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"Perhaps
the simplest way to state the proposition is to say that we are
surrounded by a Mind, or Intelligence, that knows everything; that the
potential knowledge of all things exists in this Mind; that the abstract
essence of beauty, truth and wisdom co-exist in the Mind of the
Universe; that we also exist in It and may draw from It. But
what we draw from It we must draw through the channel of our own minds.
A unity must be established, and a conscious connection must be made,
before we can derive the benefits which the greater Mind is willing to
reveal or impart to us." (pg. 40)
"Since an understanding of any law must pass
first through our conscious mind before we can make use of it, it
follows that with all our getting, we should get understanding.
Should we wish to know a certain truth, we should state that this truth
is already known in Mind and this statement will be true, but the
Over-Mind must be accepted into our mind before we can understand It.
How, then, are we to accomplish the desired result? By stating and
feeling that our mind
knows the truth about the thing we desire to know. In this way we
draw the Infinite Mind into our mentalities, for definite knowledge of
some particular good." (pg. 44) –
Dr. Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind, Introductory Chapter 3
This third introductory chapter of the science of mind is filled
with a practical, intelligent understanding of our relationship with
G-d. It is a sacred relationship in that it is the most important
relationship we will ever have ... here and in the hereafter. We
are immersed in this Intelligence and therefore we must be conscious of
it. We can only use what we are conscious of and no more. To
illustrate this point, think about how different our lives would be if
we had not become conscious of the principles of mathematics? Life
would be difficult at best and in total confusion. This then, is
what has happened to many people who have let the distractions of the
world, keep them from understanding their relationship to G-d and the
way in which this relationship is ruled by principles. This is why
the phrase, "if it is God's will" is so often used ... without
an understanding of the spiritual laws that rule our lives, we so often
give ourselves an excuse, God's will.
From the science of mind: "Each
state of consciousness taps the same source, but has a different
receptivity. Each receives what he or she asks for, according to
her or his ability to embody. The Universal is Infinite; the
possibility of differentiating is limitless. ... Life always becomes to
us the particular thing we need when
we believe that It becomes to us that particular thing.
The understanding of this is the essence of simplicity. As all numbers
proceed from the fundamental unit, as all material forms are but
different manifestations of one formless stuff, so all things proceed
from that which is neither person, place nor thing, but is of the
essence of all things."
And so we know that if we want a greater good,
we must bring into our mind that we have this thing already, and feel
that this is the truth. And we must be definite in the way in
which we think about it, contemplate it and imagine it.
Wishful thinking won't bring it into our experience and neither can G-d
if our mind is filled with doubt and reasons why we don't have it or
can't have it. Mental work is definite and our prayers and
spiritual treatments must be filled with words that bring forth a
definite result. Let's go back to the science of mind: "Let
us restate our Principle. We are surrounded by an Infinite
Possibility. It is Goodness, Life, Law and Reason. In
expressing Itself through us, It becomes more fully conscious of Its own
being. Therefore, It wishes to express through us. As It
passes into our being, It automatically becomes the law of our lives.
It can pass into expression through us only as we consciously allow It
to do so. Therefore, we should have faith in It, and Its desires
and Its ability to do for us all
that we shall ever need to have done. Since It must pass
through our consciousness to operate for us, we must be conscious that
It is doing so."
The way in which we become conscious that
Spirit is passing through our consciousness, is to actively affirm that
It is doing so. And we do this with spiritual mind treatment, also
called spiritual treatment and affirmative prayer. As Dr. Holmes
writes; "the mind must conceive before the
Creative Energy can produce; we must supply the avenue through which It
can work. It is ready and willing. It is Its nature to
spring into being through our thought and action." In
constructing a spiritual treatment, we conceive of what we want;
mentally creating a picture in our mind that elicits the feeling of
having it, and then we put this mental picture and feeling into words
that are definite to create the result which we have definitely chosen to
actualize and experience. This begins the shift in our
consciousness from contemplation to realization; in other words, we
begin to embody it and embrace it.
There is no mystery
involved in what It does. What It does, It does in the
intellectual and the simple minded, the seeming wealthy and the seeming
poor. It is no respecter of persons, as I have stated before, and
most importantly It is not dependent on conditions. No matter what
conditions may exist in our lives at this moment, It will lift us up to
the highest level we can conceive of and embody in our
mind. It will do amazing and marvelous things for us, through us,
as we mentally work definitely toward the good that we desire for
ourselves ... and not be distracted by the things of the world. As
the Master Mind Jesus stated so simply, "it rains on the good and
the bad alike" ... so let us never doubt, and remain ever-faithful,
that the good that we claim as ours, is ours, now.
AND
SO IT IS!
Keep
the faith!
Rev.
Dr. Henry Lee Bates
Visit Rev. Bates BLOG: Living
the Science of Mind
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