Hidden Harmony

This summer there's been an upsurge of art projects around town, most of them springing from the need for summer activities, especially for local programs that need to keep kids out of the extreme heat. Once evening rolls around, there are movies or music in the park, sparking a sense of community. Sidewalk rainbow art seems especially prominent in the evenings around the park--no rain yet to wash the chalk away. The colorful sidewalks raised questions about colors, and then olo, and once that started, olo kept coming up on social media feeds, in the strange, annoying way media feeds repeat. Later though, olo led me to a new sense of the hidden harmony of Life.

You might be asking, "What is olo?" Ah, it's a hidden mystery, officially "discovered" in April 2025 by a team of scientists from UC Berkeley. Olo is a color, defined by some as an "imaginary" color, because it apparently is not known to exist in nature. Olo was "generated" by researchers through adaptive optics that map individual cone cells in the retina, and then fire micro-doses of a green laser beam, specifically at the M-cones, producing an intense, saturated blue-green shade of color. Through a complex procedure of lab color-matching tests, light, and washouts, 5 research subjects were able to see that color. The researchers concluded that the olo is outside the range of human view, except under the laboratory protocol. But, if human vision cannot see something, does that mean the color is "imaginary"? Nature abounds with life and capacity that we have yet to recognize. The scientific debate on olo continues, but further studies in this field hold potential for deeper understanding of vision, color, brain function and healing. What other wondrous possibilities does nature hold?

My intent here is to point to the vastness of what we do not know about ourselves, each other, human capacity, and our relationship to nature. The history of humanity, is the history of discovery. Our capacity for imagination is an aspect of our ability to discover. I remember as a child, someone throwing out the challenge, to "imagine a color no one has ever seen." I couldn't get there, couldn't conjure an image beyond what was known, or taught. Now, I sense the vastness of what has yet to be discovered. That vastness includes the likelihood that we as human beings are more alike, more in core agreement, than we have yet to acknowledge, simply because we have sprung from the same source.

This week as summer still thrives, consider a fresh perspective of the underlying harmony of life. Harmony includes the rhythms, sounds, movements that are in accord. It includes agreement. There is so much in the world right now that provokes conflict; the tone of summer becomes dissonant. Is it possible to catch a glimpse of a symmetry hanging just beyond the perimeter of our understanding? Can we give way, even if others can't? (Susan Nettleton)

https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/O/OjibwayAnony/OjibwaySong/index.html https://allpoetry.com/poem/18768773-Olo-by-Extrem https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/S/StevensWalla/housewasquie/index.html https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/K/Kabir/Guestisinsid/index.html

God Upgrade

This second week of August is still summer. Despite the lingering heat, and frequent phone alerts on area fires (essential apps in Southern California), these August evening, are a chance to cool a bit, reconnect with sunsets and neighbors in local events. The days may be too hot to venture out much, but the cool-down of evenings can be lovely. Last weekend, I attended a nearby fun "concert in the park", and then went home to meditate. The shift to silence sparked a startling thought: "Maybe it's time to Upgrade God."

I considered my own ideas of God and the limits of human consciousness. When I use the title "God" in the context of these posts or my talks, I am always careful to offer alternative labels: the Transcendent, the All, the Source, the Ultimate, Unknown, or even, simply Life. I do that to expand your (and my) awareness that God is not a person. Yet, the feeling hovers, the traditions hover, even the Biblical and other religious scriptures, fall back back on this sense of God as Person, capitalized when written of course, and most often assumed to be Male. Within every religion though, there are depths and esoteric teachings that expand beyond gender, beyond form.

I also considered that pinning down a personal construct of God is slippery. Religion, which houses the spiritual aspect of life, holds centuries and centuries of doctrine and history. Modern times have given us the opportunity to explore that history and expand our own beliefs through the experience of others. Whether we can retain that broad access in the future is not completely clear, given the emergence of A.I. and a possible devaluation of literacy. Still, spiritual experience, though obviously influenced by the ideas and experiences of others, is uniquely personal. Hence the adage: "God is not a Person, but God is personal." Your God, is Personal. Ernest Holmes put it this way, "God is not a person; God is a presence, personified in us. Spirituality is not a thing; it is the atmosphere of God's Presence, Goodness, Truth, and Beauty."

What do we truly know of the Universe, of its origin, or of our own existence? We have the ancient stories, before writing, before print, that offer the understanding of their times. We have modern cosmology, research and theory. We have the construct of Big Bang and the Higgs boson "God Particle". We have theory, but really, we have Mystery, "Atmosphere". We have our individual encounters of Understanding, or Acceptance. This week, take some time to search within for your direct connection to the Mystery of Life. Can God expand in you? Why not contemplate an Upgrade? (Susan Nettleton)

https://onbeing.org/poetry/go-to-the-limits-of-your-longing/ https://www.chisholme.org/resources/overview/meister-eckhart.html https://marietaylor.ink/2020/05/09/a-flower-no-more-than-itself/

August Action

We have entered August, and the phrase August Action appeals to me right now. California is still under its heatwave, as is the Southwest in general, and devastating summer fires are still bursting in the Northern Hemisphere. There's plenty of government upheaval, policy shifts and cancelled programs, along with generally disturbing warnings about food, health, safety (and of course, finances) in various parts of the country. And, America is still at war. On the other hand, as I parked my car on the curb the other afternoon, this fiery flower captivated my attention. Note the clear turquoise sky, and greenery all around.

The next day, someone unexpectedly sent me these yellow flower pictures from their yard, with the simple caption "Competition"! I voted for the star. The Natural world remains, nurtured by human hands and tools.

These are my reminders of the living world, of human discovery and creativity, even if threat and uncertainty loom. Come alive!  Alive is movement, alive is action, alive is creation. This week i am inspired by a series of news from friends. Despite plaguing age issues, one friend wrote summer had renewed her. She climbs the hill to her vegetable and flower garden everyday to plant, weed, water and harvest both food and beauty--the food will be given to the local community; the beauty heals her heart.  Another friend revealed that she has channeled years of art to initiate a website-gallery selling her paintings, lovely and delicate miniatures. This same week, another friend emailed me pictures of a subdivision/environmental housing project that he envisioned years ago, and now has fueled him with action. The construction pictures of the framed buildings, frame his joy as well. Yet another friend sent me the files of his newly completed book project, asking for my comments and support. All of these announcements arrived as July was ending and August begins.

We are not stuck. We are alive. You are a contribution to the Whole. What action is calling you as August begins? Don't judge it or yourself. Just take that step in front of you. (Susan Nettleton)

for poetry: https://poets.org/poem/summer-day https://www.thehealingpoems.com/a-nation-reimagined.html https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57673/to-be-of-use

Heat Wave

It's hot. No matter what you call it--Heat Dome, Omega block, Extreme Heat, or Climate Change--right now, it's severe. I just returned home after a short shopping run and I verify it's brutal out there. The air conditioning in my place is doing a great job, but a neighbor up the street has lost power and is headed for a hotel. L.A. County power is mostly holding its own, and open cooling centers dot the area. Still, the rhythm of life is disrupted. That disruption extends across the U.S. for approximately 70 million people. It's not just hot here, but Europe is having it's own struggles with the extreme heat and climate shifts.

While we wrestle with unknowns (the actual future impact of shifting climates) and serious political divides, these escalating weather changes provoke human beings to adapt. This is clearly not a unified plan of change and adaptation, yet still, person to person, community to community, we are learning through direct experience--sometimes tragic, sometimes supported, sometimes intuitive. In recent days, driving around with various family members in this heat, I began to realize when we had pushed too much, when more hydration would have been helpful, when cooling off breaks were needed, when some plans just should have been postponed.

It occurs to me that learning is adaptation and adaptation does require learning. These times of extreme weather now seem to me to include Nature's 'updates' on a shifting, living planet. While our satellites and sophisticated monitors of weather patterns remain essential equipment for scientific data and research, equally essential is our individual, human capacity to pay attention. We inevitably participate in Nature's change. The job is to participate with intelligence awareness. Our Natural world is changing in response to human activity--cultural activity, personal activity, your activity, my activity. Our Natural world is also likely changing in response to other, as yet unknown, undiscovered factors.

Consider that within this heat wave, or any other weather pattern, is a corresponding, adaptive response, latent in our minds, hearts, bodies. We are not separate from Nature. Consider, too, such care, our care, our connection, naturally extends to other humans, and a reciprocal care of the natural world. Don't just fight the heat, lean into it...listen...and keep cool. (Susan Nettleton)

for poetry: https://poetrysociety.org.uk/poems/like-a-heatwave-burning/ https://poets.org/poem/speaking-tree https://johannashapiro.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/THE-PEACE-OF-WILD-THINGS.pdf

from July 19, 2026 Zoom talk

Our topic this morning: Summer Surrender 2026. As I was watching outdoor pools going up, I remembered that almost every summer, Larry Morris would speak on spiritual Surrender, comparing the process to learning to swim by first daring to float on your back, then discovering the water will actually hold you up, if you let it. You give way, and let the water hold you, while you float. In surrender, we let Life, the Larger Life, the Transcendent Life, the Current of Life, God, hold us, hold all our parts together, lead us, carry us. The idea is in spiritual surrender, there is a new ease of being, a sense of belonging in this time and this place. Wherever you find yourself right now, if your are struggling, surrender ends the struggle. Thinking of all this, I had to add 2026 to my title, because Summer Surrender, 2026 mode, is...complicated. It's a way of saying let's calibrate to the times in which we live, knowing the collective upheavals of this year and knowing we are on the threshold of further change. It is "Summer time and the living is easy"/vs. the gnawing sense of pressure, and upheaval. How do you see the world right now? If you reach toward a spiritual universe, a just and kind and forgiving universe, you find it. If you reach into doom and gloom, and everyone fending for themselves, you find it. So the first layer here of summer surrender is a truthfulness from your own context, and giving yourself permission to find a spiritual space of ease. Summer Surrender 2026 is still a call to Spiritual Surrender as our response.

Let's look, though, at 2026 summer stressors for a moment. Instead of easy floating on the water, we can be bombarded by floating fears, stress and anxiety. I'm thinking of A.I., healthcare, midterm elections, climate shifts--I keep getting notices about El Nino this year. Sometimes we have this layered effect--trauma (fires) (air quality) immigration fears (ICE) financial fears, weather shifts, escalating housing costs, while what we are really seeking is is faith and trust. A.I. can be a source of floating fear. News this last week across the U.S. included fire pollution from Canada, severe flooding in Texas, extreme heat in California. We can deal with community areas, but when you become aware, through news flashes of simultaneous alarms across the country and the globe, the commutative affect can be overwhelming. It's difficult to find a balanced perspective. In the past community served as a safety net and support. Here we are online, not the same as traditional community, but we do connect. Connections with others does matter. The field of Spiritual Surrender includes human support.

When I was chief resident at UNM mental health center, I had the opportunity to escort Jerome Frank,Professor, and Psychiatrist at John Hopkins, around campus. He was there to be interviewed on the University radio in support of the anti-nuclear movement that peaked during the late 70's and early 80's. He was one of the founders the Physicians for Social Responsibility, an activist in very intense times. He had studied in Germany during the rise of Nazism, and he served as a military psychiatrist in the Pacific when the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima. His book Persuasion and Healing is a classic. In this brief time together, he shared with me the power of activism as the antidote to collective and individual fear and despair. Doing something, taking action, rather than collapsing in fear, promotes resilience. Do something. I am putting that "do something" in a spiritual context. It may seem like a contradiction, to talk about taking action while using a metaphor of floating buoyancy and surrender. But this summer surrender is about giving way to what you are given to do/be when the stress level escalates. You can't personally solve the world's problems, or what we label and perceive as problems. But you can participate. You can belong. You can surrender to doing what is yours to do. (Susan Nettleton)

Poetry from today's talk: https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/W/WaltersDorot/TheySpeak/index.html https://sevengoodthings.com/be-ground-be-crumbled-so-wildflowers-will-come-up-where-you-are-youve-been-stony-for-too-many-years-try-something-different-surrender-poem-jalaluddin-rumi/ https://www.graceguts.com/poems-by-others/why-i-am-happy https://sacredpoetryproject.com/this-only/

Money Woes

Last Sunday, I encouraged you to cultivate a sense of calm after the intensity of July 4th, American Independence Day. Now, consider deepening that calm in specific areas of your life that cause you distress. As individuals, we have our personal challenges. Collectively, we have a summer dominated by global politics and American mid-term elections. The summer has also brought intense showcasing of rapidly developing A.I., and uncertainty about the role it will actually assume in the years ahead. Yet, specifically, this week, I am reflecting on one of the foremost source of worry for a majority of Americans--Money. Personal finances, income, debt (past and future), affordability. Affordability is merged with another top worry: the cost of healthcare. Ironically, we are bombarded by ads, workshops, and financial articles on ways to "acquire wealth", while social media is eager to post stories of billionaires. Yet, polls show a range of 70 to 85% of Americans, worry about their finances. Perhaps. the ads, showcasing of the rich, etc., actually escalate the worry....

How do we approach this real-world concern from a spiritual perspective and from a deeper calm. As writer Tom Robbins put it, "There is a certain Buddhist calm from having money in the bank." It's hard to argue with that fundamental truth of calm, regardless of how the writer intended it. Buddha, on the other hand, said, "It’s a good thing to be satisfied with what one has.” And,“Should someone do good, let them do it again and again. They should develop this habit, for the accumulation of goodness brings joy.” The Buddha...When we turn to Biblical references we have: “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.” – Ecclesiastes 5:10. We have various Biblical reminders that "you can't take it with you." Psalm 49:16-17: “Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.” We have the reassurance of Matthew 6 31:33,  “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ .... For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." In Islam, working to achieve wealth is considered an aspect of the spiritual life. But that wealth is to be achieved justly, shared with others, and understood as temporary in the greater reality of Paradise. Ultimately, all wealth belongs to Allah.

In the various traditions of New Thought, money is an aspect of the larger theme of Prosperity. And prosperity flows from the infinite abundance of God. It's interesting to pause for a moment and reflect on the early history of New Thought as primarily an American religion, growing out of our 19th century refusal of rigid religious ideas. The phenomenal success of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby as a healer, and his understanding of the mental aspects of illness-- the role of belief in illness and healing-- established Quimby as the foremost founder of New Thought. His exploration of his healings led him to believe he had rediscovered the method by which Jesus healed. Over time, his ideas were expanded through other teachers and philosophers, with the caveat, "as you think, as you believe, so you experience." As Ernest Holmes put it, "“The Science of Mind is the study of Life and the nature of the laws of thought; the conception that we live in a spiritual Universe; that God is in, through, around and for us.” Prosperity then is the acceptance of that Universe, and money is one of the forms it takes. As Larry Morris used to say, "Money is Green Energy"; it is part of the way we create, give, and receive in this world.

My intent here is to encourage your personal reflection on money, as an aspect of your spiritual life. In these times, our capacity to shift into calm mode, includes money-calm. It's a fine week to practice and discover your way. (Susan Nettleton)

https://tsnshift.s3.amazonaws.com/courses_attachments/EnneagramOfVirtues01-Module10-Materials-ThisPlaceofAbundancebyCatherineofSiena.pdf https://inspirewithpoetry.com/inspirational-poetry/success-by-ralph-waldo-emerson/ https://readalittlepoetry.com/2025/09/10/the-sun-by-mary-oliver/

Calm

As the 4th of July parades, parties, and fireworks wind down, and the smoke clears (on various levels), today, and all week long, is a good time to renew a sense of calm. The traditional idea of Sunday as a day of rest is perhaps best upgraded to a day of calm. Even in the excitement of the World Cup, the world stage, and whatever political or personal surprises are in store for us this week, we can set our personal response at "cultivating calm", rather than setting it for drama. Summer is here. The world of Nature awaits our participation, and that too can bring calm. A walk, the work and satisfaction of gardening, the shared shelter of shade, bird song, wild rabbits and squirrels darting across lawns, frogs and fish ponds, are all offering their calming gifts.

I confess that yesterday my initial plunge into calm faltered. After the morning rush to the local parade, the rest of the day was unplanned, but my grandchildren were pushing to see the new Minion movie--not a Nature Walk! A series of events and a sudden change of plans, put me in the chaperone/driver's seat with very excited children. In a last minute rush to the nearest theater, (across holiday L.A., traffic) I turned to Siri for directions. Our usual movie spot wasn't far, but time was short, traffic was heavy, and the kids conveyed a sense of urgency. The directions warned of street closures and road work, but I just followed Siri along, until I realized we were way passed the theater area. Siri had "chosen" a different movie!

The urgency escalated in the back seat, until I could pull out of traffic, regroup and re-direct. We dodged the construction, found our usual place, and amazingly, a parking spot. There were a few more glitches with tickets, sodas, popcorn. Even though we did slip in a bit late, the kids were immediately absorbed in the story. And I had time to think about this post. I realized how tense I was--how the pressured drive, the pressured morning, was far from calm. So for me, the cushioned seat in the dark theater was the place to feed the calm and allow the body to let go. This is the way of spiritual intent. I had barely outlined this post, when I was presented with the perfect opportunity to practice it, and then, I find myself in a theater, slowly, slowly unwinding to calm.

Consider also collective calm. That may sound strange or impossible, but humanity is jointly woven, not just to Nature, but to one another. Calm is contagious. The world is large. If you cannot find contagious calm physically where you are, expand your reach. As I write now, there are between 8.3 and 8.4 billion people on the planet. I guarantee you, across the planet, there are times of calm, minds of calm, stretches of peace. Yes, there is suffering and tragedy, and yes, there is celebration and revelry. But today, I am invoking calm. And I encourage you, wherever the week leads you, to cultivate that calm space within you. (Susan Nettleton) for poetry: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=874 https://poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/T/ThomasRS/Butsilencein/index.html https://www.graceguts.com/poems-by-others/why-i-am-happy

Summer Joy

This week, the calendar will turn from June to July, and while the week ahead will be building to to the 4th of July, I am not ready to let June go without reflecting on this short, simple poem by Larry Morris:

June is the Joy of God!

One can argue, of course, that the Joy of God is here all year long, available daily, available now in this moment, not exclusive to the month of June. Still, there is a Grace to the lens of June, and our recognition of spring that has now shifted into summer. Human emotions are far from a steady receptivity to Life as Joy. Given wars, earthquakes, fires, and deadly disease that fuel the news, how can we think about, let alone actually feel, a Joyous Universe?

Consider our human capacity to choose meaning. We give meaning to events. I am giving meaning--deep meaning--to a 6 word poem. That meaning makes me more aware of Life around me, not just the routine of days, or the jarring of world events. When I choose to see the tasks in front of me, or reflect back on the day's events, or remember conversations and/or interactions with others, placing them all in the frame of "God's Joy", the axis of meaning shifts.

We are fed by the meaning we consume. Bitter, hopeless consumption, will make your life feel bitter and hopeless. Allowing yourself a space of Joy, regardless of world events, brings renewed reassurance of Life as essential Goodness. This essential Goodness goes beyond separate self interest; it enfolds to include your concern and care of others.

Experiencing Joy in this sense, is a short cut. Paradoxically, Joy isn't something you can fabricate. You can't make yourself feel joy. Start instead by giving God, or the Universe, the freedom to be Joyful. Our fears and deep concerns about ourselves and those we care for, and our concerns about the future--our future, and world events--can harden our spiritual life. We look for understanding, yet easily turn to blame. Instead, stay open to a wondrous awareness of Joy all around you, here, where you are. As Tagore wrote, "And joy is everywhere; it is in the earth's green covering of grass; in the blue serenity of the sky." The Joy I am writing about is not your private, personal Joy. It is your your recognition, your participation, your enfoldment in the Joy of Life. So it is not a struggle. It comes to you, Joyously. July is also, the Joy of God. (Susan Nettleton)

For Poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12686/keep-me-fully-glad 
https://emilydickinsonpublicdomain.com/2026/01/12/tis-so-much-joy-tis-so-much-joy/ https://openheartproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Mind-Wanting-More-by-Holly-Hughes.pdf

Life's Rhythm

This Sunday has me feeling the rhythm of life. Well, multiple rhythms. Today is Father's Day; we dedicate a day to Fathers in an annual rhythm. And, we have reached the Summer Solstice. Daylight is at it's peak in the Northern Hemisphere as night recedes. Even if today is overcast or stormy, daylight still reigns over night, shrinking a relative tiny bit, so bask in the Light as you can. The weather forecast in L.A. county has high heat warnings for the week ahead, and https://heat.gov/ shows a great swath of heat warnings across the southern U.S.A. Pay attention to all those warnings. Yet, consider the cooler evenings of Solstice light as a gift of the rhythm of Nature, the rhythm of Life.

Even with the heat, this return of Summer Solstice, like the phases of the moon, and the rotating seasons, teaches us that life is rhythmic. And in that sense of rhythm, life is music; life is dance. In the human sphere, changes like extreme heat are experienced as disruptive to our human order of life. Here in L.A county, there has been a series of fires popping up as summer begins, including a big one last Wednesday. A massive warehouse fire in Boyle heights necessitated 'shelter in place' orders, and evening, 'wear-a-mask or stay-in-the-house-until-the-smoke-clears' warnings that reached the mountain areas where I live. It took until Saturday for the warnings to lift, and then be re-instated by further flare-ups. On one level, the daily human rhythm was disrupted (putting it mildly), on the other hand, the community, certainly the fire and police departments and immediately threatened neighborhoods, and even the freeway traffic (including the influx of World Cup traffic!), shifted to the rhythms of necessity. So much of human intervention, blindly separates human activity from the Natural World. Yet, humans do respond to life rhythms. We just haven't learn to relate our actions to the rhythm of Nature all around us.

The dictionary definition of rhythm gives us 'regular recurrence" or "patterns in time" that are applied to various "natural phenomena, language, or art." But Nature is never limited to such definition. The human body is rhythmic; breath is rhythmic, cardiac function is rhythmic, sleep/wake is rhythmic. The discipline of firefighters, police, hospitals, drivers of all sorts, as well as, the functioning of stores, food sources, suppliers of all that sustain civilization, and even the government, with its argumentative upheavals, all move within Life's rhythm. We respond, usually unconsciously, to the rhythmic all around us, to patterns that are taken for granted.

This week, I invite you to a new awareness of the rhythmic order underlying human scrambling. Start with your own awareness of the rhythms of your life, and your own rhythmic patterns. Is it possible, that your rhythm is actually in tune with the Cosmos? Life is Large. There are patterns embedded in patterns. Follow the rhythm guiding you. Let it keep you safe and free. (Susan Nettleton)

For poetry: https://poets.org/poem/song-myself-50 https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45521/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud https://allpoetry.com/poem/13846951-Finding-Your-Rhythm-by-Arlene-Corwin

Help

When I began this post last Friday, the temperature in L.A. County had soared to 90º, not the weather for struggle. Now, the heat has settled somewhat, simmering in the 80's, while this Sunday, the President's birthday, simmers with politically-charged protests (No Kings and supporting events) across the country, and the White House promotes a Martial Arts Competition. Quite an agenda for a Sunday. My intention is to re-route your attention to a spiritual perspective as the day, and the week ahead, unfold. The heat and the political competitions have had me seeking a spiritual shortcut until I remembered Larry Morris' practice of the simple prayer, "Help!"

Larry's spiritual cries for "Help" were usually very funny, but he also told stories of his desperation, when the only solution he could manage was a prayerful cry of "Help!' In one story, after a long day and late night of research, he left the University of New Mexico library, exiting the building through a side door with no nearby lighting. In the deep dark, he tripped and fell, painfully dislocating his ankle. He couldn't get up. In shock, he sat awhile on the concrete, despondent, not knowing what to do. All that came to him was the word "Help." "Help" became prayer. Unexpectedly, another nearby door opened in the dark and a man appeared. In the shadowy light, Larry recognized him as one of the Philosophy professors. The professor was able to help Larry stand, and, with his car nearby, drove them both to the emergency room. The professor stayed while the staff (more help) assessed and treated the injury, and then he drove Larry home. The accident sparked a 30 year friendship. In another story, Larry was embroiled in an impossible on and off relationship, full of youthful angst and drama. One evening, he walked to a nearby park, and lay in the summer grass. He was emotionally drained, still unable to take any action to change things. He looked up a the sky and exhaled the prayer, "Help." This time, he added from some depth within, "I'll do anything to get out of this." Then he dragged himself home. In a few weeks, the whole configuration had dissolved, and he entered a new phase of life.

These types of experiences pull us into the core of relatedness--not just some imagined spiritual realm, but a spiritual realm that includes the interweaving of lives, of creatures, of uncountable forms that are all expressions of this Life. The prayer for "Help" is a form of petitionary prayer. The heart of traditional religious prayer is our dependency on a Larger Field of Life, beyond our individual capacity to manage a situation. We frame that dependency in various ways, based on religious upbringing or other exposure to the collective idea of God, or a Higher Power, along with ideas of guiding Angels and/or Saints--something/someone, greater than our own capacity in the moment of need. New Thought, on the other hand, encourages affirmative prayer--a confident expression of our capacity to manifest the Good directly; it affirms ownership of our minds and hearts, as unique expressions and vital aspects of God. These two paths can blend into each other, in the greater Mystery of Life and Transcendence.

But maybe the value of the prayer of "Help" is it's simplicity and humility. Not a humility that strips us of dignity, but rather an acceptance that we reach our limits when we view our circumstances as singular. The "Help" prayer reconnects us to the human condition. We rely on other. We discover "other" is never truly other. Other is more like brother, like mother, like lover, sister, father, child--other is even self. Consider this week, the simple prayer for Help. (Susan Nettleton) for poetry: https://www.thebeatles.com/help-1 https://poetandpoem.com/Dame-Edith-Sitwell/Answers https://optimisticbeacon.com/2025/05/28/helping-a-poem-by-shel-silverstein/