A Unitarian Chapel in the heart of Macclesfield, welcoming people of all faiths and none
Thought for the day, Sunday 10th March
“This magnificent refuge is inside you. Enter. Shatter the darkness that shrouds the doorway. Step around the poisonous vipers that slither at your feet, attempting to throw you off your course. Be bold. Be humble. Put away the incense and forget the incantations they taught you. Ask no permission from the authorities. Slip away. Close your eyes and follow your breath to the still place that leads to the invisible path that leads you home.”
From The Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila (1515 – 1582), translated by Mirabai Starr
“The Buddha taught that inside us there’s an island where we can take refuge. When we feel lost, lonely, sad, hesitant, or desperate we can come back to that island and have safety. That island is our stable mind. That island isn’t a place outside us. One breath can bring us back to that island immediately. In each person there are seeds of stability, freedom, and nonfear. It’s these seeds that make a place of refuge for us and protect us. When we take refuge in our island, we’re taking refuge in something real.”
“Beloved One Shekinah Indwelling Feminine Presence Immanence Embodiment Mother-Heart Please come flowing into every open window in our souls right now, as we call to you. Infuse every cell of our bodies with your fierce and tender Mother-Wisdom. Give us the strength to speak truth to power in these fractured times. Give us the tenderness and humility to listen deeply to those that we are conditioned to otherize. And remind us again and again when we forget that we belong to each other, and we belong to you. Amen.”
“”The three things which surpass understanding: the work of the bees, the mind of women, and the flow and ebb of the tide.” – ancient Irish triad
Much of our world is mysterious to us. However much science explains to us about our surroundings, there remain many mysteries that still evoke wonder. Though the beekeeper is close to the work of the hive, for example, she remains essentially an outsider, able only to exploit the bees and their honey-making skill. The thought processes of women, totally congruent to the feminine understanding, are mysterious to men. The ebb and flow of the tide can be reckoned by mariners and the Coast Guard, but they are mysteries to those who have not observed them.
These unmapped terrains of mystery do not yield themselves easily to us; they are not apprehensible or quantifiable after short study. Only by observing the movement of migrating birds over many seasons, for example, do bird-watchers understand a little of that process which is natural yet deeply mysterious to the casual observer. Even our own mysterious processes are graspable only when we give time and meaningful attention to them. This means long, patient observation and notation of our dreams, our intentions, our relationship to the world. When we become more sensitive to the subtle messages that are clearly transmitted to us, we come to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.”
From The Celtic Spirit: Daily Meditations for the Turning Year by Caitlin Matthews
“I who am Divine am truly in you. I can never be sundered from you; however far we be parted, never can we be separated. I am in you and you are in Me. We could not be any closer. We two are fused into one, poured into a single mould; thus unwearied, we shall remain forever.”
Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1207 – 1282), quoted in Christian Mystics by Matthew Fox
“Springtime is upon us. The birds celebrate her return with festive song, and murmuring streams are softly caressed by the breezes. Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar, casting their dark mantle over heaven. Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up their magical songs once more.”
“We are beginning to learn that each animal has a life and a place and a role in this world. If we place compassion and care in the middle of all our dealings with the animal world and honor and respect their lives, our attitudes will change..
Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other..
Let us develop respect for all living things. Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love.”
“Life’s just one great journey.. What makes that journey worthwhile is the people we choose to travel with, the people we hold close as we take steps into the darkness and blindly make our way through life. They’re the people who matter.”
Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss (1904 – 1991), born on this day
“When I was born, I was colored. I soon became a Negro. Not long after that I was black. Most recently I was African-American. It seems we’re on a roll here. But I am still first and foremost in search of freedom.”
King Edward Street Chapel 