It's New Year's Eve - Are you ready to release something that is no longer serving you?

Here is a great talk by the doctors. Kenn and Deborah remind us that this is a great time of year to release. It is a time where we can reflect on our journey and determine if there is something that we are ready to let go of. There is a beautiful exercise in this talk that allows us to connect with that inner wisdom to identify something that we can release to make way for more good in our lives. Give yourself a New Year's Eve gift and enjoy this talk. Next week we will enjoy part two of this series.

It's that time of the year again! Join us for the World Healing meditation on December 31st.

This is one of my favourite annual events at the Centre for Spiritual Living Kelowna.

On December 31st we join together simultaneously with others all around the world and we meditate for peace on the planet.

What a beautiful opportunity to join in consciousness across the planet to raise our vibration and to bring healing to the world.

We know the power of our thoughts and our intentions - now imagine that power multiplied exponentially throughout the world as we all set the intention for peace.

World Healing Day, or the World Peace Meditation, has been happening since 1986. You can read more about it here. As a spiritual community whose great vision is a world that works for everyone - we take part in this global movement every year.

As this happens simultaneously around the world at noon Greenwich Mean Time - that means that we gather at the Peace Centre at the wee hour of 4 am. I know it is early but the good news is that I bet you don't already have other plans at that time.

It is early and it would be so easy to stay in bed, but I hope you will take this opportunity to be a part of something big. Come as you are - pyjamas, sweat pants, messy hair, no make-up - it is all fine at 4am. Just bring your compassion, your love, and your intention for peace on the planet. You make a difference in this world!

I would like to personally invite all of you to come and share this time of conscious awareness. I'll be at 2490 Pandosy at 3:45 am with the heat on and the candles lit, holding a space for you. I hope you will join me.

Afterwards we go over to Denny's and surprise the early morning servers with a breakfast rush at 5 am.

Amanda Pope

Happy Holidays from Drs. Kenn and Deborah Gordon and the Centre for Spritual Living Kelowna

All the best to you and yours this holiday season. Here is a prayer for the holidays.

The Ninth Reindeer - Dr. Kenn's version of the Rudolph story

 

The Ninth Reindeer - Dr. Kenn Gordon

I bet you have never heard this version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Wow. This is a great reminder of the truth of who we are whether we know it or not - whether we claim it or not.

Rudolph was playing "in the solitude and loneliness of his own being". Find yourself in this new twist on an old holiday story. Shine your light.

REMINDER - Change of Venue for Dec 14th Celebration.

REMINDER - Tomorrow we will be at a different venue.

Please join us at 10 am at the Mary Irwin Theatre in the Rotary Arts Centre in Kelowna. Meditation starts at 10 am. Music starts at 10:15 am and the regular service begins at 10:30.

Practitioners, please join us a 9:45 as we join together in consciousness for the service and the congregation.

We will be blessed with Dr. Kenn's message this week. Apparently he's going to be talking about Reindeer. I have never really thought of my spirituality in terms of reindeer - so I am excited to hear what he has to say.

Did you miss last week's talk? Dr. Deborah shone her light in her message about there being only love. It is a great talk. Start your weekend filled up by watching this talk and then join us for the service tomorrow to carry that consciousness through to the next week. In the holiday season, I am grateful for my spiritual community. Messages like this one keep me grounded in truth as I move into this interesting time of year.

The Celebration of Light is Coming!

It's Almost Here! 

December 22nd brings the return of our annual Celebration of Light. I love this evening of music and an inspiring message because it often draws in family and friends we may not have seen for a while. In fact, that is the theme this year - Please Come Home for the Holidays.

It doesn't matter if you have missed the last 2 Sunday Celebrations or the last 200. We would love to see you! It doesn't matter if you haven't taken a class in a while - or ever. We would love to see you. It doesn't matter why you have been away or for how long. We would just love to see you. It doesn't matter if you have only been here once. We would love to see you.

Join us all on December 22nd to celebrate the holidays with an evening of fantastic music and an inspiring message. Bring your friends, bring your family, bring yourself - home for the holidays.

There is an opportunity to donate gift cards or cash to H.O.P.E Outreach.

We are hiring at the VIBE!!

 THE VIBE IS HIRING!!

We are looking for someone to work with our VIBE Children’s Programs at the Centre for Spiritual Living Kelowna, on Sundays.  

First and foremost, this person must be able to see the magnificence in every child.  They must have a positive outlook and a loving nature.

The person would need to be prepared to work with both the Infants/Toddlers program (babies to 3 years of age) or the Children’s Program (4 – 12 Year olds) as needs and numbers dictate.  

Duties would be: assisting the leader with a prepared lesson, assisting with managing children’s behaviour, and set-up and clean-up.  Occasionally, the person would be alone with a small group of children.  Duties would be Sunday’s from 9:30 a.m. – approximately 11:45 a.m. or when everything from both programs is cleared away.  Pay is $20 per week.

Person’s interested should email bjduffy@shaw.ca, and attach a resume, proof of a clear CRC and First Aid certification.

Synchronicity, Synergy, and Serendipity (Part 3)

Synchronicity, Synergy and Serendipity (part 3)

In this article, we look at the last of the three S words as spiritual guidance in our lives.

Serendipity: The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident. [From the characters in the Persian fairy tale “The Three Princes of Serendip” who made such discoveries]. - American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

As a child, I enjoyed the wonderful tale of the three princes of Serendip, but as an adult I saw in it a spiritual message. Serendip was the ancient name of the island kingdom that became Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. In the old story, three brave brothers, sons of the king of Serendip, left their father’s kingdom to test themselves and become wiser in the ways of the world. They met with great adventures and were often sidetracked from their main goals by apparently troublesome complications. But they stayed true to their principles and their quests. Time and time again they found that each side issue brought them a gift or developed a skill that they needed to achieve their main objectives.

Spiritual wisdom often comes to us through serendipitous circumstances. How often have you been working toward a specific achievement only to be interrupted by a bothersome nuisance issue that demands your full attention? Perhaps reluctantly or even resentfully, you deal with the distraction, and then find that you are in an improved position or your timing is better to go for your main goal.

Serendipity!

In the charitable act of helping a friend, you discover in yourself the strength, wisdom or confidence that had been lacking in attaining your own happy desires.

Serendipity!

You can welcome serendipity into your life in problem solving. By trying to gather all of the data you have on the problem and working with it, then putting the unresolved matter aside to pursue another interest, and finally retreating into quiet meditation, your inner wisdom can come up with a breakthrough.

Manyyears ago, such an event happened to me. I had traveled across the country because of an urgent matter that threatened every aspect of my family relationships. I spent a full day worrying the problem from every conceivable direction with the incomplete information that I had. Then a friend invited me to come home with him for the night. After dinner, as a respectful guest, I avoided talking about my issue, and we enjoyed a great discussion with him about our common interests. Later, when I retired to the guest room and lay down on the bed wide awake but relaxed. Suddenly, I saw a vision of how my life would be in the future, in vivid detail: sights, sounds, and smells, convincingly real. It was so much better that I could have imagined in the current state of confusion, that I was able to look at my problems more objectively. They weren’t so big a deal after all. All would be fine. And so it was. The traumatic issue had led to a greater discovery and confidence about my life.

Serendipity!

And so that is the way spirit uses the three big “S” words. How can you turn them on in your life? Synchronicity: develop the habit of daily meditation, ask for answers, and honestly look for them in every aspect of your daily life. Synergy: by being selective about your relationships. Search out people who will support you cheerfully and positively, who will give you that bolstering boost of confidence when you feel weak and will push you back on track toward your goals. Don’t share your innermost desires with naysayers. Serendipity: bless your distractions instead of bemoaning them. Think about what you have gained in overcoming small side issues and carry that success into your larger main challenges.

Spirit speaks to us daily by showing us signs to guide us, by bringing the right people and circumstances into our lives, and by providing us with the tools and inspiration that we need. As we acknowledge this and trust the synchronicity, synergy and serendipity, the frequency of these phenomena will increase or at least become more obvious in our lives.

John Bell

Universal Good versus Reality

Universal Good versus Reality

This is a great talk from our very own Dr. Kenn. It is a refreshing way to look at the problems that are going on in the world. You will be entertained and enlightened. I highly recommend investing 26 minutes to listen to this talk. You will thank me later!

What We're About - Dr Kenn Gordon

 

Did you miss this week's talk? This is a great one!

Dr. Kenn gives some great background about Centers for Spiritual Living as a whole. He talks about the beliefs and values inherent in the Science of Mind teaching. Dr. Kenn outlines the global vision of Centers for Spiritual Living.

If you are new to the Centre, if you don't know much about the principles of this organization, or if you just want a reminder about the values and vision of this organization then this is a great video to watch.

Grab yourself a warm cup of tea and enjoy this fascinating 30 minute talk.

Synchronicity, Synergy, and Serendipity

Synchronicity, Synergy, and Serendipity (part 2)

This time, let’s look at the second word in our suggested means on communication with Spirit.

Synergy:  The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

              American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

Synergy is often demonstrated in pharmacy, when two or more substances are administered together to enhance the beneficial effects of a medication. In business, a planner or executive, who could fail on his own due to his personal limitations, joins with a solid production specialist and sales/marketing whiz to form a highly successful venture. Each person individually is limited but together they become a super achieving company. One plus one equals lots.

In matters of spirit and spiritual growth, synergy is a very important factor. As you grow in sensitivity, you will find moments when a seemingly insignificant act produces an energy flow that will delight and amaze you. The otherwise random events and things in your environment have aligned with your small effort to produce synergistic effect.

You may find synergy in a group of like-minded people. Because of the negative contents of our subconscious, we often fail to realize our own potential when faced with a new challenging opportunity. At times like this we can use supportive synergistic friends, who can know for us that we are equal to the task. With their support and confidence, we can be strengthened to reach beyond our normal expectations. Many teachers and seminar leaders promote special bonding under various names: prayer circles, networking, “Master-mind” groups etc. I call these “NAG groups”: Networking to Achieve Goals.

The experience of working with a supportive prayer group is something special. The strength gained by having others believe in you and your right to achieve your goal, is amazing. Here is one place where you can be sure that “miracles” happen. Not only does a group acting in unity nullify personal negativity, but it draws a special boost of spiritual energy. In the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, verses 19 and 20, Jesus is quoted as saying; “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them as my Father which is in heaven. For when two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” This spiritual principle states that if two or more are united in belief and intention toward a commonly desired goal, compatible with the spiritual criteria that it is in the best interest of all concerned and harms no one, there is a boost in power that can overturn apparent limitations of material law.

And be aware that there are people in your lives, organized or not, who are sufficiently positive in their faith in you that they will gladly perform the role of your unquestioning supporter. God bless friends like these. We all have them. I believe that spirit works to bring synergistic forces into our lives like friends, even casual acquaintances, people of like mind and intention, and situations that bring out the best in us. Granted, some of the situations and confrontations may appear to be stressful, fear provoking challenges. Growth sometimes demands this, and so spirit provides. (“Perhaps too often,” we may be tempted to suggest). Hopefully in hindsight, we will see the gained ability or wisdom that these “best-worst” happenings have brought us.

John Bell