CARES GO UP IN SMOKE IN NEW YEAR CEREMONY UNITY CHURCH MEMBERS TO SET FIRE TO ALL THAT'S BAD IN LIVES.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - A spiritual makeover that will create a positive change is the goal behind the annual Burning Bowl ceremony slated for Sunday at Unity Center Church.

Participants will meditate on the negative aspects of their life that they want to eliminate in the new year. They will write down each issue on a slip of paper, light it, toss it into a bowl and watch it go up in smoke.

``As we burn it, we're releasing it to God,'' said the Rev. Mary Lacalle from Unity Center Church.

``We in Unity believe in the transformation process. Some people need a tangible ritual and this seems to be the one that people resonate with. Literally, there is a physical change when we burn the paper and hopefully there will be one within ourselves.''

Some of the negatives that are most often written down include bad habits, grudges, the need to be right all the time, feelings about limitations on achieving goals, resentments and discordant relationships.

``There is a powerful sense of release. You feel lighter as you see the paper go up in smoke,'' said Molly Rockey, a prayer minister at Unity Center Church. ``After years, maybe decades, of guilt, doubts, limitations, in that moment you can say there's another way to do this life of mine. There's a sense of optimism. Some people feel a great sense of joy.''

Letting go of the negative in one's life leaves room for a positive, and so participants, including teens and children, will be asked to write down a statement of affirmation for the new year. It could be, suggested Lacalle, ``I am a loving and compassionate person'' or a goal.

The affirmative letters are put into self-addressed envelopes to be mailed back to the letter writer six months from now.

``The 'burning bowl' is letting go and pressing on to a higher goal. There's a sense of being liberated and unshackled,'' said Ed Rockey, husband of Molly Rockey and also a prayer minister at Unity Center Church. ``Sometimes a resolution isn't a resolve. When we get the envelopes in the mail it's like a refreshing wake-up call to help follow through on your commitment.''

Sunday's ritual is a culminating experience for church members who have been making an effort to incorporate Unity principles in their lives during the past year. The Burning Bowl ritual in Unity churches, which are often referred to as ``the church of practical Christianity,'' helps to crystalize the answer to How am I living my life?

The five main principles of Unity, founded in 1889, are: God is good and everywhere present; God's spirit is in everyone and all people are inherently good; life experiences are created by positive and negative thoughts; there is power in affirmative prayer; taking responsibility and action for change.

When Molly Rockey went to her first Unity church service she was going through a divorce. She recalled hearing positive words that reassured her that she was a lovable person. Rockey was particularly attracted to Unity's principle that prayer is used as a positive not as a punishment, the opportunity to meditate and having a personal relationship with God.

``Something inside me woke up. I felt my outlook on life change dramatically. I was able to see the good,'' Rockey said. ``It awakened a great hope and I'm grateful for that. I hope that people leaving our service have a positive feeling and that they get a fresh start on the new year.''

The Burning Bowl ritual will be part of the 10 a.m. Sunday service at Unity Center Church, 1414 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Meditation and prayer at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday. Call [phone] or see www.unitycenterchurch.com.

Holly Andres, [phone]

holly.andres(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

The Rev. Mary Lacalle, left, and congregation members Ed and Molly Rockey demonstrate the Burning Bowl ceremony at Unity Center Church in Thousand Oaks.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News