The Dreams, Synchronicity and Imagination Meetup Group is hosting an informal discussion about astral projection, lucid dreaming and journeying experiences at the Green Lake Chocolati (7810 E Green Lake Dr N) next Monday (Jan. 16, 2012) at 6:30 p.m.

Information about the group, via meetup.com:

Meet other local people who are interested in an exchange of ideas and information regarding the study of dreams, synchronicity (meaningful coincidence) and imagination. Using Robert Moss’ book The Three “Only” Things as a starting point, we’ll explore how to take these marginalized dimensions of life seriously, using them to increase self-awareness and enhance our sense of meaning and purpose.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Post tags: spiritual

Photo courtesy of the Dahlstroms

Green Lake residents Richard Dahlstrom and his wife, Donna Dahlstrom, are winners of Seattle Pacific University’s 2012 Alumni Medallion Award. Recipients are leaders within their chosen professions who reflect the values and ideals of Seattle Pacific and are active in their communities. Richard and Donna will each receive their award during Homecoming celebrations at SPU on January 26, 2012.

Richard, a 1979 graduate of SPU, has been senior pastor of Green Lake’s Bethany Community Church (1156 N 80th St) since 1995. He is also a teacher with Torchbearers Missionary Fellowship and Fuller Theological Seminary.

Richard is the author of O2: Breathing New Life into Faith, one of Publisher’s Weekly’s “Ten Best Religious Books of 2008,” and Colors of Hope, The: Becoming People of Mercy, Justice, and Love.

Donna will graduate from SPU in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education, with an emphasis in outdoor recreation leadership. She is an accountant and business agent in the Center for Professional Education in the School of Education at SPU. She is also the mentor coordinator for “Mothers of Preschoolers” (MOPS) at BCC.

Richard and Donna have three children, Kristi, who graduated from SPU in 2006, Noah, and Holly, who will graduate in 2012. Kristi is a high school English literature teacher at Black Forest Academy in Germany, Noah works at Patagonia, an outdoor clothing company, and Holly is a student and coordinator for “group”, a Wednesday night student worship service at SPU.

Congratulations, Richard and Donna!

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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The music, prayer and song outdoor gathering will begin at 3:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011), near the Green Lake Community Center (7201 E Green Lake Dr N). A walking meditation around Green Lake will follow.

Nine different faith and spiritual traditions will be represented.

Click to enlarge

Thanks for the tip, Lila Rapcewicz.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: new year's eve, spiritual, walking

Kat is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory, an advanced reporting class in which students produce news stories and packages for local neighborhood and ethnic newspapers and online sites.

Stafford Smith of the Vedanta Society of Western Washington wants people to walk away from the society’s philosophical dialogues with more questions.

The society’s three-part miniseries being held at the Green Lake Branch Library (7364 E Green Lake Dr N) is meant to stimulate discussion about why people work.

“This isn’t just a passive sit-there-and-be-lectured-at experience,” said Smith, the society’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. “It’s really a participatory program: What we’re really shooting for is to get people involved in the discussion.”

Vedanta, a philosophy that is a part of Hinduism, teaches that all that exists is divine — the ultimate goal in life is to inherent one’s innate divinity. The Vedanta Society of Western Washington was founded in 1938 by Swami Vividishananda, and is considered a fully accredited branch of the Ramakrishna Order of India.

Smith said the society decided to focus on the topic of work because of the volatile job market.

“The impulse is that it’s probably a transitional time, and that people have questions,” said Smith. “We want to give a forum to think about those questions for [people] to try out their ideas.”

The first session, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 was specifically about work, duty and karma. It started with an hour introduction, followed by two hours of dialogue.

“The discussion helps me understand my role in the sense of, ‘What’s my purpose?’” said Aarti Sankrithi, who attended the first dialogue. “When I listen to other people, it triggers my thoughts of what I am.”

Aarti Sankrithi and her husband listen to other participants speak.

Sankrithi, who, along with her husband and about 60 to 80 other people, attends the society’s weekly Sunday services, which are held in the order’s Capitol Hill chapel. She moved to Seattle from the Chicago area a year ago and wanted to continue her practice, so she joined the Vedanta Society – a lucky find, as it’s only one of 17 centers in North America.

The organization also has other activities, including devotional singing, spiritual guidance and monthly, day-long retreat programs. It’s currently headed by Swami Bhaskarananda, who came to the Western Washington order in 1974 when Swami Vividishananda needed assistance.

The next two dialogues will be held at the Green Lake Library from 1:30-4 p.m. today (Saturday, Nov. 26) and on Saturday, Dec. 31. These two sessions will center on the topics of who’s helped by work, as well as the ideas of freedom and bondage, respectively.

The group will continue hosting monthly events at the Green Lake Library on the last Saturday of each month through 2012. Topics will be announced on meetup.com and on the Vedanta Society’s website.

©UW News Lab for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: jobs, library, spiritual

 Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt

Zen Buddhist Monk Rev Master Basil Singer is giving a talk on Tuesday November 1, 2011, 6:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. at the Green Lake Branch Library (7364 E Green Lake Dr N).

The talk will be on the Buddha’s enlightenment, the beginning of a religion, and how we can do what the Buddha did.

The North Cascades Buddhist Priory’s Seattle Meditation Group is putting on the event. It is not sponsored by the Seattle Public Library.

For more information, contact Geoff at  (360) 556-1093 or portybeach [at] hotmail.com.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: library, spiritual

Registration begins at 1 p.m. at the Green Lake United Methodist Church (6415 1st Ave NE).  At 1:30 p.m., walkers will leave the church and head down the street to the 2.8-mile Green Lake loop.

Green Lake United Methodist Church

photo credit: pixelgerm

A program of the Church World Service, CROP Hunger Walks “help children and families worldwide — and right here in the U.S. — to have food for today, while building for a better tomorrow.”

A portion of the funds raised in Seattle will benefit Northwest Harvest, North Helpline Food Bank, West Seattle Food Bank, and White Center Food Bank.

All are welcome to join the walk.

Thanks for the tip, Sheri!

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: fundraiser, spiritual, walking

Image courtesy Mary Frances Dondelinger

Local artist Brittany Faulkner is hosting an iconography workshop at her Tangletown studio, Friday Sept. 16 – Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The intensive workshop will be taught by iconographer MF Dondelinger. Students will learn the methods, materials and concepts of traditional, orthodox iconography and will complete a painting of the angel Gabrielle, pictured above.

Brittany Faulkner says that the workshop would be of interest to students of iconography as well as artists who would like to learn egg tempera.

“Orthodox Icons contain images of Jesus, Mary, saints or angels and are generally painted on a flat panel,” explains a press release about the workshop. “Typically associated with Eastern Orthodox religion, many people outside orthodoxy have found a deep connection with iconography.”

Artist MF Dondelinger, who is leading the workshops, says that  she has been surprised at how many people have been interested in iconography. “It seems people are looking for something with depth, something with meaning, even if they themselves are not religious,” she says. “I know I was moved by the icons and wanted to know how I could create one myself.”

The workshop cost is $350, which includes a panel, brushes, paint, gold leaf, palette and other supplies. Attendees should bring a sketch book for making notes, and if they would like to document their progress, they are welcome to bring a digital camera.

Brittany Faulkner’s studio is at Kensington Pl N & N 56th St. For the exact location or for registration details, please contact her at (206) 816-9764 or britt [at] withbritt.com.

For more information about the content of the workshop or about the artist MF Dondelinger, please email her at maryfrances [at] themaryfrances.com or go to themaryfrances.com.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: painting, spiritual

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church (111 NE 80th St) is holding a Service of Light and Remembrance on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 7 p.m.

The service is being held in response to the tenth anniversary of 9/11. All are welcome.

St. Andrew’s is also hosting two courses with themes tied to the events of September 11, 2001:

“Reconciliation in the 21st Century”
Instructor: Kathryn Rickert

In the past ten years, since Sept 11th, 2001, people of all faiths have been compelled to look again into the rich heritage of prayer, thought and actions found in Scripture and liturgical rites as we attempt to repair wounds of trust, enmity, and polarization that are all too familiar to many of us. It is precisely to “Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world” that we as lay people are called.

How are we doing in this calling? How might we be strengthened and better prepared for this important ministry?

Over three Monday nights in September, we will gather in a learning community, to ponder, question, listen, think, ask, pray, and hopefully, laugh at times, as we explore current needs for, attitudes toward, and practices of Christian Reconciliation.

Instructor: Kathryn Rickert, M.Div., PH.D., 2009, with a dissertation entitled “Talking Back to God: Some Implications of Narrative Biblical Laments for Human-Divine Relations and Christian Worship.” An Episcopalian interested in the intersections of Christian Faith and ordinary life, especially the parts that challenge us to make sense of, learn from, and enjoy Scripture, difference, the Other, suffering, justice, art, food, and Creation. A long-time member of the First Nations Committee of this Diocese of Olympia, she is currently contributing to the national efforts of the Episcopal Church to respond to the Doctrine of Discovery. Kathryn has taught at Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry, in the SALT Program (Scripture and Leadership Training), the Native Ministries Consortium of Vancouver School of Theology, and at Holden Village.

No registration fee for this class, but an RSVP is appreciated for planning purposes. Donation of $10 per class suggested at the door. Please call or write 206-523-7476, ext. 304, or cherryh [at] saintandrewsseattle.org.

 

“Making Peace with Islam: An Introduction.”
Instructor: Ann Holmes Redding

October 5 – November 2 ~ 7:00-8:30pm
(The evening’s schedule: Centering Prayer 5:45, Supper 6:15, Class 7:00-8:30pm)

Again this fall, Ann Holmes Redding will honor us with her presence at The Center at St. Andrew’s for the first in a two-part series on Islam. This class will provide a window into the world of Islam, a faith tradition deeply related to Christianity. Both an Episcopalian and a Muslim, our guide Ann will introduce the history, beliefs, and practices of Muslims, informed by her ongoing inner dialogue between the two faiths.

Ann Holmes Redding is a minister, author, PhD in New Testament, singer, and spiritual director. She has spent much of her adult life teaching and preaching. Today she teaches and speaks nationally and internationally. In 2006, Islam converged with her Christian belief and practice. This convergence resulted in her founding of Abrahamic Reunion West, committed to healing the Abrahamic family’s global dysfunction. The convergence also led to her defrocking after 25 years as an Episcopal priest.

With Jamal Rahman and Kathleen Schmidt Elias, Ann is co-author of Out of Darkness, Into Light: Spiritual Guidance in the Quran with Reflections from Jewish and Christian Sources. Her article, written in collaboration with Neil Elliott, “The People of God and the Peoples of the Earth,” was published in The Peoples’ Companion to the Bible (Fortress, 2010).

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: spiritual

Today (Sunday, July 3, 2011) people are appreciating positive qualities of themselves that they may not ordinarily notice, as a part of a little-known Compliment Your Mirror Day. This day is meant to build self-esteem through compliments to oneself and the mirror that reflects that person.

“One of the most important things about looking at self esteem is thinking about what is instead of what is not or not yet,” says Eric Mildes, MA, LMHC, a counselor at Greenlake Counseling (444 NE Ravenna Blvd, Suite 301).

He says his relationship with God gives him the clarity to see himself as he truly is.

“I know He has given me everything that I need [in order] to be who He sees me as, which tends to much higher than I see myself.  I tend to pray a lot in the morning and all of it has to do with self worth.  Simply put I have worth because Jesus has assigned worth to me and nothing can touch this […] I guess ultimately He becomes my mirror in which I can know and see me most clearly.”

Other people in Green Lake also talked about their mirrors. A few days ago, employees of Tangletown stores said that they would be giving themselves and their mirrors compliments today.

Over at Beehive Salon (2101 N 55th St, Suite 120), Mallory was the first to comment with “Keep your chin up and just keep smiling. Thanks, mirror!”

Jacob I. at Mighty-O Donuts (2110 N 55th St) is keeping it simple by saying he will “compliment its shine.”

Katie Wall and Jale Chan were sitting outside Zoka Coffee Roaster and Tea Company (2200 N 56th St). Katie confidently replied that she will tell her mirror “Good job! You go, girl!” and Jale agreed, saying that she will say “Thank you for being my friend.”

She smiled and continued. “Just like the Golden Girls.”

©Shelly Najjar for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: health, local businesses, spiritual

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church (111 NE 80th St) is offering an alternative vacation bible school this summer.

Back to the Garden: Renewing God’s Earth is open to all children, four-years-old through the 5th grade. It will be offered July 25-29, 2011, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Children will learn to care for the earth and environmental stewardship.

Peter Strimer, rector at St. Andrew’s Church, shared this information about the vacation bible school:

At VBS, kids will:

• Learn about God’s creation and what we can do to care for it.

• Meet members of our community who are stewards of the environment.

• Make new friends and have a great time!

Let’s grow in faith, have fun, and change the world!

Families can register online or call the church at (206) 523-7476. Registration is $30 per child.

Does your Green-Lake-area church host events or programs open to the broader community? Drop us a line at tips [at] mygreenlake.com.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: kids, spiritual