Wednesday Evening Service

Ever wonder how Dr. Edward looks as he considers your questions about affirmative prayer? Perhaps he's considering denial -- "Not that, this!" -- a special strategy that can assist in shifting consciousness. This Wednesday, 7 pm, Dr. Edward completes this four-part free class on prayer. Even if you've been unable to attend other classes, plan to come, with curiosity and questions. Everyone is welcome. The class is free, and love offerings are gratefully received.

Over the summer, we have explored Jo Marchant's commentary on the role of the mind in our physical well being. This Wednesday, Dr. Kim Kaiser brings all the threads together as we conclude this book and get ready for the class on "Conscious Parenting" with Susan Robinson, RScP, starting in September. Everyone is welcome to attend this free Wednesday night class, no matter how many Wednesday evenings you have come over the summer. Class begins at 7 pm. The meditation room is open at 6:15 pm if you would like to sit in the stillness before class begins.

A park in Paris at lunchtime The subtitle for this week's chapter in Cure: A Journey to the Science of Mind over Body is "The Secret Power of Friends." That is one of author Jo Marchant's research findings. However, as Rev. Tara will explore, there is more to  living long and well, and as our teaching reminds us, What we think and believe matters.  Wednesday Night free classes are open to all, with no need to sign up. And you are welcome to sit in our meditation room upstairs before class, beginning at 6:15 pm.

Feeling alone and unsupported can make any task more difficult. In Chapter 7, "Talk to Me," author Jo Marchant shares examples of how a caring presence supports people through experiences as different as childbirth and the end of life. This Wednesday evening, Practitioner Siota Belle leads a free one-hour class on why caring matters. The class is open to everyone and begins at 7 pm in the sanctuary.

 P eople who are distracted or engaged in a pleasant activity may forget about problems and challenges; sometimes their awareness of pain or discomfort also decreases or goes away. Pain management specialists are exploring this phenomenon as a way to manage severe pain -- virtual reality may provide a remarkable complement or alternative to traditional pain medications. At this Wednesday's free class, Practitioner Siota Belle looks at Chapter 6, "Rethinking Pain," in Jo Marchant's book Cure. What we give our attention to makes a difference. Wednesday Night Wisdom is a free, one-hour class open to everyone. The class begins at 7 pm in the sanctuary.

Many medical professionals remain skeptical of the value of hypnotism in treating different conditions. In Chapter 5 of Cure: A Journey to the Science of Mind over Body , scientist-journalist Jo Marchant presents some evidence for the benefits of hypnosis. Come to Wednesday's free class as Rev. Ruth Barnhart explores this topic and its relationship to Science of Mind teachings. Class begins at 7 pm. All are welcome.

This week we begin a new Wednesday Night Wisdom class. Rev. Joyce Duffala opens the discussion of Cure , a science journalist's exploration of the mind's power over the body. Chapter 1 documents several examples of how what we believe affects our bodies in dramatic ways, from placebos in place of medicine to pretend surgery. What the author documents will be familiar to students of Science of Mind. The class begins promptly at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. All are welcome, there is no need to preregister. Should you wish to sit in stillness, the Meditation Room upstairs is available from 6:15 pm.

Joy is a way of being, an invitation to maintain a "joyful mind". This week our topic is some of the obstacles to our ongoing experience of joy: fear, frustration, grief, despair. How do we move through these human experiences without losing the underpinning of faith in the unfolding? Plan to join in the conversation at 7 pm on May 9. Our meditation room opens at 6:15 pm if you would like to sit in stillness before the class. All are welcome to this free class. There is no need to register.

Photo by Sanjet Kumar, unsplash.com The world, spiritually speaking, is in better condition than it has been because out of all the controversy, the mental turmoil will come some kind of an answer. And the new answer must provide a bridge between the intellect and the emotions. It must be intelligent, scientific and artistic.                                                                                     Ernest Holmes, It's Up to You Join Practitioner Kathleen Kearney this Wednesday as she explores what it means to think creatively. This free class begins at 7 pm; there is no need to register, just come ready to explore the teachings of the Science of Mind. All are welcome.

Photo by Beata Ratuszniak on Unsplash Ernest Holmes, the founder of Science of Mind, does not mince words.  He opens Chapter 8 of It's up to You with the following statement: "...historians may record this age as the period of [humanity's] greatest stupidity."  Why? Because we have yet to choose to receive all the good that is available to us as expressions of the Divine. At Wednesday's free class, Dr. Edward guides us through a chapter that invites us into a deeper belief in the Good that is in, through and as all that is.  The class begins at 7 pm and is open to everyone, no need to preregister. If you missed earlier classes, you can order audio CDs in the bookstore and download handouts from the link at the bottom of the sidebar to the right of this blog.

                                        Jenna Lee, unsplash.com Our free Wednesday night classes continue with Chapter 2 of Ernest Holmes's book, It's up to You . What is the key to a successful life? That we are in a mental condition to receive the gift. That means more than having the knowledge, it means using that knowledge in our daily living. Want to know more? Come to Dr. Edward's free class on Wednesday, February 14. No need to register, just arrive by 7 pm. If you would like to meditate before the class, the meditation room upstairs is open from 6:15 to 6:50 pm.

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash Last week we began our free Wednesday Night Wisdom classes with Dr. Kim Kaiser's four-week series on "The Heart of Science of Mind".  Together we explored our concepts of God, Spirit, The Thing Itself, as well as our illusions of being separate from that One. This week the class focuses on how "The Thing Itself" (one name for Spirit, God, Creator ... ) works, how we can align and co-create by tapping into Its infinite wisdom and possibilities. All are welcome -- if you missed last week's class, come anyway.  We'll have copies of Dr. Edward's adaption of our textbook's first four chapters, The Science of Mind for Beginners available.  Class begins promptly at 7 pm in the sanctuary.  The meditation room upstairs from the social hall is open from 6:15 to 6:50 for those who wish to sit in silence before class.

What gives us a feeling of being at home? How do we decide what’s right for us personally? It’s about belonging, but also about integrity. Do we live in alignment with our values? Are we true to who we truly are? This year we have been talking about Values Based Spiritual Living.  At the closing of the year, we have an opportunity to review how well these ideas are working for us. Join Rev. Janet Tobin on December 27 for a look at what it means to be true to your Self. Our Wednesday evening service begins at 7 pm in Waggoner Hall, North Wing.  Room 11 is open as a meditation hall at 6:30 if you would like to sit in stillness before the service.  All are welcome to the service and to the snacks and conversation that follow.

Photo by William Bout on Unsplash There is a place within where heart and mind are one, a wholeness, an alignment that is far more than the sum of the two parts. This is "the heart of integrity" as Rev. Tara describes it. Wednesday she'll talk a bit more about what this means and how we recognize and tap into this place of deep peace, grace and presence. The service begins at 7 pm in Waggoner Hall. There is meditation next door in Room 11 starting at 6:30 pm.  All are welcome.

Nick Scheerbart, www.unsplash.com This month's spiritual value is "Integrity".  Integrity begins within, knowing what matters to us, knowing  the Truth of what we are.  And then, perhaps, we notice where who and what we are is different than our experience in the world.  When and how do we speak truth to error?  Dr. Kim Kaiser explores this topic on Wednesday evening. Our Wednesday evening service begins at 7 pm in Waggoner Hall, North Wing.  Room 11 is open as a meditation hall at 6:30 if you would like to sit in stillness before the service.  All are welcome to the service and to the snacks and conversation that follow.

Come chant the traditional sacred mantras and raise up your voice and hearts in remembrance & celebration! Kirtan is the spiritual practice of devotional chanting that has existed for millennia.  All are welcome to this special evening service at the Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa.  No experience is necessary.  The service begins at 7 pm. Here is a sample of one of the kirtans: https://jensjarvieandtheheartwideopen.bandcamp.com/track/om-gum-ganapatayei-namah Or watch a short video about Jens' music on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXkiW-VX1U0&feature=share&app=desktop Peace

Photo by  Edewaa Foster  on  Unsplash Gratitude has the ability to uplift our present, past, and future. Let’s come together and encourage ourselves to make more use of this transformative tool. Join Rev. Joyce Duffala on Wednesday, November 15, as she explores the ways in which gratitude transforms our experience.  The service begins at 7 pm in Waggoner Hall, North Wing.  All are welcome.

Many in our CSLSR community, family, friends, colleagues, have lost their homes.  All of us are stunned by the surreal experience of the firestorms that have come through our neighborhoods.  It's time to do what we do, gather in prayer, to know that beyond the grief, the shock, the devastation, there is renewal.  There is guidance, courage and Love allowing the new to emerge. Please come to join in prayer, connection, heart shares -- that which heals and restores and gives hope.  Rev. Tara leads the service, which begins at 7 pm in the sanctuary.  The meditation hall upstairs will be open from 6:15 to 6:50 for those who want to sit in the stillness.  All are welcome.

Here's what Dr. Kim has to say about his talk on Wednesday: "The original theme of this talk was about how love is being able to be defenseless and open when in the presence of another person. The theme has shifted to making it possible for someone to be defenseless around you." Come learn more on Wednesday evening, starting at 7 pm, in Room 10, North Wing.  Christopher Fritzsche provides his music in support of the service. All are welcome to the service as well as to the light snacks and conversation that follow.

Plan to join Celeste Austin at the Wednesday evening service on September 27. Here's what Celeste has to say about the evening: "I am so excited to be talking this month about Service which is one of my core values. I will share how I woke up out of a fog by doing service in our community at the Center and in other parts of the country. This transformation that is still happening in my life is nothing short of a miracle and will include some 12 step recovery principles along with scientific data proving that service is good for ourselves and others. I have invited personal friends from the community to join us on Wednesday, September 27th for an inspiring evening." All are welcome, 7 pm, in Room 10, the North Wing.