“Know your own mind. Train yourself to think what you wish to think; be what you wish to be; feel what you wish to feel, and place no limit on Principle (Life)!”
~ Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind
How are you feeling right now, in this moment? What icon below would you choose to reflect your mood? “GREAT” - “GOOD” - “OKAY” - “BAD - “AWFUL”?
Every morning I wake up, pee, head to my meditation seat, tune in to Insight Timer, record my mood, and meditate for 20 - 30 minutes. I am surprised how rare it is that I feel “GREAT”. Mostly, I hover around “GOOD” and sometimes I drop to “OKAY”. I wonder what keeps me from feeling “GREAT”?
In the distant past, my baseline mood was “BAD”. I remember… life seemed harder. I had a young family, and lots and lots of drama. I followed all the societal rules that were suppose to lead to a ‘great’ life, but without success. Where was I going wrong? I have always been inspired to expand joy in my life and in the lives of others. So, when lost and confused, I sought help… counselling, support groups, books… but it wasn’t until I was introduced to the teachings of The Science of Mind, and I began deepening my faith, that life started shifting for the better.
The SOM philosophy states: “We are living in a spiritual Universe, governed by mental laws: That there is an action of Consciousness, as Law, upon Substance (things), forever producing form (experiences and things), and forever withdrawing from any particular form; thus producing another. That the form changes, but the Formless never does.” (Ernest Holmes)
In a nutshell, I learned there is an infinite Universe. My thoughts, as I think inside this One Intelligence, have the power to shape my experiences. So, if I want change in my life, I have to change my thinking. What I focus on expands. What I put out comes back to me, multiplied tenfold.
Over the last 25 years, I have been studying and teaching these principles. I read about them, I write about them, I do my best to stay awake to my own language and conversations by asking myself, “Are these words moving me toward more joy and more connection to others?” What I like most about this approach, is that it gives me power in my life. I can actually do something to affect change.
At first, the changes for me were astronomical. Big shifts happened within the first year or two. I kept up the intensive studying regime I had set out for myself and change continued until it became part of my ‘normal’. Upon reflection, I realize that my baseline mood has moved from BAD to GOOD, now. The work I have done has been worth it. Last month, I was immersed in many family events. My mood meter hit “GREAT” a couple of times, and what I learned from that is that togetherness plays a huge role in my life’s level of satisfaction. At my son’s wedding, my siblings and their families were there, as well as many of my closest friends. So, I felt “GREAT” two days in a row. This is good information. People coming together for any cause holds big meaning for me.
This is an important aspect of the work. Deepening in my faith, getting knee-deep in spirituality, and paying close attention to my moods is the most brilliant way to keep my compass heading daily towards “GREAT”.
As I follow this passion, I am motivated to teach you, too. I want you to consider…no, not just consider…. actually sign-up… for at least one of the events in our upcoming classroom series on Faith. There’s more information if you follow the link below, and elsewhere in this newsletter: https://www.thecentrecr.org/event-details/faith-modern-activated-fierce-classroom-series-2022-11-17-18-30
Let’s rock this life and make each day worth it! When we create happiness in our own lives, it spreads!
