Aldea Spiritual Community

For Part 2 of The New Story, we take on the "stories" that define our experience of the world. From Joanna Macy's views on ecology to the creative imagination of Burning Man, we explore the shift from a great unraveling to the rebirth of our human story.
 
Quotes:
 
Thomas Berry:
“It’s all a question of story. We are in trouble just now because we do not have a good story. We are in between stories.” 
 
Joanna Macy:
“Systems don’t just fall over dead, they fray, progressively losing their coherence, integrity, and memory.” 
 “The third story is the central adventure of our time: the transition to a life-sustaining society.”
“The most radical thing any of us can do at this time is to be fully present to what is happening in the world.”
 
George Orwell:
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
 
Wendell Berry: 
 “The real work of planet-saving will be small, humble, and humbling, and (insofar as it involves love) pleasing and rewarding.”
 
 

As we began a brand new series titled "The New Story", we explored the power of stories in our lives. Not simply myths or fictions, these stories are the beliefs, patterns, and identities that determine how we navigate life.
 
Sometimes, we need to let go of an "old" story that isn't serving us in order to make room for a "new" story that will be more life-giving and loving. In the first message of this series, we explore the power of our own individual "stories" - the beliefs about ourselves that keep us locked in fear or open us up to love. 
 
Quotes:
 
"The most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.” - David Foster Wallace
 
“A story is a system of meaning that focuses our attention, assigns roles, tells us what is important…and offers guidelines for the conduct of life." — Charles Eisenstein
 
“The story that we hold about a person is an invitation for them to step into that story.”— Charles Eisenstein
 
“The most dangerous stories we make up are the narratives that diminish our inherent worthiness.” - Brene Brown
 
“We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are” - Anaïs Nin
 
“How you see is what you see.” - Richard Rohr
 
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” - James Clear 
 
 

Enjoy Kathleen's meditation from the services on September 13, 2026.

Tom Marks is an author & speaker whose work centers around finding meaning and fulfillment in various life stages, including retirement. Tom's most recent book "Your Path To Happiness" explores a quote attributed to the Buddha: "There is no path to happiness; happiness is the path".
 
In this eclectic and heartfelt conversation, Tom & Jake discuss the importance of gratitude, a creative practice, and finding meaning in life in the present moment. 

Enjoy Denise's meditation from the services on September 6, 2026.

Sylvia Skinner, one of the co-founders of Aldea, gave a great message about Aldea's history, vision, and the origins of our motto "Love Period" on Sunday August 30th. Unfortunately, the live recording of this talk didn't come out as planned, but Sylvia was able to recreate this message for our podcast listeners.
 
Enjoy! 
 
Quotes:
 
“To love is the profoundest act of religion, of religious faith, of religious devotion. It is only in a secondary sense an act of ethics or morality.”
— Howard Thurman, Mysticism and the Experience of Love
 
“What makes community possible is love.”— Parker Palmer
 
“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”- Colossians 3:14
"Love is my Religion" - Ziggy Marley
"All you need is love" - The Beatles 

We closed out our series "Belonging, Becoming, Loving" with a reminder of the power of "becoming" - the process of transformation that is an essential part of the spiritual path. 
 
What if "becoming" isn't about feeling that we are constantly falling short, but remembering that we are always changing, evolving, and growing. From that perspective, community can be a safe and supportive place to move through life's shifts with love and grace.
 
Quotes:
 
“All that you touch you Change. All that you Change Changes you. The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change.”  - Octavia Butler
 
 
"It is the privilege of a lifetime to become who you are" - Carl Jung
 
 
“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” — Margaret J. Wheatley

Enjoy Kathleen's meditation from the services on August 23, 2026.

Join us for the first part of our new series "Belonging, Becoming, Loving" as we reflect on one of the most important aspects of spiritual community and a fulfilled life: Belonging. 
 
Quotes: 
 
“Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.” — Brené Brown
 
“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” — Michel de Montaigne
 
“There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability.”— M. Scott Peck
 
“To be is to inter-be.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

Enjoy Mary's meditation from the services on August 16, 2026.