“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
~ Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich ~

~~~~

“When we speak of “the Whole,” we are speaking of God. Man’s self-knowing mind is his perception of Reality. It is his Unity with the Whole, or God, on the conscious side of life, and is an absolute guarantee that he is a Center of God-Consciousness in the Vast Whole.”
~ Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind, p. 645.5 ~

~~~~

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
~ The Apostle Paul, Galatians 5:22-23 ~

The state of wholeness in the spiritual sense that Ernest Holmes is referencing in the above quote is a complete realization of what it means to be the image and likeness of God. In this state of mind, the eternal nature of The Divine is reflected in the character of human experience as described by the Apostle Paul in the above scripture quote. When our faith is based on that which we have deduced must be true, there is a tendency to align ourselves with what we say, and in turn, bear witness to the perfect law that Napoleon Hill references in the above quote.

~~~~

When we recognize that the nature of Life is pure potential with unlimited possibilities stretched before us, we may begin to affirm, “I am whole, complete, and perfect.”  This is an awesome practice that ignites the Law of Good that always responds by corresponding with what we actually believe and accept about the words of truth we speak.

Therefore, unless one is grounded and anchored in the far-reaching implication of the statement, the words may soon become rote; and while beautiful, nonetheless a thoughtless saying, much like Thurman’s analogy of a seed upon the wind.

On the one hand Thurman says, “Man (and woman) without a consciousness of his oneness with God is like a seed upon the wind. He is without faith in the power of his word. He is a victim of the currents of life that carry him where they will with a bland un-mindfulness of purposes and ends which belong to him as a living, thinking, feeling creature. On the other hand, “. . . there is a sense in which a man ‘with’ God is a seed upon the wind, i.e., the man who has made the primary surrender, the commitment, the yielding to God at the core of his being. He is one who has relaxed his will to exercise and hold firm the initiative over his own life.”

~~~~

It behooves each one of us to become still and ask ourselves the meaning of the words we speak and affirm. We must continue to affirm the truth until there is an inner conviction that transcends our intellectual understanding and reveals to us that the Presence and Power of God is the wholeness that I AM. It is in this consciousness we become amenable to the Perfect Health that I AM; the Perfect Supply that I AM; the Perfect Relationships that I AM; the Perfect Wisdom that I AM. Yes, the Great I AM that I AM lacks nothing. I AM Whole, Complete, and Perfect!

We can each claim our divine inheritance right now by aligning ourselves with what we believe is the nature of God and accepting the particular good we seek to experience.

This Week’s Affirmation

“I am endowed with the perfection of God.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p. 211 ~

“Mama may have, papa may have, but God bless the child that’s got his own.” 
~ Song lyrics by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. ~

~~~~

“It is very important to understand the importance of our consciousness in spiritual growth. Divine ideas must be incorporated into our consciousness before they can mean anything to us. An intellectual concept does not suffice.”
~ The Revealing Word, Charles Fillmore ~

~~~~

“Do not seek illumination unless you seek it as a man whose hair is on fire seeks a pond.”
~ Ramakrishna ~

We are blessed to have mentors who support us through the process of awakening to our True Selves. The ministers, priests, rabbis, imams, practitioners, and spiritual teachers of various faiths who inspire us, may be likened to earth angels. They lead us, by example, into an ever-expanding life of goodness. However, no matter how brilliant our mentors are, and how much we admire and revere them, and how we are influenced by their spiritual consciousness; remember, consciousness itself is non-transferable. We come alone to the garden of our beliefs where the creation of our experiences takes place.

When cultivating a consciousness of Love and Light, Peace and Prosperity, and Wisdom and Health, it is important to be in community with people of like-thinking; to read material that supports the desired state of mind; to pray and meditate for enlightenment; journal for self-clarity; practice life visioning for right manifestation; align with spiritual energy through tai chi, qigong, yoga, walking the labyrinth, and so much more that honors the spirit, mind, and body. And it is essential that you actualize the practice that you advocate so you may prove, for yourself, the Principle that you seek to embody. When these tools are applied in practical ways, you begin to experience the ever-expanding goodness that is your birthright.

Just as we come to understand that “faith without works is dead,” it may also be worth considering that ‘works without faith is hope.’   While hope is better than despair, the goal is to be assured all the time, under every circumstance, that all is well. This does not mean putting our head in the sand and ignoring adverse conditions. It means having an unwavering conviction that there is a power for good residing at the center of our being and begin to (1) declare the good we seek, (2) open ourselves to the divine guidance that follows, and (3) have the courage to act upon the divine wisdom that reveals what is ours to do.

Ernest Holmes puts it this way, “Not only must we have complete faith in Spirit, and its ability to know and to do, but we must have complete confidence in our approach to It. We must not be lukewarm in our conviction. We must know what we know. We are to demonstrate that spiritual thought force has power over all apparent material resistance, and this cannot be done unless we have abounding confidence in the Principle which we approach.”

This Week’s Affirmation

“I establish my mind in expectancy, a feeling that all the good there is must belong to everyone who will take it.
I am receiving the Divine gift right now.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p. 200.2 ~

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

~~~~

“Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
~ Matthew 22:39 ~

~~~~

Have you ever noticed that when you get an a-ha revelation regarding a truth principle, that soon afterwards you discover that the wise ones of all time and culture had previously spoken about it and shared their awareness with humanity?

Yes, every so-called “new thought” is anchored in “ancient wisdom”. After all, that which is true is infallible ~ always the same yesterday, today, and forever. However, the lovely thing about a “new thought” is, it is in the context of the present time, culture, and language. It is practical and applicable to whatever the seeker of truth chooses to use it.

 For example, when exercising Free Will, our inherent nature, and choosing the highest good for all concerned, we are practicing Wisdom. When making decisions from this spiritual perspective, there is a consciousness of unity, of oneness.

However, viewed from a human or ego perspective, our motive may be selfish, having no regard to how it affects others. This of course promotes the concept of separation, even when there is no intention of division. This “human aberration may very well be inspired by a spiritual aspiration at the center of our being, trying to break through.”

It is essential that we learn the balancing act of being spiritual beings having human experiences.

Through observation I have concluded that when I am convinced that my choice or decision is truly my highest good, i.e.,  Peace, Harmony, Love, Wisdom, Joy, Abundance and Freedom, etc., it is with confidence I claim the same good for all concerned. It is knowing these qualities are universal that I embrace the awareness of Oneness.

I no longer fret over how to change the world when I can sing with the true meaning of, “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” The point is, when I know, really know these qualities are mine, I know they are likewise the same for everyone. From this spiritual perspective, I come to “love my neighbor as I love myself.”

This Weeks Affirmation

“I realize that what rightfully belongs to me also rightfully belongs to everyone else.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p.201.2 ~

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.”
~ Ernest Holmes ~
~~~~
“Mind is everything. What we think, we become.”
~ Buddha ~
~~~~
“What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.”  
~ Job: 22:28 (NIV) ~
~~~~
“We do not describe the world we see, we see the world we can describe.”
~ Rene’ Descartes ~
~~~~
“Be still and know that I am God.”
~ Psalm 46:10 ~

That which is within us that we call “I” is both human and divine; and, we are forever proclaiming who and what it is. For example, we may say: ‘I am intelligent, I am loving, I am peaceful, I am powerful;’ or we may say: ‘I’m weak, I’m poor, I’m angry, etc. It is the great I AM that is forever proclaiming itself into existence. It is the self-existent cause that Ernest Holmes speaks about. It is the still small voice that is forever inviting us to greater expressions of life and living.

God’s presence within us has been described as “nearer than breathing, closer than our hands and feet” (A line from Alfred Tennyson’s, “The Higher Pantheism”). The Quaran states a similar metaphor, saying in effect, ‘He is closer than our neck vein.’ They both, along with mystics of all time, tell us of our inseparable oneness with God.

In his book, The Mystical I, Joel Goldsmith writes, “When you open the door of your consciousness and admit I, you will find the Presence – at first slowly and gradually, because none of us could take it all in one leap – but you will find that the Presence flows out from you in the forms necessary to your daily experience.”

With the awareness that the mind’s I is forever creating what It declares, we may begin to consciously learn the lessons that  those things which are now behind us has taught us, and begin to reach  toward those things which are the greater-yet-to-be that are stretched before us .

None of this implies we are to become passive and simply ‘think positive’ and do nothing. However, it does imply that by aligning ourselves with our Higher Self whose essence is Peace, Harmony, Love, Wisdom, Joy, Prosperity, Wholeness, and All Good, we become receptive to Its divine guidance and inspiration that lead us into the realms of right action and fulfillment .  

Yes, acquainting oneself with Oneself is a practice of high mysticism, yet practical in its application. Meditation, Life Visioning, Journaling, and Affirmative Prayer are powerful tools that assist us in this endeavor. In so doing, we are guided to the next step on the path of ever-expanding good.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
~ Isaiah 41:10 ~

This Weeks Affirmation

“The Life of the Divine is my life.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p.188 ~

I remember how exciting it was to experience my first luxury cruise. Late one night I wandered up to the top deck of the ship. I had never seen a darker night. It was pitch black except for the stars above, and perhaps moonlight. I was in awe. It was like being in the womb of eternity as the ship rolled peacefully along the black waters. 

I imagine that prehistoric people gazed into the darkness as well as the light above with a bit of trepidation. However, there was always faith that the rising sun would yield the light of a brand-new day. This was their normal way of life. 

I imagine as they gazed deeply into Life, a breakthrough in consciousness occurred. They began to illumine the darkness with candles, a new normal; with oil lamps, a new normal; to kerosene lamps, a new normal; to the light bulb, a new normal. In the language of spirituality, one might say evolution is always moving humanity from glory to glory. 

Moving from darkness to light through self-awareness is quite a feat.

In moments of discontent, by means of meditation, I wander to the top deck of the ship of Zion¹, a metaphor for my consciousness. Here I gaze deeply into nature until I see the flickering Light hovering above. While I do not deny my experience in the world; I begin to use the apparent facts to determine what it is, in contrast, that is my true desire. The color and tone of my mind moves from sense-consciousness to spiritual consciousness. I no longer act as if I am a spectator watching a movie, wondering what is going to happen next. No, instead I act as if I am the Director. I affirm the Truth. 

Flashes of Light, such as: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world…” ² inspires me. I remind myself there is only One Power, the Great IAM; and, this Presence is individualized in me, through me, and as me. Moment by moment, the spirit that indwells me is the power that either sustains that which is in the world, or re-directs the energy of my attention, initiating a new normal.

I embrace the teaching of Ancient Wisdom that says: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” ³ Soon, there is a breakthrough, a new normal. Morning is broken. 

Ernest Holmes teaches: “There is one power in the Universe, and we can all use it.”   I notice when I am hanging out in the upper room of consciousness and gazing deeply into the nature of Peace, Harmony, Love, Wisdom, Oneness, and Wholeness; there is an up leveling, or a breakthrough, if you will. The new normal beckons me to follow the beacon of light that guides me from glory to glory.

This Week’s Affirmation

“My invisible good already exists. My faith, drawing upon this invisible good, causes that which was unseen to become visible.”

~ 365 Science of Mind, p. 183 ~

1. https://www.truthunity.net/mbd/zion
2. 1 John 4:4
3. Philippians 4:8

Originally posted 1/19/21