On this second day of the Week of Prayer for World Peace, we pray for those who find the path forward through reconciliation, not revenge. Elika Mahony offers a beautiful reflection on the words of Abdu’l-Bahá from the Baha’i faith. Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i faith wrote: When the thought of war comes, oppose it with a stronger thought of peace. Elika responds to his words, “Revenge takes hold of our thoughts and tightens its... Read more
On this first day of the Week of Prayer for World Peace, Hazzan Harold Messinger and Caroline Friewald offer a Jewish prayer to this international and interfaith call to peace. The intention of this global collaboration is to encourage those seeking peace for all of humanity to expand our own practices of prayer by embracing the prayers of other traditions. Our hope is that by nurturing understanding, empathy, and harmony among diverse faith communities, we can stand grounded and united... Read more
Are prayers enough? No. Never. But they are foundational.We sit here today and watch horror unfold. Families and friends slaughtered. People we will never know devastated. We send donations, attend rallies, reach out to those whose very being is threatened and offer love and light. And we pray. Are these prayers enough? No. But they root any action we take, any support we offer, any pain we suffer in something that transcends our circumstances and capabilities. Prayers honor that we... Read more
From Rosh Hashanah to Lunar New Year, we honor the turning over to a new year with fresh perspective and new intentions. Despite my connection to different faith traditions and their threshold rituals, Labor Day weekend will perhaps always mark the beginning of the new year for me. Welcome-back activities for students are outlined. Classroom decor holds the message of belonging. Opening meditation for Alignment’s new season is ready. Retreats and programs are on the website. I feel the lurch... Read more
The open door. A symbol of invitation. Of acceptance. Of welcome. It was the theme of how I was raised. My parents arrived in Birmingham, Alabama in 1949 from their small Scottish village. Through a door that was open to them because they were coming to continue their ministry in a Presbyterian church. They found that doors open for them were not open for all in the highly segregated city where they strove to further the message of all-encompassing love.... Read more
The labyrinth started to breathe. As those gathered for a sunset walk made their way into the center, into circles expanding and contracting, it became the very image of a pulsing heart. The crunching of measured footfalls, step after slowed step, sounded the beats. Walkers fell into rhythm, on a journey alone but as part of a living, breathing organism. A chrysalis. The Outdoor Chaplain, Rev. Cairn Neely, was our labyrinth walk guide. A frequent presenter at Alignment: Interfaith Contemplative... Read more
Knees humbled to the ground and forehead kissing the earth. Chin dropped to the chest and fingers entwined. Legs in lotus and eyes gently focused downward. What is your posture for prayer? Skylight has released the findings of the nationwide survey on prayer from a project called American Prayer Wrap. American Prayer Wrap uncovers the methods, motivations and myriad colors of our connection with the divine. The findings indicate that the most common places in which people pray are not... Read more
In worship services from many different traditions, prayer is structured. Types of prayer are labeled. Times for prayer are scheduled. Words of prayer are composed. Places for prayer are set aside. But prayer that takes us beyond these boundaries expands our connection to the divine. And perhaps from there deepens our understanding of the limitless presence of spirit in our lives. Today I prayed for peace, strength, and clarity. Leading a Presbyterian congregation in a traditional worship service, I prompted... Read more
A lump of clay thrown on the potter’s wheel became a vessel. Lester Morris, tech consultant by day, recognizes his time at the wheel as his spiritual practice. He invited Alignment into his basement studio virtually for a session of contemplative practice. The pots and bowls that Lester shaped during our time together became vessels for far more than anyone anticipated. One of the main intentions of Alignment: Interfaith Contemplative Practices is the recognition of the sacred in the ordinary.... Read more
Contemplative practices open us to hearing, seeing, and knowing the presence of the divine within us, beyond us, and in the connections we have with one another, so that grounded and growing, we might have the strength to work for justice in the world around us. Renowned spiritual teacher and writer, Barbara A. Holmes, led the most recent session of Alignment: Interfaith Contemplative Practices. Her work is focused on African American spirituality and mysticism. Her pivotal work Crisis Contemplation: Healing... Read more
Alignment
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In