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Editor: Judy Harrison
Asst. Editor: Grace Cavanaugh
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Volume 4: Summer
 Editors Note: As the sun moves into Cancer, summer, solstice and the first water sign of the new zodiacal year stand before us. In Cancer God breathed upon the waters and opened up this gateway to life for all of humanity. My hope for us, as we support and nurture one another and expand into greater light, is that, through effort and grace, the turbulent waters turn to calm. Change yourself - change the world.
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Good News
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In the World
In the Huffington Post on June 12, 2009 is an article by Arianna Huffington entitled "All for Good: a New Craigslist for Service". In it she writes that a group of individuals from such organizations as Google, You Tube and Craigslist, to name a few, have taken President Obama's challenge calling citizens to service and have developed a site to connect people with meaningful volunteer opportunities in their area. Check it out, All for Good or find out more by reading the article.
Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. The goal is to share this message of change and love with the widest possible audience. All can participate in this effort to connect the world through music. Playing for Change find out more.
At Spirit Fire
Start
your day in group meditation by participating in the practice of Living
Awareness; Monday through Thursday online at 9. It's as easy as
turning on your computer. To be supported by group, a gift of soul! Offered as a free service by Donna Mitchell-Moniak. Email Donna for
further information at info@SpiritFire.com
Spirit
Fire has gone global! Morning meditations, weekly book and study groups
and now its first online webinar. Register for "Revealing Soul
through Esoteric Astrology" by going to the Spirit Fire web site.
Webinar starts July 6th.
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Berry Interesting
By Donna Mitchell-Moniak
 Last year I started to cultivate a patch of wild raspberries at Spirit Fire. It's a slow process--partly because of my physical handicaps and partly because it just is. It takes time to get to know plants, their needs and rhythms, their personalities, and the devas that live within them. There's no doubt that the raspberries picked from the cultivated vines last summer were bigger, sweeter, and easier to harvest than those picked from other vines nearby. This April, I began working with the same patch as last year.
"Ladies," I said to them, "you will look marvelous when we are done!" The raspberry vines energetically responded with attention and interest. "Ladies, I need you to trust the process, trust me, and each other. Some will need to be cut completely so that others grow stronger and more beautiful. Now pull down your chi!" I pulled up my chair and, like a hair stylist, began to prune.
The auric color of the raspberry vines changed as the chi-life force was pulled back from the prickly branches down to the main stem and root of each plant. Knowing which to prune and which to cut completely could be felt in my hands and heart once I started. Intuition, communication with the plant, and the obvious need of pathways for easier picking determined how much to cut and where. Each cut was both gentle and deliberate. I talked to the raspberries as I pruned.
"Ladies, you will feel so good! Your berries will be so sweet! And you will be the talk of the town!" Half an hour later my body couldn't do any more, so I sat among the plants that had been trimmed feeling their delight. While resting, I pinched extra sets of leaves off the branches now turned into main stems, the sets of leaves telling me which ones to nip and which should remain. Looking at the small patch done that day I said with truth, "Ladies, you look mmmarvelous!" They brightened with the compliment, and began to bring their chi back into the fullness of their new svelte selves.
Each day I'd go out and do a little more, then rake the dead leaf litter and create actual pathways where stones had been removed by John and Nick. Each day the ladies and I would converse. Each day they would delight.
Somehow, last year, when I first walked up to the patch with an eye to cultivate the wild berries, I could feel feminine energy. I don't question my intuition--it has served me too well over my lifetime, but I found it interesting. This year the same thing loud and clear: they were ladies. Who knew!
If I needed confirmation, I got it when I moved from the raspberry vines to the blackberry patch in another part of the yard. Holy mackerel! These guys were guys! The blackberry plants were straight and tall; the raspberries had been curved and bending. The blackberry plants had few side branches; the raspberry plants had many along the length of their curve. And the thorns of the blackberry plants were enormous compared to the narrow, slightly curved, but very sharp thorns of the female raspberry plants.
"Gentlemen," I said, "Good day! I hope you will open yourselves to an experiment. It will make you more robust; it will concentrate your chi and make you stronger." Their look was guarded as if raising unseen eyebrows, yet I could feel the beginnings of interest. "Will someone take the challenge and show the rest of the patch the benefits?" I waited respectfully. These blackberry plants were formidable; most of them were as tall as or taller than I. My balance is not good on the best of days, and if I fell into them, it would be "curtains." And, because of my physical handicaps, if I fell I would not be able to extricate without assistance. After a pause, no plant showed any auric change to indicate readiness for the experiment of pruning, nor was there any change in the devic sound of the patch. I called up my male energy. "Gentlemen, what say ye?"
Thankfully, near the outer edge two plants turned slightly bluer in tone. The rich scarlet woody stem that stood energetically strong got softer. I thanked them for being first and brave. "Now you will be the strongest of them all. Your chi will go to make excellent heavy berries and make your stem stronger to support them." Others in the patch began to sing "me too," so I moved along. It was a slow process, much slower than with the ladies. The blackberry stems were Mars itself, hard, thick, scarlet red-green, and laden with thorns that sometimes pierced my thick leather gloves. They stood straight, unbending, unyielding except in their time and in their way. And the full-length stems that had fallen over the years lay long and prickly on the ground. They were like pointed armor barricading any entrance into the more vital parts of the thicket.
I could tell that my welcome was running out. "Okay, I hear you. Just a little more?" And I reached for one more top to cut and lost my balance. Praise God and the devas, I fell backward not forward. Backward meant that I would be able to navigate my way out; forward would have meant the unthinkable.
I apologized out loud before even trying to get up. My legs don't work well anymore. The muscles don't get the neurological signals as they should. Because of the hill I was on, I knew there would be only one try at getting up and one attempt at not falling forward as I did so. I should have stopped when the blackberries told me to and when my body was giving the same message. Just one more snip. They didn't think so! I finally managed to upright myself, but not without a few small scratches.
Of course, I went back to the "guys" a couple of days later. The ones that had been pruned looked great--robust, dynamic, and trim--and the ones around them seemed to line up for pruning. They pulled their chi down as soon as them saw me! Now, three weeks or so later, they are getting ready to flower, as are the ladies. And it's easy to see the improvement to the quality of the vines and stalks and the guaranteed yumminess of the berries to come. "Gentlemen, you look mmmarvelous!"
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Diet for the Soul
by Sara Traub
 Before considering a particular diet for the soul, as our title suggests, we need to first understand what soul is. It is a very fashionable word. It seems that if the word "soul" is in a slogan, it is deemed to bring success to the product or service. Why is that? It appears that there is something innately charismatic about soul even if people aren't sure what it is or how to access it. So then ... What is soul? We could say that soul is Love. What then is love? This is not the "I love you, I need you, I can't live without you" kind of love. That is based on personal need. The love being spoken about here is based on the Law of Love which is not attachment, not sentiment, and not attraction. It is something far greater and more vast. It is the attractive principle in the universe. It is that which makes things and people stick together - be in relationship. It brings people together. It helps us find intimacy within ourselves, and within others. We can call it the cosmic glue of the universe.
Soul is the good, the true, and the beautiful; a phrase that you have often heard before - a phrase coined by Plato centuries ago. It is our source of power.
Soul is, in fact, our true source of power. It is not power over people, or power over circumstances, but the power of the Self, which stands whole, unique, individual, and understands its universality with all of life. Soul's desire is to serve, to work, and to shine.
Soul breathes - here we are - incarnated, in the flesh. Now what of this relationship? Soul is intimate with the personality, but how many personalities are intimate with soul? Unfortunately, personality doesn't remember how it came to be, or the light that is inside it, and so it turns away and seeks wholeness outside of itself, only to be disillusioned before it finally makes its way back to its real home. Soul always needs us - the personality - to be its vehicle, to be its feet in the world, its hands to touch, to serve, to heal, to work, to express. We personalities appear to need what the senses can give us, what our eyes can see and our hands choose to grasp. That's a very real difference from how soul would choose to touch.
Soul doesn't necessarily want to touch a fine fabric, or run its fingers over a painting, the way we might, because there is beauty in the painting and beauty in the fabric. Soul would rather create the painting that other people could see, and would rather wrap up people, who are cold and who are homeless, in the fabric. Soul is the sublime and it is the refined in all things. It is subtle, yet very distinct.
As we move into wanting to experience more soul, we might learn about God via religion or meditative practices, via service or volunteerism. With this movement, we enter into a whole new relationship with life, because we've entered into a whole new relationship with ourselves, and that relationship is of the subtle. The voice of the silence does not scream in our ear. The voice of the silence, the voice of soul, is very quiet; it is about meaning. Eventually, having, like the prodigal son, searched high and low, desired the world and then some, we have only one place left to go - inside- and ask ourselves questions like: What is this about? What is my life about? What am I doing with my life? What is MY purpose in life?
Each and every one of us has qualities of soul already manifesting through our personalities whether we recognize them or not.
Let's look at what is temporary and what is lasting. Think for a moment about our own lives and how much time we spend engaged in things that are only temporary - things that do not feed or become part of the mining of the gold that is our essential self. Consider talking on the phone, or watching T.V. Can you imagine if we spent half the amount of time that we spend on these activities instead in meditation; the results would be forever - lasting. Everything that comes from the outside is temporary, like a book, T.V., or a good conversation. However, when we feed ourselves internally, with, for example, a simple daily meditation practice - this is lasting. It can't be taken away.
From time to time it is important to look at ourselves from a detached vantage point. How many of our conversations for example are deep rather than superficial. Take a quick minute to scan the last conversation that we've had. Would we say we've had deep conversations, or were they superficial? If superficial, then why? How many times do we find ourselves on the same treadmill with people, where we relive old patterns of behavior that we recognize as old, but seem powerless to change? It requires awareness, and a tremendous amount of active energy to move us to a different space, a new groove, so to speak.
Fulfillment - Now there's a word that seems to elicit interesting comments from people. It comes about from an urge within that wants to feel whole. It is a lack, a desire for wholeness that drives us to do many things to fill that void. Desire fills whatever the desire might be, whether it is a piece of chocolate cake, a trip to the Caribbean, or a one-night stand. The question is, however, do these filled desires last? They may be tasty, fun, and even have a faint resemblance to love, but do they fulfill us? Do they last beyond one night or one week? So... I would like to pose a question to you. What do you find fulfilling? Stop and think about this for a moment.
Ful / fill / ment - filling, to feel full. Full of what? Full of wholeness. And wholeness is Soul. The paradox of wholeness, or fulfillment, lies in the filling. It does not come from the outside. Wholeness is not food, not sex, not appearance, not a Cartier watch, or a cruise around the world. Wholeness is about one's essence, and that can only be found within.
If you take time to listen to the inner, you become aware of yourself inside. Soul's rhythm is different; slower, patient, and waiting with open arms, ready to envelop and caress the personality. We tend to feel soul's embrace only occasionally because we are pulled without in seeking, desiring, holding, and grasping all that the outer world has to offer. It is quite often very enticing.
We are busy, busy, busy, the hamster on the treadmill. By not knowing the gifts of the soul, we try to replace the feelings of emptiness and loneliness with that which is much less. As we do so, that treadmill becomes our comfort zone; the more we fill ourselves and our time with the fleeting, the superficial, the quick fix, the more we are trapped in a need/feed syndrome that will never totally satisfy, never fulfill, and never bring wholeness. This dynamic is not unfamiliar to us. Many of us feel trapped. Our emotions tell us that in several different ways, many times a week, and yet our minds do not register it.
If we are feeling incomplete, it stems from a basic lack of wholeness. Whatever is our emptiness or addiction, it stems from lack. A lack of what? - Our apparent lack of well being, of self-worth, of fulfillment, of inner guidance. All these things can be found within us, in Soul. As long as we look outside of ourselves for our Self-fulfillment, we will come up short. When we begin to look inside, breathe inside, have a relationship with our Essence, fullness enters. We experience wholeness. That wholeness is known in many different ways, as peace, joy, light or power, comfort, harmlessness, and a divine respect for all of life.
Spirituality, or soul, is seen in us through qualities that we share with the world. From a collective perspective, we see goodness in people all around the world in service to each other, particularly in times of crises. We see them band together and give, care, and nurture those in need. This is often seen during major crisis, earthquakes, wildfires, and floods, where the international community comes to the aid of those suffering. This is soul at work, a diet that is clearly filling.
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Sitting in Gemini
By Julianne
 Falling upward
A tickle on my face
Sweet magic sunshine
Breathing in grace
Layers of clouds
Angels abound
Decorated souls
One harmonic sound
A pulling upward
A height and greater view
To the depth of my soul
Where words are but few
Symbols and patterns
Changing and growing
Sharing the light
Omniscient knowing
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Mongolia: The Land of Shamballa
by Darren Roth
This article will be presented in two parts. This first part will discuss the recent history of Buddhism in Mongolia. The second part will discuss Shamballa; an energetic center said to be located in southern Mongolia in the Gobi Desert.
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 To many in the world, Mongolia is home to the land of Shamballa; a belief that somewhere in the Gobi Desert lies the energetic center of an unspeakable light and power. Interestingly, many Mongolians believe the same thing. The legend of Shamballa and its location is deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhism; the traditional religion of Mongolia. If you were to pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet travel guide to Mongolia, you would read that over 80% of all Mongolians practice Tibetan Buddhism. However, the reality is that there are few visible signs. Being a resident of Mongolia for the last year, I have often wondered 'where are all the Buddhists hiding?' To understand this, we have to dive into Mongolia's recent history.
In the 1920's, Mongolia began its war of independence with China. Because they had few resources, they enlisted the help of the Soviet Red Army to help drive the Chinese from their land. It worked. Shortly after attaining independence, the Soviet government put pressure on the new Mongolian government and Mongolia became a de facto Soviet state. It wasn't long before the Mongolians realized there would be a heavy price to pay for the "aid" of the Soviets.
In 1928, Mongolian politics officially turned towards communism. Herds were collectivized, private trade and transport forbidden, and the monasteries and nobility came under attack. This led to economic collapse and to widespread uprisings. The new laws were repealed for a short time, but another wave of repressions began in 1937.
The "Stalinist Repressions" lasted until 1939. The attacks were brutal. The result was almost the complete elimination of the Mongolian Buddhist clergy. The number of people killed during the repression is usually estimated to have been between 22,000 and 35,000 people; nearly 18,000 victims were Buddhist monks and lamas. Of the hundreds of monasteries, all but a few were burned to the ground. Only one remained open, but even this monastery's activities were restricted and carefully watched. The Stalinist Repressions were a deliberate attempt at cultural destruction. Unfortunately, the repressions coupled with an additional 50 years of communist "re-education" and control proved a heavy blow to the ancient Mongolian culture. Upon gaining true independence in 1990, the new Mongolian constitution declared a return to the religious freedom that was a hallmark of Ghengis Khan's rule in the early 13th century. People were free once again to practice their traditional ways. However, this is not what happened.
After decades of oppression, Buddhism was slow to come out of hiding. During the dark years, Mongolian Buddhists practiced in secret. The oppression was severe enough that entire generations of children grew up without any real exposure to traditional Buddhist teachings. Even today, there are few qualified lamas in Mongolia who understand the real meaning of what they practice. The great teachers and scholars of their land were murdered decades before. This has created a spiritual vacuum. Some of the older generation still practice Tibetan Buddhism, but in a country where the average life expectancy is 65, most of the elders have passed on. The younger generations of today, having had no monastery to attend or lamas to learn from, are mostly agnostic.
With their door open to the world for the first time in hundreds of years and the people having temporarily lost their faith, it was the western powers of Europe and North America that came knocking. They carried with them the promise of wealth and development. In a very short period of time, the Mongolians were convinced that Capitalism and the "free market" was their future. Along with Capitalism, the west has also exported their religion. Christianity is the fastest growing faith in Mongolia with over 60,000 now calling themselves Christians. The largest of these being the Mormons. Buddhism is continuing to make a very slow recovery.
Change is spreading rapidly in Mongolia. The old traditions are quickly being replaced by more western values. What does this mean for the future of Buddhism in Mongolia? What does this say about a land that is believed to be the home of Shamballa? Stay tuned for Part 2 in the next issue of Soundings...
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XI Justice
by Grace Cavanaugh
 We begin our ponderings on the second half of the Major Arcana; some students of the Tarot have speculated that the first half (cards 1 to X) deals with the personal, while the second half (cards XI to XX) deals with the universal, and that the Fool (card 0) is moveable as it is applicable to all situations presented in the card reading. We will approach Justice with this in mind, although it is my impression that all of the cards can be read from both a personal and a universal perspective.
Justice is depicted as an androgynous looking figure sitting on a stone throne situated between two stone pillars. Justice, usually considered to be female, is adorned with a simple crown and dressed in the robes of a judge. In the right hand she holds a two edged sword, and in the left a scale. Behind her is a purple cloth draped in such a way as to allow sunshine to peek through. This figure is unlike the familiar depictions of Justice which usually picture her blindfolded to indicate that the law does not discriminate between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak; the law is blind and is applied equally to all.
The Tarot Justice, on the other-hand, is not blindfolded, but instead stares with eyes wide open looking straight at the viewer. The blindfolded Justice follows the laws of man, the laws of society, while the Tarot Justice is about the laws of God, the laws of the universe. It is a justice based on karma, the Law of Cause and Effect. Each action creates a re-action; it is the law of nature. Divine Justice is impartial and fair; it does not discriminate and is not influenced in any way. The Law is the law and there are no exceptions. It is our role as individuals to be responsible for our own actions. The two edged sword cuts both ways, sometimes the effects are favorable and sometimes unfavorable. Life is fair and just; it is imperative, however, that we constantly aim for a balance so that the scales are balanced, our actions balanced by results. Each lifetime we have an opportunity to begin again, to right the wrongs of our past life, to earn good karma.
Karma is sometimes thought of as punishment and retribution, whereas it is about the law of cause and effect. Each action precipitates a reaction, what you sow you shall reap; it is about the consequences of one's actions. It is not fate; we create our own destiny in that if we sow goodness we reap goodness and if we sow pride, selfishness, etc., we will reap the results of these.
The sword plays a significant role in the card of Justice. There is a history of the sword that can be traced back thousands of years. It has been used by warriors, robbers, and executioners for the pursuit of good and evil. It has been perceived as a symbol of power, protection, justice, and the word of God, and has been considered to have magical powers. For some, it was even thought that the sword had possession of one's soul. In the Tarot Justice we see that the sword is in the right hand and that it is pointing upwards, a position that suggests victory. It is only in victory, living in right relationship with the universe, that the scales are balanced. When balanced, it means that events have turned out as they were meant to. Whatever is happening in the present in our lives is what is meant to happen because it is the results derived from our past decisions.
Astrologically, Justice is ruled by Libra, a sign typified by beauty, harmony, and right relations. The balancing scales are a symbol of Libra. The scale is a symbol of law, truth, and fairness and can represent the ability to view our lives and actions from a more balanced viewpoint. It is, then, the balance of right relations with everything, our dealings with others, with ourselves, and all of God's manifestation. We are constantly balancing between the two polarities of personality and soul, spirit and matter. Balance in all of life leads to beauty and harmony, whether that is in our right relationship with all of matter, but is also seen in the beauty of nature and art. So, Libra guides us on the path of Justice bringing us to a peaceful harmony with ourselves and with all that we encounter. In establishing right relations, the advanced Librian dissolves all distinctions and views all of manifestation as one interdependent and interconnected whole. This attitude insures a true expression of justice.
The number of this card is 11, which is a master number and can be seen as a higher octave of the number 1. Master numbers can be more powerful in both a positive and a negative way. The number 1 is about new beginnings, leadership, courage, and determination. Not only do we have a new beginning each lifetime, but, in reality, we have a new beginning each day. We aim to face the day with new determination and resolve, to be just and fair in all of our relationships, and most especially with ourselves. We are often our own worst critic. It is good to recall that soul never judges or criticizes, so all negative thoughts of self and others come from the little self, the personality. Let Justice guide us to a harmonious and balanced life.
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Spirit Fire at the World Service Intergroup (WSI) 2009 Conclave
by Jennifer Paris
 I just knew that going to the 2003 WSI Conclave in Findhorn, Scotland would change my life - and it did! I was living in Brussels, Belgium, at the time and attending a Spirit Fire class in Colorado every few months. Having studied with Donna since 1995, I had already experienced many openings in awareness, changes in values and viewpoints, and the rudiments of a meditative practice. Still, being far from home, I longed for meditative community, especially with anyone who had a foundation in the Blue Books (the works of Alice Bailey)! So, when I heard about the WSI inviting a representation of 32 esoteric spiritual groups, I wanted Spirit Fire to be a part of it. And, that the meeting would be in Europe was even more of an incentive - I wanted to be there!
It was a magical meeting of 180 meditators from groups all over the world, mostly students of Alice Bailey, Lucile Cedercrans, and Agni Yoga. The bonds of friendship that were made, triangles that were formed, and working groups that began projects that year have been a common thread throughout all subsequent conclaves.
The WSI has been meeting each year since 1996 during one of the Three Spiritual Festivals (the full moon of Aries, Taurus, or Gemini) in various locations around the world including the five powerful planetary centers of New York, London, Geneva, Darjeeling, and Tokyo. Its purpose is to generate a focused, conscious, and deliberate intergroup effort to specifically assist the Externalization of the Hierarchy and the Reappearance of the Christ. (Hierarchy is a term used here to refer to those spiritual Masters of all traditions who have evolved through human experience to embody greater light, love - wisdom, and spiritual power through ceaseless service to humanity and the Divine Plan. The Christ is a term referring to the Enlightened One who holds the office of "Teacher of Men and Angels Alike.")
This year's conclave was held outside of London at the full moon of Aries, in April. We met at the beautiful All Saints Pastoral Centre that had been a convent from 1901 to 1973. St. Albans is where Master R. had two of his incarnations, as St. Albans (the first British Christian martyr) and Sir Francis Bacon. On the first evening, time was set aside for informal introductions. The sense of common purpose expressed from all over the world was so wonderful, a true brotherhood of groups.
This year's sacred hall was a beautiful room where all ninety people represented WSI members from around the world. Seven people recited The Great Invocation around a table with a central candle and votives in the colors of the seven rays. The Words of Power of each ray were invoked around the circle, and the ceremony ended with The Great Invocation in English, Russian, Spanish, Danish, Italian, and Portuguese - whatever language seven people speak together!
After each meditation, there was a sharing that reflected the group mind. This year's sharing is summarized by Eva Lassen of Denmark:
"This is a summary of the group sharing following the meditation. In reading all the impressions, it occurred to me that even though they may seem many-fold and diverse, they are all the expression of a strong inner-connectedness. The overall energy streaming through the impressions is optimism and an immense, loving acknowledgement of our endeavors from the Ashram of Synthesis. Little by little we get to see ourselves as true disciples of the Christ, and little by little we open ourselves to the understanding that we are builders of the New Civilization through our common subjective activities as members of WSI and our many, many different ways of bringing the inner reality into manifestation in our groups."
Especially meaningful and timely was the Meditation for Middle East Peace, which the group does as a service weekly throughout the year, performed together at the conclave. Uta Gabay represented her group in Israel, a group of Israelis and Palestinians trying to find common ground. From Ute's meditation:
"Crossing the group rainbow bridge I became aware of the great network of spiritually aligned and co-creative groups and how we are all interwoven in it. I had an image of the roof of my building, where our group work is done, wrapped into a huge Banner of Peace. And I saw a line from Darjeeling to Jerusalem, infusing Jerusalem with the Peaceful Silent Will coming through Darjeeling.
My sense was that if I can stick it out in Jerusalem and sound the note, the international threads can become more substantial and our little centre can be a more defined inlet for the peaceful silent will, magnifying the archetypal purpose of Jerusalem as the City of Peace." Ute was presented with a Banner of Peace from the WSI groups to carry to her meeting place in Israel.
On the day of the full moon, there was a 24-hour vigil where The Great Invocation was sounded in the room every 15 minutes. The group energy was powerful and palpable day and night in the hours before the full moon.
There is a fragrance - how on earth shall I describe it?
It is the fragrance of silence.
So subtle, so powerful, so delicate, so sweet!
I breathe it, it breathes me. I am in it, it is in me.
There it is - the "me" becomes irrelevant.
It dissolves the "me". Yet I keep coming back.
It is - dare I say the word - Sacred! Yes, but that's just a word
It is all pervading, indescribably gentle, immensely powerful.
It lives me, it is like floating petals - yet that's much too solid.
This is what it's all about: Dissolve, recreate, live the silent fragrance, the delicate stillness.
Soren Hauge
Throughout the conclave, there was focus on the practical - sharing ideas, coming together in working groups that can continue to work throughout the year on some aspect of the Work of interrelatedness - economy, education, meditation, culture, societal issues, etc. and how this work can be furthered in the coming year. There was movement, singing, and deep sharing. There were also six excellent short teachings offered about meditation, the Christ, and astrology.
Two shifts that we experienced over the few days together, and greatly appreciated, were that it felt like true group work - egos were small, and our common humanity was ever present - and the meditations stressed inner-being - that the divine is inside each of us - and the practical sharing of our inner divinity can be manifested in our daily work and in our relationships with our families.
What will stay with me throughout the year are the sound of glasses, silverware, and plates in the lively dining hall and the hum of lively conversations - some in Russian, some in Italian, some in Portuguese, but most in English and heavily-accented English, as international friends shared their lives and their esoteric and practical work in the world. I will treasure for another year the deep connections of friends made this year and in year's past, the peace of my little room open on the well-kept quadrangle of the center, and the walks with co-workers on the spring grass and English roads. Sitting by the crypt of St. Albans and listening to the beautiful young voices of a boy's choir, I had a sense of the livingness of past and present - honoring the sacrifice of Alban's spiritual path while the choir's vitality spoke of living human aspiration. Touching the flint-like stones that make up the walls of the house of Francis Bacon, my feet became alive with a flow of energy that seemed to rivet me to the earth. As the WSI group sounded The Great Invocation in His home, I felt the Father pouring energy through the group beneath the absent roof onto the Mother beneath the now-dirt floor.
Perhaps now I am used to the fact of spiritual community in my life, which makes the conclave more of a touchstone than a life-changing event. However, I joyously remember that first conclave, where I gave my pledge to somehow walk my path differently and with more focus, and the dramatic change it brought to my life. Yet, the annual opportunity to be with so many international co-workers of goodwill doing such good work in the world is a vivid reminder that we all play our part in weaving the tapestry of light that is the One Work.
Next year's conclave will be held at the Community of Living Ethics in Citta della Pieve, Italy during the Gemini Full Moon Festival. The Conclave will also include a trip to Assisi.
For more information about the WSI, visit www.synthesis.tc. If you would like the WSI meditation form, or would like to know more about representing Spirit Fire at the conclave, e-mail me at mntnhiker@sprintmail.com.
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Upcoming Programs
Webinars/Classes/Retreats in Eastern Massachusetts
Revealing Soul through Esoteric Astrology
Donna Mitchell-Moniak - info@SpiritFire.com
M & W at 7pm for 4 weeks beginning July 6th
The Psychology of Energy - A Journey of self Discovery
Donna Mitchell-Moniak - info@SpiritFire.com
W at 7pm for 8 weeks beginning Aug 5th
Free Morning Living Awareness Meditations
Donna Mitchell-Moniak - info@Spirit Fire.com
M-Th at 9am
Spiritual Path
Beginning September 25, 2009
Donna Mitchell-Moniak - info@SpiritFire.com
1year program exploring the path of human consciousness
Awareness Retreat
Donna Mitchell-Moniak - info@SpiritFire.com
Level 1 - Sept 16-20
Level 2 - Oct 28-Nov1
Meditation Circle
Martha Henry-MacDonald
www.HarmonyCenter.com
1st & 3rd Tues of the month
Harmony Center, Medfield Ma
Conscious Living Programs in Colorado /Webinars
Evening online Meditations
Cherie Peterson - heartispower@gmail.com
Thurs. at 7pm beginning Sept 3rd
Wisdom Study Series
Cherie Peterson - heartispower@gmail.com
- Oct 7th 7pm Conscious Transition
- Oct 14th 7pm Chakras and Energy System
- Oct 21st 7pm Being Soul
- Oct 28th 7pm Conscious Creation
Revealing Soul Through Astrology
Joy Om - joyom@indra.com
Mon at 7pm beginning Sept 14th
Webinar/Class in Ontario, Canada
Soul of Money
Sara Traub - sara.traub1@gmail.com
A look at abundance during these changing times
Mondays at 7pm for 6 weeks starting July 20
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Learn more about all the programs and new webinars at SpiritFire.com!
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