Optical Delusion
Optical Delusion of Separateness – What do the mystic physicists, Saint Paul, our seventh principle, and the Hindu concept of Atman have in common? They all break through the optical delusion of consciousness. As Einstein said: “this delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
YouTube Videos will be made to order
Sample OOS
Prelude - “All Things Bright & Beautiful”
Welcome, Introductions, & Announcements (Introduce Amy) - SA/Board Host
Chalice Lighting -
Invocation - Amy (Singing Bowl)
Gathering Song #175 “We Celebrate the Web of Life” - music person
Intergen Reflection - “Pla TuKa Tu KaTu” (Ghanaian children’s clapping game) - Rev. Amy
Sing young people to RE - Sing and Rejoice #359
Reading - “On Widening Circles of Compassion” Albet Einstein
Offering /Offertory
Joys & Sorrows
Meditation- Amy
Pastoral Song “toning” by -Amy
Reflection - Optical Delusion of Separateness - The Reverend Amy Beltaine
Commitment Song - #21“For the Beauty of the Earth,”
Chalice Extinguishing
Benediction - Amy
Postlude- "You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Rodgers & Hammerstein
Suggested hymns for service
“Earth My Body” and “We Are A Circle” for the gathering songs before service
#175 We Celebrate the Web of Life,
#21 For the Beauty of the Earth,
“Toning” (Amy can lead),
#121 Spirit of Life (with ASL amy can teach ASL interp.) for blessing song immediately after sermon
for pastoral song: Voice Still and Small, or Listen Listen Listen (Amy can teach and lead, short chant), or toning
#128 for all that is our life (Pastoral Hymn)
Sing and Rejoice #359
Suggestions for performed music
Hammer and a Nail by Emily Saliers, Indigo Girls, Offertory?
Gentle Arms of Eden by Tracy Grammer and Dave Carter (Amy has the sheet music and can scan and send it)
All Things Bright and Beautiful, traditional English folk tune, Offertory?
“One song” by Marvin Hamlisch and Bergman
You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Rodgers & Hammerstein
Suggestions for READINGS (chalice lighting, extinguishing, etc.)
We rededicate ourselves before this light
to affirm and practice truth, wisdom, love and freedom,
today and in the days to come. (Upanishads, adapted)
Elizabeth Selle Jones, #456
We extinguish the flame
But not the light of truth,
The warmth of community
Or the fire of commitment.
These we carry in our hearts
Until we are together again
quotes for reflection, print on the OOS:
“Unitarian Universalists see ourselves as one thread in a single fabric of all existence.”
- Commit2Respond at http://www.commit2respond.org
“This is my home, this is my only home. This is the only sacred ground that I have ever known.”
- "Gentle Arms of Eden" by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer