The Pace of the Posts

I have received a couple of queries regarding the drop off in the number of posts this month. I decided early on that that I could not keep up the pace of what I had been doing before (3 or 4 posts a week) and that it would make sense to post at a pace of about 1 or 2 posts per week. This will keep me fresh and engaged and is much more likely to make this project sustainable over the long haul. I the meantime, thanks for your encouragement.

Guest Blogging

Greetings!

Perhaps you have a piece or two that you think would be useful to other UUs but you really don't want to start your own blog. Naked SAMADHI is here to help!

If have some material you think is appropriate, please feel free to send it along to me (with copyright notice on the bottom – see mine for a sample form). Submissions can range from book and movie reviews, to rants and raves, to a perspective on spiritual practice, to perspectives on lay ministry.

I take a look at your work and perhaps post it (no promises). If I do post it, you will get a byline. If necessary, I will to some simple for mating. Any images you use should be forwarded as separate attachments as well as embedded in the text. If you submit three or four thoughtful pieces, and are so inclined, I will be happy to invite you to be a guest blogger which will allow you to post whenever the fancy strikes. Just to keep up appearances, and because a guy has to have some standards, please take a look at the following before submitting:

1. Content: We expect our posts to be thoughtful and promote a focus on spirituality, healthy church dynamics, church history, and so on. The only things that are off limits are political discussions and general UU material that can be found elsewhere (though I am happy to consider adding links to such sites on your recommendation). This does not mean that you can't be funny, clever or irreverent - just be brilliant. If you have questions about what type of material is acceptable, poke around and it should be fairly obvious.
   
2. Look and feel. It is important that the visuals of the site be maintained and so if you can find your own visuals, so much the better. If not forward the piece to me and I will scout around. Photos should be interesting and colorful and have a professional appearance.

Other than that, let's have fun and work to the change the world one post at a time!

Thank your for your interest. I look forward to hearing from you.

Warm regards,

Matt

First Time Getting Naked?

Welcome to Naked SAMADHI.

Q. What is the purpose of this blog?

This is a new site for Unitarian Universalists which is designed to help lay leaders and others find spiritual sustenance, take new perspectives, and locate some tools helpful for them as they seek to lead their churches. Because it is new, it will be morphing over time. As the site grows you will likely find articles on:

• Spiritual Life
• Strategic Planning
• Developing Spiritual Practices
• Church Growth
• Historical Articles
• Analysis of trends within the UU church
• Book reviews
• Movie reviews
• Hyphenated UUism

Q. How to I get around?

You can always get to the Home page by clicking on Naked SAMADHI at the top of each page. Archives will take you to a list of old articles. Articles in a series will have links at the bottom to the next article. You can also use the search box at the top of the page to look for specific topics. There are also certain pages that list the other site pages relevant to that topic - for example "Books" will contain a list of all books reviewed on the site. The information on the site is designed to be as accessible as possible from several different points.

Q. Do you allow Guest Blogging?

Yes. If you are interested check out Guest Blogging.

Q. Do you allow comments.

I love comments! They are moderated but only slightly to avoid gibberish and cruelty to others.

Q. Do you mind suggestions?

I love suggestions. Fire away.

Q. Why don't you do politics on Naked SAMADHI?

This has been a struggle for me. I am very active in certain social causes and I believe very strongly that the spiritual journey involves active engagement in the world - and I will talk about that. However, I have seen a tendency in the UU church to use politics to see those who disagree with us as "other". It can function as a way to congratulate ourselves on our moral superiority. If that was backed up by truly monumental acts of compassion and efforts at social justice, then I would feel very differently than I do. However, I don't see that many UUs who are so devoted as to claim such exalted high moral ground. I see the fastest way to deep engagement lies through being focused on developing ourselves and our churches to "be the change we want to see in the world." There are so many places to go to get the liberal political views we as UUs hold so dear, but there are relatively few that address the nature of spiritual and corporate growth.

What Is the Name All About?

Naked SAMADHI

Here are a few definitions of Naked:

na·ked (nā'kĭd) adj.

1. without the customary covering, container, or protection: a naked sword; a naked flame.
2. defenseless; unprotected; exposed: naked to invaders.
3. plain; simple; unadorned: the naked realities of the matter.
4. not accompanied or supplemented by anything else: a naked outline of the facts.
5. exposed to view or plainly revealed: the naked threat in the letter; a naked vein of coal.
6. plain-spoken; blunt

I will leave it you to figure out which of these definitions fit the content on the site. Fortunately, the definition is broad enough to cover a mulititude of sins. I also have to admit a debt of gratitude to Ken Wilber and the thinkers he has introduced to me which have opened new vistas for me. In part, the name - following his Integral Naked site - is a tribute to his influence on my way of thinking.

And now - Samadhi:

sa·ma·dhi /səˈmɑdi/ [suh-mah-dee] –noun - Hinduism, Buddhism

1. a state of deep concentration in the object of meditation, a state of being totally aware of the present moment; one-pointedness of mind.

The goal of the site is to be direct, helpful and enlightening. The word Samadhi is deeply meaningful in the Advaita tradition I associate with most closely. Using it in a blog runs the risk of trivializing the depth and importance of the word, but it is my fervent hope that this site will help people live more skillfully and, hopefully, find spiritual practices that take them more deeply into the present moment and the enlightenment that lies there.

About Me

I see my life life as both an inward and an outward journey and that this rhythm of inhale and exhale is what evokes growth, keeps me engaged, and makes life interesting. On my inward journey, I am focused on Advaita Vedantism. In my outward journey, I engage around issues of poverty and social justice.

I believe that we need community to become fully ourselves and that it requires a concerted commitment to remain with people through thick and thin to develop as we should. Meaning often arises in the context of these relationships. As a Unitarian Universalist, my church is one important aspect of my community. My workplace is another and the Seattle Integral Community is becoming another node for me.

By day I am an estate planning lawyer. I tend to do a great deal of work around how estate planning can foster healthy, rather than unhealthy, relationships to wealth through structural intervention and a focus on holistic lawyering.

I have also been honored to be named as consultant for the Pacific Northwest District. I work with churches around fundraising, religious education for adults, strategic planning and leadership development.

I am the husband to a wonderful woman. My wife, Marcia, is a psychologist. We have been married 30 years. We have two terrific children. Our daughter who is 15 and our son, who is 23.

I enjoy cycling, film, yoga, Italian cooking and chess.

My educational background, which some may care about:

• Stanford University Law School, J.D., 1988
• Fuller Theological Seminary, M.Div., 1979
• UC Santa Barbara, BA, Sociology, 1976

Namaste,

Matt