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OCTOBER CLASSES & EVENTS
Sunday Morning Inspiration Service 10:30 am
OCTOBER COMMUNITY EVENTS
TENTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: INVITATION EVENT ~ Sunday, October 12 ~ 10 am
HALLOWEEN POTLUCK LUNCH ~ Sunday, October 26 ~ 11:30 am
FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
RECYCLE SUNDAY ~ October 19
Orange County Farm Bureau Certified Farmers' Markets
ONGOING
A COURSE IN MIRACLES ~ Tuesdays, Weekly ~ First & Third Tuesdays, 11 am ~ Second & Fourth Tuesdays, 12 Noon ~ Love Offering
CHANTING AND KIRTAN FOR PEACE with SPIRIT SOUL AND FRIENDS ~ Third Sunday ~ 12:30 to 2 pm ~ Free (Donation Accepted but Never Expected)
ECKHART TOLLE BOOK STUDY~ New Earth ~ Tuesdays ~ October 7 & 21 ~ 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering
ECKHART TOLLE BOOK STUDY ~ Power of Now ~ Fridays, Weekly ~ 12:30 to 1:30 pm ~ Love Offering
MEDITATIVE BREATHING, with Jess Ly ~ Tuesdays, Weekly ~ 6:15 to 7 pm ~ Love Offering
REIKI HEALING CIRCLE facilitated by Barbara Fukuda, Usui Reiki Master/Teacher ~ Tuesday, October 14 & 28 ~ 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering
SACRED HISTORY ~ Historical Exploration in Religion & Spirituality, with Dr. James D. Rietveld ~ Weekly ~ Thursdays (drop in class) ~ 7:30 to 9 pm ~ Love Offering
WEEKLY BOOK STUDY, with The Revs: Forgive for Good, by Dr. Fred Luskin ~ Ongoing Tuesdays ~ 1 to 2 pm ~ Love Offering
WOMAN'S WISDOM CIRCLE & Book Study: The Five Things We Cannot Change, by David Richo ~ Tuesday, October 14 & 28 ~ 10 to 11:30 am ~ Love Offering
VENUE EVENTS
Past Life Regression, with Lee Mitchell ~ Wednesday, October 1 & Thursday October 2 ~ 12 noon to 6 pm (by appointment)
Advanced Healing Technique: Awakening the Perfect Healer ~ Monday, October 6 & 20 ~ 6:15 to 8:15 pm
The Selfless Self Book Study, with Doug Brown ~ Weekly Thursdays ~ 1:30 to 2:45 pm
Psychic Development, with Dennis Nozawa ~ Thursdays, October 9, 16 & 23 ~ 7 to 9
Learn the Chinese Oracle for Business Success, with Dr. Janet Woods ~ Mondays, October 6, 13 & 20 ~ 7 to 9 pm
Space Clearing and Chi Harmonization, with Dr. Marla Shaw ~ Wednesdays, October 1, 8, 15 & 22 ~ 7 to 9 pm
Learn the Power of Korean Hand Therapy, with Dr. Janet Woods ~ Monday, October 27 ~ 7 to 9 pm
Holistic Moms Network ~ Thursday, October 16 ~ 6 to 7 ps
A Gathering for Psychic Mediums ~ Saturday, October 18 ~ 11 am to 1 pm
Love Yourself Beautiful, with Tiffany Cano ~ Thursday, October 30 ~ 7 to 9 pm
35 for Life, with Mick Hall ~ Tuesday, October 7 ~ 7 pm
Oneness Blessing ~ Deeksha ~ Monthly the 2nd Tuesday, October 14 ~ 7 to 8 pm ~ $5 Blessing Giver/$10 Blessing Receiver
Orange County Spiritualist Gathering, with Medium Kathleen Vance ~ Wednesdays, October 8 & 22 ~ 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $10 suggested donation
OC Holistic Chamber of Commerce Meeting ~ Wednesday, October 8 ~ 6:30 to 9 pm
Development 1 & 2: 1: Developing your spiritual path & 2: Intuition and advanced students in spiritual and psychic awareness, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, October 11 ~ 9:30 am to 12:00 pm & 12:30 to 3 pm and Saturday, October 25 (Development 1 only) ~ 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Gentle Restorative Yoga, with Renee Schwan ~ Weekly ~ Tuesdays & Thursdays ~ 2 to 3 pm ~ $10 per session
Zen and the Art of Happiness/Tao Te Ching Study & Meditation Group, facilitated by Rev. Craig Phillips ~ Weekly, Wednesdays ~ 7:15 to 9 pm
Business Skills for Metaphysical Entrepreneurs, with Dr. Janet Woods ~ Thursday, October 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 ~ 7 to 9 pm
Women Connecting with Heart, with Lisa Montagna ~ Tuesday, October 21 ~ 11 am to 1 pm
Peak Frequency Healing ~ Sunday, October 26 ~ 1 to 3 pm
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 detailed information.
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TENTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Denim and Diamonds
At its upcoming event, Denim and Diamonds, on Friday, November 14th, at The Villa in Orange, Common Ground is pleased to be celebrating its tenth successful year as spiritual community.
This is a milestone year and will be celebrated in grand fashion. As with past anniversary celebrations, the ONLY agenda for the evening will be friendship and celebration.
Conveniently located in the City of Orange, The Villa will provide an elegant setting for a dinner buffet, dancing and fun.
This year's theme is all-inclusive in that it offers an opportunity to dress up or dress down depending on preference. Anything goes. Have fun and be comfortable.
The evening will be an interactive experience with something for everyone.
There will be casino tables for those who enjoy 'gambling'. Everyone will receive 'funny money' upon arrival and there will be a grand prize for the big winner.
Students and instructors from The Art of Life Institute will be on hand to provide readings of various kinds ~ tarot, Chinese face reading, and more.
There will be an exciting door prize, raffles, photo opportunity with a giant sparkly horseshoe, and other fun things.
Robert Fields will be on hand to brighten the evening with music for dancing and listening.
A highlight of the evening will be a heartfelt montage of photos reflecting Common Ground's journey from day one to the present. A parade of images will be a reminder of the present spiritual community as well as those who have relocated to other areas, those who have made their transition, those who have moved on to other things, and those who have been foundational anchors through the years. Video interviews will add the voices of current spiritual community.
In the interest of economy, invitations will be available at Common Ground beginning Sunday, October 12th. Everyone is invited and included.
In order to make the cost of the event fit into most people's budget, tickets will be available at a discounted rate of $50 per person. This amount does not fully cover Common Ground's costs, however, making it possible for all who want to attend is very important to The Revs.
In essence, the celebration will be co-sponsored by Common Ground and those in attendance. A scholarship fund has been set up for anyone who would like to donate more than $50 per person to help pay for someone else who may not be able to pay full fare. Pre-paid reservations are due by November 7.
Pick up your invitation and plan to join the celebration. The more the merrier!
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FRANK SINATRA ON RELIGION
Good Company
In 1963 Frank Sinatra gave an interview to Playboy Magazine during which he shared his personal feelings about religion.
If Frank Sinatra were alive today, he would be in good company at Common Ground.
The following article is reprinted from Huffington Post.
Frank Sinatra on Religion
Playboy: Are you a religious man? Do you believe in God?
Sinatra: Well, that'll do for openers. I think I can sum up my religious feelings in a couple of paragraphs. First: I believe in you and me. I'm like Albert Schweitzer and Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein in that I have a respect for life - in any form. I believe in nature, in the birds, the sea, the sky, in everything I can see or that there is real evidence for. If these things are what you mean by God, then I believe in God. But I don't believe in a personal God to whom I look for comfort or for a natural on the next roll of the dice. I'm not unmindful of man's seeming need for faith; I'm for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniel's. But to me religion is a deeply personal thing in which man and God go it alone together, without the witch doctor in the middle. The witch doctor tries to convince us that we have to ask God for help, to spell out to him what we need, even to bribe him with prayer or cash on the line. Well, I believe that God knows what each of us wants and needs. It's not necessary for us to make it to church on Sunday to reach Him. You can find Him anyplace. And if that sounds heretical, my source is pretty good: Matthew, Five to Seven, The Sermon on the Mount.
Playboy: You haven't found any answers for yourself in organized religion?
Sinatra: There are things about organized religion which I resent. Christ is revered as the Prince of Peace, but more blood has been shed in His name than any other figure in history. You show me one step forward in the name of religion and I'll show you a hundred retrogressions. Remember, they were men of God who destroyed the educational treasures at Alexandria, who perpetrated the Inquisition in Spain, who burned the witches at Salem. Over 25,000 organized religions flourish on this planet, but the followers of each think all the others are miserably misguided and probably evil as well. In India they worship white cows, monkeys and a dip in the Ganges. The Moslems accept slavery and prepare for Allah, who promises wine and re-virginated women. And witch doctors aren't just in Africa. If you look in the L.A. papers of a Sunday morning, you'll see the local variety advertising their wares like suits with two pairs of pants.
Playboy: Hasn't religious faith just as often served as a civilizing influence?
Sinatra: Remember that leering, cursing lynch mob in Little Rock reviling a meek, innocent little 12-year-old Negro girl as she tried to enroll in public school? Weren't they - or most of them - devout churchgoers? I detest the two-faced who pretend liberality but are practiced bigots in their own mean little spheres. I didn't tell my daughter whom to marry, but I'd have broken her back if she had had big eyes for a bigot. As I see it, man is a product of his conditioning, and the social forces which mold his morality and conduct - including racial prejudice - are influenced more by material things like food and economic necessities than by the fear and awe and bigotry generated by the high priests of commercialized superstition. Now don't get me wrong. I'm for decency - period. I'm for anything and everything that bodes love and consideration for my fellow man. But when lip service to some mysterious deity permits bestiality on Wednesday and absolution on Sunday - cash me out.
Playboy: But aren't such spiritual hypocrites in a minority? Aren't most Americans fairly consistent in their conduct within the precepts of religious doctrine?
Sinatra: I've got no quarrel with men of decency at any level. But I can't believe that decency stems only from religion. And I can't help wondering how many public figures make avowals of religious faith to maintain an aura of respectability. Our civilization, such as it is, was shaped by religion, and the men who aspire to public office anyplace in the free world must make obeisance to God or risk immediate opprobrium. Our press accurately reflects the religious nature of our society, but you'll notice that it also carries the articles and advertisements of astrology and hokey Elmer Gantry revivalists. We in America pride ourselves on freedom of the press, but every day I see, and so do you, this kind of dishonesty and distortion not only in this area but in reporting - about guys like me, for instance, which is of minor importance except to me; but also in reporting world news. How can a free people make decisions without facts? If the press reports world news as they report about me, we're in trouble.
Playboy: Are you saying that . . .
Sinatra: No, wait, let me finish. Have you thought of the chance I'm taking by speaking out this way? Can you imagine the deluge of crank letters, curses, threats and obscenities I'll receive after these remarks gain general circulation? Worse, the boycott of my records, my films, maybe a picket line at my opening at the Sands. Why? Because I've dared to say that love and decency are not necessarily concomitants of religious fervor.
Playboy: If you think you're stepping over the line, offending your public or perhaps risking economic suicide, shall we cut this off now, erase the tape and start over along more antiseptic lines?
Sinatra: No, let's let it run. I've thought this way for years, ached to say these things. Whom have I harmed by what I've said? What moral defection have I suggested? No, I don't want to chicken out now. Come on, pal, the clock's running.
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PRAYER & MEDITATION
Deeper Surrender
I'm pulling in the oars of this tiny boat,
growing weary of the rowing
and all the effort to reach some shore,
when it's not shore where I'm going
Rising with the tide, breaking with the wave,
I surrender every notion
that there is someone here to save --
as if I'm separate from the ocean!
And I surrender to the mystery
In the lap of God I rest my case
The force that bore this world can carry me
Who am I to question grace?
Who dreamed me into form?
Whose will sustains me?
Who brings what comes my way?
And when I die, who claims me?
Looking back, sometimes I have to laugh
What a lot of work it's been,
clinging to a sinking raft,
just to keep from falling in
So drown me in your darkest pain,
your softest kiss, your sweet despair
I've seen your face now and I know your name
And I can find you anywhere
I surrender to the mystery
and to the love that rises up to sing
Come what may, I vow to wait and see
I really don't know anything
Lyrics from 'Pulling in the Oars' by Kirtana, found on her CD, Deeper Surrender
Life is
prayer
at Common Ground.
If you need comfort and inspiration please visit our website to submit a request .
Common Ground and its friends are served by a Prayer Team comprised of a large circle of loving people who hold in their hearts and in their awareness the prayer needs of all those in need. Carol Marshall graciously serves as prayer team lead.
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.
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TITHING 2014
May All That We Give and All The We Receive Be Blessed and Multiplied. 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 2013
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;
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;
, The Humane Society of Dover-Stewart County, a not-for-profit organization rescuing abused, abandoned and neglected animals and placing them into good homes, Mercy House Fare Share Program, providing bus passes for homeless men, women and children in search of a better life, The Avielle Foundation, a non-profit foundation created by the parents of a child victim of the Sandy Hook killings, aiming to support and protect vulnerable loved ones and to strengthen communities through brain health initiatives and community engagement; Breast Cancer Angels, a not-for-profit organization providing financial, emotional and spiritual assistance for women and their families as they are going through breast cancer treatment; and Willows in the Wind, a not-for-profit organization supporting families with teens and young adults in crisis.
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.
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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 open to the idea that knowing when to control and when to let go is the secret to manifesting power in all aspects of life
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