About Imua Grace

IMUA is a Hawaiian word meaning "go forward with spirit."

IMUA GRACE means Go forward with spirit and in the grace of God.

This is a website documenting one Quaker's search for personal and community transformation.  This transformation is rooted in the values of Peace • Integrity • Equality • Simplicity and Community.

This site is a call to community.  I offer up my reflections on the five values cited above and hopefully you will respond and we can have a conversation. The posts are a combination of commentary on social justice issues and reflections on spiritual growth.  As the author and teacher Ram Dass says, "we are all just walking each other home."  For me, home is a place where each person is treated with dignity and respect.  Together, I hope we can get there. I pledge to help you.   I hope you will help me.  We - each of us - will lift as we climb.

About Mike Soika
My name is Mike Soika.   I am a Quaker.  I have also been a life-long community activist.  I once led a large protest over state government plans to cut welfare benefits for needy moms and kids.  We said the cuts were short sighted and mean spirited.  We gave the governor a bible to clear up his "mean spirit" in proposing the cuts.   The governor wasn't too happy and called my boss, the Archbishop and demanded that I be fired.  To his great credit, the Archbishop just laughed when he told me about the call and said "You're doing your job Mike.  Keep it up."

I have also been a life-long spiritual seeker.  I believe that work for justice and personal, spiritual fulfillment go hand in hand.   Jack Jezrell from JustFaith Ministries says it much better than me when he writes " ...the transformation of the self and the world are directly connected to each other."  

I found that to be pretty true in my 60+ years on this earth.    I don't pretend to have all the answers.  But I do know that if I am tender with my own soul then I learn to be tender with your soul as well.  If I see us both as friends, then how can I not stand next to you in the struggle for social and economic justice.  You and I are connected.  And as such, we shouldn't try to do this work of personal and community transformation alone.

Services





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Disclaimer
​​Mike is available for workshops and speaking engagements on such topics as:
​     •  A Faith Response to Racial and Economic Segregation
     •  Fostering a Personal Spiritual Journey​
     • Reflecting on Merton's Call of Mercy, Within Mercy, Within Mercy
     • Getting To That Place Where Justice & Peace Kiss
     • Detachment, Discernment and Engagement
     • The Gamaliel Process of Discernment
     • The Road From Prayer to Community Action
     • Organizing without Demonizing

Imua Grace Content Belongs to Imua Grace as an affiliate of the Center for Learning Communities, LLC and to Michael Soika, as President of the organization.

© Imua Grace, an affiliate of the Center for Learning Communities, LLC and Michael Soika, as President.  Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Imua Grace and/or Michael Soika is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given Imua Grace and/or Michael Soika with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.