South Region 

Dallas, Texas

Conscious Acts of Kindness in Dallas 

This year, the seed was planted deeply in the minds of the teachers at the Dallas School of Metaphysics to bring in the New Year with peace, connectedness and love.  Drawing upon memory, Field Director Damian Nordmann painted a vision of making peace active through “Conscious Acts of Kindness" on New Year’s Eve.  A few years ago while serving as the Director of the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma branch of the School of Metaphysics, Nordmann experienced the joy of consciously giving gifts to citizens in the name of peace.  Thinking on a grand scale, Nordmann imaged us on foot, giving 600 gifts to the people of Dallas, Texas. 

Teacher Leah Morris immediately connected with her purpose and volunteered to lead it.  “[I want] to expand my…love and experience giving freely in the name of peace,” she expressed.  The leaders of our School branch also decided to dedicate a Peace Pole on New Year’s Day and place it in the center of the etheric temple, created last year in the Dallas branch’s front yard 

Students and teachers melded their minds to acquire 600 donated items in the name of peace.  Students created a letter requesting businesses to donate small, hand-held items.  Asking for donations is the art of combining purpose, expectancy and imagination to show business owners they are abundant enough to give this time of year.  Once we stilled our minds, communicated in clear images and remained centered in our hearts, the donations poured in.  In six weeks students and teachers acquired over 800 donated items to be converted into 480 gifts.  Then students tied ribbons, stuffed goody bags and beautified items from Starbucks, Whole Foods, Whole Earth Provisions Company, various beauty salons, restaurants and more.  Seven hundred peace covenants were rolled between classes, on lunch breaks and during the weekend.  We engraved the Peace Pole with “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in four different languages.  We connected with, supported, and loved one another in the name of peace.

On New Year’s Eve, students were at the school early to stuff the remaining goody bags, role the last Peace Covenants and plant the Peace Pole.  At 6:00 PM, thirteen people arrived at the School of Metaphysics to share in the joy of giving conscious acts of kindness.  The group consisted of students ranging from Lesson Five to Second Cycle students, an Adam (Fourth Cycle) student, former students, and friends of the School of Metaphysics.  We began by expanding our lights, clarifying intentions, and reading the Universal Peace Covenant.  We divided into three groups and ventured to several locations to distribute gifts to people at bus stations, in restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters, and walking down the street.  Upon returning to the School branch, we wrapped up our adventure with open discussion where people shared their experiences 

Collectively, we gave freely and experienced the deep connection created by doing so regardless of outcome.  We experienced our thoughts and open hearts create connections with people and help them give and receive with us.  We released attachment to outcomes and held peace, love and connectedness in our hearts.  It was a beautiful and fulfilling evening for all 

The Universal Hour of Peace began at 11:30 PM with an open-eyed still mind meditation.  The Universal Peace Covenant was read at midnight, and we shared what we were grateful for until 12:30 AM and closed with a Circle of Love.  The evening concluded with peace, appreciation, laughter, love, joy, and a board game among divine friends.  What a beautiful way to begin 2010 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Ryan Jones reporting 

In Oklahoma City we built upon last year's thought-form of an interfaith event where religious leaders from the community participated by speaking and sharing their faith.  We did a few things differently this year that worked really well.  First, we held our event at a different location, the United Life Spiritual Center, a Church of Religious Science.  Second, instead of just speaking, we invited the religious leaders to lead the group in a ceremony or ritual from their faith tradition.  This allowed the participants to experience many different faiths.  Four religious leaders participated and about 45 people attended.  This event gave the students at the Oklahoma City School of Metaphysics a way to give their attention to the city in new ways and to think more globally about what they are learning and what the School of Metaphysics has to offer 

Springfield, Missouri (Angela Caruso reporting)

Excitement was in the air as students from the Springfield, Missouri branch of the School of Metaphysics met at Christ Church Unity to bring peace into the New Year.  Socializing and food were early highlights of the evening.  One side of the room had a banner that people could sign and artistically create their ideas of peace on.  The other side was a mosaic peace mandala, where participants placed their tiles with thoughts of peace.  After eating, we went around the room and shared how we create peace in our own lives.  It was great to receive many ideas of peace.  We then enjoyed a beautiful song from a peace pipe accompanied by a peace story from a participant.  As the New Year approached, we entered the sanctuary for a guided meditation.  At midnight we read the Peace Covenant together as One Voice.  The event proved to be a great example of creating a new community of peace for our city 

Tulsa, Oklahoma (Bryon Parrino reporting 

The Tulsa School of Metaphysics held an event at the downtown Unity Center.  It began with refreshments and people purposefully asking each other what they love followed by two workshops, Inner Harmony and Sharing Peace.  During Inner Harmony, participants listened to music inspired by Holy Scriptures from SOM Publishing’s Hope CD and then drew and shared what came to mind. Our youngest participant, seven-year-old Ethan Joice, drew himself smiling with hearts around him for his friends and family.  In Sharing Peace, participants created thoughts of peace that they wrote down.  Then in two groups, they shared their thoughts with each person, practicing complete giving and receiving.  "This was a very deep-within experience, and [I had] a connection with others that I've never experienced before,” a student, Nancy, shared.  “When we…shared our thoughts of peace, I felt much more connected…with people.  I loved it. 

Afterward, I shared about the Still Mind and read from Still Mind, Present Moment, Open Heart by Dr. Daniel Condron.  A still mind experience followed.  Information about the upcoming Still Mind, Present Moment, Open Heart event in March was afterward shared 

At 11:30 PM the Universal Hour of Peace began.  The Universal Peace Covenant was discussed and listened to in English and other languages recorded on SOM Publishing’s One Voice CD.  At midnight we aligned with the Once Voice Peace Initiative by simultaneously reading the Covenant with others in the Central Time Zone.  A guided visualization followed that concluded with expectant listening.

The event was well promoted with fliers, a bulk mailing, an article published in a popular, local magazine called Natural Awakenings as well as contacting some groups and the media.  More students and friends of the School are invested in the Universal Hour of Peace this year. "The people that came were the ones we personally invited,” noted Dawn, an up-coming teacher.  “Next time…everyone should personally invite at least 2 people and we should do this for classes too.”  Word of mouth is powerful – the majority of those who attended came because someone personally invited them.  The remainder came because they received a love-filled holiday card in the mail from us asking them to come.

“I personally received how blessed I am to accelerate my growth with exceptional souls through a vehicle like the School of Metaphysics,” remarked Director Bryon Parrino.  “I embraced more fully my duty as a leader of many and visualize myself living this in the years to come.”

When asked about her thoughts on the experience, Linda, a student, said, "Peacefully enriching; personally fulfilling; social expansion; fabulous experience."  Poetic…it's a new side of Linda.  “I'm grateful to have such love-filled leaders to create with,” Parrino concluded.

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