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Greetings!
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"There is a lovely Hindustani word of greeting or salutation, "Namaskar" (pronounced nummusKAR). "I salute the divinity in you." How wonderful if we could always approach every person with whom we must find a relationship in the consciousness, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." Namaskar!
"Use of this salutation could help us to express the very best within us, and it could help us to remember to deal with other people as souls and not as personalities. It could be a fine affirmation to use when we find ourselves getting irritated or angry with someone. Much quicker than counting to ten, we could say, "Namaskar!" I salute the divinity in you!
"We could use it for ourselves on awakening in the morning: Namaskar! "I salute the divinity in myself. I am strong and able. I can do all that I need to do this day. My mind is alert, my body vital and healthy, and my way will be strewn with golden opportunities. No matter what this day will bring to me, there is that in me that is great enough to meet it, overcome it, and be blessed by it. Namaskar!"
From Discover the Power Within You by Eric Butterworth
I've become a great fan of Unity Online Radio, and one of my very favorite shows is Discovering Eric Butterworth, hosted by Unity Institute faculty member, Rev. Tom Thorpe. Butterworth's estate gifted his entire library to Unity, and Tom is digging into this treasure trove, sharing not only Butterworth's wisdom, but his own warm and practical interpretations of the material. There is much to recommend for listening, including a truly excellent 11-hour series on "Reclaiming the Bible" (start date 6/28/11) and one of the best explanations I've ever heard of exactly how it is that prayer works, "The Divine Mind Counterpart" (10/25/11). Once you are at the program's homepage (just click on the link above), you may scroll through the listing of past programs to listen to any that are calling to you. You may also download past programs or subscribe (for free!) through iTunes- just visit the music store, and search for the program.
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Another excellent episode is "A Prescription for Mental Health" (1/31/12). This is an absolutely clear and understandable of explanation of what we can and cannot expect from spiritual prayer treatment in this area. Spiritual tools are quite effective for some things, and not really effective at all for other problems. One of the best things about this program, though, is that Butterworth and Tom both explain in some detail what we CAN do if we have people in our lives who seem to be beyond reach. My recent newsletter, Bridges to Mental Health, addressed this topic and included some useful resources for those situations when our spiritual tools are not effective. And remember, just because at this time we don't understand the laws governing such things, at some point we will. That day will come as we collectively use and further develop our powers of Understanding and Faith.
Which brings me back to the Namaskar Conspiracy. Tom has issued an invitation for us to each incorporate the habit of blessing the divinity in EVERYONE we encounter, every single time we think of it, including blessing ourselves every morning when we arise, and every single time we think of it! Please listen to the programs from 2/14/12 (Love and Nonresistance) and 2/21/12 (Call it an Opportunity) for a complete description, as well as a nice description of the difference between the terms Namaskar and Namaste.
What might your life look like lived from the perspective of the Christ? Are you willing to perceive and greet the Christ that is the True Identity of you and every other Being with whom you share Life? What might the world look like, if instead of focusing on our personality- and ego-driven differences, we were willing to see each other as unique, necessary expressions of Oneness? For practice, the next time you're stopped in traffic, simply look at the people in the cars around you and silently say, "Namaskar" to each one. As you walk from your car to the grocery store, gift everyone you pass with a silent acknowledgment of their divinity. Perhaps you'll be guided to speak the word audibly-know that this is a greeting of equals, not the bowing of the lesser to the greater. Be aware that each time you acknowledge the divinity it another, you are doing it from the awareness of your own divinity.
Additionally, the word "conspiracy" has at its root, "to act in harmony, to breathe together". What a wonderful way to do the work of transformation: acting in harmony, breathing together the knowing of the Christ in ourselves, each other, and all of those with whom we share Oneness. I hope each of you will consider joining the Namaskar Conspiracy. Nearly 270 of you, in at least 4 different countries, have received this email. Listen to the talks at Unity Online Radio. Forward the links. Share it all on your Facebook page and tweet the link. Click on UnityFM's "Donate" button. Our work as Unity students is to live the Truth that we know, and to each one teach that Truth through living It to the absolute best of our ability. The Truth that I know and choose this day to live is that You Are, as I Am, the Light of the world. Namaskar!
 Rev. Meghan Smith presents
"Illuminate Your Brilliance"
June 16th, 9:30 - 12:30
$25.00 suggested offering
We're blessed this week to have Rev. Meghan Smith visiting. On Saturday, June 16, she will facilitate the journey to activate the rainbow of living light within you through vibrational tones, empowering meditation, and personal exploration and exercises for each chakra. For full details, please download the flyer.
On Sunday, June 17th, , Rev. Meghan will also present the Sunday lesson, "Our Father's Love". I heard a lot of wonderful reports about her visit in March, so please plan on attending. She will also have her meditation CDs available, so if you missed the opportunity to take one home with you last time, here is another chance. This will surely be a wonderful weekend of blessings. Thanks, Rev. Meghan!
OUTREACH AND VOLUNTEER UPDATE...
Our newly-reorganized and re-energized outreach and volunteer committee is busy doing good work. If you're looking for ways to get involved, helping our own Unity Church of Peace community as well as the Tucson community at large, there are many possibilities. Here's an update from Board member and Volunteer/Outreach Coordinator, Susan Smith:
Community Outreach Committee Update
Celebrate! We want to be sure that everyone knows that on the first Sunday of every month are now designated as our Celebration Sundays! On this day everyone who has a birthday, anniversary or any other special event occurring within that month will have an opportunity to share what they are celebrating at our circle time at the end of our services. We will also be sure to have special refreshments available that day for the celebration. We look forward to many joyous celebrations!
Food Drive and Outreach
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the food drive for the Community Food Bank. We have delivered much needed food to the food bank several times. We thank everyone for their generosity. Please be aware we are still collecting food for the Community Food Bank as part of a continuing program. We are also finalizing plans for our next outreach effort. Information is coming soon about our Birthday Box initiative for Casa de los Ninos! Thanks to everyone for their support of our outreach efforts.
We're still asking for your input regarding the new evening meditation service being planned. The service, which incorporates space for music, contemplation, prayer, community, and Silence is tentatively scheduled to be conducted once a month. What day of the week is best for you? What time works best? If this sounds interesting to you, and you might wish to participate, please reply to this email, and we'll put you in touch with the facilitator. Thanks!
Child care and Sunday School is always available for kids
Our Sunday School teachers look forward to sharing Unity principles with your children aged 4-12. If you've got questions, please speak to our YOU teachers: Cindy Cawthorne, LUT, Barbara Richman, LUT, Judyth Willis, and Sunni Adams. Our nursery is available for the very young ones, as well.
Some closing thoughts...
It can be easier to acknowledge the divinity of the strangers sitting in the car next to you than it is to acknowledge that the people with whom you live and work are also expressions of the Divine. It's that whole "perfect strangers" thing... To look at your eyeball-rolling teenager as divine, or your seemingly-always-critical boss as an expression of divine Light can be much more difficult. And... the more we get in the habit of knowing each others' divinity, the easier it becomes. Practice with those strangers who are perfect, and claim willingness to know this Truth about those with whom you share the appearance of conflict. As you are willing, you will find the appearance of conflict lessening and your awareness of their Divinity increasing. When we ask, when we are willing to receive, we really do see results.
Sometimes, it is even harder to acknowledge the divinity that YOU are. While you are claiming willingness to know the Divinity of others, claim willingness as well to know your OWN Divinity. You already are amazing and Divine, and I already know that about you. Spiritual community is the safe space where we get to practice living our Truth. You are the Light of the world. You are All that God is, expressing at the point of you. You are Christ in expression. I know this is the Truth. I claim this awareness for myself and I claim it for you, and I am thankful that it is so.
Namaskar!
Rev. Nita
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Upcoming Sunday Lessons
06/17: Guest, Rev. Megan Smith, "Our Father's Love"
06/24: Guest, Rev. Jim Marshall, "Searching for Meaning"
07/01: Bondage or Liberty, Which?
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