Spiritual Living Podcast Archive

Ginger the dog teaches us about being permeable, accessible, and available to the good in and around us. The ugly alternative is control. But we do not need to be in control, we need to be connected. For once we are connected, we are in control of everything. We seek to develop the capacity to connect deeply with whatever is going on around us (i.e., to connect with Life), then Life has the power and opportunity to enrich us.

We are learning to align with Spirit, and attract what we want. Our spiritual practice is not "wanting harder". It's learning to expect great good, and yet not being attached to the outcome. It's being honest, not forcing things, and simply stepping back into the present, into the flow.

Rev. Patrick begins today's talk with the parable of the jock strap and what it teaches us about the evolution of consciousness. Then, through the story of a recent, powerful reunion with a figure from his past, he shows how he outlived his dream only to discover his true calling. It is a story of moving from failure to failure and placing ourselves in the flow. Flow is standing in the peace, in the knowing, and the groundedness that everything is okay. We get in touch with our calling by getting in touch with the flow. All we have to offer is in this present moment and the seeds we plant in each moment. We are more powerful than we imagine.

Our first guest speaker, comedian Suzanne Whang, tells her amazing story of how a simple act done with great love allowed her to introduce the ground-breaking movie "The Secret" to Oprah Winfrey in 2007. Our second guest speaker, psychologist and success coach Dr. Ganz Ferrance, equips us with the tools we need to reprogram our subconscious, enabling us to transform our journey into a powerfully-lived one. He begins with the importance of the subconscious and how we default to accepting a "consensus view" of reality. In this default mode, we may have yielded to a desire to be normal or to a belief that there is virtue in suffering. Contrary to this, we can skew our reality in a more positive direction: It is my right and my responsibility to live a big life There is no precedent for my life We are encouraged to soak up the abundance that we have, and allow it in, so that we can naturally produce what we want in life.

"Money and real estate occupy the body, but all the heart wants is expanding friendship." -- Rumi Rev. Patrick asks, "Are we a good friend to ourselves, or are we hard on ourselves?" We often find ways to punish ourselves if that's what we think we deserve; we sabotage ourselves because we think we need to be punished. We live out the stories we tell ourselves. Why not instead give ourselves some slack, and love ourselves? Step into the circle, the attitude of ease and abundance. Our task this week is to check in with ourselves three times a day, and release our old stories and tension.

We are expert story makers, so much so that often when we have questions in our lives, we'd rather have a made-up answer than no answer at all. It's important for us to recognize the stories for what they are, and realize that we may be limiting ourselves by believing them; we can expand our capacity for blessings by being aware. We can only receive that which we are ready for; consciousness precedes experience. Let's be fearless in our journey---everything is for our good.

The Centre celebrates Mother's Day with three special musical performances by talented young adults, as well as a musical number by the children's group. We appreciate our mothers, and lift up the motherless around us and love them.

Rev. Patrick introduces this month's book The Trance of Scarcity, by Victoria Castle. We can choose to breathe into the circle of abundance---generosity of spirit/sharing, giving, aligning, openness, gratitude, receiving, and attracting. We don't need to earn anything, we are completely deserving, we belong here, and we just have to consent to enter the circle of abundance. We may believe that the tighter we are, the more protected we are. But when we're physically tense, it's because we are out of the circle---we're hanging on to things instead of letting go. The more we second-guess our decisions, the less happy we tend to be. We often want to change our circumstances, but we need to learn to find blessings wherever we are now.

When memories push their way into our lives, it is our opportunity to reframe them and turn them into a spiritual practice. We have everything we need to grow. We own our stories, realize they are only stories, and we decide: Can I let go? Will I let go? When will I let go? Gradually we do this more and more in the moment.

Guest speaker Dr. Rick Moss helps us remove the blocks that our subconscious mind has put up, which get in the way of what our conscious mind is trying to create. He leads us in a powerful visualization to access and heal our misaligned subconscious. Carl Jung said "when our inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate."

We celebrate the life of the Christ this Easter by welcoming the musical group Memeza Africa. Then, using helium balloons as a metaphor, Rev. Patrick encourages volunteers from the audience to pop the balloons, releasing concepts such as scarcity and fear. He then gives each person a mustard seed to represent faith and willingness to have a new idea. We need to make room for new growth!

Rev. Patrick explores the beautiful, profound poetry of Rumi---"Water is searching for the thirsty. The water is the active force, and we belong to the water." We may have been conditioned to think that God is somewhere out there, but having that belief limits us; heaven is right here. To deepen our spiritual practice, each day, each moment, we can ask ourselves, "What am I saying yes to?" or, "What am I saying no to right now?"

Rev. Patrick speaks about the Buddhist concept of Tonglen---activating the awakened heart---which is practiced during heartache, struggle, or pain. Tonglen is not like compassion (to suffer with), but to dwell in the heartache, take it in and transform it into a higher consciousness. As we grow in consciousness, we are in service to one another, and to ourselves. August Gold, teacher and author, reminds us that we can say yes to everything, because it is all here for us. Every person in our lives is here to be a teacher to us.

Using stories of Rumi and Michael Richards, Rev. Patrick speaks about loneliness. We often run from it and avoid it at all costs, yet it is important to face it. Loneliness and heartbreak crack us open, and make us available to change for the better. When the consciousness is ready, it shows up. Pema Chodron says, "... In the moment of sadness and longing, can you relax and touch the limitless space of the human heart?"

Rev. Patrick guides us in a continued exploration of Pema Chodron's book When Things Fall Apart. When life is tough and we get down on ourselves and feel like giving up, the best thing we can do is stay in the present, accept our situation, and know that the best is for us. We may feel like quitting, but we need to forgive and be kind to ourselves and just keep trying. When we step out of the drama of our situation and become less attached to it and its outcome, we are able to relax in the present moment. We can then make better choices and not let fear hold us in its grip. Let's watch our conversation; we are having conversations all the time, so let's keep them in heaven!

To pursue the radiant life... Rev. Patrick reveals how facing fear and issues from our past helps us to break the repetitive cycles we're in and live a radiant life, joyfully in the present moment. Pema Chodron's book When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times teaches that to live radiantly is to accept ourselves fully, not declaring war on the parts of ourselves we don't like. The role of consciousness is to help us face our "demons" and realize that we are not alone.

In honour of Valentine's Day, Rev. Patrick explores the power of a successful covenant, whether it be with another person or with ourselves. When we partner with someone, we often share his/her burdens and pain. We can either run from the pain or become a healer; to stand in the fire with someone is a powerful thing, but you must be complete in who you are. To be truly compassionate, you must not get caught in another's pain, but face the pain with love---even Sufi love, exquisite and radiant. The Dynamic Laws of Prayer by Catherine Ponder discusses things we can focus on for more spiritual growth in our lives. Bill Gole says, "It is easier to act yourself into good thinking than to think yourself into good acting." At the end of his talk, Reverend Patrick leads us in a vow to love ourselves.

Rev. Patrick begins today's talk by discussing strategies for being a leader in our lives, using a framework from Tony Robbins. In life, there are two areas to master: (1) achievement, which is us moving about in the world, building homes, relationships, cars, and jobs, etc; and (2) fulfillment, which we gain through appreciation and contribution. The middle part of the talk features the parable of the Economic Bailouts and the Monkey Strategy. To illustrate giving beyond oneself, Rev. Patrick tells the story of Three Cups of Tea, a book by Greg Mortenson, whose personal quest in climbing the mountain K2 led him to begin building schools in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Rev. Patrick speaks of the Centre's commitment to support a different local charity each month, by bringing them to the Centre to honour them and support their work. We are all powerful beyond our imagination.

Rev. Patrick teaches us how to use the power of our mind and union with the God-spirit. Our minds can get trapped in the paralysis of analysis---of what our problem is, how it happened, how victimized we are---and we pour our energy into that. So what we focus on is what we are going to see. Our job here is not to deal with the stuff in our lives; our job is to look at what's going on around us and see the gift in it. We are the outlet for the Infinite to express itself through, and every day we plant seeds of thought. We plant new seeds with our words, and our words have power.

Rev. Patrick has an on-stage conversation with Linda Watson, a visiting practitioner from the Agape International Spiritual Center in California. She speaks about what it means to be a practitioner, the healing power of being truly listened to, and the unique partnership formed between the practitioner and client. She further discusses the awesome power of visioning---at the Centres, in the denomination, and in our personal lives. The talk concludes with the induction ceremony of six new practitioners at the Centre. And so we are uplifted.

Our spiritual leader, Rev. Patrick Cameron, discusses the second chapter of Dr. Ernest Holmes' book The Science of Mind. As we learn how to think, we learn how to live. Our lives are the journal of our thoughts, and to have a new outcome, we must work at---i.e., practice---choosing a new thought. Everything is for our good. Dr. Holmes said, "We take our good wherever we find it, and we make it our own, insofar as we understand it." It's important---now more than ever---to be keepers of consciousness in spite of the chaos around us. To bring more peace into the world, we must also stop the war within ourselves. We echo what Ernest Holmes said: "How much more good can I let into my life today than yesterday?"

We're starting a new year, free from the captivity of our old ideas and learning to listen with our spiritual ears. In today's talk, everyone in the audience was given a white rock, which symbolizes freedom, letting go, and accepting the hidden manna, which is our provision, our source of energy and spiritual nourishment. The white rock also represents a new identity, or a new name with spiritual meaning, meant only for us. The colour white represents joy, victory and purification. Meditate on what the white rock means for you, what new quality or name is coming through. Whenever we ask, there is always an answer. Prayer is a movement of thought, along a specific meditation with a specific result in mind. Sometimes we get ourselves, our brains, into a rut, and that makes it harder to move forward, to be passionate and to learn new thinking. We are a teaching of new thought! We need to learn something new, to be alive!

Reverend Patrick reviews some valuable lessons that we've learned this year. The first book we studied was The Prayer Chest by August Gold where we learned the 3 laws of prayer---Prayer is answered through us; prayer is answered when we listen; prayer is answered when we say yes to everything. Then we dove into a second book, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. In every moment of our lives we are Divinity seeking expression. Next, we read Mastering Life's Energies by Maria Nemeth, where she speaks of marrying the metaphysical with the physical. We need vision and action, attitude balanced with behaviour. In the next book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the young man, Santiago, has recurring dreams, chases treasure, goes on a journey, and trusts his intuition. Next, we explored Dr. Eric Butterworth's book, The Universe is Calling, which is all about listening to the conversation and embodying the consciousness. The final book of 2008 was The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder. Her six pillars are the same as ours: celebration, circulation, education, service, meditation, and affirmative prayer.

Reverend Patrick speaks briefly on looking at the Bible and the Christmas story as a metaphor for spiritual life, and how the birth of Christ applies to you and me. Jesus is the Great Example, not the Great Exception. We are practical mystics; we don't have to convert anyone. If we move our own mind, and change our own consciousness, we have done our work. We make this time of year special and celebrate having a generous spirit.

Guest speaker Wayne Lee gives us a motivational talk on the power of persistence. It is the principle of never giving up, always moving forward, and always resolving to reach our dreams. He gives us some tools to remain grounded in our own thought and not be distracted by the noise of the world. His favourite tool, the GPS of Life, is a simple, three-step process to realizing our goals.

Today's talk centers around inviting the right people into our lives. Life is a journey of love, and our lives are shaped by those that love us and by those that do not love us. So it is important that we consciously invite the right people into our experience: "New, sincere friends and loved ones now enter my life, showering me with goodness, and I shower them with my goodness. The world is full of charming people who now lovingly help me in every way, and I lovingly help them in every way." Later in the talk, we are blessed to witness the marriage of a young couple, Darren and Teresa, as they commit their lives to one another, surrounded by the friends and loved ones who have been their goodness. The vows they share form the following affirmative prayer: I know that there is not two, but one. We are on the same journey, sharing the same love for each other. I share everything, hold nothing back, love completely and without reservation. I do now, and will always, believe the best in you, speak the truth in love, and hold you in perfect prayer. I love you with the deepest love I know. I rest in this love, which is in you and me, and everything, and I am full of joy and gratitude. Our journey of spiritual unfoldment continues from this day, originating from the same Source, fueled by the same Love, nurtured by the same unending commitment to our mutual growth in Spirit. And so it is.

Rev. Patrick continues his discussion of the book "The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity" by Catherine Ponder. The major theme of his talk is that the opportunity in life is not to discover ourselves but to create ourselves. This occurs moment by moment, by our thoughts. In our lives, we often experience a "sense of spaciousness", where we are pulled out of our ordinary sense of self in everyday life. This is a necessary step to creating and experiencing abundance. To illustrate this idea, Rev. Patrick tells the Hindu story of Abu and the Drum. The principle is that Nature abhors a vacuum. It always fills wherever there is space in our lives. We must get rid of what we don't want to make room for what we do want. Clear out clutter. Clear out entrenched ideas. For whatever problems persist in our lives, forgiveness is always the answer. Most times it is self-forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of old ideas. This creates the vacuum for new things to flow in.

Rev. Patrick continues his series on the book "The Universe is Calling" by Dr. Eric Butterworth. In it, he outlines a strategy for handling the problems that come up for us in our lives. It is not important how we call the Infinite, but that we call it. This Infinite Intelligence we live in receives the imprint of our every thought. And it is always informing us as we navigate our lives. How do we listen? By letting go of our problem, becoming still and getting grounded. And we can project any energy that comes to us and use it for our good, and ultimately for the good of all. Today's talk includes the stories of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor and Dr. Robert H. Schuller.

Dr. Eric Butterworth's book "The Universe is Calling" reminds us that the only place we have influence over is inside us. Prayer is not bargaining, begging or pleading. It is connecting with creative consciousness—affirmation not supplication.

Sometimes we forget who we are, and we have an "SOS"—a sense of separation. We feel resistance and fall asleep to the larger reality of ourselves: We are at one with the Universe. Life always gives us what we ask for.

Continuing his exploration of "The Alchemist", Rev. Patrick discusses the journey, synchronicity, intention, revelations, and paying attention. He encourages us to remember that everything happens for the greatest good. Our treasure is here now.

Today's talk is given by Rev. Dr. Gail Schultz, the founder of our Centre in 1983, now ministering at the Centre for Spiritual Awareness in Victoria, BC. She notes that self awareness is of no value unless it is lived. Her talk is structured around the following three points: Is the Infinite Presence and Power enjoying life as you? Let us audaciously examine every area of our life to see if we are being courageous. It's never too late (or too soon) for us to say "yes" to life in a greater, grander way than we have in the past.

Rev. Patrick reminds us that everything is God in expression and that the Universe is always conspiring for us, even in the face of death and personal tragedy. He gives a live demonstration of affirmative prayer, or spiritual mind treatment, to show us how it is done and how we work with it.

Taking spontaneous questions from the audience, Rev. Patrick explains the basics of the Science of Mind teaching, how spiritual mind treatment works, the principle of praying for "this or something better", a story of seeking unconditional love, and how all of life is conspiring for our fulfillment. How can we answer when our friends ask, "What religion are you?" What about fate? What about Christian Science? How do I hold onto my positive affirmations when my inner critic confronts them with "reality"? What about the existence of natural disasters and suffering? Do we believe in life after death?