(Repost)

“Man’s world of affairs is the result of his self-contemplation. He is at first ignorant of this and so binds himself through wrong thought and action. As he reverses this thought, he reverses the condition attendant upon it.” ~ERNEST HOLMES~

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ~SOCRATES~

Early on in my studies of the Science of Mind, I learned that the Principle of Oneness was the foundation of all life. I was also taught how hidden beliefs that suggest separation and division influence our thoughts and actions without our conscious consent.  

Hidden beliefs are ideas and concepts that are subjectively introduced to our consciousness.  Many judgments, biases, and prejudices that cause a sense of separation and disunity are the result of hidden beliefs operating in the creative medium of our minds. 

Once I grasped the concept, the Universe, as usual, provided an opportunity for me to see it play out in real-time, starting with the moment I accepted an invitation to visit a co-worker’s church. 

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 Upon entering the sanctuary, I immediately felt out of place – almost like being an intruder. It appeared there were several rituals going on simultaneously, even before the designated starting time. I wasn’t sure what to do. It all felt very strange. I began to feel like I was the “other;” or, for sure, they were.

I began to remember, from my childhood, having heard about this church and its practices. Stories, opinions, myths, and negative judgments about how they worshiped began to flood my memory. Before I knew it, I began to form an opinion about the co-worker who invited me to this event; a lovely person who, up until then, I held in high esteem.

I found a seat and joined those who were focused on the woman who was preaching.

I was stunned by what I heard. She was saying what I was learning, only couched in her own language and style that were different from mine. During her entire talk, the congregation celebrated her words with music and dancing even as she spoke them. I had to remain completely focused, lest I become distracted. 

After the service, I was eager to tell the speaker, not only how much I enjoyed the message, but how it was the same principles I was being taught at my church. With a twinkle in her eye and an elbow to my rib, she said, “Honey, when we get to heaven, no one will ask what church we belong.” 

So maybe she was talking about heaven as a geographic location while I imagined arriving at a place of perfect peace within myself. I don’t know. In that moment those possible differences seemed like semantics.

~ ~ ~ ~

The next time I sat in the comfort and familiarity of my own beloved church home, enjoying the quiet stillness of the pre-service meditation, I thought,’ how strange this might seem to someone experiencing this form of spiritual practice for the very first time.’

~ ~ ~ ~

What stories did you hear in your childhood about race, gender, lookism, nationality, social status, sexual orientation, religion, and other concepts that are subject to “otherness?” Whether positive or negative, those stories have the propensity to become hidden beliefs, automatically operating in creative mind and out-picturing in the world. Through the application of The Principle of Oneness and the exercise of critical thinking, you may begin to reverse the thoughts that lend to separation and divisiveness. In so doing you participate in creating a world that works for everyone.

This Week’s Affirmation

Every day and every way, I focus on always being open at the top.

by Keith Childers

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ANNOUNCEMENT

StillPoint ~ a doorway to the infinite ~  
www.stillpointcsl.org

P R E S E N T S

TECHNIQUE and FIRE

“In prayer our spirit makes its great demand upon the Universe. Through faith in the invisible Source of good, it claims the particular good it desires. And when our whole inner being is in continual harmony with the Source, knowing it is ever pressing forward into expression through our acts, then it is that we shall come to have and experience an abundance of good for all that makes life worthwhile.”
~ Ernest Holmes, The Spiritual Universe and You ~

~ This two-part experiential workshop is designed to awaken the Creative Genius within both the seasoned traveler as well as those new to the path. ~

Each stage of Spiritual Mind Treatment is an art and your mind the canvas.

The guided meditations, exploratory exercises, and authentic sharing become the blueprint for the manifestation of your soul’s sincere desire, in both form and experience.

~ ~ ~ ~

When: Saturday, February 11, 2022 and Saturday, February 18, 2022

Time:   10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Where: Zoom Room (Will receive link registration)

Facilitator: Reverend Mary L. Ruffner

Suggested Tuition: $75.00

Register Today: https://stillpointcsl.org/donate-2/

Indicate: T&F (Technique and Fire)

~ ~ ~ ~

Bring an open heart and an open mind. 

“We secretly perceive toward an object before thinking it, and it is only by having constant recourse by inward viewing that the mind goes on to know and comprehend.”
~ Hegel, “Introduction to Logic” ~

“Something always antedates thought. That something is Vision.”
~ Emma Curtis Hopkins, High Mysticism ~

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
~ Matthew. 5:8 ~

We’ve heard the phrase, perception is reality. However, perception is not always Reality.  This no doubt sounds a bit convoluted and certainly contradictory.  Actually, the subtle distinction is the lower-case “reality” represents the relative, while the upper-case “Reality” represents the Absolute. Or, one may say these distinctions represent the contrast between the human experience vs. the Divine Truth.  

Vision, intuition, and the mind’s eye (sometimes referred to as “the third eye”) all relate to perception. Perception is sensing, or, feeling something in the invisible realm of our nature. When the feeling vibration resonates with someone or something previously experienced, there is a tendency to interpret the feeling according to what is already believed or known. When the feeling vibration resonates with the idea of Infinite Love, there is a tendency to interpret the feeling as unlimited possibilities revealing something new and wonderful. In either case, we began a creative process. 

The conditions we experience in the world can be traced back to how we perceive the world to be. ““That thou seest, that thou beest,” declares the ancient wisdom of Emma Curtis Hopkins. While this all may be common sense and Mental Science 101; nonetheless, when we observe the evidence of humanity’s thinking, it is obvious that what is known intellectually, is not always practiced.

For example, on one hand we witness destructive behavior all around as a result of erroneous thinking based on erroneous premises. On the other hand, Truth-centered thinking based on Truth-premises yields all the beauty and harmony and joy and love we see all around. With a perception of Reality, Divine Love shows up as random acts of kindness; individuals sharing their overflow of abundance; and, social conscience is revealed in “every area of the political, corporate, academic, and social sector,” inadvertently creating a world that works for everyone.

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We’ve heard, or maybe found ourselves saying, I have an anxious or foreboding feeling.   Conversely, the phrase may be, I have a feeling something wonderful is about to happen. Even before these feelings morph into thoughts and eventually as our experiences, we may begin to purify our hearts through the spiritual practice of Life Visioning ¹.   

Adapt a meditative state and present these questions to your Higher Self: What is God’s highest idea for my life? What must I become in order to empower this vision? What must I release? What must I embrace? Is there anything else I need to know at this point? ² Listen for the intuitive impressions you receive. “Unless you fully perceive that you are the child of God, hence perfect, you have no Principle to demonstrate and no rule for its demonstration.”  (Mary Baker Eddy, Founder, Christian Science)

This Week’s Affirmation

“I’m ready to see my own life in new and exciting ways.”

www.mostinside.com/positive-affirmations-to-change-your-perception/

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¹ Life Visioning: A spiritual practice authored by Rev. Dr. Michael B. Beckwith

² Ibid.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

StillPoint ~ a doorway to the infinite ~  
www.stillpointcsl.org

P R E S E N T S

TECHNIQUE and FIRE

“In prayer our spirit makes its great demand upon the Universe. Through faith in the invisible Source of good, it claims the particular good it desires. And when our whole inner being is in continual harmony with the Source, knowing it is ever pressing forward into expression through our acts, then it is that we shall come to have and experience an abundance of good for all that makes life worthwhile.”
~ Ernest Holmes, The Spiritual Universe and You ~

~ This two-part experiential workshop is designed to awaken the Creative Genius within both the seasoned traveler as well as those new to the path. ~

Each stage of Spiritual Mind Treatment is an art and your mind the canvas.

The guided meditations, exploratory exercises, and authentic sharing become the blueprint for the manifestation of your soul’s sincere desire, in both form and experience.

~ ~ ~ ~

When: Saturday, February 11, 2022 and Saturday, February 18, 2022

Time:   10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Where: Zoom Room (Will receive link registration)

Facilitator: Reverend Mary L. Ruffner

Suggested Tuition: $75.00

Register Today: https://stillpointcsl.org/donate-2/

Indicate: T&F (Technique and Fire)

~ ~ ~ ~

Bring an open heart and an open mind. 

“We envision humanity awakening to its spiritual magnificence and discovering the creative power of thought; a world where each and every person discovers his/her own personal power and ability to create an individual life that works within a world that works for everyone.”
 ~ Global Vision for Centers for Spiritual Living ~

~ ~ ~ ~ 

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.  Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ~ Rumi ~

~ ~ ~ ~ 

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”  ~ Michelangelo ~ 

I love the line from Oriah Mountain Dreamer’s poem, The Invitation, where she poses the question, “Can you see beauty even when it’s not pretty?

The one who is willing to dive deeply into the inquiry will discover an awesome lesson about the nature of being; one that becomes a transformative factor that yields something wonderful every time. For example, when we affirm that God is all there is, and that one of Its qualities is Beauty, it stands to reason that Beauty is as omnipresent as God. This is true about all the qualities recognized as The Divine; e.g., Love, Peace, Joy, Harmony, Beauty, and so on. These are all eternal verities, the inherent nature of every living being. The question is, do we see these qualities operating in the world even when the appearance and experience suggest otherwise?

The adversity in the world cannot be denied; so, how do we reconcile the concept of omnipresent goodness while observing tangible evidence that suggests otherwise? Once we gain insight about this dilemma, we begin to realize the ancient wisdom of scripture that tells us about “false evidence appearing real.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Emma Curtis Hopkins tells us that all of nature is driven by an instinctive impulse that declares “There’s good for me and I ought to have It.” However, as long as there is the belief that humanity is made up of separate beings struggling for their ‘fair share’ of life, rather than an awareness of our unity in the One Presence; our creative efforts have a tendency to be distorted. The unconscious belief that some “other” is standing in our way of our “good” causes fear, competition, not-enough-ness, and all manner of low self-esteem. This false belief has the tendency to conceal the original motivating factor. 

Some wise one has said that for every human aberration, there is a spiritual aspiration trying to break through. In other words, every flaw (sin?) that is not pretty is evidence of one’s missing the mark or being out of alignment with the Original and, Unchanging Source. The visionary pierces the veil of illusion and sees the beauty that is trying to express. 

~ ~ ~ ~

You may begin right now envisioning the good that’s trying to express and give gratitude for it. What we praise has a tendency to increase. In so doing, the Invisible Forces of Peace, Harmony, Love, Wisdom, Beauty, and Joy begin to flow through your life experiences, revealing fulfilling relationships; wellness in your body temple; success in your career and creative endeavors; abundance in your finances; and peace of mind in all your comings and goings. 

The good news is, it doesn’t matter how long we have been hypnotized by error thinking and action. The underlying Principle that governs all life is intact. We may begin right now claiming the sincere desires of our hearts.  Soon, as visionaries, it becomes clearer and clearer what is ours to do that contributes to a world that out pictures peace on earth and goodwill toward all. 

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I know, despite any seeming disparity, the Good is always (all ways) there if I choose to see.”

by Judy Hilley

“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 compared themselves to anyone else. They simply believed they deserved the best in all things. Somehow these optimists moved through challenges with an attitude that transcended many of the seeming limitations they faced. 

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 realizes 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. 

~ ~ ~ ~

We are all ordinary people 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 unmindfulness of purposes and ends which belong to him as a living, thinking, feeling creature.”  

Finally, there’s a low vibration operating when one’s habitual mindset is focused on “ain’t it awful.” 

“Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – ~ Napoleon Hill ~

Good News Flash! 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. 

~ ~ ~ ~

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. 

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I behold the expanse of the universe and feel, sense, and know that the same ever-expanding Life Force that created the universe also exists within me.”

Angela “Chris” Beam

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

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me . . .”
~ Philippians 3:14 ~

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

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.

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This Week’s Affirmation

Each and every day, I confidently walk forward to my good with grace, ease, and joy.

Keith Childers