A.R.E. Meeting for 11/27/17

Welcome William, who has been active in "group work" previously.  And thanks to Bill for being the leader in November.

The review of the Meditation chapter was completed as suggested to begin the Study of ASFG Book II. We completed the reading and discussion of Meditation in the "Red Book." And we read the three remaining experiments in our meditation chapter of "Experiments in a Search for GOD:"

  Experiment 1) Choose a specific time and place for meditation.  Keep it each day.

Experiment 2) What people in your life do you think the least of?  Write down their names. What parts of yourself do you think the least of.  Write down those parts. Work each day on treating these people and these parts of yourself as you would treat GOD. Pray for these individuals and parts of yourself each day. 

Experiment 3) Choose and write down one attitude, habit or physical condition which could be eliminated by conscious effort and which you feel may be a hindrance in your spiritual search. Then decide on a constructive attitude or way of behaving that could replace that hindering one (and write down the replacement). Work each day on manifesting that replacement attitude or behavior.  Record situations in which you are successful in manifesting this replacement attitude or behavior.

Have a good week. 

You're invited to join me in meditation at 6:55 each morning.  We're looking forward to seeing you next Monday!

Sylvia 

A.R.E. Meeting for 11/20/17

Interesting discussion on our experiments.  Our choices for our experiments this coming week are on p. 13-14 & p. 15 in the Experiments in a Search for God ...Book 1.

 1) At the beginning of each meditation period, take a few moments to become aware that there is consciousness within each cell of your body. Suggest to or ask your body to join the mind and spirit in this period of seeking. 

 2) Use  the prayer of protection given in the readings at the beginning of each meditation period. Make a special point of experiencing the inner meaning of the prayer as you use it and not just saying it by rote. 

We also read in our "Red Book," the same pages with three or more different page numbers depending on which book and edition each person had, in the Meditation chapter, either the last chapter of book ll, or the first chapter of ASFG Book I, under heading III, preparation For Meditation, (not, A., nor 1,2, 3, but (finally) B. The Mental Body, 1. The Purging of Self, and 2. Attunement of Self to the Whole, down to C. The Spiritual Body, where we will begin reading next week.

Safe travels to those going out of town. We're looking forward to seeing you next week, to learning  which experiment you chose, how the experiment went for you, and whether you'd like to report on the outcome of this week's experiment.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Sylvia

A.R.E. Meeting for 11/13/17

Greetings.  Let's welcome Connie and Donna who attended our meeting their first time tonight. It's good to welcome each of you. Our leader for the month of October is Bill Mitchell.

Last week and this week our lesson is on meditation, a review for Book II of the meditation chapter.  We read and reviewed and discussed the I. Introduction to Meditation, II. Meditation and Prayer,  2. Meditation defined, 3. Will prayer answer for meditation? III. Preparation for Meditation, The physical body, I. A knowledge, cleansing, and consecration of physical body 2.  A study of the glands. B. The Mental Body 1. The purging of self 2. Attunement of self to the Whole.

Last week and this week our choice of experiments is from the book Experiments in A Search for God, keyed to ASFG, Book one, chapter one on pages 10 and 11.

"Each individual entity, whether aware of same or not, sets before self an ideal in the material world, in the mental world, in the spiritual world." Edgar Cayce reading 1011-1.

 If we set our ideal in spiritual principles, we have a source of direction stronger than any outside force. Our decisions in life are based on a standard that comes from within. The ideal becomes the measure of how we choose to focus energy and attention physically, mentally, spiritually. It is helpful to determine what our ideals and life directions have been before actually choosing and holding up a spiritual ideal for ourselves.

Even if you've never determined what your ideals are, it will begin to be obvious to you if you complete the following exercise each day for a week.  Before going to bed, Write down what you did, thought, or experienced that day that was valuable.

1) I was praised for the report I finished today.

2) I got 2 tickets to the play I've wanted to see

3) leisurely family time at dinner

4) good prayer and meditation intervals today.

The patterns you recognize at weeks end show you the ideals you have  been living.

Experiment  (1) At days end, write down what you thought, did, experienced the past 24 hours you feel was especially valuable.

Experiment 2a) Since prayer is the concerted effort of our physical consciousness to become attuned to the consciousness of the creator, and; the first stage of meditation is the effort to awaken within the conscious mind an awareness corresponding to the superconsciousness, then, we can pray effectively and awaken and attune the consciousness mind to the divine within.

Experiment 2b) As an activity separate from your meditation period, each day have a period of prayer. (Whatever form is meaningful to you that day--petitionary-gratitude, confessional-forgiveness, praise--). A sincere-effective prayer practice can be an invaluable aid to our meditation--to be able to hold in silence the awakening and an attunement of the conscious mind to the Divine, to the ideal, and then ultimately, to transformation.

Gratefully yours,

Sylvia

A.R.E. Meeting for 10/30/17

We read in the Experiments book beginning on page 133 about the center of the page:

"He that does not love his worst enemy has not even begun to develop." 

Then the (1st) experiment that followed is below.

(1) Select and write down the name of one person whom you frequently view as an enemy, a rival or a troublesome person.  Then write down the good qualities that you can see in him.  If you cannot think of any, spend several days observing him in your daily life until you find something you can write down.  Finally spend at least a week thinking of that person in terms of these good qualities and acting on that perception.  Keep a record of your actions.

We read the next section to the experiment near the top of page 135. 

(2) Work with the principle of giving at the physical level.  Each day for at least a week, be willing to give of the best that you have. ESPECIALLY Try To do This with small things, such as sharing an exceptionally nutritious piece of food with someone or giving someone a favorite book.  Record your experiences with this approach to Love.

So we can choose one of two experiments that best works for us to live and experience God's Love in the world.

In addition, if you aren't already meditating daily, consider joining Sylvia @ 7:00 am each day to meditate on the affirmation for the current lesson at the beginning of the chapter.

On Monday, November 6, 2017,  we will begin ASFG book II. Bill is assuming the leadership for the month of November.

At least two of our group members have an extra copy or two to lend if you don't have "A Search For God" Book II. To my knowledge, there are no extra copies to share during our group of the "Experiments in Practical Spirituality" keyed to A Search for God, Book II by Mark Thurston. If you would like your own copy of one or both books, you may purchase those online from ARE's website  or they are also available by telephone.  The website is are@edgarcayce.org and the telephone number is 800-333-4499.

We look forward to seeing you next Monday.

Lovingly submitted,

Sylvia 

A.R.E. Meeting for 10/16/17

How delightful it was to welcome four new people who were attending this meeting for the first time: Melanie, Francis, Amber, and Ozz.

Cindi told us about Echo Bodine's comments on the afterlife in Denver on Saturday. Her former neighbor of thirty years ago vouches for her genuine ability to gain spiritual information. It seems many of us missed a very interesting program.

Four enthusiastic voices enlivened the discussion lead by Eric on our choice of two experiments in the "Love" Lesson, Chapter 13.  The first is described from page 132-133. Experiment:  

Make an effort to experience the potential within you to love life.  Try to have a feeling of trusting life. Look beneath those experiences that seem "ugly or  heavy, or hard" for deeper meaning and the hand of the divine. Record instances in which you are able to see life in this way.

Continuing on, the next experiment is described and laid out on page 134 as follows:

Select and write down the name of one person whom you frequently view as an enemy, a rival or a troublesome person. Then write down the good qualities that you can see in him.  If you cannot think of any, spend several days observing him In your daily life until you find something (good) you can write down.  Finally, spend at least a week thinking of that person in terms of these good qualities and acting on that perception.  Keep a record of your actions.

We read and discussed  two sections in ASFG, Chapter 12, on "Love":  "The Test of Love" (different editions' pages are numbered differently) and "Love is Giving." Next week we are ready to begin reading "Divine Love Passes Understanding."

It was an excellent meeting. In hopes you will all join us for the meeting next Monday.

Lovingly submitted,

Sylvia

A.R.E. Meeting for 10/9/17

We began a new Lesson in Chapter 12 tonight: LOVE.  We read up to the heading, The Test of Love, and stopped there in ASFG, book I.

We read the first section of chapter 13, LOVE, through the first experiment:

Demonstrate your Love for individuals in your life by greeting them by name. Make a special effort to remember names when you are introduced.  If you do not know the names of people you see frequently, try to find out.  And then use the person's name to show your caring for him as an individual.  

See you next Monday!

Lovingly in His service,
Sylvia

Discovering Your Soul's Purpose

Mark Thurston was on the Edgar Cayce Reflections show being interviewed by Peter Woodbury about the re-release of his book Discovering Your Soul's Purpose. Mark shared his five-step program to discovering (and acting on) your soul’s purpose:

1. Clarify a spiritual ideal, or get a clearer sense of one’s individuality. Know what you believe in. What is the foundation or core of your life? 

2. Take an inventory of one’s assets, strengths, talents, and gifts. Cayce used past-life stories to tell when gifts or talents where developed. He also used astrological language to help configure some of the assets or strengths, or what Carl Jung considered your  temperament type. For example, Mars can bring certain aspects or temperaments to your personality. There can be negative influences or obstacles from the planets, but focus on the positive. There are exercises you can do to hone in on what your gifts or talents are. Astrological influences are part of your individuality (soul-self), whereas past lives influences are part of your personality (or ego). 

3. Draft a first statement of mission and purpose or a life theme. How can you use your core talents and abilities that serves the greater good? It doesn’t have to be too specific or sound like a job title. Mark Thurston is a university professor and his mission statement is “Creating learning structures to support people in getting a new sense of themselves in their own positive possibilities in life.” 

4. You need a plan. How are you going to do it? For example, over the next  90 days, what would the practical or baby-steps look like in your current job, in your family, in your community, or during your free time? 

5. Watch for certain sign posts that happen more often in your life, if you are on track. Look for synchronicities, more joy, more flow, seeing other lives benefitting from your own, feeling the presence of the Creator more frequently or with more regularity. It’s not like a light bulb that is either on or off, but more like a dimmer switch.