“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. “
~ Napoleon Hill ~  

Remember the sitcom, Golden Girls and how Sophia would occasionally go down memory lane and say to her friends, “Picture this?” She would go into great detail describing the time, place, and incident that she remembered, to the end that you, the onlooker, begin to see what she saw.

This reminds me of how the Law of Mind works. For example, whenever we create a perfect picture in our minds about a person, place, or thing, be it the past, present, or future, there is that within us that begins to feel, sense, and realize the picture as a real experience. Children, unknowingly, do this all the time, using the faculty of their imagination and thereby creating worlds of fun and delight.

Yes, through the creative power of our minds, we each, knowingly or unknowingly, are experiencing the pictures we have imagined. It’s no wonder a wise one told us, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Of course, Ernest Holmes said the same thing in essence, declaring, “Change your thinking, change your life.” Yes, we have a great power at hand to manifest the greatest good we can imagine.

For example: If you are experiencing health challenges today, Picture This!

 Every cell, nerve, tissue, organ, fiber, bone, and muscle of every organ of your physical and mental realms is operating in complete harmony.  This dance of life is powered by Pure Spirit that makes all things out of Itself, and remains whole, complete, and perfect forevermore.  There is perfect circulation, assimilation, and elimination taking place. Perfect mobility and vitality express as the activity of your divine nature.   

 If you are experiencing relationship issues, Picture This!

Every relationship you encounter is rooted in the essence of Unity.  There is a feeling of safety and support from all those in your inner circle. You always know what to say and how to say what needs to be communicated through you with clarity, understanding, and compassion. You always listen from that space in your heart that is the nature of every living being. You give to others that which you desire to receive from them.

If you are experiencing financial problems, Picture This!

There is unlimited supply right now. The source of that which you seek is the One Source that supplies the entire universe, and that includes you. There is always sufficiency. Divine Wisdom is the guidance that supports you to make intelligent decisions about distributing that for which you are steward. It is the nature of It to give of Itself.  One of the symbols, or the energy-in-form of the Self-givingness of Abundance is money.  There are many forms.

If you are experiencing uncertainty about your purpose, Picture This!

You are a creative being, fully endowed with all that is your highest idea of God; Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. Your purpose, being the image and likeness of God, is to emulate Its nature.  Your purpose is to unleash Love, Peace, Harmony, Joy, Beauty, and Wisdom in everything you think, say, and do. You’ve got what it takes!

And, so it is!

This Week’s Affirmation

“I believe in the person I dream of becoming.”

~ Unknown ~

(Revisited)

“Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”  
~ Wolfgang von Goethe ~

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”. 
~ Matthew 18:3 ~

There has always been the “high-minded” among us; i.e., certain individuals who aspire for things that are beyond their present circumstances. These ordinary people, while trusting in life, never compare themselves to anyone else. They simply believe they deserve the best in all things. Somehow these optimists move through challenges with an attitude that transcends many of the seeming limitations they face. 

The unillumined would say these people are “lucky” or believe they received some Providential favor. However, the illumined recognize the immutable mental law of Cause and Effect and the spiritual law that “It is done unto you as you believe.”    They realize the inevitability that these ordinary people would, of course, experience the likeness of their expectations.

“Don’t underestimate the power of a mind that is made up.” ~ Miya Yamanouchi ~ 

The good news is, the laws of nature are never respecters of person but work the same for everyone. The outcome simply depends upon one’s mental position, because the law itself is automatic. It is forever in the mode of responding by corresponding with the impressions it receives.  In other words, it works the same for the one who knows nothing about The Law, the same as it does for the one who knows all about It. 

~ ~ ~ ~

Actually, we are all spiritual beings having this human experience, with mindsets operating at various frequencies at different times. What I have noticed about myself and others is, it usually depends on what is going on with us at any given time. While operating at the optimum of high-mindedness there is an expectancy of peace, harmony, love, beauty, wisdom, and joy to prevail in all circumstances.

There may be other times when mediocracy is the mindset that vibrates with a frequency like the man without God that Howard Thurman describes as, “. . . a victim of the currents of life that carry him where they will with a bland unmindful Ness of purposes and ends which belong to him as a living, thinking, feeling creature.”  

And, there’s a low vibration operating when one’s habitual mindset is focused on “ain’t it awful,” and this downward gaze is reflected as one’s circumstances.

Good News Flash! “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” (Napoleon Hill). We each have the power to change our thinking and therefore change our lives. However, you cannot fool Mother Nature by just saying new words. We must begin to actually sense, feel, believe, think, and act differently. 

We must become like a little child who imagines and daydreams about their world. In so doing, we raise the vibration of our thought patterns and position ourselves in that kingdom of harmony within us by engaging in regular spiritual practices.

 Daily meditation, life visioning, and spiritual mind treatment (affirmative prayer) are wonderful companions that support us while we walk the path of high-mindedness. 

This Weeks Affirmation

“Today I reach for the stars with my thoughts and know only good will come.”

~ Judy Hilley~ 

(Revisited)

“Begin With The End In Mind” 
~ Stephen R. Covey ~ 

“And I’ll always dream the impossible dream Yes, and I’ll reach the unreachable star.”
~ Mitch Leigh / Joe Darion ~ 

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 
~ Mark 9:24 ~

The Science of Mind teaches “there is no process of healing, but there is a process in healing.” This idea is far-reaching inasmuch as it suggests a manner in which to reconcile the human and the divine; two aspects of our one nature. On the one hand, there is nothing to heal; our spiritual nature within us is already whole, complete, and perfect. It is the image and likeness of our highest idea of God. On the other hand, in order for this awareness to be realized, revealed, and activated in a practical way, there is a process in reasoning that takes place until the Truth dawns upon us. In that moment we are healed; i.e., the Spirit, Mind, and Body are in complete alignment.  In this state of consciousness, all things are possible.

Our faith leads us to the path; our doubt clouds the vision.

We’ve been told to walk in the direction of our dreams. Otherwise, we are subject to self-sabotage. Yet, in spite of this sage advice, sincere truth-seekers continue to report how they have inadvertently missed the mark of their desired good.

An example of this dilemma is like setting your car’s GPS for your final destination, only to ignore Siri’s directions.  As a result, you may find yourself running into roadblocks that cause unnecessary delays and missed appointments. 

This same thing sometimes happens regarding prayer. Even though we pray, affirming the destiny we envision for our lives, we are sometimes so accustomed to certain methods to get us to our goal, that we began to doubt the divine guidance received through intuition. Soon, we are right where we began, stuck in a mindset that lends toward temporary solutions, not lasting ones. Lasting ones are the embodied values that become the means to the ends we seek.  

~ ~ ~ ~

Mahatma Gandhi, a 20th-century mystic said: “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change toward him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”

Walking in the direction of your dreams is practicing your innermost values in thought, word, and deed. In other words, it is letting values such as peace, love, wisdom, harmony, and joy be the means that deliver you to your desired ends.

Walking in the direction of your dreams is trusting and surrendering into the uncharted territory of a New Year that is filled with the promise of Light.

This Weeks Affirmation

“I hold my desired end for good in mind and trust the process to make it so.”

~ Angela “Chris” Beam ~

“. . . but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.”
~ The Holy Bible ~ 

“I proceed on my way as one who knows that God goes with me into an eternal day of infinite privilege.” 
~ Ernest Holmes~ 

While The Wisdom of the Ages never changes, a more comprehensive way of communicating these Eternal Verities keeps evolving. What is known as The New Thought Movement is an avenue through which one may view The Changeless Truth in a more expansive and relatable way. It gives new perspectives to the life principles, while the principles themselves, remain the same today, yesterday, and forever.  All this allows one to examine more closely one’s thoughts, words, and actions, determining if they are congruent with one’s vision. 

Too often we argue over semantics in a sincere effort to communicate the essence of our being. 

Therefore, it is essential that we do not discard the old way we have known; but rather, peel back the layers of idioms, metaphors, and vernacular, and discover the element of Truth, or First Cause, trying to break through. 

In other words, do not throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water. Instead, simply refresh and renew the water, leaving the precious baby of eternal truth, intact. In so doing, we begin to see the beauty in the rituals, songs, and the teachings we continue to encounter during our journey of awakening. The religious and/or ceremonial practices serve as a doorway to the infinite, a point of insight that reveals the greater possibilities stretched before us.   

Traditionally, and symbolically through familiar rituals, we enter into a new year, anticipating the seasons of our lives.  Let this be a time of mindful reflection, which has nothing to do with being somber.  After all, there is much that occurred in the past twelve months that is worthy of celebration as well those things we mourn, for auld lang syne. Surely, when we become aware of our emotional responses to the events of yesterday, we become empowered by these lessons and experiences. In this awakened state, we are now poised to make wise choices that further support us in attaining the fulfillment we seek. 

Remember, there is an unfailing principle operating through everything, all the time, taking directions from our feelings, thoughts, and actions. When, through prayer and meditation, we are deeply anchored in the awareness of this divine and unlimited potential in whom we live, move, and have our being; there is a blessed assurance that all things are possible; and we dare to dream what had formerly seemed an impossible dream. We then move forward with confidence, as we declare our high resolve about the coming days.

How good it is to know that “Principle is not bound by precedent.” Happy New Year!

This Week’s Affirmation

“I move forward and embrace the evolution of my thoughts as I celebrate the infinite possibilities of tomorrow.“

~ Keith Childers ~

“The word Unity, we might explain here, signifies the union of parts, a result of many drawn together into one perfect harmonious whole.”
~ The Science of Mind, Ernest Holmes ~ 

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
~ Margaret Mead ~   

“Kwanzaa, Freedom, Justice and Peace: Principles and Practices for A New World.”
~ Dr. Maulana Karenga ~

The Ten Commandments of Moses, The Beatitudes of Jesus, The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are all examples of how a Principle-driven life has been offered those seeking liberation from the challenges they faced.  While each leader dealt with the fundamental principle of unity that undergirds all of humanity, their unique approach appealed to the people, culture, and circumstances of their time.

These leaders somehow knew that once their people began to follow a practice of unity amongst themselves, soon, like The Hundredth Monkey concept of Ken Keyes, and the Peace Begins with Me concept of Jill Jackson, humanity would become a world that works for everyone.   

This evolution in consciousness and action is an ongoing process. There continue to be leaders of every culture who share life-enhancing principles with their communities, thus supporting them through the challenges of life. The principles offered are more than self-help advice. Principles (or Truth) are universal in nature. They are not respecters of person but rather respond to all alike who take the time to understand and practice them. That being said, principles may be applied to any person, place, or thing and yield the result for which they are directed. 

~ ~ ~ ~

Although Kwanzaa was born in the midst of the Black Freedom Movement of the 1960s, and inspired by the traditions and the cultural roots of Africans worldwide; “its framework and focus are based on seven principles and practices as they relate to (current) issues of life, work, and struggle.” 

The principles are Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. While this information feeds my intellect, just like Christmas, Hanukkah, and other religious or cultural traditions may; it is not until the true meaning is activated within me. The ritual without an inner meaning is like faith without works. I must return to the practice over and over again until it is not only a felt experience, it actually becomes a tangible reality that all may bear witness to.  

Starting today, December 26, 2023, and each day, through January 1, 2024, my endeavor is to creatively apply the principles offered. I invite you to join me. I like to first center myself with what I presently believe about the principle for the day, and then remain open and receptive to greater insight and revelation. For example:

Unity: I know and affirm there is only One Life, God. That life is mine, and is the life of everyone, without exception; Self-Determination: I know and affirm the Great I that I AM, is infused with the creative power of God; Collective Work and Responsibility: I know and affirm the creative exchange of ideas, talents and gifts supports everyone; Cooperative Economics: I know and affirm there is unlimited supply right now; enough to spare and to share; Purpose: I know and affirm that I am divinely guided to do what is mine to do; Creativity: I know and affirm that I express my inner feelings of love, peace, joy, beauty, wisdom, harmony and order in everything I think, say,  and do; and,  Faith: I know and affirm the Presence of God in me and as me, is the power through which all things are possible.

Together, through a unified consciousness, great things happen. There’s great power in the awareness of Oneness.

Happy Kwanzaa!

This Week’s Affirmation

“I continue to daily practice the life-enhancing principles of my unified consciousness.”

~ Mary Jane LaBonte, RScP ~