The Power of Love

Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

On Sunday we continued our month’s “official” focus on Love, and what we considered was the Power of Love that is both a Gentle Presence and the Sovereign Entity; God as the One and Only Power in the Universe, the Power that literally makes “the world go round.” We acknowledged the Power of Love as ever present, as right where we are as the very Life within us. And, we spoke of this as the Only Power that can truly heal our mind and body, bring peace and harmony to our relationships, and inspire grace and beauty in all that we do.

We asked the question: If the Power of Love transcends all differences, and if Power of Love is available to us always, why do we not call upon It to help us transcend our human differences? We considered that when we believe that there is more than one Power in world, that God is not the Only Creative Power, it is not only easy for us to believe that life is divided into irreconcilable differences, disjointed contradictions, and pairs of opposites, such as love and hate, friends and enemies, and joy and sorrow, but to see them as having equal reality.

Consider the many ways that you define the meaning of life through “pairs of opposites.” You might do this by making a list or by simply journaling your thoughts. Now take a look at what you’ve written. Even though our focus may be the “positive side” of pairs of opposites, such as our “trying” to focus on health so that we won’t get sick or “trying” to focus on prosperity so that we won’t continue to experience lack—it is important for us to realize that “taking sides” doesn’t bring about a spiritual solution.

The Power of Love is the very Power of God that has no opposition. That Power is at the very center of our being. Spiritual healing of seeming human conditions comes with the awareness that we are not seeking “power over” any condition, but rather we are looking within to experience our True Self that exists in unopposed perfection. A Course in Miracles tells us,

“Only love is strong because it is undivided.”

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…with every breath feel your inner awareness opening to a deeper…freer…more peaceful sense of being…to a greater experience of the Love and the very center of your being…the Only Love…that Is…the Love that you are…you are created by Love…powered by Love…and empowered by loving…there is no power on earth that can prevent you from loving…and no Power in Heaven that would Will that anything for you but Love…there is no one on earth that you cannot love…because the Love at the center of your being is already loving the whole world…are you willing to allow That Love…to love the world through you…as you?…this is the path to discovering your Spiritual Self…the magnitude of the Love that you are…let Love’s Power to love everyone dissolve any fear of loving…

When you are complete with the meditation above, you may want to journal any thoughts that may have come to mind, or journal about feelings that may have arisen.

This week: Before you get out of bed, remind yourself that you live in the “Heart of God” and give thanks for “another day of loving.” And, then throughout the day, as you interact with others—remember that the love you extend in every thought, word, and action gives meaning to all that you do, and without which, nothing you do has meaning.

Sunday’s Mucic

Power of Love & The Greatest Love of All

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You Gotta Have Heart

Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

On Sunday we continued our month’s “official” focus on Love. We considered that though we may have an excellent understanding of New Thought teachings as set forth in The Science of Mind, Unity, and A Course in Miracles, and though we may have read numerous books on Easter religions, ancient wisdom, and current spiritual interpretations, and though we may be able to have intelligent discourse on things metaphysical and spiritual, if we “have not love” in our heart, we are “nothing.”

We considered that spirituality is an experience of the heart; a state of being that transcends conversation and becomes spiritual intimacy; a conscious holy union of the Divine within us with the Love that is God. Our being satisfied simply to be able to articulate spiritual principles and concepts that we understand in our head, but have not actually experienced as personally true keeps us spiritually superficial and holds us back from the deep healing power of true spiritual experience.

God is not a concept in our head, anymore than Love is a concept in our head. God is Love, and love is an experience of the heart—a personal encounter with our True Self, the one that is One with God.

Let us take a trip to that place within that we’ve been reading about, and studying in New Thought groups and classes, and hearing about on Sundays:

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…the Love that is God passes our human understanding…we cannot experience It through intellectual analysis or human perception…real love is an unreserved surrender…an unconditional openness to holy union…a silent communion beyond words and concepts…be still now…quiet your mind…open your heart…and listen to the Voice of Love speaking to you there…

This week: The Holy Spirit, the Inner Guide along our spiritual path to deeper Truth, often speaks to us through intuition and inspiration. All of us have had a “feeling” that we couldn’t seem to put into words, a “sense of rightness” that we couldn’t explain. It takes courage to act from intuition and inspiration, and to speak from our heart. But, unless we are willing to surrender to Love and to put the essentials of the heart before the dictates of our “head,” we won’t travel far along our spiritual path. So, this week, if there is a decision to be made or if there seems to be a conflict that needs resolution, “think with your heart.” Let your thoughts originate beyond “pros and cons” and human analysis.

Download this week’s practice sheet: You Gotta Have Heart Practice

Sunday’s Music

You Gotta Have Heart & Put A Little Love in Your Heart

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Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

On Sunday we began our month’s focus on Love—Love as God; Love as Life; Love as All there Is. And, began exploring how the Love that Is God, radiates from the very center of our being and, if we choose, It will move “outward” in ever-expanding circles of Love that can heal, deepen and enrich our individual life and has the Power to transform the world.

Tall order…this thing we call “world transformation”? Not when we consider that the Love within us IS God, and God is already loving the whole world and Wills only joy, peace, and harmony for all of creation. “Our part” is to remove any conditions and restrictions to Love’s expression through us that our free will has permitted. New Thought teaches us that there are really only to ways to respond to life: with fear or with love. Take some time right now to consider (and write about) areas in our life where you are withholding love, i.e., where you are fearful rather than loving. What fear comes up for you (e.g., rejection, humiliation, betrayal) when think about allowing your circle of Love to expand and encompass those situations (and people) involved?

As we align our free will with that “good and acceptable and perfect Will of God” we find that flow of Love at the center of our being flows in concentric circles of love with the Power to transform the world!

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…with every breath…sense and feel that you are moving “closer” to the center of you …deeper into the flow of Love in you…that sacred space of the inner heart…where you are One with Love….where you are One with Life…Peace without conflict is God’s Will…and peace surrounds you here…silently…God is very quiet…for there is no conflict in Him…and God Wills none for you…Love without fear is God’s Will…and love surrounds you here…Perfect Love casts out fear…in silent bliss…in glorious ecstasy…let the God in you radiate from this holy center…feel the circumference of Its healing Power encompass the world…

This week: Let the Love that you are radiate patience and kindness; let It rejoice in the joys of others and envy not; let Love secretly see your good works and blessed by your works. Let the Love that you are slow and dispel anger, and let It erase any trace of blame or guilt. And, rejoice with the Truth that, no matter what, as you radiate and expand your circle of Love that Love cannot fail. Make a conscious intention to RADIATE LOVE each day.

Download the weekly practice here: Circles-of-Love-Practice

Sunday’s Music

Note to God

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Love is All

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And the Winners Are…

David and his winning basket

Graham and his winning basket

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Having Your Cake and Eating it Too Weekly Practice

Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

On Sunday we considered these questions: From what I’ve learned from New Thought teachings, and from what I’ve heard these past four Sundays,

• “Do I believe that Spiritual Prosperity is about my seeking, through prayer and/or mental focus on a particular thing, to attract things to my self that will make me happier and more comfortable?”
• “Do I believe that achieving prosperity in this world reflects my spiritual growth?” Or,
• “Do I believe that true spirituality means living a simple life with few materials possessions?” And,
• “Do I believe that a lack of prosperity in this world reflects my deeper spirituality?”

If the “answers” to these questions didn’t come to mind on Sunday, and even if “an answer” came to you, take some time now to consider what you believe Spiritual Prosperity is…and what It means to you.

We also considered on Sunday that Spiritual Prosperity cannot be measured by either an abundance of things or a lack of things because both are measurements of the material world.  Spiritual Prosperity, on the other hand, is measured by the fullness of Joy in our mind and heart.  Take a moment to consider Joy in your life…where It shows up, and where you’d like to experience It more.

Unity co-founder, Myrtle Fillmore, wrote:

“All your happiness, all your health and power, come from God and flow in an unbroken stream into the very center of your being and radiate from center to circumference.”

Consider her words as you go into Meditation.

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…with every breath…imagine that you are moving deeper…into your center…that sacred space within…where all your happiness…all your health…all your power…all your peace…and your gifts…flow from God…in an unbroken…and forever unbreakable…stream…let this stream of Life…Truth…Love…Reality…fill you within…let It fill your mind…and your heart…as a continuous stream of Light…until you are filled with a radiance that cannot be contained…allow this Gift of Light to speak to you…share Its gifts with you…gifts created especially for you…let your gifts from God radiate…as One beautiful Light…from fullness of your center to the circumference of the room…let It radiate from your center beyond the room to the circumference of your community…and let It radiate from your center…around the circumference of the world…and on…and on…God’s center is everywhere…God’s circumference is nowhere…there is no limit to you…you are the Son of God…

In A Course in Miracles we read:

“God, Who encompasses all being, created beings who have everything individually, but who want to share it to increase their joy. Nothing real can be increased except by sharing.”

Each day turn within for your Daily Bread, the gift of the Spirit at the center of your being. And, then each day share the gifts freely that you have been given freely from Spirit.

Download the practice sheet: Having Your Cake and Eating It Too Practice sheet

Sunday’s Music

Lost My Right to Sing the Blues

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Whole Wide World

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All That Glitters

Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

We began on Sunday be considering, once again, the “Divine Energy” that is continuously outpouring Its richness into all life, and just as pure gold will easily take the form of the mold into which it is poured, not matter how small the mold may be, so it is with the Divine Energy that flows into our individual life experience through the “thought forms and molds” that we, as thinking beings, provide. Our thoughts (as form) can be all-embracing and expansive, filled with spiritual conviction and open to Life’s Gifts. Or, the forms of our thoughts can be narrow and constricted, filled with fear and closed down to possibilities in life.

In The Science of Mind we read,

“The one seeking to demonstrate the power of spiritual realization in everyday affairs should believe that everything in his (her) life is controlled by love, harmony, peace, that everything he (she) does prospers, and that the Eternal Energy back of all things animates everything which he (she) undertakes.”

How all-embracing and expansive would your thinking become; how filled with spiritual conviction and open to Life’s gifts would you be, if you truly believed that the “Eternal Energy back of all things” animates everything you do?

Make a list of those “undertakings” in your life that you have been convinced depend on you, alone… Where in your life have you been relying upon (or blaming) luck, the economy, your background and genes, or your “human” hard work? There are “buckets” of Good-Without-End that are yours as a spiritual being, the “everyday” experience of which is only awaiting your recognition and realization.

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…right where you are…this moment…is a Kingdom…a state of consciousness that is pure…precious…joy…finding this Kingdom within yourself will in no wise take you out of the world…yet when you live from your Kingdom…and inwardly become free of a desire of things…the riches of life are still yours…to experience on earth…as you already experience in Heaven…Do not accept a little fenced-off aspect as yourself…the sun and ocean are as nothing beside what you are…arched high above your day-to-day struggle for health, happiness, and success…and surrounding it with love…is the glorious whole…which offers all its happiness…and deep content…to every part…open your mind to the glorious magnitude of Your Kingdom…created by God with you in Mind.

Download the practice sheet here:All-That-Glitters-Practice-Sheet

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Let It Go and It Will Flow

Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

As we considered on Sunday, there is a mighty, mighty Flow of Life—an Unlimited Creative Force; a Universal Power for Good—that is everywhere, all the time. This Presence desires expression in, through, and as all of creation, including each of us. The question we considered was this: “Even though as Children of God who have free will and the ability to limit our creative power and our experience of the Kingdom of Heaven, why on earth would we want to?

The “good pleasure” of the Kingdom has already been given to us by our Creator, and simply awaits our openness in mind and heart so that It is free to flow into our individual life experience. Our thoughts cannot create what God has not, but they do provide the “ways and means,” or “forms and molds,” through which the Universal Creative Power for Good uniquely flows as us. When our mind is attuned to our Oneness with the Source of Life, we naturally entertain beautiful, life-enriching thoughts that allow the Creative Presence to flow uniquely into our life experience. But, if we persist in focusing our mind on a life separate from Source, and entertain thoughts of neediness, even though the Creative Power is Unlimited by Nature, the “shapes and forms” of lack and limitation constrict and narrow our experience of Abundant Good in our life. It is always there, but we must become aware!

What thoughts do you entertain in your mind on a day-to-day basis? You may not be aware of “what” you are thinking, but you can see the “results” of your thoughts as the condition of your life—as your body, relationships, finances, and activities.
Write down what you would like to change in your life. Allow the following meditation to help you make more beautiful and expansive thought forms.

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…you have been given free will…because you are made in the image and likeness of God…and have been created by the Will of God…you exist centered always in Creative Power…you did not will it so…yet it is so…you live, move, and have your being forever in the Perfection of Spirit… your creative power lies not in your ability to create what God would not and did not…but in your ability to be conscious…moment-to-moment…of the Magnificent Creative Force that is for you…knows you…and desires to express as you…your free will within the Consciousness of the All Good is God’s will…and your life flows on earth, as in Heaven, with your Father’s Good Pleasure…

Download the Practice Sheet: Let It Go and It Will Flow Practice Sheet

Sunday’s Music

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…And, a Prosperous New Year

Consider the ideas presented in Sunday’s message (or listen to it here).

Concepts to Consider

As we considered on Sunday, we can look at the beginning of this new year as a symbol to use for changing our thinking with new thoughts that will change our life and bring about a prosperous new year. When we become aware that only God prospers us because God is the only Source of our good, the we can experience instantaneous change “for good” in our life. In A Course in Miracles we read

“You are the Kingdom of Heaven (one with the One), but you have let the belief in darkness (duality) enter your mind and so you need a new light.”

New light, new thought, new vision enters our conscious awareness or conscious mind as we become more transparent within for the One Light that Is, and is always shining unimpeded in our soul. Make a list of areas in your life that last year (or for many years) where, through the opaqueness of old thought in our mind you’ve “clouded the issue” of your Abundant Good. Make a list of areas in your life where the dense, heavy perceptions of yourself and others as merely physical and separate from God limited your health, interfered with your relationships, and kept you from expressing yourself more fully in the world? Where has the dull thickness of emotional negativity, such as guilt, blame, dread, and worry, kept you from experience joy and peace of mind? And, has the fog of financial lack and limitation caused you to live your life in compromise—in a subservient position of obligation to people and circumstances?

Ernest Holmes wrote,

“When we learn to trust the Universe, we shall be happy, prosperous, and well.”

The Universe—Perfect Creator/Perfection Creation—is always for us; always on “our side,” so to speak. So, it is important for us to choose “what side” we will live from. Do we choose to position our mind in Oneness or duality? After you’ve completed the meditation, rewrite your list in a New Light.

Meditation: Sit quietly with your eyes closed…breathe slowly, in and out…as you allow your thoughts to become as still as possible without effort (allow as much time as needed)…within you now the Light of Truth shines so brightly that It lights the Universe…this Light is your light because as a spiritual being…the Son of God…you are the light of the world…as you allow your mind to rest in the “right position”…in the Allness of the Oneness…your soul finds your Fulfilled Destiny in a clearer light…Abundant Good…a healthy body…happy relationships…joyous activities…increased finances cannot elude you on earth…because of what you already are in heaven…listen to the Light…that Inner Voice…that tells you of a life wonderful in its magnitude…of a love beyond your fondest dreams…and a freedom that is yours forever…open your spiritual eyes to a New Vision…open your spiritual ears to a New Voice…accept all you already have…because of what you already are…

Download the practice sheet here:And-a-Prosperous-New-Year-Practice

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