The Institute of Philosophy in the Arts, Architecture and Humanities
Salon on the Spiritually Creative Life
[Photography by Nathaniel Taylor]
THE SALON ON THE SPIRITUALLY CREATIVE LIFE
Our 30th Year Continues
... still on Zoom!
Please join Carol Soucek King virtually on Sunday, April 12, 2026
Via Zoom
To discuss one of God's essential aspects
illuminated throughout her book
Under the Bridges at Arroyo del Rey
Faith
With Main Presentation
Gay Bradshaw
Founder and Director of
The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence
Grounding Our Faith
in Nature's Wisdom "By embodying Nature’s ethics and values –
Nature’s wisdom – we ground in the
faith of love and peace." – Gay Bradshaw
9:30 am Pacific Standard Time
Zoom Room Arrivals and
Himalayan Singing Bowls by Healing Arts Practitioner Janet Martorello
10 am until noon – Program
Meditation
with
Nan Rae
Artist/Teacher/Author
Nan Rae’s latest published book – now available on Amazon INSPIRED THOUGHTS ON LOVE!
Published by Laughing Elephant Books
Now available on Amazon
Personalized copies may be ordered at NanRaeStudio.com
Opening Song
by Dean LeGrand Carlston, DDS Composer/Singer/Instrumentalist
"You Needed Me"
by Randy Goodrum 1978
Dean welcomes us to listen to and download his music at no charge by accessing his personal website: deancarlston.com
Salute to April Birthdays,
Special Congratulations, & Prayers
with Graham Lance Richardson
Retired Westside Realtor after 35 years.
Licensed Plumber & Gas Fitter.
Certified Welder to 100%,
and Frequent Presenter at The Salon.
Main Presentation:
Gay Bradshaw
Founder and Director of
The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence
Grounding Our Faith
in Nature's Wisdom
Above: Charlie Russell and his beloved Bisquit, a young Brown Bear he rescued and raised in Kamchatka. The photo shows Charlie gently brushing flies from Bisquit’s face while she sleeps.
Photograph by Charlie Russell.
Charlie and Gay worked together for nine years which culminated, sadly after his passing, in Gay’s book. This is the Preface recorded from Gay’s book: Talking with Bears: Conversations with Charlie Russell. It provides more background for Gay’s Salon presentation:
Above: Gay Bradshaw with her Dog Pir
(after Sufi teacher Pir Vilayet)
“From the tiniest Hummingbird to the awesome Elephant, each bedazzles. Yet, despite the kaleidoscope of colors, shapes and sizes, everyone in Nature fits. Even after the intensity of hurricanes and kills, Birds and other Animals return to a euphony of peace. In this presentation, I discuss how the enduring coherence and beauty of the natural world reflects a universal grounding in the faith of Nature’s wisdom - what Fr. Richard Rohr and Thich Nhat Hanh call interbeing, the self emptied of ego, fullness of God’s love, and, in the words of physicist David Bohm, the wholeness of infinite consciousness. When we experience our Dog’s unconditional love, a Blackbird’s irrepressible song of joy, the equanimity of Deer, or quiet commitment of spawning Salmon, we are experiencing light of the divine. Drawing from my work in science and spiritual practice with Bears, Elephants and other Animals, I share how this understanding of Plant and Animal kin connects us directly to the space of pure awareness. In so doing, by embodying Nature’s ethics and values – Nature’s wisdom – we ground in the faith of love and peace.” – Gay Bradshaw
Biosketch
Gay Bradshaw is the founder and director of The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence (www.kerulos.org). She holds doctoral degrees in ecology and psychology and a master’s in geophysics and was a Fellow at the National Science Foundation National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. Gay is a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher. She was the first scientist to diagnose Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) in free-living Elephants, and subsequently Orcas, Bears, Chimpanzees, and Pumas, which launched the field of trans-species psychology (www.gabradshaw.com). Her books include the Pulitzer-nominated Elephants on the Edge: What Animals Teach Us about Humanity; Carnivore Minds: Who These Fearsome Beings Really Are; Talking with Bears: Conversations with Charlie Russell and The Evolved Nest: Nature’s Way of Raising Families and Creating Connected Communities. She is the primary carer for rescued Animals including disabled endangered Tortoises and Wildlife at Grace Village, Oregon, USA.
Music Interlude by Douglas Decker
Recording Engineer/Musician/Composer "America the Beautiful"
Lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates, 1895
Music composed by Samuel A. Ward
Poetry Reading
with Patricia Ferber
Sculptor/Painter/Educator/Curator/Poet "Faith"
Followed by Discussion
Opening the Discussion will be
Nino Wong, designer/business leader/Volunteer
Chairman of the Chinese Garden Docents,
Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens.
Dale LaCasella, sculptor, has published posthumously The Square Heap written by her mother Dora Lee McKee. Life on a farm in 1875 was not easy for a woman. Dale will present a brief preview of the story of a mail order bride and what awaits her in her new frontier home. And what kept her faith alive. Many five-star reviews! The Square Heap is available in paperback and kindle editions at Amazon.com.
All are invited to continue sharing thoughts on Faith.
until noontime
Finale
by Susie Katharine Shaw Actress/Vocalist "Bring Him Home"
Composed by Claud-Michel Schonberg,
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer 1985
To conclude Susie will lead us in Richard King's favorite Native American Prayer
Love Faith and Joy - Carol Soucek King, MFA, PhD, Founder
Please respond if attending:
kingcarol@aol.com or 626/449-1238
For the time being, the Salon will continue to meet on Zoom. When appropriate, we will meet in person once again at Arroyo del Rey.
For access to the Salon on Zoom:
This meeting is being hosted by Zoom.
There is no charge to use this service.
Before the Salon on Sunday:
You will need to either go to the Zoom website, www.zoom.us, and register for a free account to access this meeting through your web browser or download and install the Zoom application on your device.
If you download the application to your device, you do NOT need to register for a free account. To download the Zoom application, click on this link... https://zoom.us/download
I cried a tear, you wiped it dry,
I was confused you cleared my mind
I sold my soul, you bought it back for me,
you picked me up and gave me dignity
Somehow you needed me
You gave me strength to stand alone again,
to face the world out on my own again
You put me high upon a pedestal,
so high that I can almost see eternity
You needed me, you needed me
And I can’t believe its you, I can’t believe it’s true,
I needed you and you were there
And I’ll never leave, why would I leave, I’d be a fool
Cause I finally found someone who really cares
You held my hand when I was cold,
when I was lost you took me home
You gave me hope when I was at the end and turned my lies back into truth again
You even called me friend
You gave me strength to stand alone again,
to face the world out on my own again
You put me high upon a pedestal,
so high that I can almost see eternity
You needed me, you needed me
"America the Beautiful"
Lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates, 1895,
Music composed by Samuel A. Ward
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
That sees beyond the years
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
From sea to shining sea.
"Bring Him Home"
Composed by Claud-Michel Schonberg,
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, 1985
God on high
Hear my prayer
In my need
You have always been there.
He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
Heaven blessed.
Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.
He's like the son I might have known
If God had granted me a son.
The summers die
one by one
How soon they fly
on and on
And I am old
And will be gone.
Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy.
You can take
You can give
Let him be
Let him live.
If I die
Let me die
Let him live.
Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.
"Faith"
by Patricia Ferber, 2026
Faith means there is sureness in all that you do -
putting spring in one's gait, as you walk through life,
with confidence, humming a tune of “yes, yes, yes.”
Having faith will give you the answers that you seek,
knowing all will be as it should be, giving you
comfort and peace in understanding.
Faith teaches you how to give your love to others,
and that love will be reciprocated to you two-fold
on the wings of trust and harmony.
Take a chance; wake up to the new, like a flower
that blooms, exposing exquisite color, pattern, and
fragrance galore.
Embrace the sky, the warmth of the sun, the clouds,
the stars, the moon at night. Fill your heart with Faith
All 2026 Salon dates and themes
STABILITY
Sunday, January 11, 2026
GROWTH
Sunday, February 8, 2026
POSSIBILITY
Sunday, March 8, 2026
FAITH
Sunday, April 12, 2026
GRATITUDE
Sunday, May 10, 2026
HARMONY
Sunday, June 14, 2026
UNDERSTANDING
Sunday, July 12, 2026
KINDNESS
Sunday, August 9, 2026
HUMOR
Sunday, September 13, 2026
LOVE
Sunday, October 11, 2026
HEALING
Sunday, November 8, 2026
SPIRITUALITY
Sunday, December 13, 2026
Please
let us know which salons you can attend by replying to KingCarol@aol.com or (626) 449-1238.
With all loving thoughts and hoping
to see you soon!
