We Are All Sacred, All Of You Is Sacred
Recorded live on 03/31/2025
Welcoming/Gathering Music
Welcome to our Calm Session. C.A.L.M. stands for Care for Activists in Liberation Movements. My name is Antoinette, and my pronouns are they/them. I am one of the facilitators of this space. I would like to invite you into this space with a song.
All You Fascists Bound To Lose by Resistance Revival Chorus
Again, welcome to C.A.L.M.
I invite you to get comfortable and lean into the feelings that come during our time together. CALM was created in 2021 by a group of UU friends, hoping to bring care into our lives. Over time, the order of elements have changed or our focus has narrowed, but the goals are still the same. We co-create this space so that you may have a container of care and to remove judgment so you may show up as yourself, not your ideal self.
Because we cannot build from a place of scarcity, I offer, in this space, a fullness you may not have elsewhere. Your faith, your queerness, your history, your breadth of human experience, are welcomed here.
We also like to call this a slow space because we take our time with intention. The pauses between elements are not rushed so that you may set down the weight you are carrying in this moment. Even though we may speak openly of pain or sorrow, this space is a space of healing, joy, and making meaning in and of our world. A space of connection and of love.
If you have joined us in the past, you may notice that there is more music in this space tonight. That is because we wanted to hold each of you even tighter, hold each of you even closer. This is our way of giving you more spaciousness in our time together. So use that space to breathe and relax into. We are so grateful to have you in this space and know that this container of care was made just for you.
Please feel free to speak up about your accessibility needs, and if they can not be met tonight, reach out so we can accommodate your needs in the future. We suggest side-by-side speaker view for the most accessible experience and as often as possible, we have the words to songs and readings onscreen for accessibility. We found during the Pandemic that there is comfort in seeing each other, even virtually and so I invite you to set your view to gallery mode if that brings you courage. And if that presence is something you can offer to others today, then you are invited to leave your camera on.
C.A.L.M. meets a few times a year and know the invitation to join us again is always open.
A reminder that participant microphones will remain muted for people not currently contributing, just to keep distractions away from your experience. So, I encourage you where you are to sing along, or end a meditative breath with an audible sigh, or tap into the tranquility of your space, whatever serves you.
Since the chat is an extension of the space, it will remain open for all to use. Just remember to be mindful of what you share to the whole space.
Now, with all these announcements out of the way, please enjoy our prelude and then we’ll light our chalice.
Prelude
Joy Oladokun - AM I? (Official Video)
Chalice Lighting
We Are Loved Beyond Measure by Jami A. Yandle
The chalice is lit
And in the flames the memory of
our trans and non-binary ancestors
Do a dance of freedom and liberation
Reminding us that
we are whole and holy
We are loved beyond all measure
And in our refusal to accept anything less
May we know we are rooted
In the infinite divinity
Not relegated to the outskirts
of the web of all existence
But enshrined at its core
Enfleshed with stardust and fairy dust
An intentional creation of space where our many Gods live
Land/Labor/Life Acknowledgment
I live on the lands of the Grabrileño People and situated in what some now call Tongvaland.
The tradition of a Land Acknowledgment is to begin a new relationship with the original caretakers of the land. It may seem trivial at first, but it allows a starting point for a longer, deeper intention. For me, I speak aloud their names in solidarity with Native tribes across the world to remind us that they are the original keepers and protectors of this land. I live on Tongvaland and grew up on the lands of the Seminole and Mascogo.
I invite you to fill the chat with the names of the people who were the first stewards of where you live. If you are unfamiliar or unsure, you can use this link, https://native-land.ca/ Native-land.ca, to learn more about the indigenous communities where you live.
I also acknowledge the work and labor of generations of people who worked the land and toiled under the United States Empire. Their hands shaped the land, and their voices are often erased from the narratives. I do not know their names but honor their memories of those who gave their lives for descendants like me to have a better future.
Because whether we come from shapers or stewards, whether by birth or by choice, we are not separate from the land. We are the personified existence of the ground we walk upon and the stars we look up to.
Never forget that you are now the stewards, shapers, and sacred souls of this earth.
Opening Reading
Excerpt from Undrowned, Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals
Opening Song
Chico Gospel by Ma Muse
Guided Meditation
Imagining New Worlds
I’d like to invite you to take in your surroundings. Where are you? Is there background noise?
Are there people with you?
However, you’ve come to this time together, inhale and exhale with intention. Our goal today is to bring ourselves back to an intention of reimagining. (breathe)
As a steward of reimagining our world, know that you can’t do that alone. Some answers do not come quickly or with ease. (breathe)
How did that realization feel for you? Knowing that I can not solve all problems for all people makes me anxious. It makes me worry. It moves me out of intentional alignment. How is your breathing? (breathe)
What if, instead of grief, or anxiety, we imagined a new world together? A world we could come back to, or recreate when needed? Lets start with what we need.
Still breathing with me?
I need you. And others. Dig deep into your imagination of interdependence. I need my parter and my children. I need my friends and extended family. Do you have pets? Bring them too. The neighbor next door or down the street? The shop owner you visit that sells that thing you love.
Can you see them? With each breath, place them around you like a circle. As many as you want. (gesture placing people next to you) (breathe)
I also want to bring in some of my ancestors who have passed on. Those both related to me and my community ancestors. Those who have paved the way for me to be here, doing the work, even if they could not imagine what that extraordinary work is. (breathe) (gesture collecting from the sky around you)
You can even give yourself a little hug, to pull all of these relationships closer to you. (breathe)
In the world I am imagining, we have to get rid of the things causing us harm
I want you to imagine digging or parting the ground and pulling up those oil rigs and factories. Place it right in front of you. Now Gently remove those pipelines and tar sans infrastructure.
Do the same, placing it in front, like a pile. Dig up the roots of hate and injustice. Dig up the roots of biases and supremacy.
Collect all of these harmful things infront of you. And breathe. What does this look like? I can imagine a the scrap metal and twisted lumps of buildings.
Are you anxious? Are you angry? Notice your feelings without becoming consumed by them.
Breathe the remembrance of your loved ones. Breathe the remebrance of your ancestors. We are together, with you. Imagine each one placing a hand on your shouolders, holding you and grounding you in this moment and time.
Now, we will gather all of these harmful things up and gently roll them or mold them into a ball.
Continue to roll and mold into it becomes smaller and smaller. Press into it thoughts of love and compassion. Press into it with your thoughts of hope for the future.
Imagine a new beginning for old infrastructure, and then, like a seed, bury it into the ground.
Do this again with the next bit of infrastructure, molding and mending it onto a life-giving seed.
And from each spot, breathe into it, and bring your hands to the sky as it grows and grows.
We have moved through a magical reimagining,
- Pulling in our web of interdependence,
- Gathering up our ancestors
- Digging up our harmful roots
- Molding, shaping, and planting seeds of life
Together we built a new world, a place where we all can thrive. This short exercise brings our attention to a creative outcome, making space to brainstorm our future imaginings.
I am grateful for this time with you, learning and growing together to create a shared vision. May your practice of building a better world began and end with care, compassion, and love.
Amen, Ashe, Blessed Be
Joys & Sorrows
Reader:
Introduction:
Plenty of activists burn out all the time
because they neglect their spiritual needs.
Ours is a welcoming community
where your whole self and whole experience is welcome
and we can rely on our community to hold space
for what brings sorrow or joy into our lives.
Because when a “sorrow” is shared it is lessened,
and when a “joy” is shared it is amplified…
… we take this moment to reflect on our joys and sorrows
and acknowledge the mutual support of our community.
[Consider allowing people to come off mute to voice their J/S if under 12 people]
We’re going to play a short song during which
we invite you to type your Joy or your Sorrow into the chat.
You may write more than one; as many as you need.
Please start your comment with a J or an S (or both!)
so that we may know how to support you.
Your joy or sorrow may be personal, communal, global, or all of the above.
There is no limit to the ways we can hold space for one another.
Following the music, I will read each Joy or Sorrow aloud
and a candle will be lit for each.
If you would like us to hold you in our hearts
but are not comfortable having your joy shared aloud, that’s perfectly fine.
You may still place a J or an S in the chat and a candle will be lit for you.
We will follow the reading of Joys and Sorrows with a moment of silence.
(to be played during the writings of J/S)
[Reading of the Joys & Sorrows: Read the person’s name and whether the post is a Joy or a Sorrow before reading the post.]
Closing:
We light one last candle to honor the joys and sorrows held in silent sanctuaries in our hearts
[Minute of Silent Meditation (for one minute or so after the last J/S)]
Reflection- We Are All Sacred
By: Antoinette (Very short reflection)
“We lose until we win”- how can we use this mantra as a way to hold onto hope?
Trans day of visibility-The first International Transgender Day of Visibility was held on March 31, 2009.
Utah is the first state to ban pride flags from state buildings and schools. In retaliation, they said “you will see us”
On Saturday, the Utah Pride Center and The Glitter Foundation unveil the state’s largest transgender pride flag.
Trans people are 1% of the population, so most people don’t know any trans individuals. Or they don’t know they do. I have the pleasure of being friends with many trans people and so I’ve won the friendship lottery.
Find ways to honor what is greater than yourself
My way is through the community
Find your people who honor your wholeness, not just your productivity
Reminders
You are not alone
You are worthy
And you are sacred, all of you.
Closing Song
Chalice Extinguishing/Benediction
Reader:
“To be human in an aching world is to know our dignity and become people who safeguard the dignity of everything around us.”
― Cole Arthur Riley, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us
Postlude
CALI LOVE by Inda Shawn
If you enjoyed this evening’s program, we invite you to donate to Valley Justice through this link: https://ko-fi.com/valleyjusticela
Order of Elements
Welcoming
Welcome Song: All You Fascists Bound to Lose by Resistance Revival Chorus
Prelude: Am I by Joy Oladokun
Chalice Lighting: We Are Loved Beyond Measure by Jami A. Yandle
Land/Labor/Life Acknowledgment
Opening Reading: Except from Undrowned, Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals
Opening Song: Chico Gospel by Ma Muse
Guided Meditation: Imagining New Worlds
Joys & Sorrows: Lift Me Up by Rihanna
Reflection: We Are All Sacred
Closing Song: Rise Up by Audra Day
Chalice Extinguishing/Benediction: Quote by Cole Arthur Riley
Postlude: Cali Love by India Shawn
Tech design and operation by Jolly
