To Tell the Truth

I love teaching the Science of Mind classes. I have been studying the Science of Mind since 1985. I must say that when I first read the textbook, I did not "get" it. The writing seemed redundant and even nonsensical. I probably wasn't ready to understand it. Since that time, I have become a much better student of the Science of Mind and I am still learning. I have come to treasure Dr. Holmes' words and appreciate the wisdom behind them.

I also learn from my students. I learn from the brand new students..from their honesty, their persistence and their passion to fully learn to use this science. I learn from their frustration and remember my own frustration when I was a beginning student. I also learn from the more-experienced students, who bring wisdom and love for the teaching to the classes.

In my current class, there are twice as many students who have taken this course before than there are beginners. It is a wonderful opportunity for everyone. The beginners benefit form the insights of the experienced students. The experienced students benefit from the joy and enthusiasm of the beginners.

One of the things I was surprised to find was the hesitancy of some of our mature students to tell the truth about the process of accessing their wisdom. Last night we were looking at our difficulties in relationships, and how we could make different choices about how to think, feel and act. My observation is that some of the experienced students didn't want to tell the beginners about their natural tendencies to react in anger, blame and gossip. They wanted to show that they knew they had choices of wisdom, kindness and compassion.

I am grateful for the wisdom in everyone. And I have a bias toward telling the truth even if it makes one appear petty, small-minded or weak. There is so much to be said for the willingness to be vulnerable and authentic.

Most of us have had an ethical upbringing. We KNOW what is the right thing to do, but we don't always choose it. If we were not free to choose all kinds of reactions including unskillful behaviors, we wouldn't be free at all.

I will agree that it is uncomfortable to confess to small-mindedness, to becoming emotional, to reacting to a situation.  But even the Master Teacher Jesus, lost his temper, and kicked over the money-changers tables in the temple!

I love Google! I love the quick access that the internet brings. A moment ago one line of a lyric came to my mind. Within seconds, I had found the whole song and the musical from which it came. The line was, "...much too high a cost." From the song, "Defying Gravity" in the musical Wicked, the whole line is:

"Too long I've been afraid of

Losing love I guess I've lost

Well if that's love 

It comes at much too high a cost." 

I believe that when we do not tell the truth, we have paid much too high a cost. The cost is to our own integrity and self-esteem.

For me, telling the truth is NOT about making someone else wrong. It is not about blaming anyone for my situation or circumstances. It is about taking complete responsibility for  my life and the freedom that brings does let me "try defying gravity.".

There is a Tide

One of Diane Hennessy's Roses

Something exciting is happening! Roses are blooming! Beauty is everywhere. I can feel it! Can you? There are so many things it could be. Last week I wrote about spring fever. It could be spring fever but it feels more definite and concrete. It could be Easter which is around the corner and all of Christianity is focused on new beginnings. It could be the energy that came from our town hall meeting last week in which we discussed the pro's and con's of selling our building and buying something with cash!  I am feeling the opening to greater and greater possibilities.

In the play, Julius Caesar, Brutus is speaking with Cassius and utters these immortal words: 

"There is a tide in the affairs of men, / Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;/ Omitted, all the voyage of their life/ Is bound in shallows and in miseries. /On such a sea are we now afloat, /And we must take the current as it serves, /Or lose our ventures."

Spiritually, it is partially true. We are always surrounded by that tide. When we know we are in the flow of Divine Energy we know good things happen because we are corresponding to the divine nature.  We are reminded that when we trust that divine mind, good is at hand. We don't need to make anything happen. We need to be available and willing for it to happen. 

The second part of the quote which could be fiscally true, is spiritually false. It is incorrect because it elicits fear. When we experience fear, we cannot feel the truth of our faith. It is either fear or faith; it is never both fear and faith.

So as mindful spiritual beings, we do our work. We examine our own motivations, actions, thoughts and beliefs. We look to see if we are making decisions from a sense of our history and lack or from a place of possibility and empowerment.

Are you a possibility thinker? Are you bold and certain? Or are you hesitant and cautious? Are you too quick to react?

The second part of the quote says that if you don't act now, you will struggle forever. As students of the Science of Mind, we know that is no way to think. Creative Mind is forever providing new possibilities. If there were only one tide, what a mean-spirited God that would be. "Oops, you missed it! better luck next life!"

I believe in a loving creative power that had so much faith in each one of us, that it set us free to discover our divine nature for ourselves. Every moment that One is making all things new. There is a new venture. We are encouraged to take action.

So we come to a Center such as this one. We grow in awareness. We listen to that voice for God within and we take action.

Sometimes we can only see part-way to our goal. But keeping the faith, and doing our work, the path is certain to unfold in perfect order. 

Let's trust in the wisdom of divine mind in each one of us to guide us to the right and perfect answer regarding our building and in all other decisions.

THE ART OF LIVING: The Wisdom of the Tao

There was something formless and perfect 
before the universe was born.
It is serene.  Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite.  Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.

It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things.

The Tao is great.
The universe is great.
Earth is great.
Man is great.
There are the four great powers.

Man follows the earth.
Earth follows the universe.
The universe follows the Tao.
The Tao follows only itself.
          
                    -The Tao Te Ching, Verse 25


Isn't it beautiful and eloquent the way Lao Tzu describes the Infinite Greatness that lies within each of us?  At 7:00 pm on Wednesday, June 25th, at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley, come join the conversation about the incredible wisdom of The Tao Te Ching and its author Lao Tzu.  See how these wise words from over twenty-five centuries ago can change your perspective on life TODAY!  Rev. Pattie and I will be facilitating this exchange, and will possibly discuss continuing the discussion beyond just that Wednesday service.  We look forward to seeing you all there.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  -Lao Tzu 

Our Thoughts on New Thought in San Clemente

If you follow this blog regularly, you know that nearly every day in 2013 you were greeted with new-thought insight and inspiration from one of our 10 committed bloggers. As a group, we discovered that blogging can be a spiritual practice. With our intention and attention on principle, we shared our individual expressions of Spiritual Living. Throughout the year we opened our hearts and minds to what was coming up for us and how we were mindfully and attentively processing it. Perspectives shifted. Lives expanded. And, as a result, we noticed demonstration after demonstration of our power to co-create this beautiful life.

I personally loved getting to know each blogger. Each day of the week, I came to this blog eager to receive what each writer had to share, and there were so many "aha" moments!

So on this day...the second day of 2014...I honor my friends who walk this blogging journey with me ~ Dr. Heather, Rev. Pattie, Rev. Karyn, Darin, Lisa, September, Vidette, Melissa, and Robin.  I know we all sat at our computers often thinking,"What the heck am I going to write about this time?" We prayed. We noticed. And with faith we just started typing. Spirit never failed to come through with something wonderful, written in just the right way to touch others.

And I give thanks for all our guest bloggers who gave us the best of themselves. Thank you for joining our journey and come back often! You are always welcome here.

I acknowledge each one who read the words we wrote and discovered a little more love or courage or peace. We are all in this together folks; more alike than we are different. Our shared blogging experience proved that what one person has the courage to express benefits others.

We will continue in 2014. But for today, if you need a little inspiration, I encourage you to check out one of the many blog-post topics listed to the right in red. There is a lot of wisdom in those words.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Black Friday or National Listening Day

One of our members called me on Thanksgiving to let me know that Black Friday is designated as National Listening Day. I don't know if there is an obvious connection but clearly the connection with inner Wisdom is unmistakable! We are being called to live an awakened life right now. Today!  Not in the future but today. What that means is that we trust that we live in abundant universe where no one and nothing can get what belongs to me in consciousness. Furthermore it means to listen to that inner Wisdom and spend what is in your budget and not a penny more.

In my past life, I wanted to please those I loved so much that I would often spend more than what I could afford to please them. I no longer do that. I know that the gifts that I give from the heart, no matter what their cost or form, are more than sufficient. It is difficult for anyone to set a budget with boundaries yet may be the very best thing to do.

I once knew a woman who was very good with her money although she did not earn a top salary. On payday she would cash her check, pay her rent and then put the rest of her money in baggies for the various other things she might buy in a month such as entertainment, gas, groceries and savings. She grew her savings intentionally.

I know another wise couple who have been practicing the 80-10-10 rule for years. They live on 80% of their income; they tithe 10% and they save 10%. I admire them so much for having this discipline.

Lately I have been listening to my inner wisdom regarding finances and looking after myself with love. For many years I thought that meant to buy whatever my whims guided me to. Now I see it differently. I see that self love is also about looking after your future self, too.

I did not participate in Black Friday shopping this year. I think the economy is fine without my dollars. I will be doing a lot of my Christmas shopping at the Holiday Boutique on Sunday afternoon. Living in the present moment includes bringing all your wisdom with you in every moment.

How do you look after yourself?