All times listed are Eastern Standard Time – See links below to join us in the Sanctuary
8:00 am – Centering Prayer – Sami Ross
Sami Ross leads us in Centering Prayer on the weekends! This method is designed to seek the true Self by deepening into the intention to recognize and promptly empty ourselves of what is not true. In turn, we abide more and more fully in the heart as a symbol of the Truth of What We Are.
During the 20-minute silent practice period, we relax and allow everything to be as it is. When we notice attention has gone to a thought/image/feeling/perception, we ever-so-gently return to a sacred word of our choosing. We do not resist thought but we also do not follow it either. We let thoughts go by without thinking ABOUT them. We let them be by softly saying our sacred word inwardly as a symbol of our intention to consent to the Presence of God within and God’s action within.
Devotional music or words will be offered prior to the start of the 20-minute silent practice period and for a couple minutes directly following the practice period to allow a transition time back to our ordinary awareness.
This program is a daily, year-long devotional practice that focuses on contemplating the Thoughts of Awakening. This group will meet every morning at 8:30 am ET for 30 minutes to share our insights from the previous day’s contemplation with our inner teacher. The facilitators are Rev. Michele Hojnacki and Sami Ross.
The Thoughts of Awakening were given to Regina Dawn Akers in response to her prayer for help. In her book, Thoughts of Awakening, Regina wrote, “I found the contrast between profound spiritual devotion and her typical day-to-day state of mind unbearable”. The Thoughts of Awakening were given to help her from “falling back into the old state of mind after my morning devotional practice”. She says of the Thoughts of Awakening, “They are the thoughts that led from suffering with a split mind to the experience of a highly consistent, happy way of being.”“Each of the 365 thoughts is intended for a full day’s contemplation. They are to be read and contemplated repeatedly throughout the day. If you read and contemplate each thought deeply for a full day, you’ll experience shifts towards true perception this year.”
The group’s aim is to support one another in a daily practice of inner listening using the Thoughts of Awakening. This group could benefit those new to inner contemplation or anyone wishing to enhance their practice.
We will contemplate a single Thought of Awakening daily with our inner teacher.
Following Regina’s recommendation, we’ll write it down and carry it with us for reflection throughout the day, as well as reflecting on and putting into practice the guidance received from our own inner teacher.
The book ‘Thoughts of Awakening’ by Regina Dawn Akers is available to purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2ag15vy
Our invitation to join extends to all, even if attending the daily sessions is not possible.
9:30 am – Devotional Attention to Stillness – Rev. Abigail Edwards
This program provides an opportunity to meditate in community with others, sharing the core values of ‘Awakening Together’. Join Rev Abigail Edwards in the restful practice of sitting in the stillness of heart-connected Being, while letting go of mental chatter and embracing the Divine, our natural state, while remembering the Reality of Self. This meditative process will draw on the Truth writings of Dr. David R. Hawkins, Inner Ramana, Nisargadatta, NTI and other teachers encountered on this spiritual path.
10:15 am – Weekly Gathering – Rev. David Hemphill
Topic: “Living your Spiritual Path”
Reading: Tina Brown will read from Chapter 45 of Tao Te Ching: An Interpretive Translation to Live By, by Regina Dawn Akers, and passages from A Mind at Home With Itself, by Byron Katie, The Experience of No Self, by Bernadette Roberts & Unveiling the Mystery (Unpublished) by David Hemphill.
11:30 am – Weekly Fellowship Time – Hosted by Rev. Tawonda Chase
This is the time when Awakening Together joins together in fellowship as a community. We share what is on our hearts and minds from the recent homily or anything else that is truly inspiring us.
12:00 pm – Just Being Here Now – 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.
12:30 pm – Transcending the Addiction to Mind – Rev. David Hemphill
Join us in exploring the belief in separation through the lens of addiction to the mind! On this journey we will explore many topics such as:
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What does it really mean to have spiritual awakening as part of my path?
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What is my unique path?
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Why do parts of my path feel uncomfortable?
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How do I navigate the uncomfortable parts?
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Where is the inherent bliss and joy on my path that spiritual awakening says is there? How do I access it now?
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Why does my bliss come and go? Why do the bad parts always come back?
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How do I get “unstuck” if I’ve been on this path many years and yet still have the same issues I’ve always had?
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What is “Self-will” and why do I need to pay attention to it in order to get unstuck?
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What is the nature of “desire” and “aversion,” and how are they related to stuckness?
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Once I understand everything, or if I already understand everything, how do I actually make the realization happen?
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What are paradoxes and how should I react when I find one?
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What specifically is it that will permanently lead to spiritual awakening? How do I cultivate this?
If any of these seem interesting, then I hope to see you there!
1:00 pm – Sacred Inquiry – Rev. Shawna Summers
Rev. Shawna demonstrates the art of Sacred Inquiry in real-time. Join her as she asks to see with Clarity, questioning each layer of the thinking mind, to see what beliefs are hidden in the sub-conscious. She opens deeper into beginners’ mind with humble curiosity. This is an evolving process, as she discerns for the vibrational level of each thought, exposing the source. She invites all listening to join her in their own Inquiry to experience the strength of this powerful and often surprising spiritual practice.
1:30 pm – Reflections Program from the Resolving For Truth Retreat – Hosted by Rona Marren
All are welcome to join us and hear from the recent retreat participants who attended the online retreat “Resolving for Truth”. This program will be hosted by Rona Marren.
“Resolving for Truth”, was a 3-day online retreat, facilitated by Rev. Anne Blanchard. During this retreat, participants learned to determine a course of action that is perfect for them now as they take their next step toward spiritual awakening.
During this Reflections program, retreat participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and insights. They will also be discussing any breakthroughs and wisdom gained from the retreat.
2:30 – 5:00 pm – Sanctuary Closed
Rev. Yolanda can’t be with us today. She has requested that I play a past recording of Glen and her.
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
When Regina Dawn Akers announced that the “Clarifying the Teachings” program had come to its natural end, Rev. Jacquelyn Eckert felt guided to re-listen to these transformative teachings with us.
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 in the moment. We may also spend time practicing what Regina is teaching. Bring your journals, openness, and curiosity as we explore what is most alive in us and ready to be seen.
7:00 pm – Resting In Our Immaculate Nature – with Joy Bedford and Jill Grace
Join Jill and Joy to gently rest and invite our immaculate nature into awareness. As we rest into our natural state, we relax beyond fear (i.e., energy, beliefs and egoic-desire frequencies of suffering); beyond what may arise that feels different than our natural resonant peaceful immaculateness. Together, as a sangha, we strengthen our awareness of our True nature so that the energy invested in beliefs about ourselves returns to its natural state as Pure Divine Light. Gathering as a sangha heightens our ability to detect obstacles — blocks to our immaculate nature…dense, lower frequency Light — so that these aspects of our being that we made up are welcomed into awareness, hastening their return to the original state as Pure Divine Light. As a sangha, we will use practical examples from our lives. Notably, resting in our True, immaculate nature supports noticing how the false identity that isn’t really what we are, enjoys, even wants!… to believe limiting beliefs (the false/unreal) until we realize what we actually are, immaculate, unaffected Divine Spirit. Join us as we put obstacles on the altar of Truth and free light that has been blocking our palpable awareness of Divine Love. The pointings are from The Way of Mastery, ACIM, NTI and more will be used.
7:30 – January Satsang with Our Founding Minister Regina Dawn Akers – Interviewed by our President Minister Rhoda Makled.
We are delighted to have our founding minister, Regina Dawn Akers as our January Satsang guest! She will be interviewed by President Minister Rhoda Makled. Following one of Regina’s recent homilies, Rhoda found herself writing to Regina to inquire about some of her statements during the gathering. What followed was a conversation about some of the questions Rhoda found herself not posing publicly or with others. Following this written exchange Regina graciously offered to participate in a Satsang. We are excited for this opportunity to have Regina in the sanctuary as our first Satsang guest of 2025!
For Regina’s Full Bio, please click this link: Regina Dawn Akers Bio
9:00 pm ET – The Sanctuary is Closed
All Times are Eastern Standard Time – See helpful links below.
Enter the Sanctuary or see the complete listing of speakers.
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