common ground
July 2011 Newsletter - Volume 7, Issue 7 
 July Newsletter
 Embracing Humanity & Expressing Divinity
In This Issue
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 JOY & SPIRITUAL OPTIMISM
 An Inner Experience of Love, Beauty, Creativity & Truth

During the month of JULY Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy will help us explore the idea that we really don't need a reason to be happy. The power of happiness lies within each of us, just waiting to be unleashed.

Awakened awareness can become a powerful engine for a change of perception in which we can cultivate an internal sense of optimism, even in our challenging world.

Experiencing life with a sense of joy and spiritual optimism helps us get in touch with the idea that there is always a reason to be grateful, that every possibility holds the promise of abundance, and that obstacles are simply opportunities in disguise.

True spirituality means not taking ourselves too seriously so that our healthiest response to life is laughter from the heart, even in the face of difficulties.

Please join us at Common Ground every Sunday for our 10:30 am inspirational service.


Resources include:
  • Why is God Laughing?, by Deepak Chopra
  • Power, Freedom and Grace, by Deepak Chopra

    These titles are available in the Book Boutique. (Quantities Limited)


    Sunday Morning Inspiration Service Weekly:
    10:30 am


    Kids' Enrichment Program available during service for infants through 5th grade

    Talk titles for July:

  • July 3: Freedom: The Capacity to Exercise Choice
  • July 10: Laughter: The Antidote to Fear and Sorrow
  • July 17:Gratitude: The Antidote to Victimization
    Melissa Suzanne, guest vocalist
  • July 24: Creating Healthy Spirituality
    Reverend Leo Booth, Associate Minister
  • July 31: Music as Message: A Life Worth Living
    Daniel Nahmod


    Watch Recent Talks On Video

    Robert Fields: Appearing Every Sunday in July.




    Thank You for Your Generosity!
    Common Ground is solely supported by the gracious offerings of its spiritual community and friends.


    2010/2011 Newsletter Archives

     


  •  JULY CLASSES & EVENTS (Summer Schedule)
     Sunday Morning Inspiration Service 10:30

    JULY SPECIAL EVENTS
  • ANNUAL FOURTH OF JULY POOL PARTY ~ Monday, July 4, 3 to 6 pm ~ Off-site at Common Ground Santa Clara
  • COVENANT DEDICATION ~ Sunday, July 24, 12 noon
  • REVEREND LEO BOOTH, Associate Minister ~ Evening Recovery Celebration ~ Sunday, July 24, 7 pm
  • DANIEL NAHMOD ~ Music as Message ~ Sunday, July 31, 10:30 am inspirational services

    KID'S CALENDAR
  • Kids' Enrichment Program ~ ages infant thru 5th grade ~ Weekly, Sundays, 10:30 am

    OUTREACH
  • Standing in Peace, facilitated by Carol Marshall, Irvine Blvd @ Prospect Ave ~ Tuesdays, 4 to 5 pm

    FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
  • OCICE General Meeting ~ Thursday, July 7, 6:45 pm ~ Aldersgate Methodist Church
  • RECYCLE SUNDAY ~ Sunday, July 17
  • Local Farmers Markets
  • Local Environmental Projects ~
    Zero Trash Laguna Cleanup
    ROOTS, Restoration and Native Vegetation Program: Upper Newport Bay
    Save Our Beach Program


    ONGOING
  • Eckhart Tolle Book Study ~ New Earth ~ Fridays, Weekly,12:30 to 1:30 pm ~ Love Offering
  • Reiki Healing Circle ~ Tuesday, July 12 & 26, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering
  • Way of the Bodhisattva: Training in the Six Perfections ~ Wednesday, July 6, 7 to 8:30 pm (Closed)
  • Women's Wisdom Circle ~ Tuesdays, July 12 & 26, 10 to 11:30 am ~ Love Offering

    VENUE EVENTS
  • Orange County Spiritualist Gathering, with Medium Kathleen Vance ~ 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $10 suggested donation
  • Development 1: Developing your spiritual path & intuition, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, July 9 , 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ~ $20 per person
  • Development 2: Advanced students in spiritual and psychic awareness, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, July 30, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ~ $20 per person
  • LightLovers Studio, Readings & Energy Balancing ~ Saturday, July 9, 2 to 4 pm ~ $20 per session
  • Intenders' Circle & Conscious Enterprise, facilitated by Judith Freyer & team ~ Thursday, July 14, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $5 suggested

    Be sure to look for updates and details of activities in weekly email notices.

    Ongoing weekly classes continue as scheduled. Check our At-a-Glance Calendar for information.


     


  •  SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY
     Covenant Commitment

    covenant Spiritual community, known as sangha in the Buddhist tradition, is a focal point at Common Ground.

    Spiritual community as a spiritual practice reminds us that what happens to us as we come together to serve in spiritual community is as important as what we accomplish.

    It is in spiritual community that we have an opportunity to facilitate one another's becoming as we grow and are transformed in our own spiritual journey.

    Common Ground's spiritual community is comprised of gifted persons; each with a unique gift package of interests, motivations, experiences, dreams, needs, talents, strengths and weaknesses, and much more.


    Coming together in spiritual community is a practice, not just a matter of a declaration of loyalty.

    Making a commitment to spiritual community is not an 'ought to' or 'have to' or 'should'. It is not a commitment someone else can make for us. It is an opportunity to respond to an invitation that encourages us to bring forth our unique and special spiritual gifts.


    Now is the time to consider making this commitment.

    Common Ground does not have membership. Rather, we offer an opportunity to enter into a personal Covenant with spiritual community at a heart level.

    There are no requirements other than a desire to further the purpose of Common Ground, willingness to embrace religious humility, and acknowledgment of deep ecumenism that lets all spiritual traditions speak for themselves.

    Indra's Net is the symbol Common Ground uses to exemplify relationships in spiritual community. Each person making a Covenant commitment to community places a unique jewel on the net in our Sanctuary.


    If you are interested, please complete and return your application by July 19th and plan to attend Covenant Dedication on July 24th at 12:00 noon following Sunday service.

    Answers to frequently asked questions are available on our website.


     


     FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
     Easy Summer Living

    The month of July invites us to explore ideas to help us live more simply during the long, lazy days of summer.

    Make the Sun Your Ally
  • Hang your laundry out to dry
  • Wash stained items as usual and then throw them over a bush located in full sunlight to take advantage of the sun's natural bleaching power
  • Try making Sun Tea
    Enjoy the Pleasures of the Season
  • Eat outdoors whenever possible
  • Water-play on hot summer days
  • Take some do-nothing time ~ summer encourages us to simply BE
    Simplify
  • Wherever possible, experiment with bare floors rather than rugs or carpets and store some of your toss pillows and knick-knacks
  • Streamline your schedule wherever possible ~ drive less, walk more, shop less, relax more.
    Stay Cool
  • Cook in the early morning before it gets really hot
  • Freeze fruit nectar in make-your-own ice-pop molds for a quick cool-down treat

    These Green Living tips have been adapted from Care 2 Make a Difference

     


  •  RECOVERY CELEBRATION
     Spirituality Not Religion

    Reverend Leo Booth and his team are birthing a new idea at Common Ground.

    Every fourth Sunday evening of the month from 7 to 8 pm, Rev. Leo and his team will present a new inspirational gathering for all those who are interested in the principles of 12-Step recovery.

    As Rev. Leo says: "Everyone is recovering from something!"

    Focus of the evening will be on conscious contact with Higher Power unique to each person's understanding. There will be music, fellowship, sharing of hope and strength, and an inspirational message.

    Coffee and hospitality will be served in the Salon before and after the celebration for those who want to connect and get to know one another.

    Childcare will be available free of charge for infants and children through 5th grade. As a reminder, Common Ground's general Safe Sanctuary Policy requires children and youth to be attended by a responsible adult at all times. Please be mindful.


     


     MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
     Mindful Exercising

    Common Ground is pleased to host a new summer class provided by Fit4UClasses.

    Curriculum is designed to introduce mindful physical fitness exercises to help increase flexibility, strength, balance, and a general sense of relaxation and well-being.

    Fit4UClasses is owned by Kris and Lisa Whittington, Reverend Judy's daughter and son-in-law. Together they bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in the areas of martial arts, self defense, physical fitness, and child development .

    Both Kris and Lisa are 3rd Degree Black Belts in Taekwondo, have over 12 years of instructing experience and are former owners of a martial arts studio, Tustin Martial Arts, which they operated successfully for 5 years. Kris and Lisa are Live Scanned and cleared through the California Department of Justice.

    Water Fitness Exercises is a new class being developed specifically for Common Ground.

    In addition to the standard benefits of any exercise, the use of water in Water Fitness Exercises supports the body and reduces the risk of muscle or joint injury. The mitigation of gravity by flotation places less stress on the joints when stretching, and can allow a greater range of motion. Exercise in water can also prevent overheating through continuous cooling of the body.

    It is not necessary to be a strong swimmer to participate in Water Fitness Exercises.


    Water Fitness Exercises will be offered at Common Ground Santa Clara located in North Tustin.

    Classes will take place in a private saltwater pool heated at a minimum of 84 degrees in a quiet atmosphere that will provide an opportunity to relax and enjoy the experience.

    Fee for the class is $10 per session. Classes will be held twice a week, Mondays and Fridays from 1 to 2 pm, for a 4-week series beginning July 8th. Classes will consist of a maximum of 10 adults. A $25 material fee applies to cover the cost of aqua barbells and floatation equipment.

    Sign-ups available online or at Common Ground.


     


     PRAYER & MEDITATION
     Let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows

    Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.

    Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect. Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.

    Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.
    Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly. So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color.

    Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness.
    So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors.
    And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors.

    Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.
    And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.

    Amen.


    A Prayer for the World - Rabbi Harold Kushner - 2003




    Life is prayer at Common Ground.

    If you need comfort and inspiration please visit our website and click on Prayer.


    Those needing prayer support are invited to make Prayer Requests on-line at [email protected] or by placing a request in the prayer box in the Lobby.

    There are no fees for prayer at Common Ground.


     


     TITHING 2011
     As We Give, So Shall We Receive ~ Common Ground is truly blessed and in turn becomes a blessing in the world

    Common Ground reaches out to the global community through our spiritual practice of conscious giving.

    Giving back to the world is an important aspect of our mission and vision. A balanced integral approach is reflected in conscious selection of 501c3 qualified programs and institutions to which Common Ground provides tithes each month.

    Recipients of Common Ground 2011 tithes include: IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences), advancing the science of consciousness and human experience to serve individual and collective transformation; Kiva, empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty; Disability Rights California, affirmatively addressing the needs of the traditionally underserved and underrepresented disability community; Project HOPE School, (Homeless Outreach Program in Education), helping children without permanent homes transition into the mainstream educational system; Walking Shield, helping to improve the quality of life for American Indian families; Direct Relief International, supporting the immediate medical needs of earthquake victims in Haiti; Direct Relief International, supporting the immediate medical needs of earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan; and, Get on the Bus, serving as a conduit to assist children in crossing barriers that separate them from parents in prison.


    The organizations to which Common Ground tithes are meaningful programs where people from the spiritual community and its friends are already serving with heart and hand, and supporting with time and treasure.

     


     UPCOMING 2011 EVENTS ~ REVISED
     Mark Your Calendar Today

    CURRENTLY SCHEDULED:

  • Jagadish: Sat, Aug 6 & 20
  • Darius Lux: Sun, Aug 14 (guest vocalist)
  • Backpack Outreach Project: Aug/Sept
  • Annual Common Ground Picnic: Sun, Sept 4
  • Daniel Nahmod: Sun, Sept 11
  • Karie Hillery: Sun, Sept 18 (guest vocalist)
  • Earthdance & Global Peace Prayer: Sat, Sept 24
  • Debra Barbre: Sun, Oct 16 (guest vocalist)
  • Seventh Anniversary Celebration: Fri, Nov 18
  • Daniel Nahmod: Sun, Nov 20
  • Thanksgiving Eve: Wed, Nov 23
  • Christmas Eve: Sat, Dec 24
  • Christmas: Sun, Dec 25 (CLOSED)
  • New Year's Eve: Sat, Dec 31

     


  •  GOD IS NOT A CHRISTIAN: AND OTHER PROVOCATIONS
     Excerpts from the Archbishop Desmond Tutu's New Book

    They tell the story of a drunk who crossed the street and accosted a pedestrian, asking him:

    "I shay, which ish the other shide of the shtreet?" The pedestrian, somewhat nonplussed, replied, "That side, of course!" The drunk said, "Shtrange. When I wash on that shide, they shaid it wash thish shide."

    Where the other side of the street is depends on where we are. Our perspective differs with our context, the things that have helped to form us; and religion is one of the most potent of these formative influences, helping to determine how and what we apprehend of reality and how we operate in our own specific context.


    My first point seems overwhelmingly simple: that the accidents of birth and geography determine to a very large extent to what faith we belong. The chances are very great that if you were born in Pakistan you are a Muslim, or a Hindu if you happened to be born in India, or a Shintoist if it is Japan, and a Christian if you were born in Italy. I don't know what significant fact can be drawn from this -- perhaps that we should not succumb too easily to the temptation to exclusiveness and dogmatic claims to a monopoly of the truth of our particular faith. You could so easily have been an adherent of the faith that you are now denigrating, but for the fact that you were born here rather than there.

    My second point is this: not to insult the adherents of other faiths by suggesting, as sometimes has happened, that for instance when you are a Christian the adherents of other faiths are really Christians without knowing it. We must acknowledge them for who they are in all their integrity, with their conscientiously held beliefs; we must welcome them and respect them as who they are and walk reverently on what is their holy ground, taking off our shoes, metaphorically and literally. We must hold to our particular and peculiar beliefs tenaciously, not pretending that all religions are the same, for they are patently not the same. We must be ready to learn from one another, not claiming that we alone possess all truth and that somehow we have a corner on God.

    We should in humility and joyfulness acknowledge that the supernatural and divine reality we all worship in some form or other transcends all our particular categories of thought and imagining, and that because the divine -- however named, however apprehended or conceived -- is infinite and we are forever finite, we shall never comprehend the divine completely. So we should seek to share all insights we can and be ready to learn, for instance, from the techniques of the spiritual life that are available in religions other than our own. It is interesting that most religions have a transcendent reference point, a mysterium tremendum, that comes to be known by deigning to reveal itself, himself, herself, to humanity; that the transcendent reality is compassionate and concerned; that human beings are creatures of this supreme, supra mundane reality in some way, with a high destiny that hopes for an everlasting life lived in close association with the divine, either as absorbed without distinction between creature and creator, between the divine and human, or in a wonderful intimacy which still retains the distinctions between these two orders of reality.

    When we read the classics of the various religions in matters of prayer, meditation, and mysticism, we find substantial convergence, and that is something to rejoice at. We have enough that conspires to separate us; let us celebrate that which unites us, that which we share in common.

    Surely it is good to know that God (in the Christian tradition) created us all (not just Christians) in his image, thus investing us all with infinite worth, and that it was with all humankind that God entered into a covenant relationship, depicted in the covenant with Noah when God promised he would not destroy his creation again with water. Surely we can rejoice that the eternal word, the Logos of God, enlightens everyone -- not just Christians, but everyone who comes into the world; that what we call the Spirit of God is not a Christian preserve, for the Spirit of God existed long before there were Christians, inspiring and nurturing women and men in the ways of holiness, bringing them to fruition, bringing to fruition what was best in all. We do scant justice and honor to our God if we want, for instance, to deny that Mahatma Gandhi was a truly great soul, a holy man who walked closely with God. Our God would be too small if he was not also the God of Gandhi: if God is one, as we believe, then he is the only God of all his people, whether they acknowledge him as such or not. God does not need us to protect him. Many of us perhaps need to have our notion of God deepened and expanded. It is often said, half in jest, that God created man in his own image and man has returned the compliment, saddling God with his own narrow prejudices and exclusivity, foibles and temperamental quirks. God remains God, whether God has worshipers or not.

     


     COMING SOON
     The Path of the Sacred Healer

    Common Ground is pleased to host a new event, Sadhu, Jagadish, presenting Divine Love Transmission, beginning in August every first and third Saturday of the month from 11 am to 1 pm .

    Jagadish's spiritual journey has taken him through over 40 years of concentrated spiritual practice rooted in Yoga, Hinduism, Hawaiian Spirituality, Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism, and Mystic Christianity. He is a Lineage Holder of several of these traditions and practices as an inter-faith minister with the deepest respect for all true spiritual paths.

    Jagadish's work is designed to help awaken one's heart to experience Divine Grace - the source of all transformation, healing and release from undesired patterns. His deep spiritual practice, combined with a lifetime of study and service, distinguishes him as a "healer's healer."

    His intention is to divinely support those who work with him by helping to unveil their Sacred Identity of pure consciousness, joy and love while simultaneously helping them to become open to receive profound spiritual healing.

    His integrated approach supports an intrinsic quickening of a person's holistic journey toward achieving a rich and fulfilling life, optimal health and well-being - and realization of True Nature in Liberated Love of God.

    People report leaving Jagadish's sessions with a great feeling of empowerment. Many say they experience palpable energy and shifts in their mind, body and spirit.

    Jagadish received his Bachelors Degree in Humanistic Transpersonal Psychology from Sonoma State University and completed graduate work at The Transpersonal Center of Holistic Integration in California.


     


    Common Ground is a Teaching-Learning Center

  • where people bring their very souls
  • where people grow one another by sharing what they know
  • where people learn spiritual practices to support them in working with the complex possibilities of today's world

    May you embrace the idea that you really don't need a reason to be happy