A.R.E. Meeting for 5/30/22

Leader: Sylvia for Eric

Five spiritual students took a break from the SFG book this week and studied the May 2022 lesson from the ARE website. John Van Auken wrote a lesson on “Understanding Relationships and Situations Cayce’s Way.” We discussed his premise that some things in life are predestined and ruled by karma, while other parts of life come under mercy and grace.

The experiment was the worksheet that Cindi sent out. Here are the questions to consider:

1. Record some of your reactions to predestined situations. Recall and list relationships and circumstances that you were fated to meet.
2. Record how you felt and reacted to these preordained relations and conditions. List your good reactions and not-so-good reactions. Then list new ways you are going to react given what you’ve learned from Cayce’s teaching.
3. Record times when you felt you were shown mercy and grace rather than karma. This is a little tricky but try to identify times when you felt forgiven.
4. List how you’re going to show mercy, grace, and comfort to others, as you’ve been shown. List ways you’ll be a positive presence in other people’s lives.

A.R.E. Meeting for 5/23/22

 Leader: Eric

Six seekers explored their destinies in the chapter on “Destiny of the Mind.” We began by listening to Elsie Sechrist and Judith Stevens relate to their understanding of the topic. We read one section in the SFG book: “Mind in Relation to the Mental Body.” We also read one experiment for the week:

Experiment: Notice people around you who seemingly have no love to give right now: those who are neither actively loving you nor actively directing ill will at you. Find ways to love people in this category of your life.

A.R.E. Meeting for 5/19/22

 Leader: Eric

 Five faithful followers began the next chapter on “Destiny of the Mind.” We read the Introduction and the next section: Destiny. We have the choice of two experiments:

 Experiment 1: Be truthful to yourself and others. Let your actions reflect more closely what you have thought, said or intended for your life.

 Experiment 2: Nurture a sense of trust in life. Allow events to come to you rather than trying to force things to happen the way you think they should. Trust that inner, directive influence of your soul’s destiny that will continually bring to you things to keep you on the best course.

A.R.E. Meeting for 5/9/22

Leader: Eric
 
Six seekers sought spiritual awakening by finishing our lesson on Desire. In the SFG book we read the sections “The Wisdom of Unselfish Desire” and “Conclusion.” In the Experiments book, we read the last three:
 
Experiment 1: Select a desire pattern for which you alternate between taming it and feeling guilty for allowing it to control you. Try to get clear on what it is you really desire. Is the apparent desire only a mask for a deeper desire? Try to see clearly how a change in this habitual desire pattern could also benefit others. In order to keep a sense of openness to receive help, use this affirmation or write another version of it in your own words: “I cannot bear this alone, my Savior, my Christ, I seek Thy aid.”
 
Experiment 2: Spend free time or discretionary time with people who awaken in you a self-image or an outlook on life which you think you most need now in your growth.
 
Experiment 3: Rewrite the Lord’s Prayer in your own words, just as this Cayce reading gives its own version. First try to get in touch with your deepest desire to be attuned to God, then let this personal desire be expressed in the way you work each line of the prayer. Try using your version just before your meditation period.

A.R.E. Meeting for 5/2/22

 Leader: Greg for Eric

 
Six of us joined in spiritual fellowship to study and apply lessons in the chapter on “Desire.” We discussed wokeness and disinformation in our society and what Cayce might have said about these. We read the section “Spiritual Desires” in the SFG book. We read two experiments in the Experiments book:
 
Experiment 1: When you find yourself desiring something for the future, refocus that desire away from “pre-forming” how it will happen. Instead focus attention on the spirit of what you desire to have happen. When the time arrives for these future events, try to be in the now and to be creative.
 
Experiment 2: Work with the principle of giving to others in order to fulfill a specific desire which you select. Create a chart similar to the one with the headings below, using the personal desire you have chosen. Try to apply the items you list in the “How to Bring Those Feelings to Others row.
 
Example:
Conscious Desire: skin condition healed
Experience or Feeling if Desire Fulfilled: more secure in social settings; at peace with self
How to Bring Those Feelings to Others: involve shy people in activities; good listener to troubled friend