Is it important to believe in the existence of heaven?

We can perceive "Heaven" in two ways. As a destination of peace, harmony and love available to us when we leave this earthly plane.

We can also perceive heaven as a state of existence on this earthly plane that is characterized as one of peace harmony and love. Heaven is a state of mind, whether on earth or in the hereafter that comes about as a result of our thoughts. When we align our thoughts with the thinking of the great spiritual masters we automatically receive the benefits of a heavenly state.

 

The universal principle of cause and effect states the nature of any cause is found in its effect.  If love is the cause of your thoughts, words and actions, love is going to be the effect.  The same holds true for hate, resentment and conflict, which create an uncomfortable condition in our lives  often referred to as hell.  Each of us individually creates the emotional state of our existence.

We have the free-will to chose the thoughts, words and actions we express.  By choosing to express peace, harmony and love we create situations in our lives that are of "heaven".   You are responsible for the conditions of your life.  So, the next time you are feeling greatly disturbed, hateful, in conflict or out of harmony ask yourself,  "What IN hell, am I doing." 

The Power of God and Prayer

God is Spirit. Spirit is the very essence of your being. It is your life energy. It permeates every atom of your body and mind.  The spirit within you provides to you a deep inner wisdom,  emotional strength,  unlimited love,  the power to imagine what it is you want in your life,  the creative ability to manifest it and a higher level of spiritual consciousness.  When we pray, we calm ourselves, open up to this higher level of consciousness and communicate directly with God.  In this quiet place we are given  the answers to our problems and the way to move beyond our challenges.

The most effective form of prayer is affirmative prayer.  With petitionary prayer we “ask” God for something.  With affirmative prayer we thank God for already providing us with what we need such as, “Thank you God for the wisdom you have given me. I now wait patiently for the answer I seek.”  or  “Thank you God for the inner strength you have given me. I affirm that strength and know I will make it through this difficult time.”  When we pray in this manner there is indeed a psychological benefit--tension and stress can be relieved--but more important than that, we free ourselves from thinking we are separate from God and helpless over our state of affairs. 

To Be Reborn

In the book of Matthew, Jesus says, “Surely I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless that person is born again.”  What did he mean by that?   Certainly, he didn’t literally mean a physical rebirth, but to be reborn into a higher consciousness.  He was talking about moving to a new way of thinking and perceiving the world around us, a way of seeing ourselves and the world beyond fear, conflict and other negative thoughts.

As you read these words, make them your own:

I am a student of life, and each day is a divine journey.

I am not stuck in difficult challenges or defeated by trying problems.

I am able to overcome any obstacle with the limitless wisdom and peace that is innately within me.

Today, I am born anew and move beyond attitudes of the past that have held me back from my higher good.

How do I lead a meaningful life?

As the minister at Unity Temple on the Plaza, I have on several occasions sat on the bedside of a person who is very close to dying. The most difficult transitions are when the dying person is looking back on his/her life in a regretful way. They regret things they did; they regret things they didn't do; and they regret not fully living their lives to their heart's desire.

Each of us has the freedom to live our lives the way we choose as long as we don't violate the God given rights of another person to do the same. The first point of a meaningful life is to reach the end without regrets.

The second point of a meaningful life is to live in a way in which your presence is beneficial to the earth and its inhabitants. It is a very comforting thought to know that somehow, some way you make a positive difference. Your life counts for something good. You matter.

The third point of a meaningful life is to continually grow in knowledge, wisdom and conscious awareness. Each of us has a vast, unlimited mental, emotional and spiritual potential and nothing can bring the satisfaction, meaning and fulfillment that comes from the self becoming more than it has ever been before. "Learn as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die tomorrow!"

Where Different Religions Intersect

Imagine for a moment there are four people who live in the Northeast part of this country, and after a great deal of deliberation, they decide to go to the Southwest. One chooses to drive across the southern part of the country. Another person chooses to board a ship and sail around the country, and yet another person chooses to fly. At the same time, each person vehemently claims the only way to make the journey is by the method they have chosen. It isn’t long before conflict erupts between the four people. Their focus goes from the great pleasure they will experience when reaching their destination to trying to prove they are right and the others are wrong. Is there unity between the four people? Yes, they all have the same desire and same destination in mind. However, the unity won’t be realized until they arrive at the common destination.

The major religions of the world are similar to the four travelers. Each religion believes in one Power, one Presence (some call it God) and has set forth a “spiritual path” to assist people in arriving at a destination where they have a sense of oneness with all things and all people. Yet, at the same time, many religions claim to have the only way for making that journey. This claim is sometimes ego-driven by various religious leaders, but also divisive and laden with prejudices, discriminations, false dogmatic assertions and what my Norwegian ancestors would call “Bunk”. Doesn’t it seem laughable that some would have us believe their way is THE way and all the good offered by other religions should be considered wrong? I am sure Jesus, Abraham, Lao Tsu, Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Gandhi and other great spiritual masters knew the Truth of the destination, whatever their journey was to get there.

CAN WE WORRY GOD TOO MUCH WITH OUR LITTLE PROBLEMS?

I don’t believe God worries but rather I see God as a worry eliminator. Just as the mighty force of water from a fire hose can extinguish the greatest flame, the mighty faith within each of us can extinguish every doubt, worry, fear or anxiety when we turn it over to our higher power and trust in the divine order of life.

There are two kinds of problems in this world. The ones we can do something about and the ones we can’t do anything about. If we are powerless to change the situations or circumstances of a problem, challenge, setback or loss we have no other choice but to adapt to it. This often calls on us to change our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and perceptions about what has taken place or what might happen in the future. In our prayers rather than beseeching God to “take this cup of suffering from me”, we can use Affirmative prayers such as: I now let go of any thoughts that hamper my peace of mind and affirm that I have everything I need to move through this difficult time and establish a sense of serenity in my life. If we can do something about a problem or challenge we face, then we need to draw on our resources and initiate action. Pronto!

Ways to Oneness

The first Truth Principle of Unity is that there is one Power and one Presence in the Universe. Some call this power God. By any name, it is the same Divine Spirit that we each are a part of. On the path of life, there may be times when we feel separate and alone, searching for some encouragement to carry on. When we have those moments of uncertainty, we can remind ourselves of this Divine Spirit that is always with us, within us, is us. How can we better connect to this innate knowing of God? Here are five suggestions:

1. SURRENDER: Accept the unchangeable

2. EMPTY YOUR MENTAL BACKPACK: Forgive - Release - Let Go

3. RELEASE JUDGMENTS: Of yourself and others

4. PRACTICE COMPASSION: See things from another's perspective

5. FIND TIME FOR SILENCE: Prayer and meditation opens us up to God's wisdom