Meanwhile, by Rev. Staci Hylton

The inspiration for my writing came from Stephen Colbert this past week. The more chaos, unrest, and disturbing the world seems to be currently experiencing, the more spiritual truth needs to be remembered. My job is to commit to seeing that which is happening so that my unique and individualized version of love can realize what is needed to help lift and shift the world to a new place. 

Honestly, there are days that my focus and energy seem to be stalled, and I gravitate toward that which infuriates and disappoints me about humanity; therefore, I must give double attention to my spiritual practices. As my focus shifts to being “in the world and not “of the world,” that which is mine to do comes through. The blessing that comes from the chaos and seeming darkness that is happening all around us is that truth is being revealed, and if enough of us can find the strength and courage to wrestle with the uncomfortable and the unrest, we truly have the opportunity to create exactly that which we want which will serve humanity at a higher level. I am willing to look into the dark corners and crevices of my own mind and that which is out in the world, however, am unwilling to vibrate from a place of doubt, fear, and worry. My light must shine as brightly as it can from within. What brings me back to shine is the remembering the “meanwhile.” 

I am so grateful for the Principles of Science of Mind, which allow me to live in the meanwhile. Here is a reminder of the Principles which come from CSL.org. They are framed on the wall at LVCSL as a reminder, and they make up the “Meanwhile” that I choose to focus my energy upon.

Current conditions that weigh on my human mind and heart: Racism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Classism, Ageism, Ableism, Anti-Semitism, Anti-Any religion that isn’t traditional Christianity (ism), fear of one another, fear of loss of power, lack of resources, inequality, not-enoughness, unworthiness, change, lack of recognition and respect of the value in all beings and the planet.

Meanwhile, there is Oneness, Love, and Creation

“One infinite Reality, We call it many names, including but not limited to God, Life Universal Spirit, Infinite Intelligence. First Cause, or the Thing Itself. The One Infinite Reality is undivided, complete, and whole within Itself. This Oneness creates everything out of itself and therefore includes both the absolute and the relative, tangible and intangible, physical and metaphysical aspects of reality.

“Love is the self-givingness of Universal Spirit through its desire to express itself in terms of creation. Love is the impulse, and Law is the way of creation.” We each are divine and a unique expression of the One Love, and when we create from that place and space of love, we manifest more and more love.”

Meanwhile, there is The Creative Process and The Spirit Threefold Nature

The One Infinite Reality expresses in three aspects, Spirit, Soul, and Body, and we are made in that One Reality’s image and likeness therefore, we create from that.

Each individual is made in the image and likeness of the One Infinite Reality therefore, once each realizes and acts from its birthright of Love, we can and will ultimately choose to manifest the attributes of love, peace, power, joy, and harmony and realize our beauty, and abundance and so much more.

Meanwhile, the Truth is that Freedom, Heaven is a state of consciousness, and we are all living an Eternal Life Now

Freedom is the birthright of every living soul, and as we realize that heaven is our true nature and allow ourselves to live from that awareness, we create more of that state of consciousness within each of us. We also allow for others to create their own version of their highest and best lives, knowing that as each opens up to their own unique magnificent selves, each creates a world that works for each one. We are immortal and eternal spiritual beings, here at this time on purpose to walk each other Home.

Rev. Staci Hylton

An Affirmative Prayer (Spiritual Mind Treatment) for World Peace by Rev. Kathy Mastroianni

 As I slow down, take that sacred breath of Life, and tune into the stillness that is within me, I sense and feel the Infinite Presence of Spirit within me, through me, and as me. I know that Infinite Spirit is Pure Peace, Deep Love, Transcendent Joy, Global Harmony, Infinite Abundance, and the Shining Light of Wisdom and Guidance.

I know that I am One with this amazing, Peaceful Spirit and so is every person and sentient being on our beloved Mother Earth and beyond.

Deeply we are One.

In this Holy moment of Communion, I speak my Word, co-Creating with Infinite Presence, that World Peace is right here and right now. I surrender any sense of disharmony or unrest or wars or projected anger or struggles between or among others in the world. I rise up in Consciousness and know the Higher Truth that Peace is here and Now. I celebrate with Joy how we are all brothers and sisters together on this earth journey and that each and every person and sentient being truly loves and supports each other all along the way. We realize that we are part of one race – – the human race – – and whenever one or another has any problems or issues, we come to their aid and support them with Love, with any resources needed, and with deep and abiding Peace. We instinctively and immediately remind each other of the Truth of their Light when a situation feels dark, lonely, or scary.

When there are opposing views between individuals, organizations, or countries, each person intuitively goes into active and deep listening, seeking to understand one another completely first, then joining together to find a Higher solution that benefits all—and beyond. This is all done with calmness, caring, compassion, patience, and true Love.

Knowing there is no situation too big or small for Spirit, with Joy and gratitude I celebrate Infinite Spirit’s Wisdom and Intelligence revealing this Truth for World Peace right here and right now. Thank you, Spirit!

With complete confidence, I release this Word into the Law knowing it is fulfilled in amazing, wonderful ways. I Trust and Know this is done Now. And so it is.

------

Reverend Kathy Mastroianni is the Executive Director of the Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation to preserve, protect and present our beloved Science of Mind history for us all to enjoy and for generations to come.

Rev. Kathy is currently on the Global Heart of Peace Initiative, has a Rise Up 4 Peace FaceBook page with her partner in Peace, Rev. Millie Forsberg, and facilitates a weekly Empowerment Group at a local domestic violence group to bring as much Peace as possible out to the world, truly revealing A World that Works for Everyone and Peace on Earth.

Transforming the Image, by Rev. Celeste Frazier

I love the language that Ernest Holmes uses as he talks about illusions as images. Many people may not realize the stuff we make up are images that can be dispelled. He says: “the creative genius of the inner life transforms the image of limitation and transmutes it into liberty under law.” These “images” seem so real, but they are like a magician’s illusions that trick us into thinking something is - that truly is not.

When I identify myself as a victim, I can cling to this victimhood and identify the perpetrator as my personal torturer. I can imprison him in that role for years – decades even. Until I know that I have the choi
ce to see him as whole, I cannot see myself as whole either. That’s the rub. We cannot limit the capacity of someone else without limiting our self-image and thereby, limiting our own power and freedom. Evolutionary Truth is available to us!

Holmes tells us early and often in the Science of Mind textbook that ignorance stands in the way of this Truth. This Truth can and does eliminate limitation, evil, suffering and uncertainty. We need not just cling to the beauty of the language when we can immerse ourselves in this Truth. As scientists, we certainly have the obligation to experiment with this. As self-loving humans, we must give ourselves this liberation!

I have released an unforgiveness that I held for decades just by consciously choosing to see his wholeness. Holmes tells us the evolution of our consciousness brings new powers and higher possibilities. I cannot begin to tell you how much lighter I feel. I cannot describe how much love has been unleashed and how much compassion has become as natural as breathing. That’s progress in the greatest possible way.

If we continue to think that things will always be as they were and insist on things being as they were, we are imprisoning ourselves and preventing our own evolution. All we need is a seed of innocence. When we plant that seed in our consciousness, it must produce. He says: “Involution is the cause and evolution is the effect.”

We can even misuse this law by making ourselves villains. When we argue for our own limitations, the Law will continue to say yes. We can experience so much more Joy and Peace because Who We Are is everything we would ever want.

-Rev. Celeste A. Frazier

Celeste A. Frazier was the spiritual leader of three Centers for Spiritual Living. She speaks at New Thought centers and regional and international conferences. Celeste is a stimulating podcaster of Mystic Magic, which is on most podcast venues. She is a warm counselor who sees your beauty. She is a visioning facilitator and a passionate teacher and healer who seeks to reveal your Divine Light. Celeste directs outreach ministries, is a performer and produced screenwriter. Her books are on Amazon and Kindle. Her new app, Conscious Grace is in the Apple Store. Her website is celestefrazier.com

With Sorrow for the Loss of Constitutional Protection

Reproductive rights remain a highly polarized issue, with many differing points of view within each family and spiritual community. Centers for Spiritual Living’s North Star is our Global Vision, our organizational shared values, and our Science of Mind statement of belief, all of which speak directly to liberty, equality, equity, inclusion, human rights, compassion, safety, self-determination, and spiritual living. For that reason, we are unambiguously in support of the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; unambiguously in support of gender equity and equality; unambiguously in support of LGBTQi+ lives, and unambiguously in support of women being sole decision-makers about their lives, wellbeing, dignity, and choices.

Overturning constitutional rights may be seen to be the evidence of an organic, flexible self-renewing, democratic social structure, and its power to recreate itself according to the will of its people. Why then, is there a painful smoldering sadness and anger in our nation? Why then are the protesters of the 60s and 70s watching with shock and dismay? Why then are historically marginalized communities experiencing fear and despair?

Perhaps the answers lie in national polls which show that the Supreme Court’s decision is out of sync with the will of the people, Or perhaps the answer lies in the ominous language used by the dissenting Supreme Court Justices who issued a united statement of dissent:

“With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent,” they wrote and warned that “no one should be confident that this majority is done with its work.” I take that to heart when members of the highest court in the nation issue a warning to its people – saying don’t be fooled into thinking this is done.

What is contained in the warning from the Supreme Court dissenting Justices?

This: the blow to women’s rights, signals that other previously recognized rights now fall into jeopardy. The warning may stand also as a reminder to us all that it is spiritually appropriate for us to be unequivocally in favor of people’s rights, women’s rights, LBGTQi+ rights, and the rights of people who have been oppressed marginalized, and disenfranchised. The warning evokes the sentiment that we are not to be so spiritually minded, that we are no earthly good, a reminder that we ought not to take refuge in spiritual practice when others on the planet suffer, but instead to let spiritual practice propel us into action.

To quote Trauma & Co, an organization that supports people who live with and work with trauma, "The control and removal of body autonomy is traumatic and/or can activate trauma memory and trauma responses for so many humans." Regardless of what an individual’s stance on reproductive rights may be, in the days and weeks that follow, it is likely that we will encounter in our families and communities the complex emotions that go with grieving a loss. We encourage you to reach out to the World Ministry of Prayer for spiritual support and to offer the resources to others who may be struggling with a traumatic response to the Supreme Court’s ruling.

World Ministry of Prayer - A Ministry of Centers for Spiritual Living (csl.org)

Dr. Edward Viljoen, Spiritual Leader
Rev. Sunday Cote, Field Leader
Centers for Spiritual Living

Loving Kindness, by Dr. Edward Viljoen

It is not enough that I profess to love people. I must really love people, more dearly than I have ever loved before, because all [people] are my [family]. I do not outline who shall be my friends and companions, for there is no desire to coerce, compel or suggest to anyone.

Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind

By this shall all [people] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jesus of Nazereth

The Rabbi’s Gift

The story concerns a monastery that had fallen upon hard times. Once a great order, as a result of waves of anti-monastic persecution in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the rise of secularism in the nineteenth, all its branch houses were lost and it had become decimated to the extent that there were only five monks left in the decaying mother house: the abbot and four others, all over seventy in age. Clearly, it was a dying order.

In the deep woods surrounding the monastery, there was a little hut that a rabbi from a nearby town occasionally used for a hermitage. Through their many years of prayer and contemplation, the old monks had become a bit psychic, so they could always sense when the rabbi was in his hermitage. "The rabbi is in the woods, the rabbi is in the woods again " they would whisper to each other. As he agonized over the imminent death of his order, it occurred to the abbot at one such time to visit the hermitage and ask the rabbi if by some possible chance he could offer any advice that might save the monastery.

The rabbi welcomed the abbot at his hut. But when the abbot explained the purpose of his visit, the rabbi could only commiserate with him. "I know how it is," he exclaimed. "The spirit has gone out of the people. It is the same in my town. Almost no one comes to the synagogue anymore." So the old abbot and the old rabbi wept together. Then they read parts of the Torah and quietly spoke of deep things. The time came when the abbot had to leave. They embraced each other. "It has been a wonderful thing that we should meet after all these years, "the abbot said, "but I have still failed in my purpose for coming here. Is there nothing you can tell me, no piece of advice you can give me that would help me save my dying order?"

"No, I am sorry," the rabbi responded. "I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you."

When the abbot returned to the monastery his fellow monks gathered around him to ask, "Well what did the rabbi say?" "He couldn't help," the abbot answered. "We just wept and read the Torah together. The only thing he did say, just as I was leaving --it was something cryptic-- was that the Messiah is one of us. I don't know what he meant."

In the days and weeks and months that followed, the old monks pondered this and wondered whether there was any possible significance to the rabbi's words. The Messiah is one of us? Could he possibly have meant one of us monks here at the monastery? If that's the case, which one? Do you suppose he meant the abbot? Yes, if he meant anyone, he probably meant Father Abbot. He has been our leader for more than a generation. On the other hand, he might have meant Brother Thomas. Certainly Brother Thomas is a holy man. Everyone knows that Thomas is a man of light. Certainly he could not have meant Brother Elred! Elred gets crotchety at times. But come to think of it, even though he is a thorn in people's sides, when you look back on it, Elred is virtually always right. Often very right. Maybe the rabbi did mean Brother Elred. But surely not Brother Phillip. Phillip is so passive, a real nobody. But then, almost mysteriously, he has a gift for somehow always being there when you need him. He just magically appears by your side. Maybe Phillip is the Messiah. Of course the rabbi didn't mean me. He couldn't possibly have meant me. I'm just an ordinary person. Yet supposing he did? Suppose I am the Messiah? O God, not me. I couldn't be that much for You, could I?

As they contemplated in this manner, the old monks began to treat each other with extraordinary respect on the off chance that one among them might be the Messiah. And on the off, off chance that each monk himself might be the Messiah, they began to treat themselves with extraordinary respect.

Because the forest in which it was situated was beautiful, it so happened that people still occasionally came to visit the monastery to picnic on its tiny lawn, to wander along some of its paths, even now and then to go into the dilapidated chapel to meditate. As they did so, without even being conscious of it, they sensed the aura of extraordinary respect that now began to surround the five old monks and seemed to radiate out from them and permeate the atmosphere of the place. There was something strangely attractive, even compelling, about it. Hardly knowing why, they began to come back to the monastery more frequently to picnic, to play, to pray. They began to bring their friends to show them this special place. And their friends brought their friends.

Then it happened that some of the younger men who came to visit the monastery started to talk more and more with the old monks. After a while one asked if he could join them. Then another. And another. So within a few years the monastery had once again become a thriving order and, thanks to the rabbi's gift, a vibrant center of light and spirituality in the realm.

*******

This story comes from The Different Drum, by Dr. M. Scott Peck, M.D. I remember it because I’m thinking of the literally dozens of conversations and connections with friends and colleagues I have had over the past several years, on the telephone and via e-mail and my heart is expanded by how attractive loving-kindness is.  Ernest Holmes’ meditation rings in my mind. “I desire to be loved, therefore, I allow myself to love greatly, to feel warmly inclined toward people; to be interested in them and helpful on their behalf. I give as I wish to receive.”

My mantra (affirmation) for this week

Warmly inclined, interested and helpful
Warmly inclined, interested and helpful
Warmly inclined, interested and helpful

What is your mantra (affirmation) for this week?  I sincerely would love to know.  I might want to piggy-back and jump on with it next week because I enjoy the amplification mental clarity when I work in mental parallel with others.

Edward Viljoen

“Repeating an affirmation is leading the mind to that state of consciousness where it accepts that which it wishes to believe.”

Ernest Holmes

Unconditional Love, For Real by Rev. Gregory Toole

Is it possible that a quote from Jesus from 2000 odd years ago could be relevant to us today? In Matthew 5:44, Jesus teaches “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you…” For many people today, this seems unrealistic, or people would say “that’s hard,” or maybe even ask, why anyone would want to do this?

There’s a lot contained in those words of scripture. It is a great lesson in the nature of love. Clearly, it shows us that love is not an emotion, because it doesn’t feel good when people curse us or hate us. If we can see that love is actually our essence, who we are in our highest nature, then we might see that this passage is an invitation into a spiritual practice. Then, those that “despitefully use” us become the gift of the ingredients for practice. Difficult as these people may be for us, when we stand strong in the truth of who we are, which is love, in the face of such conditions, we expand our capacity to love, and we expand our embodiment of our own Christ consciousness.

Below are seven steps I have discerned, and that I practice, for embodying unconditional love.

Seven Steps to Loving Unconditionally:

1.       Recognize you are biased.

2.       Decide that the relationship is more important than being right.

3.       See each person as a unique expression of God (regardless of your “opinion”)

4.       Set an intention to love all people (which doesn’t mean you have to “like” them).

5.       Commit to loving yourself unconditionally. (If you find you are unable to love someone, recognize it as some part of yourself you find difficult to love.)

6.       Share that unconditional love with others.

7.       Learn to set healthy boundaries (with love).

 

To explore each step briefly, recognizing we are biased opens a great deal of space for us to love more. So many of our difficulties with others are rooted in our judgments about how people ought to be and what they ought to do.

Knowing that the relationship is the most important thing, we can let go of petty differences and weigh whether a given action would harm the relationship, and whether it is worth it to pursue that action.

Seeing each person as an expression of God removes all the other things we have made up about their identity. Regardless of our opinions, they too are divine.

Setting an intention to love all people is crucial if we are to even have a chance to embody this teaching of unconditional love. Without a clear intention, when presented with conditions and circumstances, not to our liking, we are sure to fall short of unconditional love. However, when we have a clear intention, we have a baseline to help us reevaluate any situation.

Committing to loving ourselves unconditionally is the one step that could get us there all on its own, because most of what we find difficult to love in others is what we find difficult to love in ourselves, or, because we don’t fully love ourselves, we find it challenging to fully love others.

Once we more fully love ourselves, loving others actually becomes easy. Whenever I find it difficult to love someone, I ask “how I am feeling about myself.” When I make the adjustment to loving myself more, it opens the way for me to love the other person.

Finally, to keep ourselves grounded in physical reality, while established in higher spiritual consciousness, setting boundaries is important. With some people, we will find it easier, and sometimes even necessary, to love them from afar. Examples would be people who either show us physical or emotional abuse, people who don’t support our growth and evolution, or people with whom we just don’t feel a resonance. Regardless, the practice is still to hold them in our hearts with only love.

While all of this may seem difficult on the surface, it is doable with practice, and the rewards are great. Since our true nature and essence is love, there is already that within us that knows how to do this, and in doing it, we are sure to feel more aligned and harmonious within ourselves. So, let the low flow!

 

Rev. Gregory Toole is an ordained minister with Centers for Spiritual Living. He is the Senior Minister for Centers for Spiritual Living, Antelope Valley and Bakersfield in California. Gregory is also the Founder of Somseva whose mission is to inspire authentic, compassionate relationships through spiritual education, tools, and practices that promote peacemaking and conscious action. He is the author of the book, A Simple Guide to Planetary Transformation.

Finding Meaning in the Midst of Chaos, Rev. Russ Legear

It has now been nearly a month since Russia invaded Ukraine. Every day we hear about more and more people who are being displaced from their homes and their lives. Every day we hear about a new war crime. Every day, it seems as though chaos is trying to take over our lives in the form of oppression, fear, and war.

I don’t think there is an easy New Thought answer for times like these. We have to feel our feelings, no matter how unpleasant they may be, so we can better understand where they are coming from. Our feelings are not something that need consume us or our consciousness; but we cannot avoid them, either. In these feelings we can find a deeper meaning to help us move through the seeming chaos of the world around us. For me, I find meaning once I move through my rage and anger, and find myself in the compassionate part of my being that wants to know how I can best help.

It has been said that in times of crisis, we should look for the helpers. This is what I find myself doing more and more as the illegal war in Ukraine continues. I read about how many refugees Poland is admitting, and how Polish women are donating strollers filled with supplies to help the fleeing families from Ukraine. I hear about the United Kingdom offering a monetary stipend to any U.K. family that hosts Ukrainian refugees. I hear about European and Asian countries waiving visa requirements for Ukrainians trying to find safety. I hear about Russians standing up to their own government, often at great risk to their personal safety. I hear about coffee shop owners in Kyiv staying in their shops so they can provide some semblance of normalcy for times that are anything but.

When I hear about these helpers, I know that this is the still, small voice of God making itself heard amidst–and in spite of–the din of so much chaos. Once I’ve felt my feelings, I have to ask myself: how can I join in this grand symphony of divine whispers? How can I open my heart to help? This is how I land on my own New Thought answers.

Rev. Russ Legear is the Assistant Minister at the Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

  

What's In Your Consciousness, Br. Dr. Edward Viljoen

Rev. Dr. Edward Viljoen is spiritual leader of the Centers for Spiritual Living and a member of the AGNT Leadership Council. This edited version of his recent talk at the CSL Convention in January speaks to our entire New Thought community and dares to set a higher bar for our individual and collective evolution.

THIS YEAR marks the 10th anniversary of the Centers for Spiritual Living becoming the organization we are today: one integrated family of spiritual seekers. The seeds for our current reality were planted back then. That is the way of things. Things are always created first in mind, in consciousness, before they arrive in form. Today, we are experiencing the results of a creative impulse that was set in motion back then.

I wonder if the delegates and the attendees at the conference back then in New Orleans knew how much we would benefit from being one united family for these times? And then I wonder what the beloved community of Science of Mind in 10 years will need to feed upon that we must confidently plant now on their behalf.

I've been reading about the complicated impact of social media on teens these days and how they are being exposed to an unrealistic view of other people's lives and feeling like they must live up to that. Is pretending that there is no mess in my life one of the downsides of being obsessed with positivity? And is that the Science of Mind message that the community of 10 years of the future will want?

I don't want that for myself, and I don't want it for our movement. I want to know that we can be present for each other in our moments of chaos, distress, and disappointment and be with the raw, complex emotions that go along with being human. I want to plant that seed so that ten years from now, or even right now, young and older alike, will not have to hide when we are feeling sad, disappointed, frightened, angry, confused, or mystified.

When I was younger, and I first found Science of Mind, I developed a fear of negative thinking. So I avoided or hid anything disturbing or conflictual because I thought it said something about my wholeness as a spiritual being. I'm so sorry that I went that way. I wish I had read these words of the activist and child advocate L.R. Knost, who wrote these words:

"Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you."

Is that not a clarion call for our teaching? To Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. Oh, let us plant those seeds now because I think the beloved community of 10 years will benefit from the fruits of those seeds. I do.

We've had so much loss in this past year. Over 5 million people dead from the pandemic. And Bishop John Shelby Spong died in September last year. Also, Archbishop Desmond Tutu died on the day after Christmas. Two giants of spiritual heroism. Each with their clarion call to spiritual people like us to stay relevant, engaged, and real, to stand in the glorious mess that is humanity and face it all and not hide from it or avoid it, and to love intentionally extravagantly, and unconditionally. They were not afraid to stand in the darkness and shine their light.

Bishop Spong spoke at our Asilomar Summer Conference one year; he said something about how Christianity, for it to remain viable and survive, had to examine, and rethink its teachings. I remember applauding his boldness, thinking, should the same not be true for our Centers for Spiritual Living? Should we not rigorously examine our teaching in light of what is known today so that we can stay relevant. I'm certain doctor Ernest Holmes would want that.

And it's happening anyway.

Whether we want it or not. The difficult questions are asking themselves without permission. Because as we learn about privilege and bias, and classism the world over, these questions cannot be held back. It doesn't matter if we want to hear them or not.

A colleague of ours, a Science of Mind colleague, talking about himself, asked me, "is it only my consciousness that brought me to this experience of success, or did my privilege have something to do with it?" In the same week, another colleague, a Science of Mind minister, called me and asked, "…am I in a position of power and influence solely because of my spiritual practice, or did the societal bias toward my gender and race have something to do with it?"

These questions cannot be stopped and to remain relevant and viable we have to keep step with the questions and answer them. We have to find a modern expression of our beloved Science of Mind that does not blame victims for their experience but instead teaches us to have minds that can hold the complexity, ambiguity, and contradictions of being human, with all of its nuances, and to remain open to the full range of feelings that go with being a messy human being, perched behind a filter of perfection.

In a way, we are being invited to the table to investigate what exactly does spiritual bypass mean? And are we complicit in it? And how may we avoid teaching the next generation to look away when terrible things happen to good people? The Science of Mind of the 1930s must and will evolve. That's just the way of things, and nobody can stop it.

In May of 1992, the Science of Mind magazine published an article by Doctor Ernest Holmes which stated that "The one who understands the Science of Mind will be tolerant, kind, and sympathetic." Now I wonder, if Doctor Holmes were alive today, would he want us to go further and do better than that?

I wonder if he would expand on the idea of tolerance.

I'm guessing yes, he would. I'm guessing he would invite us to the students of Science of Mind to ask "is tolerance deep enough? Does it go far enough for one who is a practicing religious scientist?" I believe he would invite us to lean deeply into it to go further than tolerate disappearances to rejoicing in them as the natural state of the universe and to boldly proclaimed to the world that our teaching the science of mind is a teaching of oneness; how from the one comes the many and that's holy; about the thread of Divinity that connects us; about the healing power of loving kindness and the sacredness of life and the equal-ness of that sacredness in all; and how it is about the power that we have to heal or to harm.

Tolerance may not be enough for that.

It's a good starting point. I can tolerate someone I hate. I can put up with them. Oh, but when I abandoned hate, tolerance is no longer useful.

So I reworded Dr Holmes’ statement with more contemporary words.

The one who understands the Science of Mind will be inclusive, compassionate, loving, and I can add curious, appreciative, radically welcoming, fearless, helpful, engaged, and even more.

Ah, to take a stand for that!

We have been very cautious about taking a stand as a movement and boldly proclaiming this is who we are. What the reason for that is? Why are we so cautious? When conflict happens, we must come to realize that it is our attempt to avoid that discomfort and seek only the harmonious that keeps us from standing up; that in being silent partners it is our silence that perpetuates conflict, itself.

Is the New Thought community conflict-avoidant?

We are very cautious about taking a stand. We like to maintain a positive perspective. We like to see the good and praise it. We love that.

The problem with that approach we are discovering, just like in the personal realm, when something truly unjust or disturbing does happen, no one will know what we stand for until we claim our position clearly, kindly, compassionately. When we don't claim what we stand for, we inadvertently become supporters of things that are not resonant with our own teaching.

In the United States, public shootings have been a problem for a long time and one of our Science of Mind colleagues wrote these words a couple of years back. You can just feel the pain in the words.

"My biggest fear right now is that we as a nation are getting used to the mass shootings and letting it become a new normal period there are no simplistic solutions, but we need to tackle the issue come the eyes and ears and hearts wide open. This isn't right and we need to demand our leaders address all the components of the situation and we can't let anyone off the hook because of finger pointing add budget constraints. If it's not safe to go to an outdoor festival a mall or Walmart, for God's sake, then we are not the land of the free. And if we can't speak up and demand our safety, we are not the home of the brave."

I celebrate when I know some where someone stands. And I am learning in this position as a Spiritual Leader that disagreement is not a terrible thing. People can disagree and still love each other.

Disagreement, it turns out, is survivable. Being shot at a festival or in a nightclub or a supermarket or while jogging in a white neighborhood, it turns out, is lethal.

Maybe, respectfully, we are conflict-averse because of something our founder, Doctor Ernest home said. He suggested that we were to stand for something and against nothing.

I think we can be better, much better at standing for something. And coming out, for something. Or at least getting clear on how this beloved Science of Mind instructs us to live in this world. We might want to also ask ourselves what the imperative is: what is the moral, spiritual imperative of the Science of Mind?

We don't have to have the same opinion, we don't have to agree, but surely, we must ask this question, and answer it. What does this teaching of oneness compassion and love compel me to take a stand for in this world right now? No matter which nation I am living in, how does my faith tradition compel me to stand for liberty, equity, inclusion, justice?

Many years ago, our movement had its annual convention. One of the topics on the table was whether to make a statement, as a movement, in support of same-gender marriage. The statement was defeated. Some objected to it, expressing concern about losing membership. Some said it was political and that we ought not to get involved with politics. In my opinion, at that moment when we defeated the statement, we didn't stand for anything. By not taking a stand and not making a statement we communicated something to those who were affected: we tolerate you. We tolerate what you are going through -- now go work on your consciousness.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu did not tolerate tolerance. Oh no, he took a stand for the LGBTQI plus clergy and community long before it was popular for spiritual leaders to do so. And he was one of the strongest formative voices in creating South Africa’s new post-apartheid expression as a rainbow nation. That's what it was called. It was the First Nation on the planet, I understand, to constitutionally outlaw discrimination based on sexual identity. And he stood for the right of every single person to vote.

Can we decide together now, that the seeds we are planting for the future Science of Mind community are that bold. Can they grow larger than tolerance and more nourishing than self-interest?

Maybe it begins by allowing those questions. What am I promoting, allowing, permitting when I don't take a stand? What am I promoting, allowing and permitting when I ignore those who are unnecessarily oppressed, marginalized maligned, killed, or starved?

Can we unambiguously join those who say it is the moral duty of the spiritual community to explore social issues in the light of their faith tradition?

I believe that we must ask ourselves:

• If Oneness had an opinion about racism, what would it be?

• If unconditional love acted beyond homophobia or any of the other phobias, what would that look like?

• If the infinite all-inclusive, all-knowing mind had a voice about inequitable distribution of opportunities and access to services and resources, what would it say?

And then according to our practice, listen. Listen for the answer.

If the voice says turn away and let each of them tend to their own... if the voice says take care of yourself first... if the voice says that consciousness created it... if the voice says don't think about those who suffer because it'll take you down... if the voice says ignore those who are oppressed and marginalized... then I question if that can be the message of our Science of Mind.

One social media influencer said about this pandemic:

“It is as if mother earth has sent us to our room to think about what we have done so that we can do better.”

So... how CAN we do better?

This is a question that is being asked across societies and faith traditions. Social media is bursting with it as, every day, we see thousands of people unpacking white supremacy, deconstructing evangelicalism, challenging the effectiveness of prosperity teachings in an inequitable society, calling out the generational impact of global colonialism, identifying the damage done by victim blaming when we dare to say, “What's in your consciousness?”

You see, this is happening whether we like it or not.

An African American colleague of ours recently said to me:

"Edward, I work with Fortune 500 executives as the only African American woman in a strongly male-dominated conservative business setting, and yet, I have not experienced the kind of racial and gender microaggressions there as I do in my own science of mind communities."

Should I have asked her “what is in your consciousness?”

Or ought I to hear the uncomfortable and painful truth from one of our own that we can do better than tolerate and blame.

Lest I leave readers with the wrong impression I'd like to complete this message by saying:

I'm extremely optimistic about our future as a movement because of the vision that we have for our world. And I'm optimistic because that vision is doing what the vision ought to do, it is working as. It's bringing these big questions into view in such a focus that we cannot ignore them. We cannot avoid answering them. And digging deep into them. They are not going away.

I'm extremely optimistic about the future because I believe that you and I, we have the heart to do this. We can do this. We can grow, evolve, learn, change, and be relevant players proving every day that we can pivot, change,“rinse and repeat.”

I'm extremely optimistic about the future because a community of people like you and me love each other, and love the Science of Mind enough to let its moral and spiritual imperative come alive in us, and shape us.

I'm extremely optimistic about the future because there is a powerful good in the universe. It is flowing through us even now in the in a constructive creative powerful way in the direction of the vision that we have. It is creating a post-pandemic reality in which we are together again in a new way in a vital form drawn forward by relevance and engagement in a modern way.

Oh, In 10 years' time, we will be grateful that we said yes to a vision that is so beautiful:

• We envision all people, all beings, and all life as expressions of God.

• We see a world in which each person lives in alignment with their highest spiritual principle, emphasizing unity with God and connection with each other; a world in which individually and collectively we are called to a higher state of consciousness and action.

• We envision humanity awakening to its spiritual magnificence and discovering the creative power of thought; a world where every person discovers their own personal power and ability to create an individual life that works within a world that works for everyone.

• We envision a world in which we live and grow as One Global Family that respects and honors the interconnectedness of all life; a world where this kinship with all life prospers and connects through the guidance of spiritual wisdom and experience.

• We envision a world where personal responsibility joins with social conscience in every area of the political, corporate, academic, and social sectors, providing sustainable structures to further the emerging global consciousness.

• We envision a world where every person has enough food, a home and a sense of belonging; a world of peace and harmony, enfranchisement and justice.

• We envision a world in which resources are valued, cared for, and grown, and where there is generous and continuous sharing of these resources.

• We envision a worldwide culture in which forgiveness is the norm.

• We envision a world which has renewed its emphasis on beauty, nature, and love through the resurgence of creativity, art, and aesthetics.

• We envision a world that works for everyone and for all of creation.