Rev, Celeste's guest is Rev. Ruth Littlejohn, a Religious Science minister, a leadership and spiritual coach, who specializes in personal development and is a diversity practitioner. Ruth presents workshops as well.
Rev. Ruth is a calming presence who helps to reduce stress and create a safe environment. Rev. Ruth grew up in a traditional church. She was born before her mother was married, so she carried herself as a sin. It wasn't until years later when she walked into a Science of Mind center (scienceofmind.com) in Philadelphia that she was set free. She took a class that told her there was nothing she could do that would have her not be whole, perfect and magnificent. She realized that if she does the work and continues to study, she can live in Heaven now.
Ruth was successful in the business arena. But after she became awakened to her magnificence, she recognized barriers to bringing her whole self to work. Around 2000, she chose to do work differently.
Known as a client whisperer, her clients feel heard and safe. The way that Ruth energizes is being quiet and alone and listening.
If graded, Ruth would give the U.S. a "C" in diversity. In inclusivity, the U.S. would receive a "D", an "F" in equity and a "D" in justice. We've put people in place, but people are not being treated appropriately. We can get better in touch with internalized racism. She works with Champion Fleming in doing racial circles. Ruth gives people the experience for them to get in touch with what's going on, and gives them practices to help them change. She is holding the space for them to get in touch with their greatness.
We've done the window dressing. Now it's time for structural change. How can we move past our supremacy roots and unravel that? Rev. Ruth thinks we need to forgive ourselves and the country. Then, we need to give reparations. There are some outstanding debts that have got to be paid, and that may include education and mental health. South Africa had significant conversations that helped their healing.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Vernon Jordan (Vernon Jordan - Wikipedia), and John Lewis (John Lewis - Wikipedia) did great work but we need to heal the wound now. That will make a difference for us.
Ruth is a personal development junkie doing things like Landmark, sweat lodges (Sweat lodge - Wikipedia), and fire walking. An adventuress, Ruth did the fire walk with Tony Robbins group (tonyrobbinsfirewalk.com) to relight the passion within her. She believes you can push yourself without measuring yourself with others. She helps people to develop and sustain a spiritual practice. We need to let something go in order to create a space for the spiritual practice.
There were no women ministers in her family, so it took her a while to accept her ministry even after graduating with a ministerial degree. As the result of visioning, Ruth moved to Virginia Beach and started the Hampton Roads Center for Spiritual Living. After five years, she was complete and resigned in 2018. Rev. Victoria Thomas came from Agape to become their minister. The center left CSL (csl.org) and became Agape East (agapeeast.org).
Ruth was taught to go to school to get a good job, and one must work harder to prevail. Now she knows she doesn't have to work hard, and that she is more than enough.
You can find Rev. Ruth on LinkedIn (Ruth Littlejohn, M.Ed., M.S., M.A. | LinkedIn), on Facebook at Ruth Littlejohn, LLC or at ruth@ruthlittlejohn.com
Listen to Rev. Celeste's poem, "Cut the Drama Do