Easter 2003 Unity of Maui and Rev. Mary Omwake at the MACC Maui Arts & Cultural Center part 1
Rev. Mary Omwake
Kindred Spirits
Summary & Transcript
The video transcript presents a deeply spiritual and uplifting Easter celebration centered on themes of unity, love, peace, and divine awakening. It blends Hawaiian-inspired cultural expressions (“Maui styling”) with Christian spiritual teachings, emphasizing the resurrection of the Divine Presence within each individual and the potential for collective healing and transformation. The message calls for surrender to a higher intelligence, unconditional love among all beings, and the active co-creation of “heaven on earth.” Throughout the transcript, there are reflections on peace from notable spiritual teachers, affirmations of faith, communal prayers, scripture readings from the Gospel of John, and musical interludes that reinforce the themes of hope and spiritual renewal. The event combines traditional Easter motifs with a universal message of interconnectedness, encouraging participants to embrace their divine nature and amplify love and peace within their communities and the world.
Highlights
- [00:02] “Maui styling” as a metaphor for living with joy and sunshine in your heart.
- [05:27] ️ Prayer for warriors to find peace and initiate the healing of the earth.
- [11:56] Thich Nhat Hanh’s wisdom on being a person fully present as the foundation of peace.
- [21:29] ✝️ Celebration of the resurrection as the living God’s presence within each person.
- [29:08] Reading from John 20 recounting Mary Magdalene discovering the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection.
- [34:18] Affirmations invoking divine guidance, prosperity, health, and awakening to divine destiny.
- [49:03] Insight on spiritual transformation and “awakening” as a universal human experience modeled by Jesus.
Key Insights
- [00:02] Maui Styling as a Spiritual Metaphor: The phrase “Maui styling” symbolizes carrying an inner joy, light, and positivity regardless of external circumstances. This opening chant sets a tone of resilience and inner sunshine that permeates the entire message, suggesting that spiritual attitude is a choice and a lifestyle.
- [05:27] ️ Peace for Warriors and Earth Healing: The prayer for warriors to find inner peace highlights the connection between personal transformation and planetary healing. “Warriors” here can be understood as those engaged in struggles—whether internal or external—and their peace is essential for broader harmony. This aligns with the holistic view that individual wellbeing and global health are intertwined.
- [11:56] Thich Nhat Hanh on Authentic Being: The teaching that simply being a “real person” who lives happily and peacefully can save the world underscores the power of personal authenticity. It emphasizes that peace is not about grand actions but about embodying peace internally, which then radiates outward. This insight reminds viewers that spiritual work begins with self-realization and joy.
- [29:08] Scriptural Emphasis on Resurrection and Hope: The reading from John 20 recounts the discovery of the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection, a foundational Christian narrative symbolizing victory over death and the promise of new life. This passage reinforces the theme of renewal and invites participants to hold that hope in their hearts.
- [34:18] Affirmations as Tools for Spiritual Alignment: The spoken affirmations about God’s plans, love, prosperity, health, and awakening serve as practical spiritual tools. They encourage active participation in one’s spiritual growth and invite listeners to claim their divine destiny with enthusiasm and faith, bridging abstract spirituality with daily life.
- [49:03] Spiritual Awakening and Surrender as Transformational Steps: The transcript highlights the stages of spiritual transformation inspired by the life of Jesus: awakening to one’s divine nature followed by surrender to the greater intelligence of the universe. Surrender is presented not as defeat but as liberation—the key to fully participating in divine life. This insight challenges common ego-driven resistance and calls for trust in a higher power.
Extended Analysis
The video’s layered content weaves indigenous Hawaiian spirituality, Christian resurrection theology, and contemporary spiritual psychology into a cohesive message of hope and empowerment. The repeated call to “Maui style it” functions as a cultural anchor, inviting participants to adopt an attitude of joyful resilience and interconnectedness. This serves as a bridge between place-based identity and universal spiritual themes.
The prayer for peace and healing connects individual inner work with global concerns, reflecting a growing awareness in spiritual communities that personal enlightenment must translate into social and ecological responsibility. The emphasis on “warriors finding peace” acknowledges the struggles inherent in this work while affirming the possibility of transformation.
Thich Nhat Hanh’s wisdom elegantly distills the essence of peace into the simple act of being fully and joyfully present. This reminder grounds the lofty spiritual aspirations in everyday human experience, making peace accessible and practical.
The Easter celebration itself is reinterpreted as a living, ongoing resurrection within each person rather than a solely historical event. This shifts the focus from external religious observance to internal spiritual awakening, inviting a democratization of divine experience. The reading from John provides narrative depth, anchoring the celebration in Christian tradition while the affirmations and prayers personalize the message.
The discussion of surrender as a necessary stage of spiritual growth is particularly poignant. Many spiritual seekers struggle with surrender because it feels like loss of control. However, the video reframes surrender as a conscious choice to align with a higher intelligence, which leads to true freedom. The reference to Jesus beginning this process at age 12 highlights surrender as a lifelong journey, not a one-time event.
Finally, the call to love unconditionally and amplify that love within community illustrates the practical outworking of these spiritual principles. It challenges participants to embody the divine love they celebrate, transforming the gathering into an active spiritual practice with ripple effects beyond the event.
Conclusion
This video transcript offers a rich, multi-dimensional Easter celebration that transcends traditional religious boundaries while honoring Christian themes. It invites participants into a transformational experience characterized by joy, surrender, authentic being, and universal love. Through prayers, scripture, affirmations, and cultural expressions, the message encourages the awakening of the Divine Presence within and the creation of a more peaceful, loving world. The synthesis of spirituality and community action makes this celebration both a personal and collective call to embody resurrection and healing in everyday life.
Transcript
00:02
Opening song: “Maui Stylin” by Lono. Used by permission.
02:48
Happy Easter.
03:16
Thank you.
03:32
Always living as one Are a part of each other Always living as one
04:02
one. Share a truth that goes beyond all means.
04:18
Living as one. Share a love. That lasts forever. And you open my heart. With your loving eyes. And you open my heart.
04:42
With a loving heart And a golden heart With a golden heart And a golden heart With a golden heart With a golden heart With a golden heart
05:12
Thank you.
05:27
May the warriors find peace within And the healing of the earth can begin May the warriors find peace within
05:52
and the lords of the nations in it. May the warriors find peace within, and the healing of the earth can begin. May the warriors find peace within, and the lords of the nations in it.
06:13
Thank you.
06:33
All beings living as one Are a part of each other All beings living as one
06:59
Living as one. Shepherds with no vision, truth that goes beyond. All, all beings living as one. Shepherd love.
07:22
That lasts forever And you open my heart With your loving eyes And you open my eyes With your loving heart And you open my heart With your love
07:50
With your loving, with your loving heart With your loving, with your loving heart
08:20
And we want to honor her with this beautiful song. My heart is broken open
08:49
My heart is broken open My heart is broken open And I’m coming home to you
09:25
I see my eyes in your eyes. I see your eyes in my eyes. I see my eyes in your eyes and I’m coming home too.
10:02
There’s silence in the music. There’s music in the silence. There’s silence in the music and I’m coming home too.
10:32
My heart is broken open My heart is broken open
10:59
My heart is broken open and I’m coming home to you. My heart is broken open and I’m coming home to you.
11:26
Thank you.
11:56
And here’s a few words about peace from Thich Nhat Hanh. The fact that a tree is a tree is important to us. We benefit a lot from a tree as being a tree. In the same way, a person should be a person.
12:18
If one person is a real person, living happily, smiling, then all of us, the whole world, will benefit from that person. A person doesn’t have to do a lot in order to save the world. A person has to be a person. That is the basis of peace.
12:47
And finally, a brand new song for Easter by Nellie. A new dawn, creation’s fin. A new song, our
13:13
Our hearts are singing. Singing now. For peace and joy. Singing now. For the freedom dawn. Wings are filled.
13:35
The spirit of Aloha, Aloha, Aloha, Aloha
13:55
Hear the rhythm of the sea. Feel the feeling of belonging near. Know that spirit is always near. Oh, Lord.
14:18
Aloha Aloha Aloha Aloha Aloha Aloha Aloha Aloha Aloha
14:47
Peace in our hearts. Peace in our world. Peace in our hearts. Peace in our world. Peace in our hearts. Peace in our world.
15:15
We are all one being. We are all one being. Hearts that reach across.
15:41
across the world. Join the journey of the peaceful warrior. Bring the blessings of this sacred breath. Aloha. Aloha. Aloha. Aloha.
16:11
© transcript Emily Beynon
16:37
Peace in our hearts, peace in our world. We are
17:03
all one being. We are all one being. And love
18:03
I got up this morning singing God is so good Oh, I got up this morning singing God is so good Oh, I got up this morning singing God is so good My God is so good to me
18:33
¶¶ ¶¶
18:56
In my time of trouble, I say, God is a good man. Now in my time of trouble, I say, God is a good man. My God is so good to me. Now in my time of trouble, I say, God is a good man.
19:19
And now in my time of trying, I say, God is so good. And now in my time of trying, I say, God is so good. And now in my time of trying, I say, God is so good. My God is so good to me. I take this time to praise the spirit. I take this time to praise the spirit.
19:49
Well, I take this time to praise the Spirit. Well, I take this time to praise the Spirit. Well, I take this time to praise the Spirit. Well, I take this time to praise the Spirit.
20:11
My God is so good to me I got up this Easter morning Oh yeah, my God up this Easter morning Yeah, yeah, I got up this Easter morning
20:33
My God is stronger than me. Now you got up this Easter morning. My God is stronger. Now you got up this Easter morning. Now you got up this Easter morning. My God is stronger. My God is stronger. My God is stronger.
21:03
Thank you.
21:29
Welcome to our All-Community Unity Easter Celebration. It is a celebration. We’re celebrating the resurrection of the Divine Presence of the Living God in you today. And it’s good news. Our God is so good. Not a God out there, but a living, loving presence, the very essence of what we are. How good is God? How good is God? Right. So we are so grateful. I guess I’m going to have to let the flower go, but it was a nice thought.
21:59
Let’s close our eyes. Holy Spirit, we ask an anointing on this celebration this morning. That each of our souls will take that mighty step into the fullness of the divine promise. The eternal promise that has your name on it. You are a spiritual being.
22:26
Divine life is the truth of what you are, eternal and forever. And we’re here to let the love that we carry express. And so I invite you for a moment, if you have not yet begun to love each person in this sacred place with all your heart, loving each one unconditionally, I invite you to just take a minute and open your heart.
22:53
Begin to love the person in front of you, the person to your left and the person to your right. Knowing that as you’re sending out this unconditional love, there are people around you sending to you this great love. And because you have the power to amplify that love, I invite you to amplify it until this entire auditorium is a vibration of unconditional love. Because it’s in this unconditional love that Jesus said all things. Heaven.
23:22
All things right now is possible. Peace in our hearts and peace in our world. Healing and wholeness and creativity and joy right now. No delay. And so this morning, let’s keep our hearts wide open as we activate the faith, the full faith in that presence of God within us.
23:43
And for the joy upon joy, for the glory upon glory of celebrating together, would you join me in one great, my God is so good to me. Together, my God is so good to me. And if I forget, I just invite you to open your eyes and start sending love to someone. Because I guarantee you, the minute you send love, love comes right back to you. So this is a celebration, and we’re going to let the choir help us one more go deeper and deeper in my precious Lord.
24:39
Precious Lord Take my hand Lead me on Help me stand
25:08
When I’m tired, when I’m weak, when I’m poor. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light.
25:35
Take my hand Precious Lord Lead me on In the way of spirit Precious Lord
26:04
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
26:27
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. Lead me home.
26:58
Leave me home. Leave me, leave me, leave me home.
27:28
Lead me home. Lead me home. Lead me home. Lead me home. Lead me home. Lead me home.
28:01
Leave me home Leave me home Leave me home Leave me home Leave me home
28:29
Baby, hold me. Baby, hold me. Baby, hold me. Baby, hold me.
29:08
A reading from John 20. Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him. Peter then came and they went toward the tomb. They both ran and
29:38
And Peter reached the tomb first, and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and a napkin which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled into place by itself. Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb,
30:07
And as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. And they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
30:38
And Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek? Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. And Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned and said to him, Teacher, teacher.
31:11
We just hold that awareness in our hearts as we stand and sing together, Christ the Lord is risen today. And let that divine word of scripture live in our hearts.
31:36
Christ the Lord is with you today. Alleluia. Sounds of heaven and angels sing.
32:09
Praise your joys and triumphs high. Alleluia. Sing, ye heavens, and earth, we cry. Alleluia. No more hearts of hearts
32:39
Thank you.
33:09
Let our souls ascend the light. Alleluia. Let the church sing praise and praise. Alleluia. Alleluia.
33:45
Oh, oh, oh.
34:18
Please be seated. But as you listen, you are invited to take these statements into your consciousness. God has great plans for me in 2003. I choose to surrender and be happy, fulfilled, and free. God’s love fills my mind, and I am divinely guided.
34:49
God’s substance fills my consciousness and I am lavishly prospered. God’s life floods my body with energy and vitality and I am radiantly healthy. To God be the glory as I awaken to my divine destiny. I am alive, alert, awake and enthusiastic about my life.
35:21
Now, as we stand to read these affirmations together, repeat with me only the statements which speak deeply to your heart. Can we bring the lights up? Thanks. And let there be light.
35:47
God has great plans for me in 2003. I choose to surrender and be happy, fulfilled, and free. God’s love fills my mind, and I am divinely righted. God’s substance fills my consciousness, and I am lavishly prospered.
36:13
God’s light floods my body with energy and vitality, and I am radiant and healthy. To God be the glory as I am awakened to my divine destiny. I am alive, alert, awake, and enthusiastic about my life. Thank you, God. Thank you. Thank you. That’s Barbara Fisher, one of our licensed junior teachers. Scripture was read by Bonnie.
36:42
your canon, our chaplain. I just invite you to just feel the aloha love that is with you today, and would you turn to the people near you and just greet them, and a great feeling of love and a feeling of bringing all the lights up.
37:43
So we have, as we’re humming, we can just take a minute and just let that energy evolve. At Unity Church, we’ve been in prayer for the whole year for peaceful solutions on our planet. And one of the most important things that we can do right now is lift our consciousness into a vibration of peace. And let ourselves, as we’re seated, really open our hearts
38:10
you had in your bulletin day a yellow piece of paper we have all over our church and our tree of life prayers and yellow ribbons that have been requests for prayers all over the planet wherever you feel guided we have two very special guests with us today uh deborah lynn and richard cray who will be world famous once the phantom is
38:36
really honored to have them with us because their schedule is so full. And everybody on Maui is working on this, Debra Lynn. I got a call yesterday to come cut out fabric. And I… There you go. So, you know, happy hands and happy hearts. But Debra Lynn will be out at the table to talk to you about the Fanta. And this is Debra Lynn and Richard Gray. If you’d like to fill out…
38:59
your prayer for peace, and then later in the service when the baskets are passed, you can put it in, and we’ll keep these in prayer. Thank you.
39:33
I pray you’ll be alright And watch us where we go And help us to be wise In times when we don’t know Let this be our
40:04
When we lose our way Lead us to a place Guide us with your grace To a place where we will be saved
40:33
I pray we’ll find your light. And hold us in your arms. And stars for each night. And stars for each night.
41:01
Nella mia preghiera Let me say your prayers On the furniture On the shadows in our days Lead us to a place Guide us with your grace Give us faith so we’ll be
41:31
© transcript Emily Beynon
41:57
© transcript Emily Beynon
42:27
We know each soul will find Our power so to align Let this be our prayer Just like every child Just like every child
42:55
We need to find our place. Guide us with your grace. Give us grace so we’ll be safe.
43:25
Sento che ci salverai
44:21
If we only held the world Then tomorrow we’ll die
44:47
And the days of our years Who rides on that moon If we only had love To embrace our love of fears We will kiss with our eyes We will sleep without tears
45:17
With the hearts open wide And the young and the old We stand by our side If we only had love Love that’s all in my brain And the heart just like mine
45:49
¶¶ ¶¶
46:10
If we only have one.
46:32
We can melt all the guns And then give the new world To our daughters and sons If we only have one Then united we stand And then turn us from shadow
47:07
We will never walk alone With each other’s love We will never fall We will never fall We will never fall And we all will be one And we’ll change after three
47:35
© transcript Emily Beynon
48:05
© BF-WATCH TV 2021
48:35
Thank you. We can have lights. Just keep the lights up and let’s pray meditation. Thank you. So do you believe that? We only have love? Yes. We can melt the guns and give a new world to our donors and sons. Do you really believe that? Yes.
49:03
You know, everywhere I go, whatever I’m talking to, anyone working in that field of transformation and consciousness is telling me the same thing that I think we’re sensing here and now. There’s something rising among human consciousness. There is a ship that’s coming. And it’s a ship that’s been talked about by all of the great avatars and teachers from the beginning of time, called many names. Jesus simply called it heaven on earth. And we’re in it.
49:27
And you’re in it. And the resurrection is that moment where you touch with your consciousness the awareness that what you are is spirit. That you have a body that you’re going to lay down one day, but your life is eternal. And you and I are incarnated here to co-create together, to literally anchor heaven on earth. If we’re not going to do it here on Maui, darling, you ain’t doing it anywhere in the universe.
49:53
I mean, God looked at him that way, and I think he said, all right. This is good and very good. But we’re talking about a great love here. We’re not talking about, I love you because you look like me and you like me and you kind of do the things I like you to do. You vote the way I want you to vote. We’re talking about a great aloha love. Aloha, ah, from the very first life. Alo, forever.
50:23
Just say it with me. From the first light throughout eternity, we share the breath of the divine. How could I help but love you? We’re talking about a love so big that it’s the very image and likeness that God created us in. And it’s that love that Jesus embodied. When we look at his life, we see a template, a roadmap for our own spiritual transformation.
50:49
And it begins with the birth. In the East, they call it an awakening. But it begins when you and I begin to wake up that we’re not just human beings. We’re not trying to become good. Our very essence is good. And we celebrate that birth every year at Christmas. We celebrate that divine awakening and the joy that we feel. You know, just like Easter, our churches are full. I was driving over here today, and every Christian church on this island is packed today. And it was packed Christmas Eve.
51:17
Because we love the idea and the birth of that divine presence, but we don’t celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We don’t celebrate Easter because a baby was born. We celebrate it because of what that baby became. And what that baby demonstrated is possible for every single one of us when we take certain steps, when we align with the infinite goodness that we are. And so there are stages in the transformation. When we look at Jesus’ life, we can follow those stages in our own journey. And of course…
51:46
After the awakening comes a step that many of us have balked at. I want to say the word softly today. The word is surrender. Say it with me, just softly. Don’t shout it out. I know that might be too much. Surrender. I surrender. And for many people, surrender is like the worst possible thing, certainly to the ego, the personality. Surrender is like the end of the game, and it is.
52:12
Because you’re surrendering to the in and above intelligence of the universe that you’re one with. But you see, Jesus was only 12 years old when he surrendered. He said, I must be about my father’s business. And some of us, I don’t know how many lifetimes we’re on yet, but we’re still wondering if there’s just another way to do it. You know? Could I take my little personality into the kingdom? Have all that good glory and it’ll be mine? Probably not. Probably not. Maybe another teaching.
52:42
But we surrender, we surrender to the infinite glory and the goodness that’s created us, that universal, universal love that’s created the universe, that holds that universe together, that’s created you and me and called us into time and given us everything we need to literally participate in heaven. We surrender the little self to the greater, to the love, the intelligence that each of us is. And that surrender, St. Francis, the most beautiful prayer, isn’t it? Lord, make me an instrument.
53:11
Let me be a channel. Everyone who’s ever gone through recovery knows you come to that third step. Don’t let me down. Maui style it. Don’t let me down. Maui style it. Don’t let me down. Maui style it. Don’t let
53:43
In your heart, it’s been with you from the start. Lift your head, look to the heavens. Then you will feel brand new again. Don’t stop me now, Maui style and don’t let me go.
54:18
Your mother, your father, your sister and brother. There is love in this family.
