This week as I walked Cedric, my Pit Bull along the San Lorenzo River we encountered several skewers of Snowy Egrets, gulps of cormorants, at least two of rafts of ducks (Mallards and Ring Neck Ducks) a large murder of crows, the usual flock of seagulls and for some unknown reason an enormous loft of pigeons down by the Boardwalk, over 200. Along with these flying mentors of life, the squirrels, sparrows, swallows and Chick-a-Dees made it easy to adapt my practice of daily practice of “Forest Bathing” or Shinrin Yoku to the animal species and sense my oneness with everything that is.
My sense of wonder, however, was interrupted by a homeless woman letting out a tirade of invectives about fifty feet in front of Cedric and me. She let out four and five letter curses for about 20 minutes with reference to no longer having housing, but mostly four and five letter cursing. There was an odd comment in the midst of her cursing, “and you have cats.” I imagined a housing situation where someone’s cats were treated better than she believed she had been treated. She seemed to be yelling out to the universe for justice and acknowledgement or maybe just to her boyfriend. And then the thought came to me that I was doing the same thing: wanting to be present and one with all creation, even the animal kingdom. Cedric gave her little notice and seemed to say, she’s doing what we all are doing: trying to integrate into life and become one with life.
“Father I pray that we all may be one as the Father and I are one
Jesus on Maundy Thursday
So was Jesus apparently.
“Experiencing Beliefs”
Our next retreat is already scheduled for Wednesday, January 24th, from 9 am to 3 pm at the Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center. At our next retreat we will be exploring the experience of beliefs. What is the process that some beliefs we carry with absolute certainty such as the earth is round and not flat. While other beliefs such as being a valuable and loved individual we carry with less confidence and certainty. Is it just a matter of evidence and life experience, or is something going on within us at an unconscious level that is best accessed through meditation. You are warmly invited but kindly RSVP via this email!
Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center
21918 East Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA
(831) 475-1236
Rescheduled Saturday Bridge Building this Week
We’re back on schedule distributing bagels and socks along the San Lorenzo River this Saturday November 11th. Per usual we wend our way up to the Clock Tower to mediate and interact with the guests at Food not Bombs. If you would like to join us, we head out at 12 Noon from my place. Call or email me so I know you’re coming.
As always, we appreciate any clothing items you can donate. Thank you, Shirley and Jane, at the Villages in San Jose, and St John’s Helpful shop in Aptos for all the clothing you gave us this week. This week we collected 11 bags of shoes, bedding and clothing!! Also, if you can support us financially in our bridge-building ministry please contact us at Stillpoint: Joel@stillpoint.world or (831)419-8290 or through our website at https://stillpoint.world
Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina on Zoom
Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina meets as always this Tuesday, 11/07 at 8 am and 8 pm. Attached is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8352995499?pwd=RllrMlRrd2VTNFdZZW1hQTBTRDg3QT09
In the beauty of God’s love,
Joel+