“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 that we know.”
~Ernest Holmes, “The Science of Mind,” page 159~

“There is a power for good in the Universe, and it is moving in and through me this day to bring peace, harmony and good to all. The Divine is everywhere present, especially and including in all spaces of war, conflict, and violence. We bless all who are impacted by conflict of any kind. We lift up peace in the midst of war. We pray for healing and comfort where it is needed right now. In gratitude, we declare this truth collectively. And so, it is.” 
~ CSL Spiritually Motivated Social Engagement Committee (SMSE) ~

“Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let There Be Peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be.”
~ Jill Jackson Miller, Lyricist ~

No matter how cloudy the sky is, or how much rain is falling, or how dark the overcast, we never lose confidence that the sun, with its radiant light, is intact. That which we know for sure is revealed to us through our minds. What is known and accepted in our mind, follows in form. From this perspective, we begin to realize the healing we are seeking is actually the revealing of that which is ultimate truth, right here, right now …everywhere.

 The Infinite One that we seek is the same today, yesterday, and forever. It is the Great Constant that undergirds all life. This one is Omnipotence (all-powerful), Omniscience (all-knowing), and Omnipresence (exist everywhere). 

 It is only when humanity sees itself as separate beings, struggling to survive, and protecting itself from the so-called “other,” that emotional dis-ease and turmoil are unleashed, creating distorted images of division, hatred, bigotry, and fear that play out on the screen of life, affecting all individuals to some degree.  

Prayer supports us in remembering that that which is within us is greater than that which is in the world. The enlightened ones turn to the Infinite and Omnipotent One and once more realize that, like the sun hidden behind the clouds, It nonetheless exists in its perfection. “We stay in constant prayer without ceasing to remember what we know, rekindle our sometimes-dwindling faith, and continue to seek the light amid the dark abyss.”(SMSE)

Once we are deeply anchored in our convictions, through prayer, it is time to join the many others who have begun the process of healing by consciously expressing loving-kindness to those who look different than us. One begins to offer sacred service by extending oneself in tangible ways that support those who are suffering as a result of the mis-use of the Law of Oneness. 

The above quotes serve as powerful tools that are supportive in the healing process. 

1. Clarify, within yourself, your relationship with God/and humanity.
2. Declare and affirm, through the Law of Prayer, your soul’s sincere desire. 
3. Act in alignment with your word of peace in everything you think, say, and do. 

In other words, let each one of us practice being the thing we desire to see in the world; i.e., peace on earth and goodwill towards all people. And, so it is!

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This Week’s Affirmation

“Today I see Peace, Love, and Harmony surrounding our planet and know it is healing the world.”

By Judy Hilley

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

“Just do it.”
~ Niki Slogan ~

I enjoy watching game shows and other competitions where contestants vie for the winning position. While I may traditionally play favoritism to my hometown team, I recently found myself cheering for the person whose turn it was at the time.

I noticed this inner response several months ago when I was watching a championship basketball game and became more interested in the skill, strength, wit, speed, and strategy that each player displayed vs. the particular player or team. I saw the power of God moving uniquely through each individual. Now, of course, some players missed their baskets while others effortlessly executed three-pointers with ease and grace.  And, there were masters of the game like Steph Curry and LeBron James and others who, like mystics, allow the Spirit to flow unimpeded. Regardless, it takes the involvement of all the participants to claim “a good game.”

The point is, when we bear witness to the inherent potential of life fully engaged, there is no ‘them and us,’ but a common goal to express life more abundantly. We can then say, “Life is good.”

Another thing I noticed is my unconditional support for the contestants of my favorite TV game shows. In other words, my focus is in anticipation of these perfect strangers winning. There is always something new that I learned from them; as well as the times when I shout answers to the TV that I know and they do not. 

The point is, each scenario is a metaphor for life; i.e., we are united, interdependent beings, each contributing to the whole through giving and receiving. The Apostle Paul tells us, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”

We are all winners. We are beings of Light, having our existence in a field of infinite possibilities while fully endowed with the nature of God; i.e., Love, Peace, Harmony, Wisdom, Abundance, and Joy.  This awareness, when applied in a practical way, is sufficient for the creation of a world that works for everyone. 

We need not stand on the sidelines of life, believing someone else can do it better; or, that we are not qualified to participate.   The fact that we are on the planet right now means we are already a partaker in the game of life. As we each let our Light shine according to our unique individualization of The Divine, we become a beneficial presence in the world, doing what is ours to do. 

There is a Presence, Intelligence, and Powerful Energy within every one of us. There is a Cosmic Law that responds by corresponding with the vision we present It. If there is a dream in your heart that brings no harm to you or to anyone else, then just do it! You have what it takes to win! 

And, so it is!

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This Weeks Affirmation

“God in me expresses fully as me for my highest good – and I allow it to be so!”

Angela “Chris” Beam

Recently, I glimpsed the ever-expanding continuum of life divine, expressing as ancestors, relatives, and descendants, simultaneously. For example, it all started when an elderly gentleman was introduced to me as the grandson of an uncle of mine. I had heard about this uncle all my life but had never met him. In an instant, I realized that this perfect stranger and I shared the same ancestors, current relatives, and all the descendants of this bloodline forever and ever. After all, this individual’s great-grandmother was my father’s mother.  Immediately, I felt a true kinship with this person whose name I do not recall. 

Coincidentally, later that week, my niece shared her DNA results with our family. We were fascinated that a trace of our bloodline was found in countries we had never visited. Some opined that certain personality traits, physical features, or other inherited tendencies were now confirmed with this information.  For others, it meant nothing. It was like, “So What?” After all, one avenue only opened up another, in an exhaustless search for clues of personal identity in the total scheme of things.

The great discovery when honoring ancestors, interacting with relatives, and at the same time bearing witness to our own descendants here and now; we began to perceive a connecting link that unifies all of humanity as one universal family.    

~ ~ ~ ~

Yes, trying to make sense of our human experience, often catapults us into a spiritual experience. For example, I love the mystical aspect of Life; i.e., considering from whence we (humanity) came, who we are, and our greater-yet-to-be. I notice that whenever I move beyond the current events of the world, and think about pure existence, I am in awe. In such a moment of transcendence, I experience the highest form of prayer; I am consciously unified with The Presence in whom I am never separated. 

From this perspective, attention turns to the First Cause of all existence.  In that moment we come face to face with God, the Father-Mother essence within us all. This “Divine Nature Awareness” is the enlightenment that reveals our kinship with all beings. Our true inheritance of Unity, Peace, Love, Harmony, Beauty, and Joy, and goodwill toward all people are the gifts of The Spirit. 

In this state of consciousness, we begin to “Envision a world in which we live and grow as One Family that respects and honors the interconnectedness of all life; a world where this kinship with all life prospers and connects through the guidance of spiritual wisdom and experience.” 

The greeting, Namaste,’ that we bestow upon all we encounter, is a declaration of our true and eternal relationship with one another; i.e., “the presence of God within me, recognizes the presence of God within you, we are forever One.”

Together, through a shared consciousness of Oneness, we may create a world that works for everyone. 

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This Weeks Affirmation

I always recognize myself in ALL of my experiences.

Keith Childers

(REVISITED POST)

“Imagine all the people, sharing all the world.”
~ “Imagine” by John Lennon ~

“We envision a world where personal responsibility joins with social conscience in every area of the political, corporate, academic, and social sector, providing sustainable structures to further the emerging global consciousness.”
~ Centers for Spiritual Living ~ 

While the gardener does not physically see the interaction that takes place between the seed she plants and the soil in which it is placed; nonetheless, in due season not only does the gardener see the evidence in full bloom, everyone who encounters the garden also sees it. The flower, fruit, or vegetable yields its color, its fragrance, its taste, and its texture to all alike. Yes, we are all in this together.  

Likewise, there is a similar activity that takes place in the mental realm of humanity. For example, like seeds being planted in soil, our beliefs, feelings, and emotions unconsciously fall into the energy of the one creative mind. In due season these vibratory sensations are evidenced in the physical realm where they are experienced. Everyone who resonates with this particular mindset is susceptible to its effects. Yes, we are all in this together.

~ ~ ~ ~

 The song, “We Are the World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, is a perfect illustration of our common unity as global citizens. It depicts how we are all in this thing called life together, and that we each have the power to plant seeds that produce the highest good for everyone.  When the principle of Oneness is realized, and activated, the power of Love, Peace, and Harmony are unleashed, bringing comfort and healing to receptive hearts and minds. 

The Principle of Oneness may seem simple enough when it comes to family, and dear friends, etc. However, the challenge is to realize it regarding those we disagree who seem to be in opposition to our personal values. These illusions of division and separation create false images of duality, i.e., “them” vs. “us.” 

~ ~ ~ ~

The Master Teacher, Jesus, understood the interconnectivity of humanity, and provided a simple lesson to support us in our quest for well-being on the planet. It is a simple lesson of good will toward all. He taught: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, …”  

 ~ ~ ~ ~

It takes courage, mindfulness, and a commitment to practice the Principle of Oneness and rise above the shadows of darkness, caused by the ignorance of our true identity as centers of consciousness in the One Infinite Presence and Power.   The illumined mind moves forth, making conscious choices, aware that their choices, like seeds, manifest in due season as a world that works for everyone.

 From this perspective of interdependence, we step into the greater yet to be that awaits us. When our masks of separation are finally removed, the emerging consciousness affirms a resounding yes!  Yes, we are all in this together …, we are our brother’s keeper. The mystic asserts I AM my brother!

And, so it is!

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This Weeks Affirmation

“I affirm and know that when the principle of Oneness is activated by me, I know that Love is the only true answer to everything and for everyone.”

~ Mary Jane LaBonte, RScP ~

(Revisited Post)

Learning to surrender to the IS-Ness of Life is an essential spiritual practice. Much like forgiveness, it is not a one-time discipline. It must be done over and over again. When I say the “Is-ness” of life, I am referring to the essence, or presence, inherent within all living things. I am affirming, “God is…. I am.”

Actually, I have had resistance to the phrase, “surrender to God’s will.” The term seems so “yesterday thinking” suggesting that God is a Power outside of myself and that I must give up my personal power of choice.   Yet, my Higher Self (God within me) knows that my “today thinking” understands what “God’s will” really means.  I must remind myself over and over that New Thought and Ancient Wisdom both signify the same awareness of Eternal Truth.

I have come to understand that God’s will and God’s nature are one and the same. When I think about what I believe to be Truth, I sense The All-Pervasive Presence of intangible qualities at the core of everything. It stands to reason that God, the Great Creative Force of the Universe, being All There Is, is the fundamental First Cause of all life.  God’s Will, I reason within my own mind, can be nothing short of The Energy of Love, Beauty, Harmony, Joy, Wholeness, Unity, Peace, Wisdom, etc.

~ ~ ~~

When we are willing to surrender to the presence of goodness within us; we are no longer constrained by our own self-imposed littleness. We are able to move through, over, or around what seems to be a difficult situation beyond our control. The moment we begin to see a greater possibility for our lives our spiritual bar is raised, our expectations are elevated; our consciousness is expanded. Instead of playing Limbo, seeing how low we can go, we begin to see how high we can go. We actually start to become the good we seek. We can say goodbye to hitting bottom over and over again. 

~ ~ ~~

Of course, the great realization is: God being the All in all means I am unified with Omnipotence. From this perspective I realize it is always God’s will or God’s nature that I desire when I pray about the experiences of my life, be they health, financial supply, fulfilling relationships, or creative expression. It is up to me to stop struggling with my limited perceptions of life and simply accept or let God be God as the thing I desire to experience. I must surrender to God’s will… God’s nature. 

Surrendering, in the context being used here, does not mean giving away our power; instead, it means accepting the power that is our divine inheritance. In so doing, our faith is ignited and we become empowered with Love and Light. We are inspired to take the necessary action that is ours to do that reveals the Wholeness, Peace, and Harmony we seek.  We spontaneously become a beneficial presence in the world. 

And, so it is!

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This Week’s Affirmation

“Today I affirm God’s will as my highest good knowing they are one in the same.”

By Judy Hilley