Happy August to All,

This week I came across a quote from Nelson Mandela that has stayed with me: "If I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison." It reminded me that our spiritual practices aren't about becoming someone else, they're about gently laying down whatever keeps our hearts closed and defended, surrendering whatever "scorecard" we may be keeping. Yoga, meditation, chanting, silence, and heartfelt conversation all invite us back to what the great teacher Ram Dass called Loving Awareness—the quiet place within us that has always belonged to Love.

Lately I've been appreciating the kinds of conversations that naturally arise when we linger over a meal after kirtan, share a cup of tea following yoga class, or meet a dear friend for a walk in nature. Something beautiful happens when no one is trying to impress or persuade. We simply listen. We tell the truth about our lives and what has been quietly calling for our attention. We discover that the wisdom we are searching for often emerges in the space between us. Parker Palmer reminds us that our task and our gift to each other is to create "a safe space for the soul to speak." I think our hearts know when they have found such a place or such a moment. Little by little, we begin to soften and something healing can find its way in. 

To me, the month of August feels like an invitation to soften a little more, to listen a little more deeply, and perhaps even to pause some of our usual activities in the spirit of Sabbath. Before autumn's fuller schedules arrive, may we give ourselves permission to linger a little longer, to wonder, to dream, and to imagine a life less hurried.

May we protect a little spaciousness.

May we stretch these warm days just a bit longer.

May we breathe a little more deeply, smile a little more easily…

and remember that perhaps nothing is more life-giving than an open, undefended heart.

Sending each of you loving wishes
for peace, health & happiness,
now and always.

With Love & A Deep Bow, Rev Shelley