Give A Little Bit...

God is Love #Unity

I like this quote from Emmet Fox today:

"Practice love everyday and watch your thoughts and watch your tongue, and watch your deeds, that nothing contrary to love finds expression there."

Fear, and its many derivatives, is the absence of love. Where there is fear there cannot be love. Fear can show us as many other different emotions such as envy, regret, impatience, depression, jealousy, anger and resentment (just to name a few). So how can we cure fear? According to Scripture, the idea of God as Love develops into our answer. As it says in 1 John 4:16… God is Love, whoever lives in Love, lives in God. So to abolish fear we must turn our attention to Love. 

If you love God more than anything else, love will be your experience. However once any one thing gains more love than God, that becomes your experience. Have you ever heard of the phrase "Death by 1,000 cuts"? I have struggled in my life with allowing thoughts that are based in fear to pick away at the surface of my consciousness. I would let little thoughts gain more and more power over me and my state of mind. I used to be very afraid to fly. I know that sounds funny, as many of you know I fly quite a bit these days. But this fear was crippling. I would try to escape from it by having a few drinks before flight, but regardless of my preparations, I would be terrified the entire time. One day, I realized how much time and energy I was wasting being afraid. I realized that all the time on the plane that I would spend a nervous wreck, I could be spending in prayer or writing or praying. 

Once I turned my attention from what I was fearing (death) and towards God (Life), my fear began to dissipate. I even created a little song that I would sing to myself to remind me to focus on Love when fear tried to settle in. I now teach this song to my children as I put them to bed, letting them know that they are safe and protected.

Jesus' message was very simple. It was to love. To love God, to love each other and to love ourselves. How will people see this message in action? People will see this love as we demonstrate it to ourselves and to each other. As we go out and love the world, those thoughts, words and actions will cause a shift in consciousness, a little boost. People will know we are loving only by our actions. So go out there and love somebody :) 

God as Truth #Unity #Fast

The second main characteristic of God is Truth. I find that it is easy to get lost in the details of this statement. God is not truthful, like a human is truthful, God is Truth itself. If you have Truth, that is God. I think many people have experienced Truth, even if they don't label it God. God is absolute Truth at all times.  When we focus on God as Absolute Truth, all relative things begin to fade. In the reading today, Emmet Fox states "To know the Truth about any condition heals it. Jesus said, And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32)… Did you get that? To know the Truth about ANY situation HEALS it. That is powerful!

It is important to take time to turn our attention to Divine Truth. When we are dealing with our friends, family and business colleagues, it is important that we see them in the light of Truth. When we see everyone we come in contact with as an expression of God as Truth, speaking and acting from Truth becomes easier and more easily seen. The challenge is to simply focus on the Truth of a situation before engaging in discussions or interrelations. See that Truth dwells within the person you are communicating with and know that they will be acting from Divine Truth.

Let me give you an example. I have to sign a contract with one of my clients. Before my meeting, I close my eyes and mediate on God As Truth and on my client having that Truth within them and knowing that they will act from it. If I truly believe that this is true, the person I am talking to will act from Truth.  Usually someone is not trying to lie to me or withhold information, but often when I do this meditative exercise prior to a meeting information is shared more easily and freely. I have even had clients say "Oh, I almost forgot" near the end of a meeting that provided critical information for the success of the project. I also can sense a little clearer when someone is not telling the truth.

This reminds me of something from a new show that I am enjoying called " Once Upon a Time". The Heroine says that she has a magic power which is that she can tell if someone is lying. I think everyone has this power if they connect with that part of themselves that knows Divine Truth. When we focus on God, we can more easily discern what is right and true, and this is true freedom. When we connect to God, connect to Truth, we are set free.

My thoughts dictate my experience, and if I believe the Truth, God's Truth in a situation, then I believe I will be guided into the right situations and business dealings. I am set free from the fear of being lied to, being in the wrong situation at the wrong time. The Truth will set me free and my heart can be at ease.

 

God's Qualities, Our Demonstration

One of the lessons I have learned from my biblical studies is when anything seems wrong, upsets or angers me that I should simply turn my attention to God. In doing this I focus not on the problem or situation but on the inifite possibilities of God. In my studies I have found that there are certain characteristics that many of the world's religions attribute to the Divine and over the next several days I am going to focus on them.

In a class I took at Metro Life Church, I read a book called "Knowledge of the Holy" by AW Tozer. It was a very impactful book on my spiritual life. 

One of my favorite quotes from the book is this:

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” 
― A.W. Tozer

So what do we think about God? What should we focus on when we turn our attention away from our problems and to God. Over the next few days I am going to look at this questions and examine the qualities of God. I know that as I focus on things, whatever they are, my experience begins to mold to those thoughts. I know this from personal demonstration. So it is with excitement that I turn my thoughts towards these characteristics of the Divine, so that my life may become more of a reflection of those qualities.

 

The first main aspect of God is LIfe. As Emmet Fox said "Joy is one of the highest expressions of God as Life. Which is actually a mixture of Life and Love". Anyone who knows me know that this is exactly how I live. My mantra during yoga is very simply "love". We need to recognize that when we act in depression, sadness, or discouragement, we are not fully alive. Thoughts of lack, depression, anger and fear contract and destroy. It is only the opposite thoughts of love, abundance, peace and joy that can bring a full expression of life in our mind and our bodies. It is then that we can be truly joyful.

 

I see this most in the minds of people around me when I hear things like, "I can't" or "That won't work" or "that'll never happen". These thoughts are then expressed through action and create experience. Why don't we try to think a different way? See how those thoughts become our actions and how our experiences get transformed. Through God we have Wisdom, Knowledge and Happiness, I would think if we begin to turn our minds to these qualities in times of trouble, they will transform and renew our experience. Not easily done, I know.

 

 

 

 

 

Persistence Brings Results

Today I begin the first day of a 21 day fast. I do this fast every year and I look forward to the changes that I experience in my mind, body and soul. Most years I choose to use a devotional of some kind to help me focus my prayer activity during this time of fasting and this year I am choosing to learn from and read a devotional written by Emmet Fox. I enjoy his Unity based teachings and focus on Biblical Principle. Check it out.

Today's reading is about persistence. January is always a time of renewed resolutions and commiting to plans for the year. Right about now we are still going strong with whatever we have started, a new exercise routine, quiet time with God, or eating better. The gyms are all more crowded and my Zumba and Bikram classes are all packed... but within a few months that will change. People will get caught up in life and priorities will shift. Only the truely persistent ones will keep up the practice and see the results. I think this is especially true for our spiritual lives. 

We often get impatient, whether it is with our bodies not changing as fast as we want them to or our prayers not being answered as quickly or in the way we want them to. Our first inclination is to quit, to think "this isn't working". We plant seeds in our lives, only to "dig them up" just to check to see why its taking so long. In doing this, we fail to see the results we desire. We inadvertantly destroy the harvest.

So today I focus on persistence. Being persistent in the practice of those things I desire, whether it is Bikram or Zumba for a healthier body, or Spiritual Enrichment Education classes for my mind and soul. I need to be persistent and not give up. Prayer is the one thing that can change your life. Prayer changes the patterns of thought in your mind and what you think, you beome. With that, if i choose to be persistent in anything, I choose to be persistent in prayer.

I am excited about this Fast and look forward to the new thoughts, and new insights that are part of spending time in the Presence of God.

 

 

 

UnityGirl's Guide to Advent: 2nd Week: Understanding the #Advent #Wreath

Advent: 2nd Week! Understanding the #Advent #Wreath

In this second week of Advent, we light the second candle in the wreath. It occurred to me that not everyone knows what this wreath is, what it is used for, what it represents. I love the power of symbolism. This week we will focus on the symbolism of the advent wreath and the meaning behind its candles.

In the Old Testament, we are told of the advent of Immanuel, or "God with Us".

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

The New Testament realizes this proclamation, with the birth of Jesus Christ.

The Advent Wreath is usually a horizontal evergreen wreath with four candles and often, a fifth, white candle in the center. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent (Which is 4 Sundays before Christmas), the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading and prayers. The 4 or 5 candles that are arranged in a circle symbolizes Christ’s eternity, as a circle has no beginning and has no end. It is also a symbol for God, Who is eternal and thus without beginning or end. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are lit. Some Advent wreaths include a fifth, "Christ" candle which can be lit at Christmas.

The wreath itself means “victory” as Christ’s victory over sin so He can save us. Metaphysically, it represents our victory over error thought (sin) and the power Jesus gave to us when he said "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do". Advent is all about celebrating the freedom that was given to us through the birth and life of Jesus Christ. The evergreens mean He is “ever with us,” they are usually pine branches or holly that are used as a base that represents anticipation, newness, renewal and His everlastingness. The red berries of the holly represent the shedding of Christ’s blood.

The Advent candles mean the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son. This refers to the significance that Christ is the Light of the world. When they are lit, the illumination is to symbolize the Christ of eternity and His coming as the “Light of the World” and our worship and honor of His most precious gift of His Grace and mercy. These candles also have a color theme too, purple, blue, pink or rose and while. The first two or three are purple meaning royalty and this is also the color of suffering and the darkness of sin, connecting Jesus’ birth and crucifixion and His triumph over sin. Blue means sky and life, pink means joy, and white means purity.

TAKE ACTION: Get in the Christmas Spirit! Watch a holiday film! One of my new favorites is Elf, here's one of my favorite quotes: "The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear." Start singing, one of my new favorite songs is called Grateful, but Mary Alessi.

This week we will spend time looking at the meaning of each candle and and how you can use the advent wreath as a reminder of the Christ light within each of us.

The next 5 blog entries will be about:

• The candle of Hope
• The candle of Preparation
• The candle of Joy
• The candle of Love
• The Christ Candle

This is going to be FUN!!!

Love,
UnityGirl

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
Mother Teresa

#Unity Girl's Guide to #Advent: The Candle of Joy!

In honor of the third week of advent, we revisit the meaning behind the advent wreath. Specifically behind the candle we light this week. Why is there one pink candle?

I saw someone kidding around on twitter about this saying "Tomorrow's 3rd Sunday of Advent, when many churches light a pink candle. Know why? 'Cause God really wanted a girl! :)". Seriously though, the church actually does have a symbolic meaning that I think an be applied to our lives in a very practical way.

When the season of Advent was instituted (around 1840) the church viewed it as a mini-Lent, a time for reflection and repentance (thus the purple). In so doing, the church adopted the first four candles of Lent and changed the third candle of Advent to pink in honor of the Lenten tradition of feasting instead of fasting the 3rd week of Lent. This is why we have a pink candle in our Advent Wreaths.

So this is the week to rejoice! In the word rejoice we hear the word Joy, and that is the name some churches have given this week of advent. We light the Candle of Joy as we know the birth of Jesus is very near.

One of the great moments of Jesus' life is when he gave us very specific steps for attaining joy in our lives, the beatitudes. They are like rungs in a ladder that get us closer and closer to being a better reflection of perfect love, kindness and understanding.

1. Blessed are the poor in Spirit. Matt 5:3
Do you think you are perfect? Have done no wrong? Do you think you can do it all by yourself? Jesus' first step to JOY is admitting in our lives that we need God. That we are not alone and that we are One in spirit with our creator. The first step to JOY is knowing that we were created, and through the power of free will we have made choices that don't reflect God.

2. Blessed are they that mourn. Matt 5:4
This is interesting that it comes after an admittance that we cannot do this life on our own. Once we realize this there is a bit of mourning that occurs. We mourn the life we had as we turn to God, we mourn the choices that were made that did not honor God's love or kindness. The second step to Joy, is being sad about the way we used to live, before God was first in our hearts.

3. Blessed are the Meek Matt 5:5
I like this word because it is not what it seems. The root meaning actually comes from a concept similar to taming a wild horse, not so much a weakness of heart or mind. People who are considered meek are those who have been tamed by the love of God, who have had the power of their lives and passions bridled by the power of Kindness, Grace and Peace. God now rules our lives, directs our paths and leads us through life: JOY

4. Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst. Matt 5:6
This is probably my favorite! When was the last time you were starving? In today's society it is hard to imagine or even experience. But in the New Testament times, this was a real possibility for some. That if they didn't eat, they would die! This step to JOY I think is where most of us become a little complacent. Is our love, understanding and reflection of God in our lives and life-or-death thing? I remember watching "V for Vendetta" with Natalie Portman and seeing her go through torture for her beliefs, not even fearing death, because she knew in her heart what was right. After the exercise in the film, her character was able to live completely without fear. Allowing JOY to be a leading emotion. It is interesting to me to think about how many us us, or to be transparent, whether I, under the duress of death or execution would stand up for what we believe in. Interesting to consider.

So as we begin this week, we light the Candle of Joy. We think about these 4 steps to JOY and I invite you to look at ways that you can climb each rung in the ladder.

Take action:
Take a full inventory of the decisions you have made this past year. For it is those very decisions that have created the life you have. Where did you place God in these decisions? Spend some time in contemplation this week and remember that JOY comes from knowing who your God is and developing a relationship. Spend time in the silence of your mind, and listening to the whispers of your innate Divine nature.

Become like a little child: Our Advent Calendar today reminds us to create a Christmas treat (Cookies, Gingerbread house, fruit cake) and then enjoy it with friends and family. The key to this action is to share. :)

Love
UnityGirl

follow me @unitygirl

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
Mother Teresa