Minister, Heal Thyself

Over the past week my body has been exhibiting symptoms of a cold. I detest having a cold. In addition to the stuffy head, coughing and headache, I have had very little energy for anything. Besides that, my mind has been foggy and my thinking muddled. I have been tempted to play the victim and tell myself that I am helpless to do anything but wait for the virus to run its course. I also find it tempting to make myself feel better with the notion that the Universe is forcing me to get some much needed rest, an idea I do not give credence to by the way. I do not subscribe to the belief that the Universe (another New Thought name for God) is trying to teach me something. Nor do I believe that I draw illness or anything else into my life so that I can learn a lesson. I do, however, believe that I can choose to learn from every experience. While it is a subtle shift in perspective, I think it is an important one. I am feeling much better and with a clearer mind am able to reflect on what I can choose to learn from this experience.

I have often heard the adage, “Physician, heal thyself.” It is a proverb quoted in Luke 4:23. In our common usage today it infers that one should follow his own prescription and do what he would advise others to do in a situation. In reflecting upon this past week, it occurs to me that I might say to myself, “Minister, heal thyself.” I wonder if I am like the physician who is good at prescribing for others, but does not heed his own advice. In light of this past week, as I reflect on what I believe to be true about healing and wholeness, I must honestly admit that I can choose to more closely live the Truth I know in order to demonstrate healing and wholeness in my life.

Through the words of our co-founders, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, the Unity movement provides powerful teaching on healing and wholeness and how to demonstrate it in our lives.  Myrtle Fillmore’s Healing Letters, a collection of letters Mrs. Fillmore wrote in response to prayer requests that were sent to Silent Unity, is a valuable resource for these teachings.  I was particularly struck by one of her letters that affirms the power of prayer, but seems to dissuade the writer from the belief that it is somehow magical.  It affirms that while prayer is a powerful practice, it is not magic, and one must take personal responsibility for his or her own demonstration of wholeness.

In her response to two statements from the writer in which he asks to be “sent some healing vibrations” and “to relieve us through Silent Unity healing,” Mrs. Fillmore reminds us all that the path to healing and wholeness is three-fold, involving all aspects of our being: spirit, mind and body.  This three-fold path to healing and wholeness applies to all aspects of our life experiences, including physical health, financial well-being, our relationships with others, and self-expression through our chosen vocation and avocation.  If we are to demonstrate the full expression of all the Good that God is as us, we must realize our Truth in spirit, mind and body.

We know that the spiritual Truth is that each of us is an expression of Divine Intelligence, Substance, and Supply, that which we call “God.”  As the allegorical story in the book of Genesis tells us, we are created in the image and likeness of God. God gave all of Itself at the moment of creation, and we eternally exist in this state of wholeness and perfection.  We only “separate” ourselves from this state of being as we hold the belief that we can be separate. It is a state that can only happen in our minds. Thus, we must keep our minds stayed on the Truth.

The mind, as we understand it, is more than our thoughts - it also includes our feeling nature.  Since our thoughts and feelings are so closely interlinked, it is difficult, if not impossible to determine which comes first. There are those who assert that thoughts elicit feelings, and others will argue the reverse. Because they happen almost simultaneously in most cases, it is of little concern which arises first. For the purposes of healing and wholeness, it only matters that we are aware of our thoughts and feelings and that we intervene on those that are not in alignment with our Truth. Often, our feeling nature will alert us when we are out of harmony with our spiritual Truth. Any feeling that does not have its foundation in peace, love or joy can be our signal that our thoughts are off track and are in need of investigation and realignment.  We establish a consciousness of healing and wholeness as we keep our thoughts and thus our feelings in alignment with the Truth of our being. It is this consciousness which establishes the foundation for the demonstration of life experiences that embodies the fullness of our Truth as it opens us to receive the divine ideas that we are to bring forth into manifestation and sets the stage for our action.

The body, or the physical, is the final aspect of establishing the demonstration of Truth in any aspect of our lives. From the consciousness of Truth, we open ourselves to the wisdom, understanding and imagination, as well as other faculties of our nature which co-founder, Charles Fillmore, identified as “The Twelve Powers of Man.”  We open to the guidance that is available to us in the quiet of our peaceful, loving, joyous minds and we use our powers of strength, will, and power to move forward and take the action that we are called to take in order to bring forth into the physical realm the manifestation of a body, career, relationships, and bank account that mirror the Truth of our nature as God in expression. 

In reflecting upon my week, I think I did a pretty good job at claiming my spiritual Truth through the practice of prayer and meditation. However, I admit that I find it challenging to keep my mind stayed on my spiritual Truth when my body is experiencing anything other than health and vitality. My awareness is easily drawn away from my divine Truth and to the condition instead. I am reminded that it requires commitment to keep the mind focused on the divine idea of wholeness in the midst of the appearance of illness. I affirm, however, that it is an important step in demonstrating wholeness in our bodies and in the body of our affairs. Sometimes, we need help from another who is willing and able to remind us of our Truth when we can’t do it for ourselves. I have often encouraged others to reach out to me and to our prayer chaplains for support. I regret that I did not follow my own prescription.

When we are willing to allow another to hold sacred space for us and invite us into the consciousness of wholeness, we are often amazed and delighted by the insight that comes. In that space of conscious unity and in the clarity of connection we are more open to the guidance of Spirit and are able to hear what is ours to do in the outer to help affect a change in the condition. In my case, that could be going to the doctor, consulting with a nutritionist, knowing which herbal remedies to take, or any number of things I could do to help restore my body to its expression of wholeness.

The most powerful lesson for me through this experience has been the reminder of the value of daily practice. Myrtle Fillmore encourages us to, “Daily declare that your spiritual life and world, your mental life and world, your physical life and world are unified and that you are expressing harmoniously the ideas of the Christ Mind on these three planes.”

Thus, spirit, mind and body must be three-in-one, as one, in order that we may demonstrate healing and wholeness in all areas of our lives.  Minister, heal thyself. Live the Truth you know. Practice what you teach.

Please join us on Sunday for our 10:00 service as we explore further how we can live and demonstrate the Truths we know.