Sunday is Remembrance Day in many countries. When I was in college, I had friends who didn’t come back from the Viet Nam war, and friends who did, but not with the same body or consciousness they left with. Because of this, I hated war. I protested war. When I discovered Religious Science, I read a statement by Ernest Holmes in “Sermon by the Sea” that essentially said: “Show me a man who is against nothing, and for something, and I will show you the messiah.” I realized I had to let go of my hatred of war, and start to love peace. And, even though I don’t like the idea of fighting to create peace, I honour the people who gave their lives for the concept of freedom. I honour their courage. There was That Within Them that called them to do that work, and they did it even though they might have been afraid.

In the Hindu world, today marks the beginning of one of their most important religious festivals – Diwali - which is popularly known as the "festival of lights."

The esoteric meaning is of this festival is "the awareness of the inner light". According to Wikipedia: Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this Inner Light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realization of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (Inner Joy or Peace).

Even though we might not be Hindu, we can use the energy of this festival. As we wear our poppies this weekend, let us honour the Inner Light of the men and women who gave their lives for Peace. Let’s think of all the soldiers, dead or alive, as Bright Lights for Peace, with compassion, love and the awareness of Oneness.

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

I live and breathe and have my being in the conscious awareness of the AM that I am. I know there is only the One – One Heart in which we all live – One Mind that we all use.

I celebrate the Inner Light of each person. I honour the courage to act for Peace. In this transformational Now, I speak my word that each person’s life makes a difference in this world. I am grateful for each of them and know all of us are perfectly expressing our Divinity.

I quiet my mind, and allow myself to be the Peace I want to experience. I let go of all thoughts of hostility or resentment in my own life. I let the spaces left behind by the emptying of those emotions be filled with Love. There is only God, no matter what I think of the appearances before me. God is Love, and Love fills the universe. In this Love is Peace.

I release these words into the Law of Mind, knowing they are so … and So It is.