Prayers for the Earth

Save the date November 29, 2017, 7 pm for "Prayers for the Earth Ceremony" at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley 1201 Puerta Del Sol Suite 100 San Clemente, California 92673.

Bring your prayers and drums as we will have four rounds of prayers to share with all that join us for our wonderful Earth Mother that gives us all we need to live.

Discussions of the Tao

Please join us for a "Discussions of the Tao" with Pattie Mercado and Gene Stone Tuesday Oct 10 6:30 to 8 pm, Oct 17 and Oct 24. This free discussion group will take place at Center for Spiritual Living San Clemente 1201 Puerta Del Sol, Suite 100 San Clemente, CA 92673.

Our handout for this discussion:

Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching was written by Lao Tsu 2600 years ago. The Tao is the complete explanation of space and time. Te is the use of Tao by all living things. The purpose of the Tao Te Ching is to teach the world to live harmoniously can open us you a higher wisdom and happiness.  This is because understanding of Tao bring us closer to our innermost source a place of balance and peace within and without.

Taoism's roots, like much of its visible manifestations, are buried in shamanic prehistoric China. Sometime around 500 B.C.E., a shadowy figure who is called Lao Tsu set down the philosophical principles of a Taoist way of life in a collection of teachings we know as the "Tao Te Ching." It has been pondered, studied and used as a guide for living ever since. Gradually, some of the trappings of religion grew around the essential philosophy. There are Taoist priests who perform the complex prayer rituals, temple protocol and scripture memorization, which functions as a kind of prayer. But Taoists do not pray in the way Christians do, for example. They regard gods as embodiments of the principles of the Tao. The essence of the Tao is a personal journey to "Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place."

The four cardinal virtues are found in the Tao.

1.  Gentleness

2.  Natural Sincerity

3.  Reverence for all Life

4.  Supportiveness

Tao will answer 8 questions:

1.  Where do we come from and where are we going?

2.  Can the opposite of a profound truth also be true?

3.  What is the invisible action of Tao or the Way?

4.  What happens when we reach total silence?

5.  Are we born as enlightened beings?

6.  Is there Cosmic Justice?

7.  What is enough?

8.  Are we altruistic in nature?

Tao can be grouped into 8 principles:

1. Tao

2. Oneness

3. Action

4. Silence

5. Life

6. Peace

7. Contentment

8. Love

Tao can be universally applied to: Religion, science, politics, commence, medicine, education, arts and Kung fu just to name a few. To be a warrior in the inner-outer life you have to be a warrior on the inner life.

Drumming for World Peace

Join us for Wednesday's Wisdom June 7, 7 pm at the Center for Spiritual Living 1201 Puerta Del Sol, Suite 100 San Clemente, CA 92673

CALLING IN THE SPIRIT OF PEACE PRAYER
I Declare World Peace

To gain the power to be able to Declare Peace, we must find peace in ourselves, make peace with our neighbors, with all religions, with our governments, with our environment, with our enemies.

The man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures and acknowledging unity with the universe of things was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization. Chief Luther Standing Bear

Peace cannot look like this to any group of people! After being sent to an indian boarding school in the late 1800’s a Hope Chief later said:

“I had learned many english word and could recite part of the Ten Commandments. I knew how to sleep on a bed, pray to Jesus, comb my hair, eat with a knife and fork, and use a toilet…. I had also learned that a person thinks with his head instead of his heart.”  Sun Chief Hopi 1890

The Centers for Spiritual Living in a effort to make peace with our environment made this statement on June 2.

Call to Action for all Centers...                                                                                         June 2, 2017 Centers for Spiritual Living Golden, Colorado Climate Change Statement and Position The Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL) stands in support of the Paris Climate Accord (Paris Agreement). We view Thursday’s decision by the Trump Administration to back out of the agreement to be a significant setback for any global effort to curb global warming. The Paris Agreement was created to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions to help reverse the devastating effects of Global Warming. It is unfortunate that a Nation, which is one of the largest polluters historically, is taking such a step. The United States now joins Syria and Nicaragua, who did not sign the Agreement because it was viewed as too weak.  The Agreement has been signed by nearly 200 other countries. We believe that God acts through creation, not independently of it. Statements which have been made to the effect that, “God will take care of Global Warming,” fail to recognize that each of us individually and us as a whole are responsible for our own experience - that God acts through creation. If we want a green and verdant planet, we will have to act in ways which support that outcome. “Centers for Spiritual Living believes climate change and environmental deterioration are moral issues and as a spiritual organization, we must take a stand,” said Rev. Dr. Kenn Gordon, CSL Spiritual Leader. “Climate change will not only affect our generation, but our children, our grandchildren, and all future generations of humanity, as well as other forms of life. We stand united with other faith communities in our call to care for the earth and to protect the poor and suffering.” CSL recognizes the evidence of science: Human activity is the main cause of the climate crisis. This crisis is seen in the extreme weather, changes to seasons, rising sea levels, species extinctions, the melting of glaciers, and shrinking of the polar ice caps. The scientific consensus is clear. The United States can best serve its own interests and those of all of humanity by continuing to be an environmental leader of the world in reducing emissions. Today’s decision to exit from the Paris Agreement moves in the opposite direction. “We recognize that our good is within us, so we awaken to our individual responsibility and empowerment to properly steward our planet. So, let our voices be heard and let our actions speak of our love for our planet,” said Dr. Gordon