“The highest God and the innermost God is  One  God.”
~ What We Believe, Ernest Holmes

Earlier today I asked Robbin what  the word “re-calibrate” brought  up for  her. The following is what she said:

“From time to time, when I have gotten out of balance, living more from the physical aspect of myself; when I get caught in the matrix of doing…   doing…   doing… because   I have been thinking… thinking… thinking…, so I  can figure things out, I have to stop and “Pause for First Cause”  (meditate), so that I can recalibrate. I  come back to center and allow myself to be sourced and supplied from the Infinite  All-Knowing Source and Supply that is within me. And when I live from this space,  I find that thinking and doing are now aligned with my Spirit; and when all is balanced, I find myself being and expressing my True   Self, with ease and grace.  As Howard Thurman would say,        “I belong more to God, than to self.”

Yes,  I concur!

I am reminded that God, the Indwelling Presence, is a Three-Fold Being, within us, expressing Itself as (1) Invisible Consciousness/Causation,  as (2) Mental/ Emotional/ Subconscious/Soul/ Creative Medium, and (3) Physical/Material Existence/Effect.  Each aspect reveals the unique nature that is the inherent nature within every one of us.        

It is when all three aspects of our being  are aligned  that  we  are divinely guided into right action in  everything  we think, say, and do; and  we  find ourselves in our right and perfect place.  

The  Pure Spirit, the Great I AM  within us, yields Its universal consciousness of Love, Peace, Harmony, Wisdom, Order and Joy.  This  Presence  imagines and  accepts  the  creative vision  of  Its  own  divine nature flowing through the people & places,  and things  It mentally sees.  The  Manifestation that follows is filled with the essence of this,  our divine agreement.

This process of re-calibration is spiritual practice, such as Spiritual Mind Treatment, Meditation, Affirmative Prayer,  Breathing Exercises,  Life Visioning,  Yoga,  Walking the Labyrinth, etc. The  list of modalities  goes  on and on. However, do not forget  that the  objective  of practicing re-alignment, is  “the union of body, mind, and spirit, or the integration of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness.”

The re-calibration takes place when we have the courage to stop time and time again and let God be God, in, through, and as us.  And so it is.

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This Week’s Affirmation

“Today,  I come back to  Center and allow myself to be sourced and supplied&n bsp;by Pure Spirit.”

By Robbin G. Ruffner, RScP

It was back in the mid 1980’s when I took a class where the facilitator frequently used the word “energy” in a context that was unfamiliar to me. She would say things like so-and-so’s energy was really big, or so-and-so’s energy was subdued,  or the energy in the room is scattered today.  At the time, I thought, ” What is she talking about?”

Back then, the word ‘energy’ had a limited meaning for me. For example, I agreed with meanings found in the dictionary, such as: “the capacity for doing work,” or “usable power (such as heat or electricity) and, “the resources for producing power.” I did not consider the concept of energy as a “spiritual force flowing through all people.” At the time I unknowingly separated science and spirituality, while at the same time affirming the unity of all life.

Since then, I realize the word energy, depending on how it is used, is synonymous with the term undifferentiated substance, as referenced in the Science of Mind. It is also used synonymously with “Life, Spirit, Divine Energy. Aristotle used the word to convey the realized state of potentialities, as opposed to their unrealized state (p.588).” In physics it is the quantum field: i.e., a universal energy field that connects all consciousness and matter. 

I now realize the depth of meaning in the way my mentor used the words. For instance, when walking into a room one may immediately feel a sense of hostility –or feel a sense of welcoming. These intuitive hits occur without spoken words. At such times we are at choice. We may react to hostility by matching that energy, i.e., giving as good as we get. Or we may respond by lifting the mood with kindness, letting others match your energy. Remember the teachings of the mystic Jesus: “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32)

I now realize when Ernest Holmes says, “There is something in the Universe  which responds  and corresponds to our mental states” (The Science of Mind, p.319). He speaks about Divine Energy. Words found in The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield) read: “Where attention goes, energy flows; where intention goes, energy grows” imply our thoughts, focus, and intention set this Law of Correspondence in motion. 

With this illumined understanding comes the responsibility to “stand porter at the door of your mind “(Mary Baker Eddy). It is here that we choose to either match the energy we find ourselves by letting it grow or initiate a flow of energy that is a blessing to all humanity.

We become a beneficial presence in the world when the energy we release matches The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, as follows.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; 
Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; 
And where there is sadness, joy. 
O Divine Master, 
Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled, as to console; 
To be understood, as to understand; 
To be loved, as to love; 
For it is in giving that we receive, 
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. 
Amen.”

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I feel myself to be a perfect instrument in Life’s divine symphony.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p.182.2, Ernest Holmes ~

 “Do Perfect God, Perfect Man, Perfect Being“
~ Ernest Holmes ~

The archaic language from another time and culture often blocks us from receiving a clear understanding of our innate nature which is the doorway to that which frees us from the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” that show up as the false evidence and noise of the world.

 For example, while it is easy to feel the beauty and poetry of the words found in The Lord’s Prayer, they sometimes carry the hidden belief that somehow, we are pleasing The God-Being that inhabits the universe and winning “His” favor in so doing.

 The words are not speaking to a Deity, but rather they describe the nature of the Infinite One, much like Step 1 in a Spiritual Mind Treatment (affirmative prayer). The personal interpretation of these words brings life and meaning to the sincere seeker of Truth.

 When one takes the time to be with these words of ancient wisdom, starting with “Our Father,” their meaning begins to reveal hidden treasures, and one begins to realize the Everlasting Truth being imparted. They are words of Light, illuminating our path of freedom. They become a transformative factor in our lives when we are willing to receive these words that heal today.

 The word “will” and the context it is used, is a key factor when we begin to dive deeply into the ancient wisdom teachings about the inseparable relationship of the human and divine that co-exist in and as us. In some regards this unity of The One may be likened to the Yin and Yang of the eastern philosophy of Taoism.  

 There is a story found in the bible (John 5:6), where Jesus (the Master Teacher, Spiritual Genius, and Illumined Mystic), asks of one who had been suffering for years with a debilitating illness, “Wilt thou be made whole? In other words, are you willing to be well again? Duh, we may think, of course the answer is yes. After all, who wouldn’t want to be well?

 Willingness is about taking responsibility for your life by making the choices that are in alignment with your true nature of peace, love, harmony, joy, health, and wealth. Our good thoughts about these things are great and eventually become our mindset. However, remember, “faith without works is dead.” The choices, decisions, intentions, and self-determination are the substance that sets in motion the necessary action that ignites the Law of Good. We are not making something happen; instead, we are letting something happen.

 “…thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-13) This quote from the infamous prayer is an example of how once we begin walking in the direction of our soul’s sincere desire, our expanded consciousness is unified with the Indwelling  Spirit, and we experience the evidence of our willingness  to accept  the  nature of God within us  that is always the will of God.

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This Week’s Affirmation

“Today I am inwardly aware that there is a secret way of the soul, there is a secret pathway of peace, there is an invisible Presence forever externalizing Itself for me and through me.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p.172.2, Ernest Holmes ~

“Hush child, can’t you see I’m studying?”

Little did my mother know at the time she admonished me for interrupting her quiet time, that she was practicing a form of meditation. You see, she would frequently pause during her busy day and withdraw from outer world for a while in order to re-group, receiving the energy and focus that equipped her with all she needed to move forward doing what was her’s to do. She called this process “studying” ~ not a bad metaphor for “contemplative meditation,” a term she never heard, yet engaged in the practice with regularity. 

The Practice itself is a spiritual one inasmuch as it is the act of aligning one’s self with an Invisible Intelligence and Energy that renews, restores, and rejuvenates. Spiritual practice is an essential aspect of the ever-expanding awareness, or consciousness, of the inherent goodness that is the divine birthright of each and every one of us. 

Most of us unequivocally believe in a Universal Presence and Power, the very Source of our existence. While this All-Encompassing Creative Force is called by many names, e.g., Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Brahman, and God, to name just a few, the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient and nature of this One-And-Only is agreed by all.  Yet, time and again, when faced with unexpected challenges, there is a tendency to slip into the erroneous mindset of separation, fear, lack, limitation, sickness, and all sorts of crosscurrents that are in opposition to the divine. 

The cultivation of an unwavering faith in the unity between Divine Life and human experience requires a committed, disciplined, intentional practice, to the end that Love, Peace, Wisdom, Beauty, Harmony, and Joy that is inherently ours, sustains us at all times. This does not mean to imply we become exempt from challenges. It does mean that we may arrive at a consciousness that affirms the words of the psalmist: “yea, though walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”

“To fall into a habit is to begin to cease to be.” ~ Miguel De Unamuno ~

With all that said, if not careful spiritual practices, like spiritual rituals, may become rote. They may become a habit or a tradition; a routine requiring no effort: a ‘doing’ rather than ‘being.’  True practice is a time to purposefully remember, acknowledge, listen, and align oneself with the Soul’s Beloved. Spiritual practice can be likened to Holy Communion.

Showing up at a designated time, at a designated place, and assuming a certain posture sets the tone for the Practice that follows and establishes a sense of receptivity. However, the Practice itself may vary from time to time depending on the spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical need at the moment. Therefore, a well-supplied tool box, filled with successful tools for daily living, is essential.

Make sure the following practices are included in your daily process: gratitude, lowly listening, centering, movement, silence, journaling, life visioning, affirmations, prayer, inspirational reading, and inspirational music, to name a few.

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I listen for guidance and follow my inner voice.”

https://www.everydayspirit.net/post/spiritual-practices

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”
~ William Shakespeare ~

“Change your thinking – change your life.”
~ Ernest Holmes ~

Recently I was sitting in meditation and opened my eyes to gaze into nature’s magnificent beauty stretched before me. The bright sun beaming down on the thick foliage of the woods became the perfect canvas that reflected images of the items in the room I was sitting.

At first, I did not believe my eyes. So, I re-focused for greater clarity, and sure enough there they were, chairs, lamps, books . . . just hanging out in midair.   In that moment I realized the sunlight, shining on the items on the inside … reflected their mirror-image on the outside. I got it! So, I relaxed more fully and gazed at the no-thing outside my window, appearing so real. 

I noticed every time I changed my physical position, the images moved accordingly.  It was fascinating to see the dominion I had over something that was beyond my control. That paradoxical insight reminded me that there is an Absolute Law, a Changeless Principle, if you will, operating in the universe for which I may direct or apply in my life. 

I closed my eyes again to contemplate how this phenomenon related to how the Law of Mind Action works; i.e., “as above, so below; as within, so without,” etc. Suddenly, I felt the flickering of sunlight. When I opened my eyes, the images were gone. Oh, how I enjoyed this holy communion and how sweetly and gently Spirit reinforced my awareness of the Presence, Power, and Love of God, all around. 

On the one hand, I realized, the Law is All-Powerful and not a respecter of person, responding to all alike.  On the other hand, I have a choice, moment to moment regarding how I apply the Great One in my individual life by positioning myself to receive that which I desire to experience.

~ ~ ~ ~

Everything in the physical world of experience reflects what we, individually, and collectively have accepted in our minds as being true. Enlightenment, through a spiritual practice of meditation, reveals the truth.  

The more anchored we each become in the awareness of our True Identity, affirming our true nature as spiritual beings having human experiences, the more we become witnesses, without attachment to the impermanence of ever-changing phenomena all around us. This does not mean becoming indifferent or apathetic, resulting in a sense of hopelessness and fear; but rather, cultivating a consciousness that asks, “what is mine to do?”

Just as the sun reflected the items in the room where I was seated; likewise, the Universal Law of Mind reflects onto the screen of life, the thoughts, beliefs, and emotions we embody. 

 Needless to say, there are times the things we are seeing and experiencing seem overwhelming. “Seem” is the keyword. It is all evidence, reflecting the images of our minds. “Change your thinking – change your life” is a slogan often used when describing how to use The Science of Mind. As we heed this lesson, notice how the images we witness change accordingly.

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This Weeks Affirmation

“I am creating a beautiful life.”

https://www.youtube.com/@kdcFLOW

Originally Posted on August 29, 2023