Being Centered, Being Oneself

As somas, each of us is already meaningfully structured in relation to our changing world – in other words “able to adapt.”  This meaningful structure is “ourselves” – it already exists beneath all of our searching and rational thinking. From a somatic perspective, we are suffering from sensory motor amnesia – that is, we have […]

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Letting Go, Starting Over

As we move into 2014, how many things will be left undone from 2013? Is there such a thing as beginning again? Ralph Waldo Emerson advised: Finish each day (year) and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow […]

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The idea that you should love yourself has been around a long time, but new psychology research shows that this actually is a smart thing to do. Although often confused with self-esteem, Self-Compassion is a separate approach and has significant advantages. This talk will briefly overview the three components of Self-Compassion: (1) self-kindness, (2) recognizing […]

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Holding On To Hope

Victor Frankl, the Viennese psychiatrist, wrote a book entitled “From Death Camp to Existentialism”, a reflection of his experiences in the Nazi death camps during the Second World War. Frankl was a modern Job, except for his sister and himself, the entire family perished in the Holocaust. He says, “To live is to suffer. To […]

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Immigration Update: Policies And Practices

News on immigration policies discussed in the past, recent developments, and the practical realities of how immigration policies are being implemented. Attorney Luca Fagundes, whose legal practice in Sturgeon Bay specializes in the problems of Spanish-speaking immigrants, is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. As an immigrant himself, Luca is ready to help clients in the […]

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Christmas Stories: Other

No Santa, no Jesus, no happy family gatherings. But Christmas stories, nonetheless. Rev. Joan Shiels is a long-time friend and frequent speaker at UUFDC. She likes to share familiar things in new ways.

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Children Will Break Your Heart

A few commiserations and recommendations now that we’re thinking about being with the children over the holidays. The Reverend Joan Shiels has children. So do most of her friends. And she knows that having children is not all coos and cuddles and sweet things. Not by a long shot.

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The Heart Of Religion

In the summer of 1955, the year I graduated from high school, there appeared in the New York Times an extraordinary picture on the front page. It was the picture of a man and a woman standing facing each other. The man was Sergeant Matthew Mckeon, a marine Drill Instructor, the woman was Maggie Meeks. […]

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Mediation is a term and a process that is increasingly being utilized in a variety of contexts and yet it remains poorly understood by many.  What is it? How does it work?  Who uses it?  When does it make sense to try it?  Regardless of your familiarity with the process, this talk is designed to […]

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