Some Ways To Peace and Unity

I truly believe that we cannot be a part of peace in this world if we don't have peace in our hearts. We can't use unkind language toward others, fight with our partners, or foster deep judgments and chasms between races and religions and then expect a world of understanding and peace. It starts right where we are.

If we want a peaceful world, we get to create that within ourselves first. I find my inner work to be the most important part of every day. Taking time to remember that which is larger than me and also looking at and softening the hard places within myself are two things that not only help me to move with compassion in the world, but they also help me to keep some sanity amidst the noise all around me.

Ruthie Rosauer and my friend, Liz Hill, have created a book titled Singing Meditation: Together in Sound and Silence. One of my practices has been to participate in zikr - a singing prayer/meditation that helps one to remember and connect with that which is the source of everything - so I am excited about this book.



According to co-author, Liz Hill:

Singing meditation is a communal spiritual practice that combines repetitive singing of short, simple, interfaith songs with periods of undirected silence. It is like chant, but the music is more varied and crosses religious and cultural barriers (with respect and recognition).

Ruthie Rosauer, who has been leading this practice for five years for a variety of audiences, has written a book with Liz Hill to explain the practice and encourage people to try it. Singing Meditation: Together in Sound and Silence, shows readers how to start and lead their own singing meditation groups, explaining everything from choosing repertoire to promoting the sessions.

Here is a beautiful video example of the type of music Hill and Rosauer use in Singing Meditation:




Much Peace and Love to you and all humankind this Holiday Season and Always!

Message From God

After months and months of wearing layers which barely warmed my bones, I went out into the 60 degree day of sunshine and sat in the springtime air today. Birds were tweeting, a flicker was rat-a-tat-tatting on one of our big cottonwoods, and Buddha the dog was sunning himself at my side. I wanted to meditate in my backyard with the sun on my back. I settled into my camping chair, closed my eyes, and started counting my breaths.

It wasn't long before some scary-sounding sirens filled the air. The kind of sirens that say something like, "The end of the world is here, but we have no advice on what to do about it. Still, feel the urgency with which we are shouting at you!"

I checked in with myself to see if I had any information about action I could take. I decided that sitting outside was best. That way, if the bomb comes, maybe I'll be hit directly instead of having to suffer a long, drawn out death. (Remember I'm meditating here - and yet, the stories abound.) There were times during the loud blitz that I just went into the sound and there were times when I thought about the fact that I don't think anyone knows what to do when the sirens come on, so how effective is this system? After awhile, a voice called out from the skies. It sounded like God, and she told us mortals that this eardrum-shattering sound was only a test.

Dear God, it might have been nice to have heard that at the beginning of the alert instead of the end of it!