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wil

wil

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While you guys on i/o has been a major source for online contemplation, conversation and inspiration in the before times.

Now that those who used to attend worship services irl, at churches, mosques, temples etc. I am wondering how everyone is connecting during the current era.

Now I know there are many here that have always studied at home, had their own altar, did there own readings at the kitchen table...I'm not talking about you guys, I can only assume for those it is more of the same.

But for you folks who are used to going out periodically to attend services, commune with friends, pray as a group, listen to the songs and chant together....

How is it going. I wanna know how you are doing it today? Zooming? Watching live streams? Conference calling your prayer group?

This has affected most of us...my hope is you are all handling it, finding ways to cope with the change.

My hope here is that if you share your revised ritual, your methods of connecting, that they may benefit others that are struggling.

I want us all to find peace and solace in times of trouble...to me that is what the oath is about.

Big virtual hugz
 
The nondenominational Christian church in our neighborhood, I'm not a member, never stopped conducting services, not even during lock down and they share parking with our local county Police barracks.

Whenever someone asks about online worship, I usually recommend Shepherds Chapel, a nondenominational ministry who were offering online and televised worship and Bible study long before the whole Covid thing.
 
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I don't do much of the online thing anymore. Buckfast Abbey, which is my parish church, has opened certain Masses to the public. You have to book online in advance, and then there's the whole hand sanitising, social distancing, wearing a mask business.

I just don't go. The other services like vespers are still closed to the public. The monks are old guys and if covid got in amongst them, it would be serious. Anyway I've been feeling for the past few years as if I'm watching the final death of what's left of Catholic monasticism in this area.

I believe that there are strong monasteries in France and Italy. But here in England it feels like just a shadow. I certainly don't have the feeling that I should or must attend.

If/when the church opens properly I will sometimes go over there to Mass and to other services like Vespers, as I did before. The monastic community has changed anyway recently. The old Abbot has left. His replacement is rather a distant and cold fellow. A couple of the monks have left. It's all pretty dour around there at the moment.

It's not about 'community support' for the church. The monks just go on with their own thing, with or without anybody else. And this monastery has never really been about community socialising and inspiration amongst parishioners.

We're not really the happy clappy community enthusiast type of Christians.

Right now since lockdown I just live my life in a different way and I don't really miss 'church' much, I have to say. I'll go sometimes if it's there.
 
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Monks end every prayer service with the words: 'May the divine assistance remain always with us."

What more is there to know?
 
Since moving away 4 years ago...I only went rarely...and watched online occasionally.

Since my incident and can't drive, It has been all online.

Since Covid the church service is on Zoom, has some music and has some discussion afterword, and we have some online discussions about the current black lives and police reform movement. It has been active and interesting.
 
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I and some friends who share some of my interests in ritual magic have been experimenting with virtual meeting formats.

It usually devolves to social-networking type interactions quickly. Group ritual performances over video don't work very well for us.

One format that has been somewhat successful, was meeting online before and after meditative work: Explain the technique before, share our experiences after a set time.
 
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End the call, then everyone dial back in after the meditation.
 
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Cino said:
End the call, then everyone dial back in after the meditation.
Click to expand...
That sounds interesting folks drifting back in...

I have always been wary of shared experiences vs shared techniques. Seems some feel lacking when their experiences are not the same and others (cynical warning) seem to play one upmanship and exagerate...
 
wil said:
That sounds interesting folks drifting back in...

I have always been wary of shared experiences vs shared techniques. Seems some feel lacking when their experiences are not the same and others (cynical warning) seem to play one upmanship and exagerate...
Click to expand...
Oh yes. One of the many pitfalls, the Lust for Results.
 
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