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

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!

 

Inspiration from the Beatitudes

I love studying the Sermon on the Mount (especially in The New Testament in Modern English by J.B. Phillips).  I find its wisdom and spirituality to be invaluable.  It is so practical! 

Here is inspiration that I get from reading the Beatitudes:

Don’t forget about God.  Always keep Him in your mind, motive and actions, and you will see and experience the Kingdom of Heaven here and now.

Happy are those who have been humbled before God, who have lost everything materially.  You have gained divine Love/Spirit and the understanding that He/She comforts, cares and provides all you need.

Be willing to “let go” of every material thing.  If you do so, you will always have everything you need and it can never be lost.

Happy are those who want to be governed with the right consciousness.  Those who desire to be and do good, and to be governed spiritually, will feel fully satisfied.

When you have a forgiving and humble spirit towards others, people will naturally be more accepting and forgiving of you.  No one is a perfect human.

Happy are those who are innocent, genuine and pure in motive and speech.  They will see God because they are God’s likeness.

Happy are those who don’t provoke or take offense.  They will promote a peaceful, happy atmosphere among themselves and others.

Facing resistance toward Spirit and progress?  Stand confident and firm in Spirit and in everyone’s inherent spiritual identity and you will see and experience the Kingdom of Heaven.

When walking in the path of Spirit, evil may try to tempt you in all different ways.  But don’t get upset or dismayed.  Good always prevails.  Jesus, his disciples and the prophets already proved the Good/Spirit is irresistible and ever-present.

I hope these ideas are practical and useful for you in living and walking in Spirit in your daily life.

Blessings!