Noble Purpose

All month long we've been focusing on the idea of living from "Noble Purpose" based on the book of same title by Berry Hermmann (www.noblepurpose.com) . Its been a wonderful series and continues for a few more weeks. In week 5 we discussed the step of "Claiming" which is about becoming 100% responsible and accountable for manifesting our noble purpose. Berry Hermmann suggests that we take our vision and break it down into bite size pieces and take action.

As I reflected on this throughout the week, I remembered that I had done just that. When I was 14yrs old I was inspired, guided and moved into my Noble Purpose of public speaking and a life of public service. The action that I took was to create a business card and tri-fold brochure that highlighted my volunteer position with New Mexico Peer Leadership program and my desire to serve. Inside the brochure I published the following quote from George Bernard Shaw - it became my beacon, my guiding light and vision statement for many years to come. Some 18 years latter I find that my life is a manifestation of this quote and it continues to guide and direct me.

“This is the true joy in life … being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one … being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy … I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It’s a sort of splendid torch which I’ve got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing on to future generations.” - George Bernard Shaw

Universal Human Rights

9-11 Healing the Separation

Today is a significant day, not only for our country - but for the world.  It is a day that carries a heavy "pain body" triggered by the tragic events of 9-11.  Today our country takes pause to remember the fallen, the heros, the triumph of the human spirit and the deep soulful cry of the morning.  

We've all heard that in the face of conditions that we don't like - that we "Must Be the Change You wish to See in the World."  

Well, today we have two organizations in the New Thought Movement, United Centers for Spiritual Living (formerly United Church of Religious Science) and International Centers for Spiritual Living (formerly Religious Science International) are giving the world a most powerful demonstration of what it is to be the change....

Twins.

Here in Los Angeles, a soft morning is awakening a new day.

Arising out of the night, the eastern sky lights up its edges,
from within.

Standing on the tips of its toes,
whispering its love,
brotherhood bares its brave heart
while sisterhood,
smiling,
surrenders her veils,
softening the curve of her heart.

"Are we twins, then sister?"
"Oh Brother, I don't know..."
"I remember you from birth!"
"Yes! Me too! We slid into the world head first!"

Today in Los Angeles,
two organizations - twins if you will -
reach not into their heads,
but into their common heart
and find one another
dreaming their reunion.

We are those organizations.

Twin cities, twin towers, twin children separated at birth -

Today is both a day of remembrance and reunion.

It is a remarkable day, and yet unremarkable as well.

After all, doesn't every day change history?

Still...

We ARE changing history today, and in doing so, rearranging the future.


So as we enter this day, may we be all hold a high watch as the International Centers for Spiritual Living and the United Centers for Spiritual Living join today in Los Angeles to discover our commonality, to discover how inclusive we are.

Across this planet, in every community, may we celebrate who we are and who we are becoming - two twins becoming one again - and may the integration we seek for our organizations find itself in every one of us, and may we find at the end of the day, that none of us are strangers here.

We are twins.
We are everyone.
We are Love.

Ross Foti, RScP
September 11, 2008
Los Angeles, California

The Call: lost Poem of Ernest Holmes

This poem, entitled "The Call" is one of my favorites by Ernest Holmes - however most do not know of its existence.  It can only be found in the original 1926 edition of "The Science of Mind" text, in which its local is odd at bests.  It can be found at the end of the Glossary and just before the Index (no page number).  After the reorganization of the text in 1938 - the poem disappears - and to my knowledge is not published in any other location.

My soul is stirred by this poem and serves as a focal point of my calling as a minister of New Thought.  Here it is...

The Call:

by Ernest Holmes

This I saw or else some greater presence made it known to thee,

the universe is filled with life, the earth, the sky, the sea

And teamed with Intelligence with majesty and might

Deep within me some subtle inner sight

Beholds and sees, comprehends and knows the All

No fears, no falters, but answers the Divine Call.

To be as one, beyond the bonds of time and space

To overcome the bondage of the human race

And to leap with Trust, undaunted and free,

into the deeps of that infinite sea

Who's waters, calm are ready to receive 

Those who in simple faith Believe.