Website About CoffeeHouse Calendar Rob's Blog

As we conclude this series on prosperity that Fancy has been leading, we will look at the power behind an attitude of persistence and determination.

Second Saturday Community Coffeehouse

Saturday, May 14th, 6:00 - 9:30 pm

Headliner: Merlettes

Opening: Dennis Russell

MC: Anne-Marie Lax

Sponsor: Patricia Vansell

Sunday Service

May 15th, 9:30 am

Fancy Ruff-Wagner

Persistence & Determination

Interfaith Social Action Opportunity @ Woods End Church

3^rd Friday, May 20^th, 3:00 pm - 6:00ish

Help distribute food to the hungry in our community. For more info, contact Eugene at eruffwa@gmail.com or 286-4981

Sunday Service

May 22nd, 9:30 am

Robert Spiegel

Why do We Choose Spirituality?

Music Ministry - Second Saturday Community CoffeeHouse

Saturday, May 14th, 6:00 - 9:30

Headliner: Merlettes

Opener: Dennis Russell

MC: Anne-Marie Lax

Sponsor: Community member Patricia Vansell

Join us for this great night of music and fun!

Come on down for coffee or tea, treats, and a wholesome family night in a listening room environment where new and seasoned performers can offer up their songs and stories to an attentive, all-ages audience. The House opens at 6 pm, music begins at 6:30.

FREE! Love Offerings will be accepted.

Be sure to check out our other CoffeeHouse Pages!

Check it out On

Like our

Join our

Share our

Look for our events in EMShopper, The Independent, the MVTelegraph,

and the Venue.

Look for our posters around town.

Share this event with your friends!

And, if you want to receive the CoffeeHouse Monthly Email, click Update Profile/Email Address at the bottom of this email.

Inspiration from Unity

Healing the Wounded Soldier's Heart

By Marchel Alverson

His mission was simple-stay in the jungles, search out the enemy, and destroy. In 1969, Vela Giri was drafted into the United States Army and sent to Vietnam. Trained as an infantry rifleman, he fought in the jungles during the war surrounded by constant attacks, death, and sheer "craziness."

1David Pierce joined the United States Navy in 1985. Two years later, he was deployed off the coast of Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. A gunner's mate who specialized in weapons, his orders were to handle the ammunition and kill anyone who boarded the ship. For three months Pierce stared out into the waves worried that an enemy gunboat would attack.

Two different men, separate wars, yet their stories are strikingly similar. Neither man realized he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, until they met Edward "Ed" Tick, Ph.D., and his wife, Kate Dahlstedt, the founders of Soldier's Heart.

Then, everything changed.

Tending the Shadows

To help veterans with PTSD, Soldier's Heart draws extensively from sacred warrior ceremonies and traditions that mend the "invisible" or "soul wounds" of war and military service. The name of the organization dates back to the Civil War when soldiers returning from the battlefield were said to have "Soldier's Heart," the modern-day PTSD.

Tick is a renowned leader in the field and works extensively with the United States Department of Defense training mental health experts and chaplains in PTSD. He has led 15 healing and reconciliation tours back to Vietnam, and hosted 41 retreats, including Soldier's Heart Retreat: The Path of the Warrior With PTSD in March, which was hosted by Awaken Whole Life Center at Unity Village.

"We have worked with thousands of active-duty troops and veterans. Early on, I discovered that PTSD was a far more comprehensive wound. It was spiritual. It wounds the soul," said Tick. "These dimensions of PTSD are those most ignored by our culture, and warriors need soul talk. They need the rituals that pull from all world spiritual traditions."

Pierce and Giri were among the 30 veterans and civilians at the March retreat. Giri's daughter, Ashley Brooks-Paulson, also took part. Both men are now mentors who speak for those who can't find their voice-those still in the midst of PTSD.

The number of veterans diagnosed with PTSD has dramatically increased since the Vietnam War. Many believe this shift is a result of veterans who feel betrayed by the very country that sent them to war.

Giri's best friend, Jacob George, was one such veteran. After serving in Afghanistan, George was diagnosed with PTSD. Three years ago he took his own life. Giri feels his friend might be alive today had he sought help from Soldier's Heart. Although his friend's death severely traumatized Giri, he channels his pain into positive energy to help other veterans.

"There is a tremendous amount of need in the veteran community for help. I've gone through most of the hurdles and I'm at a place where I can be a helper, but it took me several years to get to this point," said Giri. "After the war, I felt I was quite functional. I went to college. I had my own business. I was a leader in my profession as an arborist. I didn't believe I had PTSD. I had returned to Vietnam several times on my own after the war and never had a strong reaction. I grew to love the Vietnamese people. They were no longer my enemies."

But it was Giri's last trip to Vietnam with Soldier's Heart that led to a startling revelation. While there, a fellow veteran convinced Giri to go through the process of receiving government benefits for PTSD. Therapy unleashed his wounded soul.

"PTSD took hold of my life and I had no idea how deeply it was affecting me," Giri said. "For 40 years there was this shadow over me. The war really radicalized me. If I ever had an illusion of what America was about or believed in the American dream, or in the things we ascribe to like freedom, the war changed that. It didn't serve those purposes at all."

Pierce's shadow was less looming, buried beneath the surface. A psychology major and counselor himself, Pierce began interning for Soldier's Heart and working at the retreats.

"At a retreat one day in upstate New York, Dr. Tick put on a play about Vietnam," Pierce said. "A guy in the play pointed a fake gun, cocked it, and waved it around screaming. Instantly, my heart rate went up and I was ready to go pass out the guns on the ship. It wasn't until that moment 30 years later that I knew I had PTSD."

The Spiritual Dimensions of Warfare

Tick and Dahlstedt believe such soul wounds are sacred and lead to knowledge and transformation.

"I think most people get confused on why we focus on the spiritual wounds. But, if you think about it, the battlefield is the most spiritual place there is. You're dealing with good and evil at its most profound. Life and death is in the hands of our soldiers and that makes it a profoundly spiritual experience," said Dahlstedt.

Soldier's Heart retreats aim to make the veterans feel like warriors.

"The archetypal warrior is not necessarily a fighter but someone who stands for truth and integrity, and protects and defends the people," Tick said. "This is what many of our soldiers want to exemplify when they go into the military, regardless of why they choose to serve. The military code of conduct is one of great honor in doing the right thing. The problem is that when they are actually in certain circumstances, they're faced with moral dilemmas that make it impossible to live up to that moral code."

For the warrior, these negative or morally questionable dimensions of military service can become opportunities for growth and restoration. Each step of the retreat is designed to make scared veterans and their families feel safe.

Activities include a "homecoming" ceremony to welcome the soldier back into the society and the restitution ceremony where participants surround the veterans in a protective circle. This reverses the traditional warrior model where soldiers protect the people.

During the ritual, the civilians say, "You are my warriors. I sent you to war. You served in my name, whether or not I agreed with the war. Your core purpose was to protect me, and I express my love, my gratitude, and my honor to you. And I willingly take responsibility for any action you had to do in the war zone because I sent you. I paid for the bullets. I left you there and you were serving in my name."

"This is restitution where the entire community carries the burden with the warrior rather than leaving it all on that individual to collapse in pain and dysfunction from trying to carry it alone," Tick said. "It's extraordinary how much lightness, hope, and connection the exercise brings to everyone. The warriors stand up proud and their eyes get bright."

Everyone has an inner warrior, including active soldiers, veterans, and those who have never served in the military. What the Soldier's Heart retreat does is bring that inner warrior to the surface.

The Turning Point

Soldier's Heart retreats are a place of storytelling, homecoming, active listening, compassion, and spiritual restoration. Here, warriors find their resilience.

"I've seen people's lives transformed at Dr. Tick's retreats. People who just weren't okay with themselves suddenly feel alive, like they can finally breathe. As a soldier, you're trained to not show weakness," Pierce said. "If you cry, it would be the most shameful thing. But that's the most essential thing to healing-being able to acknowledge that there's strength in weakness.

"Part of why I'm here is because it moves me and it heals me," he continued. "I know it's hard for them to come here. They don't want to talk about it because it's too painful. There is also a stigma attached with PTSD. You are damaged goods. I'm glad that I can come to a place and let it go. We all collect bad stuff inside and when you let some out a whole bunch of good stuff can come in-more joy, happiness, peace, and serenity."

Giri also feels fulfilled by being at the retreat. He considers every veteran he comes into contact with a brother, a sister, a comrade. Giving his support assures him that no one will be left behind.

"Being here is one of the most important places where I can be in my life. I know there are veterans who are scared. They're going to show their emotional self, which leaves them vulnerable. But I would tell any serviceman or woman that if there's something wrong, this process can be very beneficial and they're going to come out of it a much more functional person. The demons may not be put to rest, but they will be able to be put in a place where they can be dealt with," Giri said.

"There's solid evidence that veterans who work through PTSD get to a place that's called post-traumatic growth. Jacob and I weren't comfortable with the last letter in PTSD because the 'd' means disorder. We thought it should be 'PTSA' for post-traumatic stress advantage or awareness," added Giri. "We're blessed. People who have PTSD have two possibilities, basically to regain their composure and come back to the way they were. This is resilience. But post-traumatic growth goes beyond resilience. You don't come back to where you were, you come back better."

This profoundly transformational process is what the founders of Soldier's Heart want for everyone who takes part in the retreat. Healing has a rippling effect.

The veterans who were helped at the Unity Village retreat are just the tip of the iceberg. For every veteran who's helped and healed, a spouse is transformed, parents, children, and siblings change. Every person they say hello to in the community is touched.

One change can impact an entire community.

To learn more about Soldier's Heart and ways to assist veterans, visit soldiersheart.net.

Community

ESSENTRICS

Essentrics is a unique program that rapidly changes the shape of your body through simultaneous stretching and strengthening exercises. This workout develops strong and flexible muscles with immediate changes to your posture. ESSENTRICS is even smarter than that - it goes beyond changing just the look of your body; it also cares about how you feel in your body. With a combination of dynamic and fluid movements, ESSENTRICS improves circulation, promotes rehabilitation, and unlocks tight muscles. If you want to feel energized, positive, and healthy, then ESSENTRICS is for you. Meets at the church M/W from 5:30 - 6:30. Contact Kimberly Woodring for more information (or call 575-749-0025).

Massage Services for Members:

Licensed massage therapist Kara Skeberdis is offering massage sessions at her studio in Cedar Crest. Hour and half hour sessions are $40/$25 for church members and friends, and $50/$30 for the general public. Please call Kara to schedule your session at 443-745-0406, or email her at shiatsu.Kara@gmail.com. Kara has over 25 years of experience and specializes in relaxation, deep tissue and acupressure techniques.

Interfaith Social Action Opportunity @ Woods End Church

3^rd Friday of each month 3:00 pm - 6:00ish

Help distribute food to the hungry in our community. For more info, contact Eugene (or call 286-4981).

Prayer


Please add the following people to your prayer/meditation practice: (updated weekly) USCEM Robyn (healing and courage) Ecuador Dawn H. (healing) Jeannette P. (healing) Tyler (guidance) Fancy (healing) Fort McMurray, Alberta Ken Ginther (healing) Anne-Marie (perfect employment)	uPray uPray, a free prayer app from Silent Unity, is now available. uPray is available for Apple iOS 7.0 or later and Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) or later. With the app you can submit a prayer request to Silent Unity, listen to the month's meditation and the Prayer for Protection, and read affirmations across a broad list of topics.	"Silent Unity. How may we pray with you?" Do you have a prayer request? There are several ways to contact Silent Unity, the 24/7-prayer ministry: Call: 1-800-NOW-PRAY (669-7729) International: 01-816-969-2000 Write: Silent Unity, 1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, MO 64065-0001 Or use our online prayer request form.

Support Your Spiritual Center


Smith's Community Rewards Smith's Community Rewards makes fundraising for USCEM easy...simply by using your Smith's Rewards Card at any Smith's! There is no cost to enroll, and enrollment will not affect your fuel points or coupon discounts. You must have a registered Smith's Rewards Card to participate. If you do not, you can apply for one at Customer Service. If you don't know your number because you use your phone number at the register, you can call 800-576-4377 and select option 4. You must link your card to USCEM online. If you have an online account already, go to the website below, sign in, and click on your name to go to your account. Scroll down and edit the Community Rewards section. Enter our NPO number or our name and select us from list and click on "Enroll". If you don't have an online account, you must click "Register" in the upper right corner on the website. Sign up for a Smith's Rewards Account by entering your email address, creating a password. Enter your zip code in the "Your location", then by selecting your favorite store, and agreeing to the terms and conditions. A message to check your email inbox will appear, Check your email account, you must click on the link within the body of the email. Click on "Sign in" located in the upper right corner and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step. Click on your name to go to your Account. In Account Summary click on "Edit" Rewards Card and input your Smith's rewards card number. Confirm your information. Scroll down and edit the Community Rewards section. Enter our NPO number or our name and select us from list and click on "Enroll". Go to Smith's Community Rewards to Enroll or Register/Enroll Our NPO number: 24564	Let Your Online Shopping Support Us Whether you shop at Amazon, Walmart.com, Itunes, or many other online retailers, your purchases can help support USCEM. Always start on the USCEM Shopping Site. From there you go to your favorite retailer and a percentage of your purchases will be sent to us later - at no extra cost to you. The average amount paid to us is a little more than 5% of your purchases. Bookmark this URL and always start here. Then go shopping. http://impactshopping.com/USCEM/ So far we've earned $98.09 in 2016! We didn't earn anything in 2015 - although we earned $94 in 2014. It's probably because people weren't starting at the shopping page. Please do this - it costs you nothing extra and is an easy habit to adopt. Go to the USCEM Shopping Page	The Law of Giving and Receiving By Ernest Holmes Everything in Nature moves in circles. What goes out must come back. Unless the seed is sown it cannot bear fruit. There must be a planting time for every harvest. Who gives all receives all. Who refuses to give, limits the possibility of the greater good returning to him. Love and you will be loved. Extend joy and you will become more joyful. The ancient Talmud says, "God will doubly guide the already guided" and Jesus, the greatest of the great, said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38) We do not give because God needs the gift but because the giving increases, broadens and deepens the life of the giver. Nor shall we give from the standpoint of duty. The universe refuses to bargain with us. It already has given us everything it has. But it also has provided that the gift of life can be received in its fullness only as it flows through us to the fullness of others. How wonderful is this exact balance which God and nature keep; how perfect is the law of God and how glorious the opportunity to join with the infinite Giver in the givingness of the self to the joy of life! Letter to Members & Friends Conscious Giving Guide Conscious Giving Commitment Card

Thanks for Reading!

Have a great week!

In love and gratitude,

Fancy Ruff-Wagner
Your Newsletter Editor

505-286-1203
admin@unityemtns.org

http://www.unityemtns.org

Unity - A Positive Path for Spiritual Living