CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE END OF LIFE

Every day I have conversations with folks about end of life. Some are concerned about loved ones or pets, some about themselves. I feel it such an honor to be part of such discussions. I think there will be an upcoming retreat about this subject in the New Year.

WITH A FEW FRIENDS AT HANUKKAH

SCOOTER HAS BUDDHISM IN HAND

Today Annie Carroll and her friends came to Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple to film a video for children that will teach them about Buddhism. The guest of honor was a sock puppet named Scooter, who came from Outer Space via his film buddies in New York. The video will be broadcast on the Internet in February. It was a great day with some great friends, and I'll be back to tell you when and where you can see how much fun we had! Meanwhile, though, there are three video clips of me and Scooter at work at the temple in the YouTube player at the top of this page.

COURSE ON SPIRITUALITY & MEDITATION STARTS OCTOBER 22

Starting Monday, October 22, and on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, Brian Vaugh will lead an evening program of Spiritual Inquiry. We will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. John's Parish on the Green in Waterbury. Along with a period of sitting meditation, each week we will look deeply into how we can lead a life in spiritual harmony with all of God's creation. The twice monthly group will use Wayne Dyer's latest book, Change Your Thoughts-Change Your Life as a guide. Do you have thoughts about this? Please drop me a line in the comment box to the right!

CELEBRATING ST. JOHN'S 275TH ANNIVERSARY

St. John's Parish on the Green in Waterbury, Connecticut , celebrated its 275th year of mission and ministry to the people of the Greater Waterbury Area on Sunday, October 14. The day began with a procession in Waterbury with stops at the Congregational and Roman Catholic churches, which are near St. John's.

STARTING A NEW SPIRITUAL AWARENESS GROUP IN WATERBURY

We'll be starting up a new spiritual awareness group on the second and fourth Mondays of every month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. starting October 22. We'll meet for in the library of St. John's Parish, 16 Church Street, Waterbury, Connecticut. All are welcome, so please feel free to stop by. We'll have tea, and there's plenty of parking in the church lot.

DAE YEN SA TEMPLE, SEPTEMBER 2007

ON SPEAKING TERMS WITH EVERYTHING

The beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass speak to me. The summit of the mountain the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the sea speak to me. The faintness of the stars, the freshness of the morning dewdrop on the flower speak to me. The strength of fire...the trail of the sun, and the life that never goes away, they speak to me, and my heart soars....

You can walk the forest and do exactly the same thing. It may seem odd at first, but you get on speaking terms with everything. You do that with animals, and you do that with little bugs, and you do that with everything. It simply means you are aware, you are opening, you are noticing, you are standing with something. It is relationship. Community. (Fritz Hull, founder of the Whidbey Institute, from Issue 35 of Heron Dance)

DEATHLY HALLOWS: A LOVE STORY

MEDITATION: WAKING UP TO REALITY

"Meditation is not about creating any particular feeling. Meditation is about awareness, about waking up to Reality. Some people try to use meditation like a drug, as a way to escape from life or distract themselves from Reality. But anything that draws us away from Reality is deception." (Steve Hagen)