"Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation."
-- Robert F. Kennedy |
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In the Celebration Circle we honor and nurture the Sacred in ourselves, each other, and all Creation.
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Photo by Gary O Smith
It happened fifteen years ago, but I can still remember how excited I was when a group of Celebration Circle friends traveled to Houston to hear the Dalai Lama speak. A long drive in a crowded van was followed by a seemingly endless wait in line to get into a huge college gymnasium with terrible acoustics, which made it difficult to understand this revered Buddhist leader speaking in his heavy, Tibetan accent. But none of that mattered. Powerful vibrations of Love and Joy came shining through His Holiness, filling the hall as he urged us all to take heart. To discover/recover our own capacity for love and compassion. To focus not on him, but on his message of inner peace as the path to world peace. It was very moving, and his eloquent lessons made the journey seem well worthwhile.
Afterwards, we found ourselves drawn into a cluster of people standing outside the stage door where the Dalai Lama's limousine was parked, hoping for a closer look at him. My wife, Zet, and several other people in our party, pressed in nearer, and motioned me to join them, but my observer-self chose to hang back. Suddenly the door swung open and a small army of attendants, police and bodyguards began clearing a path, trying their best to move him from the building into the car as quickly as possible - but he would have none of it. He was clearly enjoying the personal interactions, taking his time in shaking hands, bowing repeatedly, kneeling on the ground to play with a baby, smiling sweetly from ear to ear.
Eventually, the motorcade drove off, and a joyous afterglow descended on those of us left standing in the driveway. My friends were excited to have gotten so close to him, especially Zet, who was wearing a huge smile and the white, silk scarf which the Dalai Lama had held and blessed for her. Suddenly, my joyfulness evaporated, as I began beating myself up for not having pressed forward along with my friends for this rare opportunity to have physical contact with such a holy man. If only...
And then, just as suddenly, I found myself chuckling at the irony of the situation. We had driven 200 miles, stood patiently in long lines, endured terrible acoustics and long waits, just so we could hear, see and touch a sage whose main message was: "Don't look to me; look to your own heart and your own life." And now here I was, busy kicking myself for not having touched him. What a good joke! What a lesson!
Time and again in the years since then, I've seen how easy it is to make such errors. To mistake the messenger for the message, to glorify the teacher instead of the teachings. To engage in a meditation technique for the pleasurable sensations involved, rather than staying open to what it might reveal at a deeper, more subtle level. To encounter perfectly viable metaphysical tools, such as crystals, Tarot cards, yoga poses or breathwork techniques intended to help us get focused on the inner movements of Spirit - and wind up focusing on the tools themselves instead.
As we prepare to celebrate the Circle's 18th Birthday this weekend, it's rewarding to look back at the wide variety of spiritual teachers, teachings and techniques that we've welcomed and learned from over the years. Along the way, I've done what I could as Spiritual Director to remind us (myself included!) to take responsibility for our own inner growth. To avoid the trap of looking to any one teacher or technique as having The Answer. To remember that personal growth is an ongoing process of rediscovering our own Wholeness, something which each of us must engage by ourselves, AND we don't have to do it alone. Support is invaluable, and readily available in the context of a spiritual community like the Celebration Circle!
I sure hope you'll be able to join us for our Birthday celebration, which is going to be Big Fun. But more than just being an enjoyable day, we'll be marking an important milestone in the Circle's process of maturation. As we turn eighteen and emerge from our "teenage years" as a community, there's a heightened sense of group identity, as well as a deepening of spirit, and the desire to be of service to others. We'll be addressing these areas of growth during our Annual Meeting on Sunday afternoon. For now, let me just say how pleased I am to be walking this path of spiritual community alongside you. It's been an amazing adventure so far -- with much more ahead -- and I'm deeply grateful for your love and support which help make it all possible.
With blessings and hopes of seeing you around the Circle,
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Sundays
THIS SUNDAY
January 17th
"Coming of Age"
The Celebration Circle turns 18 this week! Come help us celebrate the Circle's birthday with a particularly high-energy gathering of poetry, music, meditation - and birthday cake! Make plans to eat lunch with us as we enjoy another fabulous potluck feast at CircleSpace, 120 Guadalupe Street (near Flores), just a few blocks from JumpStart - and then stay for an afternoon of trance dancing with DJ Vortice. Big Fun!!
NEXT SUNDAY
January 24th
"Good News/Bad News"
We'll reflect on some of the many empowering, encouraging trends emerging in contemporary science and spirituality around the globe - in response to the rising tide of socio-economic-climactic change. Rudolf and Sarah Bading are cooking up some extra special songs with the Circle Band for the occasion!
Sunday Morning Circle meets at 11:00 am
at the Jump Start Theater
located at the Blue Star Arts Complex
Building B
In the heart of King William
(near the corner of Alamo and Probandt) |
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Wednesday Meditation Circle meets from 7:30-8:30pm each week at the San Antonio Quakers' Meetinghouse, located at 7052 N. Vandiver, at Eisenhauer Rd., two blocks west of Austin Hwy. Come experience a calming, centering blend of sacred silence and guided meditations in one of the most beautiful sacred spaces in San Antonio. Sessions are led by Rudolf, employing Tibetan singing bowls, acoustic guitar, flute and chanting. Open to all: suitable for beginners and experienced meditators alike; drop-ins are always welcome. Love offering.
THIS SUNDAY, January 17th - Celebration Circle's 18th Birthday Party and Annual Meeting after our Sunday Circle.
THIS MONDAY, January 18th - MLK March
You are invited to join other Celebration Circle folks (and anyone else who wants to come) and participate in the largest MLK March in the country.
ROUTE: To see the route, follow the link at www.sanantonio.gov/mlk
MEETING TIME: 9:15am. We will board the shuttle as a group as close to 9:30am as possible.
MEETING LOCATION: Our group will meet at the VIA shuttle bus location at St. Phillips College. St. Phillips College (SPC) is located at 1801 MLK Drive. A shuttle operates from SPC Parking Lot 2 (located at Wyoming & Mittman, a few blocks north of MLK Drive), and will drop us off at the starting point of the march (Bookertee Dr @ MLK Dr.).
HOW TO GET THERE: If you want to do the march as a group, it is best to drive yourself to the SPC parking lot and then board the shuttle to get to the march's starting point. If you choose to use VIA's park & ride from either Crossroads or Randolph, the bus will drop you off at the same location (Bookertee Dr @ MLK Dr.) but there will be LOTS of people and we may not be able to find you. That's why we try to rendezvous at the smaller SPC location first and then shuttle as a group.
YOU CAN SEE MORE INFO BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK: www.viainfo.net/Communications/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=1355
WHAT TO WEAR: In light of the rising temps, layer. Wear comfortable shoes and your Celebration Circle T-shirt, hat, sunscreen, etc.
WHAT ELSE TO BRING: Any placards, signs, music, instruments you want. A smile and your open heart! A bottle of water! (Don't drink too much, though, as there are few restroom opportunities until the end of the march in the park.) Money for the bus and if you want to purchase food from the booths in the park at the end of the march.
CALL: Catherine McGuire if you have any other questions! 210.521.4532 - hope to see you there! |
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Ongoing Support
Our Prayer Circle is available for you ... whether you have someone or ones in mind who you'd like to add to the list to be held in prayerful consciousness throughout the week ... or if you would like to be one of the loving ones who receive the prayer circle list each week ... so you can send blessings in your own unique way, you can let us know by e-mail circle@celebrationcircle.org or on Sunday mornings. | |
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