SUNDAY LECTURE | Going Beyond Where We Are

ORDINARY LIFE - Thoughts and Ideas to Help You Live a Happier Life

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Summary of Ordinary Life for March 24, 2024

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Dear Ones -

We carry two fears when we gather for teachings that are offered in Ordinary Life. First, that nothing will happen. Second, that something will. A Jewish mystic said, “The world is full of wonders and miracles but we take our little hand and cover our eyes and see. nothing.” To move beyond where we are in our religious/spiritual development means moving through our fears and losses.

That’s a brief summary of this week’s time in Ordinary Life.

The audio version of the talk has some differences from the text I spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and the audio version of the talk using the links below.

Our podcast, “In Between,” can be accessed through the Ordinary Life web site.

If you would like to know how to make a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here for video instructions.

Be well and much love,

Bill Kerley

In order to read or download the text of the talk, click here.

In order to view or download the presentation slides, click here.

In order to view or download the announcement slides, click here.

To download or listen to the audio recording of today’s talk, use the audio player below.

To watch the video of today’s talk, use the YouTube link below.

SUNDAY LECTURE | Deep Healing

ORDINARY LIFE - Thoughts and Ideas to Help You Live a Happier Life

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Summary of Ordinary Life for March 17, 2024

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Dear Ones -

Based on the responses we got, both in person and via e-mail, the shared teaching Dr. Holly Hudley and I offered in Ordinary Life this week spoke to a need. If you attended or watched the live-stream, you likely picked up on the fact that we didn’t finished what we prepared. As I indicated at the end of the time, we’ll pick the matter up again next week, beginning with the fact that each of us deals with the need for the healing of our depression and anxiety.

All wisdom traditions deal with the fact of human suffering. In the Jesus tradition we learn that his first emphasis was on healing as an expression of compassion. I spoke some about the historical accuracy of the Jesus narrative. Holly spoke about the difference between transformation and transmutation. Even though we are born into the inevitability of pain, we are also into the possibility of healing, of recovering our wholeness.

That’s a brief summary of this week’s time in Ordinary Life.

The audio version of the talk has some significant differences from the text we spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and the audio version of the talk using the links below.

Our podcast, “In Between,” can be accessed through the Ordinary Life web site.

If you would like to know how to make a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here for video instructions.

Be well and much love,

Bill Kerley

In order to read or download the text from which we spoke, click here.

In order to view or download the presentation slides, click here.

In order to view or download the announcement slides, click here.

To listen to or download the audio version of today’s talk, please use the audio player link below.

SUNDAY LECTURE | It's Not Jesus but a Squirrel

ORDINARY LIFE - Thoughts and Ideas to Help You Live a Happier Life

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Summary of Ordinary Life for March 10, 2024

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Dear Ones -

This week’s Ordinary Life talk begins with my telling three examples of “children’s sermons” given in churches that turned out to be “horror stories.” One child responded to a question put by the minister giving the children’s sermon by saying, “I know the answer is Jesus but it sounds like a squirrel.” This is an example of how the church teaches people what to see and not how to see.

Gaining clarity about Jesus and his teachings is an important part of living in the Sacred Stream. People at the mythic level of consciousness can be upset by scholarship about Jesus. However, it is only when we transcend the levels of tribalism that we ever experience renewal.

Jesus’ opening statement in his ministry was, “Change your level of consciousness.” What we know about who Jesus was and what he said and did gives us a model of how to be in the world. People need people to be Jesus to them and, perhaps more importantly, to be Jesus in their behalf. I called the talk -

It’s Not Jesus But a Squirrel

That’s a brief summary of this week’s time in Ordinary Life.

The audio version of the talk has some differences from the text I spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and the audio version of the talk using the links below.

Our podcast, “In Between,” can be accessed through the Ordinary Life web site.

If you would like to know how to make a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here for video instructions.

Be well and much love,

Bill Kerley

In order to read or download the text version of the talk, click here.

In order to view or download the presentation slides, click here.

In order to view or download the announcement slides, click here.

To listen to or download today’s class, use the audio player below.

To watch the video of today’s talk, use the YouTube player link below.

WEEKLY PODCAST | In Between.155

Are you conscious of the myths you live by or the worldview that shapes you? If so, are you satisfied with it, or do you think it needs revising?

We talk about the myths around which this country seems to operate and lament that most are shaped around individualism. How do we reshape our language to encompass “we-ness” and move away from the singular, separate self? We must be willing to do two things to get to the reality of interbeing (this is Thich Nhat Hanh’s word for interconnectedness). One is to allow the false self - the one that criticizes, feels afraid, or judges others - to die. The other is to break the rules just a wee bit. We must be willing to challenge the status quo, even if we are protected by it. This is part of what it means to move from mythos to logos. Myths are designed to deepen our understanding of reality, not become our reality.

So here is the challenge. Examine your personal and collective myths. Ask yourself which are still relevant and whether they promote or inhibit growth and greater belonging. If they don’t, are you willing to let them go?

Thanks for listening!