Center for Spiritual Living Midtown

Living in Harmony with Nature - Rev Dr Bob Deen

When we are in harmony with and in respectful relationship with all of nature, we find a level of sacredness and beauty we were previously oblivious to. Nature, the universe is the physical expression of the body of God, why would we ever desecrate our relationship with it? 

Week’s Affirmation: All life is natural. Wherever I am in any given moment the Infinite is fully present. 

You and Me Create Society - Rev Dr Bob Deen

The relationships we have with the broader gathering of people is what has created and continues to create societies. The agreements we make consciously and those we agree to by default are what affect and govern how we interact and relate to one another. 

Week’s Affirmation: I am a powerful catalyst of love within society.

Who are you calling WE? - Rev Dr John Karn

 Let’s explore the relationships we have with those closest to us and those farthest from us and how all are shaped by how each of us understands and relates to the collective “We.” There can be no wonder or peace if we hold contempt and distrust for the collective “We.” 

Week’s Affirmation: I celebrate the We, which is intimately One with Itself. 

Me, Myself and I - Rev Dr Bob Deen

The relationship we have with ourselves is the foundation upon which all other relationships are formed. Which do we choose: self-love or self-hatred, self-worth or invalidation of self? Our invitation today is to learn how to love ourselves and to practice this deeper, fuller, more complete embodiment of love. 

Week’s Affirmation: The Universe loving Itself is expressed as my Self-Love.

From Potential to Presence - Rev Dr Bob Deen

This week, we are exploring how our bodies are truly living communication devices with a line directly to Source. When we learn to listen to what our bodies are telling us, we move into flow with the One and can experience a full, gentle, authentic life. The body is a powerful tool for manifesting whatever is imprinted in first cause (Consciousness). We can work both top-down (from mind to body) and bottom-up (from body to mind) to experience the reciprocal relationship with Consciousness through the body. Your body is a communication device with your whole being, Spirit, Mind and Body.  We can use our bodies to feel into every moment, becoming completely present to the here and now. Our bodies are more than containers walking our consciousness around, they are the exact point in space and time where we are pressed from limitless possibility into perfect and precise expression. 

Weekly Affirmation: I listen to my body, knowing it is speaking as Truth. 

The Body Remembers - Rev Dr John Karn

Our bodies, being intricately connected and responsive to our minds, remember even the stories that our minds have pushed aside. This week, we will explore the mind/body connection, how trauma or pain is translated from the mind to the body, and methods for understanding and releasing these burdens. 

Weekly Affirmation: I feel and honor every sensation in my body. 

Loving This Body - Rev Dr Bob Deen

Our bodies are perfectly and wonderfully made! By learning to love our bodies exactly as they are, instead of demanding that they become something they aren’t, we open to the experience of the here and now and can move into reverence and awe of this absolutely divine creation. The body is not separate from our spiritual life, but is an amazing and awe-inspiring manifestation of our spiritual life. We are not souls trapped in fleshy boxes which carry our consciousness from room to room, but rather fully integrated organisms who inhabit and contain dynamic, living temples. Our bodies exist in all their glorious variety so that the One can express itself in creative and beautiful ways, just like there are a variety of flowers in a field, so there is a beautiful magic in bodies of all kinds. 

Weekly Affirmation: I delight in the wonder of my body and I treat it kindly.

It’s All the Same Thing - Rev Dr Bob Deen

The body is the one thing in this world which is completely and intimately ours. Rather than engaging in a spirituality that denies the body, we engage in an experience of the Divine in this moment through fully embracing our bodies. They are magnificent and magical conduits between Spirit and our individual consciousness, and ought to be celebrated for the way they allow us to experience the world in which we live. All bodies are good bodies, and the body offers a direct and clear path to the Divine experience, if we will allow it. By loving the body, using it to connect to our minds and hearts, and listening to its wisdom, we celebrate its magnificence and awaken to this everyday wonder.  

Weekly Affirmation: My body is the presence of the Divine on Earth. 

Low Tide or High Tide? Rev Dr Bob Deen

How do we move through the constant ebb and flow of life, ride the waves, and stay afloat?  Grab your life jacket! 

Weekly Affirmation: My sadness is transformed to gladness through love.

Looking Anger in the Eye - Rev Dr Bob Deen

Anger can be like a hurricane. In the “eye” of the storm there is peace.  Therefore, I can find calm waters in the midst of the turbulence. 

Weekly Affirmation: At the center of anger is peace and calm.