The Lab: Why We Gather

This movement away from traditional religion has left a hole in many people’s lives including my own. Personally, I am yearning to connect with a power greater than myself. And I am looking to commune with others on a higher plane. For example, I am deeply drawn to the teachings of Jesus. I am less drawn to religious institutions that use faith to divide people and discriminate against “others.”

There is a saying, “God has no grandchildren.’ In other words, your relationship to God is direct. It’s yours. For me, this relationship is built from learning, reading and listening to the prophets, poets and mystics. It is cultivated through silence. It is expressed through love, compassion, charity and  empathy.

I have begun to know Reverend Michael Beckwith, founder of Agape, who has built a warm house for wandering souls in Los Angeles. He visited us in Topanga this week. He has preached every Sunday for 33 years, rarely missing a day. If you are looking for union with others  and with your higher self, visit him at the Saban Theater. Like most of life’s most precious offerings, it is absolutely free.