From our Spiritual Leader, Brent Uzzell
                      

Dr. Gerald May, in his book The Wisdom of Wilderness, writes beautifully of the Power of Slowing. The Power he describes is not so different from the “mindfulness” of Buddhism or the “Shikina” of Judaism. It is, it seems, simply the Power we derive from being fully present in the fullness of the moment. Any moment no matter how mundane when accompanied by the Power of the Slowing reveals its sublime content.

When I am fully present to any moment in time, in that simple stillness, I can hear. In that moment all my needs are met, worries and projections of some foretold future are simply not present. I am filled with only what is, right here and right now.

I am present to the sounds and the colors, the temperature and the smells. In that moment I am present to All that is. In these moments of stillness I notice all those things that used to escape my conscious awareness. I become aware of tensions I carry around with me bodily day after day, I hear sounds that had escaped me and colors that, if previously noticed were not really seen.

As our world gently slips into fall this month, there is a call, a beckoning from the Power of the Slowing. It seems all of the natural world is beginning to sense a new rhythm being born. Perhaps we sense this new rhythm as well. Yet if we do, we must be in resistance to it for September in our society brings back to school and the end of vacations and a quickening pace of daily life that reaches maddening crescendo with the holidays at year’s end. It’s as though we collectively conspire against this Power of the Slowing. far too often we fear being present…we fear being vulnerable to and potentially change by this simple moment.

As we enter September running headlong toward fall, I invite you to take moments each day to be available to the Power of the Slowing. At any given moment just stop, take a deep breath and look around. No, don’t just look but see, don’t just breath but smell and open your ears to hear. The Power of the Slowing awaits your invitation. It needs just a moment of awareness to soften us, to relax us and draw us in to its stillness and peace.

Tis the gift to be simple

Tis the gift to be free

Tis the gift to come round where we ought to be

And when we are in the place just right

It will be in the valley of love and delight

In Love, Light and Service
Brent