Mystic Magic

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Rev. Gaylon McDowell is the Senior Assistant Minister and Executive Minister at the Christ Universal Temple ("CUT") (http://cutemple.org/). There are several ministers on the staff, but Gaylon is the right arm of the Senior Minister, Rev. Derrick B. Wells. Gaylon handles whatever needs to be done when Rev. Wells is not available, and runs the staff and ministries, such as Men Expressing Christ and the Ambassadors of Love (among many other ministries). Rev. McDowell is also the Director of the Johnnie Coleman Institute, the educational department of CUT.

Gaylon is the host of "Truth Transforms", on Unity Online Radio (https://www.unityonlineradio.org/), a position he has held for 8 1/2 years. He started out as a guest on Rev. Jamie Sanders show (unityofpensacola.org/jamie-sanders). When Denise Blake (who was the Network Manager of Unity Online Radio at the time) heard him, she thought he would be a good host. Gaylon presented his concepts and had a show days after he was a guest. He is grateful that he has the opportunity to share the New Thought message. Gaylon teaches New Thought books chapter by chapter. Because some people don't have access to the pure teachings, countries around the world send contributions to CUT in gratitude for how he changed people's lives.

Gaylon came into to this teaching listening to Les Brown when he mother had it on while cooking. He later heard Dennis Kimbro and Rev. Johnnie Colemon (http://thepmshow.tv/channel/spirtual-development/the-first-lady-of-new-thought-metaphysics-the-reverend-doctor-johnnie-colemon/). Once he heard Johnnie, he started going to the church. He was thirsty to understand the teachings. Gaylon had a life-threatening bout with asthma at the age of 20 and while the doctor insisted on inhalers and medicine, Gaylon was determined to be sure the healing teachings work. He threw away the medicine and told his mother that he was going to prove these teachings or be out of here. His mother transitioned in 2010, but he often wonders now how she felt when he said that. Gaylon would be disturbed if his now adult daughter said such a thing to him!

Gaylon admittedly had a chip on his shoulder as a young adult who was teaching and preaching before he had even gone to ministerial school. He found himself on the preaching roster while he was customer service manager at Dominics, managing 80 or so people. While thousands attended CUT, he was the age of most of the people's children and grandchildren and he wanted to be taken seriously. He refused to allow anyone to disrespect his knowledge base. And to quote him, "No one is ever going to outprepare him". He was one of the young lions (together with Derrick Wells and Roderick Norton). The young men were speaking at major venues like the Panorama of Truth (panoramaoftruth.org) while they were in their mid 20's. He now knows that he can be excellent without the edge and is more relaxed because he is respected for his ministry.

Revs. Celeste and Gaylon discuss Rev. Johnnie Mae Colemon, the lady with the big purse, her dream series, her prosperity principles and her influence on him. They also discuss Universal Foundation for Better Living (https://ufbl.org/), which Johnnie founded in 1974. UFBL is in the United States, Canada, several Carribean countries and in South America.

Rev. McDowell also shares some of the principles of New Thought, his new book, "Truth Transforms", his seat on the UFBL Board for nine years and his perspective on martial arts. Gaylon loves the discipline of the martial arts where you understand your being in order to execute the technique. 

Gaylon is on "Truth Transforms" on Wednesdays from 10 am to 11 am Central. Find him also by visiting the CUT website and Facebook page. He teaches on Facebook Wednesdays and Fridays at noon Central Time.

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Rev. Celeste's guest is Grammy award winner, songwriter, singer, choir director, sound healer, music teacher, Darlene Koldenhoven. They discuss some of Darlene's adventures and experiences as well as share some of her expertise in the healing field of music.

Darlene was a studio singer and the music supervisor at Disney knew her rep for conducting choirs and ask her to make girl group songs into hymns and hymns into girl group tunes (such as "I Will Follow Him" and "My God"). Later, Disney wanted to add ringers into the choir of actresses and called her in on the spot to audition. Her resume and look impressed them. Two weeks later, Casting called and said the Director would like to see you now. Emilio said he heard she was really good at wrangling people and teaching them how to sing and they wanted to hire her on the spot, but she wanted to think about it. She had to give up six months of studio singing but she did both Sister Act and the sequel, Sister Act 2. She knew it would be a hit when an extra said "If church was like this, I'd go back to church." 26 years later, the films are classics.

How is Darlene is able to create such beautiful music? Darlene gets herself into a beautiful vibration, prays and asks God: let me be your vessel. And What do people need to hear? She says "Work through me. Let me be Your Voice. She creates calming music.
She's never had an agent or a manager. She says God is her manager.

When writing music, singing and recording music, the creativity is very spiritual. She doesn't think of it being a hit song. For her this is her gift. This is her blessing. She's responsible for bringing in calmness, nurturing the spiritual aspect before she records. Mystic Magic!

Through her international travel, Darlene noticed glaciers were disapppearing and the high tides came in and water is on all the streets. Darlene decided to do environmental justice work and took Former Vice President Al Gore's Climate Reality leadership training (www.climaterealityproject.org). She's done workshops and spoke regarding saving the planet. Rev. Celeste brought her to Oakland last year to do so. Her albums "Color Me Home" and Chromotones" are based on the planet and what it means to us. We have to get on this climate thing quickly - pronto. We need people who are concerned in leadership to guide us. We may have five years left to do something - we must get busy.

Although Darlene has made ten albums, works in film, television and online, she does sound healing work. She likes to help people. She just did a Sound Healing Summit for the Shift Network a few weeks ago. She really likes to turn people onto that. She has a quartz crystal tuning fork and 12 various sizes of singing bowls. They tested laboratory cancer cells and playing the piano, placing a dissonant interval space between two notes, they found in 21 minutes, the cancer dissolved. If you have a group of people singing, that only takes nine minutes and the cells start to fall apart. People who have atrial fibrilation and the heart rate is crazy, start singing in long tones. Take another breath and it helps if it's an F note. In less than five minutes, the heart rate will come down. 

Darlene created a music education program to share her knowledge because singing is so great and energizes you. She wrote her book with seven CD (and MP3 downloads), called "Tune Your Voice - Singing in Your Mind's Musical Ear".  It's a self-help program for people who want to sing. You become a better listener and communicator. It makes a grid for your brain of how music is organized. 

There are many illnesses that can be healed through different vibrations (from dyslexia to ADD and Autism to memory loss and depression). Check out Darlene's website at https://www.darlenekoldenhoven.com/ for more information.

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Rev. Celeste interviews Rev. Dr. Raymont Anderson, spiritual leader of the Center for Spiritual Living Greater Baltimore. He's got a passion for self-development, for personal transformation and for self-awakening. His bliss is to be a teacher, a mentor, a speaker, a minister and more! His mission is to educate, elucidate, emancipate and empower people. He teaches workshops and classes and is an author!

Growing up with a fundamental Christian background, he was taught that LGBTQIA people were sinners and abominations. But he is clear that it is just the opposite. He read many books, including "Gay is a Gift" by Salvatore Sapienza (https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Gift-Salvatore-Sapienzabook/dp/B0030ZRZDM/ref=sr_1_1dchild=1&keywords=Gay+Is+A+Gift&qid=1598377726&sr=8-1) so he now knows that being LGBTQIA  is miraculous, marvelous and fantastic and he wants to support people in being bold, unapologetic and magnificent in their gayness. For those who are depressed due to spiritual or religious oppression, he wants to encourage them to shine brightly. Rev. Celeste gave him kudos for facing it head on and she shared her spiritual breakthrough and how she released her self-inflicted racism, sexism and homophobia. Rev. Anderson reminded us of the Audre Lorde quote: “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” We are grateful for ministries that support people unconditionally.

Rev. Dr. Raymont Anderson has had an eclectic spiritual path. While being a licensed CSL minister, there is also an intersection where shamanistic training, magic and reiki are some of the tools that assist him in being a better person. After a tumultous series of life challenges (including a death and breakup), he discovered that reiki is a cousin to chi and he studied to become a reiki master to keep his channel clear, keep his chakras open, his consciousness open and his thoughts pristine and life affirming. He intends to keep his cup full.

The discovery of a distant relative who is Native opened up his exploration into shamanism andd to learning about being a medicine person. He was advised to tread gently upon the Earth and do what you are here to do.

Raymont is a retired interpretor for the members of the deaf community. He bridges the gaps to meaningful living by giving access through interpreting for them.

Rev. Celeste complimented him on how he handles racially insensitive colleagues. He learned patience from clueless high school teachers and administrators who thought they could engage Black students by giving them music to dance.

Raymont was the creator of S.T.A.R.S. (Sticking Together Always Results in Success) to support non-hearing people performing in plays. He also created B.E.L.I.E.V.E. (Being Empowered Living Inspired Exemplifying Victory Everyday) bringing the theatrical opportunities to the non-hearing performers.

Rev. Raymont got into martial arts because he was bullied as a child. He saw his first Bruce Lee films (double feature) and he immediately started studying it. He saw martial arts as a spiritual path first and as a way to support his well-being. Fighting was never his intention.

Comic books were his escape from an abusive home. He started using the comic books as modern day mythology, the study of the human journey. We can use the gifts and power for good.

Ray is a visual artist and is ready to re-invent himself, explore creativity from his dreams and share it.

Find him at www.raymontanderson.com or on Facebook and at cslgreaterbaltimore.org

Rev. Celeste shares her poem, "Super Heroes and Human Victories".

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Rev. Celeste's guest is Kat Kim, RScP, Founder of the School of Divine Confidence (https://katkim.com/school-of-divine-confidence), an online school. Kat was given diet pills at the early age of six. This led to a long struggle of low self-worth and horrible body image. She was doing hard core drugs by 16 and selling drugs by 18. She was arrested and faced prison time. She was forced to get sober but she continued to devalue herself. One day, she saw her image and set an intention to be powerful and beautiful with an impactful presence who transforms lives.

She learned about how to enhance and transform the body and change her mindset. A quest for inner transformation led her to study quantum physics, metaphysics and spirituality. She realized that divine confidence is in knowing who you are.

Kat likes to focus on spiritual non-conformists. She found that Dr. Martin Luther King (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.) said that we have a mandate to be non-conformists. Kat found this to be opposite of consumer spirituality (https://katkim.com/blog/consumer-spirituality), the mainstream pop culture spirituality of today. It perpetuates blind conformity to the dominating and oppressive structures of consumer capitalism. She realized there was no mention of social issues.

Even as an Asian-American, she realized that she still has privilege. Her privilege was that she didn't have to look at those issues. She realized something was missing. She began to study Matthew Fox (https://www.matthewfox.org/matthew-fox) and Dr. King. Studying King made her question the systems that create racism and other isms. King said a complete life must be three-dimensional with length, breadth and height. Kat used these to establish three pillars of divine confidence. The first pillar is self-actualization (length). The second pillar is social responsibility (breadth). The third pillar is your relationship with God (height): Kat feels that all three are required.

Kat acknowledges anti-Blackness exists within communities of color. She was born in South Korea and taught to be like White people (not even to be like other Asians). She was discouraged from being like Black people. She knew it was wrong, but she internalized it. She now needs to make an impact on the Asian community. She got her mother to realize her disadvantage of not speaking English and how easy it is for White women. Kat used that as a bridge to get her to understand how it is with Black people. The color of their skin causes them to be disadvantaged. And her mother got it!

Koreans are homogenous and do not see nuances. Kat is translating into Korean the differences. She knows a) it's not right and b) Asians are now being targeted. Due to Covid-19, Kat is feeling fear for the first time. She is concerned about her mother being attacked. She connected that to how Black people feel. She realized that this is a fight for all of us.

There is separation within Asian communities. It shows up as classism in Korea with regard to money and education. East-Asians are thought to be better than Southeast Asians. Rev. Celeste stated racism is part of the historical feudalism based on economics. This is fear-based. She is grateful that Kat is on the side of Love.

Kat is offering free five-day master classes in divine confidence to help people get clarity . She is hosting the classes in the Facebook community: The Confident Leadership Community. She wants to provide as much value and transformation as she can. 

Celeste's poem, "Hues and Highs" is about race.

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Rev. Celeste's guest is Maureen Muldoon, spiritual leader, author, actress, teacher, speaker, life coach and master storyteller. She works out the "thorns in her paw" through art and vulnerability. She noticed how helping other people tell their stories is healing for her. She learned from hearing other people's stories and through the 12-step program - sharing experience, strength and hope.

Frustrated by the idea that she had the wrong body parts to be a minister, after practicing the Prayer of Jabez, she got signs to move into ministry. While community building and leading a Youth and Family ministry, she learned how to build a church. She used A Course in Miracles (ACIM) to move into speaking in a pulpit. Before then, her resistance, based on old stereotypes kept her from ministry.

Maureen created Miracles Live 365 with two lessons 6:45 am and 8:20 am CT seven days a week with eight other teachers. In order to build content, she offered an ACIM sampler. She was asked to go the distance. She said yes, and has been doing it for several years. If someone comes to her with a problem, it's her problem. She sees a way to work on the issue and be loving instead of shutting down. While giving advice, she often thinks that she needs to follow her own advice.
 
Maureen is the Spiritual Leader of the Speakeasy Spiritual Community, where the Sunday
service includes a dialogue around the message delivered. She was sick of the triangle where one guy on top gets to say something and others have to accept it. She is one of six children who didn't always get a word in, so at Speakeasy, she gives people an opportunity to talk.

While sobriety is no longer an issue, Maureen uses the principles and techniques of the 12-step program in almost everything she does. Practicing the lessons and applying the theory makes all the difference.

Speakeasy has a Culture Club where racism, White fragility and solutions for eliminating racial discord are explored and discussed. She listens to the story and is willing to be wrong. From there, she gets an opportunity to heal. She sees herself on the spectrum of racism. She's not afraid to look at her biases. She recounts her first husband leaving her for Miss Universe, an Asian woman. She began to notice her hatred toward Asian people as a result of her journey toward forgiveness.

Maureen also acknowledged her reaction to a Black woman. After reading "White Fragility", she realized that she was harming the person by not allowing the woman her anger. Maureen mentioned how White women's tears have been destructive over the years. She acknowledges White privilege includes not allowing other people to have their emotions while willing to have all of hers.

Maureen founded Miracles Live 365, the study and application of A Course in Miracles lessons. She would love to have the legacy of seeing people continuing it for years to come. The class meets at 6:45 am CT seven days a week. There is also another class at 8:20 am CT. There are also noon and evening sessions on Wednesdays. Register and listen to as many lessons and participate. Go to miracleslive365.com to subscribe.

Maureen invites people to tell their stories and listen to the stories you haven't been listening to before now. She feels every story needs to be heard. She invites people to Voice Box Stories (https://wgnradio.com/after-hours-with-rick-kogan/maureen-muldoon-cathy-richardsons-voicebox-where-a-song-becomes-a-story-and-a-story-becomes-a-song/), a monthly event where real people's stories are told and great music is played by Jefferson Starship's Cathy Richardson.

 To find out more, visit maureenmuldoon.com

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Rev. Celeste hosts Tracy Brown, Diversity and Inclusion trainer, licensed practitioner, leader and author for this powerful episode. Tracy's company, Stained Glass Spirit (https://stglsp.wordpress.com/) is an online space "Where Diversity, Spirituality & Inclusion Intersect!" After more than 20 years of doing diversity and inclusion work, Tracy established Stained Glass Spirit to help create more inclusion in New Thought spiritual communities. She also has a book by the same name with the subtitle "Where Oneness Does Not Require Sameness" (https://www.amazon.com/Stained-Glass-Spirit-Spiritual-Community/dp/1889819506/ref=sr_1_2dchild=1&keywords=Stained+Glass+Spirit&qid=1596227981&sr=8-2.)  You can find "Walk Your Stained Glass Spirit Talk" on this site as well.

Tracy Brown's site: reclaimjoy.com is filled with ways to find your inner joy and inner peace every day. There are images and videos and other inspirational material (quotes), classes, e-books and talks to assist you in remembering your spiritual center.

Tracy also has a book called "I Turn to Prayer" (http://www.iturntoprayer.com/) which is a collection of prayers and prayer poems.

Tracy has been working on building a practical strategy for inclusion for most of her life. She did a TedX talk called "What Is Mine to Do". https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=tedx+%2B+Tracy+Brown#id=1&vid=cc00274a0e5b59482146bd0bf1589daf&action=click). The day after the massacre of the Charleston Nine, Tracy reported for jury duty and contemplated whether or not she could be a fair juror if she were on that jury. As she further contemplate other racial makeups with the same set of circumstances, she found herself being comforted by another potential juror who asked if there was anything he could do. She responded yes. "As a White man, you can tell people that you believe the killing of Black people on the basis of the color of their skin must stop." A couple of days later, she created a Facebook group with the same name to stimulate answers to that question. That group now has over 6,000 members and is active daily with solutions.

Rev. C shared how nervous she was to be in the pulpit the following Sunday with a predominantly White congregation  and how she became keenly aware that Love was the only solution.

Tracy has been on the Leadership Council of the Centers for Spiritual Living (csl.org) for several years where she was also the Chairperson for three years. Stepping into leadership was natural for her. Being on this governing body for CSL caused her to be even more spiritually grounded because being a leader in a spiritual organization was challenging. She feels blessed to be in leadership when the organization was just becoming (a merger between two Religious Science organizations). The question: "Do I believe this teaching or not?" came up frequently during this faith walk.

Tracy is human and her commitment to "Go high" and live a spiritually grounded life keeps her above the fray. Rev. Celeste mentioned a lesson from A Course in Miracles (acim.org): God is in everything I see as she shared that there's more to people than what we see when they are in their pain and fear.

Tracy's Facebook groups Stained Glass Spirit, "Reclaim Joy" and "What Is Mine to Do" are good places to find her events. But you can find all things Tracy Brown at tracybrown.com

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Rev. Celeste hosts Rev. Vionela Vaugn-Austin, a Religious Science minister and teacher of consciousness raising practices. In this episode, they discuss quantum consciousness. Vionela is licensed by Agape (agapelive.com) as a practitioner, and is a student of the Circles of Light Institute of Ancient Mysteries (https://www.circlesoflight.net/). Rev. Vionela was ordained by the Khepra Institute (http://khepra-institute.org/). They briefly discuss "A Course in Miracles" (acim.org) and find they share the same favorite lesson: "I Am as God Created Me".

Rev. Vionela shares that the teachings of Khemet provided us information and is energetically still available as an activation point. We can see that science and spirituality are the same. Egyptian teaching has anchored us. For example, pyramids on the Giza plateau are aligned with the Orion constellation. Those people traveled in consciousness and were informed by the heavens. We get our medical symbol with the snakes right off of the temple walls. We get the scales of justice symbol from the symbol of Ma'at. Alexander built the Library of Alexander there in Egypt writing down what the high priests shared to hand down this wisdom for the unfolding of mankind.

Rev. Vionela shared that each temple has the story of man's ascension on it. The temple has served as an initiation and sits on a crystal grid - an energetic vortex. The archetypes represent aspects of God/us. One can walk through the temple and discover an aspect of his/her own being.

Vionela's workshop, Multidimensional You, illustrates how our energy goes far beyond our physical bodies. The Heart Math Institute (www.heartmath.org) has done studies that around our torsion field (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsion_field_(pseudoscience)) and why we are sensitive to being in close proximity with others because our bodies are anchored in a much larger field.

Rev. Celeste mentioned her ability to tap into the field of her ancestors. Rev. Vionela shares how we never die but go back to pure quantum energy. Rev. Vionela invites us into the "What if?" She may ask: What if there are multiple dimensions of frequency of existence? Rev. Vionela and Dr. Maisha shared a concept of the A-Team (ancestors and avatars, archangels, ascended masters and archaea (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaea). We all exist in some type of frequency (not unlike a radio station).

Revs. Celeste and Vionela discussed Dr. Maisha Hazzard and how she championed the magnificence of everyone and changed people's lives. Dr. Maisha was the guest on Mystic Magic in Season 1, Episode 4.

Other than private mystery schools, there is nothing comparable to the Kemetic school today. We find different aspects of it, such as New Thought and consciousness of the mind, Buddhism and mindfulness, or understanding the power of sound vibration through chanting. Tapping into the multi-dimensional aspects is possible. Natives have traditions of stepping physically into their spirit. We could focus on our chakras to integrate our true selves through these levels of awareness and energy fields.

We can use the Kemetic principles of Thoth. For example, the law of mentalism - what you think about manifests. The Law of Vibration says what you focus on, you will get the energetic match in your experience. These two major laws are always at work.

Rev. Vionela has a diversity program coming up called "I See You" for corporations and organizations. She is also offering "A Time for Forgiveness" to release the power of judgments to unbind the fear. Find out about and enroll in Rev. Vionela's offerings at consciousconversationz.com or consciousconversationz.org 

Rev. Celeste shares her poem, "Love Presses".

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Rev. Celeste hosts Rev Abigail Schairer as her guest. They discuss Freedom as a divine birthright whether or not we experience it in our minds or bodies. We remain spiritually free regardless of conditions during this pandemic. Abigail is grateful that she lives outside of Seattle where it is not densely populated. However, as an extrovert, she’s been feeling stir crazy!

Rev. Abigail has always had an awareness that she can accept Freedom. Her mother was born on the 4th of July and encouraged Abigail to express herself freely. Her parents encouraged her to be authentic.

The reverends discussed how Stanford University supports advanced degrees. Abigail worked at Stanford in Development and Marketing. And Stanford paid for her ministerial school education to support her in doing her work at Stanford.

Abigail knew she wanted to be a minister ever since the first time she walked into Center for Spiritual Living San Jose (cslsj.org), but she thought it would be a second career. However, she went quickly into the pulpit at CSL Peninsula (https://www.cslpeninsula.org/) shortly after graduating from the Holmes Institute (http://holmesinstitute.edu/). 

Rev. Abigail discusses the intrinsic qualities that get taught out of people.

Rev. Celeste asked Rev. Abigail if the United States is living upon to its promise of freedom. They agreed it is not. Abigail revisited the Declaration of Independence in advance of the show and noted that women, Black people and others were not part of this equation. And after reading through it, she realized that our nation is treating people the same way the framers complained about as the basis for their claim of independence from Britain. And even though gains have been made (e.g., Civil Rights, Gay Rights and Women’s Rights), it’s not the dream.

Rev. Celeste told Rev. Abigail about the Women’s Declaration of Independence (https://g.co/kgs/g6kdfi) where the pronouns are balanced out for gender equity. This document was signed by 68 women and 32 men in 1848.

Rev. Celeste states the reason we have any liberties is because, as a democracy, the people insisted on them.

Rev. Abigail founded the NextGen Retreat (nextgenretreat..org) for an age group (18-35) that needs to be nurtured for those between high school and college or those who are becoming new parents. The retreat is set up to be taught by leaders in the same age range teaching people how to become leaders. There are also social justice and social engagement activities for this group. They work on healing the planet and living in a way that benefits everyone.

Rev. Abigail is the Associate Minister at CSL Seattle (spiritualliving.org).

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Rev. Celeste is with her friend Rev. Mary Beth Speer discussing a lot! Rev. Mary Beth and her husband Michael Speer pastored a Religious Science Center in Southern California and a Religious Science center in the Chicago suburbs.

Celeste asked Mary Beth about what drove her into the human potential movement. Mary Beth found her journey to be quite organic. Starting out with a compative religions class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_religion#:~:text=Comparativereligionisthebranch,migration)oftheworld'sreligions), then becoming a Methodist (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/methodist), going clear in Scientology (https://www.scientology.org/what-is-scientology/), and looking at organized religion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organized_religion), but her real awakening came from reading "Out on a Limb" (https://www.amazon.com/Out-Limb-Shirley-Maclaine/dp/0553273701) by Shirley Maclaine.

MaryBeth landed in New Thought at Unity La Crescenta (https://www.lacrescentaunity.com/). MaryBeth's passion for New Thought came in understanding quantum physics (https://www.newscientist.com/term/quantum-physics/), waves and particles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave%E2%80%93particle_duality).  Gary Zukav's "The Dancing Wu Li Masters" (https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Wu-Li-Masters-Overview/dp/0060959681) really helped MaryBeth go deeper.

The aspect of Law was the draw for Mary Beth to Science of Mind, so she was most influenced by Thomas Troward (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Troward). Mary Beth likes a law is neutral (be it spiritual law or physical law). Prior to discovering metaphysics, her God was a "ticked-off", capricious god.

MaryBeth enjoys doing study groups. She has done A Course in Miracles (acim.org) and the Book of Revelations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation) in the past. She began doing study groups in the early 1980s where the group would ingest and embody a book. Her current groups both take their time exploring the books and have been meeting for several years.

After being a Regional Support Coordinator for the Midwest for CSL (csl.org), MaryBeth realized she just wants to move the Movement forward. She currently serves on the board for the Affiliated New Thought Network (ANTN), an organization founded in 1992 (antn.org) that has Religious Science, Unity and Divine Science centers. Find ANTN happenings here: https://www.facebook.com/Affiliated-New-Thought-Network-220933930309

Angelo Pizelo and his wife Dr. Stella Pizelo founded the Emerson Theological Institute (https://emersontheologicalinstitute.wordpress.com/) and Angelo, leads  ANTN, where all are welcome. Emerson is the teaching arm of ANTN, but they are separate organizations.

Rev. Celeste shares her poem "Surrender", from her book "In Spirit In Love and is on Amazon.

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Rev. Celeste's guest for this episode is the Rev. Alex Escudero, Founding Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Living DC. Rev. Alex takes to heart that we are all one. Alex worked for the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS.org). Her grandmother gave her the idea to be a citizen of the world. To get Alex going, she gave her a subscription to National Geographic (nationalgeographic.org).

Rev. Alex, like Buddha, was sheltered growing up, but she got involved in human rights in graduate school (John Hopkins University). Alex studied Amnesty International (https://www.amnesty.org/en/) and later became the Chief Operating Officer or immigration rights at Casa of Maryland (wearecasa.org). They serve immigrants from all over the world, including ex-offenders. Immigrants get help with jobs, housing and more. Alex felt like she couldn't sit still and do nothing. She was comfortable with both English and Spanish, so she had a way to help people who were not being understood.

Alex feels DC is an amazing place. She loves the diversity of DC. She particularly loves the King memorial (www.kingmemorialpark.com) and the King monument.

Rev. Alex mentioned that although Centers for Spiritual Living (csl.org) seeks to create a world that works for everyone, the world is not working for everyone. Alex became a diversity commissioner and brought her enthusiasm for celebrating diversity and her desire to build inclusivity. She currently manages the CSL Spanish ministries worldwide.

Rev. Celeste asked about the appeal Religious Science has to Spanish-speaking peoples. Rev. Alex explained that most feel deeply spiritual but want a new teaching and  feel a yearning for the universal truth principles. Those who have found New Thought  philosophies have come together as communities and then come together with people in other parts of the world who are already doing this great work.

Rev. Alex started a center in DC because she found New Thought philosophy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Thought) at a low point in her life when she was struggling with a one-year old child. Her husband drank so she found Al-anon (Al-anon.org) She enjoyed a book by Louise Hay and wrote to Ms. Hay. Louise Hay directed Alex to a center 30 or 40 miles away. Alex started taking classes and letting go of her victim mentality. She went to graduate from ministerial school. She filed the paperwork in 2009 to begin the process to create the Center for Spiritual Living in DC (csldc.org). Celeste said she's grateful Alex did so because we need high vibrations in our nation's capital!   

Alex was the daughter of a feminist who escaped from an orthodox Catholic family. Alex's mother took her children to the Unitarian Church where she learned about a lot of religions. The church she attended is now the home for a Buddhist mediation group run by Tara Brach (tarabrach.org).

During the pandemic, Rev. Alex compels herself to walk daily. She feels nurtured by the trees during the day and the stars at night where she feels the connection to God. She feels renewed and restored in infinite space and infinite time. Whenever she can connect with nature, she feels confidence and bliss. And she has an idea of what it feels like to be enlightened.

Rev. Alex encouraged us to support Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org). She donated her stipend to this organization because when she finds a place to give to, she feels better about herself. She also encouraged seekers to go to csl.org and find a Center for Spiritual Living near you and connect. 

Celeste's poem "You and I" is in her book, "In Spirit In Love" and is available on Amazon.com.

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