Meetings > Meeting Notes > May 4, 2008
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May 4, 2008
Evolving Faith Consciousness
Don L. Nickerson, author of The Healing of Teddy Bears—Creating an Imaginative Faith, will make an interactive presentation addressing major themes of his book on evolving faith consciousness. He will underline how a shift of faith consciousness, from externalized authority to internal, mystical consciousness, generates both creative delight and inclusiveness.
A former long-time Gestalt and Bioenergetic therapist in Portland, Mr. Nickerson draws upon a 40-year background in energetic sensitivity when he theorizes about a characteristic theme of his book and of his ION’S presentation: “Positioning our consciousness so that it is capable of tolerating the tensions of opposites may be the most important attitude of faith we can adopt. It allows us to be open to the multiple aspects of our being—our atheism and agnosticism as well as our spiritual delight, the darkness of our natures as well as our generosities. Once we understand faith as a dynamic, fluid positioning of consciousness, an un-dogmatic innocence of heart, faith is liberated to become transformational; as such, it becomes as powerful, unpredictable, and creative as we could possibly imagine. It is my belief that Being Itself is the energetic core of such a faith, both inspiring it and becoming its manifestation.”
At one time a minister of the United Church of Christ, Mr. Nickerson was for 22 years adjunct professor of Gestalt Process in the Graduate School of Counseling at Lewis and Clark College in Portland. He also was Director of Counseling for 10 years. Leaving that position, he founded the Energetics Counseling Center of Milwaukie, which evolved into the multi-faceted Ariadne Professional Center, where he was its director for 10 years.
A poet, Mr. Nickerson is currently bringing his poetry, reflections, and aphorisms into a third book for publication, “Sunlight Tilting.” Since 2001 he and his wife, former Portland psychologist Linda Larsen, have been retired in Tucson, Arizona.
Elizabeth's notes from the discussion:
- time of increasing social polarization and increased awareness of oneness – capacity to hold the tension of opposites.
- The person we know the least or have the least in common with may be the one we have the most to learn from. Reduce polarization within ourselves (acknowledge atheism and agnosticism within self)
- when you allow yrself to tolerate something you integrate it. If you push it away, you give it more power.
- religious journey – agnostic to fundamentalism to liberal christian to personal therapy (external theologies) to internalized reference point for faith to mysticism
Mystical Consciousness:
- no absolutes. internal Source, experience based, shared experience.
- Experiential beliefs – identifying reality through subjective experiences.
- Universe is and has always been saturated with mind. Consciousness in inanimate matter.
Sharing of mystical experiences – discussion of silence… how many people even remember months later of an experience that’s outside of their realm of understanding or expectation, or dismiss mystical as a way of protecting ego and framework – resisting change.
story of a friend in hospice. extraordinary happenings. intuitive belief. head of a banquet. host of an experience we were all having, something larger than the obvious occuring in that situation. death, meditation, silence. supple and devoted consciousness. ; tracking energetic happenings. reading the consciousness of his dying friend. observe fight is over. smoke rising from his body. charge in the room. deathbed experiences. mortality. the issue of what faith is. rejoining the One after death. unknown unmeasurable. not what can be proved, but what I believe about it. Choir singing. I heard beautiful harmonious singing. high degree of faith probability. single continuum of events within his friend’s passing.
Capacity to be open to inwardness, the experiences of inwardness and to be surprised by them. Interpret them not as absolutes. Validate as a credential of your journey.
Providential intervention – grounding in a framework of faith. The role of dogma in our development. psychic wounds of combat. Acceptance of the change process – stops along the way.
Must be responsive to your own experiences in the creation of an authentic
faith . being open to every aspect of our own nature.
Own their faith beliefs (atheism) Richard Gilbert, Build Your Own Theology.
All the clay can be used in what you are creating now. Every single
bit of it in molding the faith that you’re evolving.
I am god – internal “wilent audacious consciousness” All
One.
vs. what/who – separates from us, from our experience.
right lobe of brain – center of consciousness for mystical immediate awareness/knowing without any interference.
Until we consciously bear our suffering, we cannot say we’ve suffered. Atheism & anger
What has grown our of your experience of writing the book? Felt compelled,
surprised by the language ongoing dialogue with the book – keep
learning from it. Book has become catalyst for other experiences and
openings. The book itself becomes less significant in this way.
suggested topics and intentions: lowering blood pressure, the role of faith & witness in suffering, miracle healing