A universal assembly for true discernment
Reflections from Eternity’s Embrace with John Mark Stroud Retreat was facilitated by Rona Marren on August 25, 2024
Retreat participants had the opportunity to share how this freestyle retreat where Spirit guided their journey helped them embrace presence and move beyond beliefs into the Truth of our essence. They also shared how the retreat helped them shed concepts, identities, and structures, revealing the vibrant Reality within us all
Title: “Flowing With the Tao: Embracing Effortless Action”
Description: In her homily, Rev. Jacquelyn Eckert will explore the Taoist principle of Wu Wei, or Effortless Action. As she works on updating the Ministerial Preparation Program’s Tao Te Ching course with the new translation by Rev. Regina Dawn Akers, she has found that some tasks flow effortlessly while others require more effort. Through these experiences, she has begun to grasp the deeper meaning of this central teaching of the Tao. In her homily, Rev. Jacquelyn will share her emerging insights and how embracing Wu Wei can transform our approach to work and life.
Reading: Connie Poole read from Chapters 43, 63, & 64 of Tao Te Ching: An Interpretive Translation to Live By.
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Click the link below to read the minutes from this meeting.
(To learn more about the Member Board of Trustees, click here.)
What is Truth? And how do we find it in a life that is pushed and pulled around by the cravings, aversions, and ignorance of the human mind and senses?
There can be no confusion about where to start, for it is all laid out within the eight limbs of Raja yoga, as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Shiny Things provides practical guidance to apply the path of Raja Yoga in daily life, relieving suffering and accessing an inner sparkle, within a supportive group environment. It includes consideration of how we conduct ourselves in the world, how we relate to our spiritual practices, appropriate care of the body and vitality, a gradual quieting of the mind and senses, throwing out what is false, and glimpsing what is True.
We will initially use the book by Bhava Ram: The Eight Limbs of Yoga, Pathway to Liberation, as an introductory guide. If you don’t have the book, you can still join us. Later in the year, we will commence a deeper immersion into a full commentary of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Title: “Flowing with the Tao: Embracing Effortless Action”
Description: In her homily, Rev. Jacquelyn Eckert will explore the Taoist principle of Wu Wei, or Effortless Action. As she works on updating the Ministerial Preparation Program’s Tao Te Ching course with the new translation by Rev. Regina Dawn Akers, she has found that some tasks flow effortlessly while others require more effort. Through these experiences, she has begun to grasp the deeper meaning of this central teaching of the Tao. In her homily, Rev. Jacquelyn will share her emerging insights and how embracing Wu Wei can transform our approach to work and life.
Reading: Connie Poole will accompany with readings from Chapters 43, 63, and 64 of Tao Te Ching: An Interpretive Translation to Live By.
*Weekly gathering is held every Sunday morning at 10:15 am ET/8:15 am MT in the Awakening Together Sanctuary. Join us after the Gathering for our Fellowship Time, hosted by Rev. Tawonda Chase.
Join us at 12:00 pm ET/ 10:00 am MT for Just Being Here Now with Anja Janssen Everything is already here now, so all we have to ‘do’ is be. In this program, Anja will look deeply into the now, the present moment, to explore how truth presents itself. She will be using everyday experiences and events to practice being present with what is. She will also share a variety of teachings about the now, the illusion of time, and resting in beingness. Some of the teachers and texts she will draw from are Eckhart Tolle, Lao Tzu, Angelo Dilullo, A Course in Miracles & NTI. Join Anja in using our everyday experiences to embrace the present moment and be.
The “Eternity’s Embrace” retreat, led by John Mark Stroud, was a transformative 5-day in-person experience held at our retreat house in LaVeta, CO. Participants were gently guided through a freestyle retreat, allowing Spirit to lead their unique journeys.
During this program, retreat participants will share how this retreat helped empowered them to embrace Presence and move beyond beliefs. They will also discuss how shedding concepts, identities, and structures allowed the vibrant Reality within us all to emerge.
All are welcomed to join us!
Join us at 5:00 pm ET/ 3:00 pm MT for The Mighty Companions Hour – The Voice That likes You with Rev. Yolanda MapesJoin Rev. Yolanda as she continues to share her beautiful voice and heart during The Mighty Companions Hour. This is a program she and her late, beloved husband, Rev. Glen Ganaway began in 2020.
Rev. Yolanda Mapes, who is an interfaith minister, shares a delightful, funny, and inspiring hour of A Course in Miracles. Come join in on the fun, the laughs, and the music while unlearning the ego through the lessons and chapters of ACIM.
You can discover more about the Mighty Companions on this website: www.themightycompanions.com. Also, Rev. Yolanda has a site where you can purchase her beautiful, spiritually uplifting music: www.Yolanda.net/audio If you feel to contribute to her ministry, you can do so here: www.patreon.com/RevYolanda
The Tao Te Ching (The Way), written by Lao-Tzu (Old Teacher), is a guide to enlightened leadership. While most people believe effective leadership lies in knowledge and power, the Tao teaches it lies in emptiness, stillness, and presence.
Awakening Together’s Vice President-Minister, Rev. Rhoda Makled, and Rev. David Hemphill share from the Tao as they contemplate its principles in order to fully embody them. In addition to the 2 versions already being read from the Tao, the pair will also read Regina Dawn Aker’s translation of the Tao Te Ching.
During this program, we will listen to a portion of each previously recorded “Clarifying the Teachings” program. Afterward, we will spend time contemplating and teaching ourselves what is most alive for us at the moment. We may also spend time practicing what Regina is teaching. And…we will start at the very beginning.
Bring your journals, openness, and curiosity as we explore what is most alive in us and ready to be seen. We hope you feel inspired to join.
Movies are modern day parables. Watching movies with your inner guide can inform rather than just entertain you. This Spirit Led Movie Watchers Discussion Group, facilitates the participants’ ability to identify spiritual themes in everyday movies and to use movies as a way of uncovering unconscious beliefs about ourselves and the world we live in.
“Chasing Mavericks” is a 2012 film inspired by the true story of 15-year-old surfing prodigy Jay Moriarty, portrayed by Jonny Weston, and his developing friendship with seasoned surfer Frosty Hesson, played by Gerard Butler. Jay learns that the legendary Mavericks surf break, known for producing some of the largest waves on Earth, is located near his home in California. Determined to conquer it, Jay seeks Frosty’s guidance in mastering the Mavericks. Initially hesitant, Frosty eventually agrees, becoming not only Jay’s coach but also a mentor and father figure, leading to a transformative journey for both of them.
This film was selected for its diverse themes that encourage awakening to our True Self. These themes encompass both the avoidance of facing fear and fearlessly facing the fear that keeps us from awakening to our Self. Additionally, the film highlights our increasing awareness and sensitivity to the field of Divine Love that we inherently are and are always surrounded by. Water and waves are used as powerful symbols representing the inner waves of light and energy that we all navigate.
Click here for the Playsheet
The Sanctuary will close at 9:00 pm ET
Enter the Sanctuary or see the complete listing of speakers.
All Times are Eastern Standard Time – See helpful links below.
How to Enter the Sanctuary
In 2023, Awakening Together’s founder, Regina Dawn Akers, translated the Tao Te Ching from ancient Chinese into modern English. In this video series, Regina shares:
~ What she found in the Chinese characters used by Lao Tzu
~ Why she translated each chapter the way she did
~ The important messages found in the Tao Te Ching
Join Revs. Joanne Schneider, Kelly Barber, and Rhoda Makled for our new program, “Living Emptiness Out Loud.” Together, we will embark on a journey to discover what it means to live from the emptiness that is our true nature.
This bi-monthly program will occur on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 7:30 – 8:30 pm ET. Each time we join, either Joanne, Kelly, or Rhoda will share their current contemplations, offering the Sangha an opportunity to explore and reflect from their own Inner Wisdom. This exploration invites us to deeply and persistently examine the barriers that prevent us from being with emptiness, grounded in the understanding that our true nature is what moves us all while we remain open and ready to be moved.
We will delve into recognizing and releasing egoic energies by cultivating practices of
authentic self-honesty and awareness. These practices and contemplations will be
shared as we uncover the direct experience of our true Self.
With a foundation of willingness, self-honesty, and a steady dose of courage, we
embrace whatever comes forth through emptiness, accepting it as it is. In doing so, we
trust that everything we encounter is an opportunity for healing, purification, and
learning to live from the heart of emptiness. Together (with the Sangha), we will support
each other in our personal journeys to fully embrace and engage with the rich tapestry
of life.
Add Program to Your Calendar
*To add this program to your own calendar click the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, and then click “copy” and “save”.
This Gentle Healing Group Year 3 is being led by Rev. Sharon Hepburn. The Gentle Healing Curriculum guides committed students to make consistent, gentle progress toward genuine peace, joy, and love. This group began year 3 on January 24, 2024.
Here’s a direct link to the helpful facilitator guide for Gentle Healing Year 3 that helps you to know what week you are on: Click Here
Please join us as we continue to contemplate Out of the Stillness & The Seven Steps to Awakening. This program is on Wednesdays, 3pm ET / 1pm MT (except for the first Wednesday of the month).
“Awakening Together was designed by inner guidance to be a sangha rather than a guru-centered collective.”
As we step into the vision of “The Sangha is the New Guru” we are learning how the sangha is its own teacher, and honing the skills that are important for each member of a highly effective sangha. We are teaching ourselves how to genuinely support awakening, for each of us and for the community.
The primary qualities of a sangha are:
During this program we are currently contemplating Out of the Stillness and The Seven Steps to Awakening as Regina had been contemplating during this time.
A new facilitator will also be assigned each week. The facilitator will be the one to facilitate the program during the following week. The facilitator will lead by reading the quotes, calling on participants who wish to share their contemplations and may also be the one to share contemplations. To be a facilitator you will need both books.
Any questions posed will be posed to the group and inner wisdom will be brought forth from the sangha in response. We invite anyone who feels called to join us as we step into the vision of a highly effective sangha.
Live in the Sanctuary
Wednesdays at 3 pm ET/1 pm MT,
except for the first Wednesday of the month
Add to Calendar
*To add a recurring program to your own calendar click the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, and then click “copy” and “save”.
In this program, Rev. Cyndi will explore how we can use the Conditioning Loop (What I think, I see, what I see, I experience, what I experience I think) to shine a light on how the little self works to keep us in the dark. She will be using personal stories, contemplations, and wisdom teachings. Join Cyndi in using the world that we see and the thoughts that we think to Awaken Together.
Wednesdays 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET
While “Unfiltered” takes a pause during Anne’s vacation, our beloved Laura “Joy” Bedford will step in to share a wonderful program. “Exploring the Power of the Mind: Do We Know What We Are Creating?” will be held on Wednesday, August 21st & 28th, from 1pm-2pm ET / 11am-12pm MT.
Here is a description of the program:
During these two weeks we will gently & experientially explore giving ourselves what we really deserve by exploring the power of the mind. We’ll look at what ACIM-Jesus and Nisargadhatta Maharaj have to say about Divine power, including how we may be using it and how we can use it.
Use this link for information on how to enter our Zoom sanctuary.
