Spiritual Leadership

            Master of Spiritual Leadership

Lesson 3 Eight Fold Path Part 2

Right Speech

     First principle of ethical conduct

     Word can break or save a life make enemies or friends start war or peace

     Positives phrases

     Tell the truth

     Speak friendly gently

     Talk only when necessary

Right Action

      Involve the body as natural means of expressions

Act kindly with honestly and respect

Right Livelihood

     Means that one should earn one’s living

     In a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully

     Nothing should violated the 2 firs principles

Right Effort

    Without effort nothing can be achieve

     Mental energy is the force behind the right effort

Mental development

  1-Right mindfulness

  It is the ability to see things as they are with clear consciousness

               Four foundations of mindfulness

                        Contemplation of the body

                        Contemplation of the feelings

                        Contemplation of the state of mind

                        Contemplation of the phenomena

2-Right concentration

Development of mental forces

State where all mental faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object

Concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions

The Buddhist methods of choices to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation

How do you see yourself

            Loving and caring person

            Passionate

            Team working

            Spiritual

What are the label that have been applied to you through out life

            Timid but Sociable

            Good listener

            Quiet

             Smiley person

How have these label shaped how you see yourself

              Limit me sometimes

               Fear do not be good enough

               Take care of others first

How do you feel growing older

                I like it in fact because I feel much wiser

                I always like old people for me they teach us how to live better the present moment

                I like to reflect on life on my own and the other one… to understand better the past to live the present and prepare for the future

Who are the people that build you up

             My parents the most with their love

             Some mentors around me with their speeches and their writings

              Myself

Who are the people that tear you down

                  Some friends (hard to say but real)

What helps energize you

       Meditation Prayer

       Sport

       Reading

       Writing

       Music

       Walk in nature

        Conversation with people

        Be around children and animals

What deflates and wears you out

           Too many people

            Negative conversation

            Loud noise

            Stress from others

By freeing the negative walls that enclose our mind and soul we free our whole selves to change our world

It is time to end relationship that tear me down and direct more energy to those that build me up.

********************************************

To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Spiritual Leadership

Master of Spiritual Leadership

                        Lesson 2 Eight Fold Path Part 1

Right View 

         Refer to the first part of the wisdom in the Noble Eightfold Path but in fact all the parts are interlocked together

Right view come from the mind it begin with the intuitive insight that all beings are subject to suffering and it ends with complete understanding of the true nature of all things

Our view of the world forms our thoughts and our actions

Right view yield right thoughts and right actions

Right view for me is everything coming from the mind starting with the physical aspect of everything

Right view is perceive first with eyes sense mind it is the cognitive aspect of the wisdom

Right Intention

       Mental energy that controls our actions It is more as a commitment to ethical and mental self improvement

       3 types of right intention

          - Intention of renunciation

            (resistance to the pull of desire)

          - Intention of good will

             (resistance to feeling of anger and aversion)

          - Intention of harmlessness

             (not to see or act cruelly violently develop compassion)

   Right intention for me is more at the heart center

Right View and Right Intention goes well together you can think of the heart and the mind working toward the perfect wisdom

   Ethnical Conduct

        For Buddha is the alignment with the truth

The guide line to the moral discipline

There are 4 parts in the ethical conduct

               Right speech

               Right action

               Right livelihood

               Right effort

 My Core Beliefs

            Love

           Gratitude

           Faith

           Compassion

           Wisdom

            Service

 (not a special order all are working together in perfect synergy)

         

 I Believe Love is everything and everywhere

 Because I believe in Love

 I will make my life a masterpiece for other and I

I Believe Gratitude is a daily task

Because I believe gratitude is the first thing and the last I do

I will shape my life according this exceptional principle

I Believe Faith is my special relationship with God to myself and to others

Because I believe faith is the connection between everything

I will trust the power of God every moment of my life

I Believe Compassion is the way to live

Because I believe compassion is a strong component of relationship

I will be compassionate in every aspect of my life toward others

and myself

I Believe Wisdom is the last step of everything the top of every accomplishment

Because I believe wisdom is my ultimate goal

I will put all my efforts to use every resort inside and outside myself to work toward this goal and share it with others

I Believe Service is the best part of life

Because I believe service is my ultimate joy

I will live my life to serve with love everyone I come in relationship with

And so it is

Namaste

You’ve been doing what your belief statement say?

Why ? or Why not?

This is an on going process and every day I live happily toward these goals, these gifts

Some time better than others but I always do my best to follow these life principles that I choose

With these goals in my mind and in my heart I want to be an example for my kids and leave a legacy to be able to live in a better world

What do you need to change in your life?

I need to have more determination

Be more pro active

And have no expectation of any kind from others

Just follow some more principles

Keep the Best and let go of the rest

Love and Let Go

Give and Let Go

Let Go and Let GOD

Thank you thank you and thank God

********************************************

To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Religious Philosophy

ULC Seminary: Religious Philosophy

New Student 2011: Response to Food for Thought questions.
1. Any other great human problem? I think Huston Smith's types cover them all. But if I think of these types as three overlapping circles, what question arises when nature/social/psychological overlap and interact? The hard question I think here is when we begin to seek a common denominator that respects the transcendental in each religion and overcomes differences. 

 
2. Chronological organization does have benefits like: (a) looking at the when and where of religions shows the persistence of the religious impulse and its great variety. That makes me realize how small a part of time and space my Christianity occupies; (b)Karl Jasper's proposed that there was a time between 800 - 200 BCE which he labeled an 'axial age'. He claimed that this axis or turning point was 'the point most overwhelmingly fruitful in fashioning humanity' (Jaspers, The Origin and Goal of History, Routledge 1953, pp. 1ff; cited in Mediators, SCM Press 1995, John Macquarrie. He claimed this marked the maturing of man as a spiritual being, and it was a time when all over the globe there appeared outstanding moral and spiritual leaders. He encompasses Palestine and the Hebrew prophets, Greece, China, Buddha, and also with similar figures in Africa and the Americas. So chronology when put this way shows a significant historical moment, a 'kairos' moment. 

 
3. One shift from monotheism back to the old gods seems to be underway currently with people sensing the world of spirit and the "powers' and "spirits' present in nature. The old English saying "You are nearer to God in a garden than anywhere else on earth" brings this home to me and the awareness of "soul' in nature.

 
I think this is a great course and will be responding to earlier lessons. 

John Simpson 

********************************************

To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Religious Philosophy

Religious Philosophy

Final Essay

Mary McGar

I found the final lesson to be one of the most interesting to me.  To have the information presented in this manner and with all the detail made the history of why certain events occurred and the end result of religious suppression was thought provoking.  The growth of Taoism and the Neo-Pagan faiths compared to the other faiths is encouraging to me, since I am a UU Pagan.  Perhaps “Pagan” will more quickly lose the stigma of being a derogatory word in the near future.  I found is interesting that Hinduism and Buddhism are holding their own as far as growth statistics are concerned.  To me, that indicates more people are reaching inside for truths rather than just accepting the established dogma.  The more people try to determine for themselves what religious path is best for them, the stronger and happier they will be, in my opinion, regardless of the path they eventually choose.  That people are truly thinking about their religious beliefs is a positive sign.

This course was fascinating throughout.  The lesson covering the parallels between Utnapishtim and Noah are remarkable as are many stories that have similar counterparts in different religions.  I also found it useful to be able to more accurately determine what groups are cults and which are not with the guidelines set forth in this course.

The continuum of diverse religious acceptability was easy to understand when presented as a staircase.  I had never given any thought that there are people who are unaware of any religious belief other than their own.  How intriguing!!  I think most people of the world have at least attained the acknowledgment step and, hopefully, in this day and time, are at the acceptance step.  I see proof of this as a Pagan.  Even ten years ago, the acceptance of Paganism was less than it is today, although because I live in a major Northwestern liberal city I might have a more optimistic view than if I lived in the South of Mid-West, for instance.  I hope, in my lifetime, to see great strides to reach at least partial amalgamation or, perhaps, regional is a better word for my expectations.

I learned much from the lesson regarding the difference in definition between histories, fables, lore, tradition, myth and legends.  I realize that, up to now, I have lumped several of them together in error.  In conclusion, this is the eight course I have taken from ULC and this one has been among the most, if not the most, thought provoking course of all.  Thank you, Robert Chamberlain for writing and offering this course.

********************************************

To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Spiritual Leadership

Master of Spiritual Leadership Essays

#1

Had not really considered my journey a pilgrimage. Reconsidering with the information provided I realize it is an apt term for my life.

My goal is to be the healer that I was born to be. The first step has been in learning how to develop the energy to heal self.

It is a matter of taking all that I learn and sharing it with the world. All the information and skills developed are of no use unless shared with the world. I remain a mentor to those seeking to overcome the difficulties in their life, to heal old wounds, let the past rest in peace and learn how to live in the now.

Through the next few weeks it is my goal to increase my knowledge, understanding, and application of spiritual ideals.

Develop leadership skills that will serve to increase my abilities to help others and myself progress in a spiritual life.

I expect to become the woman I was born to be, to serve the most good by helping those who are seeking a guide.

I expect to improve my outlook on life, to move beyond the resistance and openly accept that which is rightfully mine.

It is in this journey I choose to be the change in the world I seek. Planting the seed and inviting others to tend it.

Thank you.

Rev. Connie Kirkpatrick

********************************************

To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.