Sunday, December 29, 2013

Album Review: Blessed Always


AGAPE CHANT ANTHOLOGY

by Rickie Byers


Five ways to experience feeling Blessed Always:

I experience the feeling of being in a state of blessedness when I wake up each day to feel the breath and light of morning; a new day with blessings ahead.  My favorite way to have the feeling is to notice every bit of nature I see and wonder at the miracles of life all around me. I have found that I feel the presence of blessings in my life when I think of family or friends, knowing I am surrounded by love. As I allow myself to slow down enough to recognize the beauty of each moment, I know that I live in a constant shower of blessings. As I have grown into a way of understanding my world, I have opened to the knowledge that every situation has blessings to offer, and my definition of blessings expands. I need only pay attention.  This experience of being human is a continuous flow of blessings.

Review written by Laura Feahr, a bookstore volunteer.

The Blessed Always AGAPE CHANT ANTHOLOGY set is available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Book Review: Wisdom Cards by Louise L. Hay




I find the Wisdom Cards by Louise Hay quite easy and fun to use for many situations.  The bright artwork is energizing on its own.  For group, committee or friends gathering, I sometimes ask each person to pull a card at random.  Sharing about this can take many forms.  Depending on the intent, I suggest that each person reflect on the card and share as comfortable.  The more open people become, the more we learn about each other, our commonalities and differences.  I often place cards around the house to remind me of particular intentions I have on the front burner.  To choose one each day myself at random, I use it as a perspective for the day.  It can open my mind in unexpected ways.  If I really want to focus on one of the cards, I will leave it up on the bathroom mirror for several days.

Using these cards as an entry into my meditative art is a revelation to me. I try to take just the words as I enter into meditation, even making a mantra of them.  As I then begin to draw or paint or scribble, the words are sitting in the background having their own influence on the art, and eventually my perspective.  When my children were at home, we sometimes pulled cards to help with a decision or change we wanted to make.  These cards bring a sense of the world being contained in a way that we can hold and integrate the wisdom, simple as it is, into our daily thinking, feeling, living, being.

Review written by Laura Feahr, a bookstore volunteer.

Wisdom Cards by Louise L. Hay are available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Free Event: Back by Popular Demand

 A Stepping Stones Books & Gifts Free Event

More Original Stories by
Some of Our Favorite Local Authors

                
     Luanne Wolff         Susan Hagen   Barbara Stafford


Date:  Friday, January 31, 2014
Time:  7 pm
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road


Luanne’s tales are rich with humor and heart as she shares her experiences of growing up on a large ranch in Wyoming.  Susan carries her pen like a flashlight to illuminate and explore the human experience.  Barbara combines humor and spirituality with the search for meaning in her quirky very short stories.

Please join us for a wonderful evening with these three lovely ladies.

A free event sponsored by Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Affirmations


What are Affirmations?
 and Why Do They Work?


Research shows that we think between 45,000 and 51,000 thoughts per day. Wow! That’s about 150 to 300 thoughts per minute. For most people, about 80% of those thoughts are negative.  And approximately 90% of the thoughts we are thinking today get carried over to the next day.

It has also been shown that we tend to think negative thoughts when we are not aware of our thoughts.

Affirmations are a way to have more control of our thinking and to experience more positive mental activity.  Affirmations are statements or declarations expressed in the present tense with positive language. They are generally short and simple phrases that can easily be written on a post it note and placed somewhere prominent like on a bathroom mirror or computer monitor.

Think about how wonderful it could be to start the day with a burst of positive thinking such as, “I rise above all limitations” or “I am healthy and filled with energy.” Both of these affirmations come from the message card set “Wisdom Cards” by Louise Hay.  Message card sets are prepackaged affirmation cards with beautiful artwork to accompany the text. They are available on a variety of topics, but as I mentioned earlier, affirmations can be created with your own personal and specific messages, written on Post-it notes or 3x5 index cards.

Written by Martha Salazar, Stepping Stones Books & Gifts manager.

Have you used affirmations?  Even if you don't think of them by that title, or consciously create them, most of us have relied on these positive thoughts at some time.  Perhaps you have a story you can share of how affirmations have worked for you.


Sunday, December 8, 2013

Book Review: The Power of Meditation

an ancient technique to access your inner power

by Edward Viljoen

The flow of the language in this book makes it feel like a conversation.  As each idea, technique, or perspective is introduced, it invites calm consideration.  The steps are easy, clear suggestions for beginning simple daily rituals are given. I leave the book with clear images of this path as accessible and quite valuable.  I have meditated for many years, and am hungry for ways to keep it fresh, to go deeper, and maintain clearer understanding of my responses to life.  The variety of examples and suggestions is wonderful. This book is packed full of information I will access again and again.

I am such a story lead reader that I am more skeptical of the interest level I can keep with an instructional book without pictures.  I am happy to find this a welcome tool for my practice, and I have new insights into my particular relationship to meditation and quiet.  I recommend this book to anyone curious about mediation and quieting the mind.

Review written by Laura Feahr, a bookstore volunteer.

The Power of Meditation is available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Why is Jizo special?


Jizo Bodhisattva is one of the most revered deities, who works to relieve the suffering of the living and the dead.  Jizo is often depicted as a monk.  While he has roots in India and China, Jizo is most often associated with Mahayana Buddhism in Japan.

Rev. Ruth Barnhart writes the following about her Jizo statue.

"I love my little Jizo statue with his colorful bib and angelic expression. I know the Jizo is a representation of the Bodhisattva, the Buddha of compassion. I know he is specifically a protector of woman, children and travelers; but what I love most of all about this little guy is how happy I feel when I look at him. His sweet smile brings a smile to my lips and elicits my inner smile. This is his blessing to me. His precious, playful nature brings out mine and opens my heart to the Divine. That is a lot to receive from such a small statue, but that is the power of the Bodhisattva."


If you are interested in having a Jizo statue like Rev. Ruth's, it is available online at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Book Review: Walking in This World

The Practical Art of Creativity

by Julia Cameron


Moving from the busyness of New York city to the quiet desert of New Mexico, Julia Cameron, in her book Walking in This World, figuratively and imaginatively takes us for a walk through the world of creativity. She  interweaves personal stories with clear pointers for opening up to our own unique creative expression. Throughout her  book Cameron offers simple exercises to bring awareness to and to grease the wheels of our inner artistic genius. She inspires us to expand our understanding and experience of what creativity means and how it might show up in us, both in ways we know and those imagined. Each time I read one of Cameron's books, I am called into exploring my world in new and greater ways, starting with what is right in front of me.

Review By Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa

Walking in This World is available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

You may also be interested in reading How Hard Can It Be, an article by Dr. Margaret Stortz

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Free Event: Steve DeLap CD Release Concert


Keeping It Simple
Steve DeLap sings songs from his new CD

Date:  Friday, October 18
Time:  7 pm
Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road

Steve Delap’s premier CD, “Keeping It Simple,” contains songs that are both sweet and deep—like him. They speak to those situations and states of mind that we all experience in life. The variety of inspiring messages are sure to bless you on your life’s journey.

Steve is the president of the Sonoma County Folk Society and is a frequent performer with the groups “Mary’s Idea” and “Jamnation.” You may have seen him at the Sonoma County Folk Festival, Murphy’s Irish Pub, Sourdough Rebo’s, Coffee Katz, or other venues. For the past 18 years Steve has been co-host of “Our Roots Are Showing,” a Saturday afternoon radio program of folk and acoustic music on KRCB FM.

For more information about Steve, click here.

Please join us at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts for an entertaining and inspirational evening with Steve.


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Book Review: A Lamp in the Darkness


Illuminating the Path Through
 Difficult Times

by Jack Kornfield


Jack Kornfield has done it again. In his new book, A Lamp in the Darkness, Kornfield presents, with his usual clarity, a gentle approach to being with challenges and painful feelings. His personal approach makes it easy to read and understand and his teaching and practices are appropriate for all people. Each chapter includes a simple meditation, with a recording of these included with the book. As someone who has studied and practiced meditation for years, I always find Kornfield's writing refreshing. This is where spiritual practice really impacts our lives. Learning to meet our most difficult trials really does provide a lamp in the darkness.

Review By Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa

A Lamp in the Darkness is available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

Thursday, August 15, 2013

How Hard Can It Be?


Dr. Margaret Stortz, our speaker for the Free Event at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts in August, recently published a very interesting article in the August issue of Science of Mind Magazine.  The title is How Hard Can It Be? and in it she talks about efforts she has made to simplify her life.  We think you will enjoy reading the the excerpt below and, if you want to read the entire article, click on "Read more", or pick up the August copy of Science of Mind Magazine.  And, don't forget to join us here for an evening with Dr. Margaret on August 30.


When I personally think about where I want to find myself in a place of trustworthy spirituality, I  have to ask:  How hard can it be?  How complicated do I have to make my thoughts and practices on a daily basis?  Is there some mind-twisting place I have to enter so that I can feel I am engaged with the Divine Spirit?  The answer that comes to me says simply:  It can be as hard as I want to make it…and I am certainly not interested in complicating my life any more than it already is!

Thinking of how simple things can be, I am reminded of a preciously simple little song that begins Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, first performed in 1971.  It almost sings itself:   “Sing God a simple song/Lauda, Laude/ Make it up as you go along/ Lauda, Laude/ Sing as you like to sing/God loves all simple things/And love is the simplest of all.”  The fact that this song which just rolls off the tongue was part of a Roman Mass composed by the Jewish Bernstein is in itself an unfolding simplicity.  It has to make one think that the great themes of life...love, peace and the search for the Divine...ought to be a whole lot simpler than they are.


Simplicity as Nostalgia
If we are longing for a simpler life, perhaps it would be a good idea to check whether or not we are just nostalgic for some present resting place in the past.  The past, of course, has its place in our lives.  It gives us depth and “thickness,” but we should know that those trips down Memory Lane can sometimes sidetrack us from present situations that need our attention.  Very recently I heard a sound that I have not heard for many decades…foghorns!  I grew up in San Francisco, the “city by the bay” of Tony Bennett’s iconic song, and all my growing-up years I heard fog horns during the foggy seasons.  They literally “sang” to one another in varying tones, sometimes from the west bay and sometimes eastward, sometimes coming from the San Francisco harbor, sometimes from the San Pablo yards.  The horns left my active memory as they were replaced by better technologies and no longer sounded.  I still live by the bay and recently there were two blasts...two only...that reeled me right back into my younger years.  I have to say that the memory trip was nice, but I also know that today’s simplicities have to be found in other ways.

Simplicity in the God Experience 
Ernest Holmes constantly tried to reveal the uncomplicated, open door to God.  He reminded us that we are always subject to God’s light and that it is the same light for all, that we all share the Nature of God, just one Nature diffused through all.  He spoke of a “sane simplicity” to which we should all return, a simplicity which has become complicated and convoluted by various religious systems that claim an exclusive corner on truth.  Nothing could be simple about that.

One of our current religious scholars, retired Episcopal Bishop, John Shelby Spong, has in his own way tried to make the “God experience” more credible.  In his wisdom and love he has taken the magical language out of spiritual discussions and given us a wholly natural view of the wonderful son, Jesus, as one who invites us to enter into the “God experience known in the fullness of life.”  Miracles are not the setting aside of natural law by supernatural means.  They are, as Spong writes, “part of the vision of wholeness that inspires us human beings to press the limits of our humanity in an eternal search for the transcendence that we feel is our destiny.”  At this point in our lives, how else can we live our spiritual lives more completely except through our human footprints on the ground?  Could there be a more natural way for us to bring our spirituality into life than as human beings sharing a recognized Oneness?

Simplicity, however, does not necessarily translate to an easy flow of living.  In my thinking, the simplest things in the world would be the acceptance of Oneness with the Whole.  Intuitively, organically I have always known this in my mind and heart, and no teachings in my upbringing occurred to disrupt this.  I had only to more formally structure my understanding of what Oneness meant to me, but nothing more.  Even so, my wonderful, necessary, imperfect humanity gets in the way of living a life of uninterrupted Oneness.  I get hurt; I get upset, annoyed, irritated, hard to get along with and unwilling to explore where another is coming from.  When I am in this place, I bleed psychologically, and the rush of imagined separation parks on my doorstep and obscures my sense of Oneness.

The Loss of Simplicity
The artifices of our lives can become killing experiences in our spirits for a time.  Sometimes we insist on perpetuating ideologies of separation that keep us from one another, ideologies that cannot tolerate diversity in thinking or appearance.  Drugs may have their place…certainly there is no “thing” that does not have spiritual overtones…but we can become dependent on feel-good therapies so that we don’t have to think through hard things to get to spiritual realignment.  This says nothing about where we may find ourselves in relationship to one of the greatest complications of all…money.  As students of truth we all have the opportunity to view money as spirit in form, having only the importance we give it, neither good nor bad in itself.  In theory this is a wonderful way to hold money; in practice our dealings with it become way more complex.  This article is not considering the moral concerns about the use of money, only the complication it has become in our lives.  In societies that are market driven, we now have to ask if money is intruding where it does not belong.  Author, Michael Sandel, worries that “we are moving toward a society in which everything is up for sale.”  Some of this can seem pretty goofy if it didn’t indicate the limits to which we will go for money. Consider this:  “Rent out a space on your forehead (or elsewhere on your body) to display commercial advertising.”  Air New Zealand hired thirty people to shave their heads and wear temporary tattoos with the slogan ‘Need a change?  Head down to New Zealand.’’’  Have we gone so far into the world of commodifying everything that we are forgetting what is sacred, what can only be freely given and not bought?  We may not be able to buy love, but we certainly succeed in buying “pretend” love.

Simplicity Made Simple
Of course we know that our lives are demanding and that there is a need to stay on top of things. What we might ask ourselves is how many things we have accumulated that we now must stay on top of!  Practicing our spirituality has an almost automatic way of slowing everything down and letting ideas fall into place.  I have a friend who meditates regularly and has decided that some of the real advantages of meditation are to quiet down the body systems and allow the mind to think of one idea at a time.

How healthy it would be to cut down on our racing thoughts and allow mind and body to ruminate on some quality of the Divine!  This would allow our mind/body systems to reset to optimal positions of functionality, every part of us flowing calmly into every other part without having a fire at our feet.


I consider the Dalai Lama one of the masters of simple living.  He has needed to be far more worldly than the Dalai Lamas before him because his early flight from his homeland into exile has made it necessary for him to be on the world stage far more than he might have imagined.  Nevertheless he keeps to the sacred simplicities of his life and shares them with us.  He speaks of loving acts of compassion toward others, and he carries with him his practices of restraint from negative emotions, his spiritual disciplines and the cultivation of virtuous thinking, all of which assist him in remaining the “simple monk” he describes himself to be.  Anyone who is aware of this simple monk cannot miss the joy he carries with him.  It is in his giggle, and I am sure it is in the removal of as many distractions as he can eliminate from his spiritual energies.

How hard would it be to pare away some of the add-ons that we crowd into our days?  The things that need our minds, hearts and energies of course deserve our attentions, but there are superfluities that do not.  I know people who live in a perpetual state of “as long as”….as long as I’m doing job or that task, I’ll just pile on more to do… As long as I am going out, I’ll jam three places to go in the space for two. I don’t live that way anymore because I simply don’t have the energies available, but what if we made a choice to live in a state of what I call “wholeness, holiness and joy.” Everyone’s magnificent spirit needs care and attention.  Mind and body we can make the time and space for the Infinite to pour through us with more ease and less complications.  We can begin to sort out again what is important…and what is not.  We can think about what gets our attention and how deserving it is.  How hard can this be?

Details about the upcoming evening with Dr. Margaret may be found here.


Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Free Event: The Power of Meditation


an ancient technique to access your inner power

with Dr. Edward Viljoen

Date:   Friday September 6
Time:  7 pm
Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road

Dr. Edward speaks about his new book published by Tarcher/Penguin and the process of experimentation and discovery that led him to a self-styled meditation practice.  Dr. William Larkin, Director of the Applied Neuroscience Institute wrote about this new book:  "If you can breathe, you can meditate, and this book teaches you how -- even if you thought you never could."

You can learn more about Dr. Edward on his website.

Please join us for this free evening with Dr. Edward
The book The Power of Meditation is available at Stepping Stones Books and Gifts

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Book Review: Invisible Acts of Power

Channeling Grace in Your Everyday Life

by Caroline Myss

In her book, Invisible Acts of Power, Caroline Myss explores how different kinds of service correlate to the chakras. Starting with the root chakra and providing food and shelter to the crown chakra and the offering of our wisdom, Invisible Acts of Power delves into the many ways we can serve others. Coincidentally, I was reading this when I broke my wrist. It was interesting and useful to see the various support I received and how it applies to Myss' teaching. I also found it helpful to look at how I offer support, ways of giving that are easy and those that are more challenging for me. From this perspective we can not only expand our avenues of service, but in addition, work with healing those areas that might be less developed for us. In this way, the book not only serves as an invitation to healing and expanded giving, but it also brings clarity and affirmation to those expressions that are already our strengths .

Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa.

Invisible Acts of Power is available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Free Event: Essays On Everything


From the Sublime to the Ridiculous
with a Little in Between

with Dr. Margaret Stortz


Date:  Friday August 30
Time:  7 pm
Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road

Dr. Margaret Stortz has been an ordained minister of Religious Science for more than 25 years. She has been a senior minister, member and president of the International Board of Trustees and was chosen President of the United Church of Religious Science from 1995 to 1998.  She has been a contributor to Science of Mind Magazine for over 40 years.  Now retired from a permanent pulpit, she enjoys an active counseling practice and serves as a guest speaker and a teacher of ministerial coursework at the Holmes Institute at Santa Rosa, among her many activities.
Dr. Margaret has also written several books, including her just introduced Essays on Everything, which she will be discussing in this program.
Please join us for this free evening with Dr. Margaret.
The book Essays on Everything is available at Stepping Stones Books and Gifts




Saturday, June 8, 2013

Book Review: Writing as a Sacred Path


A Practical Path to Writing with Passion and Purpose

by Jill Jepson

I love books about writing, and Jill Jepson's book, Writing as a Sacred Path is no exception. Not only does she give useful and fun exercises to expand one's skill, but her approach is increasing my experience of creativity in general. And even more than that, her exercises invite an expanded perspective on life itself. Easy to read, and full of great tools for any writer or want-to-be writer, you can't go wrong with that.

Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

Writing as a Sacred Path is available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Book Review: Close to the Bone


Life-Threatening Illness as a Soul Journey

by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.


In her book, Close to the Bone, Jean Bolen succeeds at 1) describing the soul-body connection and 2) prescribing how to utilize it for positive gain.  Her insight fits very securely with the insights of connectivity familiar to those who understand and practice spiritual living.  The author is well-known for her use of illustrations from mythology to describe psychological behavior and elicit an Aha! response.  She has written Gods in Every Man and Goddesses in Every Woman, among  many others.  Dr. Bolen was invited to address a Cancer Patients Conference, drawing explicitly on the myth of Persephone.  The descent of the Soul into The Underworld proved to be a meaningful frame for them as they sought to take control of their own health and well-being.  The mother-daughter relationship represented by Demeter and Persephone and coupled with the agency of Hermes, the messenger god, further fleshes out the complexities of healing.  Dr. Bolen reinforces my conviction that just as we can make ourselves sick, so too can we make ourselves well. She speaks of “guardian angels” who are accessible to us when we pray.  They represent the bridge between the invisible world and the physical one.  Healing energy is very real.


Review by Jane Waldorf

Close to the Bone is available by special order from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.  Please call us at (707) 527-8372 to place an order.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Free Event: Friday, June 28

The Magical Path

with Bestselling Author and Publisher
Marc Allen

Date:   Friday June 28
Time:  7pm
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road

In this inspiring evening, visionary author and New World Library  co-founder Marc Allen offers a short and magical path for making your dreams a reality.  He'll share effective, easy-to-apply practices, including affirmation, visualizations, and guided meditations that have the power to change your life for the better. Because these tools are so simple and powerful, he calls them magic. But far from esoteric, they are tools anyone can use to achieve their dreams and goals.

Marc is also a well-known musician and composer and has released several albums of his music.  His books, audios, and workshops have been highly rewarding — even life-changing — experiences for thousands of people.  Currently he lives in northern California with his wife and two children.

Please join us for this inspirational free event.

Marc's book The Magical Path is available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.






Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Book Review: 365 Thank Yous

The Year a Simple Act of
 Daily Gratitude Changed My Life

by John Kralik


In 365 Thank Yous, John Kralik chronicles his journey for 15 months as he completes a commitment he made to himself. Starting at a very low point in his life, John tells of how a inner voice delivers a message that leads to this simple practice of writing thank you notes. Not only does he bring alive this often neglected practice of hand written notes, but his story shows how such a small act effected him both as a person and in the circumstances of his life. Beyond just opening him to become more grateful and see more good in his life, it reestablished and deepened his relationships. He also shared many poignant accounts of how in doing this he touched many people and added to their lives. This book brought me to a greater recognition of the value of appreciation in our lives. My thank you to John Kralik.

Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

365 Thank Yous is available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Book Review: unconditional Forgiveness


A Simple and Proven Method to Forgive
Everyone and Everything

by Mary Hayes Grieco


Mary Hayes Grieco presents a proven technique for releasing old hurts in her book unconventional Forgiveness.  She shows how we can move through our feelings and actually find freedom in relationship to others and ourselves. She gives lots of examples, both personal and ones from her trainings, as she takes us step by step through an eight step program. She emphasizes the importance of the spiritual element in healing, weaving it through her emotional process. With forgiveness work being such a vital part of our spiritual journey, it is good to have such a clear tool to support us.




Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

unconditional Forgiveness available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Book Review: Patience


The Art of Peaceful Living

by Allan Lokos


Even though February is well past, I have to mention the book of the month, Patience, The Art of Peaceful Livingby Allan Lokos. I started reading it dutifully, thinking patience isn't one of my issues. But I quickly developed a deeper understanding of the nuances of patience and the need for practice, for all of us. His easy, gentle approach served as a back drop as I burned up my Mac laptop, had a ten day delay for its replacement and then had my heater break in the middle of a cold spell. His wise words and easy pace began to set a new tone for my inner voice. His subtitle, The Art of Peaceful Living, was just that for me. Even today I have a new respect and relationship with patience.


Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

Patience, The Art of Peaceful Living is available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

Sunday, March 24, 2013

An Evening with Lisa and Erika


Stepping Stones Books & Gifts invites you
to come and enjoy an evening of music
from Jazz to Rumi and contemporary, too.

Date:  Friday May 3
Time:  7:00 pm
Center for Spiritual Living,Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road


“Extraordinary jazz vocalist Lisa Yvonne Ferraro is a soulful original and has one of the most distinctive voices heard today,” said jazz radio personality and founder and president of the Pittsburgh Jazz Society, Tony Mowod. 

In 2009, Lisa moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she rapidly developed a local following. Her debut at Anna’s Jazz Island in Berkeley was followed by performances with a Big Band at Yoshi’s Jazz Club and at La Peña Cultural Center with Erika Luckett, and she has become a regular at Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, whose 450 seat theater with world class sound and staging belies its folksy name. Also a producer, she has organized “Diva Nights” in both Pittsburgh and the Bay Area as fundraisers for musicians facing cancer.  

"IGNITING HEARTS ACROSS THE GLOBAL FRONTIER"  - Erika Luckett creates a powerful expression of world-inspired music. Poetic and rich, her voice conveys lyrical depth, and her fiery, innovative guitar playing creates an orchestra of sound with only six strings. Growing up in a fluid current of culture, savoring the richness of the Amazon, the urban rhythms of Sao Paulo and the percolating warmth of the Caribbean gave Erika an early appreciation for the interconnectedness of people and cultures.

Cost:  $15 per person.  Tickets will be $20 at the door.

Order tickets now

More information may be found on Lisa and Erika's joint website www.lisaanderika.com
Lisa and Erika have individual websites www.lisaferraro.com and  www.erikaluckett.com


Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Book Review: A Path With Heart

A Guide through the Perils and Promises
 of Spiritual Life

by Jack Kornfield



I am grateful to be reading this month's book, A Path With Heart. I pulled my old copy off the shelf and was pleasantly surprised.  I had forgotten what a master teacher Jack Kornfield is, both for those new to meditation and seasoned meditators alike. His personal sharing and insight offer a gentle approach to practice that invite us all to look deeper into ourselves, all the while bringing great compassion and understanding to just how human we all are.  Just reading the book opens my heart and settles my mind and inspires me into even greater practice.




Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

A Path With Heart  is available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Free Event: Friday March 22, 2013


Stepping Stones Books and Gifts Presents


Do-It-Yourself Feng Shui

with Betty Perkins, M.S.



Date:    Friday March 22, 2013
Time:  7:00 pm
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road


Why do Feng Shui? Are you someone who wishes you could control everything in your life: your level of abundance, your relationships, career, health, creativity, reputation, and knowledge? You will learn what to move around in your home or office in order to feel optimum security with the knowledge that the energy is supporting what you want.


Author Betty Perkins, M.S. is a nationally certified school psychologist, Neurolinguistic Programmer Practitioner, and graduate of the Western School of Feng Shui.  Trained in Flying Star analysis, clearing space, and landscaping Feng Shui, Betty has been a Feng Shui consultant for over eight years.  Her book, Lion Taming, The courage to Deal With Difficult People, Including Yourself is a must-read for anyone experiencing challenges in relationships with spouses, colleagues, friends, relatives, children, or themselves.


Come and join us for this free event.  No reservations or tickets are needed.

For more information on Betty Perkins, visit her website:




Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Free Event Reminder: Friday February 22, 2013



Are you looking for that special person in your life?  Don't miss this special event.

Stepping Stones Books and Gifts presents

21 Days to the Love of Your Life
with Rev. Dr. kac young

Date:   Friday February 22, 2013
Time:  7:00 pm
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road


If you're still single and wondering if you’ll ever meet the love of your life, worry no more!  This authentic, time-tested, unbeatable process is your key to relationship success. In 21short days you can attract the Love of Your Life. No kidding!  All you have to do is invest 21 days, on your own time, to attract the Love of Your Life. It only takes three short weeks.  Skeptical? All the better! This is a proven method that can be your ticket to romantic happiness and fulfillment. These are not theories but actual steps to success.  So if you’re really serious about wanting a loving relationship in your life, don’t miss this incredible workshop that will lead you to the results you desire.

Rev. Dr. kac young has earned three doctorate degrees in health and healing, is a former successful television executive and producer and a licensed Religious Science Minister. She has written books: “21 Days to the Love of Your Life”; “Discover Your Spiritual Genius”; “Dancing With the Moon,”  “Feng Shui the Easy Way,”  "Gold Mind,"  "Heart Easy,"  "The Path to Fabulous," "Cheese Dome Power," "The Quick Guide to Bach Flower Remedies," and "Supreme Healing." All of her books are rooted in the principles of the Science of Mind.  She has lead popular workshops at SpiritWorks, in Burbank, CA., The Community Church of Riverside, and The Center For Spiritual Living in San Jose, St. Luke's in Vancouver, WA., at private venues and halls and for seven years, Asilomar.  Her doctorates include: a PhD in Natural Health,  a Doctorate in Naturopathy and a Doctorate in Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Come and join us for this event.  No reservations or tickets are needed.

For more information on Rev. Dr. kac young, visit these websites:



Sunday, January 6, 2013

Free Event: Friday February 22, 2013

 Stepping Stones Books and Gifts presents

21 Days to the Love of Your Life
with Rev. Dr. kac young

Date:   Friday February 22, 2013
Time:  7:00 pm
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road


If you're still single and wondering if you’ll ever meet the love of your life, worry no more!  This authentic, time-tested, unbeatable process is your key to relationship success. In 21short days you can attract the Love of Your Life. No kidding!  All you have to do is invest 21 days, on your own time, to attract the Love of Your Life. It only takes three short weeks.  Skeptical? All the better! This is a proven method that can be your ticket to romantic happiness and fulfillment. These are not theories but actual steps to success.  So if you’re really serious about wanting a loving relationship in your life, don’t miss this incredible workshop that will lead you to the results you desire.

Rev. Dr. kac young has earned three doctorate degrees in health and healing, is a former successful television executive and producer and a licensed Religious Science Minister. She has written books: “21 Days to the Love of Your Life”; “Discover Your Spiritual Genius”; “Dancing With the Moon,”  “Feng Shui the Easy Way,”  "Gold Mind,"  "Heart Easy,"  "The Path to Fabulous," "Cheese Dome Power," "The Quick Guide to Bach Flower Remedies," and "Supreme Healing." All of her books are rooted in the principles of the Science of Mind.  She has lead popular workshops at SpiritWorks, in Burbank, CA., The Community Church of Riverside, and The Center For Spiritual Living in San Jose, St. Luke's in Vancouver, WA., at private venues and halls and for seven years, Asilomar.  Her doctorates include: a PhD in Natural Health,  a Doctorate in Naturopathy and a Doctorate in Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Come and join us for this event.  No reservations or tickets are needed.

For more information on Rev. Dr. kac young, visit these websites:




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