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by the Board of Directors:
Everyday is Christmas Day, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa.
The celebration of life and nature is the same thing for some atheists.
Every religion points to loving one and other better and learning to grow in wisdom as core tenets.
Is there anyone out there who does not enjoy the experience of being loved without condition and that your value and worth are a given.
If you doubt that someone loves you that way, call me.
How would it be if for the next sixteen days, each of us focused on loving every single person we meet each day?
All damaging behavior arises out of unwellness.
When you are in a good mood, how do you treat others?
If you are in a terrible mood, who do you look to blame for things being this way?
Jane Goodall points out that everything we do makes a difference.
The only question is whether it will be a positive or negative difference.
Forget what other people are doing or saying.
Focus on you.
Recognize that people are not their behavior.
Love every single person you meet, pass on the sidewalk or on the highway!
No exceptions!
Upon whom do you think this will have the greatest impact?
Can you see that you will be creating your own “holiday spirit?” Not waiting for others to provide it.
Can you imagine what might happen if two or more people came together at the same time, in the same place and coming from that place of loving-kindness in the heart?
On behalf of the Board of Directors of The Boothby Institute and myself, I invite you to create a magical spiritual fortnight! And a SPLENDID New Year!
Brenda Owen, Ross Girardi, Mike Schweppe,
Brian Dominic, Hammie Ward, Emily Schweppe
Paula Benoit and Bill
SHOOTING IN CONNECTICUT – by Bill Cumming
In listening to the reporting of this event, we must take an active part in talking with people about our understanding of where violence comes from.
Reporters from all three major networks here in the United States keep saying they don’t understand. How could this happen.
EVERY SINGLE SHOOTER IN EVERY VIOLENT MASS MURDER/SUICIDE HAS BEEN A DAMAGED SOUL.
VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE.
THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF ONE VIOLENT PERSON; IT IS THE RESULT OF OUR ACTIONS AND THE GLORIFICATION OF VIOLENCE.
ANOTHER OF MY DAMAGED CHILDREN SLIPPED THROUGH OUR HANDS AND TOOK THAT VIOLENCE OUT ON 20 CHILDREN 10 AND UNDER AND SIX ADULTS (As of today’s count.)
Until we stop acting as if this isn’t the responsibility of every person on the planet, it will never be solved. Today, 22 children were stabbed by a single person in a school in China. THEY ARE MY CHILDREN TOO.
Every act and word of violence on our part contributes to the problem.
How am I acting with my spouse, my children?
How am I being with my co-workers?
The only way to stop this violence is to take responsibility for every part of our lives and make sure that we don’t let children pass through our hands as the recipients of our violence and damage.
There is no security except the way we are with each other. Every action and word counts.
Those of you who understand what is written here need to communicate widely about your understanding!
This past political campaign in the United States has brought forth all kinds of judgment, character assassination, and self- righteousness.
What makes us think that anything we do with ill will can lead to anything except more damage?
by Bill Cumming
The act of “forgiving” someone implies that they have done something bad and that it had to do with us. There are actually two inaccuracies with that supposition. The only reason people do things that damage others is because either at that moment or in general they have no experience of being loved and/or they believe they have no value. One or both of these conditions can easily lead to self destructive or abusive behavior. Well people generally do not damage themselves or others.
If I feel the need to “forgive” the actions of another, it means that I think that person did something to me. I have already judged, evaluated and sentenced them to at least purgatory for their actions. Additionally, I have personalized the damage as if it was specifically aimed at me. Don Miguel Ruiz points out that even if someone takes a gun and shoots you in the head, it has nothing to do with you. It has to do with the mental condition of the shooter. The only reason a person would do such a thing is because of their own lack of groundedness within their own worth.
War not withstanding, when people do damage and it does bump us (or much worse) all the time, we need to recognize that our job is to love them without condition. When members of the KKK (Klu Klux Klan) ran Alice Boothby of the highway as she traveled to her classes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the summer of 1964, I was really angry. In a hastily called faculty meeting at one point I said, “I hate bigots.” And Albert Boothby wheeled around toward me and said, “that would make you the problem. We must learn to love the bigot and hate the actions.”
In order to be well people do not needed to be “needed” or the equivalent of “you fill up my senses” or “you make me whole.” Those phrases describe the kind of superficial love of our modern culture. What we do need to have is the experience of being loved without condition and that our value and worth in the world are a given. The person who cleans your street or removes your trash is as important, valuable and worthy as any other person. You can always tell that a person is insecure if they talk down to or belittle others.
Once you experience these magnificent feelings, you are complete in and of yourself. You may choose a partner and you would never expect them to make you happy. You are not affected by the actions of others except to note if they reflect the experience of being loved and valued or not. The concept of people being “good” or “bad” will disappear from your thinking and you will simply be able to observe mental states. Apologies and forgiveness will be unnecessary. Grace, compassion and understanding will take their places.
