Spiritual and Theological Deepening
As I explain in sermons and essays on this website, for me spirituality is about connections. One of the most important reasons we go to church, one reason we pursue the religious and spiritual quest, is to affirm known connections and build new ones. For me, spiritual connections exist on different levels simultaneously: connections within myself, connections from myself to other creatures and the environment around me, and connections to that mystery beyond, a mystery that I call by many names, including "god." Such spiritual connections give meaning to life. The more I strengthen my connections, the richer my life becomes. It is important for each person to create some standard or reference --- some personal theology or philosophy --- to guide, inform, and nurture these connections. I value the freedom Unitarian Universalism affords to pursue my own personal theological and spiritual path(s), which may change as life circumstances change. Personal spiritual and theological grounding helps explain life experiences we have had, and also offers a means to forecast how to deal with new experiences in the future.
A theology that explains well how I relate to the world is process theology. I still remember when I first heard about process thinking, how delighted I was to realize that there are others who see the world as I do, that I am not alone in my take on life. Process theology explains existence through relationship and interconnections. The "stuff" of reality in process interconnectedness is fundamentally energy, not substance, and this energy is in a constant process of change. Thus, there is a new creation every single second. Expressed with theistic vocabulary, God is an integral part of creation, but so are humans and all other life, constantly participating together in on-going co-creation. Process theology is panentheistic: God is within each of us, and yet more than any one of us. Process theology grounds the UU Seventh Principle, affirming connections to all life and to Mother Earth. My nearly annual summer visit to Yellowstone National Park constantly offers new, inspirational connections with the divine.
When one tugs at a single thing in nature,
he finds it attached to the rest of the world.... John Muir
Yellowstone Park: Infinite Sources of Inspiration
I believe it is important for each person, and especially each minister, to have reliable means of spiritually re-charging. I have several spiritual practices that I can count on: reading, meditation, silence, walking, hiking, swimming, skiing when available, and needlework. My goal is spiritual practice on a regular cycle: minimally at least some each day, weekly on a larger scale, and monthly on a yet larger or longer scale. I am most in tune with a process view of life when I recharge in nature, especially when I am engaged in rigorous physical activities. Being in nature affirms my awareness of the interconnectedness of life. Nature makes me humble: in nature I am most aware of the sacred. God is present at the top of a mountain. In the mountains, I am never alone. The many faces and moods of a mountain nurture me and help me feel connected to this process called ‘life.’ One of my most incredible experiences on a mountain was during a six-hour climb through the snow to the summit of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state. Looking into that volcanic crater on that clear, sunny June day, I felt such a sense of connection to the beauty of the earth and the power contained within that mountain. I had an experience of the divine there on Mt. St. Helens as I had never had before.
An important addition to my spiritual life in the past ten years has been active participation and leadership with the Center for Courage and Renewal (CCR). Its programs engage both my spirit and my body. I have attended many retreats, which focus on a practice called "Circles of Trust." After completing required program development, I was endorsed as a Facilitator with CCR in 2018, authorizing me to organize and lead retreats, which may include the deeply introspective practice of "Clearness Committees." I include “Circles of Trust” workshops in my transitioning ministry: the practice serves as an effective tool for building trust in congregations. I also continue to attend CCR events. In October 2019 I enjoyed a thrilling experience by joining a CCR group in walking a 75-mile portion of the ancient pilgrimage route of El Camino de Santiago in Spain. Engaging the body in walking all day brings deep renewal of the soul.
Another important spiritual practice for me is social dance. Before the pandemic, I regularly attended contra-dance and English Country Dance. I often explain English Dance in particular as religious expression: it involves several means of communication --- music, body movement, social contact --- simultaneously aligned in rich elegance and artistic expression. I preach on "Dance as Spiritual Practice" as schedule and physical space for worship allow, and I encourage congregations to include dances on their roster of social activities. The dance world offers activities on par with spiritual retreats, such as a week-long Dance Get-Away in Saint Croix, Virgin Islands, which I attend in January 2018. Complementing dance, I have continued to perform music as much as time allows: from time to time I offer my instruments --- viols (Baroque bowed string instruments) --- in worship services, and I try to participate in community early music groups as available. For well-rounded spiritual renewal, I also welcome some balance of quiet activities like reading and needlework.
Several chaplaincies I served in Austin invited me into deep spiritual connections. In hospital ministry, I learned the importance of being a non-anxious presence when ministering to critically-ill patients. In these chaplaincies I also honed my capacity to offer pastoral care in an interfaith environment. Ministering to patients on their own spiritual terms --- fundamentalist Christian, Jew, Buddhist, atheist, or Unitarian Universalist --- is core to Unitarian Universalism’s respect for diversity. I have experienced many Unitarian Universalists who seem reluctant to ask for ministerial support in times of personal need. In my transitioning ministry, I hope I create an environment in which congregants do feel safe to reach out, to give and receive spiritual support, among themselves and between themselves and their minister.
Hiking in the Adirondacks, 2021
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off like autumn leave..... John Muir
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off like autumn leave..... John Muir