New CSS Teacher: Matthew Lowes

During a special Community Night meeting on Wednesday 19 March 2025, Matthew Lowes shared his account of Awakening. Ten years ago Matt had a Gnostic Awakening. He is currently a Eugene-based spiritual teacher, who has written a number of books and has an on-line library of recorded talks, which you can access at matthewlowes.com.

A year ago Matt joined the Center as a regular distance studies student under Joel's mentorship. He has read Joel's books, listened to many of Joel's talks, and attended Todd's seven-day residential retreat last fall. Joel has had many discussions with Matt, and Joel thinks his views about a spiritual path are right in sync with the Center's teachings. That is why Joel had no hesitation in recommending him to become a CSS teacher. The CSS Board agreed. According to custom, the final step is for Center members, at this special Community Night Meeting, to ask Matt to teach.

After Matt gave his account of Awakening, members enthusiastically asked Matt to teach at the Center.  Watch the video here.

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More about Matt: An earlier talk at CSS in which Matt recounts his path and Awakening is here: Matthew Lowes: An Account of Awakening

A transcript of an interview with Matt is here: An Interview with Matthew Lowes.

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Spring Retreat: Opening to the Mystery

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A non-residential Spring retreat was held in the CSS meeting hall from May 5-10, 2025. The retreat was entitled "Opening to the Mystery" and was led by Todd. In addition to thirteen retreatants in person, four Zoom participants joined from Australia, Canada, California, and Oregon.

Laura Betty writes:

The retreat theme, “Opening to the Mystery,” included an intention to open into the nature of experience through stabilizing attention and spacious awareness. We did stay focused via lots of meditation rounds and Todd’s openness to our questions! The teaching remained fresh to the issues on hand. The questions were answered clearly and then woven into the next day’s teachings. Thank you Todd!

We all used our breath as our meditation object. At this retreat, the “object” settled into my lower tummy region. Usually it is a sensation in my nose. I stayed with this new sensation and it opened into an open space that was not a “me” feeling. It has become my new “object” of meditation.

It is truly amazing how one can spend five days in silence and feel the closeness and support of the sangha, in-person and on Zoom. We all felt connected! A big thank you to Todd who carefully kept us on course as we were being guided and invited to Realize true Reality!

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Haikus by Liz Blalock:

Arising just now
A cascade of forms and names
Just a passing show.

I surrender Death
Put me out of my distress
Yes! I’m that tired.

Theme: To know Thyself
rock, hand, thought and emotion
Empty and Just Now.

The Four Principals
Commitment is Devotion
My God and My All.

Zoom Awakening Group Finishes Four Rounds of Dream Work and Writing Practice!

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ZAG—the Zoom Awakening Group with Merry Song—recently completed Round Four and brought to a close this community of creative exploration. Starting in October of 2024, ZAG explored Dream Practice and Lucidity, The First Precept, and Writing Practice for spiritual illumination.

During each session, Merry Song presented a poem and then used it as a leaping off point for in-session writing. Following is an example of a poem by Merry Song, given as an inspiration for spontaneous writing that holds dreamy symbols which can be interpreted. The participants had three minutes to write and no editing time. Several of their writings follow.

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Merry Song wrote~

I'm cleaning the house
before the wrecking ball comes
You may think me foolish
to work so hard before demolition

But I cannot help myself, you see
The house will be neat, will be tidy
when she meets her cruel fate,
for in a short while I will lose the house forever

So I run a sponge up and down the walls
I meticulously sweep the floors, the steps,
I polish off the windows, no smears allowed
I dust all the corners and shoo out the flies

The new owner does not want the old house at all
just the precious land with the view that it occupies
so that a new house can be built—bigger, better
I am hard at work loving the old house with every kind act of cleanliness.

And what of me when the house is gone?
I will wander 'round the planet
homeless and yet at home
never owning, never possessing, never wrecking,
wandering away into the mystery of life.

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Niraja wrote~

I’m washing the window. It is filthy both inside and out. I start at the top standing on a ladder. I squirt the spray onto the window and watch the dirty drops flow down the glass. I scrub with old newspaper to remove the dirt and I am constantly climbing down for more paper. I can see inside now through the top half.

I’m washing the window. It is half clean now. The outside has been thoroughly washed so I move inside. Much less dirt and grime here – but fingerprints are plentiful.

I’m washing this window for the last time. Tomorrow, I will move away and leave this view behind. I look through the now clear pane and see all the joys and beauties that I cultivated. I smile as tears drip down my cheeks – like the dirty water on the window.

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Donnalee wrote~

I am repairing the old fence blown down by last week’s windstorm. It will keep my neighbor’s goats, cows, horses and human eyes out of the garden. I am starting to clear the weeds and plant with Spring bulbs. The fence is my protector, keeping me behind the privacy of rotting broken grey boards. It is the boundary of my personal sanctuary.

I am repairing the old fence blown down by last week’s windstorm. A whole new world is being created, more beautiful than before.

I am repairing the old fence blown down by last week’s windstorm. The Wisteria is already budding, reaching its vines out to grab hold of the old fence for assurance that it will hold up its weighted blossoms. It is nearly ready to bloom and drape above the blue garden bench where I sit during summer nights, looking at the stars and moonlight shadows, wondering if this dream will fold in on itself in the vast stillness of the night-time sky. I am peaceful. I am protected. I am in love with my garden that is coming into full bloom.

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Jude wrote~

I’m flying to the stars. I feel great joy. I decide I’ll lay down on a cloud to see what that’s like: an airy cushion cradling me softly yet firmly. I look up at the stars, nearer now but myriads still in the distance. The light from the eyes of the stars also cradle me.

I’m working for the light. I want to shine light upon all darkness and heaviness. It feels wondrous to be among the stars.

I’m dancing in the full moon light. I’m up in the night sky, seeing for the first time the dazzling brilliance: the stars, the full moon, the brilliant clouds. It’s such a satisfying dream life. I am so blessed.

Death Doula Presentation

On 12 April 2025, Jude Kieda and Mona Bronson facilitated a meeting at CSS on the topic of death doulas and what role they provide in the death and dying process. They explored the question, what is a death doula and their role in death and dying? About 15 CSS members attended in person and via Zoom, with which Tom McFarlane & Donna Atkinson graciously assisted.

Jude started by sharing excerpts from Joel’s book Through Death’s Gate about spiritual practices to address fear and doubt when facing death. She then listed various services available from a death doula to a dying person and their family during the journey towards death. We learned that the non-medical role of a death doula is a helpful complement to hospice and palliative medical care for a dying person. She also mentioned that doula training and certification is available (though not government-required), and contains a mission to influence positivity in end-of-life experiences. To balance the weightiness of the topic of death, Jude artfully sprinkled her talk with witty death humor she described as levity moments, for example, “A last will and testament is just a dead giveaway.”

After the presentation, various attendees expressed interest in ongoing informal discussion of other death and dying related topics. An initial small group of CSS members met mid-May, and plan to meet again as the “CSS Death Café” to discuss the nature of hospice care on Monday, June 23rd from 3:30-5pm in person at Saratoga. All CSS members are welcome.

 

Guest Speakers: Matt and Hiromi Sieradski

How does intimacy factor into awakening? How do challenges in communication and cultural differences provide ripe resources for spiritual growth? How can we work with yin and yang in relationship? In a Sunday talk at CSS, Matt and Hiromi Sieradski, founders of Heaven Earth Circle, explored these topics, based on their unique perspective from over twenty-five years of partnership, spiritual practices and teaching together. Watch the video recording here.

Heaven Earth Circle is a private non-profit spiritual association which provides a safe environment for small group work, studying and practicing the teachings of the mystics of the great traditions, including qigong, chanting, meditation, and Sacred Touch Biodynamic Craniosacral Work. More information about their work can be found at HeavenEarthCircle.org.

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Hiromi writes:

Dear CSS Sangha,

Thank you so much for inviting us back to share a talk at CSS. It was truly heartwarming to return to my spiritual home—my Furusato, the hometown of my heart. This entire experience was filled with joy and grace.

Jude and Tom made our preparation so smooth with their kind and thoughtful support. When we arrived, we were greeted not only by Tom’s warm smile but also by a beautiful Camellia flower offering, which felt like a sweet and silent welcome. I don’t know who brought the flower, but I want to thank you—whoever you are—for that thoughtful gesture. It touched my heart.

Matthew and I were both so happy to be there and to share in the joy of returning. For me, the teachings I received at CSS were life-saving. Who I’ve become is rooted in the love and support I received there. A seed of love was planted in my heart at CSS, and from it grew my authentic path—the path of love, the Bhakti path. With Joel’s blessing, we started our own organization, Heaven Earth Circle, and we are grateful to continue sharing the mystic teachings and supporting healing and awakening in others.

In these times, I notice how many people feel shy about singing, and yet, beneath that discomfort, there is so much love waiting to be expressed. As a Bhakta, I remain in awe of the power of chanting. Reciting mantra has allowed me to release energy stored from childhood trauma and has helped me deepen my trust in the Divine Mother. Each mantra carries its own power, and although I am not a trained musician, I have been deeply enjoying this journey of self-discovery through sound. Chanting brings me pure joy, and it was my honor to share that joy with those who joined the gathering on Sunday.

Thank you for your continued practice and for holding such a sacred space. Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to join me for my twice-weekly chanting practice/Mantra Yoga. I would love to practice together.

With love and deep gratitude,

Myogetsu (Wondrous Moon), Hiromi

Community Goods Give-Away

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The second annual Community Goods Give-away and Brunch Potluck took place on Saturday, May 17, 2025 from 10 AM – 1 PM in the CSS meeting hall. In addition to being a social opportunity, this event primarily provided an opportunity to practice stewardship of tangible items in our life. Its purpose was to facilitate the re-use of items by providing a space for members of the CSS community to give away valued possessions no longer being used. People came to bring items to give away, take items others are giving away, bring food or drink to share, eat, drink, and be merry with the community!

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Donald writes:

I recently had an insight. I store nice stuff (books , clothes , tools, etc.) often for years on end because "maybe someday" I'll use it or "it's too valuable to let go of." The insight? I am wasting the resources upon which other beings depend. Last year at the give away, I gave several sweet items away. In doing so I directly experienced an ease and freedom afterwards. These were items I struggled with bringing for several months! And now I hardly remember what they were. That is freedom!

I took a deeper hunt around my home this year leaning towards the uncomfortable edge: can I let this item go? I grow in this process... I remember that saying, "The best things in life aren't things!"

 

Guest Speaker: David Ulrich

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Sunday 4 May 2025 CSS hosted guest speaker David Ulrich, who gave a talk entitled "Art and Spiritual Practice: a Pathway Towards Consciousness."

Art can be a genuine spiritual practice. The creative act can introduce myriad levels of reality, open us to the sacred, and offer a path of inner growth and development. This presentation highlighted how art can serve to deepen our connections to the sacred, and deeply nourish our inner and outer lives.

David Ulrich is a photographer, best-selling author, and educator. He is a co-director of Pacific New Media Foundation in Honolulu, a faculty member at UC Berkeley, and a consulting editor for Parabola magazine. His latest books are Zen Camera: Creative Awakening with a Daily Practice in Photography (2018), The Mindful Photographer: Awaken in the World with a Camera (2023), and Oceano: An Elegy for the Earth (2023), a monograph of photographs. See more at creativeguide.com