Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love they neighbor as thyself.    Matthew 22:37 KJV

There is nothing of self-centeredness in authentic love for oneself, when the focus is on the True Self and recognizing that each of us provides an essential expression for Its manifestation through the instrument of the individual persona.  This wonderful vehicle for the manifestation of Divine Love is comprised of the physical, emotional, and mental bodies and becomes refined through a creative surrender to the Indwelling Presence of Love. Each of us has the ability to open and align our hearts, minds, and bodies with Life’s essence and activity through accepting and circulating this Love.

As we dive deeply into the Living Waters of Spirit, we are enlivened by the Presence, embraced by the Love, and guided by the Wisdom of God. Loving God, we naturally begin appreciating and loving ourselves with a pure intention to be and to become that which we already are:  beautiful individualized expressions of the One Life.  In our loving, we reveal the Unimpeachable Wholeness of the Universe, as we invite and allow Its flow through each unique and conscious being.

Love your thoughts, love your feelings, and love your body, knowing that the purification of this vehicle assures the continued flow of Infinite Inspiration and Divine Compassion to bring peace, power, and prosperity to your own life and to the world itself. Love God, love your neighbor, and love yourself with a perpetual desire to join with others in bringing Heaven to earth.

Rev. Mike and I so enjoy being with you virtually each Sunday morning for the live streaming of our 10:30 Celebration and are extremely grateful to our Producer, Jeff Masino, our projectionist, Edie Janik,  and our moderator, Tina Richards.  This week’s topic is, “A Deep Dive into Self-Love.” We also love taking turns each day bringing you  “Love Notes” on Facebook and You Tube from our living room, with our  sweet Yoga dog. Both may be accessed on our website: www.cslphilly.org.  You may also watch past weeks’ offerings and note details and how to register for our  future classes and events, as they are posted on our Events Calendar.

1. The Gentle Art of Blessing – 5 Tuesdays, May 19-June 16 – 6:30-8:30 PM – Love Offering
2. SpiritNotes: Journaling for Personal Growth – Saturday, May 23, 2-5 PM – $50
3. Writing Haiku: A Japanese Mindfulness Practice, Saturday, May 30, 1-4 PM – $50
4. The Cosmic Mind: A Philosophical Exploration of Cosmology & Consciousness – 4 Wednesdays, June 3-17, 6:30-9:00 PM – $100

We are grateful for our Healing Ministry, as our Practitioners are always available on the website or by telephone.  Together, we are moving prayerfully and effectively through this challenging time of life, supporting each other, deepening our faith, and co-creating an inspired future for our Beloved Community and for the world. Walk with me, as we let Love nurture, heal, and guide us.

With great love and appreciation,

Dr. Maxine

Courage and Compassion are two sides of the same coin. Compassion without courage is not genuine. You may have a compassionate thought or impulse, but if you don’t do or say anything, it’s not real compassion. ~ Daisaku Ikeda, Japanese Buddhist Philosopher

Our new theme for the month of May includes two vitally important parts of our spiritual practices during this time of the world’s “reset.” Of course, the word, “Courage” is derived from both the Latin and the French, “from the heart,” reminding us that bravery and the willingness to make personal changes and to extend ourselves to others goes beyond the intellect. “Compassion” means “feeling with,” implying our communal roots. When we resolve to step out of our comfort zones, we become empowered to make changes in our own lives and in the greater world.

“Energy flows where attention goes,” so we tap into an Infinite Resource when deciding to care with wisdom for ourselves and others. Rather than fearing or complaining about temporary conditions, we align ourselves with a Power greater than we are, yet right where we are, which stands ready and willing to flow through us with creative, intelligent activity. As we become a stand for fairness, we are motivated to say and do exactly the right thing at the right time, because we have invited Divine Wisdom to work through us for everyone’s betterment.

Developing confidence in ourselves begins with inviting God’s Presence and Power to work through us, dissolving any false belief that we must do anything alone or “by our own hand.” Let’s all remain open to this flow of dynamic caring for ourselves and for all the world. We are perfectly equipped, here and now, to do and to be that for which we are designed and to help to create A World That Works for All.

Rev. Mike and I are extremely grateful to our production people: Jeff Masino, Producer, Edie Janik, Projectionist, and Tina Richards, Moderator, as we continue live streaming our Sunday morning Celebrations from 10:30 to 11:30. This week’s topic is, “The Little Train That Could.” You may access the weekly live stream on Sunday mornings or watch past weeks, as well as the “Love Notes” that Rev. Mike and I film during the week from our living room . . . . along with Yoga-the-Wonder-Dog! Check out our new website at www.cslphilly.org

Do stay in touch with our Healing Ministry, especially during these unusual times. Our Practitioners are standing by to keep you lifted in prayer, and their information is available on our website. We are all working together to maintain our deep faith and to walk virtually hand-in hand until we are physically together again. In the meantime, please join us this Saturday at 6:30 for our first Zoom Social Hour, hosted by Payson Burt and promising to be filled with fun for all!  To join the fun, just email paysonburt@gmail.com

With great love and appreciation,
Dr. Maxine