A.R.E. Meeting for 11/28/22

Leader: Cindi

 

Six wise students graduated from the chapter on Wisdom (next week is the final exam, after completion of our final experiments). We have three experiments to choose from:

 

Experiment 1: 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 2: 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 3: 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 11/21/22

Leader: Cindi

Six seekers learned the work of the soul is to spiritualize matter, and we must live our knowledge. We finished the chapter on Wisdom in the SFG book by reading the last section: “Application of Wisdom.” We read the next two experiments, which are: 

Experiment 1: 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 2: 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 11/14/22

Leader: Cindi

 

Four wise entities tried to use what knowledge they learned in the last chapter and apply it to our new chapter on “Wisdom.” We had a nice discussion on the “fear of God.” We read the “Introduction,” “The Approach to Wisdom,” and “Let Us Examine Ourselves.” We have two experiments to try this week:

 

Experiment 1: Pay attention to the timing of when you say things you know are true or do things which you know are right.

 

Experiment 2: 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 11/7/22

Leader: Cindi

Four smart, knowledgeable students finished the chapter on Knowledge this week. Our last two experiments from this chapter for this week are:

Experiment 1: 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 2: 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 10/24/22

Leader: Eric

 

Five practitioners of the faith worked on Knowledge and read one section from the chapter: “Interpretation of Self.” Our two experiments for this week are:

 

Experiment 1: 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.

 

Experiment 2: 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.

Leader: Eric

 

With Cindi joining us up to the meditation, we had five high-tempo knowledgeable entities gathered for more lessons. In the Knowledge chapter, we read the sections “Knowledge is of God” and “Knowledge is Power.” Our two experiments for this week are:

 

Experiment 1: 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 2: 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 naïve. 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.

A.R.E. Meeting for 10/10/22

 Leader: Eric (replacing Cindi for the month)

 

After a brief visit from Cindi, four remained to study the new chapter on Knowledge. We read the Introduction in the SFG book and then read two experiments:

 

Experiment 1: Try spending the first five minutes of your daily meditation period in prayer for others. Use it to orient your mind so that your following period of silence will be more in keeping with an ideal of love and service.

 

Experiment 2: Make it a discipline to take some time each day to really listen to what is concerning one or two people. You do not have the answer to their questionings. Just express your love through your attention as they open up and share.