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The Power of Prayer and Infinite Possibility

Week 6: The Power of Synchronicity:

The Divine Sequence

Facilitator Guide

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Week 6: The Power of Synchronicity: The Divine Sequence

1. Welcome –

2. Opening prayer

3. Daily Word: Divine Order

I am one with the Divine Order of the universe.

All things should be done decently and in order. Corinthians 14:40

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

4. Inspirational quotes

I trust in the ebb and flow of the universe. I trust that life’s bigger than what I can see. I trust that there is a divine order beyond my control.

And I trust that no matter what happens, I will be alright. Oprah Winfrey

Synchronicity is choreographed by a great pervasive intelligence that lies at the heart of nature and is manifest in each of us through intuitive knowledge.

Deepak Chopra

5. Check in – “aha” moments, desire manifestations, seedling updates, concerns,

etc. (Limit to 2 minutes per person.)

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The week’s material

In every moment, the Universe is whispering to you. You’re constantly surrounded by sign, coincidences and synchronicities,

all aimed at propelling you in the direction of your destiny. Denise Linn What have we learned so far about the power of prayer and possibility?

1. Science has shown that everything is made of energy – which cannot be created or destroyed, only its form changed. The focus of our attention changes reality itself, suggesting that we live in a participatory, interactive universe. The universe and everything in it share a field of energy, which is known by many names.

Charles Filmore said, “Science has opened up a ‘kingdom’ having all the possibilities of the kingdom of heaven taught by Jesus – a kingdom within us to be exercised constructively through our minds under divine law.” Jesus repeatedly demonstrated the ability to affect matter through his communion with the Divine Mind – creating what we call miracles.

2. Prayer is our communion with the Divine. We say, “Our thoughts are prayers,” but it is our emotion – the FEELING in the communication that is actually the prayer – not the words. IN effective prayer, we FEEL as if our desires have already been made manifest and we infuse those feelings with gratitude.

3. The greatest teacher of possibility was Jesus. He used the power of quantum physics to

activate the creative energies of the Infinite. Whether he fed 5000 with a few loaves and fishes, turned water into wine or raised the dead, Jesus never questioned the possibility of these demonstrations - what we call miracles. He knew how the Universe works! And tried to teach his disciples, repeatedly. Knowing is the most powerful state of awareness. It’s where we find peace, sacred serenity. Knowing is being positive – not feeling. It’s knowing with certainty that all outcomes in the physical world are perfect - because they are “co-created, collaboratively manifested and jointly produced to exactly serve the agenda of every soul in every situation in every moment in every place.”

4. Our intention propels the energy that creates our reality. Unity principle: Thoughts have

creative power to determine events and attract experiences. Science has proven science that our mere observation affects energy – both matter and potential (wave-particle duality). 3 We cannot be separate from the infinite creative energy of the Divine. Our error thoughts create the illusion of separation. Intention does not act against anything; rather, it pulls toward it.

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You receive what you desire for others. Call it karma, the law of attraction or whatever. It’s how the universe works… the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” You will reap what you sow.

5. When the brain and heart are in a state of coherence, we feel calm, balanced, yet energized. We are in a higher frequency vibration when our mind and emotions are in resonance with our heart’s core values – our own true self.

There is no universally accepted operational definition of consciousness. According to current belief, there are three aspects to consciousness: Conscious mind/ego – awareness of the present moment and surroundings and some mental functions; Subconscious mind – includes accessible information we are not aware of, but can access - memories, ideas, beliefs, underlying bias and the emotions attached to them; and Unconscious mind – those aspects we are not aware of and can’t be brought to the surface, such as how cells divide, beating the heart or digestion.

The levels of spiritual consciousness have been defined as: Higher Self/Superconsciousness - a heightened awareness that comprehends both material and physical reality – and the energy beyond; Christ Consciousness - the state believed to have been held by Jesus; and Cosmic Consciousness – a state higher than that possessed by ordinary man.

This week we’ll explore Divine Order, coincidence and synchronicity– how the Universe conspires to guide us to our Highest Good. A Divine Sequence? In Unity, we refer to Divine Order a lot – affirming that everything in our lives serves a higher purpose – regardless of the outward appearance, unpleasantness or situation. On a grand scale, Divine Order orchestrates the universe – creating stars, galaxies and solar systems – grows each blade of grass, enables each cell to divide and entwines each strand of DNA. Beyond our human understanding, Divine Order moves the electrons in an atom, is the presence that manifests all at the right and perfect time and sequences the events of our world. It is beyond our human comprehension to grasp a presence so intelligent, so loving, so powerful that everything seen and unseen is created of and by this energy. Divine Order may well be the empowering, creative power - the right and perfect sequence this sacred presence employs to bring forth from the realm of infinite possibility.

This is what Charles Fillmore said about Divine Order: “As we continue to grow in the consciousness of God as omnipresent life and substance, we no longer have to put our trust in accumulations of money or other goods. We are sure that each day’s need will be met, and we do not deprive ourselves of today’s enjoyment and peace in order to provide for some future and wholly imaginary need. In this consciousness our life becomes divinely ordered, and there is a balance in supply and finances as in

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everything else. We do not deprive ourselves of what we need today; neither do we waste our substance in foolish ways nor deplete it uselessly. The realization of God as OMNIPRESENT LIFE AND SUBSTANCE will help protect us from disrupting the order and balance needed in our thinking about health and prosperity.”

Deep in the throes of a traumatic, heart-breaking or devastating life event or situation, we simply cannot see how a loving God could have any hand in this – much see how this will contribute to our Highest Good and joy. How often, though, we look back years later and see that the event or situation was not only a blessing, the resulting gifts truly propelled us on a wonderful new path. Losing a job actually led to a fabulous new position or even a new career. The devastating end of one relationship opened the door to meet the person who would become your beloved life-long partner. The ability to see the Divine in the midst of chaos is the realization that we are not alone; a sacred power is breathing us, flowing through us, unfolding our Oneness. What a perfect time to be exploring Divine Order! Our world is in the throes of a global pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 and cost more than 40 million people their jobs in our own country, wrecked nations’ economies, devastated travel and exacerbated the divide between the “haves” and the “have nots.” Communist countries are doing their best to maintain control of their captive people and wreak havoc in the free countries – by any means. To the external view, we are on a rapidly downward spiral around the world. Then, add the protests against the injustices against Americans of color - many of which have evolved into violent, destructive riots - that have further illustrated the inequities and discrimination that plague our nation. These protests in support of a more just society have spread to Europe and as far away as New Zealand. Can all this chaos and anguish actually be a vital step in creating a greater, higher order that will bring a new peace, freedom and equality? It’s possible! Chaos theory, a branch of mathematics focusing on the study of chaos, is “an interdisciplinary theory stating that, within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, interconnectedness, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization.” Co-called because of the title of a paper given by Edward Lorenz in 1972 to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C., entitled Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas?, the butterfly effect, an underlying principle of chaos, describes how a small change “in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state (meaning that there is sensitive dependence on initial conditions). Had the butterfly not flapped its wings - small change in the initial condition of the system - the trajectory of the overall system could have been vastly different. The smallest of differences produce large effects - the hallmark of a chaotic system. (Think one microscopic virus.)

Fritjof Capra, a physicist at the University of California at Berkeley, said “The grim picture of cosmic evolution was in sharp contrast with the evolutionary thinking among nineteenth century biologists, who observed that the living universe evolves from disorder to order, toward states of ever-increasing

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complexity.” Simply put, evolutionary advances are often a result of catastrophic revolutions. He believes that, in some mysterious fashion, chaos can produce evolutionary advance in every aspect – from the cosmic dynamics to the unseen organisms to our daily lives.

After each period of great conflict and chaos – world wars, plagues, social movements and acts of terrorism- we have seen profound advances in global relations/cooperation, technology and economic growth. The world united against those who would overthrow nations and have remained aligned to ensure freedom; science and medicine made life-saving discoveries after the ravages of diseases; people joined together to heal and rebuild after terrorists tried to destroy our way of life; and we’ve made social changes to address inequities in the way some people are treated, including women’s, LGBQ and African American rights. And countries united to help those whose lives have been devastated by “natural disasters” - earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis and wildfires.

The Middle East’s 5000-year-old battles continue. Religious groups literally battle for control and status – determined that they alone have the true, right beliefs. Regimes destroy their own countries for the sake of being in “power” and displace millions and millions of people who seek refuge from the violence. Sadly, considering the ongoing events and revelations, we still have far to go in humanity’s evolution.

Then there’s the way we have and continue to treat planet Earth, which may create the biggest disaster of all. We see the man-made chaos – islands of plastic garbage in the ocean, undrinkable water, filthy air and Climate Change that is eroding and devastating many areas around the world. Will this chaos bring forth a new awareness, a world-wide commitment to stop our pollution and greed-based consumption? As water becomes the most valuable commodity and food becomes scarce in some areas due to drought, how will we share resources? Will we?

Are these chaos-instigated events and conditions actually elements in a series – a sequence – that is Divinely orchestrated?

How can these outwardly horrible things possibly be part of Divine Order? Before you assert and judge the “should” outcomes, remember that there are other possible issues at work here; 1) We have no idea what the affected individuals/souls have come to Earth to experience – to learn or teach; and 2) We have no idea what these awful situations will manifest in anyone’s life – a healing? A release to something greater? A karmic resolution? Judgement is not our job; our responsibility is to love and bless all to their Highest Good, regardless of the outer appearances! Period. First, we need to determine our own role in the chaos – our thoughts and intentions that give rise to any injustice, lack, greed, fear, violence of word or deed, etc. Then affirm the intention for each person – everywhere, regardless of the situation – as that of the Highest Good! It’s isn’t our job to define what that entails. Big question: What has been the catalyst for your greatest spiritual growth? Chances are, your realization that God IS with you, that you are safe and have the opportunity to make better choices appeared in the midst of a nasty life condition – an awakening! Can the human “dark night of the soul” that propels us to a new consciousness apply to our world, our country and our communities?

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We pray: Loving Spirit, thank you for the infinite gifts in my life. Show me the way to see these gifts – regardless of the outward appearance and emotions. I am so very grateful for the Divine Order that orchestrates my life and feeds my soul. May all be blessed. And so it is. Amen.

The spirit of love arranges all meetings in divine order for the highest good of all concerned.

Alan Cohen Discuss: When has Divine Order brought you incredible gifts – opportunities, relationships, blessings, etc. – that were initially disguised as painful, unpleasant or downright awful events or situations? How did you get through the process? When did you realize the gifts? What did you learn? Clues and confirmations

In a universe that's an intelligent system with a divine creative force supporting it, there simply can be no accidents. As tough as it is to acknowledge, you had to go

through what you went through in order to get to where you are today, and the evidence is that you did.

Wayne Dyer “Follow the yellow brick road.” That was great advice for Dorothy. No matter what nasty challenge she encountered – the Wicked Witch, flying monkeys and other scary obstacles - she kept going in her quest to return home, via the Great Oz in Emerald City (Like our illusions?). Thankfully, she also had the support of Glenda, the Good Witch, to guide and reassure her. And then to find out that she had the power to return home all along – the Ruby Slippers. Well, duh! But Dorothy listened. She followed her guidance. She believed. What about us? Do we get clues, messages, affirmations and insights in our journeys? You bet we do! Some even says it’s how God talks to us! Or did God stop talking to humans after the New Testament? Haven’t heard of any burning bushes or pillars of salt lately. More recently, Joan of Arc and Joseph Smith reported direct communication with the Divine. And Neil Donald Walsch’s Conversations with God books have changed the lives of millions of people! But chances are that each of us have received profound messages from the Creator – and quite often! The question is, are we paying attention?

And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it!’

Isaiah 30:21 How does God “talk” to us? In Signs and Wonders, Understanding the Language of God, Albert Clayton Gaulden says that God’s “language” is non-verbal – using coincidences, synchronicities, thoughts, impressions, telepathy, dreams and “signs and wonders” to “speak” to us. Sometimes, these messages appear in billboards,

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license plates, songs on the radio, headlines, even a skywriter. The challenge: We have to pay attention. Perhaps the most frequent “messages” that we’re on the right track – or to change course - are coincidences and synchronicities. Again, we must pay attention – and attach the right meaning. Coincidence Coincidence is defined as “a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.” What constitutes “remarkable”? For example, to see a high school classmate from 30 years ago at the airport is probably just a chance meeting with no consequences. On the other hand, if you’ve been trying to find that person for months, and you’re in the airport in Timbuktu, the Universe is probably orchestrating something interesting. Coincidence? Yes. Skeptics say coincidence is nothing more than “brain-generated phenomenon when humans are determined to assign some mysterious power to the event. They say “confirmation bias” is at work, which is our real tendency to remember certain things because we attach something significant to them. You’re likely to remember seeing a cardinal in the yard the day your dad died – but completely forget all the other times the birds have been around. We say, “What are the odds…” Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung developed a theory: Remarkable coincidences occur because of what he called "synchronicity," which he defined as an "acausal connecting principle." A coincidence lacks an apparent causal connection. He said meaningful coincidences are produced by the force of synchronicity, which lead to another of Jung’s ideas: the unus mundus, or one world. Unus mundus is the theory that there is an underlying order and structure to reality, a network that connects everything and everyone. Sounds like the “spooky science” of quantum physics. Austrian biologist Paul Kammerer believed coincidences arise out of unknown forces, or waves, that he called seriality. He wrote a book on the subject in 1919. Albert Einstein even commented on it, saying it was “by no means absurd.”

Science and coincidence/synchronicity

As with most scientific theories, there is ongoing doubt and skepticism – until the technology is developed to measure and prove - or disprove - that theory. The study of coincidence is no exception. Measuring the probability of a series of coincidences is the most common method of distinguishing a coincidence from causally connected events. As we know, probability is a mathematical formula to predict and outcome, based on selected criteria, statistics and the available information.

In their 1989 paper, Methods for Studying Coincidences, the mathematicians Persi Diaconis and Frederick Mosteller considered defining a coincidence as “a rare event,” but decided “this includes too much to permit careful study.” Instead, they determined, “A coincidence is a surprising concurrence of events, perceived as meaningfully related, with no apparent causal connection.”

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From a purely statistical point of view, these “coincidental” events are random, not meaningfully related, and they shouldn’t be that surprising because they happen all the time. “Extremely improbable events are commonplace,” as the statistician David Hand says in his book The Improbability Principle. But how good are we at reasoning objectively about probability as we go about our everyday lives?

Bernard Beitman, MD, is the first psychiatrist since Carl Jung to systematize the study of coincidences. He developed the first valid scale to measure coincidence sensitivity and has written several coincidence articles for Psychiatric Annals. The author or editor of 16 professional books, he is a visiting professor at the University of Virginia, attended Yale Medical School and completed a psychiatric residency at Stanford.

For Beitman, probability is not enough when it comes to studying coincidences - because statistics can describe what happens but can’t explain it any further than chance. “I know there’s something more going on than we pay attention to,” he says. “Random is not enough of an explanation for me.”

A 2015 study published in New Ideas in Psychology reported that coincidences are “an inevitable consequence of the mind searching for causal structure in reality. This search for structure is a mechanism that allows us to learn and adapt to our environment.”

The very definition of coincidence relies on us picking out similarities and patterns. “Once we spot a regularity, we learn something about what events go together and how likely they are to occur,” says Magda Osman, an experimental psychologist at the University of London and one of the study’s authors. “And these are valuable sources of information to begin to navigate the world.”

But it’s not only recognizing the pattern that makes a coincidence. The meaning we ascribe to it — especially meaning that provides solace or clarification - establishes the significance. So, when we see an unusual configuration or occurrence, we think it must hold some significance, that it must be special. Yet most statisticians argue that unlikely occurrences happen frequently because there are so many opportunities for surprising events to happen. You’re thinking of your friend and the phone rings. Given that you talk to her every day, is that a coincidence? Or you meet someone at the farmer market who loves Brussel sprouts as much as you do. Meaningful coincidence? Synchronicity Synchronicity is defined as the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection. The element of time turns a coincidence into synchronicity. Had you arrived one minute later at the party, you would not have met the person who would become the love of your life. Had you not had a flat tire, you would have been on the plane that crashed. Synchronicity involves a sequence – two or more things must happen in the exact order for the coincidence to occur. Synchronicity is a concept, first introduced by psychologist Carl Jung, which holds that events are "meaningful coincidences" if they occur with no causal relationship yet seem to be meaningfully related. During his career, Jung defined synchronicity as an "acausal connecting (togetherness)

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principle," "meaningful coincidence,” "acausal parallelism" or "meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved."

His original version of synchronicity brought in, and out, the presence of recurrent images and ideas, archetypes, tying us to another dimension where dreams come true, timely meetings change your life, omens accurately predict the future, and phenomenal “signs” are deeply significant to our personal experience. The meaning we attach determines the significance.

After years of working with patients and bearing witness to the events of his own life, Jung determined that there appeared to be a mysterious, underlying kind of ‘field’ affecting a whole different level of experience. Though he first coined the idea of synchronicity in the late 1920s, it wasn’t until 1952 that he committed his concept and data to print with “Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle,” as the first half of his book, The Interpretation of Nature and the Psyche.

Around the same time, the world was hearing about quantum theory, and the concept of a quantum field, or source plenum, from which all matter arises. With it came evidence that we’re all participants in an observer-based reality, of sorts; that our focused attitudes, intentions and actions may interact with an unseen mechanism to create our personal and collective reality. It confirmed Jung’s observations, and he referred to this field as unus mundus – a unified world. In this unified world, coincidence is only an indicator of an underlying reality.

Jung’s observations were based on the rejection of a coincidental, one-dimensional life, but rather, the recognition that we engage in the world in a very complex way through our psyches, our energies, our emotions, and our actions and experiences. Seeing life this way, it becomes less a series of coincidences mixed with our projections and manipulations, and instead a far more interactive (albeit far more mysterious) experience. Life becomes a unified co-creation that is answering your questions. Life is reflecting to you what it is you need to know.

Jung based his Synchronistic Model on three characteristics of spiritual potential.

1. Meaningful Coincidence: Random events happen sometimes with very specific, personal meaning.

2. Causal Connection: Despite there being no apparent material cause and effect, there is an undeniably profound personal significance, and so an apparently intentional connection at play.

3. Luminosity: The indication that all of this happens within a kind of shared field of divinity, in communion with a greater whole.

Across most life experiences, these three characteristics actually do appear to describe something that happens in everyone’s life, though no one knows exactly how.

In the 1993 best-selling book, The Celestine Prophecy, author James Redfield noted 10 sequential Insights into life itself. The first: “Noticing Synchronicity is the entry point, the measure of whether we’re connected spiritually. These ‘meaningful coincidences’ are tiny miracles steering us toward the good life. They are always seeking first, to awaken us, and then to allow us to be guided by a spiritual connection to the unfolding of our intended destiny. Staying in a state of alert expectation concerning the major questions of our lives, or the help we need, increases the frequency of Synchronistic

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answers. The secret is remembering, first thing in the morning, to watch for these magical Synchronistic moments.”

“According to Vedanta, there are only two symptoms of enlightenment, just two indications that a transformation is taking place within you toward a higher

consciousness. The first symptom is that you stop worrying. Things don't bother you anymore. You become light-hearted and full of joy. The second symptom is that you

encounter more and more meaningful coincidences in your life, more and more synchronicities. And this accelerates to the point where you actually experience the

miraculous. Deepak Chopra, Synchrodestiny: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence to Create Miracles

“We do not create our destiny; we participate in its unfolding. Synchronicity

works as a catalyst toward the working out of that destiny.” David Richo, The Power of Coincidence: How Life Shows Us What We Need to Know

As we blossom or awaken, we begin to notice there is a force in the world that seems to be operating and leading us into a certain destiny. And it's very much a

kind of detective effort on our own part to figure out what these things mean. The synchronicity is essentially a meaningful coincidence that brings us information at

just the right time. While leading us forward, it also feels very inspiring and destined in a way. It feels like we're on a path of unfolding in our own personal

evolution.

James Redfield

Don’t dismiss the synchronicity of what is happening right now finding its way to your life at just this moment. There are no coincidences in the universe, only

convergences of Will, Intent, and Experience.

Neale Donald Walsch

Synchronicity is God sending us messages anonymously.

Deepak Chopra

When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities.

Deepak Chopra

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Synchronicity is choreographed by a great, pervasive intelligence that lies at the heart of nature, and is manifest in each of us through intuitive knowledge.

Deepak Chopra

As we blossom or awaken, we begin to notice there is a force in the world that seems to be operating and leading us into a certain destiny. And it's very much a

kind of detective effort on our own part to figure out what these things mean. The synchronicity is essentially a meaningful coincidence that brings us

information at just the right time. While leading us forward, it also feels very inspiring and destined in a way. It feels like we're on a path of unfolding in our

own personal evolution.

James Redfield

Don’t dismiss the synchronicity of what is happening right now finding its way to your life at just this moment. There are no coincidences in the universe, only convergences

of Will, Intent, and Experience.

Neale Donald Walsch

Activity: Using the Connect the Dots sheet on the last page of this document, retrace the events, people and coincidences that led you to this group at Unity of Louisville. What HAD to happen for the synchronicities to occur?

Discuss: What did you realize about synchronicity from the Connect the Dots exercise? What role do coincidence and synchronicity plan in your life? Are you aware and able to recognize these signs and wonders? Questions? Comments? 7.Meditation We know the Source that breathes us, orchestrates the journeys of our lives on this magnificent planet. And we know that, with each breath, we feel deeper in this eternal Presence, one with the Divine.

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We are here in this place as one heart, one spirit, holding the intention of peace that surpasses all understanding for ourselves, each other and our world. We call forth a new awakening to infinite possibilities, Divine possibilities that heal, prosper and bless. Thank you, Creator, for this journey we call life and the ever-present wisdom to guide and remind us that we are the beloved children of the Most Holy. Thank you, Loving Spirit, for this oneness, the unconditional, infinite love that envelopes and infills us. In this sacred space, we know that all is in Divine Order. We are loved beyond measure. Blessed. Protected. Prospered. And we rest in the silence – one with the Infinite. We return to this physical place, filled with peace and joy. We say, thank you, God, for this opportunity to commune and share the blessings of life. And so it is. Amen. 8. Prayer partners How have your prayers been answered, intentions manifested? This week, set a group intention – including the recipient – for healing, prosperity, peace, etc. See page 241 in The Power of Eight book. Begin with the desired result in mind. Assignment:

1. Read the material for Week 7 – The Power of the Divine: The Unseen.

2. Connect with your prayer partner and prayer group members in heart-centered focus.

3. Record your thoughts, questions and “aha” moments in the week’s journal pages.

4. Continue to monitor your seedling and bring a photo of its weekly growth.

5. Week 8, the last class in this course, will be one of celebration as we recap what we’ve learned and experienced – and how we intend to move forward in heart-centered intention and community. Decide how the group should hold this celebration – in person with safe distancing or via Zoom. If in person, you may want to have a potluck picnic at a park or on a participant’s deck. The celebration design is up to you. Materials will be provided for the recap and next steps aspects.

9. Closing prayer

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Connect the dots...Identify the people, circumstances, coincidences and synchronicities that brought you to

this place at this moment. What HAD to happen?

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2015©Elaine C. Wood