The Light - 2012 Spring Edition - CentersofLight.org

8/3/2019 The Light - 2012 Spring Edition - CentersofLight.org

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CO-DIRECTORS OF THE

ORDER OF CHRIST SOPHIA

Mother Clare Watts

Father Peter Bowes

DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

Rev. Margaret Laveda

[email protected]

414.248.7405

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Grace Tenner Design LLC

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Rev. Meira Leonard

EDITORS

Master Leora Bernard

Sister Camille StikeleatherSister Linda Kayes

COPYWRITER

Rev. Timothy Lin

The Light is published four times annually

by the Order of Christ Sophia and is

distributed through regional

Centers of Light.

For Information on Local

Classes & Events

at the Centers of Light:

Ann Arbor: 743.864.2017

Boston: 617.990.7411

Charlotte: 704.526.8301

Chicago: 312.623.4418

Denver: 303.913.7053

Dolores: 970.882.2123

Durango: 970.882.2123

Milwaukee: 414.248.7405

Minneapolis: 612.205.5545

New Haven: 203.785.9085

Oakland: 510.207.6593

Seattle: 206 525 8488

Copyright 2012 by the Order of Christ

Sophia. All rights reserved. Facsimile

reproduction, including photocopy or

xerographic reproduction, is strictly

prohibited under copyright laws.

CENTERS ofLIGHT

You dont have to have a college degree to serve.You dont have to make your subject and your verb agree

to serve. You dont have to know about Platoand Aristotle to serve. You dont have to know

Einsteins theory of relativity to serve.You dont have to know the second theory of

thermodynamics in physics to serve.You only need a heart full of grace.

A soul generated by love.

And you can be that servant.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

The Centers of Light are non-profit organizations that promote

positive change and personal development.

As an alternative school, we offer classes that help people

understand themselves better and improve the emotional,

spiritual, mental and physical aspects of their lives.

CentersofLight.org

LightLectureSeries.com

InnerPeaceFestival.com


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Throughoutthe ages, so much warand hatred has been promulgated inthe name of God. This fact has causedmany people to avoid all spiritualityand religion. This is a sad situationbecause God has actually never

been the energy or force behind anyviolation of Gods own directives tolove each other as one loves oneself.If people misuse the name of God, isGod to be blamed and shunned forthis misrepresentation? Or should weinstead recognize that we will need toget to know God ourselves to find outwho God is, how God functions, andwhat is in the heart and mind of God?If I ask someone to tell me about you,I will only get that persons biases

and opinions about you. To actuallyknow you, I would have to do what ittakes to come to know you first-hand. Irecommend taking this same approachwith God. Find out first-hand whoand how God is before making the

judgment of not wanting to know God.

So how can you come to know God foryourself? Mystics are people of anyreligion or spiritual path who chooseto come into relationship with God,not through reading and acceptingother peoples experiences but throughdoing whatever it takes to have theirown experience of God. The greatspiritual guides of all traditions havetold us to look within ourselves tofind God. There, at the center of ourbeing, is a perfect and whole cell ofGod Itself. It lies quietly near our heart,waiting for the day when we decide wewant to establish contact. Because we

have free will, God will not force therelationship on us, but waits patientlyfor us to tire enough of all outeractivity and focus so that we will beginto go deeper.

Christian teachings tell us that Godis love not God does love, but Godis love. This simple and yet extremelyprofound statement tells us reams ofinformation about God. Gods verynature then is love, and if God is love,

how can God do anything other than

love. And as children of God, shouldwe not also have at our core a naturethat is made of love and for love?Could that be why we crave so muchto give and receive love? In the bookof Genesis, it is written that we were

made in Gods image. Would thatmean that we are created to be love, asGod is love?

More often than not when we are inrelationship with another person,our love for them and from them istainted with neediness and powerissues. What would godly love be fromGod to us and from us to others? Thesimplest way of envisioning this is toacknowledge that there are basically

only two kinds of feelings or emotions:Those related to love and those relatedto fear. Words and energies such ascourage, compassion, generous, kind,caring, hopeful, faithful, considerate,trusting, aware, attuned, flexible,harmonious, forgiving, understanding,giving these are all related to love.Feelings and states of mind that arerelated to fear are jealousy, envy,anxiety, worry, anger, selfishness,greed, hatred, violence, depression,

despairing, distrustful, self-absorbed,resentful, inconsiderate and rigid,among others.

When we allow the energies of God(which always relate to love) to movethrough us, we will feel open andthe energy will flow out from us in agiving and uplifting way. When weare caught up in the energies relatedto fear, we will pull inside ourselves,cut ourselves off from others and God,and be isolated and alone. Try on thedifferent feelings and notice how allthe cells of your body, heart and mindopen when inspired by love and closewhen inspired by fear. Now which stateof being do you aspire to? If it is a lifeof love, then it is a life of God.

God created us to be in a loverelationship with God. We were madefor that kind of love and therefore will

never truly feel fulfilled without it.

Once we get a taste of the love thaawaits us when we open and deepeenough to experience God ourselvwe will most likely want to enter inmore and more of this kind of loveThis is available to anyone who wa

it. You dont need to be educatedor sophisticated. You only need towant it enough to develop a deepand meaningful inner life that comabout through meditation, prayer aspiritual community with whom togrow.

I invite you to dedicate yourself todeveloping such a deep and realrelationship with the greatest loveanyone could ever know. Decide to

make it important. Establish a reguspiritual practice. Prepare to be liftup and have your consciousnessexpand into a love beyond what yohave known. May you be blessed ayou come to know God and Gods lso you never have to fear and doubagain.

God is Love

MOTHERCLAREWATTS.COM

BY MOTHER CLARE WATTS

MOTHER CLARE WATTS

is a mystic, ordained Priest, Master Te

and Co-Director of the Order of Chris

Sophia. She has her Masters Degree in

Counseling Psychology and practiced

as a Jungian-trained psychotherapist.

Continually drawing from her educati

her experience, including 17 years wor

as a professional midwife, Mother Cla

has garnered a reputation for her clari

of vision. She lectures internationally

Mystical Christianity. She has four gr

children and lives in Dolores, Colorad

where she oversees the efforts to expa

grow the Sophia Peace Center.


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Clockwise from top left:

Drum circle at Oakland Inner Peace Fes

Free yoga class at Oakland Inner Peace

Festival, Universal Love Band at Milwau

Inner Peace Festival, Tulips in Seattle.


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present experience, and thiscan be a limitation for whatwe can conceive or take inof the present moment. Wehave to open our minds andhearts to be willing to take inpeople, situations and energyin a fresh way not limited byour past. This takes practice. Italso stretches our senses andconcepts to be open to seeingin a different way.

Try to practice seeing peoplein a whole new way. Observepeople without having to makethem be a particular way to

suit you. Observe their energyand the way they move and feelin themselves. Look for whatmakes them tick, what rockstheir world, what motivatesthem. Do not want them tobe this or that, just watch andnotice what they care aboutand what they are drawn to.Observe the movement of lifein their eyes, their body, their

thinking. Look without bias,without expectation, like youare watching something innature. Just see them for theball of energy that they areand make no conclusions justexperience them.

Look at how they move theirfeet and legs, what energy they

carry in their center. Observethe energy around their head,the light in the eyes, the flashesof thought that spark whenthey consider things they seeor feel. Open to let their energywash over you. Do not concernyourself with whether theyare noticing you. Stay out ofit when you are observing. Besimple. Watch the movement ofenergy around them and whateffect they might be having onthe environment. You mightnotice a withdrawing energyor a shining kind of effect oneveryone around. You might

observe some insecurity orconfidence, but make nojudgment about it one way oranother. Just look and see whatyou see. For example, whensomeone you are observingsteps hard and determinedwith each step, dont thinkabout what that might mean,just see that they step that way.Making interpretations is a trap

where you have to make senseof things you see in terms thatare comfortable to you. It is aform of bias where you haveto squeeze what you see intoyour own experience instead ofjust seeing what is happeningwithout contaminating thingswith your expectations.

When you observe people and

situations in this new way,you will not color the thingsyou see with what you want.In a very short time, you willappreciate life moving in oneof Gods creations and feel thepower and beauty in so manypossibilities of expression. Youwill clear your sight to opento true spiritual sight. Seeingthings clearly will free you to

love people without expectingthem to please you, and that wimake our world a much morepeaceful place to live. How canyou be angry with people if youare appreciating who they areand what they are doing? Peaccomes with acceptance of othepeople.

For thirty year

FATHER PETER

BOWES

has devoted his

in service to Go

an ordained Pri

and Master Tea

As Co-Director

the Order of Ch

Sophia, he teaches the ministers and gui

the Centers of Light around the country.Known for his sense of humor, Father Pet

is also an accomplished musician and au

who has composed twelve albums and fo

books about Mystical Christian teaching

holds a Masters and a Doctorate degree

Educational Psychology. Father Peter liv

the Center of Light, Chicago.


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No matter where we are in life, there is always more

to learn. While it is easy to find continuing education

classes that can help you learn a foreign languageor a new hobby, there is little to no support available

for those who are interested in moving beyond the

realm of learning new skills and into the adventure

of learning how to live life to its fullest. With that in

mind, the Centers of Light will begin offering a new

series of lectures called the Light Lecture Series.

These classes are designed for those looking to gain

the skills necessary to live happier, more fulfilling an

productive lives.

Each class will explore the principles that govern the

topic and will provide practical instruction designed

help you avoid frustration and disappointment, while

working toward success and empowerment. There wi

be ample time for questions. >>

The Light Lecture SeriesA New Series of Lectures Providing Tools for Your Life

Meditation: The Basics and Beyond

Learn the basics of meditation stilling the mind,

breathing, relaxation and then learn how to go

into the realms of deeper meditation. This lecture

teaches students how to ask questions and receive

clear answers in meditation, and how to see aspects

of themselves that they have not seen before. All

experience levels are welcome. >>

Spiritual Ways to Improve Your Work LifeIn this lecture, students gain specific tools to improve

their career through simple spiritual practices such

as prayer, meditation and visualization. Students

who have used these techniques have seen dramatic

shifts in their work situations, which can include

gainful employment, salary raises and better working

conditions. >>

Tools for Healing Depression and Anxiety

Major depression affects 15 million American adults each

year, and about 40 million American adults suffer from

anxiety. Modern medicine may treat these disorders but

not cure them, but there is a way to completely heal. This

lecture covers the root causes of depression and anxiety, a

teaches students how to overcome them. >>

The Secret to Healthy and Happy Relationships

Its easy to fall into the same kinds of relationships overand over again. In this seminar, youll learn absolute must

haves to a healthy relationship as well as the most commo

mistakes people make in relationships. >>


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Gaining Control of Negative Emotions

This lecture helps students identify and understand

negative emotions so they dont continue happening.

These emotions include anger, worry, laziness, fear and

sluggishness, as well as passive aggressive behaviors such

as consistent tardiness or pouting when hard things are

asked of you. >>

Adding Spirituality to Your Yoga Practice

Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning union with God,and began as a Hindu discipline aimed at training the

consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and

tranquility. As yoga became more mainstream, however, it

has also deviated from these spiritual origins into simply

a physical exercise. Students interested in the spiritual

aspects of yoga learn practical, hands-on ways to put the

spirituality back into a yoga practice. >>

Overcoming Bad Habits and Addictions

Addiction is one of the most common issues that peop

deal with every day. In this lecture, students learn

about the core reasons why addictions happen using

a psychological, emotional and spiritual approach.

Students then receive practical steps to overcome bad

habits and addictions, as well as personal support for

their own negative patterns. >>

Attracting a Romantic Partner Who Shares YourSpirituality

If you have a devoted spiritual life, how do you find a

romantic partner? Isnt it hard enough just meeting

someone who shares similar interests? Learn how to

find someone who shares the same love for God and

spirituality.

These lectures will be offered on a weekly basis beginning Monday, April 2.

Registration is now open! Cost is $8 per lecture.

For more information and to register, visit www.LightLectureSeries.com.


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MarchVisions of a Universal Humanity & Humanity Ascending

Based on current scientific, social and spiritual realities and credible future probabilities, the optimismof VISIONS presents an alternative viewpoint to the doom and gloom Armageddon scenarios currentlycirculating. VISIONS is a movie that takes us beyond now, beyond 2012, into a future filled with infinitepossibilities.

Humanity Ascending is a groundbreaking documentary series featuring author and futurist Barbara MarxHubbard. This transformational film presents vital elements to awaken the codes for our own consciousevolution and offers direction, meaning and a vision toward our birth as a new humanity.

The donations accepted at this screening will support Sophia Peace Center (www.sophiapeacecenter.com), aspiritual retreat center dedicated to consciousness.

AprilThrive: What on Earth Will it Take?THRIVE is an unconventional documentary that lifts the veil on whats REALLY going on in our world byfollowing the money upstream -- uncovering the global consolidation of power in nearly every aspect of ourlives. Weaving together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism, THRIVE offers real solutionsempowering us with unprecedented and bold strategies for reclaiming our lives and our future.

The donations accepted at this screening will support Thrive: The Movement (www.thrivemovement.com),which is committed to assist humanity in thriving through the evolutionary challenges threatening our

survival.

MayThe Last MountainA coal mining corporation and a tiny community vie for the last great mountain in Appalachia in a battle forthe future of energy that affects us all.

The donations accepted at this screening will support I Love Mountains (www.ilovemountains.org), a groupworking to end mountaintop removal coal mining and countering Big Coals efforts to destroy the mountainwe love.

Conscious Movies at the Center of Light


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How can we be moreaware of God in our every-day lives?

CAMILLE, MILWAUKEE

A way to keep your awareness on God

is to remember that God is everywhere and in

everything and everyone. When you look at

nature, see God smiling through each tree, each

sunset, each little creature. When you interact

with people, see if you cant see, feel and hear

God moving through them, even when they have

no idea of this reality. And when you pray each

day for specific situations and relationships to

change, know that they will, and watch in joyful

expectation of what will happen. This way you

will be interacting with God all day, and will find

yourself entering into a deeper and deeper love

relationship with the One.

Ask Mother ClareHow to be more aware of God during the day,

how to actively transform and how to peacefully co-exist.

How can we be active each day in our transformation sothat we can be more reliable? I know that tough times are

coming and I wonder how can we stay focused on growing

the strength that we will need?

GLORIA, OAKLAND

Mother Theresa said: Be faithful in little things

because it is in them that your strength lies. She was so

right about this! Take every opportunity each day to be

faithful, reliable, hard-working in all the little events of each

day. When the time comes to do greater things, you will be

entirely in the habit of following through and being faithful

You will have grown strong enough to handle much larger

challenges, and this will bring you great satisfaction and joy

What will help people of different spiritual or religious be-liefs to co-exist peacefully and respectfully?

JONAH, MILWAUKEE

The best thing people of different spiritual beliefs

and religions can do to have peace between them is to ap-

preciate what we have in common with each other. We can

look at each others faith practices and learn enough about

them to realize our common ground, and celebrate that com

mon ground. And if we cannot find anything in common we

can at least appreciate that we want the freedom to practice

our own way, and therefore we recognize the importance an

right for others to practice their spirituality their way. Then

we can have peace on earth.

Do you have questions? AskMotherClare.com


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SERVICES

Sunday Service

Not your average Sunday Service!

Experience spirit moving through

songs, prayers, and powerful sermons

that bring you into closer connection

to God the God inside your heart,

inside your soul, to the God within.

Each Service begins with a silent

meditation followed by a sermon

relating directly to the spiritual needs

of the community, finally culminatingin a transformative Communion and

personal blessing.

Daily Meditation &

Communion

The beauty of Gods grace can

be experienced with meditation

and Communion every morning

of the week. We offer a 30 minute

meditation followed by a readingand Communion service, which is a

wonderful way to develop and deepen

your meditation practice. There is no

better way to start your day than to

receive the love, light and peace of

Jesus and Mary. All are welcome.

Evening Prayers

All are welcome to join us at the end

of the day with evening prayers and

songs. Community members from

the Centers of Light come together

to thank God, Jesus and Mary for the

blessings of the day and offer songs

of gratitude and thanksgiving. Join

us in spreading light into the world

with this form of joyful devotion.

CLASSES

Introduction To Meditation &

Christian Mysticism

Understanding the laws of the

universe isnt easy, which is why the

Centers of Light offer six sessions

that explore the foundations of

Christian Mysticism. Open to all,

this class gives an overview of what

Christian Mysticism is and what

mystics do, and, most importantly,

it offers participants a chance to

experience the spiritual worldfirst-hand. There is no restriction

on faith. You only have to believe

that there is most likely a power

and intelligence that is higher than

human intelligence. No fee.

Bible Contemplation

It is a fairly common experience

to read a passage from the New

Testament and ask, I wonder what

that means? Bible Contemplation at

the Centers of Light helps unravel the

deeper meaning in Jesus teachings

by exploring our inner and outer life

experiences and how they relate to

the parables Jesus taught. As a result,

class members discover how these

teachings relate directly to their own

lives and experiences. This class is

open to graduates of Introduction to

Meditation and Christian Mysticism.

Tree of Life

The Tree of Life lessons are written

for the purpose of unfolding the soul

alchemically and opening up spiritual

consciousness to the wisdom of

God. Topics such as What is light?,

What is love?, or What is the

Creator? are presented in a simple,

practical way that allows students to

understand, discuss, and contemplate

their meaning. These ancientteachings are paired with powerful

hands-on experiences, giving

students a tangible way to connect

to the reality of Gods spirit and

power. This class is open to graduates

of Introduction to Meditation and

Christian Mysticism.

SEMINARS

Master Teacher Seminars

Seminars from the Master Teachers

of the Order of Christ Sophia are

once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to

receive spiritual teachings that can

move mountains in your life. The

old saying, one day with a Teacher

is worth 200 years on your own

applies to these enlightening and

life-changing events. Experience it

for yourself by checking the enclosed

Schedule of Events or contacting a

Priest at your local Center of Light.

Offerings

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Ghandi said, Be the change you want to see in the

world. The founders of the Inner Peace Festivals took

that to heart and said, Be the peace you want to see in

the world. True world peace is only possible through

inner peace because what is inside of us manifests

itself on the outside. When people begin to take

individual responsibility for their own peace, we make

quick progress. In fact, research has shown that when

the square root of one percent of a given population

prays or meditates together, the crime rate in the

surrounding area plummets way beyond a level that

could be attributed to other factors. The Inner Peace

Festivals, which take place around the country, have

become an annual tradition of communities gathering

together in a joint effort to bring peace into their

cities.

In todays world, peace is a word that cant be taken

lightly. More than 10 wars that cause 1,000+ deaths p

year are occurring right now. If you look around, you

see angry drivers, short fuses and impatient workers

sending that energy right out into the atmosphere. It

there, whether you can see it or not. How can world

peace be possible with so much that is not peaceful

going on in the world both on a global level and in

our very lives? To be part of the solution, the Inner

Peace Festivals were born three years ago.

Each peace festival has its own unique way of doing

this, whether its through guided meditation, light

walks, drum circles or concerts. Come join us in

this utterly important celebration of peace. Visit

innerpeacefestival.com to view locations and

schedules.

Inner Peace Festivals Be the Peace


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No. 8When the sea-

son of Lent and

Easter arrives,

participate by

letting what isnegative die

and what is

positive and

real in you rise

up.

No. 10

Practice gratitude byappreciating all that you have

been given and all the goodness

that is yet to come.

Ways to Participate in the Glory of Creation10We are entering a time of new beginnings. Nature is alive in a celebration of life. This year

decide to be conscious of what you are ready to let go of and what you are ready to have

blossom and come alive in you. Here are 10 ways you can be an active participant in thisseason.

No. 1Choose a negative habit or

pattern and replace it with

something positive.

No. 2Choose a virtue to embody, for

instance generosity or patience,

and practice it daily.

No. 3Stop and smell

the flowers,

literally. Let

the beauty of

nature connect

you to God, thesource of all

beauty.

No. 4Find a char-

ity that you

believe in and

donate time or

money to their

cause every

month.

No. 5Look for opportunities to

demonstrate kindness to

neighbors, colleagues, friends

and strangers.

No. 6Meditate at least 10 minutes each

morning or night. Tune into love,

life and light that is poured out

to all things and let this love, life

and light fill you up.

No. 7Pray for 5

people or 5

causes of peace

in the world

each day.

No. 9During Lent, tune into Jesusgreat love that motivated the

sacrifice he made with his death

and resurrection. Let yourself

really feel how much you are

loved.


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The Lentenseason is a season of cleansing andpurifying. It is a joyous and deep season in which we

celebrate the heroic love of Jesus that has saved us

from the sadness and heaviness of our separation from

Gods love.

We honor the gift of Jesus enormous love and sacrific

with a presentation of love in return. When we connec

to the hearts of our Masters, Jesus and Mary, we can

feel how joyfully they give of themselves for our well-

being. We have the opportunity in the Lenten season

to practice this joy of giving as a reflection of their

perfect gift to us. Our fasting and abstaining during

this season is not a martyred deprivation, but rather a

heartfelt offering of love and appreciation. In addition

as we let go, clear out and prune the dead branches of

our mental, emotional and spiritual life, weare preparing for the new life that comes a

Easter.

At the Centers of Light, we celebrate this

season of Lent on a different schedule

than other churches because we calculate

the day of Easter based on the cycle of

the sun rather than the moon. Our Easter

celebration, calculated based on the placement of the

Spring Equinox rather than Passover, brings forth the

new life of spring after the death of winter.

We invite you this Lent to participate in pruning away

the old in order to fully experience the new life that

comes with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the

new life he offers to everyone in this season.

LentThe Holy Season ofDeath and Rebirth

Our fasting and abstainingduring this season is not a

martyred deprivation, but

rather a heartfelt offering

of love and appreciation.


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A Third Chance

WhenI first moved in to be anovice at the Center of Light inDolores, Colorado, my life was amajor mess. I moved in expectingothers to take care of me becausethat was what I thought lovewas. I had difficulty doing basichousehold tasks such as washingdishes or sweeping the floor. I wasnot interested in learning how tobe an adult. My teacher showedthis to me on several occasions

and yet I refused to learn. I choseto be extremely passive aggressiveinstead. After five months of thisbehavior, it was decided that itwould be best for me to move outof the novice house. I was sadwhen I moved out. I felt God didntlove me and had abandoned me. Idid not understand why this washappening to me. Yet movingout was the best thing that everhappened to me.

What moving out has taught me isthat God was there the entire timeand totally loving me. I got theopportunity to learn how to growup, which wasnt as scary as I hadthought. It was actually kind of fun.I learned how to be in relationshipwith God and my community. Themost important thing I learned and am still continuing to learn

is how to speak from my heartinstead of my head.

I did not feel judged by anyone inthe community, which surprisedme. I thought that I would beostracized from the communityafter all my passive aggressiveenergy. Yet that did not happen,

either. I waited and waited andstill nothing. All I felt was love.How could this be? This reallybroke my heart open and mademe want to have a second chance.

My second chance came and I wasinvited to be a novice again at theCenter of Light in Dolores. Eventhough it was what I wanted andprayed for, when I moved back in

I realized that being a novice again

was not something I wanted. WhatI wanted was a relationship witha guy I had been working with. Ifelt the right thing for me to dowas to move out. So after only aweek of being a novice, I movedout. I was relieved at first and wentright into dating this guy. I wanteda relationship because I felt thevoid inside of myself. I did not feelI had a close relationship to Godand so I thought that if I was in

a relationship, the guy would beable to complete that longing Ihad and I would be happy. What Ifound was that this guy was not atall able to complete the lonelinessthat I felt inside. I wanted tokeep striving for a connectionto God and did not want to be ina relationship with him. I endedthings very quickly after it beganand then I started to ask, Whathave I done? I had made a huge

mistake. How could I have notwanted to live in a house filledwith love? After speaking withmy teacher, I learned that makingmistakes was not a bad thing.That is how one learns. This wasthe most difficult thing for me tograsp. How can making mistakesbe a good thing?

I had accepted the fact that I may

not get another opportunity to at the house. I left it up to God Gods will. I was surprised to finthat God gave me another chanto be a novice again after all thhad occurred. This really brokeheart open even more and I waoverjoyed that God loved me somuch to give me another chanc

Since I moved back into thenovice house, my life has changin many different ways. Thefirst thing is that I am beingan adult and taking on moreresponsibilities. I have realizedthe only way to heal my woundthat have haunted me my entirelife was to be vulnerable and shmy feelings with the communitI learned that when I am being

real and vulnerable, sharing myfeelings comes naturally to me.I have felt the dishonesty withinmyself and have wanted to behonest one hundred percent ofthe time. When I am not honesgive myself consequences. I haopened myself up to be taught my teachers and allowed for theto love me. I am finding out whI really am as God created me tbe. I keep feeling how much Go

loves me in order to give me thprecious gift of having another

chance.

Life

asaNovice:In

TheirOwnWords

TERESA was born in Kiev,

Ukraine. Her family immigrated

to the United States in 1990.

Teresa moved from Philadelphia

PA. to be a novice at the Dolores

Center of Light March of 2010.

She has a B.A in Sociology andis currently getting her Masters

Degree in Social Work from

University of Denver and is

expected to graduate June 2012.

Five of our 12 Centers of Light

offer live in programs for

committed students desiring to

live in a modern-day spiritual

community setting.


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Sign up for a no-cost 6-week introductory series:Introduction to Meditation and Christian Mysticism.

Gather with us on Sunday for a half hour of meditation followed bysinging, a sermon, and Holy Communion.

Call a Center of Light near you (see page 2).

See the Schedule of Events inserted in this magazine for all classes,

seminars, services and community gatherings. Event descriptionscan be found on pages 10 and 12.

CentersOfLight.org

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

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Centers of Light ONLINE can deepen your spiritual connection.

We offer WORLD WIDE, in-depth studies through Skype, onlineclassrooms and teleconference calls.

Our multimedia web based classroom is filled with videos, seminarsand recommended readings that will guide you on your journey to

a deep and EVERLASTING relationship with God.

Centers of light ONLINE also provides you with the one-on-onecounseling sessions you need to go deeper into your meditative practice

Experience this new and SATISFYING way to live andjoin in the FUN now.

Is There More to Life?

Documents

The Light - 2012 Spring Edition - CentersofLight.org