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Freeing the Spirit Experience Weekly Individual and Small Group Opportunity

July 3rd, 2020 Greetings Health and Transition Services and Community Residential Program Associates. I am writing once again with our weekly Freeing the Spirit Experience practice. Once again here’s what you need to participate;

 A Smart TV, a phone, tablet or computer with YouTube access  A calm, connected presence to share  30 minutes  A quiet space  This program can be offered to everyone who might appreciate it, on ANY day ANY time. Use is not restricted to people who normally attend the regular weekly Wednesday gathering.

The following pages contain all you need to proceed. The link to a YouTube song playlist URL is included. The songs are in order with the places to play the songs noted in the document. Simply enjoy reading the reflections, poems and prayers, while pausing to watch and listen to the music where noted. In between readings and songs, people can pause for a moment of reflection and conversation with one another. Your weekly comments and suggestions are always appreciated. Please send them to me at [email protected].

As always, we remember, whether on our own, or in the company of others, there are tens of millions of people around the world who at this very moment, with the same thoughts and feelings we have. We are all human together, unique & the same in beautiful ways.

And so allow yourself to be here for 30 minutes, in this moment, just as you are. Take a calm, full breath, slowly relax as you breathe out, and begin…

Freeing the Spirit 16 – Canadian Spirit

The playlist for today can be found at: bit.ly/STAspirit16

Welcome to the Freeing the Spirit Experience. Our theme together this week is the Canadian Spirit. So lets take a moment to ask ourself, “How does the spirit of feel to me…?” Discuss with the person next to you, what words come to mind when we think of the “Canadian Spirit”? Let’s take a few moments now to pause, and rest in our breath, to open to exploring the spirit of Canada today. Click here for your Mindful Moment to view this week’s video and message sent to us by Kathleen Legaspi. Canada’s Spirit When we talk about the Canadian Spirit, we may think of our history and the diverse traditions that make up our nation. We may think of Indigenous people, their history and the importance of reconciliation. We may think of our grandparent’s lives and the lessons the offer us, or our children’s hope and their futures. We may think of community or our freedoms. We may think of promoting freedom, peace and diversity in the world. Whatever the spirit of Canada makes you think of, one thing is for sure; Canada is a unique and special place for a relatively young country. Just this week, Canada celebrated it’s 153rd birthday! And while we continue to grow and learn as a nation, we can lead in living and nurturing a spirit of peace and togetherness in the world. Just like St.Amant’s mission statement, only together can the world find it’s potential! Canada has an important part to play in that for everyone. Let’s pause our reflections now and sing our ... O’ Canada Home And Love - a Poem by Robert William Service Just Home and Love! the words are small Four little letters unto each; And yet you will not find in all The wide and gracious range of speech Two more so tenderly complete: When angels talk in Heaven above, I'm sure they have no words more sweet Than Home and Love. Just Home and Love! it's hard to guess Which of the two were best to gain; Home without Love is bitterness; Love without Home is often pain… No! each alone will seldom do; Somehow they travel hand and glove: If you win one you must have two, Both Home and Love.

And if you have both, well then I'm sure You ought to sing the whole day long; It doesn't matter if you're poor With these to make divine your song. And so I praisefully repeat, When angels talk in Heaven above, There are no words more simply sweet Than Home and Love. As we noted earlier, Canada is diverse, and full of people from many cultures, backgrounds and spiritual traditions. From the Indigenous people and the French and English settlers to people from countless nations around the world who immigrate each year to call Canada home, Canada’s spirit is formed by each and every person, by the unique spirit with which they live and the love they share for Canadian life. What do we mean when we talk about the spirit with which we live? We each have things that we value in our lives; family, freedom, nature, faith, community, love, peace or trust to name a few. Whatever it is we value, we then find ways to live those values each day. In that way, our spirit comes alive! If we value love, and we volunteer our time to support other people in our community, we are living in love, and so Love is then within the spirit of our life. If we value faith and we pause each day to share our faith in prayer, our faith lives in our heart and supports the spirit of our life. If we value the natural world, and we speak up to protect the environment, respect animals and food sources, then nature is alive in the spirit of our life. If we value our cultural traditions, and we continue those traditions in sharing stories, art and music, our culture exists in the spirit of our life. As , we strive to ensure that we and every person around us is free to have and practice their own values, to live freely and to live with love in their life. Everyone’s spirit is important for Canada to be Canada! In this circle of Freeing the Spirit, we know the importance of song in our lives. Canada has long been known for it’s musicians, singers and songwriters who tell stories through their songs. Celine Dion, Leonard Cohen, , K’Naan, Michael Bublé, Raffi, Joni Mitchell, Buffy Sainte Marie and the Weekend are all Canadian born singers that have for many years, been creating music that is enjoyed by people around the world! Did you know that the Guess Who, Neil Young, James Ehnes, Fred Penner, Al Simmons, Harlequin, Steve Bell and Chantal Kreviasuk are all singers from Manitoba? Do you have a favorite Canadian band or Manitoba singer? Here is a list of popular songs by Canadians. Have a look at the link and choose one that you’d like to listen to…

Top Canadian Songs

Many Canadian singers create music about life in Canada. They often sing about respect, culture, diversity and . We each have the right to be respected for our values just as we respect the values of others. And as a nation, Canadians share the universal value of diversity! We are always working to better ourselves as a nation, to create peace for each person, for who they are and for what they each offer to make our country peaceful for all who call it home. Here is a song titled We Are Canadian, that speaks to many elements and people that contribute to the values within the collective Canadian spirit; We Are Canadian Canada’s spirit is often associated with the natural beauty that makes up this country. From the Pacific Ocean to the west, to the Atlantic Ocean in the east, to the Arctic Ocean in the north, and in every forest, every river and every fish, bird and mammal in between, nature and all that makes up the wild natural world is an important part of Canada. Our love and care for the natural world is an important part of our identity and the Canadian spirit. We learn more and more about this each day from the Indigenous people of Canada. We learn that there is a grace like no other that exists in our relationship with the land, air and waters… The Peace of Wild Things – A Poem by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. This next song is in honour of Canada’s natural world;

Song for the Sacred Elements We are all reminded of the Canadian spirit in different ways. In the ways we live, work and play, in the languages we speak, in our cultures, our faiths, our passions and our pastimes, we all contribute to the collective spirit of our community and the country we call home. This next song concludes with the words, “The Land of Dreams”. As you watch the video and listen to the song, you are invited to notice what it makes you feel… “How does the spirit of Canada live in you…what words come to mind when you think of “the Canadian Spirit?” Our closing song is entitled We Thank You Canada, and it nicely sums up the great diversity in the Canadian Spirit… We Thank You Canada May you find ways to nurture your spirit this weekend… Your comments and contributions for themes, poems, prayers and songs are always appreciated. Please send them to [email protected].