The Spiritual Forum

This episode crowns the 10-year anniversary of host, Rev. Carol Saunders, as a minister/spiritual leader. She briefly walks us through her journey and shares 10 spiritual themes she has gleaned from it. These themes are: endings and beginnings, free will, create, vision, people, gratitude, boundaries, change, know who you are, and the journey. Each of us is on a journey, and milestones are a good...

As we enter into more unstable times, trust becomes even more important to us. Who are we going to call in times of uncertainty and instability? Many of us no longer trust those we've trusted up to now. Some of us are finding new people and organizations to trust. When it comes down to it, there really is just one play to make with our cards. That is, trusting the still, small voice within – trust...

Our resilience comes from Spirit within. When the events of life dump on us, we can partner with Spirit and shake it off. We can choose to transform adversity (real or perceived), and step up to a higher level - to whatever is next. Sometimes we find ourselves in the wells of life over and over again. This happens when we focus on being victimized or don’t take the moment to allow for Divine ideas...

No matter how bad or wrong things may seem, it's important for our own well-being to look for the good -- to look for Go(o)d everywhere. Whatever we see or experience in another person or circumstance, we can also find good if we want to. We can also expect good to manifest in our lives. When we do, it will find us, and we will be happier, more effective people. Looking for the good doesn't mean t...

Spiritual sovereignty is our birthright. We are each created as a complete entity unto ourselves. When we exercise our sovereignty, we are free of the control and coercion of others. We have authority over our own body/mind and are free to direct our own lives. Does individual sovereignty conflict with the premise that we are all One? It can seem that way at times because “love one another” is oft...

We are each born in innocence, and as we grow to adulthood, we experience its loss. At some level, we want to reclaim this lost innocence, but don’t know how or whether it would fit in the adult world. We can't reclaim it by taking it from another, or living vicariously through our children. We actually have to do the inner healing work to find/integrate it. And we have to actively engage our chil...

Grace means good will, loving-kindness, or favor. It is that extra something that comes our way whether we deserve it or not, and often when we least expect it. We don't have to earn grace, nor do we have to be someone special to receive it. It is an unconditional gift from the Divine. Grace is also something we can give to others when we decide to be gentle, let annoyances go, forgive, or find so...

We find ourselves now living in a period of great awakening. There is so much coming to light that had been previously held in darkness. Have you noticed? Generally speaking, people walk around in a state of slumber, choosing to see only what their perceptions allow them to see, and staying firmly rooted in one side or the other. Now is a time to pay attention, to notice what is happening around u...

Possibility thinking happens when we become aware of what might be possible in a situation, versus just seeing what is or likely to be. Life shifts from being a set of problems to overcome, to an exciting array of challenges and opportunities. To do this, we have to learn to see beyond our expectations and worldviews. Most of our minds don’t think this way unless we make a conscious effort. Our un...

Prayer is an act of love, of elevating consciousness, and finding that place inside where the Divine (Source energy) is being you. When we pray with intention with two or three (or more), something mystical and magical happens. Minds, hearts and spirits unite as one, and the Presence arises within. It becomes easier to shed the ego's hold and more fully experience Oneness. It can also help us move...

Most of us experience frustration in the world of people, places and things. We want things to be different than they are! We also may fear what the future may hold. Even though we don’t have control over conditions outside us, we can use the practice of prayer to raise our consciousness so we can see things rightly. We center ourselves in love, and stand in the intersection of acceptance and chan...

Prayer is an act of love. It is also a creative and connecting activity. In prayer, we unite with the Divine. There are many ways to pray – supplication, thanksgiving, and affirmative, to name just a few. Affirmative prayer is noticeably different from other forms of prayer because it comes from a completely different place. It is prayer from a conscious awareness of God, versus prayer to God. In...

There are deep divisions occurring between us that manifest in multiple ways. The media feeds on fear and division and keeps us stirred up. This is the time to be in spiritual practice and do deep integrative spiritual work. In this episode, we discuss the ideal of "One Nation, Under God (divine guidance/protection), Indivisible," and ultimately "One Self, Under God, Indivisible." Our work is to d...

Within each of us are feminine and masculine archetypes. On the spiritual path, we seek to balance these energies and allow their sacred forms to emerge in us. The Sacred Masculine manifests as informed action, protection, discipline, order and strength through healthy boundaries. He stands firmly in Truth, and will lay down his life for it. The energies of the Sacred Masculine are greatly needed...

Fear is part of being human. We all experience it. But it is useful to know that it is one of the lower energetic expressions. Fear, guilt and shame are some of the most effective ways to manipulate people. And if you are awake, you are seeing these three energies being used in our current world. Whatever is causing us to experience fear, it is important to remember that its presence is a call to...

Listening is an act of the heart. It takes time and patience to listen and be a container for another person. It also takes a certain level of inner surrender and openness. We all have someone in our lives who talks a lot or even rambles, making it challenging to want to listen. We also have difficulty listening to people with different views or opinions. Sometimes we are distracted or in a hurry...

With protests and riots erupting in cities across our nation over the death of George Floyd, we are all stunned, disoriented, angry and feeling despair. As the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr said, "we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." Our nation seems plunged into a state of chaos a...

Life is ecstatically beautiful. A new baby is awake to it. But somewhere along the way, most of us stopped paying attention to the beauty of the world and got entrenched in another one. We became conditioned to think that beauty is subjective, something we decide. But what if we could see beauty in everything – as God’s handwriting? What if beauty spawned our feelings of love? When we slow down, p...

Sacred Mother is an archetype and a planetary energy. She embodies the energies of love, comfort, care and healing, and is the feminine nature of God. On our spiritual paths we are called to awaken to the Sacred Mother in her many forms and integrate her into our being. When we do this important work, we balance ourselves and bring balance to the world. Sacred Mother can be found in our religious...

We are body, mind and spirit. Our body is a holy container. Our mind is the center of our sovereignty in the physical world. Our Spirit is the center of Self, our authentic nature. To be fully alive and true to our nature, we need to be deeply connected with our body, mind and spirit. We need to provide life-giving nourishment to each. What we are more apt to do however, is take good care of one a...

To grow as a human being, we must repeatedly let go of what burdens us. Letting go, or Release, is a Divine power and a conscious action we take. Healthy functioning bodies undergo continual processes of taking in and letting go. Our minds and hearts are no different. There are lots of opportunities for us to let go. We can let go of thoughts, behaviors, relationships, and things – anything that n...

Joy is different from happiness. Happiness is transient and depends on outer circumstances. Joy is an infinite reservoir that dwells within us and is independent of life's circumstances. Even when we are immersed in great difficulty or sorrow, we can reach within and find Joy. That is because it is part of our nature. We are being called now to learn, know, and become aware of Truth - that Joy abi...

The Easter story is the incredible story of an incredible man and the followers who loved him. It is also our story. It shows us the path of transmutation - fundamentally changing ourselves and allowing new life to arise in us. Every time a crucifixion experience shows up in our lives, we have the opportunity to walk the path to a higher way of being. Every time. That's one of the promises of East...

Stories are powerful teaching tools. When you find yourself in one, you can gain a new and meaningful perspective on your life. Whether you identify with the Christian faith tradition or not, and whether you have appreciation for the Bible or not, the Easter story is rich in spiritual and personal meaning. It is our story. In this episode we look at some of the themes of the Palm Sunday story and...

Faith is a Divine power within us. It is the power we use to manifest anything in the physical world. To make anything purposefully happen, we must first believe it is possible. And with just a tiny bit of faith, we can move the largest of obstacles. We never really lack faith. But we can direct it in ways that don’t serve our highest good. Our doubt can literally cause us to sink. In this episode...