The Parliament of the World's Religions, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!

Over the past few days I have been working on my proposed presentation for the Parliament of the Worlds Religions titled “Sacred Regard, Confronting Hate with Love, Compassion and Education”.  This process has driven me to consider what it is that the Parliament stands for and how I can contribute to these organizational values and ethics.

Simply stated my goal is to LISTEN!  This event provides a profound opportunity to engage with people of other faiths in respectful and compassion centered dialogue.  There can be no greater contribution to world peace than developing a deep and abiding understanding of other cultures and belief systems. 

This focus has led me to revise my proposed presentation many times with the goal of giving voice to participants experiences and view points. As challenging as manifesting a presentation which features interactive components can be, the revisions are well worth the effort.  It is my task to surrender control of the direction the presentation precedes and embrace the unique opportunity to engage with viewpoints arising from cultural contexts with which I have little experience.

In the end my goal for the presentation mirrors my hopes for the entire event. Seeking mutual understanding and respect for the incredibility diverse expressions of divinity around the world. I am committed to not huddling with others Pagans during the Parliament, but instead engaging in a sacred process of learning about and embracing divinity in a plethora of manifestations.

In short, I intend to listen!