Center for Spiritual Living Midtown

Part 4 of Everyday Spirituality: The Loyal Opposition - Rev. Paul Gonyea

In politics, there should always be at least two sides with different viewpoints who challenge each other in order to reach the best solution. If we were able to just move forward and do whatever we thought was best, without opposition, we would be in constant danger of becoming complacent or, what’s even worse, of becoming arrogant. That’s when we usually walk over the edge of a cliff while congratulating ourselves on how smart we are. If there is always someone or something ready to confront us, it causes us to re-examine our ideas, to consider other possibilities, to stretch our mind into areas where we might otherwise never go.

Part 3 of Everyday Spirituality: The Ups, Downs and In-Betweens - Rev. Paul Gonyea

We’ve all experienced success and failure, good and bad, happy and sad. And most of us prefer the ups to the downs; we do everything we can to stay on top, and everything we can to keep from being down in the trenches. The problem is — things keep changing. It would be so easy if we could get everything in our life just where we want it, and then forget about it because we know it’s going to stay that way. If our job ran smoothly all the time, no problems, no hassles, no economic downturns. Or if our relationships were always comfy and cozy and sweetness and light. If our stock portfolios went up and stayed up. But for some reason, Life doesn’t seem to work that way.

Part 2 of The Everyday Spirituality Series: The Power of Simplicity - Rev. Paul Gonyea

Most of us want the same things out of life, and they really aren't all that complicated. We want to love and be loved. We want to feel that our life has purpose. We want to express ourselves creatively, to feel that we're contributing something to the world. We want a body that's healthy enough to let us interact with all the beautiful experiences this life has to offer. We want the freedom to choose how to do these things in the best way possible. That's pretty simple, isn't it? But if it's so simple, then why aren't most people living that way? That's what I want to know.

Part 1 of The Everyday Spirituality Series: Play To Your Strengths - Rev. Paul Gonyea

Wherever we happen to be in our life, and whatever our state of mind or the state of our emotions, we need to realize that we are the right person, in the right place, at the right time. Otherwise, Spirit would not be showing up there, as us. Each of us provides some unique strength, some special talent, some particular ability which is present for one reason and one reason only, and that is to allow Life to work through us by doing something that only we can do.

My Greatest Sin - Rev. Ursula Lentine

Ursula Lentine is a certified Associate Pranic Healer, Basic Pranic Healing teacher, licensed Minister with Centers for Spiritual Living, and Practitioner of Internal Family Systems.  She has worked with over 1500 clients individually and 1000’s more in groups, helping bring emotional, physical and spiritual balance to their lives. She co-facilitates a weekly group meditation.  She answers the call to assist clients with the human longing for peace, clarity and wellness is a part of her life’s purpose.

How To Live Forever - Rev. Paul Gonyea

The truth is, no one who is healthy and happy and loving every moment of life wants to die. So the point of teachings like this one is to learn how to be healthy, fulfilled, prosperous, creative, curious and loving and loved, all the time, so that if the opportunity to live a longer life presents itself, we’ll be ready. That way, instead of worrying about living forever, we can begin to put our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual energy into what I like to call “forever living,” instead of “living forever.”

NO Source? KNOW Source? - Rev David Barrett

There are many times in our lives where we sense that there is not enough money to go around, not enough love coming at us, we are weak, and work seems to be a dead end. But that is the best time to realize what our source is. Money doesn't come from my job, love doesn't come from another person, health is ever available with or without medical insurance, and our careers are more than our jobs. We need to KNOW, and KNOW that we KNOW, what our Source is.

Sometimes You Have to Say No! - Rev. Paul Gonyea

Whenever our past experiences start to negatively affect our present decisions, that’s the time we need to look at how we are saying NO. That’s when we should say, ‘This is not an idea or a memory or a feeling I need or desire in my life. It’s over and done, and I give it no power. I release it back to the nothingness from whence it came.’ And then we can let it go, not with anger and resentment, but with blessing and release. Not with judgment and criticism and self-righteousness, but with forgiveness and understanding. That is how we break the bonds that tie our old behaviors and beliefs to us, and finally move forward, free to create something new and better.”

You Got Another THINK Coming!

Rather than focusing this to the people out there in our lives, this is a focus to remind OURSELVES. It’s an announcement that we can do better thinking in any situation. When we feel cornered, or angered, or just don’t know what to say, we can announce to ourselves that there is a different way to THINK, a better way to THINK, a wise way to THINK.

Why Is Everybody So Angry - Rev. Paul Gonyea

If we find ourselves constantly relating to the world in an angry or resentful way, we don’t need to justify it or claim it as our own; we just need to admit that it’s there, and try to understand the reason behind it. In The Course In Miracles, there’s a statement that says, “You are never angry for the reason you think you are.” That’s very true. Anger is not a cause, it’s an effect. It’s not a disease, it is a symptom of a consciousness that’s out of balance. When something upsets us, we shouldn’t think of ourselves as “being angry.” We shouldn’t say “I’ve always had a bad temper.” Instead, we should think of it as “experiencing anger.” You see the difference? In one case, we have the emotion. In the other case, the emotion has us. Making that distinction allows us to exercise our power of decision. It allows us to consciously direct our physical response until it is back in line with our inner wisdom, back in harmony with our spiritual nature. It allows us to use the Divine Power working through us to heal something that could otherwise tear us apart.