A.R.E. Meeting for 2/25/19

Leader: Cindi

Four merciful students met tonight to continue our study into happiness. Sylvia led off with a poem from a card that her sister meant to send her. We later learned how Sylvia became involved with healing. Eric relayed some details he found out about WWI, and the horrors that people had to face.

In the Happiness chapter we read the sections “Who Are Happy?” and “When Are We Happy.” In the Experiments book, we read through the experiment on page 128, which reads:

Experiment: Make an effort to be more unpretentious and quiet in your daily affairs. Ask others about themselves and tum the limelight away from you.

Sylvia takes her turn leading the group in March, thanks to John’s list of upcoming group leaders.

A.R.E. Meeting for 2/11/19

Leader: Greg (for Cindi)

Four happy friends met tonight to begin the chapter on Happiness. John started off with a dream about a circle of colors that brought another color (a former enemy) into their circle. We also had a brief discussion about reincarnation. In the Happiness chapter, we read “What is Happiness,” and most of the next section “Who are Happy?”

We covered one experiment in the Experiments book (which makes it easier to remember):

Experiment: Bring God into the happy moments of your life. During the day, when you have periods of feeling happy, remember the role that God is always playing in your life. With this recognition and remembrance, or with the words of a short prayer, be thankful.

A.R.E. Meeting for 2/4/19

Leader: Cindi

Five eager students attended our wisdom session for the week. It was interesting how many used an altered diet for the experiments this week, with peanuts, sugar, and trail mix all involved. In health concerns, Cindi relieved us when she said her most recent tests were good. When Eric asked the question, a definite majority have taken the Shingles vaccine.

We finished reading the chapter on Wisdom in the SFG book. In the Experiments book, we finished the chapter and have three experiments worthy of our time:

Experiment: Make only those decisions which need to be made today. If you find yourself worrying about a future decision, try to reorient your attitude. Trust that when the time comes when you really will have to choose, then you will know what to do. Pray that experience and necessary guidance will be shown to you between now and the time you have to decide.

Experiment: At least for one day go through the whole day without speaking unkindly of anyone. When you feel tempted to speak unkindly about a shortcoming of someone, remember that it is not up to you to make that person face up to himself. You may be right-that fault may be there. Instead, remember your sincere desire to see that person be whole and healed. Act or speak out of wisdom in such a way that it helps bring to the surface that person's wholeness.

Experiment: Where in your life have you honestly explored your capabilities and discovered the boundaries or limits which are unique to you (e.g., in physical exercise, areas of intellectual study, capabilities in your work, talent and skill in the home, etc.)? For those areas where you know of the boundaries which are now best for you, try living within them as best you can without any sense of inadequacy, self-criticism or comparison with others.

A.R.E. Meeting for 1/28/19

Leader: Eric

Four frigid wisdom seekers witnessed the polar vortex in the library meeting room. There was even a brief discussion about climate change (it must have been the room). Care giving also was part of the evening discussion. Our thoughts and prayers went to Scott on his wife’s surgery, and to Eric who will be spending some time taking care of his father.

In the SFG book, we read one section: “The Approach to Wisdom.”

The experiments to try for the coming week are:

Experiment: Do the right thing when the timing is right, even if by appearances things may seem to be a bit worse at first. Use wisdom to evaluate and judge fruits at all levels.

Examples: Give up a habit you have been wanting to eliminate even though at first it may make you very uncomfortable; or, communicate an emotion you have been keeping bottled up inside you, even though at first it may seem to weaken your relationship to the person you tell.

Experiment: Eliminate shortcuts to wisdom which employ a misuse of intellect and logic. Select something which your intellect tells you will likely lead to good results in the physical plane (e.g., diet or a certain way of behaving with others). Probably it's something you have been thinking about doing for some time, but you already know how it will turn out. Now try living it.

A.R.E. Meeting for 1/14/19

Leader: Eric

Five regulars convened to grow in Wisdom. We discussed Bible figures (like Enoch) and Eric asked if anyone had Eula Allen’s “The Creation Trilogy.” I notice that the ARE has a circulating file called “Theory of Creation” for $5 for ARE members, but don’t know if Eula Allen had a hand in it.

We read the Introduction to the Wisdom chapter in the SFG book, then covered two experiments in our Experiments book.

The experiments are:

Experiment: Pay attention to the timing of when you say things you know are true or do things which you know are right.

Experiment: With your thoughts bring God and your spiritual ideal into one area which you may have thought was too trivial or too human for His concern. One way to do this is simply to have short periods of prayer while you are involved in that activity.

A.R.E. Meeting for 1/7/19

Leader: John (for Eric)

Five entities met in a chilly room to discuss knowledge. We reviewed the three experiments that we had over the past three weeks, which took a while.

We finished the chapter on Knowledge in both the SFG book and the Experiments book.

Again, we have a choice of three experiments before we move to the Wisdom chapter.

Experiment: Make a list of two or three qualities which you know are in you but others may not know about because you rarely, if ever, expose them. Select ones which you would like to reveal more often (e.g., a sense of humor, a serious side, warmth, a good organizer, a good listener). When you start up a new relationship, try to show two or three of these qualities early in your experiences together.

Experiment: Identify three or four specific groups of which you are a member (e.g., your family, your work group, your study group, your circle of friends). Try to be a leaven to the consciousness and awareness of the group. Through what you say and do help to direct the flow of energies of each group in the most constructive, hopeful way possible.

Experiment: Consider the relationships in your life about which you have the most knowledge. These are probably ones of trust in which the individuals have been able to share with you deep and important things about themselves. It is likely that they are also the relationships in which you can most easily hurt the other person. For a week make a special effort to be kind-in word and action-to one of these people.

A.R.E. Meeting for 12/17/18

Leader: John

Five gods met to discuss the subject of knowledge, among other topics, like near-death experiences, synchronicities, and helping others we meet.

In the Knowledge chapter of the SFG book, we read the section “Interpretation of Self.”

We read through three experiments, and Eric says we can do them all because we won’t be meeting the next two weeks. We are at the middle of page 112 in the Experiments book. The experiments are:

Experiment: Each day try to find a tempo of acting, thinking and feeling which puts you in touch with the tempo your soul wants to get done what it needs. Use that resultant extra energy which becomes available in a creative way.

Experiment: Try to let go of any embarrassment or uncomfortableness you may experience with the spiritual things you believe even though people who are "worldly wise,” may think you foolish, impractical or naive. Be willing earnestly and sincerely to share aspects of the spiritual path you are on. With sensitivity and an eye toward proper timing take the initiative in such sharing.

Experiment: Pick several routine actions in your life. For a period of several days experience your freedom from that patterned way of living your life by finding alternatives to those actions.