The Spiritual Practice Of Remembering

We often dismiss history as dull or irrelevant, but our modern disengagement from the past puts us fundamentally out of step with the long witness of the Christian tradition. Yet, says Margaret Bendroth, the past tense is essential to our language of faith, and without it our conversation is limited and thin. This accessible, beautifully written book presents a new argument for honoring the past. The Christian tradition gives us the powerful image of a vast communion of saints, all of God's people, both living and dead, in vital conversation with each other. This kind of connection with our ancestors in the faith, Bendroth maintains, will not happen by wishing or by accident. She argues that remembering must become a regular spiritual practice, part of the rhythm of our daily lives as we recognize our world to be, in many ways, a gift from others who have gone before.

We often dismiss history as dull or irrelevant, but our modern disengagement from the past puts us fundamentally out of step with the long witness of the Christian tradition. Yet, says Margaret Bendroth, the past tense is essential to our language of faith, and without it our conversation is limited and thin. This accessible, beautifully written book presents a new argument for honoring the past. The Christian tradition gives us the powerful image of a vast communion of saints, all of God's people, both living and dead, in vital conversation with each other. This kind of connection with our ancestors in the faith, Bendroth maintains, will not happen by wishing or by accident. She argues that remembering must become a regular spiritual practice, part of the rhythm of our daily lives as we recognize our world to be, in many ways, a gift from others who have gone before.

Two leading spiritual psychologists offer a “life-changing book” that will help you awaken to your innate spiritual power and most authentic self (Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul) What if you discovered—not as a concept, but rather as a profound inner knowing born from the crucible of your own experience—that the essence of your very nature is, has always been, and always will be, the presence of love? That awareness would change everything. Your consciousness would be transformed, and you would move forward into a Soul-Centered life—your unique and beautiful life of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. The book you hold in your hands is a vehicle for fostering just such an epiphany through the use of the empowering tools of Spiritual Psychology in your everyday life. As co-directors of the University of Santa Monica, the Worldwide Center for the Study and Practice of Spiritual Psychology, Drs. Ron and Mary Hulnick have had many years of experience in applying these principles and practices in their own lives as well as supporting thousands of students in doing the same. Their intention is nothing less than providing you with inspiration, practical tools, encouragement, and opportunities for learning how to live into the Spiritual Context—the awareness that you are a Soul and that your life serves spiritual purpose. As you read and engage with this book, you’ll learn practical ways for waking up more fully into the awareness of the loving being that you are. You will be remembering the Light within—remembering your essential nature. Can you imagine walking through this world in a consciousness that is Awake to Love? Wouldn’t that be amazing Grace? Opportunities for just such experiences are available to you, and this book will be your guide through this process.

As a creative force, student of the human heart and soul, and champion of living the life you want, Oprah Winfrey stands alone. Over the years, she has made history with a legendary talk show - the highest-rated program of its kind, launched her own television network, become the nation's only African-American billionaire, and been awarded both an honorary degree by Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From all her experiences, she has gleaned life lessons—which, for fourteen years, she's shared in O, The Oprah Magazine's widely popular "What I Know For Sure" column, a monthly source of inspiration and revelation. Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful cloth bound book with a ribbon marker, packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme—joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power—these essays offer a rare, powerful and intimate glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women—while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and frequently humorous, the words Oprah shares in What I Know For Sure shimmer with the sort of truth that readers will turn to again and again.

Charles Spurgeon presents us this beautiful message based in 1 Corinthians 11:24. We shall speak, first of all, concerning the blessed object of memory. Secondly, upon the advantages to be derived from remembering this person. Thirdly the gracious help, to our memory" This do in remembrance of Me." And fourthly, the gentle command, "This do in remembrance of Me." May the Holy Spirit open my lips and your hearts, that we may receive blessings.

"An exciting vision of the future" --Michael Eric Dyson Everything Is Spiritual is an unexpected and compelling invitation to see your life in a whole new way. We have the great moments of our lives, the highs, those times when we soar, when it all makes sense, when it feels like it all has purpose and meaning. And then there are all those other moments—the lows and aches and failures and struggles and experiences that leave us wondering what the point of it all is. Are our lives ultimately bits and pieces and fragments—you try to find a little peace and hope and then it’s over? Or is there more going on here? In our increasingly polarized and disoriented world, Everything Is Spiritual gives us a radical new take on how it all fits together, how it works, how it’s all connected. Part memoir, part extended riff on the quantum nature of reality, part history of the universe, Rob Bell takes us back through the twists and turns and struggles of his story in order to help us see the larger story so that we can reconnect with our story.

Just One Moment of Close Attention Can Be a Prayer to God "Does God communicate through the natural world? Through the slug on the compost pile, the leaf on the lawn, the stone tumbled on the beach, the air that feeds my lungs, the dreams that fill my nights? How will I know unless I pay attention?" —from the Introduction Paying attention is rarely easy to do. It requires focus, patience and a willingness to slow down—traits that are hard to come by in this hurry-up world. But close attention to even one small piece of creation, one object, person, routine, image, word or scripture, can become a prayer to God, opening a channel of communication between you and the Divine to allow for deep spiritual growth. In this inspiring guide, you will discover ways to develop a practice of attention as a means of talking—and listening—to God. Framed on the Christian liturgical year and paired with images of the seasons of the earth, each chapter includes an insightful and poignant narrative which illustrates the surprising richness to be found in every attention-getting moment. Following each narrative is a prayer, suggested scripture readings and a specific exercise you can use to develop your own practice of attention as a means to better connect with God. Accessible, humorous and meaningful, these words and practices will lead you further along your path toward discovering a deeper awareness of yourself and your relationship to all that is around you—and within you.

Transcriptions of talks from within a private circle of spiritual practitioners, exploring subjects such as developing intention, will, awareness, awakening our capacities for love, and reducing the domination of ego.