A Privilege

Paul Newman, one of the icons of Hollywood, died not long ago. On a CNN report online, I read this statement by his daughter:

"Always and to the end, Dad was incredibly grateful for his good fortune. In his own words: 'It's been a privilege to be here.'"

“It’s a privilege to be here.” Wow! What a powerful affirmation! What if we approached each day with this consciousness?

Too often we start our day thinking about “The List” and how we’re going to get everything accomplished … or by replaying an argument had with a friend (even if that argument was one we made up in our heads) … or by bemoaning our fate – physically, emotionally and mentally.

Think of the energy we are emanating with these thoughts – no wonder so many people are tired all the time!

What if tomorrow we woke up, took a deep breath, and said “It’s a privilege to be here.”?

That would start me on a different sort of list – a list of what I am grateful for. The energy I would be emanating would be lighter and brighter, and my day would follow suit!

It’s a privilege to be here. Thank You Spirit, living Life, in me, through me and as me.


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

I celebrate the Powerful Presence within me. It is Life Itself. It is within me and around me, indeed It is everywhere.

I am so grateful I have chosen to be here, in this time, to express Divine Life. I open my heart, my mind and my whole being to the honouring of this Life. I am open to experience more of my own divinity, and the divinity of others. This is our Truth.

I am grateful for everything I have experienced up until this moment, whether I named it as “positive” or “negative.” I am grateful for all I am experiencing now, and all I will experience as time goes by.

It is a privilege to be here, and to be actively conscious of being here.

There is only One Life – that Life is God’s and that Life is the Life I am living now. This is a very good thing.

I release these words of celebration, knowing they are my Truth, and so it is.

Seeds

Dee and his grandson, Jayden, decided to carve a pumpkin today. I had read an article about the benefits of pumpkin seeds and decided to clean and roast them. Just for fun I counted them. There were 434 seeds.

How awesome Nature is!! To perpetuate the species, there is an abundance of seeds inside each plant and animal (including us). It really only takes one – or maybe two if one doesn't germinate, but the Universe is lavish in its generosity!

Each of those flat pumpkin seeds has everything within it to become a large plant with many flowers, which in turn can become a pumpkin filled with another 400 or so seeds. And the circle of life continues.

This made me start thinking about those seed thoughts we plant. Within them is everything necessary for their fulfillment… as well as the potential for hundreds of new seed thoughts. And new seed thought propagates even more seed thoughts. And the circle of Life continues.

I think the Universe enjoys and abundant harvest. Makes me really want to be responsible for the type of seeds I am planting!! How about you?


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

There is That Within Me that is the Source and substance of all that manifests in, through and around me. I am the director of this Energy. I plant the seeds into an Infinite Field of Creative Potentiality, and in this Field is everything necessary for the seeds manifestation.

As I plant my mental seeds, I am setting in motion the Law of Attraction and the Law of Growth. Therefore I celebrate the Wisdom within me to plant good seeds, and know as I plant seeds of love, of peace, of prosperity, of well-being, they immediately began to grow and show up delightfully in my life.

I celebrate an abundant harvest, rejoicing in the way the Law works I speak in Love, and Love points the way, and Law makes the way possible.

I release these words of Truth, grateful I can consciously do so, and so it is.

Focus

Yesterday I watched a bit of both the Canadian and United States debates. The U.S. had two people at lecterns and a moderator. The Canadians had 5 people around a table and a moderator. The US allowed one person to talk at a time – not so the Canadians. It got pretty loud!

What I noticed about both debates was that politicians don’t just talk about what they’re going to do … most of what they talk about is what they believe the other side has done wrong! As if proving the other’s errors to their constituents will get them more votes.

Not long after I realized that, I got an e-mail from a person who is losing their job. It was filled with what their co-workers had done wrong. And a few days ago, I spent time on the phone with someone who is going through a break-up, and had to keep bringing them back to what they wanted now, instead of how they had been wronged.

Why do we have to make others wrong to affect change? Change is inevitable. We can’t get away from it. We can do it with grace. What if we refused to play the blame game? The Truth is that it is never just ‘their’ fault. We have to take responsibility for our part in every experience.

We might not realize this – but blaming someone for how our lives are going gives them power over us … accepting our responsibility in the creation brings our power back.

What if we took a deep breath and said – “Whoa, I created something that’s not working here – I’m going to take my attention off that, and focus on what I want to create.”

We all want to create a world that works for everyone, whether it’s on a political level, or a personal one. Let’s focus on that!

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

God is – and that is all there is. God – infinitely intelligent, unconditionally loving, everywhere present, all powerful. God – the magnificent Source Energy that is the substance of all things, and in all things, including me.

As I let this Truth sink deep into my subjective mind, I realize I don’t have to make anyone wrong to be right. I AM an expression of the Rightness of the Universe. I let go of any blaming I have been doing. As I do this, I am filled with the energy of Love. I see things rightly. I bless everything I see, and turn my attention to what I want to create. I choose to create peace, harmony, love, and wellness in all areas of my life. I choose to stand in the Light of Truth and see It reflected everywhere around me. I declare my life is good, very good.

I release these words into the Law of Mind with a heart filled with gratitude. And so It is.

Action!

Dear One,

If you’re like me, just about every day you get a new book announcement in your e-mail box … promising all sorts of goodies to make your life so much better if you run out and buy the book right away. It’s delightful that there are so many interpretations of Truth out there for us to peruse – and I’m knowing my own book will be out there soon …. however, as Dr. Holmes said on page 51 of The Science of Mind,

“One of the great difficulties in the new order of thought is that we are likely to indulge in too much theory and too little practice!!”

Sometimes we feel if we just read one more book on the subject – whether we’re working on relationships, finances, success or health -- then we’ll really get “The Secret”… that one quick fix we’ve been looking for to make everything better in our lives.

There are no quick fixes! First of all, Life isn’t broken. Secondly, how we are experiencing Life is a system of beliefs we’ve allowed into our consciousness that have become habits. You know what I mean … you quit one job because of something uncomfortable, and get a new one that seems so wonderful, yet the same old things pop up again after awhile.

The best book is the one read to us in the stillness of meditation. The Voice Within has all the answers – after all, It is infinitely intelligent. Yet so many of us struggle though on our own, not wanting to surrender to the Presence because we “want to do it ourselves.” So Life says It’s favourite word – YES.

Years ago Dr. James Golden spoke at the East Hawai’i church. He pointed to the stage and said “What if that stage was filled with stacks and stacks of money, and you were told you could have it all if you did your spiritual practices – would you do them?” Everyone laughed, and I realized in that laughter that we don’t know the benefits of prayer and meditation. If we did, we wouldn’t be looking for the quick fix in books or classes. We’d be doing our spiritual practices as second nature.

Dr. Holmes defined meditation in the glossary of the SOM:

“The general acceptance of the term meditation is contemplation or continuous thought. We mean to convey something more – the recognition of the Father within, the certainty of our Oneness with the Whole, the immediate availability of the Power and Wisdom resulting from this Oneness. Such communion with God brings harmony into our lives and affairs; establishes the law of health and prosperity, and makes us a light to all who cross our pathway.”

Those are the benefits! Do your spiritual practices!!


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

Everywhere I am, God is. There is nothing but God – no spot where God is not.

I rejoice in this awareness because I realize I AM living God Life, right here and now.

In this Life, I choose to pay more attention to my Spirit. I let go of my doubts and fears and concerns about the daily effects of my life. God is not concerned, so why should I be?

As I “seek first the Kingdom of God” all I need is provided and more. My life is in perfect balance. My mind is clear, my heart is pure, my body is vibrantly alive. All good comes to me with ease and grace. I am walking Spirit’s Path and it feels so good!

I joyfully do my spiritual practices. I spend delicious time communing with my Self, reading my own Book of Life. I celebrate Life! I know all there is, is God, and where God is, all is well.

Gratefully I release these words to the Law of Mind, knowing they are done. And so it is.

OMG

I love watching Extreme Home Makeover, home decorating shows and programs like Restaurant Makeover. I’ve noticed that during the “reveal” when the people who own the home or the restaurant open their eyes, the first thing they say is “Oh My God!”

We say it a lot – even those who use text messaging, type OMG.
We say it with pleasure, and we say it with pain.

I wonder how many realize they’re praying? Especially when we continue with “I am”… like “OMG, I am so happy!” OMG, I am so mad!” “OMG, I can’t believe it!” Do we realize we have just called upon The Universe and made a declaration It must comply with? Whatever we add to I AM with feeling sets the Law in motion, creating what we have just declared for ourselves.

Another reason to pay attention!!

OMG, I am so Grateful!


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

We live in an infinite field of creative potentiality. This field is all around us and within us. It is the Life of God – and this is the Life we are living. This Life works through Law as I direct It.

Knowing this, I declare I am conscious of what I am thinking, feeling and speaking. I speak only words that are beneficial to myself and my world. The I am that I am is powerful. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am creative. I am loving and loved. I am joyful. I am blessed.

I am grateful. I am grateful to know I can work with the Law so effortlessly, and the Law works through me with ease.

I release these words to the Law of Mind knowing they are already so. And so It is.

Growing Up

Participate in a WORLD PEACE INTENTION EXPERIMENT this coming Sunday … Lynne Mc|Taggart is the author of The Intention Experiment, and has been running many experiments on the effects of intention on healing, water, and plants. Please go to her website to find out more, and officially sign up if you'd like! www.theintentionexperiment.com/peace/



Some of us were talking about how and when we lost our sense of value. We noticed that children before a certain age don’t have a loss of self-worth. They just are who they are.



A memory came up. Our house was a California styled Spanish hacienda. We had a wide covered Spanish tile walkway all along the front of the house. Every 4 feet or so, there was a large half wine barrel with a beautiful camellia bush. I was watering the camellias, and the front door opened and my little sister, Laura, come out dressed in a new pink dress – she was probably 3 years old and looked absolutely darling. “Don’t I look pretty?” she asked. And our Mother, who was right behind her, said sharply “Don’t ask questions like that Laura, it’s not nice.”



So that’s where we get it from – our parents – who were only behaving in the way they had been taught. It’s too bad that something so natural as thinking you look nice, was considered impolite. Yet, Mother was one of Laura’s idols – and her idol had just told her she did something wrong! I don’t know that this is true, but Laura might have become afraid that if she acknowledged herself, someone would get mad at her … and that could be bleeding through into her adult life now.



We all go through this experience in one way or another, so there must be some reason for it. However, the reason really doesn’t matter. Perhaps we sometimes suffer from low self-worth because our emotions have been stuck in the experiences of our past. Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time to grow up.



The Science of Mind teaches us that there is within us an infinitely intelligent and unconditionally loving Presence. It teaches that there is only One Life -- God’s Life, and this is our Life. Join me in believing we have moved in consciousness from being children of God to being expressions of GodLife. This is growing up!!



Grateful Blessings, Rev. Angelica


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT



God is the Infinite Presence expressing Itself as everything in, through, and all around me. There is no person, place, or thing that is separate from God. In gratitude, I call forth the feeling of Love, knowing this is what God is.



Today I declare I am ready and willing to move beyond my childhood fears and pains. I am willing to grow up. I now accept my place as co-creator. I am conscious of the Truth that my thoughts and feelings are reflected in my world, and that the Law of Attraction is always at work in, through and as me. I am responsible for my good and I am open to receive all that is for my highest and best.



Gratefully I release these words into the Law of Mind, knowing they are done. And so it is.

Integrity

As we move along our constantly emerging Path, we talk about consciously living in integrity with others – yet what about ourselves?



In the back of The Science of Mind, you will find some beautiful meditations written by Dr. Holmes … this one called to me this morning:



I shall keep the promise I have made to myself.

I shall never again tell myself I am poor, sick, weak, nor unhappy.

I shall not lie to myself any more, but shall daily speak the truth to my inner Soul, telling It that It is wonderful and marvelous;

that It is One with the Great Cause of all Life, Truth, Power and Action.

I shall whisper these things into my Soul until it breaks

forth into songs of joy with the realization of Its

Limitless possibilities.



Yes, I shall assure my Soul.



This is living in integrity. Thank God!



Grateful Blessings, Rev. Angelica


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT



There is no Life but God Life. It is a marvelous experience. It is filled with Love and Law.

As I live this Life, I celebrate Its uniqueness in, through and as me. I am Divine Truth made manifest.



As I celebrate myself in this One Life, I refuse to experience limitation in my physical body or the body of my affairs. I feel my heart full of joy and know my mind is clear. I enjoy the beauty of each moment and each experience is power filled. I know these things not only for myself but for everyone. We are all One.



Gratefully I release these words into the Law of Mind, rejoicing that I live in integrity. And so it is.

No Boundaries

Sometimes I see a colouring book and my fingers just itch to get a hold of some crayons.

The other day while going through a box looking for something else, I discovered an old geometric colouring book with a few blank pages. I borrowed some crayons from our Junior Church and sat down to play.

When I colour, I decide what colour I want the space to be, then carefully colour darkly right inside the borders before filling in the center of the area lightly. After about the third space, I suddenly remembered the colouring book pages I had seen in the Junior Church box. Hardly any of them coloured inside the lines. As I looked down at my page, I realized that I not only coloured inside the lines, but I made the lines more pronounced with the way I was colouring.

Yes, it looked good … but what did it mean?? Did I start colouring that way as a child because I didn't want to be like everyone else? - because I thought it looked pretty? – or did I feel safer creating my own borders?

We do that, you know – create borders – only now we call them boundaries. Most of us are very possessive with our boundaries. We have rules about when they can be crossed and who can cross them and how. Our boundaries can be about how close I let you come into my space or about how to fill my dishwasher. We get an idea about what is "right" and stick to it, thereby creating a boundary. Boundaries make us feel safe.

However, when we create boundaries to give ourselves a sense of safety, the opposite occurs. The more we try to protect ourselves, the more fearful we become. The more fearful we become, the more the world reflects that fear and we attract even more to be afraid of. This cycle continues until we realize we have choice – and one of those choices is to tear down our boundaries and let Love in!

Sometimes boundaries are not only about safety, but about how far we can go. Other people set these boundaries, and we feel compelled to go beyond them. The athletes in the Olympics did a good job of showing us that these boundaries are not real, but imaginary places in our consciousness.

Dr. Holmes writes in Change Your Thinking – Change Your Life: "When we take the Law of Love as a foundation for our actions we shall always be safe: . . . the Law of Power is one with the Law of Love."

Love transcends fear, breaks down boundaries, and impels us forward along our Path.

Grateful Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

The Divine Creative Force that is the Source of all and manifests through everything seen and unseen,

flows through me, as me, for me. It is all knowing, everywhere present, all powerful.

I am a very significant part of this Divine Creative Force. It has no limits, and therefore neither do I. I let go of all my self-imposed boundaries, tear down my walls, and feel the freedom this brings me. I live in Love. Love reflects Itself in all my actions in my world. Love manifests through all my hearts desires. Love is the reason for my being. I no longer place any boundaries on Love.

How grateful I am to let go. To know I have the freedom to create a life of goodness and peace excites me. Because God is, I am. Because love is, I am protected. Because goodness is, I am safe.

With joy I release these words into the Law of Mind. Right where I AM, God is, and where God is, all is well. I celebrate my Life. And so it is.

In an Instant

This morning I got up feeling great. I knew the day was going to be a busy one as we're getting ready for our booth at the Langley International Festival, and I was looking forward to getting my projects finished. I walked past the living room noticing that Omar, my beautiful Egyptian Mau cat, wasn't in his chair – but thinking nothing of it, went into the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot, and then to turn on my computer. Something made me stop and look out the window – Omar was laying at the bottom of the driveway. That was strange – I tapped on the window but no response. The bright sunny day suddenly became very grey. I flew down the stairs and out the front door, but his beautiful spotted coat was cold and his body was stiff. I think he was hit by a car. I am grateful that someone kindly put him in my driveway and didn't leave him in the street.

So here I sit, numb. Omar's now in a box, waiting to go to the Centre yard and be buried with a plant honouring his life. Life goes on. There's still those projects to be finished, but now they seem more like a chore than something fun to do. Part of me can't stop crying for my beloved friend of 8 years … and the other part is amazed at how quickly a day can change. In an instant, life changes - old comfortable routines are gone, a part of your heart is broken.

Another reminder to live in the NOW. To really experience and appreciate every moment with everything in our lives - because we just don't know how long it will last.

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

There is One Life – GodLife. It is everywhere present. It is the unchangeable Source of all, and yet It changes continually in and as Its manifestations. It is movement, progress, evolution. It is my life and what I am experiencing.

I know Life is eternal and I honour Life in all things. I also accept the temporal dimension we live in as physical beings. Today I choose to pay more attention. I approach each experience with grace and gratitude and feel all the feelings each experience has to offer. I am open and receptive to all of Life's blessings.

Gratefully I release these words into the Law of Mind. And so It is.

Healing

Lynne McTaggart writes in Living the Field:

"Healing is the most natural practice in the world - we can all do it and, consciously or unconsciously, many of us do. It is simply the transmission of energy through the healer into the patient. There is only one essential qualification: love."

This reminded me of a story told by the minister from New Hope Fellowship in Hilo, Hawai'i. A young mother in his congregation had been taking her daughter back and forth to the hospital for months. No one could figure out what was wrong with the child, and she was getting weaker and weaker. One day the young mother stopped by Pastor Wayne Cadero's office and told him, in tears, that she was taking her daughter again to the hospital and was afraid it would be for the last time. She asked Pastor Wayne to come to the car, give her child a blessing and say goodbye. Wayne got in the back seat and took the child in his arms. He saw how her lifeforce seemed to have drained away, and he tried to pray but no words would come, all he could do was hold her and love her. After a while, words came, and he prayed for her, then got out of the car and watched them drive away, sure that it was the last time he would see the child. A few days later, he received a call from the Mother, who was overjoyed. Her daughter had started to revive the moment she got to the hospital!

When I heard him tell this story – I knew a deeper meaning of the phrase "God is Love." I often tell people "Love is the greatest healing agent in the universe."

Yesterday in Raywyn Erickson's class, she said that if we are experiencing dis-ease in any way, we are withholding love. In my mind I capitalized the word Love, and thought of it as "withholding Love" -- refusing to acknowledge and experience That Which We Are.

If you are working on a healing project in any area of your life – perhaps you could try this:

Sit quietly, breathe deeply, and declare your intention for healing. Now open yourself to FEELING loved. Let Love flood every cell of your body, every thought in your mind, and every feeling in your heart. Bathe in that Love for awhile, and when you feel the time is right, allow yourself to focus that Love like a laser on your project, remembering your intention for healing. Breathe deeply again, and feel grateful. Feel gratitude flood your body, mind and heart. Know that the work is done.

If you choose, you could follow this exercise with the Spiritual Mind Treatment below.

Dr. Holmes wrote "Love is a cosmic force whose sweep is irristible!"

You are the Beloved.

Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

God is Love. Love points the way, and the Law makes the way possible. This is my Truth! Love is the greatest healing energy in the universe. It is greater than any illness – of mind, body or emotions. It is greater than any financial or relationship challenges I might be experiencing. God is Love, therefore Love is all powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere present.

Remembering this I now declare everything in my life that I think needs to be healed – is healed.

I let go of all my old stories that kept me separate, and accept wholeheartedly that Divine Love is within me and every atom of the universe, doing Its perfect work. I am whole, healthy and complete.

God is Love and therefore so am I. God is the Lover and I am the Beloved. As the Beloved I am so grateful for all that I have experienced. I know my life's Path has brought me to this now moment, where I have let it all go, and stepped out into the world as the Truth of my being. This is good – this is God!

Peace

The decision to start the Summer Olympics today on 8/8/08 at 8:08 p.m. was no coincidence. The 8 is an auspicious number. The word for eight is "ba" in Mandarin and "baat" in Cantonese, resembling the word for prosperity and abundance.

I only watched the end of the opening ceremony on TV this morning, and I’d like to see the rest, because what I saw was awesome. During a song, there were many women dressed in white making beautiful gestures with their hands. The cameras panned the audience, and most of them were making the same gestures. I finally realized the gestures were of wings of a dove, symbolizing peace. Ahhhh, that made it even more beautiful.

I know there is some controversy surrounding these games, (and when isn’t there controversy at any big or little event?) yet what do we want to focus on?

I am honouring the many athletes from all over the world and supporting the hard work and efforts they have made. I honour the dance that represented peace to me. I will focus on being global citizens, instead of focusing on our differences in culture, ways of governing, etc.

Dr. Ernest Holmes, in his famous “Sermon by the Sea” said “Find me one person who is for something and against nothing, who is redeemed enough not to condemn others out of the burden of his soul, and I will find another savior, another Jesus, another exalted human being.”

That exalted human is us - only we don’t quite believe it yet. We are moving into that understanding. There is a Buddhist saying that says: “If we are facing the right direction, all we have to do is keep walking.” Whether we know it consciously or not, our soul is on a peace-keeping mission. We can more consciously work with It by consciously using Principle, and doing our Spiritual Practices. Becoming more intimate with The Divine. Remember – right where we are, God is. This is my Truth, and I’m sticking to It!!

Grateful Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

There is but One Power – we call It by many names, but It is so much more than that. This One Power resides in every corner of the Universe. Every corner is Its own Self. It resides within me as well.

As I breathe deeply and accept this Truth, I feel all judgment and fear dissipate with my outgoing breath. The Peace I am is now revealed. I feel it within me and all around me. In Peace I celebrate the activities I see in my world – my own and those of others. I know they are all a reflection of my thinking/feeling nature. I am filled with Peace, so I see and experience Peace, and this is good, very good.

I am so grateful for the consciousness of abundance. I know this is an abundance of all good things, including the deep peace of my soul. I am grateful to take responsibility for my part in walking in the right direction, and being an emissary of Peace.

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

Trust

Friday night was the closing party for our Summer Conference at Asilomar. What an awesome, history-making week it has been! Religious Science International has changed its name to International Centers for Spiritual Living, and we have officially voted to participate in the integration process, bringing what was once one organization that became two in 1954, back together. We are practicing what we preach – Oneness!

The speakers and workshops were inspirational, the music was incredible, the food delicious, and the grounds beautiful. It was great fun to talk with friends I haven't seen for years, and meet many new ones. I am so glad I attended!

I have a notebook full of talk ideas from the notes I've taken. To synthesis all these ideas into a smaller package for this Friday Message, I'd have to say the main theme was Let go of separateness and Trust the process.

If we are feeling anything that is not Love .. we believe we are separate. If we are feeling angry, resentful, victimized, left out, abandoned or feeling like "they" (whether "they" is people or the environment) are against us, we have separated ourselves from Love.

How do we move back into Love? We pay attention. We find something to be grateful for. There is so much. We can be in awe of the mystery of how our body works … how our mind works … the wonder of communicating with others with our bodies, minds, hearts and Spirits. We can be in awe of our ability to choose what we desire to experience and the mystery of Principle at work in our lives.

We remember God is Love – and Love is everywhere we are, therefore it is impossible to be separate. We can let go and trust the process.

A wonderful song by Erika Luckett, one of this week's musicians, had this line: "If we're not in awe, we're not paying attention." I just looked up to see the tree outside our room window filled with little birds. They are living in a separate reality, yet it is integrated with ours. This is the way it is with the people in our lives – at our work, at home and at play. They have their own reality, yet it is integrated with ours. How awesome it is to let go of feeling separate and to trust the Loving Intelligence within them and within ourselves.

Dr. Ernest Holmes, the founder of our organization, said over and over: "There is a Power for Good in the Universe, and you can use It." This is our Truth. Together, we are creating the lives we want to live and making the world a better place.

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

I acknowledge the One Mind out of which all unmanifested energy becomes manifest. The One Mind that is infinitely intelligent and unconditionally loving. The One Mind that is everywhere present and all powerful. I am using this Mind all the time. There is no way I could not. Though my thoughts and feelings, my world is created.

I now let go of any feelings of being separate. Right where I am, God is, and where God is, all is well. Since God works through me effortlessly attracting who I think I am and what I think my life is about, I declare that I bring a fresh, new consciousness of Love into my life and into every place I am.

There is nothing in me to support separation. I was created to enjoy Life. There is only One Life, that Life is God's Life and this is the life I am living. It expands in me and my heart knows Oneness.

How grateful I am to be able to let go of the belief in separateness and to trust the process! How grateful I am to recognize myself as Love!

I now release these words into the Law of Mind, knowing they are already done. And so It is.

NOTE: Lynne Mc|Taggart, author of The Intention Experiment, is hosting a WORLD PEACE INTENTION EXPERIMENT on September 14th. Please go to her website to find out more, and participate if you'd like! www.theintentionexperiment.com/peace/

Change

This morning some friends and I get on the road to Asilomar. I'm excited! Asilomar is a state run conference ground in the Monterey/Carmel area of Northern California. It is incredibly beautiful. One walks among tall stately pines out to a sand dune filled beach. I love the smell of sun drenched pine. The coastline, whether it is foggy or sunny, is gorgeous. In this beautiful setting it is Sunday all week long. Imagine hearing powerful talks, taking workshops, attending chapel, and yoga, and meditation groups. In the evening there is music, dancing or quiet coffee areas. Also imagine your bed being made, and all your meals being cooked for you. Nothing to do but soak up the atmosphere! Ahhhhhhhhh.

Before I moved to Canada, I attended 17 years in a row. I've been twice since 2000, and this year was an absolute must! This will be the last year our annual conference is held at Asilomar. This is why I had to attend this year. It will be a powerful week, and there will be a palpable poignancy as the week draws to a close. Dr. Holmes did his famous Sermon at the Sea at his last Asilomar and it will be presented again at our last.

In the coming years this conference will move around the world. It will take on new meaning, and bring new Light to the places it is held. I am looking forward to this next adventure.

Many of us have experienced a feeling of change in our own lives. The nature of Life is transformation, over and over again. We all have had things in our lives we thought would be there forever … our parents for instance … or our ex. We have fond (or not so fond) memories of people and experiences, and when they start to transform it is sometimes painful. We want to resist, we want to hold on. However, one thing we are guaranteed - nothing ever stays the same.

This is why it is so important to be fully present in every moment. This moment right now that you are reading my message – it will never be here again. Yes, you might read the message again, but the atmosphere around you will be different. As the Hawaiians say "You can't step in the same ocean twice." When we are not present, Life goes by anyway … we can't stop it to daydream or be concerned. Life is a Now experience – and it is a gift – The Divine Present that never stops giving.

This week, I am going to remind myself to be present and gratefully experience the last Asilomar. I KNOW it is going to be a good one! I invite you to be present in your life as well. The Truth is Change is the nature of GodLife, and change is good. Accept the constant newness of The Divine as your daily gift, and be grateful!!

Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

The I Am That I Am is fully present within me. I celebrate this awareness. I let the Truth of It flood my being. I feel the Power and the Love. I am aware of the Infinite Intelligence and perfect Grace.

Love blesses me as I choose to live in the present moment. I let go of trying to hang on to the past. I let go of resisting change. I know with God all good things are possible in my life. I choose wisely what I want to experience and anything unlike good is released from my subjective mind.

My life is filled with love, peace and joy because my life is God's Life.

I now choose to accept the gifts of The Divine. I gratefully stay in the present moment, honouring all that shows up as a reflection of the God consciousness within. God is good, and all is well in my life.

I release these words to the Law of Mind, knowing they are already so. I have revealed my Truth, and this is good. And so it is.

NOTE: Lynne Mc|Taggart, author of The Intention Experiment, is hosting a WORLD PEACE INTENTION EXPERIMENT on September 14th. Please go to her website to find out more, and participate if you'd like! www.theintentionexperiment.com/peace/

Birthdays !

Last night I went through a huge box of pictures I have been carrying around for quite awhile. Some were so old I couldn’t remember all the names of the people in them. Some pictures are faded and almost look antique. Many are pictures of people who have “changed address” as the Hawaiians say. All were images of experiences frozen in time that evoked memories.

The thing that fascinated me the most is that I was pretty! I have always thought I was plain. I have seen these pictures before and never noticed that. Why didn’t any one ever tell me? Well, they probably did – but I didn’t hear it. I thought my sister and Mother were beautiful. They knew they were beautiful and acted like it. I wanted to look like them.
For awhile I wrestled with the idea I had missed something … that if I had known I was pretty when I was younger, life somehow would have been different. Then once again I realized how evact consciousness is. I always “thought” I was plain, and so that’s what I saw. My Mother and sister “thought” they were beautiful and so they were.

I was looking through those pictures because tomorrow is my 60th birthday. I had been going through the “oh my gawd how could I have gotten so old” syndrome … for some reason 60 seems sooo much older than 59. I was approaching this birthday with a little frisson of dread every time I thought of the Big 6 – 0. Then I remembered I’ve been 60 since my last birthday! (At our one year birthday, we’ve already lived a year) It’s been a very good year.
So rather than be disappointed because I never realized I was pretty when I was younger, or dismayed because I am now in my 60’s, I decided to change my thinking. I re-read my favourite writing on birthday’s … it’s by Dr. Robert Bitzer, one of the Greats of Religious Science.

“I love birthdays. They have nothing to do with age or getting older. They represent milestones of progress and degrees of growth in wisdom. Years do no make us older; thought does that if we let it.
The greatest event in our life was our birth. A tremendous comic push literally catapulted us from the womb. This God thrust has been a continuous mighty force in our life ever since. Our self-evolution takes us on an upward spiral in our soul’s expansion. Each year as we go over the spot on our spiral that registered our birth, we receive a new cosmic thrust from the same originating mind; inspiration and power for a new year, new life, new expansion. Nothing of the past year is included in the spiral; only that which is ahead of us. We are always the product of our self acceptance.
We came from God, we are still in God and always will be life. This should be our eternal remembrance. The longer we live the more things we have to forget. Progressive souls rise above mistakes, failures and frustrations. Such beliefs and experiences are cast out of consciousness. Those that cannot, or will not, detach themselves from mistakes and negation, become subject to the burden which false beliefs impose.
An ancient teaching affirmed that our positive, constructive attitudes register in our consciousness as light. The Infinite recognizes us only as shining light. Failure and negation are not recorded. Only our sincerity and integrity, revealed as light, has nay permanence. We are accountable for our progress and what we do accomplish. “Thou, God, seest me perfect. How do YOU see yourself on your birthday?”

How do I see myself on my birthday? As I looked through those pictures I was reminded of what a good life I have lived, full of love, and good friends. I’ve had wonderful experiences, traveled to amazing places, interacted with awesome people. I’ve gotten to do what I’ve wanted to do most of my adult life. I am so very grateful!

Years ago, when I was first getting into Religious Science, I took a class that included making a treasure map. On it I put some words I had decided would be my epitaph: “Her life was better than most people’s fantasies.” And so it has been – and it’s not over yet!!

Thank you all for being a part of my life. You are part of what has made my life so magnificent!

Grateful Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

Divine Love flows throughout the universe from the one Source that is infinitely intelligent. This Intelligence is my Lifeforce. It has always been, and always will be.

Today I celebrate re-birth. I open my self to the Divine Flow and let It make all things new. My body is refreshed, my mind is cleared, my heart is clean.
As I step into the newness of Life, I do so unimpeded by old beliefs. I live in the Light and it feels so good. I am so grateful for my expanding consciousness.

The other day I was driving over the Port Mann bridge, through the traffic, and starting thinking about the plan to twin and toll the bridge. I wondered if this solution would really be a solution, or whether it would just cause more problems. I thought about the years it was going to take to build the project and the traffic tie-ups it would cause. And being one who uses the bridge every day, the future didn't look pretty at all!

Suddenly a Telus van appeared out of nowhere, forcing its way into the line of cars in front of me. On the rear of the van, in huge letters I read:

The future is friendly.

I started laughing. How delightfully the Universe brings me back to front and center!!

I had been going down a mental road of how awful things were going to be! I know I'm not the only one that does this.

Ernest Holmes wrote "Life is for us and never against us." This is a great thing to remember when we start going down the "isn't it going to be awful" road.
The future is friendly. What a great affirmation!!


SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

I recognize the Source of all possibilities and power. This is God, the Infinite Good. This Good is visible in my life right now.
Good operates at the very centre of my being and is in action in every area in my life. This is my Truth. No longer do I live in fear of what might happen. I know the future is friendly.

I eagerly anticipate the delightful experiences I am attracting by knowing God has only my highest good and greatest joy in Mind. Life is good and the future is friendly!

With a grateful heart I accept this Truth and celebrate It's working as Law in my life. And So It Is.

Last week both the United States and Canada celebrated their birthdays. No matter what we did to celebrate our respective holidays, the underlying reason for the celebrations is Freedom. Yet when one turns on the TV, or reads the local paper, it seems many freedoms are being legislated away, and that freedom is something people are suffering greatly to have.

Ernest Holmes writes about Freedom in the glossary of the Science of Mind: "Real freedom means that we are created in the image of perfection and let alone and allowed to make the discovery for ourselves. Freedom of will means the ability to do, day and think as one wishes; to express life as one personally desires.
"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free," Jesus taught. The understanding of Truth – Infinite Principle – is the emancipator. We are bound by our very freedom; our freewill binds us. The Universe, being deductive only, cannot refuse us anything. The very force that makes us sick can heal us. As we realize our Oneness with Creative Mind, we are released from the bondage of false thinking. We see too, that freedom means liberty but not license."

I've always liked the phrase "The Truth shall set you free." However, as Sue Monk Kidd, author of the spiritual memoir The Dance of the Dissident Daughter writes "The truth might set you free, but first it will shatter the safe, sweet world you live in."

Perhaps this is what is happening around us. Old paradigms are dying – new ones are being born. Nothing is the same as it was "back then" nor should it be.

What is this Truth that shall set us free? Holmes tells us it is the understanding of Infinite Principle – and for me, that Principle is "It is done unto us as we believe." There is an inherent belief in individual freedom – it is a soul-longing. As we let go of the old paradigms that include the idea that "they are doing it to us," and accept our Oneness with Creative Mind, realizing we have choice at every moment, we will be part of the creation of liberty for all.

Thank God for Freedom!!

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

We live in an infinite field of creative potentiality. This Field is the originating Energy of the Universe. It is everywhere present, all powerful and all knowing. It is around us and within us. It is God.

I now declare my intention to live in a peace filled world. I am grateful I choose to live in a part of the world where this Divine Idea is easier to manifest than in others. I now take responsibility for knowing Peace for all my brothers and sisters, no matter where they live, or whether they are animal, mineral or plant. I consciously recognize our Oneness.
I am grateful to know the Truth – there is only One God, one great creative Energy at work in, through and as all of us – and I declare we have come to a place in consciousness where this Truth sets us free.

I release these words into the Law of Mind, knowing they are done in my life, and in all life. And so it is.

Here's a message from an Austin Street church marquee in Coquitlam:
"Anything worth worrying about is worth praying about."

Who among us hasn't spent a sleepless night worrying about something!?! And how quickly did we turn from worry to prayer?
… need I say more?

Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT
I acknowledge the powerful Presence of The One – one mind, one heart, one body. I live in this body, use this mind and am nurtured by this heart.

Today I declare "I let go of my need to worry." As I do my spiritual practices, I reinforce my conscious awareness of my True Nature, and realize there is nothing to worry about.

Today I declare that in the future I will turn to prayer first, knowing how powerful it is.

Gratefully I celebrate the Law of Mind, letting these intentions become part of the fabric of my subjective mind, and this is good, very good. And so It is.

Dr. Holmes writes in the Science of Mind:
"In the Subjective Mind of man, we find a law obeying his word, the servant of his spirit."

How many of us can approach Principle as if It were our servant?

I've never had a servant, however I have had cleaning ladies … (and once a cleaning man). I leave a note on the counter in the morning and expect that when I come home at night the work I had requested to be done, will be. And it always is.

Our use of The Law can be as simple as that. It was for Jesus, and he said, "All this that I do, ye shall do, and even greater." For some reason, we don't believe him. It might be because thinking of God as our servant is just too much for us to handle! Why would this great all powerful, everywhere present, infinitely intelligent, unnameable Being want to serve us?!?!

Because it is It's nature to do so, that's why!

Holmes also writes "We are so One with the Whole that what is true of It is also true of us. We are one with unmanifest Substance whose business is to forever take form and we are one with the Law which gives form. The entire order is one of spontaneous being and spontaneous manifestation. The Law follows the word just as the word follows desire. The desire arises from the necessity of the Universe to become self-expressed. The Law follows the word. The word follows the desire. The word gives form to Substance and the Principle of subjective Law produces the manifestation. There is no effort in the process whatsoever."

There is no effort in the process whatsoever! We don't have to be "good little boys or girls", we don't have to make sacrifices, we don't have to sit in a certain position, or say certain words. We speak our word, paying attention to the outcome we desire, and let it go. That's it. The Law, as our servant, does all the work.

Let's say we're looking for a job. We get an idea of what sort of job we'd like to have and the qualities it holds for us. We get a picture in our mind of ourselves doing the work. We release it to Spiritual Law, knowing our right and perfect job will present itself to us. Then with an attitude of expectancy, we let it go. Before we've even finished expressing our desire, the Law has gone to work for us. We can trust it.

Our problem is that we don't believe it's this easy. Instead of anticipating going to work, we start to doubt the Law. We become focused on the "What if's … what if it doesn't work, what if I can't find a job, what if I can't pay my bills, what if I lose my home, etc." Unfortunately, focusing on the "what if's" brings more to worry about. The Energy goes where the attention flows.

This week let yourself command the Law with a sense of authority, and a willingness to let it be done for you. There is no effort in the process whatsoever! You, Blessed One, have a Divine Right to command the Law.

Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

There is a Power for Good in this Universe and I can use It. This Power is absolutely everywhere, including within me. It is ready and able to honour my requests, fulfill my requirements, and guide me along my Path.

I celebrate my deepening awareness of this Truth. I realize the Law is working through me at all times. I now choose to focus on the good I desire instead of the "what if's". I release fear back into the nothingness. I let the Law work for my highest good and greatest joy.

I declare that every area of my life reflects The Power at work. This is good, very good. I am so grateful for my awareness of my part in the co-creation of my universe. I celebrate my use of The Law.

I release these words into the Law of Mind, knowing they are already so. And So It Is.

Another bit of inspiration from a 200 Street church marquee:

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers."

So many of us are afraid of fear. Because we're afraid of feeling it, we can't help but focus on it, letting it play over and over again in our minds, getting bigger with every repetition, until it becomes so big, we make ourselves sick or attract an accident or some other uncomfortable experience. Yet fear is just a part of the human experience. It is what our ancient brain developed to keep us safe – what propelled our flight or fight experiences.

Today's fear is about the future – Fantasized Events Appearing Real. Once we understand this, we no longer need to let it immobilize us. We can acknowledge it, and move forward.

How do we do that? Preventative maintenance!! We do our spiritual practices – meditation, Spiritual Mind Treatment, paying attention, being grateful, etc., on a daily basis. We refuse to focus on that thing that is making us afraid.

What about when we are in the middle of a fear-filled experience you might ask –a difficult medical diagnosis, a breakup, lack of funds, etc.? If you have been doing your spiritual practices, you already know there is an Infinite Intelligence working for and through you. You can pray and trust! If you haven't been doing them, you can still pray and trust. Courage is fear that has said its prayers. Courage starts in our hearts and this is where Spirit resides.

Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

Gratefully I celebrate the powerful Presence that is within us all. It is infinitely intelligent, unconditionally loving, and serves us through our use of the Law of Attraction.

I know life happens as I believe and feel it will. I acknowledge my fear – but do not dwell in it. As I breathe deeply and center myself in God Life, fear disappears. I KNOW who I am, Spirit in form.

I choose health, wealth, creativity and love. The whole experience of The Divine, everything I experience with my senses and more, is embodied in my subjective mind, and as I live my life from a deep centered place, I know Divine Mind is assisting me in wise choices and the release of fear.

How grateful I am that my life is God's Life, and it is reflected in my world. I release these words into the Law of Mind knowing they are so. And so It is.

Our Thursday morning book group is working with Lynn Grabhorn's "Excuse Me Your Life Is Waiting." This sentence jumped out at me yesterday:

"I don't need conditions to change to be happy."

At various times in my life, I've spent time in the land of "if only" …and I'll bet you have too. If only I could loose weight. If only I could find a better job. If only I'd win the lottery. If only my mate was different. If only it wasn't raining. Those statements are filled with the feeling that everything would be better in our lives or we'd be happy .. if only.

Truth be told, I spent a bit of time in the land of "If only I'd lose weight my clothes would fit better" last Sunday. I ended up getting more and more frustrated as I tried on one thing after another. That is not the way I want to start my sacred service on a Sunday morning! I was able to breathe my way out of it. And what a freeing feeling to read "I don't need conditions to change to be happy." My weight is a condition – granted it is a condition of my consciousness – and that's another article all together – but it is not WHO I AM. Disease is a condition – not who we are. Money, jobs, mates, etc., are all conditions – they are what we are experiencing –not who we are!!

Who we are is intrinsically happy – who we are is an expression of The Divine. As Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French Jesuit priest, paleontologist and philosopher said "Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God."

A wonderful thing is – as we allow ourselves to be happy regardless of conditions – the conditions change. They come into alignment with the Truth of our Being. And this is a very good thing!

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

I recognize the Perfection of the Universe. It is Joy in its purest form. It fills me up and moves through me with grace and ease. It is my life.

Today I release all feelings of unease around the conditions of my life. I only know Joy. I open my heart to celebrate this Joy and share it with everyone I meet. I feel it flowing through every atom of my being.

As it does, my body is made whole, my relationships are more loving, my work is soul-satisfying and my financial life is fulfilling. Regardless of the conditions surrounding me, Joy is my true nature. I am happy and at ease.

Gratefully I release these words into the Law of Mind knowing they are already so. And so It is.