Seattle Unity

"There's the tree, there's the gifts, but what about the core of Christmas?  It's like taking the frosting on the cake but not really trying the cake."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig invites us to look closely at the biblical Christmas story. She helps us interpret these miracles in metaphysical ways, for example by seeing Mary as an example of how we meet the unexpecte...

"I believe that the star symbolizes the true north for each one of us, metaphysically. It's that calling, it's that thing that always brings you joy."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig steps into the Alchemy of Wisdom, using the Christmas story as well as the Solstice, for metaphysical inspiration. From the Christmas story, she points to the Star as a metaphorical compass for n...

"The Alchemy of Generosity includes the generosity of Spirit, which is being in the flow of life. It's offering help and kindness to others. It is love, it is grace, it is seeing the good."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig returns to take us deeper into this series on the Alchemy of Generosity, which takes "the lead of separation and transforms it into the gold of Oneness.&quo...

"He said 'I am the light of the world' in John 9:12 but he also said you are the light of the world. And he taught this repeatedly, and so in Unity we see this teaching as the truth of each one of us."Associate Minister Diane Robertson leads us into the first Sunday of Advent, in this new series on the Alchemy of Generosity. She explores the Unity interpretation of the concept...

"What's your focus?  Is your focus on what you have and being grateful for that? Because that will increase.  OR is the focus on what you have not? Because, guess what, whatever it is we focus on is what increases."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig begins a new series on The Alchemy of Generosity, which she tells us "takes the lead of greed and separation and envy, and turns i...

"Re-assessment, re-thinking, making changes, taking chances, all of these are pre-cursors to a transformation. And so it's no longer business as usual."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig wraps up her series on the Alchemy of Transformation, by looking at this moment in our societal transformation as a "gestation period".  A gestation period may feel as though we are in a v...

"What if you lost everything? What would remain, and what matters most? Because life is impermanent, and yet we act as if it isn't."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig takes us deeper into this series on the Alchemy of Transformation. In recent weeks, this journey began with our willingness to see things clearly, then letting go, and then opening our minds to dreams and even mystic v...

"The Alchemy of Transformation invites us to let go and accept life as it is, before we can change it."Rev. Karen returns from her various sojourns to open the doors to this next series. As she explains it, again using the core metaphor of lead-into-gold, The Alchemy of Transformation "takes the lead of things that are no longer working or needed in our lives, and transforms it into...

"Halloween is an opportunity to lean into the mystical side of life, and to contemplate death in a playful way."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig revels in the symbolism of Samhain, drawing deep and delightful meaning out of such stories as the Jack O Lantern and Treat or Treating.  As she shows, various cultures and institutions have their dogma, but Karen encourages each of us to inve...

"You are in relationship to everything, seen and unseen. Since the Divine is everything and everyone, all of your relationships are aspects of your relationship to God."Gues Speaker Rev. Eric Odel finishes our series on The Alchemy of Relationships. He uses material from great spiritual masters including Ernest Homes and Emily Cady, along with several examples ranging from funny to frigh...

"The Alchemy of Relationship takes the lead of separation and transforms it into oneness and love."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig returns from her trip to Greece to speak to our current series on the Alchemy of Relationship. She focuses mostly on the type of love characterized in scripture as Phileo - brotherly/sisterly love - better known as Friendship. She asks us to remember the m...

"I think if we're doing relationships right, then it's a little bit of both:  a little bit of nurture, a little bit of challenge, a perfect kind of mix."Associate Minister Diane Robertson continues in our series on The Alchemy of Relationships. She enlists the testimony of Carl Woestwin and Marcia Rutan, and highlights how our relationships with ourselves are played out onto al...

"Alchemy means 'the pouring' so the idea is pouring things together and mixing them up so that you have something entirely different after it's all stirred. So the Alchemy of Relationship has behind it the notion... that this cosmos is the mixing bowl."Guest speaker Michael Bogar returns to kick off our series on The Alchemy of Relationships.  Michael uses the story of Ero...

"Pagans follow what we call the Wheel of the Year, which is our cyclical model for the passing of time. We don't see time as linear, we see it as cyclical. And hopefully as we go, year after we year, we ascend and evolve and become better human beings.  "Guest speaker Rev. Judith Laxer returns bring her pagan perspective to this moment. Concluding our series on the Alchemy of Servic...

"When we as a community take on this notion of service as an attribute, very often we take it on from the side of privilege. We take it on from the side of 'we have something to give'. And, with that, in the back of our minds sometimes is this kind of shadow of shame. 'I shouldn’t have what I have.’"Guest speaker Ann Holmes Redding returns in person this time, speaking to...

"I do this instead of complaining, because now I feel like I'm building hope --  hope for the homeless individuals, their families and our city, and I also restoring my own hope that through acts of service small groups of dedicated people can help change the world."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig quotes Board member George Edwards, who wrote about the work he and wife Kathy are...

“If you're doing dishes you're doing God's dishes. If you sweep the walk, you're sweeping God's walk. When you feed a homeless person, as Mother Theresa did, yes? You're feeding God."Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig returns to start this new series on the Alchemy of Service. She cites stories from history, everyday life, and other sources as diverse as the Bibl...

“You know those old world maps, with the terra incognito, where it had the world as we knew it was defined, and then it had all the scary monsters and the dragons on the outside, and you're not supposed to go there? No, we're supposed to go there.”Guest speaker Rev. Meghan Smith-Brooks gives a talk on facing the biggest challenges humans can face, and thriving.  Meghan's ministry gr...

“So we have this divine spark, this divinity, this light within. And our job, if you will, is to let that light shine and to express it here on this earth. ”Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig continues the series on Courage, this time inviting us to let ourselves be seen for who and what we are.  Each of us expresses some unique aspect of the divine, but expressing that isn't always easy.  Wh...

“You know, then, that you are a force that can help heal the planet, that can help heal any situation in your life. ”Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig finishes the series on Courage, by exploring the concept of Will - human will, divine will, and how we conceptualize them.  She introduces a central New Thought description of the journey of spiritual awakening in four stages:  To Me, By Me, Throug...

“The alchemy of courage takes heart. So before the summer is over, and the days become short and the rains return, take time to enjoy and relish these beautiful days.”Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig continues looking at the Alchemy of Courage.  This time, in recognition of today's community picnic, she looks at the spiritual role of humor and fun.  How does leisure help us take heart, stay...

“Courage is the ability to show up when you think you can't. Courage is the ability to speak your truth, and confront obstacles. Courage puts feet on your prayers, and lets you try new things.”Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig dives into a new series on The Alchemy of Courage, which she describes as taking the lead of weakness and fear, transforming them into the gold of strength. She begins...

“The truth is when we take a moment to see the Divine in another, kindness automatically follows, right? If I'm looking and I'm seeing the Divine in you, I'm inclined to be kind.”Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig finishes our series on the Alchemy of Compassion with an uplifting look at how simple kindnesses strenthen us, and help us to bring forth the best from each other.  Who is...

“Even my father’s grumbling about July 4th not being his holiday was gift, because I hadn’t thought about that. Can you believe I hadn’t thought about that?”Pamelagrace Beatty returns for both a contemplation and celebration of July 4th, in its old and new significance. Using the touchpoints of Community, Compassion and Independence, she helps us take stock of this moment in our national and perso...

“So just know that if you're facing challenges in your life, you didn't do anything wrong, you're not being singled out. It's part of being in a body. It's part of being on this Earth. ”Senior Minister Rev. Karen Lindvig takes us further in our study of the Alchemy of Compassion. Using everyday stories ranging from traffic to her pets, she illustrates the ways we can allow...