A.R.E. Meeting for 3/20/17

Cindi, John, Sylvia and I met Monday night at 7. We visited for a bit. Cindi shared a moving poem by Henry Van Dyke entitled "Gone from Sight." John discussed mathematicians' right and left brain usage. He shared some math equations with us.

We meditated after Sylvia led us in neck and breathing exercises. Thank you again, Sylvia!

We discussed last week's experiment about focusing on listening to others.

We read in the Fellowship chapter the section titled "Our Fellowship with God." We discussed how hard it can be at times to show our love of God by showing our love to our fellow man.

We read in the Experiments in a Search for God, pages 65 to 66, down to the experiment.

We selected the experiment on page 66: "Select one pattern that you frequently hold of resentment toward or irritation with another person. Each day for a week work with letting go of that pattern. Stop feeding it and giving attention to it when it comes to your mind. Even though a part of you may enjoy entertaining it, affirm that the reward of knowing fellowship with God will be a greater experience. Keep a record of your experiences of knowing a greater sense of fellowship this way."

In regards to the difficult situation you choose with another, do some of you feel "a part of you may enjoy entertaining it?" Or do you feel hurt, horrified, or some other emotion?

June

A.R.E. Meeting for 3/13/17

Sylvia and I were the only attendees at this meeting. We hope everyone else is doing well.

Sylvia and I visited and shared about our week. I shared today's page from Unity's Daily Word.

We meditated after Sylvia led us in neck and breathing exercises. Thank you again, Sylvia! (Always remember to open your meditations with The Lord's Prayer and close afterward with the 23rd Psalm!)

We discussed last week's experiment.

I read in the Fellowship chapter the section titled "Am I my Brother's Keeper?" We discussed the ideas presented.

Sylvia read in the Experiments in a Search for God, pages 64 to 66. We discussed the reading and in particular the quote "If the wrong man uses the right means, the right means work in the wrong way." Do any of you have thoughts about this?

We selected the experiment on page 65 which begins...Listen to others.

Sylvia read four letters from prison inmates from  the book "Unlocking Hope."

Hope you have a good week!

June

A.R.E. Meeting for 3/6/17

June here. I am attempting to lead the meetings for the month of March.

I emphasize "trying," as the first thing I did was to accidentally wash my Experiments book in the washing machine over the weekend. (Sylvia was nice to give me another copy.)

We socialized for a bit and John shared a dream, Cindi shared a poem, and I shared today's page from Unity's Daily Word.

We meditated after Sylvia led us in neck and breathing exercises. Thank you, Sylvia!

We discussed last week's experiment. You missed the discussion if you weren't there.

We actually read and finished discussing the chapter on Virtue and Understanding in the experiment book. I think they said it took over 4 months to finish the chapter in both books. (December really doesn't count, ya know?!)

Fellowship is our new chapter. The Experiment on page 64 of Experiments in a Search for God, Book I is our exercise for the week.

Did you know we have a "Lending Library" of ARE books? We ask for borrowers to return the books within a month if possible. Our current titles we are bringing to the Monday night meetings are:

The Revelation

Edgar Cayce's Everyday Health

Edgar Cayce on Sex and the Spiritual Path

Edgar Cayce on Religion and Psychic Experience

If you have duplicate copies of some ARE/Edgar Cayce books that you don't care if they may disappear (some peoples' kids!! - don't return books) and want to add them to the offerings - bring them on down! I know I always pick up any decent copies of There is a River if I see one at garage sales, used book stores, and such (love that book!). I give them away.

Hope to see you next Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least pray for us - we need it, ha!

A.R.E. Meeting for 2/27/17

We read more in the Experiments in a Search for God book, Chapter 6 on Virtue and Understanding.  We read up through the experiment on page 60.  There are 3 experiments to choose from.

1.  Unless it would result in the violation of a principle or ideal you hold, allow others to do the acts of service and caring that they offer you.  (pg. 56)

2.  Each day allow a sense of peace to fill your life by being tolerant of others or of inharmonious patterns within yourself.  (pg. 58)

3.  Choose an example from your own life of an experience of faith in which you feel you touched the purity of the soul (a meditation experience, a dream).  For at least 2 minutes each day, recall that experience and you learned from it.

Peace and love,

Cindi

A.R.E. Meeting for 2/14/17

Leader:  Cindi

Reader:  June

We read in "Experiments in a Search for God" pages 54-56.

We discussed last week's experiment on Purity--finding God's presence in ourselves and everyone else, even those we don't admire.

This week's experiment on page 56:

"Choose one principal that you have been recommending to others that they apply.  Write down that teaching or principle (e.g.  'we must be patient,' a particular dietary regime.)  Each day make an effort to (1) refrain from telling others to apply this principle and (2) apply it in your own life.

Blessings,

Cindi

We skipped the previous experiment for now, because we wanted to know more about spiritual laws.

I found a list:

•Like Begets like
•As you sow so shall you reap
•The spirit of you actions multiplies the results
•Like attracts like
•Opposites repel
•As you seek you attract and are attracted to that which will fulfill your search
•As you seek you repel and are repelled by that which will not fulfill you search
•For every effect there is a cause
•There is nothing by chance
•Nothing happens by chance: there is a purpose to everything that happens
•As thought and purpose and aim and desire are set in motion by minds, there effect is as a condition that is
•Know the truth and the truth shall make you free
•God is
•As you honor respect and love your own unique individuality, so you honor respect and love the individuality of others
•Your true needs, wants, desires, hopes, dreams, wishes and their fulfillment are as important as those of any other soul in existence
•You must first 'save' yourself if you would 'save' another
•As you put the God within first in you life, so you manifest the God you are
•As you become master of your lower self, so all things, conditions, and elements become subject to you
•Spirit is the life, mind is the builder, physical is the result
•Life is the experiences of your choices
•If you will be my people, I will be your God
•Seek the Spirit within and all things shall be added you have need of
•Seek first the Spirit within and you will find
•Ask the Spirit, with faith, and you will receive
•Knock, with faith in Spirit, and the door will be opened
•All exchanges balance
•As you believe, so it becomes for you
•Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith
•Love transforms
•True giving manifests love
•As you give so it is measures to you again
•As you give you gain in understanding

A.R.E. Meeting for 11/28/16

We received a "Merry Christmas" card from ARE Virginia Beach Spiritual Growth Program. We also got a book in the mail, edited by Richard Copeland, titled "Unlocking Hope." This book contains letters received by ARE's prison outreach program.
   
After our meditation and prayers we read a few of the life changing letters. Letters from various prisons requesting books and expressing gratitude for "...so inspiring my soul and strengthen my walk..." sparked a discussion on solitary confinement, experiences writing inmates letters via the ARE prison outreach, working with people released and attempting to integrate and adjust to society again or experiences with homeless people.

 A backward look brought one lady greater faith and the realization she was well protected in a city's poor, tough neighborhood working the graveyard shift. Mostly men came at 2 am from bars into the donut shop for coffee. She  later learned the kind, polite homeless man she befriended was being paid to beat people up. So none of the men ever gave her any problems.She let him sleep in the backseat of her car while she worked all night.

 And so ended our lesson on "Faith." Next month we begin chapter 6, "Virtue and Understanding." John will step in again if Martinaya is unable to join us.

Our experiment is on page 49.  "Select a situation in which you need greater faith to bridge the space between your conscious perspective and a a deeper more insightful awareness.  Pray at night for a dream to strengthen your faith in your chosen situation."

Faithfully yours,
Sylvia Raye

A.R.E. Meeting for 11/21/16

Happy Thanksgiving!

Never have I felt gratitude as deeply as when I realized the adult sleeping on a nursing home hard tile floor was a homeless adult offspring! No pillow, sheet or blanket. A temporary spot on the floor!

Continuing our discussion &  lesson on faith, we read down to the experiment on page 48:  choose and write down the name of one person with whom you frequently feel frustrated or irritated because you don't think he behaves or believes  in a way best for his own growth.  Daily during the coming week, replace such thoughts and affirm:  divine forces are active in that persons life.  God cares about and will guide him in experiences he needs.  Log situations in which you experience this kind of faith in another person.

The experiment you do is your choice, the one on page 47 or any in the Faith chapter that appeal to you.

Gratefully, faithfully yours,

Sylvia