There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree. You can climb it, or you can sit on an acorn! Both are perfectly viable, but one is definitely faster. The other takes the patience of Job! Likewise, there are two ways to move through the Lenten season: Fasting or Feasting! Both are legitimate expressions of spiritual growth, and from a spiritual perspective, we recommend doing both. We just put a little different twist on it.

Let’s start by clarifying exactly what Ash Wednesday is.

Ash Wednesday signifies the first day of Lent, and it occurs on a different date each year, depending on when Easter falls — which is also different each year. Just wait – it gets more confusing! The date of Easter is determined by the date of the Pascal Full Moon. This full moon does not correspond to any astronomical event, but is a historical artifact determined from tables. Once the date of Easter is set, Ash Wednesday falls forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter.

Why is it called Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year’s Palm Sunday are burned, and mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized. This paste is used by the priest who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on each of those present who kneel before him at the altar rail. As he does so, he recites the words: “Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19).  Ashes are viewed throughout Christian history as a symbol of humility and sacrifice for those who wear them.

This is the traditional view, which focuses on sinfulness, sorrow, unworthiness, and repentance.

The Spiritual Perspective

From a spiritual perspective, it is all a little different! Ash Wednesday represents our resolve to deny the power of outer appearance which creates the belief in separation from our True Nature. Throughout the Lenten season, we choose to “FAST” from self-defeating thoughts, choices, attitudes, and beliefs, and FEAST on our affirmation of our oneness with God.

We prefer to substitute sacred oil in place of ashes. By placing a sign of the heart on our forehead with oil, we acknowledge our commitment to cross out error and become one with the Truth of us. We also believe we are living the scriptural teaching of Jesus, when He advised His followers (in Matthew 6:16-18):

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The Metaphysical Interpretation

When our intention is to fast from error thoughts, we will lose face if our abstention is only a façade.  The point is not about whining and demonstrating how difficult it is for you to perform your fast. Rather, a true fast means consecrating the whole body, mind, and soul from a consciousness of love so that our inner cleansing aligns our total beingness with the pattern of perfection that is within us.

From a spiritual perspective, Lent goes beyond Easter. Lent is a spiritual retreat forward, a time of preparation, cleansing, and completion as we fast from error thoughts and feast on our relationship with the Christ within. True Lent is a lifetime of fasting from anything and everything that we allow to separate us from our Christ Nature. So fast from fear and doubt. Fast from worry and thinking you don’t measure up.

You are put here to enjoy life. Use this Lenten season to discover the Kingdom, the power, the rightness within you. You can do it because it’s in your spiritual DNA.

About the Authors: Combine a flair for the dramatic, a deep understanding of metaphysics combined with the teachings of Jesus, and a zest for ministry, and you have defined Revs. Bil & Cher Holton, the dynamic duo who serve as co-ministers for Unity Spiritual Life Center, Durham, NC. This exciting couple bring their love for Truth Principles to everything they do, and work together to create a center that lives its vision and mission in everything it does.They are prolific authors, and share their metaphysical and spiritual principles through their website: http://www.TheMetaphysicalWebsite.com

Check out our special Ash Wednesday Fasting/Feasting Meditation.

I am totally convinced that it is a whole lot easier to love other people than it is to love ourselves! Ever notice how often we just cut ourselves down, find every little thing wrong, and never give ourselves credit for who we are?  Even when someone compliments us, what is the usual tendency? For example: “What a great looking sweater!” We reply, “Oh, this old thing? You’ve got to be kidding! I was thinking of giving it to Good Will!” Talk about a slap in the face of the person giving the compliment!

There is plenty of scripture to support the importance of loving ourselves. Matthew 5:14, Jesus tells us: “You are the light of the world.” He goes on (v. 16) to say, “Let your light shine that others can see your good works glorify your father which is in heaven.” This means, metaphysically, that when we live, move, and have our being from that elevated level of  spiritual consciousness, we cannot hide our oneness with Spirit, because by our very nature, we radiate the Christ light from within. When we allow the Truth of who we are to underwrite everything we do, everyone around us  notices our divine nature, and wants to know more!

Luke 17:20-22 has Jesus responding to a challenge by the Pharisees, who demanded to know when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus said, “The coming of the Kingdom of God isn’t something you can see. The Kingdom of God is within you.” From a metaphysical perspective, this is saying that our human self (the Pharisees) keep looking for answers “out there,” when in Truth, our Higher Self lets us know that the Kingdom of God — our oneness, our Christ Consciousness — is within, readily available and accessible. We are God expressing at the point of us!

If we could even begin to grasp the incredible Truth of who we really are, there would be no way we could ever put ourselves down again! Our job — our challenge — our ADVENTURE — as Truth students and Truth practitioners, is to look beyond the outer appearance  . . .  to really look deep into the depths of the Truth of who we are, and claim our Divinity. Because if we aren’t loving who we are, it’s really tough to be sending love out to others.

Let’s count at least three ways! Love yourself enough to use these spiritual adventures for the week (and beyond) to help you connect with your Christ Self:

Love yourself enough to set aside Personal Quiet Time.

Setting time aside daily for personal prayer and meditation will connect you with the inner core of who you really are, allow you to rejuvenate, and let your light really shine!

Love yourself enough to speak kindly to yourself (Glamour Grammar)

Each morning, pick a different letter of the alphabet and create a powerful, positive word that begins with that letter. Then add the words I AM in front of it to create an affirmation. Next, create a sentence that begin with: Because I am … [and fill in your word ...], I … [and identify an action you are able to do because of this attribute]. (Examples: A: Awesome! I AM awesome! Because I AM awesome, I am able to do everything that is mine to do with ease and grace. C:  Creative. I AM creative. Because I am creative, I find  lots of ways to express my talents that bring me satisfaction as well as income.)

Love yourself enough to take a daily dose of Love Potion 3:16.

Love Potion 3:16 reflects the message of John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

From a metaphysical perspective, John 3:16 says: God, as Absolute Good, is Divine Love personified in, as, and through each of us, as the Christ Principle. (Only Begotten Son). When we come into that awareness (believeth) of our Oneness, we move beyond the illusion of separation and duality — and see through the world of appearance — (shall not perish) and remain eternally one with our Christ Self (have eternal life).

We like to refer to this passage as Love Potion 3:16, because it reminds us how important it is to come into that awareness of ourselves as Divine, as worthy — To move beyond the illusion of separation, and stay connected with our Christ Nature! So we need to take a healthy dose of that awareness every day, and live from that place of Oneness.

(Here is a spiritualized version of that old classic, Love Potion #9, entitled Love Potion 3:16, written by Rev. Cher Holton)

There is nothing – No Thing – ‘out there’ that can separate us from our good or the good we can do. There is nothing – No Thing – that can dampen our love for the Truth except our love for error.

Let’s put the concept of NOTHING – NO THING – in perspective. It is critical for understanding how well-connected we are to Spirit. The powerful concepts of Omnipresence, Omni-potence, Omniscience and Omni-activity have two incredible things in common.

• They all start with the syllable “OM.” Om stands for the Christ as us, the I AM Presence embodied as us. It signifies our indivisible connection with the God of our understanding.
• These three ‘omni’s’ also have the “ni” in common. Ni is short for nihil which signifies nothing. So you see, there is nothing – No Thing – under heaven or earth that can separate you from the all knowing, everywhere present, all powerful, everywhere active nature of God expressing in, through, and as you!

When you come to know that eternal truth, your life will be transformed forever! You will walk more confidently … sleep more peacefully … and live more fully. There is nothing – ‘NO THING’ – that can separate you from the life you want.

Not your past. Not your childhood experiences. Not your bad experiences. Not your most ingrained habits. Not your lost opportunities. Not the old tapes running through your head. Nothing – No Thing – can separate you from your good … except your disbelief in Truth principles and your doubts of your worthiness.

In this moment, re-affirm your worthiness by acknowledging your Oneness. You are God expressing at the point of you … so you have the very nature of the Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omni-activity of God expressing in, as, and through you. Let your light shine!

There’s new interest these days in the Placebo Effect. Traditional medicine has always recognized the power of Placebos as a healing agent. And the pharmaceutical industry uses placebos as the foundation of its multi-billion dollar drug industry. But the rise of alternative medicine and integrative medicine is changing the way the medical community is practicing medicine. And there’s one thing the medical community has always known about Placebos –  Placebos are real, and powerful, and transformational – and, well, they work!!

We have been told that if a Placebo arrests a disease or illness, it must be that the disease was “all in the mind” to begin with. We are led to believe the disease wasn’t real. We are told there’s no way we can be healed without expensive medical interventions. But there’s one thing to understand about the power of believing. It’s an inside-out process. We know that thoughts underwrite our reality. The power of the universe is localized in our consciousness.

• We believe in the power of affirmative prayer.
• We believe in the power of positive affirmations.
• We believe in the power of visualizing health, wealth, and happiness.
• We believe in affirming the highest and best. We Unitics believe in the power of mind over molecules.

Prayer, faith, positive affirmations, visualization, healing touch, meditation, and denying the power of outer appearances are all powerful Placebos. And they work because they are the out-picturing of our consciousness!

By the way, the word ‘placebo’ can be traced back to the 14^th C when it was used in vesper services. It derives from the Latin translation which was a mistranslation of Psalm 116:9, “Placebo domino in regione vivorum,” which means, “I will please the Lord in the land of the living.”

Metaphysically, ‘please’ means ‘to apply,’ and ‘Lord’ means ‘Mind’ and ‘the land of the living’ means ‘for the sake of the body.’ So, metaphysically interpreted, Psalm 116:9 reads: “I will apply  mind power for the sake of the body.

So, you see, we don’t have to please a God ‘out there.’ We are not separated from God at all. We are God expressing at the point of us. We are the architects of placebo power!

Rudolph, ‘the most famous reindeer of all,’ was born over a hundred years after his eight flying companions. The red-nosed wonder was the creation of Bob May, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward. In August of 1939 May wrote a Christmas story to cheer up his daughter, but when he shared the story at his Christmas party, everyone asked him to use it to bring traffic to store. You know the story. It’s about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. When Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa was worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver gifts, the former outcast saved Christmas by leading the sleigh team by the light of his red nose. He was admired and respected by all of the reindeer.

There were a few differences between the original story and the popular Christmas song. In the original Rudolph story written by May, Rudolph was not singled out by Santa from the rest of the herd because of his shiny red nose. Also, Rudolph did not stay with the other reindeer at the North Pole. He lived in an ordinary reindeer household with loving reindeer parents. Rudolph was discovered quite by accident. When Santa was in the middle of making his rounds, he stopped by Rudolph’s parent’s house and noticed a glow emanating from Rudolph’s room. It was then that Santa asked Rudolph to lead his sleigh team.

The eight named reindeer of Santa Claus first appeared in American literature in 1823. They were featured in the famous poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Prior to Moore’s rendition legend had Santa’s sleigh pulled by only one anonymous reindeer.

Montgomery Ward sold 21/2 million copies of the Rudolph story in 1939. It was reissued in 1946 and sold over 31/2 million copies. In 1949 Johnny Marks, May’s brother-in-law, wrote a song called ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’ Originally, Rudolph was sung by cowboy Gene Autry. His song has sold more than 12 million copies, second only to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.”

Let’s look at the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer story from a metaphysical perspective. Some of you may be thinking – a metaphysical perspective? Come on, it’s just a children’s Christmas story for Heaven’s sake. Isn’t a metaphysical treatment much ado about nothing?

We have found that simple stories like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or Frosty the Snowman, or Cinderella, or the Little Train That Could  can have profound meanings. Stories like these capture the human imagination. They resonate with ‘something’ deep within us. That’s what makes them so powerful and well-loved all over the world. On a subconscious level and on a superconscious level they connect with our Spirit. So, here is our  metaphysical interp of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer:

The 8 reindeer in addition to Rudolph each have characteristics that make the nocturnal flight possible:

• Dasher: represents energy
• Dancer: represents stability
• Prancer (Dancer’s twin): represents strength
• Vixen: represents life
• Comet: represents speed and endurance
• Cupid: represents love
• Donner: represents thunder and power
• Blitzen: represents lightning and enthusiasm

These reindeer represent qualities within us: energy, stability, strength, love, and so on. They have similar qualities as Jesus’ disciples and the spiritual powers they represent with the 12 spiritual powers in Unity.

The Rudolph of us is that part of us that doesn’t fully comprehend that we have a spark of divinity within us, that we are divine beings having a human experience.

Santa is the Jesus of us which encourages us to let our light shine, to use our unique gifts to bring peace and healing to the world.

The room where Santa finds Rudolph represents our ‘going into the Silence’. It is there that our inner light, the truth of us, shines. It is there that we become one with the Christ of us.

The sleigh stands for our positive, giving state of consciousness which is our vehicle for unlimited prosperity and abundance.

Santa gave Rudolph a choice. He invited Rudolph to lead his sleigh. Rudolph could have refused, and we would have had quite a different story. The song might have been – Rudolph the Red-Faced Reindeer –because he would have missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

Rudolph could have kept his light hidden under a bushel. Instead he listened to that Still Small Voice that says: “Will you guide my sleigh tonight?” “Will you let your light shine?” That’s the message we want to share with you … Let your light shine!

Share your gifts with the world. Answer the call to express your Divinity.

So, what if Jesus the Christ and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer could really sit down and talk. What advice do you think Rudolph would hear? This is important, because whatever Jesus said to Rudolph would be the same message our Christ Consciousness would say to the Rudolph within each of us. See how the message resonates with you.

1.  First of all, we believe Jesus would say something like this: “You know, Rudolph, sometimes we don’t even recognize our greatest, most valuable gifts. Sometimes, they even look like real problems, embarrassments. But if we hold the faith, believe me, those problems will transform into the greatest gifts that the world needs.” So look deep within yourself, and acknowledge the issues that create the biggest problems for you. It may be a physical characteristic, an emotional issue, a quirky style preference, something that is yours to own, and you can’t understand why you got “stuck” with it. Begin to visualize that thing being a great gift, with a powerful purpose to the world. Embrace it, love it, and just see how your attitude about it transforms.
2. Secondly, Jesus might say, “And here’s a real keeper for you, Rudolph. Quite often in this world, your special gifts may be misunderstood. That happened with me, you know! The more I developed my Christ consciousness — the more I became one with God — the more I was misunderstood by those who chose not to “get it.” And it got me into a lot of trouble – actually led to my death. But it was worth it. So don’t worry, buddy, if people make fun of your nose, and judge you based on appearance, because you are a little different from others. Make it okay, and be kind to them. Love them, and see the Christ light in them. They really don’t know what they are doing.” So we invite you to realize that others may misunderstand you as you being using your gifts. As you strengthen your Spirituality, and become one with the Godness of who you really are, you may run into people who want to judge you, or make fun of who you are. Make it okay, and behold the Christ nature within them.
3. Finally, Jesus would sum it all up by saying, “Here’s the deal, Rudolph! Regardless of what anyone tells you, no matter what … let your light shine!”

And this is the message we want to drive home. Each of you has a unique and amazing gift to give the world. You may not realize it’s great. You may not even know exactly what it is. But just know that you are constantly being guided by your Christ within, and as you go into the sacred Silence, you will be led to actions. Your only job is to let your shine … sparkle … the very best way you can.

As we continue through this Holy Advent season, become aware of your Rudolph nature. You have a light that is meant to shine! And recognize that you are unique and beautiful. There is so much emphasis on giving gifts during this season. In the midst of it all, realize that the greatest gift you can give is the gift of yourself … because it truly is one of a kind. The uniqueness of you is more memorable and more precious than any material gift you could ever purchase. You are a light that can shine through the fog of confusion that encircles this world, and bring the warmth and joy of God’s love to everyone whose life you touch. So — Let Your Light Shine!

It always amuses us when we hear people say, “You’re an old Scrooge!” to someone who is being real negative about the holiday spirit. People who use that phrase are just proving they don’t know the whole story! In reality, if you read the entire story, to call someone a Scrooge would mean he/she is a person who truly embraces the ultimate meaning of Christmas! That’s what Scrooge did, after his ghostly visits!

So, from a spiritual perspective, let’s do a little imagining: what would Jesus say to old Ebenezer, if the two of them could have a conversation?

You know, we think He’d focus on the change Ebenezer made,  rather than bring up his poor choices of the past. The discussion might say something like this:

“Way to go, Ebenezer! You finally got it! You remembered the Truth of who you really are! You are letting your light shine! I am so proud of you, because I know it was tough to make the change. But you did it! If only people could release the ghosts of their past, present, and future, they would be amazed at the joy that would surge through their very being, and they would astound themselves at what they could accomplish! Thank you, Ebenezer, for letting your light shine!”

So what is Jesus saying to that “Ebenezer Scrooge” quality within each of us? Just as Ebenezer Scrooge had to come face to face with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, so must we make a decision to acknowledge the ghosts we are allowing to hold us back from all we are meant to be. We invite you to take a few moments to reflect on any ghosts you would like to release as you prepare to end this year, and move into a new one. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Ghosts of the Past: Like Marley’s chains, ghosts of our past can tie us down, imprison us, and keep us from moving ahead. For example: blaming others in our past for problems we are experiencing now, like the way our parents raised us; nursing a hurt by a friend or family member; regretting a missed opportunity; feeling anger about a job unfairly lost; experiencing regrets for things left undone or unsaid (or maybe for things that were done or said); holding grudges tightly in our consciousness and our heart. The list could go on and on. What is it you keep reliving from your past? Every time you relive it, it imprints the negative emotions and impact on your very soul. These are ghosts of the past. Let them go!

Ghosts of the Present: These are the things affecting us right now: Negative beliefs about ourselves ~ like “I’m not good enough;” “I can’t do that;” “I’m too …” syndrome (too old, too young, too poor, too dumb, too tired, too out of shape); resentment about health-related issues that hold us back; relationship issues we are dealing with now; lack consciousness ~ the lack of confidence in our ability; the lack of faith in the principles we KNOW work. When we give power to these error thoughts, we hold ourselves back from the splendor of what we can experience! These are all ghosts of the presents! Let them go!

Ghosts of Future: These are the fears and worries about what might happen. You may know that familiar quote: “Most of the things I worry about never happened.” And yet, we waste so much energy worrying about these things. Jesus told us, “Give no thought for tomorrow, what you will eat, or drink, or what clothing you will wear. … for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  (Matt. 6:31-34)

What are the worries, fears, or erroneous beliefs about the future that are playing havoc with your present, keeping you from enjoying this moment today? They are ghosts of the future. Let them go!

It is so important to release, clear out, and make room for our greater good … for our life abundant. Here’s a vivid example: Breathe in all the air you can. Now hold that breath, and breathe in more air. Having trouble? Even though there is plenty of air all around you, you can’t take in any more until you exhale! That’s a perfect metaphor for our Spiritual journey. So – what in your life are you ready to release — forever — as you move toward your spiritual evolvement? You can have a transformation every bit as powerful as Ebenezer Scrooge experienced, when you recognize the ghosts of your past, present, and future … and let them go! That’s how you walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

You hear about taking retreats for your spiritual enrichment and personal self care all the time. But what about taking a :Retreat Forward?” “Retreat forward” into your greatness. We’re not kidding!  We’re encouraging you to retreat forward into the person you are meant to be.

This  may sound a little like an oxymoron — “Retreating Forward.” How can we retreat forward you might ask? But think about it. What is means is to take a retreat from your busyness, from all the worries and activities of daily life, so you are able to catapult forward toward your greatness. It means making time to create that daily practice of Silence — retreating into the sacred domain of the Divine — so you can emerge at a whole new level of awareness, launching yourself forward toward a life lived from the Truth of who you really are!

You have the power to dramatically change your life;

• To turn your life completely around if necessary;
• To be the kind of person you’re meant to be
• To engineer a future that is happy, healthy, and fulfilling;

Each and every one of us has the wherewithal to achieve incredible, phenomenal, stupendous, and lasting success in whatever we do.

Sounds good doesn’t it? It’s probably something you’d expect a Unity minister to say. It’s certainly something you’ve heard motivational speakers promote thousands of times. What’s amazing is, it’s true! It’s always been true. The thing is, we’ve forgotten how powerful we are because we’ve forgotten who we are.

In Genesis 1:26 and 28 scripture says God says, “Let us give humans dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, over the cattle and wild animals, and over every creeping thing upon the earth. 28. And God blessed humans and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and have dominion over all that moves on the face of the earth.”

Here’s a Spiritual perspective of that passage:

• the earth always represents our physical body or the consciousness of our physicality.
• fish represent ideas;
• birds stand for our higher thoughts;
• cattle  equates to compliant, herd consciousness (camels weren’t mentioned because they hadn’t gotten over the evolutionary hump yet — sorry, we couldn’t help it!);
• wild animals are our untamed or undisciplined instincts;
• creeping things symbolize our limited or destructive perspectives

So, we have complete dominion over our ideas, higher thoughts, compliant attitudes, undisciplined instincts, and even our destructive inclinations. We have control over the earth – our physical body — the consciousness of our physicality! Take a moment to absorb the power of this awareness!

In Daniel  4:3 we are promised that our dominion is to “endure from generation to generation.” Romans 6:14 affirms that our error thoughts will have no dominion over us.

To “Retreat  Forward” means going into the Silence – which means connecting with our Christ Nature – which means becoming one with the Truth of us – which means claiming our power through prayer and meditation, affirmations and visualizations. It means we’ve got star dust in our DNA.

If we don’t retreat forward it’s difficult to have dominion because we’re coming from  coma consciousness instead of Christ Consciousness. Coma consciousness is the worship of outer appearances. It’s giving dominion to material things. It’s denying our divinity or taking it for granted. It’s looking for hamburger when we have steak at home (the hamburger being worldly appetites, the steak being Spirit).

And dessert! What about dessert? How many of you eat dessert with every meal? How many of you eat a couple of desserts? How many of you have ever eaten dessert first? How many of you have used dessert as your meal? My favorite desserts are home made cherry pie and corn bread in milk. And all of the above apply! Here’s a dessert story for you:

 After a three year battle with cancer an 84 year old woman was told she had stage four cancer. This courageous woman called her minister and told him she wasn’t giving up, she was just giving out. She was a faithful truth student and was ready for her next assignment. She explained how she wanted to make her transition.

She told him what songs she wanted sung, what scriptures she wanted read, and what pictures she wanted displayed of her family, accomplishments, and interests.

Then she said a very strange thing, “Pastor, I want to be buried with a fork in my hand.”

“What?” he countered. “A fork?”

“Yes,” she chorused. “Let me explain. Whenever I went to potluck dinners at church I always kept my fork when they bused the tables because I knew that the best was yet to come. The best I’m talking about is dessert, things like apple pie, chocolate cake, and ice-cream. So, when my relatives and friends see me lying in state with a fork in my hand I want you to tell them I’m doing that because the best is yet to come.”

We believe that when you:

• Choose goodwill over ill will, the best is yet to come.
• Forgive others and even yourself, no matter what they’ve done or you’ve done, the best is yet to come.
• Do not confuse your self-worth with your net worth, the best is yet to come.
• Are willing to give up a lackluster career, an unfulfilling relationship, or possessive wealth, the best is yet to come.
• Do the right thing, the best is yet to come.
• Move from won’t power to will power, the best is yet to come.
• Retreat forward into your greatness, the best is yet to come.

So, keep the faith and keep your forks because when you truly embrace your Divinity, when you behold the Christ in others – and yourself, when you thoughtfully and enthusiastically retreat into your greatness, the best is yet to come. Retreat Forward as you walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

“Fake it till you make it!” How often have we heard this phrase?  If we want to do something we don’t believe we can do or is not part of our personal makeup, then we may tend to rationalize that our best course of action is to fake it till we make it. Faking it, we assume, will allow us the time we need to create the outcome we want.

While this is a cute phrase, it is a dangerous and corrosive statement. The problem with this type of pathological—yes, pathological—reasoning is that it assumes pretense is a virtue. It champions fakery, deceit, and counterfeit logic as success strategies. It implies we don’t have the present wherewithal (skills, education, and expertise) to manifest our desires. To make things even more dangerous, this type of thinking results in people feeling like frauds, eroding self worth. This is definitely not the kind of consciousness we want to manifest!

The mere decision to fake it means there is some part of us that believes we may eventually be able to achieve the desired goal. However, by choosing to focus on “faking it,” we are actually putting our attention on the ineffective part of us, reinforcing the fact that we are not acting from our authentic self. This perpetuates the feeling of inadequacy, making it tougher than ever to move forward in our growth.

Let’s look at a fairly simple example: let’s say you are not feeling as happy as you’d like to be. Instead of faking happiness, why not take a serious look at your current happiness report card? Your decision to be happier is proof that there is a small, perhaps unacknowledged, part of you that is already happy. That part is not faking it. Then you can set the intention of generating more of the happiness you desire, by making conscious choices that result in more of a feeling of happiness.

Focusing on being happy helps it grow in your awareness and consciousness. Faking it comes from a sand castle position, one which is easily washed away by tides of doubt, fear, unworthiness, and any number of self-deceptive tactics. On the other hand, FAITHING IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT is based on the solid rock of indivisibleness. Faith implies knowing something is true in spite of outer appearances; fakery implies no-ing.

Instead of “Fake It Till You Make It,” try saying “Faith It Till You Make It!

Here are three steps to “faith it” instead of “fake it:”

• Affirm the Truth of what you know
• Deny any power to doubt, moving forward claiming the good that is yours by right of Consciousness
• Become intentionally aware: bless the inflow and outflow of everything in your life, knowing it is good!

We can KNOW, without any doubt, that we can Faith it till we make it as we walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

If the Law of Attraction is, in fact, a law, then it is true all the time. This gets some people scratching their heads and asking themselves, “Why on earth did I attract THIS to me?” The problem is, many people misinterpret the Law of Attraction to mean that through our thoughts, we attract anything we want (houses, a new BMW, our soul mate, a huge HD TV, the perfect toaster, a great parking place, etc.).

We lovingly say, “It’s time to Get Over It!” We can become overly weary or fearful about what we are attracting into our lives just because of simple thoughts we have. It also leads to what we call “metaphysical malpractice!” ~ where we feel guilty because we are — or are not — experiencing something in our lives.

Here’s a down-to-earth way of explaining the Law of Attraction from a spiritual perspective. Fasten your seat belts, because it’s not what people expect! Mentally, we do not attract things. Depending on our “thought atmosphere” (negative or positive thoughts or intentions), we build a thought climate which leads to positive choices and actions, or negative choices and actions ~ either of which lead to certain outcomes.

What’s happening is more about perception and less about attraction. What we believe, we tend to see. It is really about how we are “sorting” and seeing all the data that is coming at us. For example, imagine you decide to buy a new Volkswagen Beetle automobile. What happens? As you drive around town you begin to see Volkswagen Beetles wherever you go.

It’s not that you are attracting them to you. It’s not that there is a God “out there” arranging more of these vehicles for you to see. It is simply that Volkswagen Beetles are on your mind because you intend to purchase one. This results in your sorting all the incoming data differently than you did prior to making the decision to buy the Beetle. All the Volkswagen Beetles on the road are suddenly more visible to you because you decided to buy one. They are on your Beetle Radar!

Here’s the big a-ha! It’s not that Volkswagen Beetles are attracted to you; YOU are attracted to them by your choices and perceptions.

So, the next time you catch yourself saying, “I attracted this to me” just do a little spiritual shift, and say, “I attracted myself to this!” It makes a big difference!

(Based on an excerpt from Get Over It! The Truth About What You Know That Just Ain’t So! by Paul Hasselbeck and Bil Holton)

In the Foreword to Drs.’ Rick Hanson and Richard Mendius’ groundbreaking book, Buddha’s Brain: The Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom, Dr. Daniel Siegel has this to say about the power of the spoken word:

“The simple truth is that how we focus our attention, how we intentionally direct the flow of energy and information, and the way we communicate alters the very circuitry of our brain.”

Neuroscience has proven beyond a doubt that even fleeting thoughts and feelings can leave lasting impressions on our brain. When you add the amperage of the spoken word as a vocal expression of those thoughts and feelings you literally change the neural structure of the brain. Positive thoughts and affirmations are not only essential for spiritual growth but they are necessary ingredients for emotional and physical wellbeing and for rewiring the brain.

We’ve all read the techniques for writing and repeating affirmations — but we’d like to stretch your spiritual thinking to a whole new level by suggesting a contrarian type of affirmation statement. It goes against the rules, but our experience with it has been incredible!

First, let’s clarify what we mean by SHOOT from the Lip. SHOOT is an acronym, standing for: Spiritually Honoring Only One Truth! Every affirmation must be grounded in the Truth of No Separation. We are the physical expressions of One God, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omni-active. So here is a template that can literally transform the way you use affirmations in your life!

I have now transcended all patterns of ________________________________ (whatever the focus of your current experience is — this is your denial statement)

I’m free and _____________________________________________________ (statement of the end result, grounded in Truth Principles, which you are affirming)

My mind and body now manifest Divine _______________________________ (essence of the power of your affirmation desire)

I _______________________________________________________________ (statement of action – what you are doing that reflects the essence of your focus area)

I _______________________________________________________________ (follow-up statement of action, along with the benefit of performing the action)

 I give thanks for ever increasing ______________________________________ (statement of the beneficial results)

I am a radiant expression of God! (final affirmation of the Truth of who you are!)

Here are a few examples:

Prosperity:

Confidence:

Now … are you ready for a mega-boost in Consciousness?  As we focused on our SHOOT acronym: Spiritually Honoring Only One Truth, we had a Divine Idea that energetically boosts everything to a whole new level! If the “ONE TRUTH” is that there is no separation and our ultimate purpose is to be the best Christ we can be—and if we are striving to be in 100% alignment between our Christ Self and our human self, then why not go for the whole enchilada? Instead of separating out each area of our life we want to work on, why not use this template to affirm the Absolute, All-encompassing Truth of who we are? So here’s a first “shot” of our Mega-Boost SHOOT from the Lip:

This may be a little too “out there” for now – so feel free to start with the separate, specific areas you want to deal with. Wherever you are in Consciousness, this template can help you create a dynamic, power-packed affirmation that is Truth centered. Never forget that you are God expressing, and you can do everything Jesus as the Christ did … and more! He told us that! When you truly believe it, and make a habit of Shooting from the Lip … Spiritually Honoring Only One Truth with everything you say, you really can walk the spiritual path on practical feet!