A Season for Change

I don't like the word repent.  I'm not sure when this started.  It could have been as a child when I watched the movie Polly Anna and Karl Malden was yelling from the pulpit about repenting.  Or it could have been when my childhood Priest was talking to my Sunday school class about repenting, oblivious to the fact that his cigarette ashes were falling on the clean floor.  Or maybe it was when I was at a school friend's funeral several years ago and the minister took the opportunity to preach for 20 minutes about sinners and repenting.  I guess it was the sum of all these occurrences that left a bad taste in my mouth when I would say or think repent. Of course, that was before I walked into a Unity church.

In Unity repent is "a reversal of mind and heart in the direction of the All-Good, God." (The Revealing Word)  In Webster's Dictionary one definition is "to change one's mind about some past action, intention, etc.."  True repentance means the change of the mind and all its contents from materialism and reaching for spiritual things.  In order for us to build a spiritual consciousness, we need to rid our minds of the beliefs and habits of our lesser nature.

Unity uses denials and affirmations as tools for removing error beliefs and building the consciousness with Truth.  Through denials and affirmations we are releasing the thoughts which prevent our conscious alignment with the divine idea of life, and affirming the thoughts which promote such an alignment.  Denials and affirmations change our perspective within and without.  We look at ourselves as children of God; inheriting God's gifts of love, peace, joy and happiness.  Our outside world looks different, too.  We don't "sweat the small stuff" as much and look at the world through a larger lens.  Our perspective has changed within our being and our surrounding world.

The Lenten season is A Season for Change.  It's a time for releasing and renewing; a time for spiritual growth and enlightenment.  As we release (deny) what no longer serves us and renew (affirm) the glory of God within us, we repent or change our perspective. We realize that God, the Almighty, is everywhere present in our lives at all times.

Take the time to change your perspective or repent this spring.  You will feel the changes within and see the changes without.  God's Love and Light will be your constant companions.

Namaste

Spring Cleaning

The first day of Spring is a few days away.  The trees and flowers are starting to bloom and the days are getting warmer.  It's time for Spring Cleaning!

It's time to open up the windows and release stale and stagnant air.  It's time to remove the clutter and the items that we no longer need. 

While we are spring cleaning our outer world, we can spring clean our inner world. Take time to review your life. If your life is not filled with health, wealth and happiness, then you need to do some spring cleaning.  Remember the outer conditions of your life will always be in direct correlation with your inner state - like begets like. James Allen stated in his book As a Man Thinketh that "Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are."

Jesus stated in Matthew 7: 16-17 "Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?  In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit."

Remove all that no longer serves, whether it's beliefs, thought patterns, negative emotions, giving power to things other than God. Take inventory and use affirmations to clear the mental trash that is cluttering your soul. 

As we spring clean our inner world we make room for God.  We are here to give expression to God.  God is working out His plan in us and through us.  God's life is unfolding individually through us; it is important that we do what we can do and should do. 

So as we Spring Clean our outer world, we need to Spring Clean our inner world.  Remove all trash and clutter and move towards a fuller expression of God. 

Namaste

Our Own Pot of Gold

The other day I was in a card store picking up birthday cards and I noticed a section of green - St. Patrick's Day cards.  A vision of rainbows, leprechauns and pots of gold came into my mind.  It came to me that we don't  need  leprechauns for pots of gold, we have our own - the Christ within.

In Luke 17:21 it states "...the kingdom of God is within you" and 2 Corinthians 6:16 "...For we are the temple of the living God."  Theses two verses state that the Spirit of God lives in us.  Many are unaware of this truth. Their lives are filled with lack and limitation, fear and hate, envy and jealousy.  In reality God lives in us," which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."  (Colossians 1:27)

What does this mean to us? Eric Butterworth puts it beautifully in Discover the Power Within "Christ in you is your hope of glory, for it is that of you that is God and is God being projected into visibility as you.  Christ in you is your own spiritual unity with the Infinite, the key to your health and success."  God is life, love, power, strength, abundance, so His presence in us (as the Christ) is the source of these qualities or ideas that will manifest in our mind, body, and affairs.

God's unlimited abundance of health, happiness, joy, finances, peace and love lives within all of us.  In prayer and meditation we consciously connect to God.  As we listen to God, the "still small voice", we unlock the door and allow the qualities of God to flow through our being.  We incorporate God's qualities of life, love, power, intelligence into our lives.  God's unlimited abundance flows through us each day.

Which would you rather have: a leprechaun's single pot of gold or God's unlimited supply?
I chose God!!

Namaste