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Dear CSL Community,
On January 6, at 12:00 p.m. PST, our Executive Team called an
emergency meeting to respond to the events in the United States
Capitol. After the meeting, I went on Facebook Live to offer
a prayer for peace based on our founder, Dr. Ernest Holmes’s
meditations. You may find the Facebook Live broadcast here:
My heart has been heavy with the recent social-political events
and the attempted coup at the United States Capitol in Washington
DC. So much has already been said about the event on January 6,
who caused it, and what it means, and although I am not a
political expert, I am a student of Science of Mind, and I know
the power of focus and consciousness. I understand the
temptation to withdraw and retreat into spiritual practice
when world events are overwhelming, or to focus on the
complicity of others. However, Science of Mind has taught me
to see that our spiritual, social, and economic wellbeing is
intricately intertwined with others' wellbeing through our shared
experience of this one holy Life. Therefore, I cannot and must
not imagine that I have no part in our world's events. I must
leave no stone unturned in my consciousness when I feel the
tendency to flee. What is it, I ask myself, that I feel
uncomfortable seeing? Is it the radical disparity between how
different groups of demonstrators are responded to? Is it the
shock I feel that we were potentially mere steps away from losing
a whole branch of government? Is it the frustration and
dissonance I feel when I encounter denialism that the disparity
is real? What is it that I must do and what must I give
voice to that I haven't?
I think it is this: that the recent attempted coup has
highlighted, again, the disparity between societal responses to
race in the United States in a way that makes it impossible to
ignore. And it is impossible to ignore the opportunity to
challenge the mindset, in me and in our culture, that denies or
is silent about that disparity.
I grew up in South Africa during the apartheid regime, where
silence was a matter of safety. Not everyone was
silent; those who spoke out changed history. And
what Nelson Mandela accomplished is nothing short of a miracle
and testament to the possibility of a peaceful transition. He did
it by including everyone, acknowledging his feelings towards the
oppressors, and steadfastly keeping his eye on the nations' unity
and healing. Unity and healing is the consciousness that will
turn things around and usher in the end of supremacy of every
kind. Control and domination of other people, nations,
neighborhoods, or cultures is the recipe for suffering, not only
in the United States but also anywhere where one group
establishes itself as superior over another.
Spiritual growth is personal, and we must
each examine our own consciousness. Everyone is going
to have to decide for themselves where they stand. I stand for
inclusivity. I stand for compassion. I stand for religious
freedom. I stand for equality, justice, and equity. I stand for a
world that works for everyone. It takes courage to declare such
things because the world as it is today does not seem to support
these statements. Yet, the declarations match something inside
our hearts: the urge of the Divine Mind. My task then is to
use my gifts to take a step in the direction of what I stand for,
expecting my effort to be supported and increased in ways I
cannot imagine so that I can do more of what is mine to
do. We have a great deal of work to do as citizens of the
planet whatever country we live in, and I trust that the work
begins with the courage to examine our consciousness, take a
stand, and plant seeds of truth through prayer, affirmation,
contemplation, words, and action.
I leave you with the words of a colleague: What will I pray for
today? I will pray for my personal courage knowing that each of
us is being called to stand up for truth and integrity. I will
pray that as I walk this path, I will release all fear and
anxiety. My prayers will also acknowledge that regardless of
appearances, the presence of the Divine exists at the center of
all things. I believe that the recognition of this Truth opens
the door to the miraculous.
As the Spiritual Leader of Centers for Spiritual Living, one of
my roles is to be the spokesperson representing our
organization's Global Vision in responding to world
events. During the pandemic, I have turned to social media
to fulfill this role, using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
blog articles to communicate our visions, values, and Science of
Mind teaching.
I invite you to visit the Spiritual Leader social media content
and help me in my effort to disseminate the content by liking,
sharing, and commenting. Here are all the ways you can
follow the Centers for Spiritual Living Spiritual Leader content:
My blessings to you,
Rev. Edward Viljoen, DD (hon.)
Spiritual Leader
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