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Agape’ – Our Source and our Destination

Apr22

Agape’ is the Greek word used in Christian scripture to describe the unconditional, unmerited, infinite, abundantly flowing Love of God.  Even more than that, Agape’ reminds us that God is LOVE and that we too are that Love in our connection with God, with one another and with all of Creation.  By embracing Agape’, we REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT WE ARE.  When we remember the LOVE that we are, we know:

  • Peace
  • Contentment
  • Joy
  • Fulfillment

In our origin in Oneness with God, we knew nothing but this love.  Participating in the human experience, we temporarily perceive ourselves as separate from God and have forgotten this love.  Instead of peace, contentment and joy, we know:

  • Fear

In this place of fear, we see ourselves as disconnected, separate, in competition, and we feel the restless longing to find the remedy to these inner feelings of discontent.  Unfortunately, until we remember the LOVE that we are, our search for inner peace will only leave us empty and unsatisfied.

The Good News is that we are not doomed to live a life of discontent.  It is God’s desire that we remember the love that we are and in God’s goodness, God has sent us an infinite number of teachers who have remembered this love themselves and have left us tools through which we too can remember this love.  Jesus of Nazareth is one of those teachers as is the Buddha, Moses, Mohammed, Gandhi and countless saints, mystics, prophets, gurus, etc. etc. etc.  The common theme among all of these teachers is that the path to remembering this love is:

  • prayer
  • meditation
  • contemplation
  • selfless service

I am grateful for the teachers who have shared these tools with me through the lens of Christian Contemplation.  I first experienced these tools through Sr. Marie Schwan, (a sister of St. Joseph and a devote’ of Ignatian spirituality) and her Take and Receive books. I have since used these tools daily and for the past 17+ years have shared these tools with others and seen results that are nothing short of miraculous.  Through the lens of Christian Contemplation, the path to remembering the love that we are is rooted in our intimate and personal relationship with God and in coming to know God, we come to know ourselves and in coming to know ourselves, we come to know our own unique giftedness and how we are being called to be this LOVE in the world through the generous sharing of our gifts.  Disciplined attention to this path leads us to:

  • Remembering the love that we are
  • Inner peace and contentment
  • The discovery, cultivation and sharing of our gifts
  • fulfillment
  • Joy
  • The betterment of the world through the sharing of our gifts

The Challenge is that the recollection of this LOVE doesn’t just happen – WE HAVE TO WORK at it!  But, the efforts are totally worth it! 

So, here is something that can help: 

Agape’ is a resource that I have developed to provide you with the tools you need to assist you in your goal of remembering the LOVE that you are.  Agape’ is a weekly resource for contemplative meditation available on a subscription basis.  As a subscriber, you will receive the weekly Agape’ newsletter which  consists of resources for your personal spiritual practice.  Each weekly newsletter includes:

  • A scripture reading (or two)
  • Some background on the scripture (historical and sociological context, literary genre, author, audience, etc.)
  • A brief reflection on the scripture
  • Suggested meditation/contemplation/prayer activity using the scripture
  • Questions for personal reflection or to be shared within a small group

And, subscriptions to Agape’ are affordable for everyone!!!!!

So, if you are looking for resources to help you to remember the LOVE that you are, to grow in peace, contentment and joy and to lead you toward personal fulfillment, check out AGAPE’    or click on the “Meditation Resources” link on this site.  Or….to make it even easier, here is the link:  http://yourspiritualtruth.com/the-agape-project/.

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Welcome the Ides of March

Mar15

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!!!  (Please share today’s blog with your social networks and your email mailing lists…..I’m asking for everyone’s help.  And….thank you in advance!!!!)   The official launch of The Agape’ Project.  If you haven’t done so already, go to the Agape’ tab on this website….or read below for details.  The Agape’ Project is a great way for you to begin or deepen your existing spiritual practice using the tools for meditation and contemplation that have been part of the Judeo-Christian tradition for 2000 some years.  Just a little personal testimony, I have been using these tools personally and in my lay ministry role with clients and students and have experienced the following results:

  • Release from fears
  • Healing of past hurts, betrayals, losses
  • Increased happiness, peace and joy
  • A greater capacity to be and to receive love
  • Increased patience, acceptance, the ability to surrender
  • Assistance in moving through life’s challenges
  • The courage to face life’s challenges and to make difficult decisions
  • A greater ability to name and claim my needs
  • Identification of my own unique giftedness and how I am being called to live it in the world.
  • A greater sense of fulfillment
  • Tools for discerning what is in my highest good vs. what might just be the wants of my ego
  • A deepening of my trust in God and in myself

If you are seeking any of the above listed items in your own live, The Agape’ Project might be for you.  AND…..we have made subscriptions to this service accessible to EVERYONE with three payment options.  (See below).   So….without further ado:

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Agape’ – The Greek word used in Christian scripture to describe the unconditional, unmerited, infinite, abundantly flowing Love of God.  Even more than that, Agape’ reminds us that God is LOVE and that we too are that Love in our connection with God, with one another and with all of Creation.  By embracing Agape’, we REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT WE ARE. 

The Agape’ Project seeks to get effective tools for Spiritual Formation into the hands of adults by providing a weekly resource that is available on a subscription basis.  As a subscriber, you will receive the weekly Agape’ Project newsletter which will consist of resources for your personal spiritual practice and that could eventually be shared in a small group setting.  Resources included in the weekly Agape Project newsletter:

  • A scripture reading (or two)
  • Some background on the scripture (historical and sociological context, literary genre, author, audience, etc.)
  • A brief reflection on the scripture
  • Suggested meditation/contemplation/prayer activity using the scripture
  • Questions for personal reflection or to be shared within a small group

Click to view a sample:  AgapeProjectSamplePage1   AgapeProjectSamplePage2

Benefits to you for subscribing:

  • Provides answers to some of your questions about scripture, Hebrew culture, Jesus’ teachings
  • Makes scripture accessible and applicable to your everyday life
  • Helps you connect with the voice of truth (God) within
  • Helps you find the spiritual practice(s) that work for you
  • Helps you find accessible, approachable methods for meditation and contemplation
  • Helps you to know peace, love and joy more fully
  • Helps you to identify the spiritual fears that might be in the way of you knowing peace
  • Helps you to find healing and release from those fears
  • Helps you to KNOW God, not just know ABOUT God
  • Helps you to find the path to fulfillment and happiness
  • Helps you to find tools to help you make it through life’s challenges

Truly, the list is endless…but that’s a start.

Flexible Payment Options:

To meet the broad range of financial accessibility, you are invited to choose from the following payment options:

$20.00 per month (for those with the financial means or who intend to share these resources within a group of up to 10 participants)

$10.00 per month (for individuals or couples who are on a tighter budget – not intended for group use)

Note:  If even the $10.00 per month is out of your reach, please contact Lauri Lumby at lauri@yourspiritualtruth.com to discuss other arrangements. 

To subscribe, click on one of the links below:

$20.00 per month option:

_______________________________

$10.00 per month option:

The Agape’ Project – Remember Love

Mar14

Today’s blog introduces you to The Agape’ Project a new venture of Authentic Freedom Ministries and a resource to help you remember your original nature as love….peace….and joy! 

Tell ‘em you’re going to tell ’em; Tell ‘em, then Tell ‘em again!”

One of the primary guidelines from my past life in media advertising was the saying:   Tell them what you are going to tell them.  Tell Them.  Then, tell them again.  This leads into the other rule of advertising that people have to see something at least three times before they even know they saw it.  So……this is what I have been doing for the past several weeks….telling you what I am going to tell you.  Today I will tell you and tomorrow, I will tell you again!

Telling you

As  I have been mentioning, tomorrow, March 15, 2012…..The Ides of March, is the official launch of The Agape’ Project.  The Agape’ Project is a culmination of 20 years of personal spiritual practice using the tools from the Western (Christian) Contemplative (Mystical) tradition, 20+ years of theological and spiritual studies, and 20 years of sharing these tools with others.  In these 20+ years, I have found these tools to be THE MOST effective way to cultivate peace, compassion and joy in our lives.  And, the Agape’ Project makes these tools available in an easy to use, simple to understand format.

WIFM

Another “rule” from my days in outside sales:  WIFM……What is in it for me?  In other words, before we “buy” something, we need to know how it is going to benefit us.  So……here are some of the things that they Agape’ Project can do for you if you choose to subscribe:

  • Answer some of your questions about scripture, Hebrew culture, Jesus’ teachings
  • Make scripture accessible and applicable to your everyday life
  • Help you connect with the voice of truth (God) within
  • Help you find the spiritual practice(s) that work for you
  • Help you find accessible, approachable methods for meditation and contemplation
  • Help you to know peace, love and joy more fully
  • Help you to identify the spiritual fears that might be in the way of you knowing peace
  • Help you to find healing and release from those fears
  • Help you to KNOW God, not just know ABOUT God
  • Help you to find the path to fulfillment and happiness
  • Help you to find tools to help you make it through life’s challenges

Truly, the list is endless…but that’s a start.

What I’m going to tell you

So, below you will find more information about the Agape’ Project and what I will again be telling you tomorrow….with a special invitation for you to share it with your friends.  Thanks!

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Agape’ – The Greek word used in Christian scripture to describe the unconditional, unmerited, infinite, abundantly flowing Love of God.  Even more than that, Agape’ reminds us that God is LOVE and that we too are that Love in our connection with God, with one another and with all of Creation.  By embracing Agape’, we REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT WE ARE. 

The Agape’ Project seeks to get effective tools for Spiritual Formation into the hands of adults by providing a weekly resource that is available on a subscription basis.  As a subscriber, you will receive the weekly Agape’ Project newsletter which will consist of resources for your personal spiritual practice and that could eventually be shared in a small group setting.  Resources included in the weekly Agape Project newsletter:

  • A scripture reading (or two)
  • Some background on the scripture (historical and sociological context, literary genre, author, audience, etc.)
  • A brief reflection on the scripture
  • Suggested meditation/contemplation/prayer activity using the scripture
  • Questions for personal reflection or to be shared within a small group

Click to view a sample:  AgapeProjectSamplePage1   AgapeProjectSamplePage2

Flexible Payment Options:

To meet the broad range of financial accessibility, you are invited to choose from the following payment options:

$20.00 per month (for those with the financial means or who intend to share these resources within a group of up to 10 participants)

$10.00 per month (for individuals or couples who are on a tighter budget – not intended for group use)

Note:  If even the $10.00 per month is out of your reach, please contact Lauri Lumby at lauri@yourspiritualtruth.com to discuss other arrangements. 

To subscribe, click on one of the links below:

 

$20.00 per month option:

 

 

$10.00 per month option:

Starting and Maintaining a Spiritual Practice

Mar13

This morning’s blog provides tools to assist you in your goal of starting and/or maintaining a spiritual/meditation practice.  To begin a spiritual practice, first we need to dispel some myths, then we need to set the stage.  Here you go.  (PS To regular blog readers, I feel like I already posted this recently, but I can’t find any evidence thereof.  So if this is a repeat…..I guess it bears repeating!  :)   )

Meditation Tips

 

Dispelling Myths

The following are myths that have been propogated in regards to meditation as a spiritual practice.  None of these myths (from my perspective as an experienced meditator and Spiritual Director) are true.

  • Meditation has a goal
  • The goal of meditation is silencing of the mind
  • There is a right and a wrong way to ”do” meditation
  • If you reach the state of peace, you did it right….if not, you did it wrong
  • An empty mind is the devil’s playground
  • Meditating makes you a ”better” person
  • Only enlightened/holy people meditate
  • Meditation is the path to enlightenment
  • Sitting in silence is the only valid form of meditation….or it is the preferred method
  • Meditation is an Eastern practice and cannot be practiced by Christians
  • Eastern meditation practices are dangerous
  • Lay people cannot meditate

Before embarking on a meditation practice, it may be helpful to know:

  • The goal of spiritual practice is “NO GOAL.”  Your job is to simply show up.  Striving after a goal (other than showing up) will prove to be an obstacle to your practice.
  • There is no right or wrong way to meditate.
  • If you find that state of inner calm and peace…..it is PURE GRACE…..not something you received because you finally meditated the right way or enough times.
  • There is a rich tradition of meditation and contemplation in the Western Hebrew and Christian traditions.
  • It is in the emptiness that we find God/Love/Truth…..and we are also invited to find God in the midst of the chaos.
  • Meditation can be receptive (listening, sitting, being) or active (expressing, moving, giving, processing,).
  • Meditation encompasses many formats and practices including but not limited to:  meditative reading of sacred texts, journalling, sitting in silence, movement (yoga, tai chi, dance, etc.), chant, listening to music, daydreaming, paying attention to our dreams, mindfulness practices, acts of service, making love, being present to our family and friends, being out in nature, creative expression, painting, drawing, cooking, cleaning, etc. etc. etc.
  • A spiritual practice is anything that helps us to connect with God, peace, love, joy, flow, compassion, harmony, forgiveness, mercy, ecstasy.
  • In the Western tradition, Meditation refers to the reflective thoughts in the mind.  In the Eastern Tradition, meditation is understood to mean sitting in silence.  Contemplation is the term used in the Western tradition to refer to sitting or being in silence with God.
  • The only danger in meditation or contemplation is connecting with your truth.  Warning:  Truth can be a dangerous thing if we are not prepared or if we do not have the tools to handle it.  As Gloria Steinem said, “The truth will set you free, but first it will kick your butt.”
  • Meditation may lead you to enlightenment, if that is your path in this life;  regardless, it will help you to be a happier, more peaceful and more loving human being.
  • From the Hebrew and Christian perspectives, meditation and contemplation will empower you to experience the Kingdom of God right here, right now, in this life.  You will discover that you don’t have to die to know the peace and love of God.
  • Meditation can be practiced by ANYONE……regardless of your race, color, creed, education, status, position of power, ordained or not, etc. etc. etc.

Getting Started

As mentioned above, there is no right or wrong way to meditation or to enter into spiritual practice.  I have learned, however, that there are certain things we can do that will help us to be successful in our goal of SHOWING UP for our spiritual practice.  Remember…the only goal is to SHOW UP.  The following steps may help you to do this. 

  • Set aside a regular time each day for your spiritual practice where you can be uninterrupted for 15-30 minutes.  For many people, this is first thing in the morning, but choose a time that works for your own personal bio-rhythms.
  • Choose a special place in your home or office that is designated as your place for your spiritual practice.  It might be a certain chair in your living room, your drawing easel, maybe you have the luxury of setting up a meditation corner or room.
  • Have the tools that you need for your practice near your chosen place – your journal, a bible, writing utensils, maybe a candle or incense burner, a blanket.
  • Turn off any potential distractions – phones, computers, pagers, etc.
  • Create a ritual that helps you to enter into your spiritual practice.  Light a candle.  Burn incense.  Say a prayer.  Bow to your sacred space.

Watch tomorrow’s blog for an exciting announcement about the Agape’ Project, another tool to help you in your spiritual practice.

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Excuses and Meditation Time Magic

Mar12

Today’s blog, in anticipation of the Agape’ Project launch on Thursday, March 15, 2012, explores the number one reason people give for NOT meditation or engaging in a spiritual practice…..TIME!

The Number One Excuse

The number one reason/excuse people give for not starting, continuing, cultivating a spiritual practice (meditation, contemplation, prayer, body prayer, mantra, chant, etc. etc. etc. ) is TIME!   ”I don’t have time.” “I’m too busy.”  “My work is all-consuming.”  “My family needs me.”  “I don’t have time….I don’t have time….I don’t have time.”  Right here….and right now….I am going to kick this excuse to the curb….and show you that not only DO you have time……..you can’t afford NOT to do it!  And know that I am not going to give you the self-righteous, “If I can find time….you can too” reason.  The reason I will give you is nothing short of miraculous and magical.  So, feel free to imagine that as I share this reason with you, I am waving my magic wand and the showering light of fairydust and Divine magic is floating your way.  ;)

Meditation is MAGIC!

All those people out there who use TIME (or lack thereof) as their excuse for not starting or continuing a mediation practice do not know about the magical power of meditation.  In short, here is how it works:

When you give the first 10-30 minutes of your day to God, you get it back a hundred fold!

And I can tell you from personal experience, and from the feedback of experienced meditators…..This is ABSOLUTELY true!  I can’t explain why or how this works, but it does!  When we set time aside out of our “busy” lives in dedication to our spiritual practice, we get it back in droves!   Even more than that…..miraculous things begin to occur.  For example:

  • Solutions to problems fall into your lap
  • Creative ideas spark
  • The things that you need to be the person God made you to be miraculously show up
  • Synchronicities (aka God-cidences) start to show up…..you meet people that help you in your professional and personal journey, seemingly without any effort on your part and other such coincidences.
  • The opportunities for learning that you need in support of your life’s work come to you…again without much if any effort on your part.
  • You find the information you need to meet a challenge….again miraculously
  • You have more time in your life for the things you love
  • Time takes on a new quality and what used to take a long time to accomplish happens quickly and effortlessly
  • Life’s challenges become easier to handle and are accomplished more quickly

Again, I don’t know how this all happens…but it does.  It’s kind of like God says, “Ok, you’re going to give me part of yourself and part of your day……here is an extra 1000 minutes.”

Try it, You will Like it!

The great news is that you don’t have to take my word for it.   Try it yourself and see what happens.  Set aside 10-30 minutes out of your day to just be with God.  I like first thing in the morning, but honor your own bio-rhythms.  Choose a meditation practice to try (from the list I shared with you the other day, or from your own arsenal) and DO IT!  Listen to music.  Pray.  Meditation.  Contemplate.  Read and reflect on scripture, the sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Rumi, Hafiz, etc.  Chant.  Write your own prayers.  Hold others in prayer.  The activity itself does not matter….what matters is the intent.  KNOW that whatever you are doing in those 10-30 minutes is your personal time with God.  (And for mothers with infants and toddlers, congratulations, you get two loopholes:  holding and loving your children counts as “meditation” when you offer that time to God…..and even better…..if you can get your husband to agree to watch the kids so you can pray…..you get that time back 1 million fold!!!!!   YAY……and here’s the frosting on the cake……if your husband helps to support your spiritual practice, he gets that time back 1 million fold too!!!!)

So, what are you waiting for?  Set aside some time for God and watch the magic unfold!  AMEN!

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Resurrecting the church of the Magdalene Part VII

Mar10

Today’s blog explores the gifts of both the Institutional/orthodox Church and the mystical, contemplative, interior church that I refer to as “the church of the Magdalene.” 

Continuing Yesterday’s Discussion

Apparently yesterday’s blog stirred the ire of some readers.  I will say it again, I am sorry if any readers took yesterday’s blog personally or thought I was shaking the finger of judgment at them.  As a Perfectionist/Reformer (on the Enneagram), I am predisposed to see the world through the lens of “How can this be better?” and in my professional life, the common target of this question is the Institution of the Roman Catholic Church.  Not because I hate it, mind you, but because I love it!  I want my church to be a place where all people feel welcome, accepted, loved and honored for who they are.  I am saddened when the very human Institution falls short of this hope.

Room for Orthodoxy

The Catholic Church as an Institution has stood strong and proud for 2000 some years and serves a very important role in the spiritual and religious experiences and beliefs of its members.  The Church as an Institution creates form, structure, predictability, unity of belief and practice.  You can go anywhere in the world, attend a Catholic mass and be able to participate.  There is great gift in this form and structure as it can create a sense of security and safety in an often unpredictable world.  We know where the Church stands on matters of morality, politics, and matters of social justice.  We also know the chain of command and our role within that chain.  The Institution of the Church creates order and for many people, this is important and necessary.  The Institution also provides sound instruction in what members are expected to believe and how they are expected to act.  Again, very important resources for many people.  The Church also provides a sense of belonging.  For those who qualify as “Catholic in good standing,” you know that you are accepted, you belong, you have a home and a community that you can turn to for comfort, support, guidance.  These are all good things that feed and nurture many.

The Mystical Church

Here is where it gets messy…..especially for some.  The Mystical/Contemplative church is pretty much the complete opposite from what is listed above.  Instead of creating order, it stirs up chaos.  Instead of offering rules, doctrine, strict guidelines, it invites us into our own personal discernement were we are called to discover God’s truth for us on our own (or with the help of a Spiritual Director).  The black and white rules of orthodoxy are replaced with the grey matter of relativity….the only absolute truth being God….or whatever we want to call that.  Instead of offering strict rubrics for worship and ritual, the Mystical church invites us to create our own.  Rote repetitive prayer is expanded to include imagination, dreams, writing, inviting us into a deeply personal and intimate dialogue with God.  In the Mystical church, instead of following the chain of command,  we are invited to take it “straight to the top”, by-passing the human element and going directly to God.  The final authority in the Mystical church is God, rather than the pope, cardinals and bishops.  The Mystical church belongs to all of humanity and there is no separation by religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.  All paths lead to God and all paths are honored as sacred.  In the Mystical church, decisions are made through prayer, careful discernment, collaboration and concensus.  Leadership looks more like a circle than a straight line.  Can you see how this might not be for some…..even many?

The Church in a Perfect World (as defined by Lauri Lumby)

In a perfect world (at least according to me) there would be room for both expressions of the Christian experience.  The Orthodox and Mystical churches would co-exist side by side in peaceful harmony and collaboration.  Leaders and members would be formed and educated through both sound spiritual formation (Who am I?  Whose am I?  What are my gifts and how am I being called to use them?) as well as religious formation (rites and rituals, dogma and doctrine, theology, scriptural exegesis, church history, the study of church documents, canon law, etc.). Spiritual formation would inform religious formation and visa versa.  Men, women, lay and ordained would all be included in this formation and leadership would be determined by the individuals’ specific charisms, not their gender.  Ordination might be more broad…..perhaps all would be ordained to their specific call in the world and in the Church.  Contemplation would be honored along side traditional forms of prayer.   Religious dogma would be tested against discernment and the call to compassion.  Primacy of Conscience would be valued in areas of morality with the final authority resting with God.  Worship would include some wiggle room….room for interpretation of worship to expand beyond the strict rubrics of the Roman liturgy.  I know, crazy, right?

Not in my lifetime

I realize that this vision of “the perfect Church”  will most likely NOT be made manifest in my lifetime…if ever.  And I have stopped beating my head against the wall of the Institution hoping they will hear the call to be open to the Mystical expression.  And perhaps I am just a voice calling out in the wilderness….but I know there are people who resonate more clearly with the Mystical expression and hunger for its nourishment.  So, here I am, offering it to those who would have it.    In the spirit of this offering, I just wanted to remind you of the March 15th launch of the Agape’ Project – a subscription based newsletter that will give those who want it, tools for sound spiritual formation through scripture, meditation and contemplation exercises and educational materials that help us to grow in our understanding of what the scripture writers might have been trying to say.  The newsletter is the culmination of my own 20 years of devoted prayer and contemplation, study and practice and I am humbled and honored to offer these tools in the hopes of helping others know the depth of love that arises out of the use of these kinds of tools.  Going back to the mission of Authentic Freedom Ministries, to help you:  Remember the Love That You Are!

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

 

Why Bother with a Spiritual Practice?

Mar8

Today’s blog explores the value of a personal, spiritual practice….and answers the great marketing question:  WIFM?  You will learn that you can’t afford NOT to cultivate a sound spiritual practice if you desire peace and joy in your life.   

Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.

Jeremiah 17: 5-9

WIFM?  What is in it for me if I embrace a spiritual practice?

The first reading from today’s scripture pretty much says it all.  I don’t think I have read anything that more accurately describes the contrast between a life without spiritual practice and a life that is firmly rooted in meditation, contemplation, creative endeavors….anything that is directed toward knowing God and knowing ourselves.  When we give time to God in meditation, contemplation and prayer, life takes on a quality of ease, peacefulness, contentment.  We are able to be present to the ebb and flow of the human condition – facing adversity, challenge, loss with a sense of surrender and peace.  We are also able to celebrate the gifts of the human condition with fulfillment and joy.  When we do not have our lives rooted in spiritual practice, life tosses us about like a plastic bag in the wind and life feels like a barren wasteland….stark, depressing, blech.

Fruits of Contemplation

In the Western Contemplative tradition, these benefits of sound spiritual practice are referred to as “the fruits of contemplation.”   Teresa Tillson speaks of these fruits in an article she penned for the St. Olaf college website:

Jesus taught no specific method, but did regularly withdraw to be alone with God. The fruits of prayer described by Paul the Apostle are love, joy peace, patience, generosity, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and purity. (Galatians 5:22-23). According to Thomas Keating, the fruits of centering prayer are freedom from self-centered motivation, action in service to others, a sense of interconnectedness with all creation, dis-identification with our self-image, healing of fear, conviction of our basic goodness, and capacity for union with God.

 The Way of Meditation and Contemplation by Teresa Tillson  http://www.stolaf.edu/people/huff/classes/religion/Essay.html

In short, spiritual practice is good for us.  It helps us to be happy and to find peace.  It fills us up, nourishes us, makes life palatable.  If it is so good for us, why don’t we do something about it?

All Good Things, Right!?

That is a really good question.  If spiritual practice is so dang good for us and centuries of teachers seem to know this, why don’t we do it?  The first answer is that maybe life hasn’t yet kicked our butt enough.  The second answer might be lack of motivation.  The third answer might be the illusion or false perception that ” I don’t have time.”  The fourth answer might be that you have never been given the tools or taught effective means of contemplation that SPEAK TO YOU.  Not everyone is called to silent meditation and the rosary doesn’t speak to everyone.  In the coming days and in support of the March 15th global launch of the Agape’ Project…..I hope to blast through some of the obstacles to spiritual practice, while providing you the tools and support you might need to either begin or further develop your existing practice.  Because more than anything in the world…..I hope for you to know the peace, joy and love that I have discovered through sound spiritual practice and to find those things for yourself.

If you do not have a daily spiritual practice……why not?

Where do you seek more peace, fulfillment, love and joy in your life?

How are you being called to deepen your existing spiritual practice if you have one?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Beware the Ides of March!

Feb28

This post marks the beginning of a series of posts directed toward the GLOBAL launch of the Agape’ Project – a weekly subscription based service that will be made available through Authentic Freedom Ministries.  This affordable weekly resource will provide tools for sound spiritual formation and for starting and cultivating a sound spiritual practice with the promised result of helping you to Remember the Love That You Are!

Beware the Ides of March

I can’t even think or speak the above phrase, “Beware the Ides of March” without either hearing or intoning a phantomesque Shakespearean accent reminiscent of the first time I heard this quote in high school British Lit.  These are the immortal words attributed to the soothsayer who prophesied the assassination of Julius Caesar in Shakespeare’s play of the same name and which proved to be true as Caesar met his doom at the hands of Brutus and his fellow conspirators.  Since Caesar’s prophesied demise, these words have become a herald of impending doom. 

My own Ides of March

These words have proven to be no less tragic for me as I joked, but seriously observed that the day I moved out of my home of 13 years and embarked fully upon the journey of divorce was none other than…..MARCH 15th!  God has a seriously sick sense of humor.  But now, after nearly a year, I am happy to say that while yes, March 15, 2011 proved to be a death (or deaths) of sort……I HAVE found new life on the other side of divorce.  YAY!  So in celebration of many many many experiences of new life since that fateful Ides of March 2011, I am dubbing the Ides of March 2012 to be a majorly awesome day of new beginnings and new promises by making it the the official global launch date for the Agape’ Project.   March 15, 2012 will not be a day of doom but instead will be a day of celebration, outreach and joy.  YAY again!

What the Heck is the Agape’ Project?

Agape’ is the Greek word used in Christian scripture to describe the unconditional, unmerited, infinite, abundantly flowing Love of God.  Even more than that, Agape’ reminds us that God is LOVE and that we too are that Love in our connection with God, with one another and with all of Creation.  By embracing Agape’, we REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT WE ARE.   The Agape’ Project seeks to empower individuals as well as small groups to REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT THEY ARE by providing tools for sound spiritual formation rooted in the Western Contemplative tradition.  Each weekly resource will include scripture, historical and cultural background, exercises for meditation, contemplation, personal reflection and group discussion.  The Agape’ Project has been tested by a 12 member pilot group and after feedback on content, pricing, etc. and will be ready for global launch on March 15, 2012.  Another YAY!

What you can look forward to in the coming month

In preparation for the global launch of the Agape’ Project on March 15th,  Your Spiritual Truth will be focussing its blog posts on meditation, contemplation, spiritual formation and the like.  I will be setting the groundwork and building a platform for the Ides of March and why you might want to be a part of the Agape’ Project and why you might want to share it with friends.  So, instead of “Beware the Ides of March” I say, “Welcome the Ides of March!”

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

What Churches Refuse to Give us, Why and Where we Might Find it

Feb9

Today’s blog explores the topic of spiritual hunger and the tools that help to satisfy that hunger and why many, if not most, churches fail to give us what we really need.

Our Deepest Longing

In my nearly twenty years of ministry work, I have identified one desire that is common among every single person to whom I have ministered and I suspect is common among every single human being that walks this planet.  This desire is to KNOW they are LOVED.  No matter how confident we might seem to be, or successful, or popular or at peace…there is still a very deep longing to know that we are loved and that we are loved exactly for who and what we are….infinitely and without condition.  This longing to be loved is what drives us to seek fulfillment of this love in our life, our work, our relationships and our life experiences.  We begin by seeking for this love outside of us, but what I have discovered is that we can only find the fulfillment of that desire to be loved when we come to know the Love that we are within ourselves.

The Cause of the Longing for Love

While there are a bazillion books and self-help gurus who profess to know how to help us cultivate self-love, the truth is that the cause for this longing to know love is spiritual.  While books and counseling and inspirational seminars may help us heal some of the outside messages that told us we are not loved and may help us unlearn some of the negative self-talk we have developed as a result of these outside messages, the only place to realize the fulfillment of this longing for love is deep within ourselves in the connection with that which some might call “God.” Here’s where it gets messy.  “God” has become a dangerous word, polluted by religious institutions who out of their own unhealed wounds around love, have made God out to be this gastly beast who is judgmental, vengeful, fickle and whose love has to be earned and can be taken away.  What these institutions have forgotten is that God is the very nature of Love itself and that we are made out of that Love.  Because Love is our very nature and because we are the very expression of God as Love, love does not have to be earned, neither can it be taken away.  Love simply is…..and we are driven by a longing within to remember this truth.  Unfortunately there is no magic pill to remembering this love and there is no predictable timeframe.  The recollection of this love happens in a mysterious and magical way and is nothing short of Grace.   There are, however, things we can do to help facilitate this process and allow us to open to Grace….and that is called Spiritual Formation.

What the churches won’t give us

I am hopeful that there are churches out there who are exceptions to this rule.  But, by and large, Spiritual Formation – the tools for helping us remember the love that we are, is the thing that most churches refuse to give us.  Spiritual Formation is defined by tools that empower us to answer these three questions:

  • Who am I?
  • Whose am I?
  • What are my gifts and how am I being called to share them in the world

In a nutshell, sound spiritual formation empowers us to remember the love that we are and to find fulfilling ways to share that love in the world for the benefit of humankind.  You would think that churches would be enthusiastically sharing these tools with us, right?  Wrong.  And here is why:

  • Sound Spiritual Formation empowers us to remember that God is love.  Period.  If God is Love, then where is there room for dogma and doctrine that tells us what we need to do to earn our way into God’s love?  If God is Love, what happened in the Garden with the snake, the apple and the sinful couple?  If God is Love…then what is sin?  Got the picture?
  • Sound Spiritual Formation invites us to seek, explore, discover and challenge.  How many churches are open and supportive of their people seeking, exploring……challenging?
  • Sound Spiritual Formation invites us to KNOW the God within our heart…..and in coming to know God, we learn that there is only one Absolute truth and all other “truths” (especially religious truths) are up for discussion.

It’s getting pretty dangerous, wouldn’t you say?  So you can see why many churches are reluctant to share these tools with the uppity lay people in the pew.  Not to mention, MOST churches are not even aware of these tools because sometime during the Reformation (1500 something or other), these tools were gathered up and locked away in Catholic Monasteries where only monks and nuns had access to them.  Only recently have these tools become more readily available and accessible….but sadly, few of these resources have found their way into the hands of “the faithful.”

The Agape’ Project

Here is where I get involved.   In my ministry training, I had the great fortune of learning these tools and for the past almost twenty years, have made these tools part of my daily practice and shared them in my public ministry.  Now it is time for these tools to be available to EVERYONE!  These are the tools that I have already shared in both of my books, Authentic Freedom and Christouch.  And now, I share these tools through a little venture I call The Agape’ Project.  (agape’ is the Greek word that reflects our understanding of God as Love….infinite, unconditional and without regard to merit).  The Agape’ Project makes these tools available through a weekly newsletter that will include scripture readings as well as tools for sound spiritual formation.  This morning, I launched the pilot release of this product to a dozen brave souls who are willing to make a commitment to Remembering the Love that They Are through adherence to sound spiritual practice.  If you are interested in learning more about this project, click HERE.  The goal of the Agape’ Project is to empower people through tools of sound spiritual formation to Remember the Love that They Are and in doing so, to help make the world a better place!

Do you long to remember Love as your original nature?

Do you long to remember your connection to the deepest Source of that Love?

How are you being invited to seek, explore, discover, challenge?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com