Koru: 
shape of a new unfurling silver fern frond 

Though some of their war tactics have been savage, the Maori are known as a spiritual people who incorporate beliefs and ritual into everyday life. Although some of the beliefs and traditions have been diluted due to outside influence over the last 150 to 200 years, many are still revered and commonly practiced. For example, Maori believe that ancestors and supernatural beings are ever-present and able to help the tribe in times of need. Another of the group's foremost beliefs is that everything and everyone are connected and therefore a part of their whakapapa (genealogy). Whakapapa includes genealogies of spiritual and mythological significance, as well as information about the person's tribe and the land he or she lives on. In short, whakapapa tells the story of each person's spiritual and physical existence, traditionally beginning with the arrival of ancestors in canoes and progressing to present-day. The Maori strongly believe future mistakes can only be avoided by acknowledging the errors of the past. The act of reciting whakapapa helps accomplish this noble feat by continually reminding them of past mistakes. 

The Maori also emphasize the importance of mana (honor, prestige, influence, authority, power). They believe in three forms of mana: 

1) Mana achieved by birth. This mana comes from the person's whakapapa, and can be attributed to the rank or status of descendents. 
2) Mana given by other people. This is more easily understood as recognition for good deeds. Humbleness is particularly appreciated among the Maori.
3) Mana of the group. Outsiders who visit or stay with a group influence this type of mana. Mana is increased if they pass along the word that the group treated them well during a stay.

Religious Beliefs The Maori held an essentially spiritual view of the universe. Anything associated with the supernatural was invested with tapu, a mysterious quality which made those things or persons imbued with it either sacred or unclean according to context. Objects and persons could also possess mana, psychic power. Both qualities, which were Inherited or acquired through contact, could be augmented or diminished during one's lifetime. 

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." Maori Proverb.

Little Spotted Kiwi
Apteryx owenii

April Focus:
Celtic
Spiritual Tradition

Celtic Spiritual Tradition

The first day of spring is also known as the Vernal Equinox. Alban Eiler, which means, "Light of the Earth," is one of the two days that night and day stand equal. The equinoxes and solstices were holy times of transition for the ancient Celts, a celebration of the miraculous balance of nature and life cycles of renewal.

The Spring Equinox is the mid-point of the waxing year. The spark of light that was born at the Winter Solstice has reached maturity. Today the light and dark are equal; from this day forward, the days grow longer than the nights. We have survived another Winter and are once more surrounded by the delights of Spring. It is a time for celebrating the greening of the Earth, and crops are typically sown at this time. 

This is the time of full Dawn, and was the time of the festivals of the Grecian goddess, Eostre, and the Germanic Ostara, both goddesses of Dawn. Some believe that this is where we get the word "Easter". Since the Spring Equinox is a time to celebrate fertility, and many cultures see eggs as a symbol of Life or the home of the soul, decorated eggs have been part of spring celebrations for centuries.

GRACE
In the presence of my people
back to the beginning of life,
In the witness of the gods and the ungods,
In homage to the immense generosity of the universe,
I give thanks before my portion

.

Spiritual Book  Reading & Discussion Club   club details 
Thursday March 8th book is the acclaimed:
 Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

March Focus:
Islamic
Spiritual Tradition

See Through the Illusions

God made the illusion look real and the real an illusion. 
He concealed the sea and made the foam visible, the wind invisible, and the dust manifest. 
You see the dust whirling, but how can the dust rise by itself? 
You see the foam, but not the ocean. 
Invoke Him with deeds, not words; 
For deeds are real and will save you in the infinite-life.
- Rumi

Peacemaking

Shall I not inform you of a better act than fasting, alms, and prayers? Making peace between one another: enmity and malice tear up heavenly rewards by the roots.

Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind.

-the Prophet Muhammad

Islam Daily Prayers

Perhaps the most well known Muslim practices among non-Muslims is ritual prayer, or salat, which is performed five times each day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and evening. Prayer is always directed in the direction of the Ka'ba shrine in Mecca. A prayer mat, sajjada, is commonly used during salat. Salat may be performed individually, but it carries special merit when done with other Muslims. The focal prayer of the week is the midday prayer at the mosque on Fridays. Salat must always be preceded by ablutions of ritually washing the face, hands, and feet. This can be done with sand when water is not available. At the five appointed times, a muezzin announces a call to prayer traditionally from a mosque's minaret. The words of the shahada feature heavily in the call to prayer:

God is most great 
I bear witness there is no god but God 
I bear witness Muhammad is the 
prophet of God 
Come to prayer 
Come to wellbeing 
Prayer is better than sleep 
God is most great 
There is no God but God 

Reality of Angels

In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions. Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head. In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from our senses.

They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God's associates running different districts of the universe. Also, they are not objects to be worshipped or prayed to, as they do not deliver our prayers to God. They all submit to God and carry out His commands. 

In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided into 'good' and 'evil' angels. Human beings do not become angels after death. Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn, a creation of God parallel to human beings and angels. 

Angels were created from light before human beings were created, and thus their graphic or symbolic representation in Islamic art is rare. Nevertheless, they are generally beautiful beings with wings as described in Muslim scripture. 

Angels form different cosmic hierarchies and orders in the sense that they are of different size, status, and merit. The greatest of them is Gabriel. The Prophet of Islam actually saw him in his original form. Also, the attendants of God's Throne are among the greatest angels. They love the believers and beseech God to forgive them their sins. They carry the Throne of God, about whom the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: 

"I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of God who carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey." (Abu Daud)

Sufism

Sufi mystics of Turkey and Persia and whirling is one of their modes of worship. Sufism got its content and rituals from Islam, but also picked up elements from older religious practices. Sufism developed gradually in early Islam, but there is little proof of real Sufism before 800 AD. Today there are some five million Sufis, mostly in Egypt and Sudan

Whatever we perceive in the world around us tends to reflect who we are 
and what we care about most deeply, as in the old saying, 
"When a thief sees a saint, all he sees are his pockets." 

- Robert Frager, 
Heart, Self & Soul, The Sufi Psychology of Growth, Balance and Harmony"

February Focus:

Judaic

Spiritual Tradition

be "a light unto the nations" 
Isaiah 42:6

“There are only two ways to live your life. 
One is as though nothing is a miracle. 
The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

-Albert Einstein

“Trust yourself. 
Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. 
Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility 
into flames of achievement.”

-Golda Meir, fourth Prime Minister of Israel

Interconnected

"The life of all creatures and our own lives are One; 
profoundly dependent upon each other.... 
We call our ancient scroll of wisdom, the Torah, a 'tree of life', 
for it, like Earth's great forests sustains us. 
Torah teaches that creation, in its great diversity, 
is harmoniously interconnected. 
Like the trees, we too need strong deep roots for nourishment. 
The uplifted branches of trees point to our future. 
The Psalmist was right when he said, 
'like a tree planted by the waters, we shall not be moved.'" 

- Rabbi Warren G. Stone

Jewish Kabbalah Wisdom
Your deep soul hides itself from consciousness. So you need to increase aloneness, elevation of thinking, penetration of thought, liberation of mind - until finally your soul reveals itself to you, spangling a few sparkles of her lights.

 -from "The Essential Kabbalah", Daniel C. Matt, ed., 1996 amazon 

Inner Wisdom & Daily Experiences

Spiritual teachers ultimately agree that true wisdom does not come from outside of us, but from within. And it does not come from within because we want it.  It comes when we live in a way that invites wisdom. It comes through direct experience....

We can learn about the spiritual experiences of others, or we can bring meaningful practice into our own daily lives. We can learn about mysticism, or we can practice being mystics.

-from "God is a Verb: Kabbalah and the Practice of Mystical Judaism," 
by Rabbi David A. Cooper   book  amazon 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; 
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: 
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: 
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalms 23

Happy Chinese New Year

Year of the Water Dragon
Year 4709 in China

Celebrated the week of 
Jan 23 - Feb 2

Feb 6: Chinese Lantern Festival
Info page 

January Focus:
Christian
Spiritual Traditions

How a Christmas Traditional Song Began

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.  Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

- The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
- Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
- Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
- The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
- The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
- The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
- Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
- The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
- Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
- The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
- The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
- The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

---

Love
"Love bears all things, 
believes all things, 
hopes all things, 
endures all things. 
Love never ends."

I Corinthians 13:7-8

The Golden Rule
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
-from the Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 7:12

Giving Back / Inflow and Outflow
"To whomsoever much is given, 
of him shall much be required."
- Luke 12:48

Happy New Year 2012 ! 
Enjoy the Path to Your Goals

"Mr. Goals":  Zig Ziglar website    

December Focus:
Buddhist
Spiritual Tradition

Happiness

If a man speaks or acts with pure thoughts,
happiness follows him
like a shadow that never leaves.
    - Buddha

Happiness cannot be found through great effort and willpower, 
but is already there in relaxation and letting go. 
-Lama Gendun Rinpoche

Blessings and Healing

 By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacles come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.

For all in whose heart dwells respect,
Who follow the wisdom and compassion of the Way,
may your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.

-from a Buddhist Traditional Blessing and Healing Chant

See Clearly

"If we could see 
the miracle of a single flower clearly, 
our whole life would change." 
- Buddha

Every Day, Think as You Wake Up ...

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, 
I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. 
I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, 
to expand my heart out to others; 
to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. 
I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, 
I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. 
I am going to benefit others as much as I can.

-Dalai Lama XIV

 more about Buddhism

Buddha's Birthday - A Holiday

The holiday that is fairly universal in the Buddhism countries is for the celebration of the birth of Buddha, 2,500 years ago.  This date is called Buddha day. Traditionally, Buddha's Birthday is known as Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha's Birthday Celebrations). Vesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the one day, the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. This celebration is called Vesak being the name of the month in the Indian calendar.

Buddhist Festivals are always joyful occasions. Typically on a festival day, lay people will go the the local temple or monastery and offer food to the monks and take the Five Precepts and listen to a Dharma talk. In the afternoon, they distribute food to the poor to make merit, and in the evening perhaps join in a ceremony of circumambulation of a stupa three times as a sign of respect to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. The day will conclude with evening chanting of the Buddha's teachings and meditation.

Buddhist New Year

New Year is the Buddhist countries of Sri Lanka are based on the Lunar Calendar and occurs in different months according to the culture. In Theravadin countries, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos, the new year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the new year starts on the first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the people. As for example, Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese celebrate late January or early February according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate about one month later.

November Focus:
Hindu
Spiritual Traditions

"I am a spirit living in a body. I am not the body. 
The body will die, but I shall not die." -Swami Vivekananda

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. 
Learn as if you were to live forever." 
-Mahatma Gandhi

Yama: 10 Basic Human Values in Hinduism
#7 Madhuryam: A Hindu believes in possessing sweetness of disposition and a pleasing and pleasant personality. He is not rude or impolite and comes across as a balanced and likeable person

 click here for our Hindu page

October Focus:
Taoism
The Taoist Spiritual Tradition

Lao Tzu's ancient text still resonates today. The Tao Te Ching was written by Lao-tzu at the end of the sixth century B.C.

All the world knows beauty, but if 
that becomes beautiful, 
this becomes ugly.

 -Tao Te Ching

WCF page on Taoism

Weekly meditation: 
Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered in grains, and enjoyed every day. 
It will not keep; it cannot be accumulated; 
nor have we got to go out of ourselves or into remote places to gather it, 
since it has rained down from a Heaven, at our very door.
- Tryon Edwards

We are never complete and our experience and situation are partial... Rather than searching for some center, we become effective in action - wise - by looking out and enlarging our perspective.  Indeed, life is a process of developing our perspective in conversation, creating and expanding ourselves by experimenting with others' experiences as well.
-from Wu-Weifarer, Daoist Quotes

Daoism, an Ancient Chinese spiritual philosophy. The tradition holds that all beings and things are fundamentally one. Daoism's focuses on nature and the natural order of things. Taoists strongly promote health and vitality, the pizzaz of life.  Development of virtue is one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.

The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In business, be competent.
In action, watch the timing. 

-from the Dao De Ching

Happy Spiritual New Year! (Sept 2011)

Theme:
Believing to Create

Temples of India  with gentle background music; press Esc to stop

  Gandhi  press PgDn to advance; press Esc to stop

^NEW WCF Book Reading Club
A Meeting & Discussion 
via Conference Call

An enjoyable way to be involved in Spiritual Community

Find the book at your library or buy it and be prepared to discuss it's impact on you! The WCF Book Reading Club meets by a conference call. 

New Time: 2nd Thursday of the month at 9:00 pm Eastern (6:00pm Pacific) USA. 
A 45 minute discussion. Be on the call and help select the next month's book.

To join this conference, click here to get the phone # and access code (same as the Spirit Call numbers).  Put me on the Book Reading email list 

Your local bookstore has it or can order it -or- order online new or used from Amazon.com Powells.com or Barnes And Noble.com 

Thurs Mar 8th Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah 

Thurs Feb 9  Second Sight: An Intuitive Psychiatrist Tells Her Extraordinary Story and Shows You How To Tap Your Own Inner Wisdom  by Judith Orloff

Thurs Jan 12th Home with God: In a Life That Never Ends by  Neale Donald Walsch
Thurs Dec 8th A Redbird Christmas: A Novel by Fannie Flagg 
Thurs Nov 10th Sage-ing While Age-ing by Shirley MacLaine 
Thurs Oct 13  Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
Thurs June 9 The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen 
Thurs May 12 A Book of Angels by Sophie Burnham 
Thurs April 14 The Blessing Way by Tony Hill 
Thurs March 10 Love: What Life is All About by Leo Buscaglia
Feb 11, 2011  The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Aug 13, 2010  The Prophet by Kahil Gibran  bio+book 
June 11, 2010  The Shack by William P Young 

April 9^th  Life After Life by Dr Raymond Moody  In Life After Life Raymond Moody investigates more than one hundred case studies of people who experienced "clinical death" and were subsequently revived.  ... this classic exploration of life after death started a revolution in popular attitudes about the afterlife and established Dr. Moody as the world's leading authority in the field of near-death experiences.  Life after Life forever changed the way we understand both death -- and life.

The extraordinary stories presented here provide evidence that there is life after physical death, as Moody recounts  the testimonies of those who have been to the "other side" and back -- all bearing striking similarities of an overwhelming positive nature. These moving and inspiring accounts give us a glimpse of the peace and unconditional love that await us all. (description from amazon.com)

March 12 Explore The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold  "The Lovely Bones" has been on best seller lists and made into a major feature movie now playing in theatres!  This suspenseful and gripping novel is written from the point of view of a deceased young woman; and explores how each human life impacts others as well as unfinished business in the after-life. Also, be on the call to hear the fascinating back story of how Alice Sebold came to write it. 

Seasons of Life (PowerPoint)
Desiderata now has audio  
Web Experience: Has Anyone Told You  
Web Experience: The Daffodil Principle  (PowerPoint)

2009 Message from the President here  

WCF Launches World Faith Project: 
Explore What's New This Month!  

Overview & Message from the President

Buddhist

Taoist Tradition
Native American Tradition 
Hindu Tradition

Mayan Tradition (temp)
Aboriginal Tradition (temp)
Polynesian Tradition (temp)

^LOOK  Peace Community Church International 
has a new website at  www.PCCIworld.org

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