Expanding Horizons

Unitarians - who we are and where we came from

Having recently spent a week on retreat with the British Unitarians, Kris Hanna reflects on the roots of Australian Unitarianism, what we have become, and how we can continue to grow as a spiritual community. 

Peace

This week we invite you to contemplate the meaning of Peace. Here, Jennie Dyster presents a collection of readings, read by our members and interspersed with music played by Margaret Lambert.  May peace be with you.

Indigenous Knowledge

In a change from the routine, this week's gathering was centred around the viewing of two short videos about Kaurna history and spirituality produced by "The Knowledge Project". The Knowledge Project, led by Jack Buckskin, aims to create greater shared knowledge between Kaurna people and the wider community. Here, Jennie Dyster briefly sets the stage for these moving films by reminiscing on the historic lack of mainstream knowledge about First Nations' culture in South Australia. To watch these valuable films, go to: https://knowledgeproject.com.au/

Temporal

This week, SA Unitarians member Aaron Poeze examines the topic of time. What is time? How do humans experience it? And what role does it play in our spiritual development? These questions have intrigued philosophers, scientists, theologians and psychologists for.. well... a very long time. Listen on as Aaron explores this mend-bending topic.

Why Religion?

What is religion and what is its purpose? Why God? How relevant is religion in today's world? Peter Whitham addresses these big questions by surveying the development of Christianity and emphasizing that the basic message of Jesus transcends unnecessary religious doctrines.

Equality and Limitarianism

When it comes to money, how much is too much? In this podcast, SA Unitarians President Jennie Dyster addresses the growing inequality of wealth in our world today. Could the new concept of "Limitarianism" guide us towards creating a more equitable and democratic economic system? Listen on...

Thomas

The non-canonical "Gospel of Thomas", an early Christian document discovered in 1945, supports the idea that the "Kingdom of Heaven" is within us all. Kris reads many of the "sayings of Yeshua" from the document and explains that while the author and exact dating of this document is somewhat uncertain, it can certainly provide inspiration for open-minded seekers of the spirit today.

Anam Cara

Anam Cara in Celtic means "soul friend". It is also the name of the first book by Irish writer and philosopher John O'Donohue. Kris here gives an introduction to the man and his spiritual teachings, framed by his poetic, mystical writings on nature, the soul, love, and personal growth. 

Five Steps Towards Becoming Yourself

While the "self" is hard to define and its existence is even debateable, it can serve as a useful metaphor. Here, Kris describes the inner work we do along our spiritual path as five ways of working with our "self" in order to become more compassionate and wise.

Krishnamurti

In this episode, Kris tells the story of Krishnamurti, one of the 20th centuries most renowned spiritual teachers. Krishnamurti was recruited at an early age by leaders of the Theosophy movement and trained with the expectation that he would become a messianic World Teacher. As an adult, after experiencing a spiritual awakening, he parted ways with the Theosophy movement. He continued to teach and write, promoting freedom from religious dogma, direct perception and self-understanding as the essentials of a spiritual life.