Embracing Experientialism and Quaker Mysticism

Hello! My name is Erika, and though I am not a Quaker presently, I have started attending the Cloud Quaker's weekly worship in 2021. My religious upbringing was Catholic, but having been raised by Peace Corps volunteers who pulled me into the Green Party, I have felt that Quakers may offer a spiritual experience that speaks to me more than any other religious ceremonies I've experienced. Quakers are the peacemakers, in my mind, as the known conscientious war objectors. I have very much enjoyed our Sunday evening silent worship, followed by group conversation.

In our recent weekly meeting, members discussed how the attempted insurrection of white supremacists on the Capitol is unsettling not only from observing it on the news, but for those who have small factions closer to home that raise a ruckus. We stand together and pray that the power of love will triumph over love of power. We all have a desire to control a situation, but must extend our arms towards goodness and allow the collective power of good to take control. It's hard to watch such hate coming from fellow humans towards other humans. However, I believe it's better to see it in the open, rather than it existing passively, and having a negative impact behind the scenes. With it in the open, people who are choosing light over darkness can help to overcome their hate. I think Americans may finally be on a good path to make a better society. 

Tonight's discussion also included conversation about Experientialism and Mysticism - which I must admit some ignorance of. However, several resources were provided for those, like me, who would like to learn more:

http://www.whatcanstthousay.org/

https://cac.org/like-knows-like-2019-12-23/

From the above, I like this line, "Exclusion might be described as the core sin. Don’t waste any time rejecting, eliminating, or punishing anyone or anything else. We are all living en Christo, so everything belongs, including you." 

Barbara referenced a former Catholic priest, turned Episcopalian priest, named Matthew Fox (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Fox_(priest). Interesting stuff! Steven also suggested reading The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Perennial_Philosophy). Based on the first line of the wiki, seems like something one should read if they want to know more about mysticism!    

I encourage your comments, so we can keep a dialogue going outside the meetings! Also, anyone who might like to post a blog can reach out to Tom or myself (reschafer@gmail.com). 

AFSC statement on uprising - thanks Erika!

 

Making real the promise of democracy in the face of armed insurrection, AFSC, Jan. 7.

MLK Film festival - Thanks Steven!

 

There are about 20 films about the civil rights movement available till 1:59am Central time Tuesday 19 January at the MLK Film Festival at Stanford University.                                                         Registration is required. 

https://events.stanford.edu/events/897/89775/

I have registered for this Martin Luther King film Festival at Stanford University.

https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/world-house/2021-mlk-day-film-festival

This is a new good one. The Third Harmony (I recommend this one about the principles and successes of non-violence.)

Produced by https://mettacenter.org/ e-mail Michael Nagler<info@mettacenter.org> It is 44:50 long.

At the River I Stand: The 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike and the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King

Have You Heard from Johannesburg?: From Selma to Soweto

Have You Heard from Johannesburg?: The Bottom Line

Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin (I can recommend this one.)

Berkeley in the Sixties

At the Table with Dr. King 

Freedom On My Mind: The Story of Freedom Summer

Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker

 James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

Love and Solidarity: Rev. James Lawson & Nonviolence in the Search for Workers’ Rights  

There's Your Ready Girl: The Life and Legacy of Dorothy F. Cotton 

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom

Al Helm: Martin Luther King in Palestine

Blacks and Jews 

Mother, Daughter, Sister

In the Name of Love: 19th Annual Musical Tribute Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I Am MLK Jr. 

King in the Wilderness 

The March 

We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest

From the BTS Center, Maine (formerly Bangor Theological Center) 

11:15am Central time Monday 19 January

“A public reading of Martin Luther King's “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

https://www.thebtscenter.org/committed-to-listen/

More things for the homebound Quaker - thanks Steven!

 

There's a series of talks organised by The new Irish Chapter of World Beyond War starting next Wednesday evening. All are at 7-7:45pm GMT (1-1:5pm Central time)

If anyone would like to attend register through the following links. A link to recordings will  be available to all who register for these events.  

The 2nd conversation will look at the effect of money in politics with Clare Daly on January 20th. 

Click here for more details: https://actionnetwork.org/events/a-world-beyond-war-conversations-on-alternatives-part-2?clear_id=true

The 3rd conversation will examine the effects of militarism on the environment with Dave Donnellan on January 27th. 

Click here for more details: https://actionnetwork.org/events/a-world-beyond-war-conversations-on-alternatives-part-3?clear_id=true

The 4th conversation will explore militarism and human displacement with Suad Aldarra and Yaser Alashqar on February 3rd. 

Click here for more details; https://actionnetwork.org/events/a-world-beyond-war-conversations-on-alternatives-part-4?clear_id=true

And the 5th conversation will reflect on the assumption that militaries are the more appropriate peacekeepers with Ed Horgan on February 10th. 

Click here for more details: https://actionnetwork.org/events/a-world-beyond-war-conversations-on-alternatives-part-5?clear_id=true

The 1st conversation looked at Ireland, the United Nations and the Security Council with former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and arch critic of the UN Security Council, Dubliner Denis Halliday on January 13th. 

The link to the first talk is https://worldbeyondwar.org/a-world-beyond-war-conversations-on-alternatives-part-1-with-denis-halliday/

The first is the only one that was pre-recorded. The rest are live zoom calls in which one can interact with the speakers.

Please join us and please feel free to invite, friends, colleagues and family.  For further information please contact greta@worldbeyondwar.org

resource from Steven - thanks!

 

Westminster Quakers are running a weekly Quaker Quest for enquirers online at 7pm GMT Mondays (1pm Central time)  

https://www.meetup.com/Quaker-Quest-London/

Quaker Quest Lockdown Drop-in

https://bit.ly/QQDISCUSS

Westminster Quaker Quest get some enquirers from USA and Canada.

There are about 4 hosts, about  6-8 experienced Friends and 2-5 Questers.

The hosts often give a presentation on a topic, and we talk especially about how we came to Quakers and how it guides our life.

We have general discussion, encourage newcomers to ask questions, exchange links and finish with twenty minutes of Meeting for Worship.

The  whole meeting lasts 90 minutes.

an intense meeting

About a dozen of us were there tonight, and I appreciate that. I know most of us; I feel like we are a community that cares for each other and we hold each other in the light.

I apologize for dicey connection between the metal buildings in our compound. It is not always easy for a computer to stream a dozen movies over a thin wireless signal and this may have caused some people trouble in hearing me. People seemed to hear each other and support each other, though, and I appreciate that.

There is much to say about a world that is in turmoil, with disease grabbing us by the throat, and political and other kinds of conspiracy-mongering run amok in the people in our lives. I sometimes feel like we are in a boat, cast out into the turbulent waters, and we're trying to make sense of the raging storms that come from every direction.

I am sharing this week's picture on the blog. It was taken from the porch of the house where we used to live, in the village of Cloudcroft, high above the White Sands, and yes, that's what you are seeing off to the west there, the White Sands, down in the valley. I used to look off that porch at the valley and, in the mountains beyond, or across them anyway, was Las Cruces, the nearest meeting to me. I am at least a couple hours from any city, and even Las Cruces barely qualifies. But I share with you a view from the mountain - that the light does reflect from the valley, that God is awesome, that it will all be ok. God bless you all.