KC Counts talks with Reverend Jennifer Kleitz of Unity of Las Cruces about their weekly conversation group and more. Here is a portion of their conversation:
KC:
Thank you for joining us. I wanted to ask where the inspiration for voices of light came from.
Jennifer:
Thank you for your interest, KC. Unity of Las Cruces holds a regular weekly metaphysical book study and we cover a variety of different books and after after the election in November, and Donald Trump took office, we saw some of the chaotic things that were coming on, those discussions started coming up in the book study and then they really kind of sidelined the book study. So I was looking for a discussion group that I could develop and after doing some meditation and some thinking about it, I came up with voices of light. And so we have that following the metaphysical book study. So that way if people have things they want to talk about, we found the importance of not trying to solve things, just a venue for people to be able to in a safe space, voice their fears without being judged, their concerns, what they're going through, because these aren't things that I address on Sunday morning. Sunday morning is a sacred time to bring peace, to allow moments of learning, and so this we were able to create this and it's been very well received and we're getting it more out into the community outside of our unity community. It's open to everyone.
KC:
So it happens on Tuesdays. Tell us about what the reception was like at the first one and and what are some of the things that you think that people will experience if they attend.
Jennifer:
Uh, let's see. Yes, it happens Tuesdays at 11:30. The first one was really attended by those who were in the book study. And most of the people in our book study attend our services on Sunday. However, I don't want people to think, if they're not part of unity, they can't attend. Sometimes we do go into, if you want to say, the silence and just take a breath so that we can calm our minds and get re-centered. And I think we've had four meetings of it so far, 4 weeks and there have been different people every week. It's very interesting.
KC:
I think that just about anyone can relate to having more difficulty in recent years, and probably even before Donald Trump ran for president the first time - having had more difficulty having conversations about current events with friends and family and and how to navigate those conversations so that we can still converse about these important topics but find a way forward so that conversation is somehow more meaningful. What kind of things can you suggest help us to that end?
Jennifer:
Well, I think part of it is to remember that we're all one and the fears that we may be talking to someone else from a place of fear and uncertainty. And when we listen to them, it may hit us wrong. However, they're coming from a place of uncertainty, or maybe anger as well. So we need to be able to listen and find some kind of light, I wanna say, or compassion. Understanding in what we're hearing; we don't have to agree and I think that's why this discussion group is so important. Because it's enlightened conversation we're talking about, not to convince somebody that we're right or to defend our position, it's to be heard and to also listen and let them be heard as well.
KC:
Is there a moderator for the conversation?
Jennifer:
Primarily, it's me. Sometimes if I'm not able to attend, I select someone else from either our book study or someone who has been coming regularly to that discussion group.
You can listen to this conversation by clicking the "listen" button above and you can learn more about the Voices of Light weekly discussion group and other offerings from Unity of Las Cruces by visiting their website
