Embrace the Edge: Doing Right, Not Being Right

Rev. Don Beaty took us to the edge on Sunday - not in a cliff-hanging way, but in a quiet way that asks for contemplation. What do we do and value that's worth the "calories" we spend?

He began by reminding us that if we take nothing else from this month’s theme, Embracing the Edge, the three words Rev. Gary shared last week — courage, compassion, and curiosity — put us ahead of the game.

If living more consciously and intentionally is what we’re here for (and my guess is yes, since it's key to why we're here), those three qualities will take us far. I liked them so much I wrote them on my home office whiteboard. They feel like a daily check-in, not an aspiration.

And, Rev. Don has me considering calories, or the energy I spend, and where I spend them, far more deeply.

Using the analogy of foundations, from our own foundation built on values and beliefs, to that of a building, we understand that a foundation is something to stand on, something strong enough to support us, something to lean on or into. At CSL Ballard, we shore up our foundation when we come on Sundays, take a class, do our own spiritual practice, or show up as our authentic, whole selves out in the world.

Embracing the fog of uncertainty

It's especially important to be aware of these when we're trying to build or create something. A foundation isn’t decorative. It’s a critical, structural piece that, without it, you have a house of cards.

In a metaphysical sense, our foundations are built from the God-qualities (our raw materials, like truth, abundance, peace, and love) we value, and spiritual principles. Reflecting on that foundation, we can rely on these when things get uncertain.

And uncertainty is part of living on the edge.

Living on the edge doesn’t mean being reckless (although that's one way to learn; as a teenager, my mom always said I had a guardian angel); instead, it means being willing to engage, and potentially, to take risks. To borrow from Rev. Don, referencing Goldilocks - his "patron saint of just right," notice when something is too hot or too cold, and keep adjusting until it’s just right.

Not being right, but doing right. That distinction matters.

As humans, we desire consistency and comfort, as Rev. Don noted, even as growth requires us to expand. We don’t always want to spend the calories on what feels hard or unfamiliar.

So the real questions become: What’s worth it? What keeps me going? What gets me up in the morning? What do I stand for?

Sometimes living on the edge looks like being the one who asks the questions no one else wants to ask. Or the ones people are afraid to say out loud. It takes courage and compassion to do that, to stand for who we are and what we value, not to win an argument, but to get it right in a deeper sense.

And it takes curiosity to stay open when the answers aren’t neat.

That’s where spiritual practice comes in. Not one-size-fits-all. Just something real, something we’ll actually do. One simple practice Rev. Don offered was naming our good for the day each morning, a small way to orient ourselves toward what matters before the noise kicks in. We have others - like meditation, journaling, etc. - but what works is the one you'll do.

At the heart of all of this is a simple way of living he shared as a guide: do good, and do well. Not perfectly or performatively, but honestly. If you missed his talk and the thought-provoking opening by Practitioner Ann Forest Burns, who asks if we're willing to change and grow, you can watch it here.

Marketing Committee Update - and Request

As a community, we’re also standing at an edge, figuring out how we show up, how we grow, and how we let people know we’re here. Our marketing committee met recently, and one small but meaningful thing you can do (if it feels aligned) is this: When you're online, try searching for us, using some key phrases we're testing: spiritual center Ballard, spiritual church, or spiritual conversations, and click on our ads when they appear. They look like little boxes on your screen (unless you're using an ad blocker - checking on this!). By doing this, you help the algorithms notice us, which helps people who are genuinely searching find their way here.

There are also other ways to help: sharing ideas, putting up flyers, sharing newsletters, or social posts for our events (like Meaningful Movies, or even just our weekly talks), inviting a friend, or lending your creativity in some way. Community and engagement matter. I've heard many of us say that community is one of the main reasons for showing up.

Cementing the Foundation

We're living in a time with a lot of revelation and a lot of division, where some are exploring or assessing what their foundations are truly made of for the first time.

Which makes the work we do, both inner and outer, even more important. Living on the edge asks us to see the good, take a stand for what matters, and choose to do what’s right, even when it’s hard.

We have a pretty solid foundation to stand on. When we model that for others, we lead the way toward a more loving, compassionate way of being.

With gratitude,

Laura