Annual Work of Ordained Table 32 of New York, USA
December 10, 2024
Introduction: The seven members of Ordained Table 32 of NY are deeply inspired and motivated by the words of Ana Cristina inviting “the Ordained to work on the meaning and content of their Reunions, and in what way these can contribute to supporting and carrying out our mission.” To this end, we had two visionary meetings in the summer of 2024, and have devoted time and attention in the fall Reunions. During the fall, we decided to make the Grand Master Dame’s invitation “To the Ordained” the theme of our Annual Work.
Visionary Summer Meetings: Although not everyone participated in the summer, most of the group did, engaging in two meaningful dialogues focusing on the qualities we wanted to embody in the forthcoming Reunions. The fruit of those dialogues were the following named qualities: transparency, truthfulness, simplicity, flexibility, less information – more depth, authenticity, relevance, interactivity, knowing one another, deepening contemplation of the meaning of being Ordained, exploring the relationship between an individual’s unfolding and the unfolding of the group. Importantly, the content of the summer dialogues was shared with all the group members. Everyone was given the opportunity to give feedback. By the time of our first Reunion in September, we had a vision of how we wanted to be and what we wanted to unfold.
A Supportive Reunion Protocol: Two people are in charge of the Reunion: Meditation and Teaching. They sometimes do the Meditation by themselves, though more often request others’ participation. Using the assigned study materials, they choose a theme of the Teaching, and communicate it to the other group members, allowing time for everyone to adequately prepare. The Teaching is expected to be interactive, with everyone contributing their prepared reflections on the topic. This format has given the group wide amplitude and welcome flexibility in choice of meditations and teaching topics. Simplicity is key.
The Members of Table 32’s Responses to Ana Cristina’s Invitation – Our Reflections on the Meaning and Content of our Reunions, and their Contribution in Supporting and Carrying out our Mission:
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Kay Engelsmann: I am very much at peace and becoming a part of my new Ordained Table. I believe we are doing the work of this year’s Annual Mission: working for world peace. Knowing that peace begins with us, we become the experimenters. We are open, honest and vulnerable with each other and at the same time we are becoming friends. We discuss difficulties and even some problems that touch us individually, but we don’t take them personally because they are not ours: they belong to Humanity! There does not exist in this world a unique situation or problem; therefore, we share and search for answers not for ourselves but for all people everywhere.
As we experiment with our work, we can ask ourselves, “Is there a relationship with one’s individual work with the unfolding of the group? What is the relationship of the group’s work to the unfolding of the individual? Finally, what is the relationship of our annual work with the rest of the world?” These are the essential questions to be asked; the annual work is truly a work in process.
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Michelle Horvath: The question of the
Reunion group’s purpose in the individual’s unfolding remains an open question for me. It seems there must be a purpose, or for what other reason do we meet? We each have valued relationships inside and outside of Cafh that support us in our unfolding; so do we really need the reunion group? Like a foreign language I cannot grasp, I am holding space inside myself for this question in each Reunion meeting. I may not grasp the purpose yet, but I am assured that I cannot grasp it at all if I do not prepare myself by showing up in person and spirit, prepared- having spent time reading and reflecting on the teachings, authentic and listening and contributing. I also hold space for those that have willingly left our Table. While each individual’s journey is their own, I do think it worthwhile to reflect on the Reunion and whether its ground is fertile enough and expansive enough to hold the vicissitudes of each phase of life and relationship of the Ordained, or any member. In addition to considering Tablemates who have willingly left, I am considering the possibility that there is torpor in the tradition of Cafh that isn’t allowing us to respond to the spiritual yearnings of those around us in the United States in the way needed by this time and place in history and culture. I am listening for examples of willingness to experiment and change, grow and develop, as I too need these examples to inspire me. Finally, as a Reunion group: I do think we need to find ways to show up for each other, to build our relationships outside the Reunion, whether in “reality” or prayer.
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Jeffrey Gerstel: Probability Distribution
Solvay Conference Quotation:
“The phenomenon of life should be explained by the physical laws that govern the universe. We know them through observation and objective study.”
What percent of the total are the probability of certain outcomes, including random variables, and expectations of a discrete whole? We are not coins to flip nor rolls of dice. We are humans with almost infinite variables, although at the present time our number is fixed, and our Reunion’s topic on the whole is discrete.
Yes, reality for each one of us is not separate from our observations; our present group has gone through absolute changes. We have seen the death and conscious withdrawal of a portion, while at the same time new additions have joined us. Those additions have come with new expectations of a more fluid style of interaction, and more experimentation with forms of meditation.
Perhaps we can call members of our original Table 32 archaic, with some of us knowing one another for close to 2 decades. However, stylistically new members at first seemed uncomfortable dealing with a very “fixed” milieu and the formality of sticking to a discrete order of Teachings and Dialogues.
In retrospect, I think the term “Blending,” although a “soft curve,” might have been a turning point in the way the group was willing to bend our expectations, and begin functioning in a supportive, and dynamic way.
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Judyth Woolfe: Looking retroactively at this past year of our Reunions, I sense more and more a genuineness, a willingness to be vulnerable and real in our group. I hold onto how this feels during the Reunion and work to re-create it in my home environment with the people I live with and have struggles with. I bring a sense of presence and full, deep listening from the reunion home with me to practice the same with my family. I bring a quietude and respect from the reunion home with me to apply and use with my family, friends, students and beyond. I carry love, appreciation and acceptance into our reunions. I feel it from our group and take it back with me to use in all my relationships. I take inspiration to keep working on my unfolding and the unfolding of our Table.
I take the profound sense of being accompanied by my beloved companions in our journey together. I am deeply grateful to be part of an unfolding Table— my spiritual family—as we continue to learn, grow and know ourselves and each other, amplifying our compassion and consciousness as a group. Our daily lives are our gift and contribution to expansion and the evolution of humanity.
I have spent some time this year pondering these inquiries:
Can we hold the standard and mission of Renouncement as the core of our reunions?
Can we maintain balance as we support and offer our most authentic selves to one another?
Can we remain conscious of the strength we are building as a unity both real and symbolic?
I continue to see our Reunion as a sacred opportunity to deepen our work as Ordained for Cafh in the world—an ongoing chance to plumb the depths of ourselves and the divine spark that unites us. As Carl Sagan—astronomer and planetary scientist—said, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.”
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Kim Byas: For me, the work of the Ordained in Cafh represents a profound dual commitment. On one level, there is the work of personal unfolding and on the other level is the work of guiding and leading in Cafh as an organization. These dimensions are distinct and yet deeply interconnected. Because of this tension, however, the Ordained must maintain a balance between inward spiritual focus and outward organizational responsibility. In my view, this dual commitment defines the essence of our periodic reunions where the sacred and the practical converge.
At its core, the work of unfolding as an individual entails a deep and personal engagement with our inner life. It is a process of self-awareness, transformation, and alignment with the mission of Cafh while using the tools and resources Cafh provides. The Reunions serve as a sacred space for this inner work. Reunions can offer spiritual nourishment through dialogue, reflection, and shared commitment when approached with sincerity. As such, Reunions can be a source of renewal that strengthens our resolve to live the life with clarity and purpose.
Simultaneously, the Ordained are called to support Cafh as a formal structure that serves all its members and extends its presence to those seeking an organization like Cafh for their own unfolding. This engagement and leadership demand practical engagement with the organization’s operations so as to ensure Cafh’s sustainability and alignment with its mission. Whether through administrative tasks, collaborative projects, or offering guidance to others, this work is an extension of our spiritual commitment. Our work in supporting Cafh as an organization demonstrates that personal and collective unfolding are not mutually exclusive.
In my years as a member of Cafh, however, fulfilling these dual roles is not without challenges. Reunions can become a space for where old conflicts, lack of trust, misunderstanding, and opposing views on how the Reunions should unfold can hinder the effectiveness of these sacred meetings. Similarly, when motivation wanes, the Reunions risk becoming procedural rather than meaningful. They can lose their potential to inspire both individual and collective growth.
To address these issues, I believe that each Cafh member needs to reaffirm the sacred nature of our Reunions while following the Ceremonial and upholding the depth and purpose they are meant to embody. This requires intentional preparation, active participation, and a shared commitment to creating an atmosphere of trust and openness. Flexibility in addressing immediate concerns should not overshadow the need for structured and meaningful dialogue around the topics of study. By grounding our discussions in the spiritual and practical aspects of our mission, we can foster both individual growth and organizational cohesion.
Moreover, the work of the Ordained must be marked by interdependence and collaboration. As leaders, I believe that we carry the responsibility of supporting one another and thereby sharing the workload. This helps to ensure that the contributions of all members are valued and aligned with the mission of Cafh. This shared effort extends to addressing the needs of our stability radius, providing support to Country Delegates, and engaging with the broader community of Cafh members.
Ultimately, our Reunions are an opportunity to embody the principles we uphold as Cafh. In this way, reunions serve as a microcosm of the Work of Cafh. By integrating personal unfolding with organizational leadership, we can model the harmony and purpose that Cafh seeks to inspire in the world. This only happens, in my view, when each member of the table is willing to listen and accept feedback while being self-aware and honestly facing innermost thoughts and feelings. In this way, dialogue can reveal what is hidden; mutual support can emerge; and a sense of shared commitment to Cafh’s mission can be nurtured. In the end, this process ensures that Cafh continues to be a presence and a resource for all who seek spiritual and personal growth.
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Julio Ochoa: The dynamic in the Reunion reflects the group dynamic, which in turn reflects the state of each of the members in the group. I think the group interacts well and is starting to work more productively. The format that we have established for the last few sessions works well. As with any format though, it will grow stale, or the group may get habituated to it and not realize it. The challenge is therefore to keep renewing the time of the Reunion without deviating from its true purpose.
For me the time of the Reunion and the interactions in it are akin to being in a fertile oasis that exists in the middle of an otherwise barren landscape. Most of the interactions that I usually have during the day are transactional and perhaps superficial. There is either no interest in the other person to go deeper or I am disengaged and don’t connect. This creates a desolate and barren state. The Reunion is a place where I cannot disengage and where either because of the intensity of the topic or the prodding of my companions, I must go to a deeper level. This is refreshing. The words of the GMD now urge me to take this refreshed mind and bring the depth and intensity of the Reunion to all my interactions. This is how the meaning and content of the Reunion contribute to my mission. I connect to something deeper during the Reunion and now must bring a similar level of meaning and depth to every interaction.
Reflections on the Reunion and Mission by Ann Carlin: There is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein which goes something like this: “I wonder what the universe would look like if I rode on a beam of light!” What an amazing thought! Professor Einstein was probably the first person to think this thought, pondering, as he was wont to do, the mysterious laws enlivening the universe. Certainly this quote expresses his unique genius at the beginning of the 20th century. It enraptures us still at the beginning of the 21st. What does the universe look like? And, I would add, what does the Law of Renouncement look like; how does it operate in the universe?
Yet, not nearly so well recognized is the context in which Einstein’s remarkable thought came into being. After his work hours in the patent office, Einstein would often be found in the local coffee house “talking physics:” hanging out with friends, discussing the latest discoveries, and sharing theories and opinions because, after all, the more minds the better. The quest for a more complete understanding of how it all is involved focused, animated, imaginative, collaborative inquiry. The social context provided the perfect context for the sharing of minds united on a single goal.
I believe the social context is a foundational part of the Reunions of Cafh: the social and sacred context of the group Reunion fosters an exchange of ideas, experiences, experiments, challenges, and teachings pertinent to boldly living an inner life, a transcendent life, in today’s world. We share our personal stories in order to universalize and deepen human experience, and develop our capacities of radical empathy and understanding for one another, and for all human beings. In so doing, each of us also unfolds a new inner honesty: the self-recognition of one’s own vulnerability and sorrows, side by side with one’s own inexhaustible yearning to unfold love in this world, today. This insatiable quest never goes away. “What would the world look like if I rode on a beam of love throughout the day, focusing on transcending the distance between myself and the divine, giving that pure love which makes others feel seen and valued?” What indeed would the world look like if every Ordained in Cafh rode a beam of love, if that beam of love was like the one portrayed in the image of the Realized Knight with flames arising from the heart as strength of love, conquest of reason, and wisdom spreading out all over the world?