Unity Community

Commitment ~ Service

Today I commit to be of service with love in my heart, a smile on my face, always helping in good ways, keeping only positive thoughts about everyone I meet, whether we meet in person or the news, and whether we even can agree or not.  

Commitment ~ Seredipitous Surprises

Today I am ready for serendipitous surprises that not only make me feel better, but will give me the opportunity to share the idea of looking for good by suggesting to others they keep an eye out for their good to happen to them in the same way.

Unity Community Talks Shift to Dialogues!

To celebrate the shifting of our Unity Community Sunday format from a monologue to a dialogue, we've been studying A Complaint Free World, by Unity minister Rev. Will Bowen. 

The services begin just as they have for years, with songs, prayer time and meditation. But then instead of merely listening to the speaker, we move our chairs into a circle and have a DISCUSSION!  What fun!

Steve Keener, our regular speaker writes,

"We closed discussion part of the service by passing out the Prosperity Consciousness Conditioning print-out and reading the affirmations around the circle.  I found this doc on the Complaint Free blog.  For Consciousness Conditioning it is suggested that these affirmation should be read out loud once a day for 30 days."

We've got only one more Sunday to go, but here it is if you'd like to start now:

I am the source of all wealth.

I am rich with creative ideas.

My mind abounds with new, original, inspired thoughts.

What I have to offer is unique, and the world desires it.

My value is beyond reckoning.

What the world needs and desires, I am ready to produce and give.

What the world needs and desires, I recognize and fulfill.

The bounty of my mind is without hindrance or limit.

Nothing can stand in the way of my inspired creativeness.

The overflowing power of God life energy overcomes every obstacle, & pours out into the world, blessing & prospering everyone, & everything through me.

I radiate blessings, I radiate creativity, I radiate prosperity, I radiate loving service. I radiate Joy, Beauty, Peace, Wisdom & Power.

Humanity seeks me and rewards me.

I am beloved of the world.

I am wanted wherever I go.

I am appreciated.

What I have to offer is greatly desired.

What I have to offer brings a rich reward.

Through my vision the world is blessed.

Through my clear thinking & steadfast purpose, wonderful new values come into expression.

My vision is as the vision of the mighty ones.

My faith is as the faith of the undefeatable.

My power to accomplish is unlimited.

I, in my uttermost God Source, am all wealth, all power, all productivity.

I hereby declare my financial freedom, NOW and henceforth forever!

Come and join us in our lovely UCC space in Reseda--in the West San Fernando Valley!

Commitment ~ Pushing Through

Toadstools are known to push through blacktop to reach the sun, a fallen seed can become a tree on a rocky ledge, and water finds its way to the sea.  So what can I do when stopped in my tracks?  I will listen to my heart for the right answer.

Commitment ~ Reaping

Being an autumn day, today is a time for reaping, so I choose to have only joyful thoughts as I use my unique gifts to serve others, knowing my memories of accomplishment will be good, and so will the memories of those I am serving with love.  

Commitment ~ Tuning

Sounds musicians make before a concert seem at odds, but at the tap of their leader’s baton, their music flows forth, as soothing as God’s whispers in my ear, when I ask for peace during a busy day, for God is always in tune and ready to help. 

October Thoughts

by Lucele Coutts

 Although this has been an absolutely wonderful year, I still had the rug yanked from under me a few times.  So when it happened recently, I turned to my old friend Marcus Bach and his WORLD OF SERENDIPITY, which often reminds me that I can have fortunate discoveries when not looking for them or wish I were.  While rereading the “Wrong Side of Right” story, I was able to chuckle over some of his experiences, though others made me feel a little sad. Yet they snapped me out of my funk, and as usual I had a real serendipitous experience myself a few days later that brought my feelings back to normal, and I’d like to share it. 

 We had traveled down to Phoenix to find something we needed, and had several disappointments, but after a very pleasant visit with a cousin over some iced tea, we headed for our last stop, which happily solved our problems, so we started home with high hopes.  As we neared Cottonwood, It was getting quite dark, and sprinkling a bit, and we were joking about the possibility of receiving the gift of the Valley’s one “stray” thunderstorm of the night when the bottom dropped out , and we knew we were getting it..

  Though the sky was filled with seemingly continuous dry flashes of lightning, we managed to escape the few that headed to ground nearby, and were able to whip up a quick bite to eat before the lights went out.  We were glad we did, for we were soon sitting in darkness watching flashes in the windows as the mostly waterless lightning danced in crazy patterns overhead.  But we couldn’t see much, so my husband suggested a trip out in the car where we could safely watch the show overhead.   Again between flashes, we dashed out to our trusty Outback, and headed into darkness.   Of course, the traffic signal at our highway intersection was out, so between car headlights, we made it onto the highway and headed toward town.

 As we drove over the rise, we saw that power was still on in town, and so we enjoyed the bright colors in the business district snugly surrounded by complete darkness as flashes of lightning bounced happily overhead.  Cruising on through Cottonwood, we circled through Old Town and back through Clarkdale, noting with a sigh that even Jerome, the old mining town high above us on the mountain had lights, so we decided we’d seen it all, and it was time to return home.

 But when we turned onto Hwy 260, I thought I saw a rainbow in the darkness, and shook my head.  Couldn’t be.  Looking again, there it was—complete, every color glowing softly, rising high above Cornville on the far side of the Verde River as it crossed over and finally disappeared behind the rise a short distance above of us.  Imagine! Such a beautiful surprise, a nighttime rainbow, something we’d never seen before.  And as we left the rainbow behind, we knew we had seen something very special indeed.

 TIP: So this month’s suggestion is simple.  No matter how many things seem to go wrong, hang in there, and open yourself to good.  Tear down those walls of doubt, listen to your heart, and let your good unfold.

A Complaint Free World - A Review

The following is a reprint of an two-part article originally written by Malayna Dawn for the Daily Mantra. It is now available on Self Growth.com. 

Part I – The Concept

In the new book, A Complaint Free World, Unity minister Will Bowen challenges us to go 21 days without complaining, criticizing or gossiping. It began as an idea for his Sunday sermon at the Unity Church in Kansas City, Missouri and caught on quickly. From the local newspaper to Oprah, this simple idea is catching people's attention.

While "What the Bleep..." and "The Secret" have shown us that our thoughts have the power to create our lives, this book gives us the tools to begin monitoring and changing our thoughts with a simple concept. "Our thoughts create our world and our words indicate our thoughts" Bowen explains. "When we control our words by eradicating complaining, we create our lives with intention and attract what we desire."

The process begins by taking notice of what we say. Then, by combining self-monitoring with a physical action, we can really begin to see just how often we engage in negative speech that doesn't serve us. The book's website offers purple rubber bracelets that can be moved from one wrist to another, though Bowen says that we can use any such device that works for us. Whether it's moving a stone from one pocket to another or a paper weight across the desk, the important thing is to connect to some action that allows us to track our progress.

The goal is to go 21 days in a row without moving your designated object, 21 days being the amount of time it takes to form a new habit. Bowen himself says that he found that his personal best after one week was to move his bracelet five times in a day, though his bracelet's movements shot back up to a total of twelve the very next day. He noticed that he could do better around some people than others, and began looking more deeply into his relationships.

Knowing that complaining attracts more of the same into my life makes me willing to see how this simple idea can bring my true desires into being. I don't want to wait for my purple bracelet to arrive from Kansas City, so I'm going to pick a bracelet or rubber band and begin immediately. I'll let you know how I've fared after 7 days while I continue to read the book. Wish me luck!


Part II: The Experience

After deciding to try being complaint-free for just seven days, I must say that I am happier. Anecdotes from the book helped me to maintain my cool in traffic, like the idea that cars going slowly in front of me are merely the universe’s "pace cars" though I am not in a race, and are meant to slow me down for my own safety. Or the story about people honking their horns if they’re happy, which gave me a reason to laugh when people honked at me, rather than taking it personally, which I'd usually have done. Instead, I'd just think to myself, “They must be really happy,” and move on.

To be honest, I delayed writing this article because I hadn’t found a device that worked to remind me consistently. I wanted to take off the bracelet (the memory aid recommended by the book's author) when I got home along with the rest of my jewelry, so I’d use a hair band, but I'd end up putting it in my hair.

Despite these minor problems, I was able to see the impact of the familiar principles of positive thinking had taken hold, and that the ideas depicted in films like "What The Bleep Do We Know?" and "The Secret" had seeped into my subconscious, preparing me for this challenge. I was already monitoring my thoughts and speech, and, with the help of the book, found myself considering before speaking if what I was about to say counted as a complaint. If I thought it might, I'd try to word it differently, whether I had something on my wrist or not.

The book gives a lot of in-depth analysis to help each of us decide for ourselves what counts as a complaint, but the bottom line is intention. Will Bowen, the instigator and author of "A Complaint Free World" offers this quote from motivational writer Eckhart Tolle which may just sum it up:

“Complaining is not to be confused with informing someone of a mistake or deficiency so that it can be put right. And to refrain from complaining doesn’t necessarily mean putting up with bad quality or behavior. There is no ego in telling the waiter your soup is cold and needs to be heated up – if you stick to the facts, which are always neutral. ‘How dare you serve me cold soup…?’ That’s complaining.”

In the movie "The Secret", Jack Canfield explains, “The Law of Attraction says ‘We’ll give you whatever you say and focus on’ so if you’re complaining about how bad it is, what you’re creating is more of how bad it is.”

That is the basic concept behind becoming complaint-free: to create more good in our lives and the world by focusing our attention and energy on the positive, on constructive ideas, and on gratitude. "The Complaint Free World" book really can help us to reach that goal by giving us a place to start, supportive explanations, and a way to measure the change in our lives. I recommend that you pick up your copy and begin your journey as soon as possible. I’m still on my quest for 21 days free of complaint, criticism or gossip. But I know that even greater happiness lies ahead!

Our Unity Community is now taking the challenge of A Complaint Free World. Join us in our new location in Reseda!

Commitment ~ Release

Today I commit to release everything in my body, mind and activities that no longer has any place there, committing only to harmony, health and total abundance in every way, for that one pure consciousness we choose to call God is waiting patiently with its unconditional love to help me do it.

Commitment ~ Peace and Freedom

Today, when I commit to peace and freedom in my life, I also send them to my family, friends, co-workers, God children of every faith, every country and every leader on our Beloved Mother Earth—including every living mineral element, plant, great and small, every animal wild and tame.