Back To Basics

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I have a propensity to make things more complicated than they really are. One might think that I would have been fully aware of that before now, but apparently not. I have spent years reading and studying New Thought philosophy, most recently completing a program of study to obtain my Unity licensed teacher credential. However, it is only recently that I have begun to “connect the dots” and reduce all of that teaching and learning down to two basic concepts upon which the remainder of the teachings rest.

Those two concepts are: “There is One Power and One Presence,” the first of Unity’s Five Basic Principles and “Human beings experience life as an effect of consciousness,” the third basic principle restated in my own words. Everything else Unity teaches is

• an effort to explain or define the first concept;
• demonstrate how a consciousness which is fully aware of this concept experiences a life that is empowered, joyful and free;
• and encourage, inspire or instruct ways to transform one’s consciousness.

It truly is quite simple, and when I choose to view Unity philosophy from that perspective I see that I have been making it much more complicated than it really is. Also, I have a new understanding from which to learn and teach.

The concept of “One Power and One Presence” is an essential Truth principle: It is a core belief and a foundational axiom of Unity and the New Thought movement as a whole. In our effort to understand, we call the “One” by many names such as God, Divine Mind, Allness, Quantum Field, Pure Potentiality, as well as others. We also assign it attributes such as Wholeness, Abundance, Love, and the like. Of course, to describe the ineffable is, by definition, impossible. The best understanding I have of the “One” is that that it is the ground of being in which and from which all creation has life. It helps me to conceive of the “One” as that which is the potential for the ideal expression of perfection, and that which I may express and experience as order, harmony, beauty, love, life, and unity, and many others. Further, when my consciousness is filled with the awareness of the “One,” then the foregoing is all that I do experience in and as my life. And, since there is only One, each of us must be individuations of that One; therefore, Unity’s second basic principle is a given.

While I propose that it is quite simple, I acknowledge that the third principle is possibly the most confusing, confounding, misunderstood and misinterpreted of all the teachings. It is fraught with possibilities for us to beat ourselves down (it is impossible to beat ourselves up) with blame and criticism when we experience some event in our lives, such an illness or accident, that we judge as “bad” and then attempt to discover the thought we were holding that “created” it. We do ourselves and each other a grave disservice when we teach that we are individually responsible for each and every event that occurs in our lives. When we understand that, our consciousness is comprised not only of the conscious phase of mind, which is our current thoughts, beliefs and sensory awareness, but also includes the subconscious, which is the storehouse of impressions, beliefs and images from our past, as well as collective consciousness, which is the conscious and subconscious of all humanity. It seems clear that we are not individually responsible for the circumstances of our lives, yet the state of our individual consciousness impacts our circumstances and because our individual consciousness contributes to collective consciousness, we impact the circumstances of all creation. It is also important to recognize that while our individual consciousness does not solely create the events and circumstances of our lives, it does determine our experience and interpretation of those events and circumstances.  For example, if one experiences an illness or other physical body manifestation it does not mean that he or she created the condition solely through the projection of individual consciousness. However, the way in which he or she experiences the condition is solely the result of individual consciousness and can have a direct impact on future conditions.

When we allow awareness of the “One” which Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity, termed “Superconsciousness” to imbue our consciousness at every level, we will experience only the perfection of life. This does not mean that we will not have events in our lives that appear as illness or accidents. It also does not mean that we will not face circumstances that allow us the opportunity to question our belief in the ever-present expression of eternal life, beauty, order, or wholeness. It does, however, mean that from a consciousness filled with the awareness of the “One” we will see from the perspective of the “One” and we will be able to observe perfection, meaning without defect or flaw and lacking nothing, manifested in and through all.

This transformation of consciousness is facilitated by our conscious understanding of truth principles which we teach, and through our practice of prayer, meditation and contemplation and various other spiritual practices that we teach and promote, thus affirming Unity’s fourth and fifth basic principles.

It really is very simple. There is only One: Each of us is that One, and when we know that Truth, we are free. Everything we teach is based on this Truth. And, everything we teach is intended to support a transformation of consciousness so that we may experience life from this awareness. Whew!  And to think I thought it was complicated.

Apocalypse Now!

I realize that many of my recent blog posts begin with the phrase, “I have recently begun reading…” It is true that I often read several books simultaneously. This is sometimes difficult for me to believe, especially since I did not enjoy reading when I was much younger. In fact, in high school, English literature was the only class in which I got less than an ‘A’ simply because I did not like to read. That was before I realized there is so much I want to learn.  I find that now I can’t limit myself to one book at a time.

So, I recently began reading a book by Unity minister, Rev. Ed Townley, entitled Kingdom Come.  The book’s subtitle is “Understanding the Book of Revelation.”  He has tackled a topic that many would rather avoid due to the proliferation of misinformation, confusion and even fear associated with it.  Kudos Rev. Townley.

Townley says that he was inspired to write the book, in part, as a response to the Left Behind series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jennings that have enjoyed wide-spread popularity over the past nearly twenty years.  The books, which I understand have now been made into movies, are based on a conservative Christian interpretation of the Book of Revelation. According to their version, Revelation predicts the end times when those who are “good Christians” will be taken up to heaven, leaving the rest behind to suffer the wrath of a vengeful God as punishment for sins.

I have not read any of the Left Behind series, but I am familiar with the premise of this Christian eschatology, referred to by some as the “rapture.”  I have seen artists’ depictions of planes plummeting to the earth because the pilot was taken, people floating up into the sky leaving cars on the freeway, and the ensuing death and destruction experienced by those who are left behind.  The plot of a current HBO series, “The Leftovers,” seems to hint at this theme as well.

 

Some believe that the Book of Revelation is a prophecy about what will happen in the last days before Jesus returns to establish a reign of peace on earth, a foretelling of “the end of days.”  Sadly, some are now pointing to the tragic situations now occurring in the Middle East as signs of the imminence of the fulfillment of this prophecy, thus adding to the fear of what is already, for many, a terrifying state of affairs.

Rev. Townley approaches the Book of Revelation from an entirely different and refreshingly positive perspective. Rather than an end of the world horror story, he presents the text as a guide to personal, practical spiritual growth. He explores each of the twenty-two chapters as steps to our own process of awakening to and embodying our Christ nature.

He explains that contrary to what many in traditional Christianity believe, which is that the Book of Revelation portrays the cataclysmic final destruction of the world, often referred to as ‘the apocalypse’ that the word ‘apocalypse’ in the original Greek actually means “revelation” or “lifting of the veil.”  The Book of Revelation, when interpreted from this perspective and applied to our spiritual growth, can assist us in experiencing our own apocalypse.  As St. Paul said, 

“For now we see as through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (I Corinthians 13:12) 

When the veil of separation is lifted, we will no longer see “through the glass darkly;” rather, we will see ourselves as the reflection of the Christ that we are.

 

As seen through Rev. Townley’s perspective, the Book of Revelation is not about “the end of days,” but rather “the end of daze.”  Applied as practical spiritual tools, the lessons in this Scripture can help us to awaken from the daze we have been living in, and we can begin to live in the light of clarity and enlightenment. We can each have our own apocalypse now.

I highly recommend this book.  In fact, I am considering using it as the basis for a class and a series of talks. I would love to hear from you.  Are you interested in understanding the Book of Revelation?

Conscious Evolution

This past Sunday, after service, I had an in-depth and thoughtful conversation with a congregant.  I really enjoy it when, after a Sunday talk, someone wants to engage in a deeper exploration of the topic. I interpret it to mean that my talk stimulated some questions and personal exploration, and I feel gratified.  At one point in our conversation she asked me if I thought it is easier for me in my position as the minister of the church, in comparison to those in other careers, to be more consciously aware of my Christ nature in the midst of my daily activities.  My immediate response was “no.”  At the moment she asked the question, images of opportunities I have had to know and express the Truth of my being arose in my mind.  I was keenly aware of the many times I fail to respond from my Christ nature.  Sometimes I am successful, but not always.  However, I have now had time to further consider the question and my answer, and in hindsight I would have chosen to respond differently.   A simple “no” does not capture the complexity of the question, nor does it provide an adequate or completely honest response.  So, I thought I would share some of the thoughts that have come up for me in retrospect.

I realize there are exceptions, but for most of us fully embodying our Christ nature does not happen instantaneously, nor is it sustained constantly.  Living in and from the conscious awareness of the Christ is an evolutionary and transformative process.  The transformation of personal consciousness from the belief in separation, which is the primary cause of suffering, to the awareness of oneness, our Truth, usually happens over the course of a lifetime; however, instances of conscious evolution may occur multiples times each day provided we are willing to consciously and actively participate in the process.  Each person, situation or issue that stimulates suffering, regardless of the intensity of feeling, is an opportunity for us to evolve.  We can choose to meet life with curiosity and commitment, in so doing evolve with it, or we can resist it and continue to suffer.

We evolve, not by ignoring our pain or pretending that we are too “spiritual” to feel it.  We evolve through our willingness to acknowledge the pain, feel it, and process through the thoughts we are thinking about ourselves or another that formulate our belief in separation.  Then, through our willingness to question the belief and discover the truth, we are able to come to the place of understanding, compassion and the remembrance of Truth, ours and another’s.  While it may not be what we commonly think of as such, I consider this an evolution of consciousness, moving from the belief in separation to an awareness of oneness, which we may consciously choose in any given situation.  And, each time we choose conscious evolution we contribute to the transformation of our consciousness.

While evolution is a continual process of growth and change, transformation, though it frequently occurs through a process of growth and change, is ultimately a state of sustained alteration of consciousness. One who has achieved this transformation and lives in the state of realized Oneness is often referred to as “enlightened” or “awakened”.  In the Christian tradition, we believe Jesus was an enlightened master whose consciousness was fully evolved and who fully embodied the Christ.  There are people living today who some believe are living in this state of consciousness, a small list includes Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now; Byron Katie, creator of The Work of Byron Katie®; and Gangaji, teacher and author of The Diamond in Your Pocket and other books.  There are others who are no longer living who are also considered to have been enlightened, such as Meister Eckhart, Sai Baba and Jiddu Krishnamurdi, to name a few.  While a few of those named are believed to have attained enlightenment suddenly, most are reported to have attained this level of consciousness through their commitment to spiritual practice, practices that helped to facilitate transformation one evolution at a time.

If you have read this far, you may be wondering how all of that pertains to the original question.  Well, I do not claim to be an enlightened master who lives fully from a transformed consciousness, yet.  I do, however, assert that I am engaged in the process of conscious evolution to the best of my ability.  So, my answer to whether living from my Christ nature is easier because I am a minister is still “no,” but if asked if it is easier for me to live from Christ consciousness because of my spiritual practice and because my commitment to be in ministry helps keep me focused on my evolutionary process, my answer would be “yes”.   Every day, often multiple times a day, I am presented with opportunities to engage in the process of conscious evolution.  At times, I am tempted to run and hide.  And, to be honest, there have been times in my past when I have avoided it as strenuously and persistently as possible.  But, as I am sure you have noticed, life continues to show up, and each of us has to choose whether we will meet it and evolve with it or resist it and suffer through it.  I am grateful for the tools I have acquired during my years of conscious spiritual study and practice.  Utilizing those tools helps me to, more and more, stay firmly grounded in my Truth and to be the best Christ I can be in any given moment.  I am grateful to be in a position that allows me the opportunity to explore and discuss this transformation process with others as we make this journey together.

The Dawning of Grace

I have recently begun reading Anne Lamott’s book, Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith.  Until now, I have not read any of her work, even though several respected friends have told me about her thought-provoking writing.  As often occurs, a few days ago I “happened” to see a Facebook post of a quote from her.  And, as occasionally happens, I decided it was time to pay attention, so I went to Amazon.com to shop for new reading material.  As I perused the list of her many books, this title spoke to me.

The subject of ‘grace’ has often intrigued and sometimes confused me, so I chose this book in hopes that it might shed some light on the subject. It is a collection of humorous and often touching stories about events and people in Lamott’s life that have in some way helped her to awaken to life’s beauty including her own, even though it shows up in unexpected and unusual ways at times.  In the stories I have read thus far, she doesn’t specifically mention ‘grace’ or ‘faith,’ for that matter, but her stories are filled with the underlying message of what I have come to believe about ‘grace’ which I attribute, at least in part, to the book, Falling Into Grace, by American-born Zen Buddhist author, Adyashanti.  Unlike what many of us commonly think of when we hear the word ‘grace', Adyashanti says, “In essence grace is anything that helps us truly open – our minds, our emotions, our hearts.”  Lamott’s stories convey the essence of ‘grace’ from this perspective.

My former understanding of grace from a more traditional Christian perspective was that grace is a “gift from God” that we do not earn and can never deserve, but that God bestows upon us as “He” deems appropriate.  The commonly used phrase, “There but by the grace of God go I,” which I admit I have uttered on occasion, is usually used as a reference to someone who is experiencing a less than enviable life situation and to whom the one speaking is favorably comparing himself.  This statement speaks of a God who favors some with grace, while withholding it from others.  I no longer believe in a capricious God who dispenses grace on a whim, but in a God that freely expresses (gives) all that It is, constantly and continually, as Its “gift of grace.”

I can best describe my current concept of ‘grace’ metaphorically.  If God were the sun, its rays would be Love and grace the field of ever-present light in which we all “live, move and have being.” (Acts 17:28)  This light is available to us at all times, and if we are willing to open our spiritual eyes, it will allow us to see the Truth of our being reflected in everything we perceive.  When we realize (real-eyes) that we live in the state of grace and that every encounter, every situation, in fact every breath is an opportunity to awaken to the Truth of our being, we will have received the gift of grace.  Grace is the light that dawns upon our conscious awareness and awakens us to the truth of God expressing in us, as us.

 

Join us on Sunday for the 10:00 service as I explore further this concept of ‘grace’ and how it can awaken us - our minds, our emotions, our hearts - from the delusion of a God from whom we are separate.

The Value of Judgments

I have recently noticed myself judging others, and I have found myself judging myself for it.  I don’t think I am alone in that, so I thought I would take some time to explore this issue of judgment.

Many who are on a conscious spiritual path have been taught that in order to be truly awakened or enlightened, one must give up judging others.  To expect ourselves to give up judging, and to hold that as a measure of our state of consciousness, is unrealistic and unnecessary.  I offer that we are actually more enlightened, not by giving up judging, but instead by becoming consciously aware of our judgments and striving to understand their value. Human beings judge.  It is an aspect of our human conditioning.  Rather than attempting absolution of judgment, I encourage us to acknowledge our judgments and invite them to inform us of what we deeply value.

On some level, all human beings engage in value judgments, by evaluating or judging based on our particular set of values.  In other words, we sometimes decide on the rightness or wrongness of persons or situations based on our values.  And, we can find ourselves reacting to the judged person or situation according to our learned behaviors.  Typically, when we judge something as wrong or bad, we criticize, fight against, and/or avoid it.  In short, whatever we judge negatively, we resist.  Further, we most often feel justified in our value judgments and our reactions.  The troubling result of engaging in unconscious value judgments is that we determine right and wrong, good and bad, and we assign labels. Unfortunately, this type of judgment frequently leads to conflict, even war, and sometimes, as has been the case in history and as we are currently witnessing in Iraq, genocide.  Fortunately, there is another way. 

Instead of unconsciously engaging in those types of value judgments, or thinking that we have to give up our judgments, we can learn to appreciate the value of our judgments.  In order to do that, we must first be willing and able to recognize our judgmental thoughts and admit to ourselves that we judge, without judging ourselves for judging.  Instead of making ourselves or another right or wrong, we can honestly observe our judgments and allow them to inform us of our values.  Then, rather than reverting to our base human behaviors, we can consciously choose to engage in behaviors that reflect our values and establish connection rather than create conflict. 

As an example, yesterday I drove into the church parking lot and noticed that our recycling bin was filled to overflowing.  Knowing that it had been recently emptied, and also knowing that there is no way the church had generated that much recycling content in such a short time, I concluded that it was being filled by our neighbors.  I immediately felt angry. I was judging the ones who made unauthorized use of our property as wrong and bad.  One might say that I was "warring" with them in my mind, and feeling the impact of the internal conflict.  As I allowed myself to acknowledge my judgment and connect with myself, I recognized that I value respect, and that I was telling myself that they were disrespecting our property and discounting the expense we incur to have the container emptied every other week.  However, after further consideration, I can also acknowledge that whoever used the container as their recycling receptacle, values care of the Earth and the environment.  I also value those things.  As I continued my contemplation, I realized that I cannot possibly know what is in the minds and hearts of whoever chose to place their recycling in our container.  Rather than “warring” with them, I decided to do my best to connect with our shared values and respond accordingly.  Perhaps I can have a sign made that says something like the following:

“While we appreciate that you share our care and concern for the Earth, we ask that you respect our rental of this container.  If you choose to use this container for your recycling, please respect the Earth by not filling it to overflowing resulting in litter.  Please also respect that we need room for our recycling materials as well.  Blessings to you.  Namaste.”

Appreciating the value of our judgments, rather than unconsciously engaging in value judgments is, in my evaluation, a more accurate measure of our level of enlightened consciousness.  When we are willing to honestly and authentically connect consciously with our values, it soon becomes apparent, that all human beings share the same core values.  Conflict is not stimulated by differing values, but by the ways we choose to live those values. 

Our judgments can, if we are willing to connect with them, give us a great deal of information about ourselves, our values, and how our choices reflect our values.  They can also, if we are willing, provide us with a way to connect with others as we consciously connect with their values.  Our unexplored value judgments serve to separate us, while our conscious exploration of our judgments can serve to connect us at a deeper level.  Instead of attempting to give up our judgments, or continuing to engage in unconscious judging, or judging ourselves for judging, I encourage us to acknowledge, learn to become consciously aware of, and appreciate the value of our judgments that ultimately connect us at our deepest levels.

The Heart of Forgiveness

I am continually amazed by the synchronicity of the Universe.  When contemplating a topic for my message this Sunday, I heard (with my inner ears) “forgiveness.”  My mind immediately said, “What! I don’t want to talk about forgiveness; I don’t really know enough about it to talk intelligently about it.  Let’s choose something else.”  I told myself that forgiveness is one of those topics that has the potential for a great deal of misunderstanding and the possibility of stimulating pain in some.  Further, that I would rather talk about a topic with which I feel more comfortable.  Yes, I still argue with the voice of Spirit occasionally, but only when I get a message I don’t want to hear (smile).  One might think that I would have learned better by now, but no.  Also, one might think that by now I would have learned to immediately trust that when I am open to, and hear the voice for Spirit, I get it.  I know what I need to know when I need to know it.  It is not surprising that when I finally arrived at that realization, which thankfully didn’t take too long, I surrendered and chose to listen.  So, the topic for this Sunday’s message is, you guessed it “forgiveness.”

The synchronicity I refer to involves a post on Facebook.  I was searching for a previous post on some unrelated topic on the “Unify” page, when I happened upon a link that referenced the “18^th International Forgiveness Day.”  When I clicked on the link, I was delighted and amazed to discover that International Forgiveness Day is, lo and behold, you guessed it, Sunday, August 3.  Not only that, but one of the keynote presenters for the event is Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, the creator of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a process that helps one connect deeply with feelings and needs, and opens the space for connection with others.  I have been studying and practicing NVC for ten years.  When I saw on this website the connection between forgiveness and NVC, I recognized that perhaps I do understand forgiveness better than I thought.  When I consider the practice of NVC and its implication on forgiveness, I realize that from my perspective, forgiveness is more than a spiritual practice that we engage in for the purpose of freeing ourselves from the pain of holding on to the past.  At the heart of true forgiveness is a state of mind that we can attain through the practice of empathy and compassion, for others as well as for ourselves.

Empathy is our capacity to connect deeply with feelings and needs.  NVC refers to the universal things we each value and desire as “needs.”  I prefer to think of “needs” as aspects of our Divine Nature that each of us longs to experience and have reflected to us from others and the world around us.  NVC teaches that everything we do or say is an attempt to meet a need.  I reframe that to say that everything we do or say is an attempt to express or experience an aspect of our Divine Nature, such as love, connection, or well-being.  Further, in keeping with NVC philosophy but stated in my own terms, when our actions or the actions of others do not help us realize an aspect of our divinity, we experience feelings that we might term as “negative”.  These are usually feelings that we would rather not feel, such as anger, sadness, shame or guilt.  Conversely, when we do experience our divinity, through actions of another or by our own actions, we have feelings that we often call “positive”.   These are feelings that we usually enjoy, such as peace, joy, expansion and love.  When we operate with the understanding that we all strive to know ourselves as the Divine through our actions and interactions, we can more clearly see that we all have the same desires.  Unfortunately, there are times when we may attempt to get those needs met in learned ways that are contrary to our highest intention, and this may stimulate pain in others and ourselves.  Empathy is our path to the authentic connection that is required for true forgiveness to occur.

Compassion is our capacity to face our pain, and to meet another in his or her pain.  The best definition I have heard for compassion is from Cindy Wigglesworth, author of SQ21, The Twenty-one Skills of Spiritual Intelligence.  In her book, she defines compassion as “the capacity and willingness to join another in his or her pain with the intention of helping to relieve suffering, while not contributing to or joining in the suffering, thus maintaining inner and outer peace regardless of the circumstances.”  I would add that compassion also includes our capacity and willingness to connect with our own pain, while not contributing to or exacerbating the pain of either one.  In order to achieve true forgiveness, we must be willing to engage in the practice of compassion for the one we are holding as guilty for stimulating our pain.  That may be ourselves or another.  It is often, if not always, challenging to face our own pain.  Most of would rather do whatever is necessary to medicate and avoid it, and others may engage in psychological denial, refusing to admit they have pain.  As the Buddhist proverb says, “Pain is inevitable.  Suffering is optional.”  The experience of pain, emotional, physical and spiritual, is part of the human condition.  We all have pain.  Suffering, however, is the result of the story we tell about our pain.  We suffer when we continue to relive, in our minds, the events that originally stimulated the pain, and continue to tell our story about what should or should not have happened.  Compassion invites us to connect with our pain, meet it face-to-face, and understand that our actions or the actions of another are not the cause of our pain.  Our pain is caused, at the deepest level, by our seemingly unmet needs, or from my perspective, the unexpressed, unexperienced and unrealized aspects of our Divine Nature.  We can compassionately connect with the pain, without engaging in suffering, thereby allowing it to connect us with those beautiful aspects of Divine Nature that we long for.

Empathy and compassion are not intellectual exercises; they are heart-centered practices.  They require that we engage with ourselves and others from a deep connection with our feelings and with our most precious heartfelt desire, our need to experience our Divine Nature.  When practiced authentically, empathy and compassion open our hearts and allow us to experience the outpouring of Love that is the foundation of the Divine expressing as us.  They open us to the awareness of not only our shared humanity, but our shared Divinity, as well.  With open hearts, we are able and willing to connect with each other beyond our stories of right and wrong, good and bad, victim and perpetrator.  As we connect by intentionally practicing empathy and compassion, we learn that we can transcend our original story and begin to tell the story of healing, connection, and understanding. We are able to see each other as spiritual beings who are living a human experience and doing our best to remember our Divinity, albeit sometimes through methods that are in diametric opposition to that intention.  Connecting in that understanding with empathy and compassion for ourselves and others is at the heart of the consciousness of true forgiveness.

I am grateful that I decided to listen to the voice for Spirit prompting me to discover a deeper meaning of forgiveness and thankful for the gifts of synchronicity in the process.  I hope to see you on Sunday morning at 10:00 as we explore forgiveness further.

From Hope to Wholeness

“Your faith has made you whole.”

These are the words that the Gospel writers often attribute to Jesus, words he spoke in response to those who experienced healing in his presence. (Mark 5:34 & 10:52; Luke 8:48 & 17:19)  Jesus did not claim any special power of healing; instead he said it is “faith” that makes one “whole”.

I offer that when Jesus used the word that has been translated into English as ‘whole’ that he was referring to something beyond the physical: he was naming a state of consciousness.  In Unity we learn to interpret Scripture metaphysically and allegorically.  We do not categorically deny that the so-called “miracles” attributed to Jesus actually happened; rather we prefer to understand them as allegory for what takes place in consciousness, so as to make the stories applicable in our lives today.

Jesus, as a master metaphysician, knew that healing takes place in consciousness and that all manifestations demonstrate according to consciousness.  Jesus, as we understand him, lived primarily from the Christ consciousness, the consciousness of Unity, knowing his Oneness.  His mission was to impart to his disciples and other followers the Truth of Oneness.  He stated his mission emphatically in John 18:37 when he said, “I have come to bear witness to the Truth.”  

In fulfilling his mission, he did not bear witness to the demonstrations of a consciousness of duality, lack or limitation. He did not bear witness to disease or death.  From the Christ consciousness he only saw the perfection, the wholeness inherent in all creation.  When he experienced the physical manifestation of the consciousness of Unity, he affirmed, “Your faith has made you whole.”  I assert that perhaps a more meaningful interpretation would be, “through the power of your faith you have remembered your wholeness.”

In Unity, we affirm that through faith, which is understood as our ability to see and know the Truth of wholeness, even in the midst of physical demonstrations that would have us believe otherwise, we can attain the Christ consciousness and know our wholeness.  I offer that Jesus was affirming that through the power of faith we are able to know and to demonstrate physical manifestations of wholeness.

From a consciousness of separation we, “see as through a glass darkly,” and we demonstrate accordingly.  But when “perfection comes;” when the consciousness of wholeness is realized, then “we will see face to face.”  As Paul said, “for now we know only part, but then we shall know as we are known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) We shall know ourselves as the consciousness of wholeness and we will demonstrate that wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

We claim our power of faith; we exercise our power of faith, and we trust that through faith we remember and are made “whole”.