TWO DEEP SOURCES OF HOPE

I have two deep sources of hope, both I bumped into by 'accident'. One is a TV series called Global Spirit. Here's the formal description:
—Global Spirit mixes evocative film segments and deep discussion to take viewers on a mind and soul expanding journey through ancient wisdom traditions, modern science, diverse belief systems, metaphysics and world religions—

Now, I have watched some weird stuff on TV including Ancient Alien Theorists. (Blame it on my esoteric husband) Global Spirit is qualitatively different. It is intelligent, thoughtful conversation beautifully and gently facilitated. Each episode has a theme or kindred guests, usually three. There is nice laughter, lots of joy, well earned wisdom from some of the 
larger bumps and bruises of a life.

Now I have watched some weird stuff on TV including Ancient Alien Theorists. (Blame it on my esoteric husband)  This is different. It is intelligent, thoughtful conversation beautifully and gently facilitated.  Each episode usually has a theme or kindred guests, usually three. Nice laughter, experienced life trudgers with great stories and well earned wisdom and lots of joy.

HOPE SOURCE # 1  
Global Spirit | Link TV https://www.linktv.org/shows/global-spirit Presented by author/actor/comedian John Cleese, "Global Spirit" is a unique inquiry into humankind's belief systems, wisdom traditions and science

My second hope booster is Charter for Compassion

How do I describe it? Not sure. I'm new to it.

Karen Armstrong described it on Global Spirit and I got interested.

Compassion is IT for me. Period. It is at t the heart of pragmatic skills needed for this world to survive AND at the heart of any religion worth its rituals or any spiritual practise worth its incense.
Here is a quote from the charter which you can sign. I have.

—It is necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community—

HOPE SOURCE # 2  charterforcompassion.org

We can't afford to get low on needed vitamins
We can't afford to let our hope get depleted.
Have a dose of hope as needed.

I 

I MUST LIKE TO MAKE MYSELF NUTS

Otherwise how come I would read so widely and so disparately about everything including the meaning of life?

I'll answer that. Because I hate to read and write about what I already know.

Anyway, I just finished reading LIVING THE SECULAR LIFE by Phil Zuckerman which argues well for leading a moral life without the necessity of having God involved.

The 'nones'--those non affiliated people with no specific connection to any religion is growing by leaps and bounds. Many are looking for a place for spiritual sustenance that makes sense to them. But most are not. Most just don't care and never think about the sacred. Life is sacred enough. 
AND they have a kind of manifesto of kindness, care of the planet, justice,    caring for those who are in need, raising decent children. Hooray.

And the Humanist Secularists are organizing and creating a community to 
support their purpose and to create social connections with one another.
Hooray again. 

And I do mean 'hooray'. But it made me wonder about my desire for something transcendent. Is awe of the mystery of our wonderful world not enough?
Not yet. Not yet. I pray anyway.

ALL THAT WE DON'T KNOW

I am struck by all that we don't know. And the important decisions we make
while dumb. Two things remind me of this. One is the recent US election.
People on both sides decided their vote without knowing much about the issues.
Because it is so hard to know (and trust) the facts, we make decisions on goofy stuff. The other thing that reminded me of how little we know is a book I just read--UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT. Now this book is a tome, but my daughter in Oregon was reading it for a class and I said I would too. I loved it.
(mostly--with brain breaks) It clarified the structure of the Old Testament, it's contextual history, politics, important people, and what was literal history and what was passed down theology. Yes, it changed my perspective on many things. Yes, I don't always like that. But, boy am I under educated on so many things.

OFF THE GRID IN RANGELEY

Life does go on with no internet signal.
I'll be back next week.
What if prayer is the real signal?

FOR MY NORTH AMERICAN READERS

Vote Please

Democracy is a relatively new bold and brave social experiment.
It was designed on the principles of tolerance and balance of power.
We forget that it is fragile
Support it. 

Please Vote

NEW REFLECTIONS ON AN OCTOBER SUNDAY

1
Reading is my delicious place
Can not get enough
Of ideas
Of lives not mine
Of history
My smorgasbord
My pile of gifts to open
My unfailing delight
But it ain't prayer

2
When prayer gets true
It scares me a little
I'm going to be knocked off my perch
And I know it
How is the the heightened
Answer to come

3
We make faith so complicated
It'a just yes or no
To hope

SUCH A RELIEF!

I did a reading of my book Thursday night--that led to discussion.
What I liked was that we looked like a pretty average bunch of people
(Well not the dull kind of average, but no exaggerated stuff in the room)
And we began to share:
--the churches we have tried
--the fellowship at the churches that were the primary glue to attending
--the disillusionment with organized religion as it kicked some of us out or made it so we didn't want in
--how we prayed
--if we prayed
--what our prayer experience felt like
--the need for a better different kinder more compassionate world

And we were relieved to be talking about all of this with only curiosity and generosity. Relieved to share our experience, our disappointment, our continuing hunger for a place to dig deeper, beyond an only material definition of life. 

What a relief! To make this conversation legitimate with no need for large answers but to ask big enough questions. Such a relief.