They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

I am an Episcopalian. My faith was best defined by Robin Williams during his 2003 HBO special:

10. No snake handling.

9. You can believe in dinosaurs.

8. Male and female, God created them; male and female, we ordain them.

7. You don’t have to check your brains at the door.

6. Pew aerobics.

5. Church year is color coded!

4. Free wine on Sunday.

3. All of the pageantry, none of the guilt.

2. You don’t have to know how to swim to get baptized.

And the number one reason for being an Episcopalian:

1. No matter what you believe, there’s bound to be at least one other Episcopalian who agrees with you.

In all seriousness, my denomination is making headlines over a vote at our General Convention. The item being considered was a liturgy to bless same sex commitment ceremonies (the rite stopped short of calling it a wedding or marriage outright), which was overwhelmingly approved.
That, in turn, caused the web to blow up.
My gut reaction is:
It's all about love. And, since I am a follower of Christ, I am going to do what He requires us to do in Matthew , chapter 22:
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

It doesn't say love your neighbor except if they are gay. It doesn't specify that you can't love them if they are lesbians. It doesn't specify race, creed, orientation or gender, just for us to love them as yourself. That's it. Not much to read into here-it goes back to that amazing four letter word: love.
I don't want to get into a theological debate as to which kind of love Jesus was referring to-
Eros romantic, sexual love
Philos platonic love
Or my personal favorite
Agape-God's love for His creation
Its not up to you or I to judge how someone is living their lives according to faith. I, myself, am a sinner-as we all
are-and certainly don't need another human being taking on the role of God. In other words, don't judge others because you too will be judged.
In Buddhist tradition, the concept of Metta, or loving kindness, should be practiced at all times. In yoga, the term namaste is the light in me salutes the light in you. In Judaism, love is not an abstract concept; it is an absolute. We are obligated to love creation, because it is an extension of self.
The cliff notes version: we are commanded to love. It is the ideal. There are no exclusions or caveats
It's just love .
However you feel about gay marriage or gay people-or fat people, or those with autism, or people different from you, it's ok to have an opinion. What's not ok is to spread hate. The world is a scary, mean place with enough trials and tribulations-we don't need others making it worse.
Jesus commanded us to love, no matter what.

Open Your Heart

I've always had a bit of a new age bent, which comes from years of reading, practicing yoga and hanging out with new agey types. Being artistic adds to it as well, because you are more open to things.
I've got friends that are into holistic healing. One is reiki practitioner who I take yoga with. She is my voice of reason many times when I just feel blah or angry and don't know why.
I've been living with my stress level on 11 lately, and it's not conducive to being at peace and finding my bliss in life.
She thinks I've got at least one blocked chakra. For those unfamiliar, the concept of chakras comes from Indian philosophy. There are 7 energy centers throughout your body. Each are responsible for controlling emotions, physical responses and over all well being.
In her experience, she thinks that my heart chakra is blocked. This is the chakra related to unconditional love, emotions such as love, anger and frustration; physical body such as shoulders, lungs, heart, arms and hands.
When it is unbalanced, it can result in depression, emotional issues, prolonged grief and anger as well as manifest itself into physical pain. Apparently, having tightness in your upper back (which is a chronic issue for me) is a manifestation of a blocked heart chakra.
The most important thing You could do to make this situation better is to let go of bitterness and anger. You have to forgive. Period. Holding onto those negative feelings will kill you. You will turn into a bitter, nasty, shriveled up person. I'm not saying to forget, but you have to let it go. In Christian perspective, it's forgiving 70x7. You have to let it go.
When you forgive you stop letting someone else have power over you. I remember being so angry at various things in my life and holding onto that anger and bitterness. It was starting to consume me.
Right now I'm living in the midst of a whirlwind and I'm feeling those familiar issues of holding in feelings and anger. It's quite evident from my chronic back pain, my dysfunctional prayer life as well as my decline in both working out and my yoga practice. That is where I am right now and it's not a good place to be.
For the two months, I've been treading water and I've barely been succeeding. I need to cleanse the negative feelings. One way is via Ayurvedic cures: eating a lot of healing foods like spinach, kale, broccoli, etc. Drinking green tea helps. Luckily for me, I like all of the above. Practicing certain asanas also will help. Quite specifically camel, fish and cobra. Coincidentally those are the hardest for me right now.
Sharing compassion is also huge. Doing things to help others will open your heart.
The Buddhist metta meditation is also good start.
From http://healing.about.com/od/meditation/a/metta-practice.htm
Sit comfortably in a chair or cushion in a place you will not be disturbed for 15 minutes.
With your eyes open or closed, relax, breathe easily and comfortably. Feel your energy settle into your body, easily and comfortably.

Begin to pull your awareness into your heart area, and let your breathing arise from that area. See if certain words emerge from your heart that speaks to what you wish for most deeply for yourself. For example, "May I enjoy peace, may I enjoy good health, and abundance of love." Continue this way until you feel a sense of well being.

Now, visualize or imagine radiating outward in a series of concentric circles this well being for others you have a close intimacy with. For example, "May my husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, son, daughter enjoy good health, peace, and abundance of love." Continue radiating outward this well being for those in your circle until you feel complete. Then move this circle to those you know, and then those you do not know, and move the circle outward to your town, state, country and the entire world. Bring the practice to a conclusion when you feel complete with it.