Only what is 'guilty' resists or otherwise fears having its character accused of some shortcoming, and actively denies whatever it feels has judged it unjustly; but what is innocent cannot feel condemned. It fears no judgment anymore than a sunrise fears the grip of the darkness it has come to release.

I play a difficult musical instrument to master, but I have a wonderful teacher, known all over the world. He has corrected me many times, and yet as I continue to practice, these supposed corrections still come out wrong...as well as my anger towards myself for failing to learn! What am I missing here; why do I continue to fail? (From student correspondence)...

The Life of Learning Singers perform 'Lully Lulla Lullay' -- a traditional Christmas piece with a contemporary arrangement by Philip Stopford. Performed during our Holiday Banquet Weekend sacred music concert.

Featured Study Group Topic for the Week of May 5, 2014. In many ways, the true blessings of life often come disguised as the worst moments... but those who will patiently bear the presence of that emptiness -- of what seems a loss, or painful limitation of some kind -- will soon see its temporary mask fall away, and witness there -- in its place -- the appearance of an impossibly kind and lovi...

Lending your ear to thoughts and feelings that are telling you what's wrong with you is like agreeing to listen to music that you can't stand, and then blaming the composer for the disharmony that you feel.

Topics covered: Discussion about the lunch exercise 'You, Me, Thee'; Everything you look at produces a different note in you; You can't be afraid of yourself and be free; You are at all times both sounding out something and making a sound, but it isn't you making the sound; There is something in you that can't wait to crucify you; Nothing makes less of a man than when he tries to make more of...

Topics covered: The Seeker, The Search, The Sacred, change the world, world peace...

Featured Study Group Topic for the Week of March 16, 2015. The reward of any true spiritual intention is the revelation that same action serves to produce. The more we learn to "see" by this interior Light -- what was in the dark of us only moments before -- the more faith we have that our wish and work to know the Truth of ourselves is the same as its appearance within us. This is the Way...

Topics covered: Discussion about the lunch exercise to feel the background music while eating; It's hard for us to look at our lives objectively; What you exercise in life is what gets strengthened; If you could feel yourself you wouldn't harm yourself; True relationship is intended to be a wordless communication; The difference between empathy and compassion; Seeing isn't done with the eyes a...

Topics covered: Discussion of the lunch exercise to notice what you feel as you hear the background music; The Buddhist hungry ghost; The work is almost ceaseless preparation for the purification of the heart; We are not just dominated by negative emotion, something in us cultivates it; The greater the negation, the stronger the awareness; Opposites must be reconciled by a third force; If you'...

Topics covered: I've struggled with not wanting my life since I was a child; What is the job of a spiritual teacher; What is meant by level and scale; Is learning an act of consciousness; Is using the memory of a revelation just false identification; After doing this work I'm seeing the limitations of my profession, psychology, and have decided to do a career change; Discussion of music and vi...

Our current nature thinks it can add something to Life. When we see a beautiful scene in nature, or hear glorious music, we know that there is no need to add one thing to it. Our task is to discover that all we will ever need is already within us right now, and that to do what I am doing with my full attention is to be connected to the present moment that is a living Wholeness.