award.

There may be some cannabis lovers who may feel that this book may be a little too esoteric for their interests, but there are a few chapters that can still be relatable for those that arent as mystically inclined. This read is quite a bit different from a lot of other available cannabis books that only offer a look at the therapeutic and medicinal effects of cannabis. Of course, emphasis is given to the moving experiences that reshape perspective and the radical shifts in worldview and personal mentality and the spiritual healing that cannabis has played an integral role in facilitating, but there is a lot of interesting and objective information within the collection as well.

For example, theres essay written by Dee Dessault, the first yoga teacher to offer ganja-enhanced classes in the U.S., where offers she her perspective on cannabis as a spiritual enhancer of a yogic practice. People who practice yoga will appreciate her words of wisdom about how cannabis heighten the experience of the very tenets that yoga promises a deeper sense of connection, a pronounced feeling of relaxation and feelings of acceptance.

In the books final chapter, Gray proposes that if theres a revolution of consciousness transformation arising on this planet, that cannabis will not only be a source of inspiration but will be at the forefront of the movement. While there are more and more signs pointing towards the reality of this concept, there are many who havent waited for mainstream culture to join them in this progressive line of thinking. But when and if they do, those who knew of cannabis true power will welcome them with open arms.

TELL US,what good books have you read lately?

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Book Review: 'Cannabis and Spirituality' - Cannabis Now

"Saint Francis and the Christ Child" by Hector Hyppolite is on view in Milwaukee Art Museum's Haitian gallery.(Photo: Efraim Lev-er)

Amidworks of Haitian art,pillars creating alakou stand in the middle of the gallery in the Milwaukee Art Museum.

A lakou,which translates into English as a courtyard, serves as space for people to gather for purposes as varied as sacred space to a place to clean and sort rice. This lakouis surrounded by work inthree styles of Haitianart Port-au-Prince,Capashenand Croix-des-Bouquets on the museum's mezzanine level.

Most of it was donated to the museum by collectors Richard and Erna Flagg. The coupleleft the Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime and Richard Flagg became a successful tanner in Milwaukee. Kantara Souffrant,manager of the museum's schools and teachers program, related the story of Richard Flagg walking through the streets of New York City one day in 1973 and seeing a work ofartunlike anything he had seen before.

"He trusted that it was good because he had cultivated an eye as a collector," Souffrant said.

He bought it and thus what would become one of the best Haitian art collections in the world. That collection was gifted to MAM in 1991.

Sorted by style, the work addresses spiritual traditions, everyday life and history of Haiti. Most of the artwork in the collection was created in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

The northwestern section is filled with paintings in the Port-au-Prince style, defined by Hector Hyppolite, a painter and Vodou priest whose paintings often include references to spirits and Vodou. At the time Hyppolite worked, the Catholic Church and the Haitian government were discouraging Vodou and black nationalism was on the rise. His paintings like "Saint Francis and the Christ Child" show figures like the patron saint of animals as dark-skinned rather than white.

His use of Vodou spirits "becomes a way of him saying actually I am here I refuse to deny this part of my cultural tradition," Souffrant said.Vodou, Souffrant said, "sees every single thing in this world as having spirit and being divine. From water, earth, trees to you and I."

Shown on the eastern wall is art in the visually flatter Capashen style, which focuses on architecture history. These works are brought to life through an audio station that allows visitors to hear what the scene in the painting, if real, would sound like through spoken word and music.

"The Crucifixion of Charlemagne Pralte for Freedom" by Philom Obin is on view in the Haitian gallery in the Milwaukee Art Museum.(Photo: Efraim Lev-er)

The Capashen grouping here walks visitors through important moments in Haiti's history."The Crucifixion of Charlemagne Pralte for Freedom" by Philom Obin shows how Haitian history is intertwined with the United States. From 1915 until 1934, U.S. Marines occupied the country. Pralte was a leader in the Haitian nationalist opposition to occupation. He was betrayed by one of his own men and shot dead by a U.S. Marine. Pralte was tied to a door and a flag was draped over him. The Marines took a picture of his body and spread it around the country.Obin's painting, completed 50 years after Pralte's death, is based on that image.

"Circular Composition" by Srsier Louisjuste is crafted from steel oil barrels. The work is on view in the Haitian gallery in the Milwaukee Art Museum.(Photo: Efraim Lev-er)

Grand sculptures made from oil drums from theCroix-des-Bouquets fill the southern wall. The steel forming "Circular Compositions (Kompozisyon Anwon)" (1972) by Srsier Louisjuste shows human manifestations of the spirits and animals. In a hands-on station, visitors can feel how the thick steel from the oil drums is flattened and cut into the sculptures.

In February, visitors can also enjoy related Saturday afternoon performances in the Haitian area. Ko-Thi Dance Company will perform at 1 p.m. Feb. 18. Jahmes Finlayson and Friends will play African-rooted music in the Haitian area at 1 p.m. Feb. 25.

Read or Share this story: http://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/arts/art-city/2017/02/17/art-museums-haitian-collection-explores-spirituality-history-daily-life/97908152/

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Art museum's Haitian collection explores spirituality, history, daily life - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel