Church of Truth

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

— A Hopi Elder Speaks

June 2  –   The Return Home: Recognizing the Ones we have Been Waiting for.

The first session begins in the only place where we can begin, in the present moment.  And, with the one who waits for us, our self.  What is possible when members of a community come home to their own wholeness, wisdom and wildness?

Bio for Susan Neden: Susan Neden has worked for over thirty years with organizations, communities and individuals as they move through times of change and transformation.   Her work is strongly influenced by Buddhist teaching and the practice of deep inquiry.  Playfulness is one of her most treasured companions.  She is a member of the Victoria Vipassana Community and leads weekly Dharma Walks

June 9   -  The Power of Curiosity and Personal Story

What do we value in life?  Lives are being transformed by powerful questions.  It’s all based on the belief that everyone has a story worth knowing and sharing.  We’re going to celebrate what makes life worth living, what we bring to each day.  We’ll look at how to craft the questions that bring out the ‘golden stories’ and we’ll discover and use your questions.  This is a highly engaging workshop with immediate implications and applications for our lives.

Bio for Christopher Bowers: Christopher is the creator of ConversationWorks.ca and the Executive Director of  Community School Interviews. He has been called the Story Catcher of Victoria.  He works with education, business and community organizations to understand the power of the great questions and resulting personal story.  Christopher also coordinates Green Drinks Victoria, a network that supports sustainable businesses and community development.  His latest initiative is the launch of What’s Gone Well Today.com – a new way to shift thoughts.

June 16 -  Community  Circles:  Exploring Voluntary Simplicity

Community Circles are wonderful ways for group - sharing  and in engaging with others.  Questions are designed  so that it is  an  open inquiry- there are no right or wrong answers;  Discussions move into interesting and unexpected areas.  There is  a curiosity to discover other points of view .   The purpose of  the community circle  is to understand one another and ourselves more fully and to move towards harmony with all of earth.  This evening will be facilitated by Beth Cruise, Canadian Earth Institute with assistance  from the James Bay Sustainability Commons Voluntary Simplicity Discussion Group.

Bio for Beth Cruise:

Artist, environmentalist, group facilitator/counselor, and visionary with a long standing commitment to living harmoniously with the earth.  With her first Voluntary Simplicity course in 1997, her passion grew to facilitate the exchange of ideas on how our habits and attitudes affect the environment and what each one of us can do to make a difference.  She founded and is Executive Director of the Canadian Earth Institute, a sister to the North American network that has inspired over 100,000 participants to become more earth friendly with eight sustainability discussion courses.  CEI now offers hands-on Natural Building courses such as Cob Building, Earthen Plasters, Earthen Floors, and Lightclay/woodchip Infill.

“To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already done, but what he aspires to do.”

Kahil Gibran, 1883-1931, Lebanese poet and novelist

June 23 — Summer Solstice: Celebrating the Heart and Soul of Transitioning at this Time of Planetary Change

Summer Solstice has been celebrated in many cultures over the centuries and is associated with such common themes as Fullness, Manifestation, Balance, Coming into the Light. This is the time when we see what has come forth from the seeds planted in, and nurtured through, the dream-womb of winter and quickened by spring’s luscious dance of life. Yet this is a time of a new story unfolding in the history of life on earth. It is a time of planetary change, of challenge, and, what some call, the birth of the Universal Human. The new story is emerging and we are part of that Great Unfolding. This Solstice celebration will reflect some of the diversity of ways that we are naming and engaging the heart of this journey, as we soulfully seek to manifest new ways of being on this precious planet

Joy Emmanuel will be coordinating the evening and joined by Betsy Nuse, Libby Seabrook, Gertie Jocksch, and others.

Bio for Joy Emmanuel:  Joy  is a Transformational Coach, Adult Educator, Organizational Developer, and Community Animator.  Joy offers transformational change programs for individuals and groups of all sizes and hosts one-day retreats with a focus on Spiritual Awakening.  Summer and Fall Events 2010:  Turning Time News In the fall of 2009, Joy was privileged to do a training program with Joanna Macy.  She is also active in the Victoria Transition Town initiative – a global grassroots movement around creating a post-oil dependent society.  During the Summer, Joy and Libby will be co-facilitating Earth Camp.

June 30 — Letter Writing as a Vehicle for Social Change

Personal giving has always been an important of community action; small efforts by many really do add up. But no matter how deep your pockets or how great your energy, individuals will always be limited in what they can accomplish.

But writing letters to elected officials can transform the power of one to the power of the state, which has vastly more resources. And despite commonplace cynicism, elected officials do listen to the people and do respond – when approached the proper way.

For more than twenty years RESULTS Canada has demonstrated the power of the pen in motivating government and leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars towards effective aid programs in the developing world.

Bio for Nathaniel Poole:

Nathaniel Poole is a Victoria counsellor, writer and sailing instructor. He has volunteered with RESULTS Canada for 18 months and seen just how influential a few motivated citizens can be in delivering enormous resources to where it is needed most.

A HOPI ELDER SPEAKS

“You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is THE HOUR. And there are things to be considered…

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water. And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation

Oneness Wednesdays

Church of Truth, Community of Conscious Living

111 Superior Street

Wednesdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Info:  http://cotvictoria.ca or Linda (250) 380-6383

Everyone Welcome!

Free or by donation