Tag: Christian Science

Time management – improve moments!

Published on by lindseybiggs2 Comments

The past couple weeks I’ve been thinking about time management.  I know there are numerous human methods and theories about this; however, I went for some spiritual ideas, that I know to be true and helpful, when I was confronted with this dilemma.

There was a day, recently, when I wondered how I could accomplish all the things that needed to get done. I listened in prayer for divine guidance.  Immediately, an article entitled Improve Your Time by Mary Baker Eddy came to thought.  The author, who discovered the system of healing, Christian Science, wrote:

“All successful individuals have become such by hard work; by improving moments before they pass into hours…They spend no time in sheer idleness, in talking when they have nothing to say, in building aircastles or floating off on the wings of sense…

Success in life depends upon persistent effort, upon the improvement of moments more than upon any other one thing. A great amount of time is consumed in talking nothing, doing nothing, and indecision as to what one should do. If one would be successful in the future, let him make the most of the present.”

I love this idea: that success is dependent on moments – on being consciously aware and focused every moment.

Instead of letting my long to-do list rehearse in my mind, I just focused on improving each moment.  This resulted in my being fully engaged in each activity I was doing and able to stay on task.  I finished the day with time leftover and could work on some other projects I like doing.

Using “improve your moments” as my mantra throughout my day has made me more productive, less lethargic and given me a greater sense of fulfillment and purpose.

I am so grateful for this simple practice – improving moments before they turn into hours – which makes such a difference in our lives and shapes our success.

 

It’s been an awesome summer of living, loving, giving, and rich with blessings. It’s amazing how you go to serve and end up greatly blessed by all the love and spiritual lessons you receive. What a wonderful law of divine Love this is – “whatever blesses one [truly] blesses all”1.

While I was rock climbing on Bowen Island, Canada, at a summer camp for girls, a spiritual lesson came to me.

When I initially started the climb I thought it would be much easier than it was! I didn’t recall how different climbing walls are from actually climbing on rocks!

I was making steady progress up the rock face. Until I got to one point where it just didn’t seem like there was any possible way to go up higher. (Isn’t that symbolic of our spiritual journey sometimes?!)

And I thought, “Well, I could just give up now. I’ve gotten far enough; there’s no real requirement that I get any further.”

There didn’t seem to be a present solution (foot or hand-hold on the rock). But I decided to take a moment and be still.

A line from a poem/hymn by Mary Baker Eddy immediately came to me: “Thus Truth engrounds me on the rock…”2

I thought, “Rock! How cool! What a perfect angel message!” I immediately felt a sense of peace that comes from a conscious realization of the presence of God, divine Spirit, Love.

I looked up and saw a hand hold! And I finished the rest of the climb joyously in only a few moments.

Taking a moment to “Be still, and know that I am God”3 helped open my thought to see the glorious blessings, solutions and present possibilities that were right there in front of me (literally!).

I was joyful after this climb, not because I’d made it to the top, but because of this revelation – this “healing” – I had while climbing.

This lesson about keeping a spiritual pace in life has been a continual reminder to me. Not being tempted to get caught up in the hypothetical rush that seems to surrounds us, but to take those moments to pause and be still. Listen for those angel messages. It makes such a difference!

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Footnotes
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Eddy, p. 206
2 Poems, “Christ my Refuge”, Eddy, p. 11
3 The Bible (KJV), Psalms 46:10

Mental Meteorology

Published on by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

I really enjoyed Chet Manchester’s Daily Lift the other day on mental meteorology.

And, along the same line, a friend shared with me an idea that Mary Baker Eddy (the discoverer and founder of Christian Science) told her students.  It was, in essence, to make sure there are no storms, tornadoes or earthquakes in our thinking.

I love this call to overcome the temptation to be angry, hateful or vengeful.  It is possible to overcome these suggestions, as they are not part of our Creator or His creation.

They come from what Paul calls the “carnal mind” in the Bible (the book of Romans).  This carnal mind is not our mind, or God’s, and is the opposite of good.  The good news is we can overcome this because good is inherent and natural to each of us.

Proverbs states: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)

In explaining metaphysics, Eddy says:

“Metaphysics is above physics, and matter does not enter into metaphysical premises or conclusions. The categories of metaphysics rest on one basis, the divine Mind. Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul. These ideas are perfectly real and tangible to spiritual consciousness, and they have this advantage over the objects and thoughts of material sense, — they are good and eternal.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 269)

(Pretty radical for a woman in the late 1800’s!)

So in thinking about what things like tornadoes and tsunamis represent, it’s only natural to see that as our consciousness becomes more peaceful and in accord with everything around us, that peace and harmony must be seen, felt and expressed everywhere!