“Nature will not let us stay in any one place too long. She will let us stay just long enough to gather the experience necessary to the unfolding and advancement of the soul.” 
~ Ernest Holmes ~

“All experiences are valuable for the wisdom they bring or suggest; but when you have once gained wisdom and knowledge from any experience, there is little profit in repeating it, especially if it has been unpleasant.”  
~ Prentice Mulford ~

Do you remember how, in your early years of schooling, that by the time you learned the lesson, got to know all your classmates, felt comfortable with your surroundings, and, confident about what you knew; it was time to go to the next grade? There was always more to learn.

However, some lessons are not learned the first time around. To become proficient in a particular subject, it may be necessary to repeat the grade. While some may perceive this as failure; wise ones perceive it as an opportunity to embody more deeply, the lesson being offered.

Life has often been compared to a classroom.
In fact, the above quotes seem to be in alignment with that metaphor.

What I’ve noticed is, no matter how grim things may look, even when we are stuck in a cycle of having to learn the same lesson over and over again; eventually, we move upward and onward. This seems to be the way of life.  

Gaining insight about our inescapable oneness with one another is one of those life lessons that humanity keeps repeating.  It is indeed challenging to stay awake, alert, and aware long enough to perceive the depths of our shared life. 

The concept of Oneness is a spiritual one, and must be spiritually discerned. Our human viewpoint perceives separate beings, doing their very best on their own; while spiritual insight says, there is only One Self. This Self is the Living Spirit of the Living God, and It constitutes our individual life.

This One Self is an Invisible Intelligent Energy. It is the Universal I AM Spirit at the center of all. All manifestations (people, places, and things) live, move, and have their individual existence in the One Presence, and are forever held together by the proverbial Everlasting Arms.

Like all advanced classes, there are prerequisites that need to be mastered before one is ready to fully grasp the greater lesson. For example, when the adage, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself,” is properly understood and practiced, it lifts the veil of the mystical Oneness. True forgiveness of one’s self and another provides an opening to a realization of Oneness. Practicing inclusivity, loving-kindness, and harmony as a way of life, is preparation for the greater-yet-to-be.

None of this suggests being in lockstep, depriving our individual uniqueness; instead, it suggests there is great power in a unified consciousness of wholeness, expressing as an individualization of the One. Such a consciousness embraces the highest good for all concerned, feels the joy of living, and reveals a world that works for everyone. 

When I ponder the lesson of Oneness in the context of the pandemic, I am reminded of a line from the song, “The Great Correction.” It says “The eye of the needle that we gotta get through; but the end could be the start of something new.”

This Week’s Affirmation

“As a spiritual being, I know that on the Soul level, Oneness is being  with the Presence of the Divine, and that includes me and everyone else.”

By Mary Jane LaBonte, RScP

“We believe the ultimate goal of life to be a complete emancipation from all discord of every nature,  and that this goal is sure to be attained by all.”

~ Ernest Holmes ~

The above quote is one of the tenets of Religious Science, from its statement, “What We Believe.” To me, it says, ‘no matter how many detours one may take, just like the proverbial prodigal son, everyone will eventually turn to the Indwelling Presence, and receive the gifts of higher consciousness.’

The process of awakening to our true nature is a gradual unfoldment into the “greater-yet-to-be” version of ourselves. The emergence of this heightened consciousness is often attained through trial and error while “the infinite lies stretched in silent repose.” In other words, the Divine Principle of Life is always ready to spring forth into the action of Perfect Love, which is, the healing balm for all things.

The Intelligence of God, operating through the intelligence of humanity, has proved Its Omniscience. 

There is nothing impossible to attain. And, there are many ways illumination is ignited as it restores humanity’s sense of Wholeness.  Science is breaking through barriers every day, on both physical and mental levels. For example, when I was a child, the idea of traveling out of space was science fiction, polio was not uncommon, and mysteries of the mind were stigmatized.  

Although wise ones, in a declaration of Oneness, have said, “none of us are truly healed until all of us are healed;” Jesus, in his great wisdom, understood that even though the gift is offered to all – all do not receive it at the same time. In this regard he said, “You will always have the poor among you.”  

~ ~ ~ ~

Imagine, if you will, there is a great awakening throughout all humanity where it is clearly seen that the former things that once suggested separation, fear, and disease are now fallen away. Imagine that humanity has bonded in a common vision of harmony. Imagine individuals who, enthusiastically, give of their talents, skills, and abilities in their chosen field of endeavor, bringing about personal fulfillment. Imagine all this creating a world that works for everyone.

This graduation into higher vibrations and dimensions of perception is always taking place. While everyone, everywhere, may not be on board at the same time to fulfill the vision, I affirm there is enough of us, right now, through the power of Love, who are sufficient to be “my brother’s keeper,” letting the doorway to the infinite swing wide open into a new time, a new generation, a new way of being in the world. 

There is an ever-expanding consciousness that can be likened to a continuum; and, humanity, moves from level to higher levels of Self-expression through various experiences; both individual and collective. I affirm we step boldly into our new experience of the world, fully equipped to move upward and onward in the endless unfoldment of the ever-evolving self. At the proper time, the baton will once more be passed on to the next generation, who, with the unconstrained love or union with the Divine Self, becomes the impetus for ever-flowing grace. 

Some may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.

This Week’s Affirmation

“I feel love. I see love. I understand love. I AM LOVE.”

By Keith D. Childers

Have you ever noticed that your thoughts sometimes get caught up in a cycle where you are thinking the same thing over and over, until you finally catch yourself, and purposely move into the present moment? Or does that just happen to me? 

Wikipedia states, “A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously; a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience.” 

What I have noticed is, much of my thinking is habit. In other words, I think without thinking about what I am thinking about. Some of my habit-thinking is a result of embodying certain spiritual principles; and, without effort, those thoughts provide an avenue through which God’s grace flows unimpeded. The more grace I experience, the more I affirm: “I live by Grace.” Through repetition, I unknowingly solidify that habit of thinking.

On the other hand, I also experience habit-thinking that is out of alignment with what I know to be true. There are times I ask myself, ‘Is that what you really want to be thinking? – Is that really what you believe?’ It is always surprising when I discover that what I believe, think, say, and do are not always in agreement. 

When I am awake, and ask myself: ‘Where did that thought come from?’, I know it is time to deliberately take on the task of defining what I really believe about what I am saying to myself; and to begin cultivating the habit of thinking the thoughts I truly believe. This task requires the commitment and resolve to push through opposing thoughts until there is a breakthrough in consciousness.

Howard Thurman refers to this task as, “the exact struggle of the soul.” In fact, mystics of all time have acknowledged this point on the journey of enlightenment that truth seekers encounter. Stories like Jacob wresting with the angel come to mind.  It says that he wrestled all night and said to the angel – “I will not loose you until you bless me.”

Old habits die hard, and unchecked patterns of thinking may very well sabotage our experience with loved ones; with our health; with our careers; with our finances, and so on. After all, our subjective thoughts eventually become the experiences of our lives. Paul of the bible expressed his frustration that resulted from the cross-currents of habitual thinking, saying, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” 

P.U.S.H. ~ Pray… Until… Something… Happens.

Prayer is the avenue through which our beliefs are birthed into the world. it is important to stay in the consciousness of the ever-present Presence of Truth that delivers that moment of fulfillment. Remember to breathe-in the Divine One, thus staying in the flow of the here and now, while consciously and deliberately affirming the Truth you know to be so. Do not fall asleep, and by so-doing, let the habitual thoughts of the subconscious take over.  Just breathe, and push through any limited self-talk, until you can say with Michelangelo, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” 

The breakthrough to Divine consciousness is a demonstration of a mind stayed on Truth. Yes, the key is to pray until something happens. PUSH!

This Week’s Affirmation

“I consciously develop the habit of practicing the Presence daily and allow Spirit to flow through me in everything I think, say, and do.”

By Angela  “Chris” Beam

When I was a child, I took piano lessons for several years. As much as I admired other children my age who played the piano well, and hoped I would too; nonetheless, I never excelled. It seemed no amount of practice made a difference. While I certainly learned some fundamentals about music that will always be with me, there was no apparent talent there to play the piano. Year after year the frustration and embarrassment became harder to endure. Finally, my mother agreed with me, that it was time to let it go.

There are times when it is obvious that withdrawing from a particular situation is the wisest move one can make, because exerting additional energy would be in vain.  Coming to grips with what the highest good, or the best action to take in any given situation, is sometimes a process of surrender.  

The word “surrender” may trigger emotions that include feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and defeat, making it difficult to make that decision that is ultimately the highest good. It may suggest “giving up” what seemed like a good idea at the time.

Yes, there is a “giving up.” However, it is not a process born out of weakness. In fact, giving up the lesser for the greater is an action born out of strength and courage. What I am talking about here is giving up ideas of failure, fear, struggle, or disappointment that keeps us in bondage.  These ideas have a tendency to separate us from a greater expression of love, peace, harmony, and wholeness when focusing on our expectations regarding career, health, relationships or supply, or where ever personal fulfillment is our desire. I’m talking about the giving up the apparent struggle and accept the inevitable “way” of the greater power within us. 

Surrendering to the Higher Self, that Higher Power within ourselves opens us up to life in a greater way than ever before, and we become the instrument through which Divine Wisdom flows.

While all aspects of one’s self are spiritual (Spirit, Mind, and Body); there is that aspect that has never been touched or affected by the world of change. It is that part of ourselves that has never been hurt, harmed or disappointed; and in Its purity is the Perfect Guide for our lives. Acting as First Cause of our lives, It is unlimited in Its capacity to give Love, Peace, Harmony, Joy and Abundant Good.

Acquainting ourselves with this Divinity of ourselves is a journey of awakening spirituality. It is a progressive unfoldment of self-awareness. It is an ever-evolving consciousness of personal identification. At least that’s how I would describe it.

With child-like faith we may begin, at any time, to surrender beliefs of limitation and let this Spirit of Life permeate our entire being, guiding and directing every decision and choice that is ours to make; and every action that is ours to do.

When we surrender to the Divine Nature of the Presence of God, within us, we create a world that works for everyone.

This Week’s Affirmation

Today I freely release the struggles in my life.  I trust my Higher Self to make all things new, beautiful, and a blessing to the world.

by Judy Hilley

This is a Universe of Wholeness, Allness, Oneness.  Spirit is a transcendent, perfect Whole that, in its Infinite inclusivity, harmoniously embraces all seeming opposites.
~ Core Concept Five, The Science of Mind ~

“Let’s go upstairs!” is the way the late Rev. Dr.  Homer Johnson often began each prayer. He was inviting us to move into a higher state of consciousness in order to see through the appearance of duality. 

Michelle Obama offers the following wisdom, saying, “When they go low, we go high.” Her words may remind us that we are always at choice regarding the direction of our attention. The “they” are not only the unenlightened “others” of our times, but they are the unenlightened thoughts within ourselves that, unintentionally, create the undesired circumstances of our lives.

Rising above the pairs of opposites such as good/evil; right/wrong; disease/health; peace/war; happy/sad; and ego/Christ, to name just a few, is not an easy task. It means being awake, alert, and aware; i.e., conscious beings in our comings and goings through this thing called life.

The opposites of the human experience are nothing more than points of view about what we see through our senses, the out-picturing of mental images.  They can be likened to two sides of a coin, unified in Oneness. To fight against them is much like shadow-boxing, because in reality, there’s nothing there of substance, a temporary thing, easily replaced with a higher idea about the person, place or thing being observed.

Be careful that this is not interpreted as a spiritual bypass; i.e., engaging in complacency or putting one’s head in the sand by denying the issues we are facing on the world stage –   individually, as a nation and globally.  The answer lies in discovering for one’s self, “what is mine to do?” 

Adhering to Holmes’ idea to be “for something” and “against nothing” is a beginning point that the enlightened and mystics of all time have agreed. This means taking an honest assessment of the true values, beliefs, and principles that govern your individual life; the ones that are the guideposts for your daily living.  

Otherwise, a consciousness of having to contend with an opposing force, keeps the undesired energy intact, resulting in the same scenarios repeating itself generation after generation. Albert Einstein reminds us that, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” 

The clearer one becomes in knowing what he or she is “for” and begins to think, speak, and act from that perspective, the sooner the veil of separation is lifted. Soon a community of conscious people (common unity) of all walks of life who have a vision for a world that works for everyone, begins to evolve. The great discovery of “what is mine to do” may very well reveal the unique talent, skill, and ability that are a reservoir of untapped potential within you that is ready to unleash peace on earth and good will towards all people.

This Week’s Affirmation

“There’s always another level up. There’s always another ascension. More grace, more light, more generosity more compassion, more to shed, more to grow.”

~ Elizabeth Gilbert ~