Sacred
Philosophy
1.) Deep Presence
We open ourselves to the invisible, unexplainable vastness of the universe and ourselves, that richness beneath, behind and above that holds meaning, promise, and purpose, with all the past and all the future in one ever-present now, thus allowing people of all faiths and no particular faith to find their own relationship with the pulsing heart of that One, deep presence.
Credit ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Bellini
6.) The Inherent Joy of the Universe
While our trials here on Earth beset us with suffering, we intuit that the underlying nature of the Universe is Joy. Within each of us is the innocent faith of a little child. Our light hearts sing as we behold the universal dance. Perhaps at dawn, or on a mountain peak, or under a star-filled midnight sky, we gaze in wonderment at the transcendent delight of the Universe, and we yearn to share that Joy with every living being.
7.) Infinite Compassion
We believe that highly evolved beings of infinite compassion occasionally walk this Earth, seemingly as one of us, selflessly bestowing upon us their beneficent guidance and care, assuaging our sorrows with no thought for their personal selves. We see ourselves as ultimately capable of this same boundless compassion, and we seek to increasingly embody that benevolence in our lives.
2.) The Law of Causality
We trust that all our intentions, thoughts, words and deeds make a difference in this cosmos in which each cause yields its effect, interwoven with all other causes and effects set into motion. We trust that each cause we put into motion will return back to us with exact appropriateness, teaching us to align ourselves with universal harmony and compassion. We understand that every event holds significance.
3.) Humanity in the Evolving Cosmos
We believe that the purpose of life is to learn and to help others. We and all sentient beings are evolving with the cosmos. Human life is a school for learning soul lessons. Human evolution cannot rely on instinct - it depends upon self-determination. We need never be victims, for we can always choose our response to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Suffering can be our teacher, for as we learn, we find the profound satisfaction of understanding. Our learning never ends. The Self never ceases to be.
Credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Kastner (RIT)
Credit NASA, ESA, STScI
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, B. Nisini
Credit NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University
NASA/JPL - The Sounds of Earth Record Cover
4.) The Honor of being Human
We stand in awe at the miraculous potential of the human being. We hold that birth into a human body, with our human mind and our recognition of selfhood, bestows upon us both enormous opportunity and tremendous responsibility. At the stage we hold on the evolutionary arc, our human capabilities through consciousness and physical force make an enormous impact upon our world and its creatures.
5.) The Invisible
We acknowledge that the invisible is. Both science and spirituality point out that there’s more to the cosmos than our senses reveal. Before any thing can come into this universe, its invisible archetype or pattern must exist for the physical to be built upon - something like the architect’s plan that precedes the structure. It’s not just what we do that counts, but how we do it, and why. We are interconnected in untraceable ways. We affect one another and the outer world through our inner thought, intention, and love.
Credit (Above photo) NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-Hubble/Europe Collaboration | Acknowledgment: H. Bond (STScI and Penn State University)
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)