(Revisited)
One of the many things that I love about the philosophy of the Science of Mind is, it is a teaching of how to think, not what to think.  The whole premise is, as creatures of thought, we are always thinking; and as a result, our thoughts are forever manifesting as our experiences. The more proficient we become in the “how to,” the more fulfilled we become with the “what is.”

As I reminisce about these familiar ideas, I am reminded that the individual power contained in these simple – yet profound concepts has always been known. Ancient wisdom concurs with the point being made here. 

For example, “things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3) tells us there is an invisible cause behind every apparent condition. The Cause, as evidenced by the Cosmos or Macrocosm, is the consciousness of the Creator and Source of All.   The “cause,” as evidenced by the myriads of conditions or microcosms, is the individual consciousness and/or the collective belief of humanity. 

The Hermetic teachings simplified the principle by saying, “as within, so without.” On the one hand, the Science of Mind recognizes that “what” you think is yours alone to choose, and at the same time, it teaches that it is your beliefs (your thinking) that are the substance out of which your experiences are created. Therefore, Ernest Holmes says, “Change your thinking – change your life.”

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7). These words suggest that I experience myself according to what I believe about who I am, as evidenced by the conditions in my life. 

What I hear from these wise ones is: “What” we think about is the specific thing we desire to experience in life; i.e., health, wealth, wisdom, love, and joy showing up as our bodies, our finances, our relationships, and our careers, etc.  The effective way to think about these things, or “How,” is to realize your true nature expressing as those things. Your true nature is the image and likeness of God, The Source. Your nature is health, wealth, wisdom, love, and joy. Jesus explained “the how” when saying: “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and these things will be added unto you.”

As a serious seeker of Truth, I have found that it is not enough for me to agree that the inherent nature of all things is spiritual; created out of an invisible cause. It is not enough for me to agree that any apparent condition, to the contrary, is a false belief manifesting.  Like all sciences, a theory lies dormant until it is successfully proven, just like “faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) In my awakened state of consciousness, I test my belief by rising above any negative situation I may be experiencing. I consciously apply Principles of Truth.

Albert Einstein tells us, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”  With that said, I tell myself that no matter what words I may voice/or say regarding any adverse situation I may face, it is my thinking, more specifically, my belief, that must be changed. When that happens, my words will be the law that brings about new conditions. 

While diving deeply into my True Self, I somehow know that my action contributes to the consciousness of humanity. 

This Weeks Affirmation

“My thought is a law of creative action known as life.”

By Keith Childers

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”  Psalms 30.5 ~

~ ~ ~ ~

Every living being is unified with all of nature, all of the time; i.e., experiencing all of her ways as intricate aspects of one’s very own being … and most assuredly according to one’s subjective belief.  

With a limited perception of ourselves, we have come to fear the darkness of our own nature, believing it is separate from who we are and who is our enemy.

However, there have always been those among us who have pierced the veil of seeming separation and realized that darkness and light are simply experiences we encounter.  They are phases of our nature. It is written that light and darkness are the same to the Infinite One.

Therefore, with an expanded viewpoint of who we are, we come to realize that all of creation is born in darkness, be it a plant in earth’s soil or a baby in its mother’s womb. They both, upon entering the world, are one with the presence of Light. Likewise, all experiences are with us just for a season.  Chantal Garneau offers us the following blessing:

 ~ “May you find peace in the promise of the solstice night,
that each day forward is blessed with more light. ~

~ ~ ~ ~

Anne Frank tells us: “Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”  

When, as students of Truth, we begin to let go of the false beliefs and erroneous concepts that have kept us in the darkness of ignorance, the solstice of the soul reveals a glimmer of light that shows us what is to come.

No matter what the experiences of the year 2024 have been, the New Year is the dawning of unfolding Light with its new experiences.  Our deepest desires, that have germinated in the creative medium of divine mind, are now ready to manifest according to our high resolve.

While a breakthrough in consciousness may be imminent, a consistent spiritual practice supports us in giving birth to our vision of Light, expressing as peace, harmony, love, joy, wisdom, prosperity, beauty, and unlimited good. 

Let’s let every resolution for the year 2025 become an affirmation that declares the inevitable Light that leads us into a place of peace and poise as we experience our next season of growth and deeper understanding.

In so doing, may we adhere to the wise words of Howard Thurman, as follows:

“Keep fresh before me the moments of my High Resolve,
that in fair weather or in foul, in good times or in tempests,
in the days when the darkness and the foe are nameless or familiar,
I may not forget that to which my life is committed.”

This Weeks Affirmation

“My now is not my forever. I remain open to life’s lessons.
”https://harvestinghealthandhappiness.com/5-powerful-affirmations-for-hope/

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them.”
~ Matthew 18:20 ~

~ ~ ~ ~

“Christ is Universal Idea, and each one “puts on the Christ: to the degree that he (she) surrenders a limited sense of Life to the Divine Realization of wholeness and unity with Good, Spirit, God.
~The Science of Mind, p. 579.1

The core concept taught at Centers for Spiritual Living is “Oneness.” The philosophy espouses that every living being is unified with the One Source of all life, God.  Therefore, all beings are unified with each other.

Throughout the ages, this life principle has been taught in various ways. Jesus taught it when he said, in effect, that whenever people of like-thinking agree upon ideas such as love, peace, beauty, and joy, the IAM Presence of God is activated, and all these things are possible as our experience.  In other words, “I AM” is the word of God within us. It is a power-filled declaration from which all things are formed and made manifest. From this perspective we can see the benefit of community, a place where our common unity is shared.

The awareness that proclaims that one’s very own self is an individualized center of consciousness within the One Infinite Spirit, has been spontaneously known by mystics of all time.   Many of us are consciously engaged in a process of awakening to the changeless Truth.   While the spiritual practices that we love and adore may take time to take root in our consciousness; nonetheless, with consistency we are sure to have an epiphany of the life divine in whom we live, move, and have our being.

The moment we begin imagining a greater version of ourselves, we begin to hear the mystical messages of our thoughts from our higher understanding.  We begin to respond to that inner urge and divine guidance. We begin to nurture the Christ Consciousness within us that is being born into its greater yet to be.

In this enlightened state of consciousness, we begin to see humanity as One Universal Family. We begin to see the Christ Presence at the center of every living being. In this heightened state of awareness, we begin to see Christ, not just in one or two; but in the masses. We begin to identify every man, woman, child, animal, and plant as an individualization of the One Presence and the One Power that permeates eternity.

We may begin to see the Christ showing up in mass and living as ascending and descending generations. We begin to see this Christ-mass calling themselves The Greatest, The Silent, Baby Boomers, Xs, Millennials, Zs, and Alphas, all living together peacefully on earth and with goodwill towards all.

We begin to prepare room in our hearts and minds for the generation of Betas who are to come. We begin to eagerly await the expanded consciousness of love and light that they surely bring.  

We begin to see the mystical meaning of every symbol of Light, Star, Angel, Tree, Animal, Baby and more.  We begin to hear the meaning of every song being sung, and the love that imbues every gift that is given and received.

Yes, how fulfilling it is to give Joy to the World. Merry Christmas!

This Weeks Affirmation

“I am present and mindful during Christmas celebrations.”

https://www.affirmations.online/short-christmas-affirmations-for-a-magical-christmas-2024/

(REVISITED)

“Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” 
~Luke 6:38, The Holy Bible. ~

~ ~ ~

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
~ Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet. ~

Consciously or unconsciously, we are always investing in life and receiving a return on our investment. The investment we make consists of our core beliefs expressed through our words and deeds.  In other words, just like seeds planted in the earth’s soil, the return is the exact image and likeness of what we believe to be true about the people, places, and things we encounter or expect to encounter.

In other words, the creative medium of our minds actualizes that which we accept as reality by becoming our experience.   In other words, “You reap what you sow.”  This is simply the way life gets to be what it is. It is the Law of Being. 

For some, when hearing the word “Law” used in the context of spirituality, there is an association with the word “punishment,” often resulting in a false belief that says we can displease, disappoint, or make God angry. To avoid slipping into this erroneous mindset, a paradigm shift in consciousness is necessary.

Remind yourself that “Law” in the spiritual realm is simply a term that describes nature’s way. For example, in the physical realm it is nature’s way that objects fall to the ground when dropped. This law, of course, is what we call gravity. It would never occur to us that God is punishing us when this occurs. While the consequence may sadden us, we would nonetheless accept the outcome as the natural reaction to the action.  When awake in consciousness, we may learn from our experiences and choose to be more careful in the future, be it a spiritual, mental, or physical law.  

We may begin today investing in ideas that inevitably return to us our heart’s true desires; i.e., ideas like health, loving-kindness, harmonious relationships, sufficiency, beauty, wisdom, creative expressions, and prosperity in all of our endeavors.  We may begin right now investing in the practice of forgiveness and bear witness to the return of peace of mind. We may begin to consciously invest in our personal values; such as unity, integrity, justice, equanimity, and all that yield a world that works for everyone.

We may enter this season of giving and receiving filled with a consciousness of Love and Light as we bear witness to the Law of our Being responding to our investment of Peace on Earth and Joy to the World.

This Weeks Affirmation

” I am more powerful than I know and I can achieve anything and everything to which I set my heart.
For all of this, I am grateful.”

www.happierhuman.com/gratitude-affirmations/

(Revisited)

“We believe that the Universal Spirit, which is God, operates through a Universal Mind, which is the Law of God; and that we are surrounded by this Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thought and acts upon it.”
~ Ernest Holmes~

“The world will persist in exhibiting before you what you persist in affirming the world is.”
~ Emma Curtis Hopkins ~

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
~ I Corinthians 13:11 ~

When I was a child my favorite Bible verse was: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” I reasoned if I were honest, and wished no one harm, I would come face to face with the Super Man-Being who resides in the sky and rules the universe. As a result of memorizing the verse, and telling myself what the words mean, it became a spiritual practice. 

In my sweet innocence, I unknowingly began to establish certain beliefs; albeit some true and some false.  However, the universal laws governing the mental realm, just like the universal laws governing the physical realm, do not differentiate between who has activated the Law, but fulfill its own nature by the process of becoming, in the physical world, an exact facsimile of the feelings and beliefs it receives. 

The belief that God is separate from Its creation is the biggest error that humanity makes. It sets up all sorts of ideas of duality; i.e., good and evil; reward and punishment; a blessing and a curse; love and fear; all kinds of cross-currents.    However, when there is a realization that the Highest God and the Innermost God is one God, the new paradigm begins to establish new beliefs for the Law of Mind in Action to act upon.  

Having reached a level of spiritual maturity and insight, I have a greater understanding of the words I affirmed as a child.  I now realize that the “pure in heart” is a consciousness for which there are no opposing mixtures of thoughts.  Also, Charles Fillmore tells us that the blessedness of God is the joy that comes to those whose thoughts are stayed on the presence of Good (God).  In this exalted view, God is seen exhibiting Itself before us in the world; not as a physical man, but as a spiritual presence centered in all. 

Saying affirmations is a wonderful spiritual practice, even when the words are spoken by rote.  They are not said to make something happen, but rather for the purpose of coming into a realization of what is already so. Spiritual Practice is always for the purpose of having a revelation of Truth. It is a process where one consciously participates in her own evolution– always moving in higher dimensions of awareness through understanding.  

This Weeks Affirmation

“My spirit is connected to the divine, radiating pure light.”

https://blog.gratefulness.me/spiritual-affirmations/