The Path Ministry

Topic: The Virtue of Balance and the importance of setting boundaries Our discussion today will be about practicing the Virtue of Balance and how it applies to setting healthy boundaries in our lives. You may find that sometimes people ask more of you than you can safely afford. Balance teaches us that it is okay to tell those people “no;” it does not reflect poorly on you as a Compassionate person, as you are Balancing Compassion with Integrity. In some cases, the most Compassionate thing you can do for a person is let them suffer the consequences of their own actions, so they learn to do better (or not, depending on the person). If somebody was caught driving drunk, for example, maybe let them sit in jail instead of bailing them out. They could have done a lot of harm with their behavior, so they need to learn that they will be punished for it. We must also practice Balance when deciding who we choose to associate with. Our friends should be interesting and involved without bei...

  Sermon #70, August 13 2023 On the Symbolism of Roses Today’s sermon and discussion is going to be about my favorite flower, the rose. We will be talking about the multiple cultures and philosophical organizations that revere the rose and incorporate it into their symbology, as well as the different colors of roses and their ascribed meanings. The aesthetic value, enchanting fragrance, and graceful form of the rose has inspired many different cultures and spiritual practices around the world. In Islam, the red rose represents the blood of the prophet Mohammed, and the white rose is a symbol of martyrdom and sacrifice. Rosicrucians consider the red rose sacred and include it in their special symbolic expression. Roses can also stand for immortality and regeneration. For Freemasons, the rose is a symbol of the rising sun and resurrection. Christians, of course, associate the rose with Jesus and his sacrifice; there is a legend that a rose bush grew on the hill where he died. ...

  Topic: Core Tenet #2 and Practicing all of the Virtues Today we are taking a quote I found online and applying it to the practice of all the Virtues: “One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding is sufficient.  In fact, a man convinced of his virtue even in the midst of his vice is the worst kind of man.” This quote comes to us from Mr. Charles M. Blow, a journalist who writes opinion pieces for the New York Times. While Mr. Blow is probably not familiar with the Path, his words can still inspire us to be more Mindful of all the Virtues and how practicing them has a direct impact on the world. So how do we use the Virtues to avoid doing harm? As always, we begin with Self-Control, exercising our free will and choosing to develop greater empathy and understanding, no matter where we started. These things are mental and spiritual muscles; they must be used in order to be developed. Another aspect of Self-Con...