Atwater Vitki

Done and will continue until he's home... May he find strength and courage during this traumatic time in his life. May he heal quickly and completely, so be it. Blessings of Peace,

Well, this IS true Dan. When we get passed the loss and remember this it certainly is a comfort. I guess it just takes a year or two for the good to come out of the tragedy! Both my father and my daughter's "Poppa" lived long, fulfilling lives and thus the celebration of their life is easier, When someone is cut down in the midst of life it is a bit more difficult to deal with. Thank you all for your kind words, Blessings of Peace,

Kratos, First of all, having much experience in the Left Hand Path and matters very similar to that of Wicca, I should warn your friend of making deliberate "curses" or exciting the realms of the Nethers without due cause and experience. In nearly all cases of this wanton use of very powerful majik, it will come back and bite him 10 fold to what he intended for the other person. There are also those of many different "Black Arts" that thrive on making people act out "against them" in order to exact their own form of perverted justice on them. As with any form of "good" witches, wicca, wiccan or left hand path followers there are also many who believe the Dark Forces are more to their liking. Unless your friend has some powerful majik and fully understands the response he may get, he really should just "forgive and forget" this whole situation. You mentioned the friend had ties to Wicca, but do you know which coven or belief system? Saying "Wicca" is as broad a term as saying "Christian" as there are hundreds of variations and sub-cults associated with the term. From your brief description, it sounds to me like this co-worker is ruffling his own feathers a bit and threatening things just to get a response form your friend. Let the evil and black Works come back on that person, not your friend. The Universe is all about Balance and whatever this co-worker is cooking up can harm him just as much as your friend, IF not handled properly. Too many Black Arts workers get full of themselves to quick and too little experience and like to show off their "powers". My best advice to your friend is, as I said, "forgive and forget" and do not antagonize what he is unknowledgeable about. Don't make the co-worker "angry as you may not like him when he's that way!" and unless friend is well prepared, the big ugly green 'monster' at his doorstep could really make for a bad day! Wicca "curses" are all about this balance, if performed without a full and complete understanding the curser often times gets more than he/she bargains for in return. This co-worker may be antagonizing your friend just to show him this aspect of majik. Blessings to you,

Blessings of Peace and Understanding to you Brother. My prayers, thoughts and hope for healing be with you.

Holiday’s and Death December 17, 2009 "RevAl" This has been a rough week for my daughter and her extended family. It also brought back some emotional “owies” in life for me as well. Her “Poppa”, mother’s father, passed away on December 8th followed by double tragedy with her “Uncle Bob” passing as they put “Poppa” in the ground at the cemetery on December 14th. Uncle Bob literally passed from a massive coronary at the service. People only hear about such things, they never expect it to happen to them or that it will be people they were close to. I was devastated by my ex-father-in-law’s passing as he was in fact a special man on this earth. He was a friend and a mentor to me and his family as much as the patriarchal family head. The most commented thing at is Memorial Service was his ‘million dollar smile’ and I think $999,999 of it was because he smiled from his heart. Blessing be to both of these men. They were providers for the needs of their families as well as decent, stand up American’s. Any one would have been privileged to be their friend. May you both find the pathway to the Source of All Things lighted and ready to accept your footsteps. But this brings to mind others that have passed close to holidays. Just a year ago my father passed on December 27 and fifteen years ago my niece passed the week of Easter as did my grandmother fifteen years prior to that. It’s no wonder some people find cycles in numbers and how they correlate to certain events. It’s also no wonder why there are people who can not get in ‘the Holiday Spirit’ and in fact drives some to extremes to avoid the ‘pleasures of the season’ so to speak. With so many ‘holidays’ throughout the year, I’m sure there are many out there that have a certain date that brings out the emotional worst for them. This is what brings me to expressing this in words. One of the things that has bothered me long before the tragedies of death are people that insist on making you be ‘happy’ during their time of celebration. I’m sure everyone here can relate to the aunty or uncle, cousin or grandparent that just will not leave the holiday issue be. “It’s CHRISTMAS!!! Why wouldn’t you be happy!?!” or “OH come on!! It’s the 4th of July! Live it up!!” You know the one’s that took their cue from the 1950’s Macys® advertisements. The over excited, jubilant, jumping up and down because it’s one holiday or another. Well bless their pointy little souls! I’m glad they have ‘reason for the season’ but perhaps they should a little more sensitive. If someone makes a comment that expresses their desire not to celebrate, let it be at that. The over exuberant can in fact bring out the worst in that person by pushing for a reason. Can they just accept that perhaps the sad person has a reason, maybe even a very private reason, that telling the world about only makes things worse? If you are one of those ‘happy souls’ that just enjoys each and every holiday to the fullest, how lucky you are. How wonderful that Life has allowed this privilege. When you come across the sad or unhappy people during the array of Holiday’s throughout the year, be thoughtful enough to express your joy and not ‘expect’ it to come back from everyone. If someone doesn’t return the same over abundant ‘thrill’ that you enjoy, there might just be a reason you don’t care to hear. After all, it is the other person’s life not yours, that may have devastating reasons for being a bit resolved and quiet. Thanks a lot for understanding. Blessings Be to all during this Holiday Season. May Good Will, Cheer and many Blessings of Peace be upon all!

Congrats! Isn't it an uplifting thing to one's True Self to know this joy? May these "special" moments be the start of many more to come indeed. Blessings of Peace, Tranquility and Joy

Thank you, I appreciate each of your very encouraging and well thought responses. It means the world to me, and Kay, to know there are those who take the time to LISTEN! Blessings of Peace, Light and Tranquility, RevAl

Greetings to all, Other than a couple of "check ins" I haven't been around the Forums much for several months. With great shame I must confess this has been due to inner turmoil concerning my faith in our One God. Back in May of this year, I, a minister of the Universal Church of Humanism, nearly cost myself my most cherished and precious gift of this Life. My wife Kay. I had several explosive outbursts that were far from tolerant, less than refined and certainly not of my True Inner Core Beliefs. I am not a violent person, nor am I usually one of destructive behavior. I could honestly say the "Devil" himself came into my consciousness, but that would be giving the Dark One credit where it is not due. Rather I must admit back sliding into depths of depression that I have not endured for many, many years. On one hand I suppose I could lighten my guilt by saying this is merely being Human. On the other hand it would be a cop out to use such flim-flammery as an excuse. I temporarily lost control of Self and am regretful for that. After 29 years of being Kay's best friend and nine years of living together, six of that married, I back slid into a black hole of emotional decay. She has thankfully forgiven me and we enjoyed our 6th wedding anniversary August 15th with renewed spirit and repeated vows. So look, I'm not trying to wash personal laundry here, rather I'm looking at this experience as a trial set forth by the "Dark One", "Devil", "Satan" or whatever one wishes to label such a mind boggling experience. The fact is I'm certain that many of us have our "trials by fire" in many different ways. This is what has brought me to post this thread actually. Is it EXTERNAL or Internal forces that cause us to facilitate such atrocious behavior towards our loved ones? Is it fair to say "The devil made me do it"? Is it correct for us to excuse our behavior when things go wrong by foisting off our emotional outbursts on some mythical, external source? I'm not so sure it is. The Christ routinely prodded us to 'look within', to seek and answer 'within' and I believe he had a far greater grasp of the great "I AM!" or God within than I do. I do not find anywhere in Biblical scripture or other religious writings any context to an internal devil or Satan, but there are numerous inferences to an internal God 'within'. So am I saying "God" made me do it? Absolutely not. God may have, however, allowed me to experience the worst aspects of my Self that I still need to work on. I believe, now, that this trial or test was a final test, or at least one of the 'finals', of Self that had to have the greatest, albeit most devastating consequences, attached to it for me to "get it". As many of you know, I can be a very hard headed 'Viking' and often have no problem voicing my views. It does seem that I need the 'hammer and axe' affect for me to get off my high horse of self appointed opinions and LISTEN to the other side of the story or see some else’s point of view, as THEY intended. NOT as I see fit to interpret what they are saying. Trials of a Spiritual Nature can be very devastating if not properly handled and/or comprehended. I look at it much the same here, in the ULC Forums, where I have routinely spouted off with my Universal Spiritualism "correctness" and made comments on things that: 1.)really have no significant meaning to me 2.)really don't matter as the "author" isn't going to convert me anyway 3.) simply have no effect on my life 4.) is only some one else having their way with their words This doesn't mean that I haven't had a few nurdles of wit or glimpses of insight to pass along to others, but what am I, or we, really trying to get across when we are so adamant in our beliefs or wisdom we fail to see the same commitment by others to their views? The Christ also had this correct when he taught the mass saying: Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. One of my biggest faults is being so oblivious to others message when conversing and this is what I believe my trial was all about. How demeaning is it to some one you supposedly ‘love’ to make them feel like they are never ‘heard’? How demeaning is it to Self to not allow one’s self to listen, thus truly hear, what some one is trying to communicate to you? As silly as it may seem, devastating, on both accounts. Far too often I think I should have, in the past, reclassified myself as a ‘reactionary’ not as a Spiritual Leader. While others were speaking I was constantly looking for my next commentary on what they were saying rather than hearing them out, in full, and then responding to what was said. All too often I wouldn’t respond to what they said rather I would interject my own experiences as a means of ‘identifying’ with them. This is something that perhaps may have some impact on others out there to think about. Forums are a bit different in that we suspect that a person has posted the whole and complete version of what they are trying to say and thus we respond to them. In personal, live conversation it can be quite different, which is what I think was my need for a learning curve. Communication is not talking at another person. It is supposed to be an exchange. Hear what they have to say and respond to that, not interject one’s personal “opinion” or try and relate by expressing how you ‘know how they feel’ because you’ve had this experience or that. As an example: Person 1: “I feel really depressed over not having the opportunity to talk to my Dad, before he passed away, about things he did to me as a child.” Person 2: “Oh, I know how you feel because when my Dad passed on we were in the middle of a big fight and I felt so guilty about that!” Person 1: “Well I really have had to pray about it because I felt so angry inside.” Person 2: “Oh for sure! I got so angry I took things out on my wife and I even kicked the dog!” Do you think “Person 1” feels like they are having a discussion about how they feel or are they a bit miffed because it seems like everything goes back to “Person 2”? Would you want to continue this conversation or would you find a polite excuse to leave? This, to make light of the situation, was what I did in the past all too often. Yes, I do feel guilty for acting like this and makes me wonder why so many people say I had such a wonderful and warm personality. It also makes me wonder why so many people demand that I over saw their ceremonies or events. It had to be because I could cut everyone up with the right joke at the right time instead. So now that I’ve had a few months to work on Self concerning this matter I find things going to a much better place and I think I really do have something to offer others. Things go quite different now days around my home and ministry and I have found I still have my opportunity to interject, but when the time is right. For example: Person 1: “I feel really depressed over not having the opportunity to talk to my Dad, before he passed away, about things he did to me as a child.” Person 2: “That is a very difficult pain to deal with.” Person 1: “Well I really have had to pray about it because I felt so angry inside.” Person 2: “Praying or Self examination is a good way to deal with your hurt.” Person 1: “You think so? How so?” Person 2: “When my Dad passed on we were in the middle of a big fight and I felt so guilty about that!” Of course these little tid-bits of conversation are a bit simplistic, possibly even lame to some readers, but, I think you all can see my point of what I mean. One is an involved manner the other is a “what about me” manner. It is very difficult to come to grips with the “evil” or “bad side” of one’s own nature, but, isn’t that how we grow? I honestly think the lesson for me was ‘How could I expect anyone to give two toots about what I had to say when I wasn’t giving that in return’? For me to truly understand my own fault I had to nearly implode my own relationship. I hope others won’t have to go to such extremes to identify some of the basic principles of human nature, not so much in others, but in Self. Whether it’s being a self proclaimed “Spiritual Leader” or by consensus, being appointed one. If I could change one thing, or many, about myself it would have to be the Self I portrayed to others. It would be the Truth in how I visualized Self versus how others did. In simplistic terms it would be to have been a real listener instead of being a humorous identifier of others thoughts conveyed to me. Of course there is a time and place for humor, but there is also a time and place to be what some one else really needs at any given moment. Until I was able to discern the difference I was nothing more than the blow-hards I so adamantly despise. A very tough and humiliating lesson to learn, but one I know I have truly taken to heart and hopefully will never back slide into again. Thanks for “listening” y’all and Blessings be to each of you. Reverend Al, Atwater, CA

RevRainbow, I forgot to say thanks the other day! Thanks for your prayers. Blessings be, RevAl

Thank you Friends (and even enemies if there are such things)!! As I stated on May 7th, things in my life have taken a very horrific turn. I am still dealing with the passing of my Father, Eddy, in January - aged 86, and naturally my mother's life, after 65 years of marriage, has really taken a downward spiral. My wife and I have had compounded set backs in our revenue flow and her health, children and nieces, cousin's and life long friends have either passed or worse, have allowed drugs to fully corrupt their lives or in one case felonious activities have finally caught up to him. We even lost another of our 'furry kids' as our little dynamo Gizmo has passed. So as a result our daily lives have gone from quite uneventful to hectic and demanding. By your support, and that of many strangers around the world, we stopped keeping track of the extended "Prayer for Peace Vigil" at roughly 7,000 responses or forwards that we are aware of. A good friend (one of our few) has taken on the responsibility of continuing this Vigil into July and beyond. My wife and I both are emotionally drained and even though we continue to Celebrate Life and the Good that is inheirant to our Spirit, little seems to come from it. We do not, in any shape or form, request sympathy or even acknowledgement of our personal set backs yet we do find it nearly impossible to endure contributing to other's causes. I'm sure the time will come when we get back in the "swing of things" here and elsewhere, but for now I must say "Later" and I'll be back when Life takes it's turn as I know it will one day. May your lives be Blessed with all that is virtuous and honorable. May you accept our sincerest gratitude for your friendship and prayers. May all that is Uplifting and Spiritually gratifying continue to Bless you. Reverend Al (RevAl) and Kay, Church of Universal Humanism Atwater, CA

Thanks for the support emal and Fawzo, at months end there were over 3,500 fwd's and emails recieved from what I could count up, that in itself is pretty amazing. I am so Blessed to have such a wonderful and heartwarming response. Unfortunately, things in my personal life have taken quite a big spin. I'm not going to be able to spend much time at the computer to track things, but hopefully the Prayer Request has taken on a life of its own. I've had a pretty big set-back both emotionally and physically this past week and find it difficult to participate in much at all. Hopefully things will turn around. I truly do miss the near daily contact here and joining in on the fun in the forums. I will continue to Pray for Peace in all of our lives, and for that matter wouldn't mind a few back my way. I just can't say much at this time as things are so up in the air and I'm not sure even what tomorrow will bring. As soon as I know something definite I'll let everyone know. I really do miss the forums. Blessings of Love and Light, Peace and Healing to All, Reverend Al, Atwater, CA

20 April 2009 Update: I am touched in heart and mind by this little experiment in asking for prayers of Peace during April. It has literally gone around the world through one person telling others and the numbers of responses continues to grow. I wish I had a message counter to post to show the hundreds of personal e-mails I've gotten and the addy lists of those sent out by others. A total stranger to me sent an e-mail with an attached response that showed five mailings of fifty e-mail addy's each. Another response I got showed thirty four "Send to:" in his original mailing and numerous replies I've gotten have contained dozens of addy's in the "Send to" or "CC:" It all started here (and of course my personal invitation sent via e-mail) and I can only estimate the total number of "Forwards" that have gone on from there. I am considering starting a web-site for this but then there are already several. So in the meantime, again, thanks to all here for their support, PEACE!

Tattooing for a local motorcycle club was where I first adopted my "Preacher" nick name when I was 16. Being raised by a Lutheran Minister Father I always seemed to be able to apply a Bible verse to whatever situation was going on, thus the monicker. Much later in life and far, far down my path, my wife and I opened a Tattoo Studio on Maui and used our Spiritual Gifts of reading energies, auras and sensing things most others did not. As we had both, long before, realized the difference between "Spiritual and Religious" we gave the public a gift beyond that of merely a tattoo and a fancy tee-shirt to go with it. We helped so many people through difficult times in their lives we honestly couldn't keep track of them all, but we still pull out the "Thank you cards and letters" from time to time to reminice. Due to an accident and our declined health we had to close our studio and we moved back to California to be around our kids/grandkids and I decided to fulfill the circle an become ordained, officially, to use our energy skills and spread the word of Peace and Healing through Spiritual Works. Currently I reach out to our community by events at the parks across the street from our home, occasional guest speaking at local churches and an outreach program to our senior housing development. As someone else said above, when the need arises to write letters of an 'official' nature siging them (LEGALLY of course!) with "Rev. Dr." sure makes a difference. So I've expanded this into our outreach as well and the difference we've made in people's lives is astounding. Several neighbor folks have had a terrible time getting results on various situations and then one letter from their "minister" and .... well, Grace be to the Powers of the Multi-verse and Most High. When one truly believes in the remarkable power of the Cosmos and leaves lables out of it...it is truly amazing. So between community outreach, youth programs, tool workshops to build things, handyman services, letter writing and basically just spreading the Word of Peace and Calm Spirit to our small, central valley community I/we stay busy! Blessings be, Wassail!

Rev. Lacey, I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin and of course I will add her to my list of those requesting Healing. I will meditate and light an incense for her tonight during my regular Works this evening. I apologize for not seeing this earlier, but I've sorta been in and out of it for the past several days. Blessings to her and may she receive the strength, power and healing of the Cosmos. Wassail!

:!: Update :!: As it is now Monday, April 13th, 2009, it's almost half way through the month! I'd just like to let everyone know that things do take strange and eloquent turns in life. One of the "friends" my daughter forwarded the e-mail letter to, which I began March 30th asking for this "Prayers for Peace Vigil", included members of her Baptist church and from that e-mail a forward was made to another Baptist Church. From there one member sent it to close friends at her work (it looks like by addy's) and then this message was delivered to a Unitarian group in Arizona. Well, I could write out the whole list, but as not to bore everyone, this request for a Peace Prayer Vigil has made its way all over the USA, to Canada, Mexico, Denmark, Germany and Thailand. Many more countries, I'm hopeful, but those are the places I can track with replies being sent back to me. I just find it absolutely wonderful that in about two weeks a request for a prayer for peace has done just what I'd hoped for...stretched nearly around the globe. Without having exact details and numbers at minimum there are thousands (if not tens of thousands) who have joined, even if only for one day, this vigil. I am silently overwhelmed and sit here in shock that this little prayer, started on my meditation mat, in Nowhere, California has rung its bell so far and to so many people. Thank you each and every believer in the concept of Peace being something we CAN have among humanity! I am awed! So Peace can be achieved, we just need to get all the nay sayers out of the way! Oh yeah, I'm certain someone will have to say "Oh, ten thousand?! What about the other 6 billion?" Well, nay sayer, it started and I'm sure if I kept it up for a year, maybe two, it might need three...it could conceivably reach into the billions. The point of the whole execise was "every journey starts with but a single step" and in this case "Every prayer for peace starts with but a single person". As for the concept of one "religion" being "better" than another, let's just start with one simple philosophy...ANY religion is merely hope in the beliefs of the individual. Hope that there will be a better tomorrow. Hope that "G_d" of any name will bring suffering and violence to an end. Hope that their children will live in a better world. Hope that starvation, homelessness and dis-ease will end. Hope that we shall truly have eternal Life. So regardless of what you, personally believe, why would you be so callous as to take away another's HOPE Sometimes that may be all that individual has left. Wassail!

and I forgot to mention... Armeggedon is the result and end times of the world IF we don't change: Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. Mat 10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. Mat 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. In context, Christ coming back as a sword, simply means there are no words to be minced, no further attempts at getting anyone to "get it" done, end of play, it's over. And at that time of the return, at that precise moment, you are either WITH ME or AGAINST ME. There's no time to say "oops I screwed up, I guess I do believe now" as it will be too late. Everyone has right up until a second before his return to repent and ask forgiveness, once those clouds part...well y'all get it. So I am declaring my "prayer for peace" as my mantra, as my statement to Odhinn, God, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Shiva...etc.etc..that I do get it and I am WITH Y'ALL, regardless of what label man has attempted to affix to your energy. I know he'll have a sword and I'm pretty dang sure he knows how to use it! Peace,

Perhaps peace is impossible, but it is truly and honestly what I feel my life's purpose is, as given to me by (Odhinn, God, The Collective Conscious, Alla, etc.etc).....the Supreme Energy That IS. My first 30 years on this planet were those of hatred, viloence, mistrust, anger, intolerance, belittling, evil, dark and a maelstorm of inequalities and inequities. But for me to "get it" I had to learn the hard way. Even after I was given my "sign" as it were, that I was on the wrong path, it still took me 6-8 years to begin to change, 20 years of implimenting change and merely the last few years of acting out my change. But I know in my heart I am doing the Will, or perhaps 'Order' of the Cosmos by banging my symbal for Peace. Perhaps it is the seemingly impossible nature of this concept that has me so convinced of my path. I, as David was (I'm sure) against Goliath, so peeing my pants scared it won't work, that I aggressively act out my intolerance for anything but Peace. Sometimes I actually feel like I'm spanking each and every "child of God" into acceptance of this premise, that they WILL learn Peace is the answer, that peace is an expression of the Godlike love we are expected to show for one another. That peace in our heart, mind and soul is being one with the Collective, Universe, Source, God or whatever one wishes to label God's Love. Thanks to those who choose to help in this effort, peace to EVERYONE, regardless of their moral or ethical position. But in any regard, whether it works or not, I at least know that for a month there will be many,many, many people considering peace as an alternative to chaos and mayhem. Blessings to all in whatever capacity they may choose to express this. (I guess I'm just a flower planting itself in a patch of weeds, thistles and poison!)

Blessings be Rev Ed and Fawzo, thank you! Like I said Fawzo, Peace in general, everywhere and anywhere. How cool to identify that peace with Self and in your life is where you see the greatest good being done. This is exactly what I mean by one person at a time and directed where they see need. Within this sort of context twist it any ol' way ya see fit! Blessings of Peace,

Dear Friends, During the month of April, my ULC organization, (the Church of Universal Humanism), is going to add into our daily prayers a call for peace around the world. We are not focused on any one particular act of violence, war or hatred of one against the other, but all violence and hatred period. The mantra we are adding to our individual prayers is this: " Our (Father, Creator, G_d, All Father, Collective Conscious, etc - your nomenclature or deity inserted here) may mankind know Peace. May each individual find it in their heart to promote the Good that is within every living thing. May we each seek the Light over Darkness and justice over injustice. May Peace find its way onto this world in every manner. Amen" Will you join me in this mantra or prayer? Will you add peace into your daily excercise of meditation, praying or expression to your belief? My thanks are with each of you,

I eagerly await this change and begining of a new era of higher thought free of the constraints of current thinking. I can't wait for the rest of galaxy to catch up to me and many of those I know. As long as it is a positive change it will be good for everyone, even those who don't think change is a good thing. On Dec. 20, 2012, my wife and I plan on being ready for anything as best we can. Perhaps we'll chance going up to the roof so we can watch the whole town, just to see what happens. We eagerly await the New Era...BRING IT ON!!!!