Back in the early 90’s I was searching for a different kind of church. I was looking for a spiritual place that was inspiring and full of loving and open minded accepting people. At the time I found the Center for Spiritual Living located in Paoli PA. I remembered the times that I had visited CSL in the past. It was at a time when I was following the path of Native American traditions and all sorts of new religious paths were manifesting in my life. My time there was only for a short while, but their message stayed with me long after that. I decided that with my current journey I would return for a visit to see how they had grown and to meet the new faces that have graced their community.
The congregation had grown so much that they began renting out the Upper Main Line YMCA’s carriage house for their Sunday service. As I walked through the door I was greeted by wonderful women, who handed me the Sunday program, my welcome packet and the affirmation for the day. Even on the program it stated, “A Welcoming Spiritual Community Inspiring Personal Transformation and Positive Change in the World.” After looking through their eclectic and inspiring book collection, and meeting a few of the other individuals from the community I thought it was time to find myself a seat and settle in to connect with what lay ahead for the service.
A gentleman named Frank, with what looked like a Native American pan flute, began to play. In my mind I was instantly taken from the frigid temperatures outside to a warm Western desert surrounded by blue skies and rolling mountain hills. Frank’s playing of that flute sent me straight into mindful meditation. In that moment I found the peace that I had been looking to quiet my inner chatter of the morning.
Senior Pastor, Bob Deen, made me comfortable and at ease within the first few moments of welcoming the community. I have come to the realization that after watching and listening to him that he may just be Sean Connery’s doppelganger. He began by telling us that we were loved, no matter who we are and where we come from, that all of us there today were loved. In my opinion, I thought that this was just beautiful. It takes a lot to tell people you love them, some people can’t say it at all. But here was this pastor telling those that come to be spiritual with him that this was the first thing we should know. The service began by opening celebrations of joy along with songs and affirmations.
The affirmation of the day was:
I am open to receive.
I am open to give. I am open to
participate fully in this amazing
Universe Project.
A lady who had been tending to the books was called up to the front for what seemed like testimonials of their beliefs. She told of chance meetings and inspirations that happened in her daily life and her career and how conscious thought has brought about abundance in beauty and happiness. She recollected a fascinating story of how CSL had made a basket for the Mind Spirit Expo that occurs once a year. She mentioned how it was made with care, and how they all wondered who had received the basket. She went on to tell us that she had recently spent time at a gathering in Reading, and how after it had ended the attendees had went out to eat. After saving a seat for someone that didn’t show she offered the seat next to her to a young lady. This women wondered if this person she gave her seat up to had ever attended CSL’s sister chapter in Reading. Within a few minutes Science of Mind came up, and she exclaimed how she had won the basket from the Mind Spirit Expo and how it led her to a path of self discovery and new found wonders and of course, to their sister chapter in Reading. This reminded me of how things come around full circle and truly what a small and remarkable world we live in and how we are all connected somehow one way or another.
Then we sang a Karen Drucker song called “Thank you for this Day.” This song resonated within me, and took me back to a time when I lead women in song, meditation and drumming at the Full Circle Gatherings at Main Line Unitarian Church. I just chanted along with those singing around me. It was a beautiful beginning and a wonderful energy raising chant.
We settled in and listened to the words that Bob Deen would share with us. He made a lot of sense in his inspirational talk. He talked about how if we have garbage coming in, that garbage will come out. Just like a computer. If you continually put garbage in, you will only get garbage out. He also talked about that with your computer, there are manuals. That all computers are hard wired, and that every once in awhile it is good to read through the manual and make sure that you are tapping into all the necessary potential that you possibly can. Just like ourselves. It is good to examine our lives and make sure that we are living life fully. He said that if we only talk bad about our past, our present and ourselves that we will get nothing but bad out of it. He mentioned working with a woman that wanted this one man to love her. He said each week he would pray with her, and they would work on affirmations to make her life abundant with the love that she desired. He said that one week he overheard her talking about how men were pigs. At this point he made a joke about a book he had heard about called, “Men are Pigs and We Love Bacon,” just the title made all of us laugh! I refer back to the garbage in garbage out statement here, because he stated something so obvious to all of us sitting there. The power of thought, the power of consciousness is always all around us. If we choose to do good, to live in a good way, then good things will happen, but if we choose bad things and to speak bad about other people, then bad things will happen. I have always thought that the power of thought was a very powerful tool. If we constantly beat ourselves up and say we are not good enough and that we don’t deserve to be loved, we are painting our life picture. He also said something that resonated with me. Last year, when I returned back to school I put a motto on my blog that said changing myself so that I can change the world. Well, Bob Deen said just that. We are always constantly trying to change one another. Instead of trying to change one another into what we want them to be, we should change ourselves to who we want to be and what we want out of our world.
There were so many things that Pastor Bob spoke about, and so many good points he made that made me think and made me truly want to learn more. Not just about Science of Mind, but all religions. Though all religions have different ways to celebrate their faith, all of them have such a sense of community and an outreach to one another to connect us all together. For example, during most religious services there is a portion where we offer of ourselves a donation to the church, or the community the church helps. Usually a song is played and baskets are passed around for your donations. At CSL, there is a statement that we all make together. I have read it through a few times, and it is so simple, and pure and about sharing of ourselves and with one another.
Celebrating Prosperity
I choose to celebrate prosperity. Divine love blesses my gift. It is my acceptance of God as the Source of my abundant supply. With joy and gratitude, I share my abundance with this Center. In doing so, I am one with the law of circulation. My tithe goes forth to heal, to prosper, and to bless. It returns to me multiplied abundantly, and I am prospered-and so it is!
Another gentleman, his name was John, stood and sang a beautiful song. This was the second time he had sung. The music played and John sang and some of us clapped while others just swayed to the music. We had been told at the beginning that the teens were away this weekend at a teen CSL retreat. The little ones were there though, and towards the end of the service they were invited up to tell of their day with the Youth leader. The little ones had picked cards with words on it and had drawn pictures to represent the words. One had kindness, while another had imagination, and they were so cute standing up there showing off their art and their representations of the words they had drawn from the cards they had chosen. After the children left, all the practitioners that were in the service stood up and we honored them. These individuals are there to help you find your way, to assist in your affirmations and to help you in any way they can at CSL. Each individual that stood seemed to have an healing reverence about them. You would know these individuals, because they are the ones that open doors for you, touch your shoulder when you are sad, and who seem to show up in your life just when you need someone the most. Each of them had kindness in their face, and smiles that are hard to forget.
Pastor Bob talked a little about the freedom of truth that Spiritual Living gives to him and the others of the Center. To share, to learn and to live in a spiritual and supportive community is truly what message is conveyed in this service. Before the service ended I recalled from the past ones I had attended one of my favorite parts of CSL, and was happy to see that this hadn’t changed in my years being away. We all stood up, and clasped our hands together with the people that stood to our left and to our right. Together, we sang joyfully and with robust the Peace Song.
Peace Song
Now there is peace of earth, and it has begun with me. Now there is peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God as our power, united all are we. Now we all walk together, in perfect harmony. Now peace begins with me, for this is the moment now. With every step I take, let Truth be my joyous vow; to take each moment, and live each moment in peace eternally. Now there is peace on earth, and it has begun with me.
Take a listen to that song, and just try to not let it get stuck in your head for days, especially with the final last versus! This and the Thank you song by Karen Drucker has been stuck in my head for days. I truly love the churches that celebrate and pray and give thanks with song. Listening and watching and finally joining in with the voices fills me with such empowerment, beauty and joy it is indescribable.
If I have taken anything away from me from CSL, it is the Thank You song. I sing it each morning, and I end my day by singing it. It has become my chant, my mantra, my own special prayer. Thank you CSL, for the experience, for the mindfulness of my thoughts, and for allowing me to share the space within your community. Truly an open minded community that shares it’s love with anyone that walks through the doors.
Things to reflect on:
Greater Philadelphia Center for Spiritual Living
Ernest Holmes-Science of Mind
Karen Drucker - Thank you for this Day
Inspiration dance done to Thank you for this Day
I am so blessed-Karen Drucker
Karen Drucker website
Indian Flute Meditation
Peace Song
