“All illumination, inspiration, and realization must come through the self-knowing mind in order to manifest in man. Vision, intuition and revelation proclaim themselves through man’s self-knowing mind.”
-Ernest Holmes

To wrap up this week’s offering of spiritual practices to carry with you I am choosing to end with the practice of visioning. Visioning is a process whereby we purposefully and actively seek to tap in and make ourselves aware of the unlimited flow of the Infinite Mind. It is a practice of allowing, creating a space of receptivity within ourselves. Visioning is a tool we can turn to to find direction in our lives.

“Through prayer , life can become a continuing experience of health, happiness, success, joy, and abundance.”
-Ernest Holmes

Prayer. It is the primary tool we use in New Thought to change our lives. In my branch of New Thought, Religious Science, we use an odd sounding term to refer to prayer. We call it spiritual mind treatment. In the teaching a common test question for students is, “Are prayer and spiritual mind treatment the same thing?” It is, of course, a loaded question. The answer is both yes and no.

“DAILY WE MUST CONTROL ALL THOUGHT THAT DENIES THE REAL; AFFIRM THE DIVINE PRESENCE WITHIN US; then, as the mist disappears before the sun, so shall adversity melt before the shining radiance of our exalted thought!”
-Ernest Holmes

In the quote above, Ernest Holmes is trying to drive in the point by making the majority of it fully capitalized in the writing. I think he was pretty serious about the importance of this concept. While we consider all caps a form of yelling… maybe this is the way we get through. I don’t believe I need to yell, but I will stand strong in my belief that daily affirmation of the divine presence is necessary to release life’s adversities. Our mental approach to life colors the experience of life. So affirmation sets a tone for the expression of our day.

“There’s only one life. That life is God’s life. That life is perfect. That life is my life now.”
-Ernest Holmes

What do you think of when considering the word meditation? Are you like me when I first considered meditation? I could feel the anxiety well up, my heart felt like it was in my throat, my breath would quicken, and the first thought in my mind was, “I can’t meditate, what’s the point?”

That was decades ago, for me, and I am grateful I worked through my anxiety (which in fact was supported by developing a meditation practice). My first knowledge of the practice of meditation was from around age 6. I was visiting my uncle in California, and I recall he had a dedicated space in his home for meditation. I was not allowed to enter that space. I thought it was strange that he would just sit there and do nothing.

“I would rather see a student of this Science prove its Principle than to have him repeat all the words of wisdom that have ever been uttered.”
-Ernest Holmes

Practice.

The actual application of the method.

Moving beyond theory.

To become a living embodiment of the theory through practical application is what is requested of New Thought followers. So this week I am going to offer five practices to try, one for each day.

“The question, ‘What’s in it for me?’ is the internal dialogue of the ego. Asking, ‘How can I help?’ is the internal dialogue of the Spirit.”
-Deepak Chopra

What is yours to do?

I just finished a great conversation with a dear friend and this question is what has come through as a result of that conversation. I have been telling a story for some time now that I had an awakening, an illumination moment in Toronto on Easter 2017 that has led me to this point… the point where I am now. On that date I stated aloud, “what was mine to do here is complete.”