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| Humanity's Team Canada - April/May 2006 Newsletter | |
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Who, what, when, where, why, and how are the
questions a writer uses as a guideline when creating a story, the same ones an
individual uses to create a life. These questions have been circulating within
Humanity’s Team since we were born in a dialogue between GodasSelf and NDW.
As an intellectual being, an emotional being, a spiritual being and a
physical being I have found great solace, guidance, and companionship in a
library of books that have fallen into my hands through various means. Through
books I traveled the world and learned about the myriad of ways that people
choose to express spirit in their daily lives.
I found myself traveling the spokes of a wheel, as I found people from around
the world sharing more common spiritual beliefs than not. As I traveled up one
spoke of the Oneness Wheel (or Medicine Wheel) and down the next, I found myself
taking what worked for me on each of those spokes and releasing that which
didn’t resonate.
I found that what I took in on a cerebral plane about spirituality required a
passage through my heart before the truth I’d resonated with in a book became my
own, or not. It took time before the knowledge I had accrued through my reading
made its way from my head into my heart and therefore into practice in my life.
From this comes a belief that the answer to the who, what, when, where, why
of Humanity’s Team is in each of our lives. It is in the gathering of like
minded individuals who, as individuals take their/our vision into their lives
that defines HT for me. It’s in the small things we do in our own worlds’ that’s
creating Humanity’s team.
As we move through the process of bringing this idea of being a team player
into our personal lives we each define and redefine HT. Every time I meet
another person I meet another definition of Humanity’s Team in action on the
ground at the moment. Every connection between that individual and I joins us in
an energetic loop that literally vibrates between us and strengthens both of us
in our comprehension and awareness of Oneness.
Humanity's team is
walking and talking folks. We’ve grown from concept, through newborn and baby,
past toddler, on into a full blown childhood. Childhood for Humanity’s team is
the wonder of connecting, of being the change, of angelic baby steps putting the
tools in our hands to be the change through outreach work. Everyday around the
world our intentions to be the change are being felt and inspiring others to join Humanity's Team and be their change.
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| A Message from our Country Coordinator | |
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Beloved Teammates,
I was blessed to represent HT Canada and attend the Humanity’s Team Global Council
meetings in Kyoto, Japan. I returned home from Japan on April 4th, tired, jet
lagged, a little sad to have left my teammates from around the world, but happy
to be home again.
We heard about Humanity’s Team initiatives from around the world, as well as
how the World Wide team is becoming more organized. There are many exciting
things coming up within Humanity’s Team, and I will be sharing them with you
through this newsletter over the next few months. This month, I am excited to
share about our Humanity’s Team’s World Oneness Campaign. This campaign is being
headed up by Stefano Russo, the Country Coordinator for Italy, and the WW
Campaigns and Events Coordinator. You can read more about it HERE. In our next newsletter, my plan is to share with you
about Celebration of Life Events, an idea you may have heard of if you’ve
already read Neale Donald Walsch’s latest book, ‘Home with God: In a Life that
Never Ends’
Many of us took pictures in Kyoto, and Humanity’s Team Denmark has created an
on-line photo album where we are sharing these pictures. New pictures will be
added, so feel free to keep checking back. You can view these pictures here.
In Japan, there is a wonderful custom of wearing slippers, and in the hotel
we stayed in, there were slippers for within the hotel, different slippers for
our rooms, different slippers for the gardens, and still different slippers for
the washrooms. This changing of slippers, forced me to be aware of my
surroundings. It’s almost impossible to mindlessly wander through your day when
you have to consider what slippers you are wearing. This simple custom; brings
such a mindfulness to one’s day that I am choosing to bring it into my life here
in Calgary. I’ve spent more than enough days walking mindlessly, and my new
slippers re-mind me to be aware of where I am in each moment of my day.
With deep bows and much love,
Chers Coéquipiers, chères Coéquipières,
Ce fut une bénédiction pour moi que de représenter l'Équipe Humanité Canada
et de participer aux rencontres du Conseil global de l'Équipe Humanité à Kyoto,
au Japon. Le 4 avril dernier, je retournais chez-moi fatiguée, ressentant le
décalage horaire, quelque peu triste d'avoir laissé mes coéquipiers provenant
des quatre coins du monde, en même temps qu'heureuse d'être de retour.
Lors de notre séjour au Japon, nous avons eu l'opportunité de connaître les
différentes initiatives de l'Équipe Humanité dans le monde, en plus de constater
que l'Équipe Humanité (c.-à-d. Humanity's Team) mondiale est de mieux en mieux
organisée. Beaucoup de choses fascinantes sont en train d'être mises sur pied au
sein de l'Équipe Humanité et je les partagerai avec vous par l'entremise de ce
bulletin au cours des prochains mois. Ce mois-ci, je suis enchantée de vous
annoncer la campagne " Unité en ce monde " de l'Équipe Humanité. Cette campagne
est dirigée par Stefano Russo, le coordonnateur national de l'Italie ainsi que
le coordonnateur du secteur Campagnes et Événements au niveau mondial. Vous
pouvez en lire plus sur cette campagne en cliquant ici. Dans notre prochain bulletin, je me propose
de vous parler des événements " Célébration de la Vie ", une idée que vous
connaissez peut-être déjà si vous avez lu le plus récent livre de Neale Donald
Walsch, " Home with God; In a Life that Never Ends " (c.-à-d. " Chez-Soi avec
Dieu; dans une vie qui ne cesse jamais ").
Plusieurs d'entre nous ont pris des photos à Kyoto et l'Équipe Humanité du
Danemark a créé un album-photos en-ligne, lequel nous permet de les partager
avec vous. De nouvelles photos seront éventuellement ajoutées, alors libre à
vous de retourner à cet " album-photos " pour y jeter un autre coup d'œil. Vous
pouvez les regarder en cliquant ici.
Au Japon, il existe une merveilleuse coutume qui consiste à porter des
pantoufles. À l'hôtel où nous étions il y avait plusieurs pantoufles mises à la
disposition de chacun; des pantoufles différentes pour les chambres, des
pantoufles différentes pour les jardins et, encore, des pantoufles différentes
pour les salles de bain. Ces changements de pantoufles m'ont forcée à être
attentive à mon environnement. Il est presque impossible de se promener sans
être conscient de son environnement, lorsqu'on a à penser aux pantoufles que
l'on doit porter. Cette simple coutume engendre un tel éveil durant la journée,
que j'ai choisi d'apporter cette coutume dans ma vie, ici, à Calgary. J'ai passé
suffisamment de jours à marcher sans penser à mon environnement, que mes
nouvelles pantoufles me rappelleront dorénavant d'être consciente de l'endroit
où je me trouverai, à chaque moment de ma vie.
Avec une chaleureuse révérence et beaucoup d'amour,
Tanya Dixon
C'est avec une grande joie que je me joins à Tanya pour souhaiter la bienvenue à Marilyn Rowe en tant que coordonnatrice provinciale pour le Québec. J'ai eu le plaisir de rencontrer Marilyn à plusieurs reprises et je suis confiante que vous serez heureux autant que je le suis d'avoir l'opportunité de partager avec cet Être de Lumière. Si vous êtes intéressés à soumettre des textes en français pour notre prochain bulletin, veuillez les faire parvenir soit à marilyn@equipehumanitecanada.com soit à mireille@equipehumanitecanada.com et nous nous ferons un plaisir de communiquer avec vous en français. Mireille
Cantin | |
| The Team | |
|
Tanya
Dixon - Country Coordinator HT Canada is
growing, and we are ready for teammates to step up into other stewardship roles
within our organization! There are openings for provincial coordinators,
functional team coordinators, functional team members, and group hosts and
facilitators. These roles are easily filled with ten hours or less of your time
a month. If you feel the call to fill a role, email connect@humanitysteamcanada.com
– we’d love to hear from you!
Sending much love and many blessings. | |
| Events, Gathering, Retreats, Workshops by Humanity's Team Canada | |
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May 2006 Humanity's Team & Faith in the Rockies Presents & Hosts a weekend retreat with Neale Donald WalschA Special Invitation From Neale Donald Walsch...
My Dear Friends,
I wonder if you would like to sit down with me and talk in person about how
we can change our lives and change our world. I will be doing just that with a
group of interested and dedicated people this coming May at a weekend
retreat in Canmore. When we are together we'll look at how we can apply the
extraordinary messages of Conversations with God to our every day experience,
and how we can use those messages to help heal our global community. I really
believe that there IS something that we can all do about our worldwide
situation, notwithstanding that the Conversations with God books says that there
is nothing we have to do. Of course, nothing we have to do, and being the change
we wish to see in the world, are not mutually exclusive. I do know for a fact
that Conversations with God can and will change any person's individual life.
Let's look at all of this together. Join me in
May!
God and Me: A Journey to Holy Ground Every human being has asked, at one time in his or her life…Why am I here? What is the purpose of all this? What is my function, beyond survival? What happens when this is over?
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| A Message from Neale Donald Walsch | |
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Excerpt from Home With God....
NOW YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU’VE HEARD ALL OF THIS BEFORE -- BUT YOU ARE NOT
ACTING LIKE IT.
THAT IS WHY YOU KEEP TELLING YOUR SELF THIS OVER AND OVER.
NDW: What would it “look like” if I were “acting like it”? If I really
understood this and didn’t need to have this conversation circle back, again and
again, over what I “think” I already know, what would that look like?
First, you would never entertain negative thoughts in your mind again.
Second, if a negative thought did happen to slip in, you would get it out of
your mind immediately. You would think of something else, deliberately. You
would simply change your mind about that.
Third, you would begin to not only understand Who You Really Are, but to
honor and demonstrate that. That is, you would move from what you Know to what
you Experience as the measure of your own evolution.
Fourth, you would love yourself fully, just as you are.
Fifth, you would love everyone else fully, just as they are.
Sixth, you would love life fully, just as it is.
Seventh, you would forgive everyone everything.
Eighth, you would never deliberately hurt another human being again --
emotionally or physically. Least of all would you ever do this in the name of
God.
Ninth, you would never mourn the death of another again, not even for a
moment. You might mourn your loss, but not their death.
Tenth, you would never fear or mourn your own death, not even for a moment.
Eleventh, you would be aware that everything is vibration. Everything. And so
you would pay much more attention to the vibration of everything that you eat,
of everything that you wear, of everything that you watch, read, or listen to,
and most important, of everything that you think, say, and do.
Twelfth, you would do whatever it takes to adjust the vibration of your own
energy and the life energy that you are creating around you if you find that it
is not in resonance with the highest knowing you have about Who You Are, and the
greatest experience of this that you can possibly imagine. Life is God, made physical.
What is important to understand is that there is no single way in which life
makes God physical. Some waves are small, barely a ripple, while other waves are
huge, thunderous in their sweep. Yet, whether minuscule or monstrous, there is
always a wave. There is no time when there is not a wave on the ocean. And while
every wave is different, not a single one is divided from the ocean itself.
Difference does not mean division. Those words are not interchangeable.
You are different from God, but you are not divided from God. The fact that
you are not divided from God is why you can never die.
The wave lands on the beach, but it does not cease to be. It merely changes
form, receding back into the ocean.
The ocean does not get "smaller" every time a wave hits the sand. Indeed, the
incoming wave demonstrates, and therefore reveals, the ocean's majesty. Then, by
receding into the ocean, it restores the ocean's glory.
The presence of the wave is evidence of the existence of the ocean.
Your presence is evidence of the existence of God.
Isn't that a WONderful statement? It is one of hundreds of such statements in
this final dialogue of the Conversations with God series. I am so happy (and
humbled) to have been able to bring all of us this final conversation.
I am leaving now for the Sedona retreat site where I will be regathering my
energies for the next several days. Please read HOME WITH GOD very carefully. If
you have already read it, read it again. I believe that it contains
life-changing messages for us all. And pass the news of these messages on to
others if it serves you to do so.
Also, re-read Part of the Change, the wonderful booklet available for free on
this website (see Home Page). And finally, if you have not caught up with the
latest chapters in THE HOLY EXPERIENCE, the new book that I have been writing
over the past several months and that is available to you for FREE on our Home
Page, please do so.
People have been asking for years now, What about those people who can't
afford to buy your books? How can they get access to this information? THE HOLY
EXPERIENCE is my answer to that question. I hope you enjoy it, and receive
wonderful benefit from the reflections you will find there.
Excerpted with permission from Neale's blog
April 14th, 2006 | |
| DiscoverOneness.com | |
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It is with great pleasure I fulfill the task of
sharing HT news with you every month. This month, the spiritual activism of one
of our team mates has brought to fruition many of our “We are One” dreams.
Through the eyes of team mate Michael Earl we in HT Canada were introduced to
the concept of DiscoverOneness in January.
 DiscoverOneness is an interactive web page that allows us to talk talk, and or text talk with each other through our internet connections. Much like a two way radio operates, while one individual shares, the other voices are silent. What is most unique is that one is able to text chat while someone else is talking offering unparalled efficiency in communication terms. (And it's not considered impolite to be text talking while someone else is talking). The only equipment required to meet and talk to people from across this land and around the world is a headset with a microphone. Simply type in the words www.discoveroneness.com, download the program from the "CHAT" link (about one to five minutes down load time depending on your connection speed) and you’ll be able to join us for our regular meditations or set up your own meetings. As we’ve experimented and explored our oneness through discover oneness our sense of wonder has grown in direct proportion to our experiments. We have held meditations, business meetings, and emotional support groups through the medium and have only touched on the smallest potential contained within this new website. It is a joy to be able to announce that Humanity’s Team Canada has been gifted the privilege of turning DiscoverOneness.com over to the world. We are looking for facilitators for these meetings, please fill out this form on the DiscoverOneness website with your suggestions and ideas. | |
| Our Prayer Jar | |
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Have you ever wondered whether you were praying
"right"? Have you wondered if those prayers were being heard? My friend Nannette
shared an idea about how to answer both those questions that I'd like to share
with you.
She has a prayer jar (hers is a big mason jar), sitting in a prominent place
by the phone in her kitchen. On top of the prayer jar is a sticky note pad. As
the need to say a prayer for someone arises she writes the persons name on a
sticky pad, with an intention of love, forgiveness, healing, whatever is
appropriate. When the need is great a persons name can go in the prayer jar as
many times as it takes. Nannette described her most uplifting days as being the
days she's taken the best part of a day to put prayers into the jar for
everybody in her world.
I pass this story on by way of inviting us all to set up our Prayer Jars.
Simply write a name, and set your intention with a word or two. Through the day,
when your thoughts turn to the Prayer Jar it is as easy as focusing your
intentions on sending a prayer to all the names that have been collected.
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| Humanity's Team Calendars | |
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Humanity's Team Canada is proud to present our
Oneness 2006 Calendar. All of the profits are DONATED to support Humanity's Team.
This is a 14-month custom calendar created with real photos of real pets bringing true- to-life messages of Love, LIFE & ONENESS with all of creation. Photos are from Gina & Maria Sonsogno. | |
| DAYDREAMS Art Glass is delighted to introduce the art glass "NORTHERN LIGHTS" | |
|
Now only available on through the HT Canada Website, these hand painted “fat albert” light bulbs
will give you up to fifteen hundred hours of viewing pleasure. When lit up the
spirals of color painted onto the light bulb simulates the effect of the aurora
borealis or Northern Lights onto walls, or ceiling.
They will make a stained glass lamp effect out of an ordinary white
lampshade.
The coloured flecks of relief work on the bulb insures that when a bulb has
finished its life as a light bulb they can be hung on your Christmas tree or in
the garden as an ornament.
Artist's Bio: An order of six light bulbs will receive a 10% discount of the $72.00 price to $64.80 plus shipping. Shipping is $12.00 within Canada or US regardless of the size of the
order. | |
| Online Art Auction | |
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The first HT Canada online art auction has
begun!
Up for auction is this beautiful stained glass piece titled "Eagle Eye". This
piece is being donated by Anne
Cressy, with all proceeds donated to HT Canada.
Please visit the auction page on the HT Canada website HERE for auction status, rules, and to make a bid.
"Eagle Eye" will be on display at Faith In The Rockies in Canmore starting May 6th.
 HT Canada is accepting art pieces for future auctions. If you would like to donate a piece to be auctioned please let us know by emailing us at auction@humanitysteamcanada.com | |
| Humanity's Team Canada is Really Growing!!! | |
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Tomorrow’s God by NDW contains the following inspiration in which God is quoted, saying: "Live this message of the nonseparation, of the Unity of Life and the Oneness of All Things. Live it in a practical way, not merely in a conceptual way. Allow it to seep into your being at the deepest level, and become a part of your subconscious and immediate response to every life encounter. Humanity’s Team is founded on this inspiration and collectives are used to do what needs doing at all levels within Humanity’s Team. Collectives exist at the Global Level, and at the National Level. At the local level, collectives are called Humanity’s Team Groups. A major part of our vision here in Canada is to create and support local HT Groups across the Country, giving new and existing teammates a nearby collective, providing them with support and inspiration. These are the foundational units of Humanity’s Team. All Teammates are asked to involve themselves in the creation and support of collectives, thereby being a part of this grass roots movement to serve Humanity and Planet Earth through the collective wisdom and the combined contributions of the many. Should you feel inclined to be part of the creation of an HT Group in your area, please contact your Provincial or Regional Coordinator for their support and guidance. Here are a few of the basics needed to begin this blessed process:
P.S. Those of you involved in group activity based on CwG materials are invited to connect with Humanity’s Team. We are all one, and acting out of that oneness has great mutual benefits.
Presently, Humanity’s Team is a voluntary organization and all vacancies are filled by people volunteering their time. This has certain purity, bringing the focus to our highest self by promoting greater-good motivation. There are those volunteering their time and making contributions at the local level, with your local HT Groups. This is also true of those volunteering time and making contributions at the National Level, known as the Core Team. From time to time, vacancies arise at the National Level and people are called to serve. Should you feel so inclined, please express your interest by contacting your Provincial or Regional Coordinator. Thanks to John Ross for this written example of dedication and love in action! The Group Loop For a listing of all the groups and events being carried out in your area, go to the Humanity's Team Canada website and check the Main Menu. If you have new groups you'd like to start, contact us at connect@humanitysteamcanada.com and we'll be happy to list it for you. You can view Ontario Groups & Alberta Groups online! | |
| Education and Innerwork Update | |
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Hi Everyone:
This month's newsletter update is about a series of books written by a single
author, Paul Liebau. Parts of his material will be used as a basis for
discussion with children by HT kids as a means of drawing from them their own
personal truths. Included with the review are excerpts from three of the books
for all to see the format and impact of how these books are written.
Relationships, Self, Purpose, Living, Learning and Growing and Making Dreams come True Insights to help with personal relationships and high quality communication By Paul Liebau I was introduced to these books in early February of 2005, at a time when personal exploration of the messages of the CWG book series by Neale Donald Walsch were actively beginning. Starting with Paul's first book published in 1985 (and a Canadian best seller, "Thoughts on Relationships") my immediate reaction was to note the similar message(s) to that of Neale and other authors read since. At the time of publication these books caught the attention education, religious leaders and health professionals alike, and is currently back up for consideration in the educational system for classrooms and libraries for younger children in Ontario. The format of each book is the same. A compilation of powerful single statements, accompanied by poignant illustrations of children that emphasize and make the words take on a meaning that is both personal and universal. Profoundly wise, the thoughts portrayed are deceptively simple, and yet portrayed in an innocence and clarity that cuts to the truth immediately. The books are the kind that can allow not only easy, peaceful self reflection, but meaningful discussions in groups and classrooms. A former minister, probation officer and human relations college professor, Paul sought for material for his college classroom to help student express, to support awareness, to self journey in the sacredness of life and its (human) relationships. Currently retired from teaching and still active as a family and bereavement councilor, Paul says "I love being in touch with spirit, and the unlimited possibilities.", and continues to foster this in himself and others to this day. The results of his work are the universality of what truth is- accessible and understood by all, as it is meant and interpreted individually. Click the following links for examples of the statements and accompanied
illustrations of Paul's books: Click HERE to order Paul's books. Please enter HTCAN in the 'Promo Code' field on the form so that HT Canada is credited with the sale. That’s it! Love and LIFE Canadian Education and Innerwork Co-ordinator | |
| Can East Update | |
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Dear Yasmin,
Hello, and welcome to our Filmmaker Newsletter.
March celebrated International Women's Month, and Volume 3, 2006 is
completely packed full of films made by women from around the world!
We start out with the award winning short film Big Girl, directed by Canadian
filmmaker Renuka Jeyapalan, then Rocks and Chocolate, directed by Bulgarian
filmmaker Teddy Sharkova, followed by our third short, the inspirational Cheek
to Cheek, directed by Australian filmmaker Beth Armstrong, and our feature
documentary Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, directed by American filmmaker Judy
Irving. Four strong female directors bring us four diverse films from four
different countries!
Now that's a Spiritual Cinema Circle volume of films! I am so thrilled and
proud to be able to bring these films to our members. Click here to see the trailer for Volume 3, 2006.
Read on for an audio interview with director Beth Armstrong and a "making of"
story from next month's documentary Khumb Mela; Songs of the River.
First... SHORT FILMS
ROCKS AND CHOCOLATE This short film is about a little girl and her
father who prove that political struggle can suppress a country, but it cannot
suppress the heart. BIG GIRL Nine-year-old Josephine expresses her anger about her
parents' divorce by hating her mother's new boyfriends... until she meets her
match. CHEEK TO CHEEK When Beryl's husband dies, she wakes up wondering what
she's been doing for her entire adult life. With her best friend, her dog Missy,
she embarks upon an adventure into the spirit of life. Not recommended for
pre-teens. WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL This is the true story of Mark Bittner,
a homeless street musician, and his remarkable relationship with a flock of wild
parrots in San Francisco. A SIDEWALK ASTRONOMER "Would you like to look at the moon?" asks the
original sidewalk astronomer, John Dobson, whose irreverent wit makes this
documentary about astronomy fascinating and beautiful. Behind the Seen; Conversations with God: In this month's installment
of our Conversations with God "behind the scenes" video diary, we visit the set
for the biggest crowd scene of the film. People came from all over the world to
participate in this day's shooting. Beth Armstrong figured out the time difference, and was generous enough to
call in from Australia to speak with me about her wonderfully inspirational
short film Cheek to Cheek! Click here to listen to our audio interview where we discuss, among
other things, how she directed a dog and a human in the same role!
Next month we will be celebrating Earth Day on April 22, and have created a
volume of International films to celebrate the Spiritual Cinema Circle global
community. One of the most unique films we've ever had, Khumb Mela; Songs of the
River, will open your eyes to an event that took place a few years back in India
where 70 million people gathered in one area to celebrate the incredible
spiritual energy that formed when the planets aligned and three rivers came
together in a way that happens only once every 144 years. Filmmaker Nadeem Uddin
sent us these wonderful tales of the "making of" Khumb Mela; Songs of the River.
Khumb Mela is called the "festival of the Urn" and was held in Allahabad,
India, on the banks of the holy River Ganges in January, 2001. Our cosmic
journey with the Khumb Mela Project (www.kmp2001.com) took us all the way from Seattle, Washington
back to my homeland; the land of Gurus, Babas, and Goddess' of the Snakes.
Arriving in Allahabad, seeing the Khumb Mela for the first time, we felt like
time travelers arriving in the new millennium, witnessing the culmination of a
cycle that had begun 144 years ago. The 2001 Khumb Mela was the final Mela in a
series of 12 full cycles. We could sense the sacredness of the rivers, and hear
the echoes of the vigilant prayers that had been sung to the rivers for
thousands of years.
We found ourselves overwhelmed with colors, the surreal din of thousands of
pilgrims calling, and loud chanting in Sanskrit. This was a massive cornucopia
of human spirit unfolding before our senses. Our film team had a hard time
deciding what to cover and where to begin filming, to say the least! We decided
to begin the journey with our feet. By simply focusing on putting one foot in
front of the other, we were led to the many different camps of the spiritual
masters, representing all the different lineages and the diverse disciplines,
all seeking enlightenment and higher self.
We started to see a flow of magical energy guiding our filming. By the end of
the first week of our six-week journey, our main characters and story began to
materialize. I felt strongly that the multi-dimensional force we were
experiencing could only be conveyed through an incantation of sound and color,
without narration, giving first hand views, simply embodying the experience. I
opened the camera's eye to this holy procession before us. I let the pulse and
throb carry the film all the way to the cutting table.
We were hosted by Pilot Baba, a man who once flew fighter jets for Indian
defense forces, who is now a devout and revered teacher of Samadhi and Himalayan
meditation Yoga. At the end of each day, our film team was greeted at Pilot
Baba's camp with hot food and tea. We were often surprised at camp by
serendipitous opportunities, like the magical moment where we were able to film
Dr. Andrew Weil interviewing Pilot Baba about the meaning of Samadhi.
I will never forget the humblest pilgrim of all, His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
who paid a surprise visit to the Khumb Mela to express his commitment to
promoting human value and religious harmony. "Harmony on the basis of different
religious traditions has an important role and is an important responsibility."
As I sit here writing this, I continually revisit the sights and sounds of
the Mela, remembering incredible moments like the main bathing ritual,
symbolizing the renewal of the self and the world. I am still completely amazed
at how so many millions of people gathered in unity with one common purpose: to
bathe in the vortex of the holy Ganga Yamuna and mysterious Sarasvati rivers,
renewing their sense of being and their collective conviction to live in Dharma.
Thank you Nadeem, for sharing this sacred experience with us. Nadeem's Film,
Khumb Mela; Songs of the River, is the featured documentary on Volume 4,
arriving in April.
And that's a wrap for this month's Filmmaker Newsletter. Now go home and
watch the films! You are going to love them! And then, please, get onto the
member site and rate the movies- we really want to hear what you think! Thanks
again for your continued support.
P.S. Click here to see a trailer of next month's global celebration of
films on the upcoming Volume 4, 2006.
Blessings, | |
| Canwest Regional Update | |
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Late in March I traveled from Saskatchewan to Ste Agathe des Monts, Quebec, (it’s about an hours drive north of Montreal), to attend my nephew’s wedding. The Anglican Church had a seating capacity of 144 so it was a relatively small wedding. The church sanctuary was beautiful with dark wood furnishings, chairs instead of pews, stained glass windows, and a two manual (keyboard) pipe organ. I was expecting a typical Anglican wedding since I was brought up in that tradition. The use of the Book of Common Prayer with its beautiful, but ancient Elizabethan English straight out of Shakespeare. Since I knew my nephew’s father religious leanings, I knew what he would expect for his son. I did not know the preferences of the bride and groom. What a ONEderful surprise! First the Anglican priest acknowledged that all faith traditions were present in the congregation and he invited everyone to celebrate the marriage ceremony in their own way. The thought came to me from The New Revelations that ours is one way, not the only way to acknowledge God or the Creator. Secondly, he asked that everyone "to be in the present moment". That is, to forget during the time of celebration all their concerns worries, reports in the office that had to be done etc and to meditate for a few minutes with their eyes closed. My heart chakra opened and stayed open for the whole ceremony. Lastly, he started the initial prayer with "Our Father and Mother". These things he had worked out with the bride and groom as well as using his ideas in the ceremony. The ceremony did have a rather unusual ring bearer-their dog delivered the rings in a pouch around his neck. I talked to both the priest and newly weds after the ceremony and they said they wanted the meditation to create the strong love feeling, which of course the heart chakra is the seat of. I expressed my JOY to all on the ceremony and how it was conducted. Namaste John Thompson | |
| B.C. Coordinator Update | |
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Spring has sprung in BC and life is stirring every
where...A Wonderful time of Year.
I hope that everyone can get out and get there hands a little dirty and dig
in the soil. Smell the freshness of the air with the sent of newly opening
leaves. Watch the Bees busy in the flowers. Relax soaking up the sun and watch
Creation come alive after a nice winter sleep.
Come to the garden alone, FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING,
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind 1. Squash gossip 1. Lettuce be faithful 1. Turnip for meetings 1. Thyme for each other WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN
YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
Helen
Layton | |
| IT/Web Guy Report | |
There is a lot of juicy IT/Web stuff to talk about this newsletter, so I'll
get right down to it:
Peace. | |
| Prison Light Update - Freedom Inside | |
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It is my belief that we come to this life to connect
with one another. One of the most beautiful and meaningful connections I’ve ever
made was with prisoners. I recognized people whom, on the face of it, I have
nothing in common with. People who have lived lives so very different from mine;
people who make so very different choices. I looked into their eyes and I saw
myself. I saw my Self. And I knew, without a doubt, without a question or
hesitation that We Really Are All One.
It is one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever received.
Freedom Inside is a newsletter with the mission to continue and extend this
connection, this gift. It is based on the CwG material and is written mostly by
and for prisoners. It is a medium through which people can exchange stories,
comments, questions and answers about how to apply the new spirituality to their
everyday lives whether in or out of prison.
It is sent free of charge to any prisoner interested in receiving it.
Please join us in our connection.
With love and peace, Freedom Inside | |
| Words of Vision/Wisdom | |
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This section of our Newsletter gives you, whether a
member of Humanity's
Team Canada or not, the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and
contribute insights.
Over the next months we are going to try a little old fashioned bribery to
bring in your letters to the editor. HT Canada wants to give you a 2006 Oneness calendar in exchange for your contribution
(Quantities are limited). Email us at connect@humanitysteamcanada.com.
At a recent session with Life Coach Eli Landa, we explored the concept of compassion. Sadly, I have little in the way of life experience to draw from in terms of defining compassion. Compassion has been a nice word and a laudable concept but something I did not practice and something I saw in no one within my circle of influence. Attempts at compassion by others within my experience were ineffective and even misguided. Even after learning win/win and becoming a spiritual seeker, compassion flew under my personal radar screen as my attempts at good works were usually driven by my desire to fix something or somebody and fixing seems to preclude compassion. Only recently have I targeted to become a servant and to transform fixing into the mode of service. I have long held an intellectual concept of compassion and I have the intuitive suspicion that the concept is popularly misunderstood, especially within the Western world and quite possibly by humanity in general. That does not mean that humanity’s collective consciousness is devoid of a proper understanding as people like Jesus and Buddha and many others were fluent within the concept, but it does mean that the masses lack an appreciation of compassion, mistaking simpler and shallower emotions for the real thing. Things like empathy, kindness, charity, even sympathy get mistaken for compassion on both the giving and receiving ends. Of late, I have a new interest in compassion which seems driven by my Ishaya practice of guided meditation called Ascension, which has a focus on compassion. Bit by bit, compassion has made it onto my radar screen and slowly, I am realizing that compassion may be an essential element within Team Spirit in order for Team Spirit to be all that it can be. The Ishaya First Sphere Weekend shed some light by defining compassion as a ladder, or a rope, even a lifeline, given to the receiver whereby the receiver is elevated to a higher energy level, thereby escaping from their lower energy state. This is an excellent starting point and much improved from popular misconceptions. Within this definition, let us examine the case of a compassionate giver whose gift falls on fallow ground. Is that compassion? On first glace, it would appear not as compassion has the effect of raising the collective energy levels, the collective frequencies within the interaction. When the attempt goes fallow, where is the compassion? Among the many stories of Mother Theresa is one where a radio show talk host offers help to Mother Theresa in her compassionate endeavors and she asks him to find a homeless person and convince that person that they belonged to the human family, that they were loved and deserving of a home and all that goes with it. This speaks volumes of true compassion. Mother Theresa’s work among the poor was not one of feeding the hungry and succoring the downtrodden, but one aimed at the compassionate heart of poverty, the bone numbing sense of hopelessness and of being on the fringes of society, rather than a functioning and entitled part of the whole. About 18 or 20 months ago, I learned how to raise Bev’s energy frequencies when she fell into her "poor Bevy" persona, where the world looked bleak and she felt victimized by life’s circumstances. Doing this required a large investment of energy and will on my part, but resulted in a stable relationship at a much higher energy frequency, where we interacted as equals, each responsible for maintaining our own happiness and functionality. Upon closer scrutiny, two areas of weakness occurred within my intervention. Firstly, it was anchored in self interest and driven by my desire to fix the situation, thus seeing Bev as broken. Secondly, it violated Bev’s free will and stripped her of the responsibility to transform herself. Although still untested, my recent resolve is to honor Bev’s free will and her responsibility for internal transformation. This is a shift toward compassion. In Mother Theresa’s example, I am no longer giving Bev a meal and shelter for the night; instead I am offering true compassion in the form of faith and support of her ability to transform herself. Mother Theresa had such a huge impact on people near her because she had compassion, and could inspire even the least among us to feel a part of the great sea of humanity. From there, they could help themselves, even help those around them. If compassion can do all that, surely compassion can be a ladder for Bev when that is what she lacks. And so, it seems that compassion is not about success. It seems compassion does not require a net gain in energy frequencies or in anything measurable. Compassion requires faith, faith in the inner strength of others, faith in the power of service, faith in the power of giving without strings attached. Those are the roots of compassion and where roots are laid down, transformations spring up. Often, this is preceded by a latent period, a period of germination, and judging compassionate acts during this latent period is a disservice to everyone involved. In all of this I find reinforcement for my desire to act with compassion and I find an awakening of the desire to be compassionate. These skills seem to be forming and perhaps are necessary in order for Team Spirit to be all that it can be. John Ross
Love, The Team | |
| The Editorial Section | |
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During the last seven months it has been my pleasure
to meet and greet with team mates, first in my home province, then in the US via
the various Message Boards, and now through World Wide Team Care. With every
person I meet there is a marriage in spirit with another aspect of myself. To
continue the analogy, I’m on a honeymoon with all these wonderful aspects of
myself that I see no end to.
When I meet people walking their talk by bringing their spiritual principles
into action on the ground, in whatever way available to them in their daily
lives, I see people creating their own greater, grander version of reality. When
I interact with people who are also honouring the process we call a life by
tending a spiritual connection within themselves I am experiencing their self
love, and they mine.
When I feel people sharing their process, being transparent and accepting of
their own feelings, and each other, the wonder of oneness is upon me. Your joy
is mine, your grief as well, my heart is your heart beating as one.
With each incremental shift in our awareness of spirit’s role in our lives
the energy of love is ever more available. Our emotions are the rocket fuel that
fires the creation of our lives. As we fuel more and more from the “love” tank
through acknowledging our sense of GodasMe the less fear has chance of spiriting
away our sense of wonder.
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