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This Article originally appeared in the monthly
magazine Science of Mind, April 2004, Los Angeles, CA

Spiritual Guide for the Month of April, 2004
by Diane Harmony

"April, the Angel of the Months." Vita Sackville-West

Welcome to the month of the Fool, Taxes due-date, Good Friday, Quan Yin's Day, Passover, Showers, the Celebration of the Resurrection, and my grandson Jay's Birthday. April is indeed the Angel of the Months. It is my privilege to present a spectrum of spiritual ideas and principles for you to explore, try on and take into your daily practice if they resonate with you.

As you read these Daily Guides during this glorious month of spring, I want you to know how present you were in my consciousness when I wrote them. We were together in the writing, and now in the reading. It has been a pleasure to commune in the Spirit with you. May your heart remember the Truths that it has called forth, and may we all rejoice in the Ascension of our souls into true illumination during this season of fertility, expanding and intensified light, and the presence of God bursting forth everywhere. May our personal journeys bring us into a further realization of the vision of Global Heart; that we live in a world that works for everyone. Abundant Blessings.

Rev. Diane Harmony is founder of Universal Harmony, a ministry committed to transformation through spiritual enlightenment. Author of the recently published book, 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life: Create a Consciousness of Wealth, and the transformational course, 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life!Ô, Rev. Diane speaks about the power of awakening that happens when we give 5 GIFTS - which is an acronym for the spiritual principles of Gratitude, Intentions, Forgiveness, Tithing and Surrender. She also certifies facilitators across the country to teach the 8-week course. Diane is one of eight Eccleastical Representatives for United Church of Religious Science. She serves 30 churches in love, prayer and various supportive ways. In addition, Rev. Diane leads Journeys of Awakening to sacred places on the planet such as Sedona, Arizona, Costa Rica and Hawaii to swim with the dolphins. To find out where a 5 GIFTS talk or class is being offered near you, to purchase a book or to be on her mailing list, please visit her website: www.5GIFTS.com.

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"Sometimes what appears to be foolishness is divine wisdom." A Deep Breath of Life" by Alan Cohen

"In the whole life, and through the entire teaching of this marvelous man [Jesus], we find a child-like faith in the universe and an implicit trust in the goodness of God." The Science of Mind, p.443

APRIL FOOLS

The first day of April has been celebrated for centuries as the Day of the Fool. It has long been associated with Tricksters, Jesters, merriment and the Child. This day and this whole month, I invite you to live your life through the eyes of the child within you. Let's all be Fools this April. Forgot how? Here are some helpful hints for being the Fool-Child - the closest and most natural expression of God.

Be innocent, curious, spontaneous and playful.
Place your trust in the hands of the Divine.
Be forever a beginner.
Let your creativity come forth - dance, draw, sing, act, write, play an instrument.
Breathe in new air, new life and new beginnings.
Speak your mind, express your feelings without fear of repercussions.
Be fearful and fearless.
Be optimistic - expect a miracle.

As you allow yourself the experience of being the Fool, you can expect some wonderful results. Just think, you won't feel like you have to make anything happen; you can expect that it will. You won't have to be curtailed by all those rules and regulations; you can let your creativity flow. By approaching any project or spiritual practice with a beginner's mind, you will automatically be open to new, fresh ideas and intuitive insights. Because your Trust is in God, you can fall on your face, cry a little and get right back up again.

Today I become the Fool. I approach my whole life as if I were an innocent child. I trust that this Universe is FOR me and that I live in the playground of God.

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"Gratitude has a cleansing effect on the soul healing us from the inside out."
O Magazine article by Marianne Williamson

"Gratitude is one on the chief graces of human existence and is crowned in heaven with a consciousness of unity." The Science of Mind, p. 497

THANKS-LIVING

The practice of saying "Thank You God" packs a powerful punch in our desire to
be in alignment with our Divine Nature. Giving the gift of Gratitude for every person place or thing in our lives allows us to transcend the facts and appearances delivered by our five senses so that we can connect with the sacred in all of them. It's as if these three words give us the power to see beyond the packages that the various aspects of our lives are delivered in (the pretty ones and the ones that are not) to reveal the God presence within each. Living in Thanksgiving up levels us to connect soul-to-soul with the presents that we receive moment by moment, as we walk this path of holy enlightenment.

Another magical quality of the gift of Gratitude is that it is the great multiplier. When we are grateful for what we have received we activate the "yeast" of this spiritual practice and more flows to and through us. We can learn well from the master, Jesus the Christ who preceded feeding the 5,000 with just a few loaves and fishes by giving thanks to God. The power that was in Jesus the Christ is within us. We can use it by living in Thanks-living.

Today and every day I live in Thanks-living. I vow this day to give the gift of Gratitude for everything that comes into my life. I realize that by saying "Thank You God" I am putting myself in conscious awareness of the Presence of God within and all around me.

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"For everything there is a season…" The Holy Bible, Eccl. 3:1

"God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, for in His sight, all are alive." Science of Mind p.335

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Springtime! What a wondrous time to become aware of the cycles of Life. We are so privileged to witness these as we see the apparently dead branches of the trees bursting into millions of tiny new-growth green leaves. We observe the daffodils and crocuses break the ground that was only just recently blanketed with snow or barren soil. The air temperature that just a few weeks ago kept us inside is now luring us out into its warmer caress. It appears our Mother Earth is coming alive.

Our lives mirror nature. Often there is a dormancy that blankets our experiences. Nothing seems to be "moving." All attempts to make it happen hit a blank wall. We are reduced to waiting in the face of winter's lifelessness. What a perfect time to give the gift of Surrender. What a perfect opportunity to let go and let God, as we focus our attention inward. Here, like the tree, we find the sap of our being circulating perfectly, brimming with the Life of God. Here we can rest, knowing that our Spring will be sprung at the perfect time under the perfect conditions for a full, beautiful and easy God expression, just like the cherry blossoms on the backyard tree.

Today I surrender. I allow the Life of God to live Its life perfectly through me. I trust that I am in the perfect cycle of manifestation, and that appearances notwithstanding, this entire Universe is working together for my perfect, holy expression.

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"You can't harvest what you don't sow. So plant your desires, gently nurture them, and they will be rewarded with abundance." 12 LESSONS on LIFE I learned from My Garden, Vivian Elisabeth Glyck

"…We do know that when a seed is put into the ground, the law pertaining to growth operates and a plant is produced, and that unless a seed is planted, no plant will be produced." Science of Mind, p.206

SEEDING YOUR DREAMS

It is spring and the fields are being prepared for planting. After the long winter, life seems ready to multiply itself yet again. While farmers decide which crop to grow this season, we too have the opportunity to choose which intentions to put into the fertile soil of our field of infinite possibility.

A daunting task for some to be sure. Unfortunately, many of us are so fearful of setting an intention, that we would rather settle for a barren life-landscape than take the risk of claiming our heart's desires. We would rather empower the passing facts of our lives (i.e. limited income; being too old, young or the wrong sex; having too much or too little education, etc.) to dictate what - and if - we will plant. For some, the fear of failure and "I'm not good enough" beliefs block us from hearing the Voice of Intuition that is forever whispering our deepest dreams to us.

This year, why not celebrate spring for the soul? What if we stepped over old beliefs and addictions to the appearances of our lives and chose to plant something new? We can celebrate spring by focusing on what Divine Urges want to find their roots in our Being. How about preparing our subconscious by using Awareness as our plow? Let's vow to water our field with affirmative Prayer and fertilize it with Detachment as to how those dreams will manifest. Then, like our farmer friends, we will realize a magnificent harvest at the most perfect and appropriate time.

Today I practice the GIFT of setting Intentions. Freed of any belief in facts or appearances that may appear to limit my choices, I use my inner ear to listen to my Divine Guidance for those seeds of ideas that want to grow through my consciousness. And I plant them.

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'Kwan Yin is the most beloved of all Eastern goddess figures, giving freely of her unending sympathy, fertility, health and magical insight to all who ask." 365 Goddess, Patricia Telecso

"A practitioner must be filled with the spirit of Divine Compassion." The Science of Mind, p.238

KINDNESS AND MERCY

As I became a serious student of the Science of Mind philosophy, one of the most liberating experiences for me was the opportunity to expand my concept of Who God is. It was under the aegis of this wonderful teaching that I became aware that God was as much Masculine as Feminine; as much Spirit as Mind; as much Omnipresent as Omniscient; as infinitely multi-dimensional as I could possibly conceive. It was during this fertile learning period that I became enchanted with the idea of Mother God. And so my interest in the goddesses of this and other cultures served to bring me into a deeper awareness of Mother God.

The festival of the Great Mother, Kwan Yin is celebrated in China and Japan today. It is a day dedicated to the goddess of tolerance and mercy by the offering of incense and pilgrimages to her shrines. Kwan Yin, the most beloved of all Eastern goddess figures is believed to embody all that is female, and is thought to be the womb from which all of humanity has been birthed. "It is her sacred duty to relieve suffering and encourage enlightenment among humans," according to author Patricia Telecso.

Within me is the Mother God to whom I can make my offerings and prayers. The God/dess of mercy, fertility, compassion, wisdom and unconditional love awaits my attention so that s/he may enfold me in a loving embrace and whisper to me "You are my beloved child in whom I am well pleased."

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"Passover: a Jewish holiday commemorating the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt." Webster's New World Dictionary

"Ignorance stays with us until the day of enlightenment, until our vision toward the Spirit broadens and cast out the image of a no longer useful littleness." The Science of Mind, p.418

"CHAG SAMAYACH"

"Happy Holiday" to Jewish people everywhere who are celebrating Passover, the great holy-day of liberation. May we all join you at your Seder table this night and spiritually participate in the ceremony of sharing the story of the Exodus of the Hebrews from bondage into freedom.

Let us all join together in celebrating our spiritual delivery from the oppression of ignorance and limitation to a state of liberating our souls to be all they are created to be. Today I invite us to stop and acknowledge the enormous courage and commitment we have demonstrated in our quest to live in God. By telling our story of the journey to enlightenment, we have the opportunity to give thanks and bless ourselves and each other for being so willing to go to God for God; to transcend circumstances in the name of God's vision for our lives; to die daily to old beliefs and patterns that appear to limit us; to be adamantly committed to our daily spiritual practices of meditation and prayer; to practice forgiveness at every opportunity. Led by Inspiration and Vision and sometimes pain, we are emerging into the souls of freedom and love we came here to be. This is indeed a holiday to celebrate. Glory Be.

Today I take some time to stop and acknowledge myself for my own personal Passover from ignorance to enlightenment. I share my story of the journey in my journal, with a prayer partner or practitioner, and I allow myself to bask in the wonder of my spiritual unfoldment.

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"Tithing is something that can only take place when individuals receive inwardly the realization of what great gifts of God they have received, and in gratitude decide to share some part of it." Consciousness Transformed by Joel Goldsmith

"The only reason man is limited is that he has not allowed the Divine within him to more completely express." The Science of Mind, p.279

RECEIVING AND GIVING

Along my spiritual path I have picked up many, many pearls of wisdom. And, I have had to leave behind many, many belief systems that have appeared to block my experience of my Oneness in God. One of the major ones - the re-qualification of the practice of Tithing - became the foundation for my work as a minister which is: To ignite the awareness within every individual that we are the abundant love of God; that lack is an illusion; that God as Love is all there is.

To that end, the spiritual practice of giving the GIFT of Tithing has been one of the keystones of my work. Why? Because I have come to realize that by Tithing I am staying so connected to my Source that I live in great awareness that I am an incredibly blessed receiver of the bounty of God. The belief system I had to leave behind was that my tithing is ONLY for the benefit of the receiver of the tithe (that person or place where I am being spiritually nourished). The wisdom I have gained is that Tithing is not a spiritual practice that I do through some obligation or expectation, but rather that I share of the first fruits of that which I have received in GRATITUDE to God who has so richly given to me. Tithing then becomes my prayer and activity of thanksgiving.

I am such a grateful receiver that I gladly circulate 10% of my gifts from God to the place where God is revealing Itself in my life. I Tithe joyfully, as a prayer of the deepest gratitude for what I have received. Thank you, God.

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"Forgiveness is an ongoing process. It continues in response to every judgment we make about ourselves or others." The Twelve Steps of Forgiveness by Paul Ferrini

"The mind which condemns understands not the truth of being, and the heart which would shut the door of its bosom to one who is mistaken, strangles its own life, closing its eyes to a greater vision." The Science of Mind, p. 457

FORGIVE THEM

In my work as a practitioner, minister and teacher/author of the transformational course and book, 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life, one of my greatest blessings has been to witness the extraordinary power we unleash when we give the GIFT of Forgiveness. In class after class, session after session, I have beheld countless people set themselves free from carrying the burdens of resentment, shame, blame, guilt and anger. Physical and mental lighten-up-ment happen as students realize that by being unforgiving they are binding themselves to the past and suffering because they are not fully present to be here now for all the Good of God.

Giving the GIFT of Forgiveness does not demand that we forgive the behavior done to us, but it does require that we elevate our consciousness to be the beholder of the God Self in the other person, no matter how they have expressed themselves humanly. This is the work of the highest and best of our Divine nature. It is a spiritual practice that is just that…a practice. Rarely do we find that forgiving one time will do it. When we practice forgiving "70 x 7" as instructed by Jesus the Christ when asked by Peter, "Lord how often do I need to forgive?" we are inspired to realize that we are to give this GIFT until perfection (7) is reached.

Today I set myself free to be fully present to be the Divine Circulator of all of the Abundant Good of God. I lay my burdens down through the active practice of giving the GIFT of Forgiveness.

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"In The Pieta…Michelangelo convinces both himself and us of the divine quality and significance of these figures [of Mary holding the body of her son after his crucifixion] by means of earthly beauty, perfect by human standards and therefore divine." Michelangelo, Complete Works by Lutz Heusinger

"It was impossible for Jesus not to have become the Christ, as the human gave way to the Divine, as the man gave way to God, as the flesh gave way to Spirit, as the will of division gave way to the will of unity…" The Science of Mind, p. 359

THE PIETA

It was during a particularly poignant meditation in the workshop I was attending that we were asked to bring into our awareness a symbol of Unconditional Love. My mind immediately took me back to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy to the time when I first beheld the face of Mary holding the body of her crucified son. I was standing in front of Michelangelo's Pieta. I will never forget the response I had to this mother's gaze of acceptance, understanding and love. Yes, there was a hint of melancholy that shrouded her deeper feelings, but where were the emotions of agony, rage, sorrow, pain and grief? How could she be in a state of peace, when her beloved Jesus had endured such a brutal and shameful death?

In this, one of his most brilliant sculptures (created at the age of 23), Michelangelo had captured the divine transcending the human. Mary holds the apparent life-less form of her son draped across her lap, and rather than reacting to the fate of Jesus' human body, she seems to behold a greater Truth. Looking out from the countenance of youth and innocence, the Mother of Jesus appears to have surrendered and opened to the Spirit of her child. Could it be that her maternal instinct and Divine inspiration revealed to her the greater Truth about his soul's journey…that more was to be revealed…that this was not the end?

Today I behold the eternal Spirit that is within me, and all of God's creation. I look upon each person's journey with compassion, for I realize that it is perfect for the unfoldment of his or her highest purpose.

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"Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Mark10: 13,14

"How we long for a return of that simple trust in life which children have; in their minds there are no doubts - they have not yet been told that they are sinners, destitute of divine guidance and spiritual life." Science of Mind, p.456

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAY!

Four years ago today, my beautiful grandson, Jay, was born. On that day, my life as an adult was transformed. Through the birth of this little Being of God, I was reintroduced to Life as a trusting, innocent, expectant child of the Most High. For four years now, I have delighted in watching this little boy bring joy, spontaneity, true unfiltered feelings, a full spectrum of moods and a joie de vivre that only a newly born soul can express. Unencumbered by the filters of socialization and too many imposed limitations on his young life, Jay is my keystone for living from a place of enthusiasm, endless curiosity and above all unbounded wonderment at the miraculous world we live in.

Jay has reminded me that when I live through my heart, my intuition, my imagination, my feelings that I truly am in the kingdom of God. I remember through his example that I cannot access this state of consciousness from my rational, linear mind. For it is only when I release my need to try to know God and Its kingdom from what I think, that I surrender into the Mind of my Heart where I can feel the Presence. Thank you, Jay, and all children everywhere for helping us to remember Who we are, and that we live in heaven on earth.

I joyfully and gladly return to that "simple trust in life which children have." Today, I "receive the kingdom of God as a little child." Happy birthday to children everywhere

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"When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our God's full giving is only begun."
For the Inward Journey by Howard Thurman

"The resurrection is the death of the belief that we are separated from God. For death is to the illusion alone and not to Reality. God did not die. What happened was that man awoke to Life." The Science of Mind p. 413

HAPPY EASTER

We are raised! We awake this morning to the glad tidings that the Christ consciousness within us has yet again risen above the idea of mortality and the belief in separation. Amid the Easter eggs, bunny rabbits, crocuses and tulips (all symbols of Life; new beginnings) we rejoice in the realization that we have survived the winter of our minds and bodies to triumphantly announce that life cannot ultimately be conquered by death; that the darkness will always lead to the light.

How glorious to understand that when all else fails, when one door closes, when death of some cherished person or plan seems to descend, that this is the time when "our God's full giving is only begun." At the darkest hour, when there seems to be no sign of life anywhere, suddenly there appears the tiniest bud of inspiration on the plant of our dashed desires; the blade of green pops up amid the dead brown patches of our "fix it" minds; the leaves pop out of the branches on the tree of our faith and trust. The Grace of God is upon us. The infinite givingness of God is leading us from the tomb of our old beliefs to the Ascension into the Truth that we are infinite, whole beings of God.

Glory Be! I celebrate my resurrection into the eternal light of God. Today I know that death has no hold over me. I AM an infinite immortal being of the Most High. Hallelujah.

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"Many of us have unconsciously erected seemingly insurmountable barriers to protect ourselves from failing or succeeding." Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach

"We must first clarify our own vision, then we shall become as lights, lighting the way for others." The Science of Mind p. 435

BABY STEPS

There is really something awesome and inspiring about the purity and joy radiating from a new student of Science of Mind. When the spark of Truth is ignited, the desire for more growth and awareness seems insatiable. A passion for leaping ahead in all matter of manifestation often ensues, sometimes with less than desirable results.

One of my beloved teachers shared her personal story to illustrate the importance of building a consciousness to easily manifest our Intentions. As a young student newly ignited by this philosophy, she caught the desire to manifest a new car as her way to demonstrate her newly found co-creative power. At the time she owned a very old Toyota, barely on its last treads. What she aspired to was a brand new Cadillac. Realizing that there was a giant step between the two cars, she non-the-less stretched her pocket book and her prayers and purchased the yellow beauty. For the next two years she was given a personal demonstration of the meaning of the term "lemon." Her personal use of the car between days in the shop and those spent getting it there numbered less than 40. Her time in prayer and working with a Practitioner to uncover the hidden beliefs and grow her consciousness seemed far longer than two years. At last, she convinced General Motors to take the car back. With the money she was able to recoup she bought a nice, comfortable green (for abundance) Honda Coupe. A baby step toward driving the trouble-free Mercedes she now owns.

Today I take baby steps toward my dreams in order to allow my consciousness to grow into the Divine Urge pushing to express through me.

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"Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life." The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle

"The soul must make a complete surrender of itself to the Spirit." The Science of Mind, p. 405

THY WILL BE DONE

Ah, sweet Surrender. Not so "sweet" to some. What is it about giving the GIFT of Surrender that causes many of us to recoil and resist? It is the visual that the ego mind conjures up that equates that activity with defeat, white flags, imprisonment and loss of power and/or control. Let's be clear that the mental and emotional surrender is not the gift we are talking about giving. Like all spiritual practices, this one is an inside job.

The key question here in defining "surrender" as a spiritual practice is to ask: To Whom are we surrendering? When we are clear that this is a practice of letting go and letting God, then we have a different experience of this powerful work of trust. Surrender is the spiritual practice that separates the mental manipulators from the spiritual expressers. Without giving the GIFT of Surrender we will still live the experience of God doing life "to me" or "in me." In these states we can learn useful metaphysical tools that will bring about changes and make us more comfortable. Nice, but there's oh so much more. When we let go of the idea of separation from God - by giving over our lives to God - through actively surrendering to the power and the presence of God within, we are ALLOWING God to live "through me" and ultimately "as me."

I commit to saying this holy affirmation as often as I can this day: "I Surrender to the Power and the Presence of God Within Me."

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"When you recognize God as your being, you will have no need other than to know Him aright. If you have God, you have supply…" The Art of Spiritual Healing, by Joel S. Goldsmith

"I must find the Source, if I am to be supplied." The Science of Mind p. 446

GOD IS MY SOURCE

I often begin the lesson on the GIFT of Tithing with this challenge to my students: "If you only get one thing out of the 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life course, let it be that your job is not your source!" And more often than not, emotions of confusion and disbelief register on the faces of those same students. We are so conditioned to believe that our job, our pension, our dividends, yes even our unemployment or disability check is the source of our supply. We somehow believe that we supply ourselves - not God. Oh, the twists of our human minds!

Yet, when we step onto the road to illumination we gradually begin to realize that we are expressing an Infinite Being that is the Source of all we receive. We awaken to the truth that back of all the suppliers of "our" income is a Giver that cannot help but give to Its beloveds, in infinite and wondrous ways. We also learn that It gives to us to the degree that we are open to receive. If we believe that we can only receive from those places where we have toiled, then so be it.

The GIFT of Tithing is a spiritual practice that allows us to acknowledge the Infinite Presence within us as the true Source of all our Good. When we tithe, we unleash a resounding, "Thank you, God" for what we have received, no matter where it appeared to come from.

Today I become a Divine Circulator of the Good of God. I open to all the wondrous ways that I am supplied, and I allow the abundance of God to express through me knowing that It is my Source.

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"Love is the only power. Love is the only way." Rabbi David Zeller

"Blessing: Constructive thought directed toward anyone or any condition…You bless a man's (woman's) business when you think correctly about that business." The Science of Mind p. 577

BLESS THE IRS

One of my favorite teachers, Alan Cohen tells the story of a woman who when faced with paying her IRS tax payment a few years ago decided to extend her practice of including a blessing on the memo line of her check. After all, she reasoned, who better to receive the love I am extending to all those to whom I circulate God's energy of money? And so she inscribed, "Peace and joy be with you." A few months later when she was going through her canceled checks, she noticed the one she had sent to the Internal Revenue Service. Imagine her surprise and delight when she noted on the back, below the institutional stamp, these hand written words: "and with you too!"

We are such powerful beings of God. At any given moment - the good ones and the apparently not so good ones - we have the opportunity to bring the spiritual awareness of the Presence of God into every situation with our blessing. Blessing a thing means to name it holy. If we truly live the Principle that "God is all there is" then every thought need be a blessing. Through this simple practice we can live in the unifying field of the Omnipresent God.

God bless the IRS and everything I come in contact with today and always. I realize that God is everywhere present and claim that truth though naming everything sacred, everyone divine.

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"April showers bring May flowers." Anonymous

"We must seek to realize the spiritual Universe, regardless of any condition which appears, if we would embody the greatest good." The Science of Mind, p. 184

OH, THOSE SHOWERS!

The spiritual path is littered with rocks and thorns, potholes and detours. As we journey down it toward remembering Who we are, we encounter all matter of "lions and tigers and bears." Enlightenment comes at the price of some pain and suffering, it is true.

In the beginning, it may be pain that pushes us onto the path to even begin the journey. To "get better" we take some classes, seek the counsel of a minister or practitioner, call the World Ministry of Prayer. And when a revelation of Truth occurs (some call it a "healing") and we feel connected to our Divine source, the sun comes out again in our lives…until the next rain storm…when once again we're driven to read another book, etc. etc., in order to relieve the pain.

And so we rumble down our road to illumination gathering Truth and Wisdom along the way, all the while still swerving to avoid the next down pour.

And then, at some point, we awaken to the Truth that: It's all GOD. Comes the dawn that there is no distinction between the sun and the showers. Each is divine; each is necessary for the total unfoldment of our Soul. Suddenly we find ourselves detached from the world of circumstances and conditions, becoming not the victim of them but the beholder of the Divine Pattern behind them.

I am so very grateful for this journey of awakening. I embrace the perfection of my life pattern and know that it is all sacred and divine.

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"I surrender to the power and presence of God within me." Affirmation used to embody the GIFT of Surrender in the 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life Book and Course, by Diane Harmony

"My mind now releases all sense of burden or strain." The Science of Mind, p. 257

THE FIFTH STEP OF AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER

"Release." "Let go and let God." "Surrender this prayer into the Law." These are just a few phrases we use when we end a Spiritual Mind Treatment for another or ourselves.

Surrendering the prayer is the final step we are taught to use when praying in this unique way; that is knowing the Truth from the Divine Presence within us, rather than begging, bargaining or beseeching a God outside ourselves. This form of prayer is perhaps the greatest gift Science of Mind has to give the planet, and part of its power comes from the fifth step. Why? Because when we release the prayer into the Law of God, we are saying that what we are praying about is already done; already so; already manifested…without any need for us to "do" anything at all. We have surrendered it all to the power and presence of God.

What a relief! We have planted a seed into God Consciousness, and we don't have to ever revisit it again. We don't have to fertilize it, water it, or even dig it up to see if it has taken root. In our minds by using the fifth step, we have turned it all over to God.

Release requires that we trust that what we are claiming manifests at the perfect time, in the perfect way for the highest good of all concerned. If we have any doubts, then those are the subjects of our subsequent prayers.

Today I complete my affirmative prayer when I surrender my deepest desires to God. I let go and let God have full sway in my life.

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"Forgiveness in the deepest sense is forgiving ourselves for separating ourselves from a loving God." Forgiveness: The Greatest Healer of All by Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D.

"The only guarantee of our Divinity is in its expression through our humanity." The Science of Mind, p. 238

THE FORGIVENESS OF SELF

Your challenge today is to forgive yourself. If you're waiting to be absolved from an outside, judgmental God - you wait in vain. The One True God is all Good and knows nothing but Itself. It knows Itself as you as the only Good that It is. So, it is not God's job to forgive you for your temporary state of separation from your Source, but yours.

So begin this day with this simple exercise. On a sheet of paper, complete the following sentence with every transgression you believe you are guilty of:

"I forgive myself for judging myself as….."

Take it deep. Be vigilant in examining your consciousness to be sure to bring onto that paper all the self-condemning thoughts your internal "committee" has about you that keep you nailed to your own cross. It may take all day, or all week.

When you feel complete, end your list with this final forgiveness Truth:

"I forgive myself for forgetting WHO I AM."

You may feel lighter now. You may feel that you can lay those burdens down and come off the cross of un-forgiveness. You will see that by judging yourself, you keep yourself in a place of separation from your good, your God.

Today I forgive myself for judging myself unworthy to be the light and love of God. I remember Who I AM and allow all that is not of my holy divine nature to fade away in self forgiveness.

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"Bloom where you're planted." Mary Engelbreit. Quoted in Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach

"God cannot help making the gift, because God is the gift." The Science of Mind, p. 280

BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED

"If onlys" are the blight on our fields of our desires and intentions.

Have you ever noticed that when you get still enough to listen to the Still Small Voice (often when you are in daily meditation), the guidance you are seeking surfaces as an inspirational idea? You emerge from your practice with the awareness that this seeding of possibility has taken tenuous root in your subconscious mind. You gently nourish it with your acceptance and prayer and watch as it grows into a greater possibility. The process of manifestation is on schedule.

And then suddenly it appears that your little idea-plan is under attack. Like a plague of insects, the "if onlys", hit full force. The "insects" chew away at the new idea with this message: I could bloom this dream if only I was better educated, a different color, age, sex; if only I had the money or the time or the help; if only I had faith and trust; if only I had courage and commitment. The infestation is relentless. The little plant of your idea is nearly snuffed out under this siege.

Yet, there is some other Presence on the field that like the life-giving sun whispers: "Bloom where you're planted." "Within this idea is everything necessary for its perfect unfoldment." "Prayer is the pesticide."

This time, you choose the Voice of God, and the miracle of creation happens through you.

Today I allow just one Divine Idea to take root and grow and blossom through me. I commit to fertilize this baby idea with acceptance, and to protect it with prayer.

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"…once you learn to open yourself to God without a desire that a specific will or wish or chore be performed, but only that God's will and God's grace be done through you, then you will witness the miracle of prayer fulfilled." Consciousness Transformed, by Joel Goldsmith

"The secret of spiritual power lies in a consciousness of one's union with the Whole, and of the availability of Good." The Science of Mind, p. 151

GO TO GOD FOR GOD

Beyond the prayerful stage of going to God for things…the sale of the home, the healing of the body, the fattening of the bank account…lies the realm of spiritual prayer that asks only that the spiritual kingdom be established on earth. The former is not "bad", the latter not "good". The two kinds of prayer are just different.

When we go to God for things, there is a subtle implication that we are lacking or missing something. When we go to God for God, we come into the prayer from a place of Wholeness, wanting nothing but the awareness of the Presence of God in the situation.

When we go to God for things, we tend to live in the field of apparent separation from the God within us, and ascribe to God the power to give or withhold our good. When we go to God for God, we pray not to overcome the condition with some human solution but to realize that in the midst of appearance, there is the harmony of God's being.

When we go to God for things, there may be the tendency to enlist God to change, defeat or even bring peace to circumstances in our lives. In spiritual prayer we are only praying that spiritual identity be revealed; that the mind that was in Christ Jesus be revealed as the mind of men and women, children and countries for whom we pray.

This day I pray to know that the kingdom of God is revealed on earth and that God's grace is established in the consciousness of all beings everywhere. I pray to KNOW heaven on earth.

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"Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings. Gratitude journals are not just lovely, they work." O Magazine article by Marianne Williamson

"An attitude of gratitude is most salutary, and bespeaks the realization that we are now in heaven." The Science of Mind, p. 497

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THANKING

(Excerpted from 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life!Ô Course workbook. Written by Diane Harmony)

"…The very act of saying 'thank you' makes us humbler, gentler and more loving people.

What about expressing thanks for the gifts we would rather not have received? What a powerful practice a word of appreciation becomes when even in the face of a serious diagnosis, a child in trouble, or unexpected financial reversals we can say 'Thank You, God!' People who in the throes of receiving a gift wrapped in heartache rather than in beautiful ribbons and bows don't ignore the facts but who remain grateful are 'schooled in using the act of giving thanks as a tool for the assumption of spiritual victory,' writes Marianne Williamson. It is out of being grateful that we can know that there is a gift here, and even if we can't see it, gratitude keeps us open to receive it.

While life is not always fun, it is always a gift. When we accept that truth, we can live in gratitude that good thing by good thing, and disaster-by-disaster, we are becoming better people…

And in that very act (of positive thanking) we touch a nerve not only within ourselves but within the universe itself unifying us with the glorious One, and giving us the true sense that Life is grateful to us as well."

I recognize that all of Life is a gift, and thus an opportunity to be grateful. Today, I choose to be grateful for everything and everyone in my life. Thank you, God.

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"And the day came when the risk [it took] to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin as quoted by Sarah Ban Breathnach in Simple Abundance

'Nature demands the change in order that we may advance. When the change comes, we should welcome it with a smile on the lips and a song in the heart." The Science of Mind, p. 385

CHOOSE TO BLOSSOM

It's no wonder we resist change so much. Look at the colossal one it took for us to even appear on the planet. For each of us, our birth was change at its greatest, and truly it won't be that intense again until we leave the planet. However, it set an extraordinary precedent…one that as humans we would rather not repeat again in any measure.

Yet, change we must. Nature demands it in order that we advance, writes Dr. Holmes, founder of Religious Science. So, as always, we get to choose how we wish to evolve…kicking and screaming (to reenact our first big transformation from the paradise of the womb to the "real" world), or in the Grace of the God Who is living Its life as us. Choosing the former is the path for many of us. Burdened by fear of the unknown and the huge responsibility we put upon ourselves for thinking that we have to do it all ourselves, we naturally argue for our limited way, rather than risk growth and expansion.

However, were we to choose the latter, we would find that we had activated all of the assistance of the Universe to work on our behalf. Releasing resistance to the inevitable process of our life, we would find that the course we had chosen would be wondrously free of pain and barriers. Were we to say "yes" to the unfoldment of our soul's imprint for enlightenment, we would be choosing to naturally bloom as the unique emanation of God that we are.

Today I choose to bloom into the fabulous, beautiful, glorious flower of God that I AM. I welcome change with a smile on my lips and a song in my heart, for I am realizing my True Nature; my Oneness in God.

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"To be one with the Whole, to become consciously aware of the oneness of God, and to totally unify in consciousness with Spirit is the gold of the practitioner." Professional Practitioner Studies 1st Year Curriculum, Lesson 19

" [A practitioner] should feel a unity of Spirit in all people and running through all events." The Science of Mind, p. 167

LEND ME YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS

One of the greatest gifts Science of Mind has to give the world is Licensed Practitioners of Truth.

The opportunity to go to a "spiritual counselor" to have them pray, listen to your story with compassion but without entanglement, and pray again, knowing the Truth for you, is a supreme act of consciousness raising that is unique to this and a just a few other New Thought organizations.

Wherever there is a spiritual center and in many places where there is not, licensed practitioners schooled in the art of affirmative prayer are ready to "lend you their consciousness" when you find you cannot connect with the God Presence within you.

My practitioner is the repository of all of my human frailties; my doubts, fears, resentments and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. She answers my calls with a soothing calm that immediately helps me to begin to remember Who I AM. By the time I have had the benefit of a Spiritual Mind Treatment that she says for me, I am once again reconnected with my Source, My God. I have found so often that merely by making the call to set up the appointment or to ask for prayer, I have released myself - at least in part - from the clutches of an idea of separation. It is so comforting to know that I can share my false beliefs with her and she will never judge me. And as I go my way free of old ideas, I am also reassured to know that she continues to hold me in her prayers on a daily basis. How great is that!

Consider giving yourself the gift of a Religious Science Practitioner session. Allow yourself to be guided to the one that can lend you their consciousness, or serve to reinforce the Wisdom you already know. Let one pray for you and feel the freedom of knowing there is a being that really knows Who You Are.

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"Love is the greatest need of this world. While we have achieved all manner of material success, human beings on this planet daily cry out - and die - for love." A Deep Breath of Life by Alan Cohen

"Love is the self-givingness of the Spirit through the desire of Life to express Itself in terms of creation." The Science of Mind, p. 478

A CALL TO LOVE

It is written in the Course of Miracles that all actions and desires are to give love or a call to be loved. What a powerful statement that is. Upon closer examination, could it be that it is true that back of every "good" interaction we have with a person or persons, as well as every "not-so-good" one is the call to give love and/or be loved?

"I can understand the acts of kindness and loving generosity as being ways to give love or seek to be loved," you hear your little mind chatter. "But it can't be true that Hitler, Ben Laden or the serial killer reported on the news falls into one or the other of these categories," you think. "Surely the guy who cut me off; the cleaner who ruined my suit; the nasty neighbor who makes her life work making my life miserable…they can't be calling to be loved?" your mind argues.

Spiritual truth will never be understood by the human mind. It is only when we "think" with the Mind of our Heart that we can live in the Upstairs Consciousness of an enlightened being. For it is only from there that we can behold the Sacred in all of God's creation, and realize that expressing the Love of God is the only motivator, no matter what the choice of human conduct. This is Spiritual Warrior work.

I am willing to see the world through the eyes of God; where everything and everyone is a revelation and expression of Love. I realize that I can only live in this consciousness through the Mind of my Heart; the place of deep interconnectedness in God.

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"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!" Title of a Contemporary Play

"As long as we realize that our heart is a living center, through which the Love of God flows to bless eternally…our heart cannot be troubled." The Science of Mind, p. 239

LEARNING YOUR "A, B, T's"

Accept, Bless, Trust. These are the "A, B, T's" that when incorporated as spiritual practices in your lives will provide the landscape for transformation.

Accept what is. Acceptance is acknowledging that this moment is as it should be. Released from all resistance to our circumstance or condition, acceptance softens our heart and brings us into the present moment. Here, we are free from the human urge to fix the outer "problem," and remain available to the field of all possibilities that is revealed from within.
"I love you."

Bless the person or circumstance. When we do, we declare it holy and divine, and so bring our spirit into harmony with the Spirit of the "other." We are in unity with the Presence of God within all.
"You're Perfect."

Trust opens our hearts to the unknown. From this place we can let go of what we believe, and open to allow God's grace to reveal our next steps toward remembering Who We Are.
"Now Change!"

Today I practice my "A, B, T's" in full expectancy that by doing so, I can change any area of my life without struggle or pain. I realize that by surrendering into these spiritual practices, I am aligning my soul with the vision of my life, and transformation happens. Thank you, God.

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"I don't know when I myself am too pot-bound, lacking courage to be replanted, to take the shock of the new soil, to feel into the unknown and take root in it." Being Home, by Gunilla Norris

"Know that the greater abundance of every good thing which you are bringing out in your life, the more perfectly you are satisfying the Divine Urge within you." The Science of Mind, p. 288

POT-BOUND

Are you bored? Stuck? Uninspired? Mildly depressed? Unmotivated?

Perhaps you have used all the nutrients in your present "soil", your roots have no place to go, and the interior of your world has become a wasteland. You may need to repot!

"We need to gently loosen the soil around our souls, find something that sparks our imagination, quickens our pulse, brings a smile or a giddy lilt to our conversations," writes Sara Ban Breathnach in Simple Abundance. Our spiritual path has no destination; only a call to explore all that we are created to be. And so, we are called to continually expand into our highest possibility.

Repotting doesn't mean you have to make some earth-shaking change to your life. It just means that it is time to answer the Divine Urge to do something new. We can replant ourselves into learning a new skill; taking up a hobby or sport; enrolling in a spiritual growth class; mastering a new language; traveling to a foreign land; writing a screenplay; going back to college; creating a home based business.

When we realize that the God within us is Infinite and thus Its ways of expressing through us are unlimited, we can align ourselves with our Divine Nature, and easily step into the unknown and take root in it, guided by the Grace of God.

I allow the Divine Urge within me to express as I eagerly explore new possibilities. I allow the Grace of God to guide me into the unknown where I know I will plant myself into the rich, nutritious soil of the Love of God.

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"Keep fresh before me the moments of my high resolve." For the Inward Journey by Howard Thurman

"The pent-up energy of life, and the possibility of further human evolution, works through man's [and woman's] imagination and will." The Science of Mind, p. 151

WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WALL

When we open up to allowing ourselves to let the "pent-up energy of life" flow through us - by activating our will as an idea or intention - all matter of perceived barriers to its manifestation get triggered. Just when you decided that yes, it's time to start that new business; get married; go to graduate school; change jobs or buy that new house, all the reasons "why not" seem to appear as walls that block reaching our goals. Suddenly, our intended partner gets cold feet; there appears to be all sorts of competition to our business idea; the escrow falls through; they lost our transcript; we don't appear to have the "right" credentials. And then when we share our baby dream with a respected family member, we are told how "unrealistic" our idea is, and just exactly how do we plan to pull it off? The walls are beginning to appear to choke the life out of our dream.

How can we change the common reaction to walls as being a "sign" that this new path must not be the course we are to take? What if we expect there to be walls? What if instead of being defeated by them, we use the walls to build our spiritual muscle of high resolve? What if we use them to give us valuable feedback; self-confidence; and as a validation that we are on the right path?

When my will is used by God, I use the perceived walls to build Its holy intention. I expect them, befriend them, build on them and wait for them to lead me around, over or through them to the manifestation of my dreams.

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"Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:14

"In gladness, then, we should make known our desires, and in confidence we should wait upon the Perfect Law to manifest through us." The Science of Mind, p. 272

DON'T JUST DO SOMETHING…STAND THERE!

The frenzy of "doing." We all know it and use it with great regularity when we have an idea, inspiration or challenge. Our immediate response is to act. We begin to manipulate the material world to try to shape it into the mold for our plan, or solution to our problem. Off we go to gather the right people, finances, education, legal work, prayer support, etc. We are trained to be human doings rather than human beings.

Yet, as we grow in our consciousness union in God, we learn to practice the Principle of Trust. We begin to see that "doing" distracts and disturbs the unfoldment of the vision or solution. We realize that it is through trusting the perfection of God within us, that we learn to stand there, actively listening for Divine Guidance through prayer and meditation. This is not a passive act, but an active practice that requires our full attention and focus on the vision or solution. We are participating in the realm of Cause…not effects. It is in this state of Grace that the Divine guides us, directs us. The Law of Attraction is activated and all that is necessary for the perfect revelation of our idea or answer is under way - without effort or strain. Glory be, we have let go, and let God!

Today I wait on the Lord of my Being, trusting that I am inspired, guided and directed from within to allow that which is next for me to unfold for the highest good of all.

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"Time is the measure that man [and woman] gives to passing events. The only power in time is what man imparts to it. When [wo]man gets into the understanding of the Absolute, [s]he takes his[her] freedom from all bondage of time and declares that time shall no more enter into the substance of his[her] mind or body or affairs." The Revealing Word by Charles Fillmore

"Spirit is Timeless, within which is all time." The Science of Mind, p. 67

TIME OUT

In the years I have been teaching the spiritual tools to create a consciousness of wealth, I have found that once the concept of an infinite supply of money has been embodied, the next idea for us to fully understand is the concept of an infinite supply of time.

We begin by embracing the Truth that there is no time in God. We are multi-dimensional beings living in the eternal NOW…the only place where we can know our Oneness in God, and are the creative beings we are born to be. It is the human selves of us that have devised a way to measure - and seemingly control - our experience by assigning numbers to the passing of episodes our lives. Over time the illusion of time has become real, and most of us perceive that we don't have enough of it. Yet, the Truth is that when we live in human-made time, we are living either in the past (memory) or in the future (hopes and wishes.)

So let's take time out. Let's begin today to claim that time is our tool; that it is altogether possible to have time expand and/or contract to meet our needs; (Haven't you had the experience that when running late to a meeting you declared that you would make it on time - without breaking the law, and "miraculously" did?); that we live in the ever-present NOW.

I choose to live where I AM One with God….in the Timeless…in the Infinite NOW.

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"The presence and power of God does not perform miracles until an inner stillness has been attained, and in this stillness the presence and power of God is released." Consciousness Transformed by Joel Goldsmith

"To daily meditate on the Perfect Life, and to daily embody the Great Ideal, is the royal road to freedom, to that 'peace which passeth understanding'…" The Science of Mind, p. 185

CONSCIOUS COMMUNION IN GOD

The 4:30 A.M. earthquake sent my son flying into our room where my husband and I had bolted straight up in reaction to the wave of motion rumbling beneath our bed. Ignoring all the "preparedness" advice, the three of us scrambled to find flashlights; the door; the stairwell; the street. All the while, sirens and car alarms wailed their sounds, electricity lines popped like firecrackers and the inky sky - devoid of man-made light - revealed flames from fires all over the city. The only prayer I could utter through shuttering teeth from a mind in shock was: "God is right here."

Hours later in near darkness still, we crept cautiously back inside to check the damage. Our flashlights revealed what could be described as utter destruction. An after shock stoked yet another wave of terror through me. It was then that I remembered my spiritual practice of meditation.

I crawled along the floor among the books and memorabilia until I found a wall that seemed intact enough to support my back. I settled my body down. I began to breathe the mantra: God IS; I AM. I closed my eyes and turned within. Every breath brought me home to my oneness in God. All that mattered was my conscious communion in God.

I emerged 30 minutes later to the sun shining on my face. The sirens seemed to have faded; the damage seemed to be less than I had thought. I was at peace for I had remembered what is Real.

Today I make a commitment to the powerful transforming practice of Meditation. No matter what is going on around me, I set aside 15-30 minutes to be in conscious communion in God.

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2 EXTRAS………

"Thank God that life is one continuous death and rebirth process, because each of us knows that our greatest crucifixions have revealed our greatest resurrections and have brought us ever closer to the ascensions of consciousness that we call illumination. It's All God by Walter Starke.

"We are to let the mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus." The Science of Mind, p. 495

I HAVE OVERCOME THIS WORLD

In this time of increasingly stimulated imaginations; overloaded senses and mental bombardments through daily events, media advertising, computer messaging and fast-paced agendas, it is easy to believe that life is doing us rather than the other way around. Worldly distractions can lead to believe that what is delivered to us through our five senses is what is real. We can - and often do- become hypnotized by the realm of effects, and succumb to its rule: You must abandon your Spirit just to survive day-to-day living.

When we step onto the path to enlightenment, we are inspired by our holy ancestors to choose a different road.

One was put before us 2003 years ago. Jesus overcame the world, guided and sustained by his Christ consciousness. Two thousand years ago his realm of circumstances could have easily caused the Master to abdicate his God Self in the name of survival. However, even when faced with the fact that his physical life was coming to a brutal end through his crucifixion, he chose to infuse the Spirit of the Divine into his world. He chose to love his enemies, forgive those who betrayed and persecuted him, and through his very death to this world, set the stage for his resurrection and ascension into illumination.

I am fully aware that the Christ consciousness within Jesus is the same one within me. Today I allow my God Self to guide me to live as a spiritual being having a glorious human experience.

"When you see it right and when you feel it right in the wholeness of your being, you then have created the condition that makes the result inevitable." The 4T Prosperity Program by Stretton Smith.

"We must seek to realize the spiritual Universe, regardless of any condition which appears, if we would embody the greatest good." The Science of Mind, p.184

SEEING IT RIGHT

(Excerpted from 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life Workbook. Written by Diane Harmony)

"In the realm of prosperity there are many spiritual laws that affect the flow of abundance in our lives. One that is particularly powerful is this: Rather than setting it right, our practice is to SEE IT RIGHT.

How often when confronted with the illusion of lack or limitation in our lives do we feel it is up to us to "fix" the circumstance. Our immediate response usually is to go out and earn more money, ask for the raise, cut back on expenses, make more time, train more, practice longer, try doubly hard for the result, etc. etc.

When we realize that we ARE prosperous, we can interrupt the ego pattern of working in the realm of effects out there, and go back to Cause. Remembering that Life is lived from inside out, our spiritual practice when confronted with these appearances is to SEE the Truth that we are infinite wells of prosperity, expressions of Abundance with a capital "A". In the midst of the lack is the Infinite Source; God…for God is all that there is. Realizing that we are not the circumstance, we can remember our True Nature and know that circumstances change; the Divine does not. It always is, was and will be abundant…and we ARE IT!

Practicing this simple law will lead you to grand adventures in prosperity, and keep your awareness focused on the Truth of your being…. You are always Prosperous!"

I vow this day to live in the realm of Cause, not effect. In so doing, I SEE my life as I desire it to be, and live in full and prayerful expectancy that it manifests in ease and grace.

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