Speaker: Bonnie Rose
The Power of Sacred Irreverence
“Holiness is everywhere. It abides hidden in the infinite ordinary and seeks expression through our intimate recognition of it.” -- Bonnie RoseAs a former registered nurse, actress, and opera singer, Bonnie Rose's career trajectory has been anything but run-of-the-mill, but through it all her life's purpose has stayed constant. Bonnie lives through love: being love, sharing love, and serving love.
Currently the Senior Minister at the Ventura Center for Spiritual Living, Bonnie has dedicated herself to a ministry with roots in the Transcendentalist Movement of the 1830s, believing "that the universe is spiritual and has intelligence, purpose, beauty, and order." It honors all the world’s great spiritual teachings and all paths to God -- "whether we call it God, Spirit, Energy, or Universal Intelligence." She and her congregation believe that through study and spiritual practice, each of us can come to understand our oneness with this in-dwelling Divine Presence, because all people, places, and things emanate from the Universal Intelligence that is within us and all around us. When we do so, "other areas of our lives fall into place and we can do more for others, be better stewards of the Earth, and bring more peace and harmony to the world."
Bonnie furthers her life's mission of being and sharing love by aiming to create ripples of goodness through acts of kindness and generosity, big and small. She teaches a non-dual approach to reality and focuses on inspiring all beings to, as she puts it, "live like the Truth is True." The values of ServiceSpace (the umbrella ecosystem for these Awakin calls) -- leading by inner transformation, focusing on small acts of kindness, and trusting the ripples of goodness -- have had a profound influence on Bonnie's ministry.
Over the years and across the many dimensions of her life, Bonnie has left beautiful footprints in the hearts of animal and human friends, as well as in the hearts of her service community. Her blog DailyBeloved gives readers a window into her world -- a world where the mythical reveals itself in the ordinary, the sacred in the profane, and profound insights blossom out of very human encounters. Written with warmth, wit, irreverence and honesty, her reflections convey the essence of her vibrant spirit.
Join us in conversation with this loving and lively spirit!
Five Questions with Bonnie Rose
What Makes You Come Alive?
I love looking for mystical truths in ordinary things. I blend the sacred and the profane, the profound and the ordinary to translate deep truth into ideas and actions people can use and understand. I love creating a world where we engage in deep conversation about the things that matter most; and then live from a place of values - primarily Love.
Pivotal turning point in your life?
India has transformed me. My first trip in 2013, I had to leave a possibly dying beloved dog behind. In that trip I had a revelation about the nature of non-dual reality, and the importance of joy blended with sorrow. My second trip to India in 2018 was for Gandhi 3.0. Whereas the first trip was looking at joy through the lens of sorrow, the second trip was pure joy of service, sharing, and insight inspiring a deeper calling. The story of the two trips is on dailybeloved.org (currently a work in progress).
An Act of Kindness You'll Never Forget?
One act of kindness that was done for me - my family was attending our yearly "pilgrimage" to a special amusement park. I had promised one of my stuffed animals he could come with us. We were about 5 minutes away; I realized I had forgotten my stuffed animal; I was deeply chagrined; my mother drove back to our house (about 45-minutes) to get my stuffed toy. My sisters weren't happy, but I felt like Love mattered in that moment. Another act of kindness - one that I did for someone else - was to bring coffee and cookies to the public works department in our town. I wrote a letter with it, thanking them for all they do for us. The manager called me in tears, saying in 25 years no one had ever thanked them like that. It was so simple - yet so touching.
One Thing On Your Bucket List?
I have a lot to accomplish with my church - I want to create a community that is OBSESSED with generosity, that is a bright light that shines and attracts many to be obsessed with kindness too. I also get so much joy from my dogs, I would like to do something significant to give back to the canine world.
One-line Message for the World?
It changes from time to time - but right now it's a quote from Bishop Shelby Spong - "Love Wastefully. Never stopping to count the cost."
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