| Frequently Asked Questions |
What is the affiliation of the Center For Spiritual Living?The Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa is a member of United Centers for Spiritual Living unitedcentersforspiritualliving.org Is the Center For Spiritual Living a Christian organization?No. While we respect the Judeo-Christian heritage of many of our members, and we see Jesus as a great teacher, someone who knew his oneness with God, we don't worship him or think of him as different in his nature from other people. We see Jesus as an example and inspiration, along with other great spiritual leaders who have come before us. Is New Thought the same as New Age?No. New Age is a general term that describes a broad range of spiritual practices. The term became established in the late 1960s and loosely describes any kind of decentralized western spirituality. “The New Thought Movement or New Thought is a spiritual movement which developed in the United States during the late 19th century and emphasizes metaphysical beliefs. It consists of a loosely allied group of religious denominations, secular membership organizations, authors, philosophers, and individuals who share a set of metaphysical beliefs concerning the effects of positive thinking, the law of attraction, healing, life force, creative visualization and personal power.[1] It promotes the ideas that God is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, all sickness originates in the mind, and 'right thinking' has a healing effect.” www.wikipedia.com Do you believe in life after death?There is no “one size fits all” answer to questions about life after death. We encourage people to explore their own thoughts and be open to learning about other ways of thinking about life and death. Rather than focus on life after death, our teaching proposes that life is eternal. As to where we go and why, just as where we came from and why, these are matters of personal speculation, and people here are free to believe whatever they wish about an afterlife when we leave our current physical expression. Heaven and hell, we believe, are states of mind rather than geographical destinations. One can have a hellish experience or a heavenly one, here and now. Do you condemn homosexuality?No. Differing orientations of affection, regardless of speculation as to their cause, are forms of Spirit's variety in human experience. There is no one right way to be. The Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa is proud to serve the spiritual needs of Gay and Lesbian people, just as they are. Are you opposed to medical care?No, and we never have been. Ernest Holmes wrote, "Since our spiritual understanding is not sufficient to enable us to mentally set bones, we call in a surgeon; since we cannot walk on the water, we take a boat. We can go only as far as our spiritual knowledge takes us." What is a concise way to explain what the Center is to a friend?The Center for Spiritual Living is a community that actively honors and respects the interconnectedness of all life. The Center for Spiritual Living sees a world that works for everyone; a world free of homelessness, violence, war, hunger, separation and disenfranchisement, a world in which there is generous and continuous sharing of heart and resources. What do we practice at the Center for Spiritual Living?We engage in spiritual practices that lead to feeling connected to nature, empowered individually, and inspired as a community. We learn how to live spiritually in all that we do. |
