Life as an Interspiritual Being
As a preparation for my role in the world as an InterSpiritual Being and as an Associate Minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Seattle; Washington, I have been walking an Interfaith path most of my 74 years.
As a youth, I was blessed having friends of many different faiths in the Northside of Chicago, while spending 3 days a week at my own spiritual home, St. Paul’s Church-by -the Lake, an Episcopal church. I was always curious about others’ faiths, not judgmental. And years later in Seattle, I raised two children in an interfaith marriage, during a time when the world was not tolerant of diversity, including intolerance of Inter-Spirituality. Most people tried to convince me that I had to stick to one path for my children to develop morally. But I said to them that I trusted that contact and exposure to the world’s religious and spiritual paths would help develop their values of compassion, understanding, empathy, grace, joy, love, and light. It was quite a mission that I had to believe in when even my husband at the time, tried to dissuade me.
Since sometime in the 1990s, I have been a member of Interfaith Community, even before our community had a name of any sort. In fact, I have been a part of this community since the time we would meet in friend’s homes to share our spiritual hearts and perspectives because we didn’t have a dedicated location. I proudly am a founding member of our community.
When asked many years ago about my vision of Interfaith, I said, “I look for the common cord that underlies and supports all spiritual and faith traditions and that is my heart and my spiritual path. The One Source who Is and who Is a part of all paths; The One Source who was before and who is now and who forever will be.” I feel the same way today.
In 2006, I was ordained as a minister at Interfaith. It is heart-opening to be a part of a community with vastly different spiritual paths. We all learn from each other’s spiritual perspectives and one of the things we hold dear is to honor and respect all paths that lead to the Divine. Each of us brings a precious part of the All to our gatherings and our community.
I have spoken about my beliefs and my heart held love for the Divine many times at Interfaith and other locations over the years. And at one point, I started speaking about the Divine Feminine aspect of Divinity. Then in 2005, 4 other women and myself formed the Convocation of the Divine Feminine.
Our focus with the Convocation of Divine Feminine was to bring awareness of the Light and role of the Divine Feminine, which has been hidden in our world for many thousands of years. Not to over correct, but to bring awareness to and a balancing of the energies in the world. To balance the Divine Feminine with the Divine Masculine. The Divine Feminine continues to be a large part of who I Am is in the world, both spiritually and worldly. I have done many paintings with the Divine Feminine as the theme.
I have been asked by people in the congregation and wherever I speak, almost every time, to have a copy of the words I have spoken. I always say yes and just give them my notes, as I feel I don’t own these ideas or words or feelings, as they came to me from the Divine. The Divine shared them with me, so I lovingly pass them along. I rarely speak spontaneously as I have a hard time staying in this reality and at the same time also receiving energy and words and making sense to those who are listening! I respect everyone’s time in being with me, so I don’t want to babble on without regard to coherence and flow. Thus, I use my written notes. When the congregation or gathered people depend on me to direct the flow of a service, I feel that it is an important part to keep to some sort of a point and a time schedule. As least as well as I can!
One of the specific gifts that I brought to the 7 years we had gatherings of the Convocation of the Divine Feminine, was doing live paintings during services that took twelve months and services to complete. While painting, I enter a state of prayer and meditation, to bring in the energies of those present and not present, my Higher Self, and Divine Presence, as well as the energies of the materials. During this creative process I feel like the blessed moving part that brings feelings and thoughts and energies into manifestation. Creation is a gift. This is a Divine Feminine way of doing things: to honor creative input and energies from across the veil and bring them here to share.
Just for those who wonder about this sort of thing, I hold a BS and a BA in education, art, and psychology. This inter-discipline has formed a wonderful basis for life experiences. I occasionally still teach private art lessons at my home and have sold my art since the age of 10, which I still continue to do privately.
I am also an ordained Sufi minister which is called a Cherag. Gatherings are conducted in which all diverse paths are honored called Universal Worship. But Cherags can also specialize in other non-congregation activities were we always honor all spiritual and religious paths.
I am a healer and a Reiki Master, who not only shares healing but also teaches Reiki. I am also trained in Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch and Native American Healing, as well. Because of being comfortable in diverse methods of healing, I often blend different techniques, depending on what is needed for specific individuals.
I have created services, rituals, and ceremonies for this community and others outside of Interfaith as well. I have been told so many times how important my thoughts, words and ideas have been to those listening in that precise and perfect moment. So, it is with joy that I share these words with you. It is my prayer and hope that some of you or at least one of you will read one of these talks and feel it is perfect for what you desire to hear.
Blessings from my Heart to Yours.