Show Yourself
Thoughts From Our Spiritual Director
David Guthrie
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
King James "Authorized" Version
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
New Revised Standard Version (Unity Recommended)
Truly, truly I say to you that unless a grain of wheat falls and dies in the ground it will be left alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it; and he who has no concern for his life in this world
will keep it to life eternal.
Lamsa Aramaic Translation
John 12.24-25
Let me first apologize for those who were disturbed by the title of last week's offering, "A Death in the Family". Upon reading the text you hopefully quickly realized that we were delving into the metaphysical realm of aspects of consciousness. I realize now that some of you believed the title was indicating that one of our beloved congregants had transitioned. For this I do sincerely apologize.
It is interesting that the indication of death draws with such magnetic power. We utilize an e-mail system that tracks the number of recipients that open any particular e-mail. Of all the e-mails we have sent, last week's title prompted a 25% increase in the average number of "opens". Certainly it is good human nature to be concerned when we see a note that indicates someone we know may have passed. Yet we also should feel a little deeper into what is initially a sentiment triggered by fear.
Perhaps if we were more fully Spiritualized we would not feel that instant panic and sense of loss that accompanies an unexpected death notice. Let's face it: unless there is a dramatic shift in both our individualized and the collective consciousness, we are all going to physically expire. This is a truth of our three dimensional realm of reality. These deaths may occur through the process of aging, disease, or accident. They may be sudden and unexpected, or appear quite natural. And, they happen all the time.
Our negative reaction to death arises from our inability to accept our own mortality. That is why it is important to consider our reaction to what appeared to be a death notice. It is the fear of the loss of our own lives that is the basis of all fearful thoughts.
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And when we are reminded of the frailty of life by an unexpected message showing up in our e-mail in-box, the fear trigger is automatically pulled and we instantly create a worst-case scenario and react to our assumption as if it were true.
Take a journey inward. Quiet your mind and bring your full attention to your heart-space. Feel the gentle rise and fall of your breath. Be filled with gratitude in knowing that without the Eternal Nature of God, even this next breath we do not have.
Relax, and go a little deeper. Feel the gentle rhythm of your beating human heart, always giving, never asking. Again, open in gratitude in knowing that this is the rhythm of Life, the rhythm of God. Grow very still, and feel into the Eternal Beingness that is what you truly are. Allow that warmth of Love to comfort you, caress you, and feel the Peace that is you.
Relax deeper, resting in the Presence and Power that you are, and in this state of quiet contemplation, ask yourself, "Do I fear death?" When you are experiencing the Unified Field of Consciousness that is God Itself, in which there is no separation from the Divine Substance from which all Life springs, the answer to this question is, "There is nothing (no thing) to ever fear, for there is only Love!"
Now imagine you are in a state of Unity when you receive a notification entitled "A Death in the Family". There is no assumption that someone has physically passed, especially considering the weekly source of these correspondences. There is no fearful scenario of loss and grief. There is no creation of fictional drama. There is just a calm curiosity and a true compassion urging you to know what is the reality behind this message and if there is an opportunity to serve. Wow! What a difference!
Jesus teaches us that we must have "no concern" for our life in this world so that we may experience Eternal Life. Jesus does not teach that we are to be inhuman and cold. If we could accurately picture this great Spiritual Teacher we would see a vision of full humanness and full Spirituality. As Fillmore chides us to "reveal ourselves to ourselves", so Jesus asks us to give up our attachment to self-identifying with the material realm. Show yourself! Let the true Light that you are come shining through. Do not censure or restrain yourself from being the Powerful, compassionate Spirit that you are. Know the Truth of your Eternal Nature and wipe away the fear of mortality from your Consciousness. Allow yourself to be Unified with the Allness, and stand firm in Faith knowing that whatever you believe, is!
Let's pray: I open in awareness to Christ, that perfect idea of me held in the Mind of God. I open to the experience of Unity, knowing I am the Allness, the Oneness, the Eternal. I let go of my fear of mortality and accept the immortal nature of my true essence. I am the Living Presence of the Living Christ, and I reach out in compassion to all others.
And so it is!
08/01/10 |
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