Simply Beyond Belief

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

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Summary of Ordinary Life for May 25, 2025

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Dear Ones -

The showing of the documentary “No Other Land” will be this coming Sunday at 12:30 in Fondren Hall. If you want food provided, please register by clicking here.

Thank you.

I called the teaching I offered this week -

Simply Beyond Belief

The “wayless way” is simple but it is simply beyond belief. It is difficult to communicate because it goes against the established order and can seem ambiguous. Meister Eckhart says that it is not our purpose to get this simply or simply to get this but, rather, to be grasped by its truth so that it begins to turn our lives upside down. The Christian movement has lost and is losing credibility because of its failure to bring into its worship liturgy, doctrines, and teachings what non-duality has to teach us. This teaching is my take on the parable of Jesus known as “the pearl of great price.”

That’s a brief summary. The audio/video versions of the talk has some significant differences from the text I spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and links to the audio and video version of the talk using the links below.

If you are interested in making a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here. There is an option to scroll to “Ordinary Life” as the option for how to designation your gift. Thank you! 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.

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

Finders Weepers, Losers Keepers

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

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Summary of Ordinary Life for May 18, 2025

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Dear Ones -

We are requesting that if you want to attend the showing of the Oscar winning documentary, No Other Land, that you register. That way we will know how much food to provide. There is no charge for this. You may register by clicking here.

Thank you.

I called the teaching I offered this week -

Finders Losers, Losers Keepers

This turns upside down the taunt we likely heard in childhood. Non-duality calls us to enter into a different way of living within the world. Understanding context is critical to understanding content. Religion goes wrong when it becomes a way of teaching us to ignore what is real. There is a system that operates beneath the surface of our lives all the time. Two powerful elements in and of this system are greed and racism. Our country’s current context also requires that we be clear about the meaning of the word “fascism” and “Naism.” The treasure our spiritual work permits us to find and be found by is outside our cultural constraints and value system.

That’s a brief summary. The audio/video versions of the talk has some differences from the text I spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and links to the audio and video version of the talk using the links below.

If you are interested in making a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here. There is an option to scroll to “Ordinary Life” as the option for how to designation your gift. Thank you!

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

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

Surrounded and Filled

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

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Summary of Ordinary Life for May 11, 2025

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Dear Ones -

The date for the showing of the movie, “No Other Land” has been changed to June 1 at 12:30 p.m. Food will be provided. This is the reason we are asking that you indicate that you will be present by registering. You may do that by clicking here. This film won the Oscar for Best Documentary and is about a reporter’s experience in Gaza. There is no charge for this.

Thank you.

I called the teaching I offered this week -

Surrounded and Filled

The teaching is a deep dive into a parable Jesus told that was, when first delivered, something that bordered on blasphemy. It was certainly offensive to those who first heard it. Like many of Jesus’ teachings, it has been “domesticated” over the years. One way to summarize the teaching is: God’s way for the world is to be found in what we think is beneath us, what we label unclean or insignificant, and what and who we attempt to “get rid” of. We are, in light of this, called to live with compassion, wisdom, and openness.

That’s a brief summary. The audio/video versions of the talk has some differences from the text I spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and links to the audio and video version of the talk using the links below.

If you are interested in making a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here. There is an option to scroll to “Ordinary Life” as the option for how to designation your gift. Thank you!

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

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

Risky and Difficult

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

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Summary of Ordinary Life for May 4, 2025

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Dear Ones -

There is an Ordinary Life Happy Hour this Saturday evening. Click here for details.

On May 18 at 12:30 p.m. there will be a showing of the movie “No Other Land.” This film won the Oscar for Best Documentary and is about a reporter’s experience in Gaza. There is no charge for this but it is important that we know how many people will attend so we can arrange for the space and take care of the technical aspects. So, would you, if you are interested in attending, please register your interest. You may do so by clicking here. Thank you.

As for this week in Ordinary Life Dr. Holly Hudley and I co-taught and offered a teaching we called -

Risky and Difficult

Following “the way” leads us into ever new and deeper territory - this is difficult to communicate in words and it can be risky to do so. There is “nothing” that can fill the void we experience by becoming conscious. Jesus and his teachings invited us to embrace mystery - the white-hot fire of unknowing and uncertainty. We have to learn to breathe under water.

That’s a brief summary. The audio/video versions of the talk has some differences from the text I spoke from. You can find the text of the talk, the presentation slides and links to the audio and video version of the talk using the links below.

If you are interested in making a contribution to Ordinary Life, click here. There is an option to scroll to “Ordinary Life” as the option for how to designation your gift. Thank you!

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 to download the audio of today’s talk, use the audio player below.

If you would like to watch the video of today’s talk, slick on the YouTube link below.