Inquiring Words (reprinted from The Inquirer, July2007)
Enrichment from Different Sources Knowledge and understanding from science,
Insight and vision from poetry,
Joy and ecstasy from music,
Love and warmth from relationships,
Laughter and mirth from humour,
Inner peace and spiritual fulfilment from religion.
All, because we are conscious beings.
We receive a little of each during a slice of temporal eternity in the patch of space wherein we live and die.
For this, I am grateful to the Unfathomable Mystery to whose existence evolution and cultural upbringing have
made me sensitive.
— V V Raman, used with permission from The World Prayers Project - www.worldprayers.org
The Meditation Day, 2007 Resuming the annual day of meditation in Salisbury, members warmly welcomed visitors to the Reading Room
at Stratford Sub Castle on March 24th. Old friends and new were gathered together to be lead in a day of spiritual
refreshment under the inspirational guidance of David Monk.
Those new to the experience and others more familiar with the order of the day appreciated David’s holistic approach
to healing and growth of mind, body and spirit through meditation. David carefully balanced the day by exploring
the concept of meditation through more than one religious tradition by using guided imagery, music, circle dancing
and periods of reflective silence.
A shared lunch provided an opportunity for enjoying fellowship and friendship.
David’s remarkable expertise was acknowledged many times over during the closing moments. As a fellowship we feel
indebted to David for his wise and insightful leadership, enabling us to offer his unique day of meditation to others.
Many travelled some distance to be with us. The fact that David himself, heroically, had driven south from Lancashire
to join us for the day meant that many good wishes for a safe and speedy journey accompanied his departure home
together with a firm invitation to return again next year.
Meetings in recent months
In February, John Harley, Youth Coordinator in the Unitarian Movement, used insights from many religions and
philosophies throughout the world for the February meeting to celebrate the early spring, and experience the
unity of the universe. These included an ancient Chinese story about filling a pot first with pebbles, then adding
sand and finally water. This illustrated how 'fullness' can have differing understandings as there may be spaces in
living that can be further filled and that there is a need to choose our priorities early in life. There was an
opportunity to look closely at selected pebbles and empathise with them in a meditative way. The e.e. cummings
poem ‘O sweet spontaneous earth’ claimed that in spite of all the efforts of philosophy, religion and science
nothing could approach the miraculous and effortless appearance of Spring.
In the March meeting, Brian Anderson from Portsmouth Unitarian Chapel used his experience as Anglican vicar,
Franciscan friar, chaplain at high security prison and confidante of serial murderers to muse on the relationship
between authority through the ages and Mothering Sunday. He recounted that the event began as recognition of the
authority of a female deity or Goddess and was transformed in the Christian era to recognition of the mother church
in any region. The church was seen as an extended 'womb of God'. He told of how he had met expressions of respect
and love for their mothers by some of the most violent and marginalised criminals. The theme of motherhood was
maintained in the hymns and readings of the meeting.
The April meeting (led by Jo Simmons) had as its theme 'Comfort and Religion'. A meditation on the help that 'reason'
and 'free thinking' may give in leading some way towards understanding the world about us and in enabling us to hope
that 'goodness', in some measure, is in all living things. Beliefs, or a considered lack of belief, may hold a group
together and counter alienation. Richard Dawkins' book 'The God Delusion' may disturb us but we don't have to apologise
for an agnostic position, or, as he might say "sitting on a fence". The evidence of our historic past from the Big Bang
to evolution doesn’t need to be discounted but in the end we still ask 'what came before and from where?'. It is
possible within a liberal faith to benefit from the comfort afforded by gathering with like-minded people: thoughts were
shared on what was found comforting. Readings from Eileen Caddy, Kahil Gibran and William Houf and the hymn 'I learnt
it on the mountain path' were used in the meeting.
During the May meeting Kathy Becket, the Southampton Unitarian’ used a programme of the Iona Community of practical
exercises and poetry for the development of peace. After lighting a chalice and referring to a Quaker belief that the
first step to peace is to 'stand still in the light', she led a short meditation called ‘A space within’. The poem,
‘Personal Peacemaking', was read aloud section by section. An interfaith Peace Walk in Southampton was described where
about 100 people visited several different places of worship in the city that included mosques, synagogues and
Sikh temples. They were welcomed at each place where they shared activities with the hope that understanding would be
increased. To conclude the meeting, the group exchanged in pairs their feelings about their own happenings
of the previous week.
In the June meeting Brenda dealt with the part played by memories in getting through life; life which is often
terrifying and deeply sad, especially for people lacking certainty about an afterlife.
There was music related to Celtic spirituality, silences and sharing of memories of loved ones now dead,
concentrating on times of both laughter and grief. Memories were also invited of times of joy, even epiphany,
after a description of a peak experience in the Serra Nevada by William Houff in ‘Eternity in your hand.’
Other contributions to the theme were hymns from ‘Stars on Sunday’ and the Unitarian ‘Hymns for living’, poems
that included a Shakespeare sonnet and a poem by Max Ehrmann about remembering the value of friendship,
hope and appreciation.
The meeting finished with singing of the ‘The Irish blessing’
Hucklow Unitarian Experience Week - 2007,
One more awesome week in Hucklow at the Unitarian Experience Week – said as usual, to be the best yet! Jo, Malc,
Kathie and I were there. From light hearted ‘sing-a-longs’ to passionate discussions on Crime and Punishment, our days
were splendidly filled. We had daily times of Spiritual Uplift – wonderfully varied services taken by different folk.
We danced barn dances to the sound of Malc’s band. We learnt the fascinating story of Mithraism – close rival to
Christianity. We heard from Abdul Kadir – eminently humorous - of his life as a Muslim. We talked, we walked, we
laughed and all in all experienced the real joy of fellowship, the love and compassion of our companions. This is only
a hint of the programme.
The week I guess to be unique in that, being Unitarian, all views were respected, no dogmas were present. Food and
accommodation were excellent – centre staff friendly as ever.
See you next year, July 26th – August 2nd 2008! Do come! Brenda
Future Meetings will be held at
locations in Salisbury starting at 6:30 p.m.(to be confirmed),
currently in the Lounge room of the United Reformed Church,
Fisherton Street.
19th August………Brian Anderson
16th September………John Harley
21st October………Val Worthington 18th November………Kay Davidge
16th December…………tba
If you feel that you would like to lead a meeting - please let us know.
