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!

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!

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!

A 12-pound hawksbill turtle crawled up to die on a North Carolina beach. An autopsy showed that half of its weight was plastic. Its stomach and intestines contained multi-colored beads, part of a comb, two golf tees, a toy wheel, rope, balloon, part of a plastic bottle, a plastic toothpaste cap, the top of a plastic medical syringe, baggies, and a plastic flower.* Its contents were carb-free, but had no nutritional value. (As referenced by Paul Varo Martinson in World Religions: The Problem of Imaging Christ, Imaging Christ: Politics, Art, Spirituality, ed. Francis A. Eigo, Villanova, PA: Villanova University Press, 1991, 111).

Apart from the environmental and ecological travesties associated with the turtle’s poor food choices, this unfortunate incident speaks to the message of this post: Unless we are open to personal and spiritual transformation and to the transformational languaging which goes along with it, we risk having our spirit choked and clogged with the plastic half-truths of conventional thinking and embedded theology which can clutter half, or all, of our thinking.

We encourage you to ‘get over’ carrying around plastic thoughts and attitudes like the plastic trash in the turtle’s stomach before they send you crawling up on beaches of convention instead of soaring up mountains toward enlightenment.

This blogcast is based on a chapter from a really neat book entitled ‘Get Over It’ (It’s our book so we’re naturally high on it!). This article is designed to help you move from plastic to platinum in your thinking — from blind acceptance of conventional thinking to the unlimited openness and joy of transformational thinking.

The phrases we’re inviting you to ‘get over’ in this blogcast usually come as a pair. They are: “Birds of a feather stick together” and “opposites attract.”

We’re going to give you a bird’s eye view of these assumptions which we believe are flying out of formation. These two phrases, we think you’ll agree, have been winging it for some time. (Forgive us … we couldn’t resist the puns! But there is a serious message nesting here.)

The “birds of a feather stick together” proverb has been around a long time … since at least the mid 16th century. It first appeared in 1545 in William Turner’s version of his papist satire The Rescuing of Romish Fox:

“Byrdes of one kynde and color flok and flye allwayes together.”

No such origin can be found for “opposites attract,” although its origin may be closer than we think. It is actually a social psychology concept called “common belief factor.” It springs from the word “heterocentrism.”  “Hetero” is the Greek word for “different. “Centre” is Greek for “centered on” or “drawn toward.”  To use a similar analogy, a “heliocentric” plant, like a sunflower, is one that grows toward or is drawn to the sun. So, something which is “heterocentric” involves two or more UNLIKE things that are drawn towards each other.

Do opposites attract? Or do birds of a feather flock together? What does the latest research literature have to say about that? In one of the most comprehensive studies ever undertaken on these questions, researchers at the University of Iowa found [those of you who are looking for the perfect soulmate or business partner may want to listen carefully]:

• that people tend to hang around people who are similar in attitudes, interests, philosophy, religion, and values.
• However, it is the complementary nature of our personalities that appears to be more important in maintaining enduring and happy relationships. Those similarities include character traits like: assertiveness, introversion and extroversion, compassion, even-temperedness, sense of humor, and so on. (The findings appear in the February issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 88, No., 2, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Other than that, nothing is definitive. The concepts of ‘birds of a feather flocking together’ or ‘opposites attracting’ seem to boil down to one thing: the power of choice.

There is no automatic, incontrovertible, mindless magnetism that pulls people together. If that sounds like fowl language, we invite you to consider the fact that in order for these two sayings to be absolute sayings they would have to be true in all circumstances.

People who are the same don’t always hang out with each other. Opposites aren’t always attracted to each other. We choose with whom we flock, herd, swim, swarm, or hibernate.

We (the authors f this blog) like to hang around with open-minded people and other truth seekers. We also like to flock with dancers, people who love the performing arts, open-minded people, high energy people, bloggers, philosophers and metaphysicians, possibility-thinkers, healers, and frozen custard lovers, good conversationalists, movie goers, people who love to travel, people who have a good sense of humor, and banana pudding lovers, to name a few!

So who do you prefer to flock with — and what impact do they have on your life? Choose wisely, because the right people will help you walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

No matter where you travel, it seems there is road work going on. The “ground” is always under repair! This is a great metaphor for our spiritual growth, especially when  it comes to our prosperity consciousness. There are always areas we can work on to strengthen and grow, and from a spiritual standpoint, we always have “ground under repair!” Learn how to stand on the solid ground of Truth, and make the improvements that will guarantee a life more centered, more peaceful, and more prosperous!

Watch out for the critters! They show up everywhere … and we have all kinds of ways to try to control them. If we aren’t careful, they will take over! This Sunday, discover how to use Spiritual Critter Control to experience greater joy, inner peace, and abundance in your life!

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The Spiritual Implications of a Cosmic 2×4

Have you ever said, “Wow! I’ve been hit by a Cosmic 2×4!”? This phrase is traditional theology dressed in New Thought clothes. The phrase “cosmic two-by-four” implies there is something or someone outside of us trying to get our attention to teach us an important lesson. The implication is that God, the universe, something “out there” intends to control us for our own good, even if it means harming us or causing us pain. The idea that something wants to get our attention to force us to do what is “right” so it can teach us something is a perspective that abdicates personal choice and responsibility. Further, if we do not “get it” the first time, the whack becomes progressively worse until we finally pay attention.

We would like to say, “Get Over It!”  There is no Cosmic Two-By-Four. Please read that sentence again! One more time. Thank you. There is no Cosmic Two-By-Four—pine, oak, treated lumber, galactic laser beam, or otherwise. Since there is truly only One Power and One Presence in the universe, God the Good, this “wooden” phrase goes against the grain of the oldest and most revered Truth Principles. We do not believe God, the Good, punishes us with two-by-fours, wooden paddles, willow sticks, baseball bats, or any other “wooden explanations.”

The purely human, not cosmic, two-by-four is in our own hands! It is our poor decisions and errant actions that punish us and hurt us, not God. As long as we keep making bad decisions we will keep getting bad results.

A 2×4 moment is an opportunity to experience an “aha;” however, we can keep creating 2×4 moments if we neglect to learn from our experiences. “Aha’s” are the result of a change in perspective, an insight which comes from an intuitive leap in consciousness. Two-by-four moments occur when we suddenly realize that our own stale thought patterns and belief systems are no longer valid. If we keep beating ourselves up with the metaphorical 2×4, perhaps it’s time to pause and reflect on the thoughts, choices, and actions we’ve taken which lead to our self-flagellation. This awareness is an inside-out realization.

One of the self-denigrating assumptions we invite you to compost is the belief in a cosmic 2×4 – that there is something or someone ‘out there’ trying to get your attention to teach you an important lesson. No one has ever been hit by a cosmic 2×4. It doesn’t come from that direction.

Here’s a replacement phrase for you to try: “I’ve created a 2×4 moment!”

About the author:

Article based on an excerpt from the amazing little book, Get Over It!  The Truth About What You Know That Just Ain’t So! by Paul Hasselbeck and Bil Holton. Used with permission.

Anyone who travels is familiar with all the travel alerts that come out. Some warn us of places to avoid; others give us information to keep us safe; other alerts actually offer special deals so we can travel more economically! There are also alerts to help us on this spiritual journey we are sharing together. This Sunday, discover the power of our Spiritual Traveler Alerts, and how paying attention can bring us inner peace, abundance, health, and joy!

One of the most difficult words to handle is NO, especially when we desperately want something, or feel it is critical for our success and happiness. According to sales research, NO is the leading cause of ‘fear of rejection’ complex that causes so many people to get out of business!

As we looked back over our years as consultants, we remember that NO was a tough word for us to hear when we generated amazing proposals, only to find someone else was selected to do the job. But we discovered a fascinating way to hear the YES in NO.

We started saying “Thanks for saying no!” When we received the news that we weren’t selected to give a keynote presentation, for example, we would immediately follow up with a little note, thanking the potential client for giving us the opportunity to be considered ~ and our affirmations for them having a great conference.

We followed this up with offering our services for future events, and also indicated that, should something occur at the last minute where they found they needed a speaker, to feel free to contact us. Then we topped it off by including a copy of one of our books as our “Thanks for saying no” gift.

Incredibly, we discovered that more times than not we were contacted immediately to confirm dates next year’s conference! And we can identify three specific instances where unforeseen events occurred with the selected speaker, and we got the call to replace them! We learned how to find the YES in NO by looking at a more long-term response.

How often do you experience obstacles that seem to wave a big red “NO” in front of you? Giving in may feel like the easiest plan, and say, “Forget it!” But in Mark 10:27, Jesus makes an incredible statement: “With God, all things are possible.”

What is HE talking about? It tends to conjure up all kinds of debates, like “Yeah, possible, but how probable?” Or “This sounds good, but it won’t work in the real world!”

So let’s look at the Unity perspective of what this verse is really talking about, we get a whole different view. It says that as we make that connection with the Christ of us, our God center, we are receptive to the Divine Flow of every thing we ever need. But until we spend that time in Headquarters, in meditation and prayer, our human self sees the appearance of obstacles, of “NOs.”

Here are three keys to discovering the YES in every NO you seem to encounter:

• Spend dedicated time in the Silence, strengthening your connection with Spirit.
• Counter every appearance of NO with a big “Thank You for saying no!” Then identify ways to send positive energy to the situation or people.
• Recognize that there is no being out there in the sky saying NO. We have the power to Divinely order our experience, and create the life we choose. Refuse to let the appearance of NO have power in your life!

What do an old silk hat, corn cob pipe, button nose, and boots have in common?? They all belong to a lump of snow called Frosty, the Snowman.

To the general public, Frosty the Snowman stands for joy. The joy of living. The joy of laughter. The joy of hearing children play. The joy of spontaneity. The joy of meaningful work. The joy of being with the people you love. Frosty, the Snowman symbolizes all of that. He is joy personified.

Most people, when they hear the words, Frosty, the Snowman, break into a smile. A gleam appears in their eyes. Children ages 3 to 93 identify with Frosty’s playfulness and zest for life. But Frosty represents much, much more.

When the traditional Christmas story is read, it’s either the Gospel of Matthew or Luke that are used. In each of these Gospels you find beautifully-told pieces relating the miraculous birth involving both the Divine and the human. The authors of Matthew and Luke also seek to place the birth of Jesus in a particular historical and cultural setting. Jesus is the son of poor Jewish parents, but is also described as a descendant of Israel’s greatest king, King David. His birth is given a definite time and place.

But, there is something totally different in Jon. There’s no nativity, no shepherds, no Magi, no star in the sky, no heavenly hosts, not even so much as a Mary and Joseph.

John’s gospel instead is some rather esoteric sounding language about something called “The Word:” “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” Several verses later you read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us” Then, not too many more verses after that, Jesus is suddenly baptized and begins his ministry. If John’s account were all we had to go on, we might be celebrating Christmas a little differently.

What John’s Gospel tells us is the Word became real, became flesh, became incarnated and became a living, breathing part of us.

Christmas is an incarnation story. It is the saga of the Incarnating Christ in each of us. It is the chronicle of our unfolding Christhood.

So what does this have to do with Frosty the Snowman? Think about it: Frosty came to life one day, dwelt among us and told us It would be back again one day. The metaphor is obvious.

Joyfulness, not struggle, is the message. Laughing and playing, dancing around in a silk hat, ball cap, boots, sandals or barefooted is the message. We are here to enjoy this Earth experience to spend this incarnation, happily, healthily and prosperously to dance and play and create and achieve until we melt away.

From Frosty, we can learn a new set of “Three R’s”:

I. Release any worries about the future, and put your attention on now.

II. Recognize the Source: It’s not in your hat – it’s in your heart!

III. Reaffirm Joy, no matter what!

And KNOW that you cannot be separated from your good, from God, because you and God are one! And that is cause for JOY!