All The Colors of Love
Rev. Nicole Von Atsingen, Co-Senior Minister
This month our theme is All the colors of love. Not only is February synonymous with love and Valentine’s but it’s also Black History Month. I feel that as a spiritual community we are kind of like the pioneers for a new and evolved context of love. Love for all people. All kinds of people, all races of people, all genders of people, all abilities and disabilities of our human family, no matter how much money they have or don’t have, no matter what they’ve been through or even the dark places they might be in right now.
We collectively disrupt the traditional narrative when we affirmed that there is a Divine Presence within every life. We disrupt the social norm when we accept that everyone is an individualized center in the consciousness of God. Everyone. No matter what. The beauty of communities like Seal Beach Center for Spiritual Living is that we are a living example of this kind of love.
Our philosophy, the Science of Mind holds this point of view towards love:
“Love is the self-givingness of the Spirit through the desire of Life to express Itself in terms of creation. Emerson tells us that Love is a synonym for God. We are also told in the New Testament that “He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.” Love is free from condemnation, even as it is free from fear. Love is a cosmic force whose sweep is irresistible.”
– Ernest Holmes –
Rumi Wrote “Your task is not to seek love but merrily seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. What a beautiful and yet difficult task this is. To not put the blame on someone else but to look within ourselves at our barriers to love, the ability to love everyone even if we don’t like them. In no way am I condoning to allow people in our lives who hurt us or are not healthy for us, but we can still hold love for them and loving them from afar.
Disrupting the narrative of love in our society is also about looking at the way we love ourselves. In my experience, when I look at some of my barriers to loving myself, what it generally boils down to is either my judgment about myself based on society, whether it be looks, the social norm of marriage, parenting or even family dynamics. Or any of a million other things.
This month we’ll be looking at all the colors of love, all the ways we can breakdown those barriers open our heart space and make room for a greater love and greater experience of life. I look forward to our journey together in February and in opening our hearts together.
Rev. Nicole Von Atzingen
Nicole is the Co-Senior Minister at the Seal Beach Centers for Spiritual Living. Her ministry is to remind humanity of its inherent Goodness. One word to describe Nicole is enthusiastic, she is filled with Spirit and loves to share it. She is also a fourth-generation Religious Scientist who admittedly, although growing up in the Science of Mind philosophy, had to walk away for a few years in order to discover the truth of our philosophy in her own life.
(Featured Photo used in the blog by Markus Spiske on Unsplash)