Guest Rev. Linda Finley speaking about fear.

Rev. Linda Finley: "Fear never helped me think clearly.  Fear never gave me any good ideas.  I need to acknowledge that what is happening is upsetting, and then move in the direction of solutions and new questions.  Let the energy of the fear motivate me to move, but do NOT let it rule my thinking."

Her quote started us off on a discussion that covered what to do about fear and how to do it, complete with wonderful stories about balloons and lizards!  We also discussed Covid, and of course Science of Mind and and Ernest Holmes.

You can find Linda Finley on Facebook, and her spiritual community is Center for Spiritual Living in Eugene, Oregon

PS:  she is looking for a geek who can edit their Sunday gathering videos down to just the talk.

You can find more information about Fearlessly Feral Living here.

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Transcript

Summary
Introductions and background @ 0:00Karen introduces her guest Linda Finley, a minister at the Center for Spiritual Living in Eugene, Oregon. They discuss their shared interests and backgrounds, including Linda's previous experience as a bar owner.Dealing with fear and negative emotions @ 11:47 Linda shares her perspective on how to approach fear and negative emotions, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging them, developing a relationship with them, and learning from them rather than trying to suppress or avoid them. She shares insights from her "shadow work" and the metaphor of the balloon blocking one's vision.Shifting from "healing" to "revealing" and asking questions @ 24:24 Linda and Karen discuss the importance of shifting language from "healing" to "revealing" when working with communities, and the value of asking questions rather than making judgments. They explore how obstacles can be doorways to growth and how fear can be a catalyst for learning.Adapting to the post-COVID landscape and reaching new audiences @ 31:00 Linda and Karen discuss the opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to reimagine their spiritual communities, rather than trying to return to the pre-pandemic status quo. They explore ways to reach new audiences, such as "nones" (those not affiliated with traditional religions), and the importance of using inclusive language like "gathering" instead of "service."Closing and next steps @ 39:29 Karen invites Linda to be a guest on her podcast again in the future, and provides information on how listeners can connect with Linda and her center online.