Category Archives: Blog

Where are we headed?

November 21, 2017Blog, Promotions for Friends and Colleaguestwinkle

Where Are We Headed?

In this blog post Rev. Kate Braestrup raises the question, “Is our religious movement a means to an end, or an end in itself?” Read the blog to see her thoughtful examination of this topic.

galvanized to live

November 17, 2017Blog, Twinkle's Musingstwinkle

if you have beauty to share – – share it, that’s what we are here for

November 16, 2017Blog, Music for the Soultwinkle

Amen to this. For so many reasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ce5eyfECN0

Everyday blessings of music, and of love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhVMhztIioU

The Art of Forgiveness

November 16, 2017Blog, Promotions for Friends and Colleaguesall souls tulsa, bishop carlton pearson, forgiveness sermon, preach, stillness speaks, uu maine, uu pittsfield maine, uu sermontwinkle

This! Listen to this!

where our allegiance abides

November 14, 2017Blog, Twinkle's Musingstwinkle

The spaces we are called to create together, whether in community or in our intimate relationships, need to be so safe and so sacred that they can hold all our fears along with all our joys. Here, our broken hearts are mended as they are loyally treated as sacrosanct. This is where our allegiance abides, knowing the road to peace is the way of peace and the path to prayer is the path of prayer. We covenant with each other and with God as we merge our hearts with our callings, loving our families and our neighbors as ourselves.

#StandingOnTheSideOfLove #PiecesOfPeaceOnEarth #TwinklesPlace

a modified excerpt from my dissertation

finite mindfulness

October 28, 2017Blog, Promotions for Friends and Colleagues, Twinkle's Musingsone day at a time, peace of mind, uu in maine, uu in pittsfield maine, uu thoughtstwinkle

“Mindfulness when struggling with addiction means doing things in a finite way in the moment. My son Daniel says it’s being peaceful.”

– Angela Einstein

I love this quote! Angela is a crusader when it comes to helping heal addiction and her philosophy is as surprising as it is unique. (check out her website) and see how she is connecting celebrities to help with the mission of Rock the Record Straight™)

I am going to be thinking about how her idea of finite mindfulness relates to life practices in general whether struggling with addictions or simply seeking peace-of-mind and transforming negative feelings and thoughts.

Many spiritual practices turn our attention towards the infinite, which can help us see the larger picture of Oneness, yet it can sometimes also serve as a spiritual bypassing of sorts, which can become a habitual distraction, addictive in detaching (or hiding) rather than coping with what is present in our lives.

Bringing it to the finite perspective – which is truly what we have in each given moment –

is not only more manageable, but also practical in a spiritual sense because it opens the door to deep gratitude for the life we have, even if we are struggling in the moment, we are present to it and able to do something about it.

Thank you Ange – I needed this gem of inspiration today!

Congratulations Emiliano!!!

October 27, 2017Blog, Music for the Soul, Promotions for Friends and Colleaguestwinkle

So blessed to call this man my friend. Looking forward to seeing you soon Emiliano!!

Emiliano Campobello, artist, musician, peace-activist, nominee for the 2017 Santa Barbara Peace Prize awarded by the United Nations Association.

UUs, Music and Appropriation

October 26, 2017Blog, Music for the Soul, Promotions for Friends and Colleaguestwinkle

THIS! Was a wonderful episode of The VUU interview with DeReau K. Farrar and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout! I love the arc of the conversation. Important for us to contemplate as we build our worship services music, poetry, sermons – liturgy, all of it.

It could have gone on for another hour easily – – I hope they invite them back for another interview as I look forward to having more discussions about what ReNeau identified as the reality that for most UU Sunday services are more about social affirmation rather than spiritual development and Glen Thomas speaking about the vital role of embodiment for healing on a visceral level in our services and in our lives. Let us truly do the work of healing our wounds and intentionally transform our Sunday Services, and our mission and our purpose, to that of Spiritual Growth, to the Sacred embodied. Amen.

UPDATE: January 2019:

In this video, members of the Navajo Nation say that they are not offended by cultural appropriation. They feel: “It is unfortunate that we live in a culture where outrage has become a recreational pastime….it hurts cross-cultural relationships, it hinders us helping to understand each other.” (4:03 minute mark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JC58UYeaBs

(Note: This is not an endorsement of The VUU. View The VUU with caution. Sometimes it is wonderful, other times it does not live in to content/context that resembles any kind of Love).