PANDEMIC DIS-EASE ADVISORY

It seems that my physical body is giving me a message. Tuesday, it began demonstrating symptoms of some sort of imbalance. My first reaction was “Damn! I just recovered from a cold not more than six weeks ago. This can’t be happening again.” Thankfully, with the help of my life coach, Deborah Jane Wells, I was willing and able to release most of my resistance and somewhat reluctantly accept that my body is mirroring my consciousness.

My physical body is providing me with a present tangible experience of my mental congestion and inner conflict. It is my choice to pay attention. I am choosing to interpret my physical symptoms as a message for me to slow down, be with what is, let go of the struggle to figure it all out (whatever ‘it” is), be present with the unfolding of things in their time, and love myself in the process.

One way I am loving myself is not “shoulding” on myself to write a full blog post this week. Instead, I am reposting one from a few years ago. I hope you enjoy:

PANDEMIC DIS-EASE ADVISORY

It is vital for all to be aware that a deadly infectious dis-ease is afflicting billions of people around the world.

           

The most pronounced symptoms of this dis-ease are feelings of fear, anger, resentment, loneliness and depression. Many, not understanding the cause of this dis-ease, attempt to treat it with drugs, alcohol, shopping, food, sex, and/or religion. While these may temporarily lessen the symptoms, once the “treatment” is discontinued the symptoms return and are often more painful than when left untreated.

           

The dis-ease is spread through contact with others who have been infected, and once contracted it can be insidious or become consuming. It has devastating effects, not just on the life of the individual, but on the life of the planet as well. Over the past few decades it has become pandemic and threatens the very survival of the human species. It has caused those who suffer from it to behave in erratic ways, including warring against others, plundering the resources of the Earth, and decimating other life forms.

           

It cannot be treated with medication. It cannot be cured with chemotherapy or radiation. It cannot be removed by any surgical procedure. This dis-ease cannot be cured by any method known to medical science because it is not a physical disease; it is a spiritual dis-ease.

           

This dis-ease begins with the germ of one thought, “I am separate from God.” Left unchecked, this germ will quickly infect the entire body of thought. Once it has established itself there, it begins to multiply until it eventually invades all the areas of one’s life, the physical body and the body of one’s affairs including finances, relationships and career. This one germ, given free reign, can be the cause of pain and suffering for a moment or for a lifetime.

           

There is hope, however. There is an agent that will counteract the germ and treat the dis-ease. It is readily available to all. It is called “Truth.” Absorbing Truth can provide almost immediate relief from the symptoms of the dis-ease. It has also been shown to have the cumulative effect of eradicating the germ from the body. An excellent Truth that can start one on the road to recovery is, “The Life of God is my life now.” Taking that in several times each day will most assuredly allow Truth to overcome dis-ease and produce healing effects.

           

The side effects of Truth are a heightened awareness of the present moment, a desire to help others, a sense of Oneness and a positive attitude. 

CAUTION: TRUTH CAN BE HABIT-FORMING.

           

The only request is that Truth be shared with everyone. It must not be kept for one’s sole use. It is to be used to treat the soul of humanity. It must be shared so that all may find relief from the symptoms of this painful, yet curable dis-ease.

It is possible to live a full life with no dis-ease. Truth is available free of charge at your local Unity. To learn more, please join us at Unity of Denver, 3021 S University Blvd, 80210, visit UnityDenver.org, or call 303.758.5664 for additional life-saving information.

I Am the Light of the World

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5: 14 – 16

In this excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used a metaphor familiar to his audience as he often did to relay his message. Historical documents, as well as archaeological evidence, reveal that in Jesus’s time, families often lived communally. Several families lived in the same structure, each having a separate partitioned space. Oil lamps provided light at night. A family without the means to purchase oil depended upon the light from others’ lamps. Most often, the light was freely shared. However, if there was dissension between families, one with oil might cover their lamp to prevent others from benefiting from the light.

Although he was most certainly speaking to those who would hear his message literally, admonishing them to share resources, he was also speaking to those who were able to discern his deeper meaning. He was encouraging his disciples and followers to share spiritual truth and understanding with each other and to bring the light of Truth to those who had not yet heard his message.

His message, which is summarized in the opening sentence above is, “You are the light the world.” Jesus was here to teach that each of us is an expression of the One True Light, which he called “Father.” We are here to be that Light in the world through our thoughts, words and actions so that the awareness of the One True Light will be expanded in the consciousness of humanity. In Unity speak, we are the Christ in human form here to consciously awaken to our Christ Light and to bring that consciousness into manifestation on this Earthly plane.

Jesus was instructing his listeners, then and now, to BE the Christ in the world so that others may benefit from our example.

We begin by acknowledging the indwelling Christ, the Light that enlightens all.

Affirm: I Am the Christ expressing, right here, right now. I Am the Light of the world.

We admit the Light.

Affirm: My mind is still and my heart is open as I realize the Christ as my own True Light. I Am the Light of the world

We surrender to the Light.

Affirm: The Mind of Christ is my mind now. I Am the Light of the world.

We embody the Light.

Affirm: I am the embodiment of the Christ. I Am the Light of the world.

We BE the Light.

Affirm: The Christ thinks as me. The Christ speaks as me. The Christ acts as me. The Christ serves as me. I Am the Light of the world.

In my lesson at Unity Spiritual Center Denver on Sunday at 10:00, I will explore further what it means for us to proclaim, “I am the Light of the world.” If you are unable to attend, please listen to or download the podcast or watch the video recording next week.

All of my lessons are available on podcast and most are available on video. If you find these lessons inspiring, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Unity Spiritual Center Denver. Thank you!

God Is, I Am Love

Every Sunday at Unity Spiritual Center Denver we speak and sing about ‘love.’

Our creed, recited weekly, is –

Our God is Love.
Our Race is Human.
Our Faith is Oneness.

As a lead-in to our prayer, each week we sing –

Surely the presence of Love is in this place…

Our closing prayer, the Prayer for Protection, includes –

The Love of God enfolds us…

We have altered the lyrics to The Peace Song. We sing –

Let there be Love on Earth, and let it begin with me…

Scripture tells us –

“Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is Love…” (1 John 4:8) and

“God is Love, and those who abide in Love abide in God, and God abides in them.” (1 John 4:16).

My friend, spiritual teacher and Unity minister, Rev. Diadra Price, in her book “The Book of Love” says,

“Love is the movement of God that impulses all change.”

Reverend Linda Martella-Whitsett in her book, Divine Audacity says that Love is –

“The power of magnetism, harmony and unity.”

Scripture also tells us –

“God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves…” (Genesis 1: 26 Jerusalem Bible)

The first of Unity’s Five Basic Principles states –

There is one power and one presence active in the universe – God, the Absolute Good.

Since “God is Love,” it follows that Love is the omnipresent energy in and through all.

Since we understand God to be the Creative Principle and that all things came into being through God, if follows that God/Love, being the only force in the universe, expressed itself as wave-particles of energy with unlimited potential and possibility which, through the process of evolution, formed the material universe. All creation is the manifestation of the initial impulse of Love, and the power of Love continues to expand and evolve creation.

Not only does Love continue to expand, evolve, and manifest creation, Love also continues to expand and evolve consciousness. And, as we continue to evolve, we are beginning to more fully understand that self-awareness, the ability to be self-conscious has developed not only in humans, but in non-humans animals as well, as evidenced by many scientific studies on various species. We are One in Love, and Love, the power that harmonizes, magnetizes and unifies, continually draws us into remembrance of Itself as Itself expressed in all creation.

When we open to the awareness of Love as the only presence and power in the universe, which is constantly magnetizing us into a state of remembrance, and allow the energy of Love to be our only focus, Love will remind us of who we are. In conscious remembrance, the vibrational frequency of our consciousness (thoughts and feelings) is harmonized to Love and every aspect of our life experience is healed.

In the conscious awareness of our unity in Love, we become conscious expressions of Love in fullness. We embrace and embody the harmonizing, unifying, magnetizing power of Love in which image/likeness we are created, and we allow the vibration of Love to inspire and infuse our every thought, word and action. As we express Love in all that we are and all that we do, we bring Love to bear in our physical bodies and the body of our affairs, including our relationships, finances and work. As the master Jesus said,

The eye is the light of the body. If your eye is single, your whole body will be filled with Light. (Matthew 6:22)

When we know that there is only God/Love and we keep our hearts and minds stated on that Truth, all that we are, all that we know, all that we express is God/Love.

Let us begin by attuning our minds to the energy of Love by repeating this affirmation.

God is Love. Love is God. I am created as the image/likeness of God. I am Love.

Continue to speak this affirmation aloud so that it becomes integrated in your consciousness. As you do so, the vibrational frequency of your consciousness (thoughts and feelings) will come into alignment with the energy of Love, and you will begin to feel it resonating in your spirit and in your body. In this way, you begin to embody Love and open to its full expression in your thoughts, words and actions.

Unity cofounder Charles Fillmore stated –

“We must vibrate the love center in thought, word and act. Then there will come to us on the wings of invisibility that which will satisfy every need.”

Join me on Sunday at 10:00 for our service at Unity Spiritual Center Denver as I explore these concepts further. If you are unable to join us, audio recordings of my lesson are available here and video recordings of many of them are available here.

If you find these lessons informative and inspiring, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Unity Spiritual Center Denver. Your contributions assist us in continuing to advance the consciousness of Love and do the work of Love in our community. Thank you!

The Greatest Commandment

In Matthew 22, when asked, “What is the greatest commandment”? Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and with all your mind…and the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as yourself.” When we know, as Unity principle teaches, that God is not external to our being, this commandment takes on a meaning different from what we might have once believed.

In The Revealing Word, a metaphysical dictionary by Unity’s co-founder Charles Fillmore and others, ‘Lord’ is defined as “The activity of the spiritual I AM as the ruling consciousness. The Lord God of the Scriptures is Christ, the Spiritual Man; our divine consciousness; the creative power within us.” To love “the Lord” is to devote time, talent, and resources to embracing and embodying Christ consciousness, and doing whatever it takes to live from the awareness that the I AM is the only Truth.

It is being committed to the practice of worshiping, as The Revealing Word defines it, “bestowing one’s love on, or identifying with,” the Christ or I Am in every thought, word and action. When Jesus instructs us to “Love the Lord your God,” he is telling us that the most important intention in life is to Love - to spend time connecting with, listening for and following - the indwelling Truth of our being, the ‘I AM,’ with everything that we are. And, like unto that is to Love – practice connection, curiosity, compassion, care and celebration - for everyone, including ourselves with that same passion. Listen to my lesson from last week to learn more about these practices.

The commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” is open to interpretation. The most common understandings are that Jesus was instructing us to love each other in the same way that we love ourselves, or to love others as though they are us. Either requires us to look closely at how we are loving ourselves.

The Love that Jesus referenced is what we often refer to as “unconditional love.”  To love unconditionally means simply to love absent any condition. Merriam-Webster defines ‘condition’ as “a restricting or modifying factor.” The truth is that most of us love ourselves conditionally.  We allow our evaluations or judgments about some aspect of our appearance, our financial situation, our relationships, or our jobs, just to name a few, to justify withholding unconditional love from ourselves. Each of us has our own personally-defined factors that we allow to restrict or modify our expression of self-love.

These personally-defined conditions not only restrict our complete, total and unconditional loving embrace of ourselves, but of every person in our lives. As we judge ourselves, so we project those judgments upon everyone else.

The good news is that we can affect a “holy shift” (see my post from last week) in how we perceive ourselves, thus how we perceive others. If we are to live what Jesus taught as the greatest commandment, it is imperative that we begin with the loving embrace of ourselves, to see ourselves through the eyes of Love, and to treat ourselves with loving kindness. And, without condition, extend that awareness to all others through our every thought, word and action.

Let us affirm together:  From the consciousness awareness of the Christ, I AM, I embrace myself and others in unconditional love.

If you are in the Denver area, join us on Sunday at 10:00 at Unity Spiritual Center Denver as we explore in greater depth what it means to love ourselves and how we demonstrate self-love. If you are unable to join us, the audio and video recordings will be posted next week. Audio recordings of my lessons are available here. Videos of many of them are available here.

If you find these posts or my lessons inspiring, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Unity Spiritual Center Denver – https://tinyurl.com/y9lgu8pk. Your donations help us teach Unity and expand unconditional love one to another.

Love One Another - New Video