Trust, Belief, Faith and Knowing

Recently, I was exercising on the elliptical at my local gym and, as usual, I had a paperback book to read. Upon leaving, I realized I had forgotten my book. I went back to the machines and even checked the restroom, but the book wasn’t there. So I asked the young lady at the desk if it had been turned in, which it wasn’t, and to let me know if it turned up. She took my name and telephone number to call me, and I did a Spiritual Mind Treatment on the way to the car that the book would be safely recovered. It was a library book, and it’s expensive if lost, but possible to replace more cheaply.

After a few days, when she didn’t call, I ordered a replacement from Amazon. The next time I went to the gym, she smiled as I came in and said, “I have your book.”

So I realized....I had lost faith. The Spiritual Mind Treatment went to work as soon as I declared it, but I didn’t have patience. I didn’t trust the treatment would work, and I ordered the book. Meanwhile, the treatment had been activated and book recovered.

So this is a small thing, right? Why bring it up? Because sometimes a demonstration isn’t immediate. Sometimes it’s working and we don’t know it. And in my case, my trust in the process had eroded. It was a small thing but caused me to really examine my relationship to affirmative prayer and Science of Mind.

I’ve been having a number of physical challenges this year, everything from sleep apnea, urinary tract infections, cataracts, intestinal infection, dental issues, a leg injury and to top it off, a broken toe. Then anxiety about all this and other issues around aging swirled around in my head until insomnia kicked in. So sometimes I feel like a basket case. Too much monkey mind; too much anxiety and fear.

So I decided to immerse myself in the teaching; I’m taking SOM 103 with Reverends Kathy and Jessica, and it’s bringing me back to basics. Even though I’ve taken these classes before, and even become an ordained minister. I’m finding fresh inspiration in reading again about the Principles of Successful Living, Mental Equivalents and the Law of Attraction, Spiritual Mind Treatment and meditation.

It’s not enough to simply declare our intention with our objective mind. We must work at it until the subjective mind, our unconscious mind, believes what we say. I can declare: “There is One Supreme Intelligence which governs, guides and guards, tells me what to do, when to act and how to act.” But it’s not enough to just say it: I must know it, see it, feel it and BE it; If I do this every day I can build my trust, my belief, my faith in the creative process.  Only then can I get to truly KNOWING the Truth.

Meditation helps, because this is when we can quiet the mind, relax the body, and be open and receptive to Spirit. This little book, “The Joy of Meditation,” offers different ways to meditate. I like "Letting Go With Balance.”

First, I sit in the silence and periodically let go of, and release, every problem, all fear and anxiety, until I feel a sense of freedom. Then in the second part I interject the silence with declarations that God is able -- able to heal each and every concern. With this meditation I’m working to let go of all those monkey mind anxieties, and accept my highest good. As I practice this, my goal is a more balanced, healthy life.

And so it is.

Let's Tidy Up

This month’s theme at the Granada Hills Center for Spiritual Living is “Prosperity, Abundance, Wealth.” Living in my home for 43 years, raising a family, being a wife and then a mother, and then living alone for the past 10 years, I see the material evidence, certainly, of abundance.

An abundance of stuff. I’ve decluttered at different intervals, but there’s still a lot of stuff in the house...stuff I don’t really use or need.

I recently embarked on another decluttering mission, and ended up with 12 boxes of clothes, shoes, purses, books, a straw hat and a wedding dress waiting for a truck for the take away.

I came across a little graphic novel, “The Life-changing Manga of Tidying Up, A Magical Story,” by Marie Kondo. The heroine, 29-year-old Chiaki, is living in the midst of immense clutter. She signs up for a tidying lesson with Konmari, who promises tidying up will change Chiaki’s life and fill it with joy.

Chiaki needs first to visualize her ideal lifestyle and how tidying up can dramatically change her life. Konmari says material things need to be functional, informational, emotional, or possess rarity, but most important...they must spark joy. Take each item in hand and ask: Does it spark joy when I touch it? Is this something that’s going to make me happy?

The novel proceeds with various tips:  Fold clothes rather than hang, and fold with gratitude for the way they protect you. Unread, neglected books that don’t bring joy are discarded. Store so things are easily accessible.

Sentimental items are last. The principle here:  Your life now is more important than memories of the past. What really matters is not the past but the person you have now become, thanks to those past experiences.  Space can now be used NOT for the person you once were, but for your future self.

Once the home is filled with only things that spark joy, it becomes a joyful place. Real life begins. Konmari says if people are unable to discard things, they are either attached to the past or afraid of the future. So tidying up can set ourselves free.

By clearly identifying our own joy point, she says, we can gain confidence and trust in our own future.  Space opens up for positive things to happen out of the blue, to have different experiences and more.

So I realized: 12 boxes is not enough. There is a whole lot of remaining stuff that doesn’t spark joy, that’s attached to the past, and can be discarded. Then I have the space, the mindset, the clarity,   and confidence for Spirit, as Ernest Holmes says, to manifest an abundance of whatever I need to make my life NOW happy, opulent, and joyful.

And so it is.

Come From Away

I saw segment on TV recently reporting on tourists going to Gander, Newfoundland where people are “nice.” Imagine that.  “Being Nice” is a tourist attraction, an antidote to all the negativity and non-niceness surrounding us on a daily basis. Particularly in the media.

Turns out this story is about the Canadian town of Gander, where planes were  rerouted immediately as North American airspace shut down on 9/11. By the end of the day, 7,000  "plane people" in 38 jets were waiting on the tarmac while the Red Cross, town councils and various churches strategized  the logistics of processing, feeding and bedding them down for the night.

Gander is not a huge town, not wealthy, with only basic infrastructure. Yet somehow thousands of stressed visitors of all ages, needs and languages were taken care of for a week after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

People opened their hearts and homes, cooking meals, offering rides, showers, and telephones. They scoured their closets to find, sheets, blankets,  pillows and towels, while stores donated such basics as as toothbrushes and underwear, and the school bus drivers, then on strike, paused to help out.

Ten years later, two Toronto writers. Irene Sankoff and David Hein visited for the Gander anniversary celebration, and were inspired by the dancing, music and the stories to write a script for a musical called Come From Away,

“Come From Away” is a Newfoundland expression for a foreigner, or someone from beyond the province. The musical articulates the compassion and kindness Newfoundlanders showed to strangers from all over the globe during events around 9/11.

The writers interviewed the two mayors, police, volunteers, an airline captain, passengers and others, Characters in the musical speak lines taken directly from those interviews. Before opening in New York, the cast and crew performed two sold-out shows in Gander's hockey arena.

Former Gander mayor Claude Elliott has been quoted: "The tragedy. What they must have been going through — so far away, can't get home, want to be home with their family, and we all got to put ourselves in that position, and that's terrifying...And to be in a strange land."

The musical,  books as well as a documentary, send a message of how kind deeds, and opening our arms to those in need, can improve the world.

Kevin Tuerff, author of a book about his experiences, said: “I think this musical is the jump-start to the heart we need.”  Actor Rodney Hicks, who plays several characters in Come From Away, wants the musical’s feel-good message to travel beyond Broadway. “I believe it’s the universe’s design, really, all we can do is be there and tell the truth every night. This show is bigger than any of us. I want to share this with the world.”

Reviews have been mostly positive. “It’s a necessary balm for this mean time.” Deadline Hollywood.  It’s..”about community; and in this particular community, everyone’s a member..” Huffington Post. “It’s a singing reminder that when things are at their worst, people can be at their best.” New York Daily News.

Ernest Holmes would have loved this musical, because it’s about love.  He writes: “Love is the greatest power in the Universe, it is the basis and the source of everything... Love heals, forgives and makes whole... Unless we learn to love, we can’t get love in return... Love is the central flame of the Universe, nay, the very fire itself...Today, I am immersed in Love. I feel Love as a stream of light bringing Peace and Joy to every area of my life, healing every condition, and bringing harmony to my experience.”

And so it is.

Science and Science of Mind

In Religious Science, we study and apply the principles of Science of Mind developed by Ernest Holmes and his book, The Science of Mind. We learn how to do Spiritual Mind Treatment, and how to use our thoughts, words, actions and feelings as powerful tools to manifest what we desire to experience in life. It’s a metaphysical teaching, and the strength of our belief  propels us forward, knowing that as expressions of God in action, with the cosmic power of Creative Mind flowing to us, through us and for us, we are supported in our dreams and goals.

So could there be a scientific explanation for this? Dawson Church, in his book Mind to Matter, explores scientific research and discoveries that support the concept that the energy fields of our brains are literally creating reality. He examines studies in the fields of biology, physics, psychology, epigenetics, electromagnetism, wave phenomena and quantum mechanics that demonstrate how thoughts can be creative.

The idea that our individual local minds are part of the universal nonlocal mind is examined from the scientific viewpoint, supporting what we already know: we are individualized expressions of the One Source, the One Power, and we can use that power to transform our lives.

We may be able to heal ourselves because the body is constantly regenerating, replacing cells and rejuvenating itself at a frantic pace. Every second, 810,000 cells are being replaced...in blood vessels, digestive tract, heart, brain, eyes and more. And they regenerate in an energy field. The type of energy field bathing our body and in which cells regenerate determines biological outcome.

So what kind of energy fields drive the best outcome? Church  concludes, and various studies support, that when we create mental, emotional and spiritual fields of love and kindness, we provide a healthy energetic ecosystem in which our bodies regenerate.

So we need to lower our stress levels, shift our consciousness to cut our cortisol levels, and direct our mental state in a positive direction to effect healing. For example, the“bliss molecule” anandammide,  generated by meditation, has been shown to inhibit the formation of cancer cells. If we can shift and maintain positive mental states for a few weeks, then trillions of cells can be shaped by them.

In the laboratory, some of the electromagnetic frequencies that stimulate healthy cell growth are the same fields which can be generated by our consciousness on our brains.  Church looks especially at brain waves theta, alpha, gamma and delta. He teaches workshops on EcoMeditation, to train our brains in a particular ratio of brain waves to achieve a peak state.

EcoMeditation is based on best practices from a variety of disciplines, such as Heartmath, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique tapping), and Neurofeedback. (One EcoMeditation source of instruction can be found at: https://annesiret.com/eco-meditation/.)

We’re fortunate here at the Center to have workshops on meditation and Mindfulness. The scientific spin from Church’s book, Mind to Matter, can prod us to add these practices to our daily routine.

And so it is.

The Power of Vision

A recent Wall Street Journal article reminded me of the power of vision. The article, “Schwarzenegger Recalls the Good and the Bad,” by Chris Kornelis, recounts Arnold Schwarzenger’s careers and how having a vision has been key to his success.

His two terms as governor of California and sci-fi film icon status as “The Terminator” are the best known of his successes. He’s also been a real estate investor and was a millionaire even before his rise as a film star.

The article reports that Schwarzenegger says “his best and worst bets have had less to do with writing checks and more to do with investing his time and effort in getting ahead -- as well as having a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve and preparing for a job.”

As a teenager in Austria, he saw videos of the U.S.. with the Golden Gate Bridge, Empire State building, huge highways, big Cadillacs with the big wings in the back. He decided he wanted to come to America and his ticket was through bodybuilding. He began to train, joined the Austrian army, and continued to train -- always set on moving to America. After winning Mr Universe age 20, he was invited to train in the U.S. by Joe Wieder.

“Coming to America opened up all the doors that I didn’t even think about,” he says. “My movie career happened, and then my political career and the money, the millions I made, it goes on and on. Everything I have accomplished in life is because of America.”

He says he made it to America because he had a vision. As a teenager he visualized  himself on stage winning Mr. Universe and using that as entree to America.

“The No. 1 lesson of being successful is having a vision,” he says. “Because when you have a vision of where you want to go in life and what you want to be, then it is just a matter of doing the work to get there.” 


He noted one of his worst bets was taking the role in the film, “Hercules in America.”

Since he didn’t speak much English, he was instructed not to talk during the meeting with the producer. But in the film, he was in over his head with no acting training and no emotion behind his memorized lines. This set his film career back a few years.

He advises, “You have to find the sweet spot between having courage and being confident but also knowing that you’re deep into it and you’re not ready for something.” But the experience taught him an important lesson.

“We learn not only just from our success, but we learn actually more from our failures. I really learned to never do anything that you’re not really prepped, overly prepped for. Just like in bodybuilding, don’t go in the competition if you haven’t done the reps. The same is with anything else. Don’t do it if you haven’t done the reps or if you didn’t put the mileage behind it.”

I thought, “There’s an example of Science of Mind in action.” Have the vision. Make it happen. Or as in Spiritual Mind Treatment, “Treat and use your feet.” Think it. Say it. Do it. And the Universe supports you.

As Ernest Holmes says, “...our outlook on life must be transformed by the renewing of the mind, and even when the results are not immediately forthcoming, we must still maintain a calm serenity of thought. We must relight the torch of our imagination by ‘fire caught from heaven.’ We must remain faithful to this vision for a realization of the Presence of God is the secret power of our work.”   

And so it is.

The Spiral of Life

I came across mention of Fred Kofman, author of the new book, The Meaning Revolution...the Power of Transcendent Leadership, in which he argues that  companies can improve long-term growth by helping employees feel that what they do day in and day out makes a difference, that this need to belong and make a difference accounts for some 85% of employee motivation, with incentives such as salary and benefits accounting for only 15%.

The basis is that we have an unspoken and universal anxiety stemming from the fear that our life is being wasted--that the end of life will overtake us when our song is still unsung.

It reminded me of a story about Steve Jobs, convincing the CEO of Pepsi to come to Apple where he, with Jobs,  could make a “dent in the Universe” rather than devote his life to  “sugar water,” And Jobs certainly did make a “dent in the Universe” with his products. such as the iPod and iPhone.

Certainly we don’t want to leave this plane of consciousness with our song “unsung.” But what if we aren’t able to pull it off?  Should that be a major cause of anxiety? Or despair? It seems very limited, very secular, very Earth-bound in its focus. It ignores our spiritual nature, our expressions as spiritual beings having a human experience.

This quote by Ernest Holmes relates to this concept of a “wasted life.”

“The ultimate goal of life does not mean that we shall ever arrive at a spiritual destination where everything remains static and inactive.  That which to our present understanding seems an ultimate goal will, when attained, be but the starting point for a new and further evolution.  We believe in an eternal upward spiral of existence.  This is what Jesus meant when he said, ‘In my Father’s house are many mansions.’ ”

Writer Mark Gilbert interprets the quote this way:

 “Life is about the journey, not the destination. This includes in this lifetime and beyond this experience.

"Reaching some specific goals in this life or the next is a
 very limited way of looking at our spiritual experience.


"The spiral direction reminds us that not only do we go upward, we cannot veer too far from our center.  We may temporarily regress or go backwards, but ultimately life always has an upward direction, even when we think it is not headed that way. 

"The spiral also points out that we may come to what seems to be a similar step in our path as we have traversed before, but we are at a higher turn of the spiral and have a better vantage point and can see and choose what to do from this level of greater experience.



"Finally, there is an acknowledgement that when we do think we have “arrived,” no matter what that looks like, just wait–we are about to launch into a higher adventure.” 


Finding meaning in work is a positive goal. Desiring to sing our song while we still can is another worthwhile goal. It can motivate us to do, be and have what we most long for in this life.

But with a strong grip on the philosophy of Science of Mind, and a deep knowing, we can keep growing and enjoy the journey. We can look to our never ending eternal upward spiral of existence and release any anxiety about a “wasted life.”



And so it is.

Navigating Elderhood Part II

I have been in discussions with Rev. Nancy about developing a fall program focusing on Navigating Elderhood. One interesting resource is Harvey W Austin, M.D.‘s book, Elders Rock!, in which he calls on seniors, or those on that path, which includes all of us, to: “Don't Just Get Older. Become an Elder.”

There’s much more to life than simply aging, he says. We can grow wiser, more compassionate, and become a powerful contributor to the life of our families and the larger community. The world needs Elders, who have been sidelined, ignored and dis-empowered from their traditional roles as the Third Stage of Life, the wisdom givers.

With the development of towns, cities, industrialization and technology, the world view and extensive life experiences of elders have diminished and the three stages of life, Youth, Adult and Elder, have devolved to two stages, Youth and Adult. The Adult stage, with its emphasis on accumulation, exploitation of the planet, and the insatiable quest for more, is bringing the planet to an unsustainable level. Austin sees Elders as a force to bring balance to the world, to dispel the myth that old is not as good as young, and to humanize and heal society..

He acknowledges the reality of the declining body. Yes, I’ve been experiencing it lately. I could use a hearing aid, some dental implants. possibly cataract surgery and Friday night, for the first time, I tried out an APAP machine that blows air into my nose to keep my breathing channels open when I sleep. And all this is just from the neck up.

Austin’s response is “So What?” Elderhood isn’t a soccer game that demands a strong body. “Elder is not an age of life, rather it is a stage of life. It is a way of being. And it is a way of being by choice. Each of us has a choice whether to focus on the declining body, or on the upsurge of spirit that an Elder can exhibit,” he writes. Our beliefs, our perceptions, determine which path we will take. Senile or wise Elder, that’s the choice and the stand we take. He offers a prescription for Elderhood in his book.

Recently in trying to figure out where my skyrocketing heartbeat, high blood pressure and insomnia  were coming from, I decided I was experiencing good old anxiety -- something I decided to call the LAD Anxiety Syndrome. LAD stands for Loneliness, Aging and Death. The doctor said, Oh, that’s a  "phase of life" issue. It's not original to me at all, but typical of this phase of life, especially death anxiety, which is an underlying, universal and basic fear to all humans. It's also a fear we tend to put on the back burner, individually and as a culture.

Austin advises the Elder to confront death, up front and personal, rather than get stuck in denial. Your view might shift, he says. "You may conclude death is not only confrontable, but even an exciting aspect of life." I don't know about that, but as Religious Scientists, we can turn to Ernest Holmes who  says: “The experience of dying  is but the laying off of an old garment and the donning of a new one.” We simply transition into the spiritual realm.

But not yet! Before that happens, there is much that Elders can bring to the world in terms of service, and much we can do to live a life of joy, loving relationships, creative expression, leadership, conflict mediation, social activism and more. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

So those of us at the back end of life, who still have "gas in the tank," as Rev. Mike has said, can start where we’re at, work on ourselves to become the best that we can be, and determine how to share our unique gifts, life experience and wisdom as we navigate this daring adventure of Elderhood.  

And so it is.