Spiritual Solutions

If you haven’t done so already, soon you will be taking down the Christmas tree and putting away the lights and Christmas decorations for another year. The nativity scene has been put away. But will you also be putting away the Christ for another year?

So now what? At Christmas we affirmed the birth of the Christ within us. So what happens now? Where do we go from here?

We often go back to the same old routine, the same patterns and beliefs, the same mistakes we have made before. We forget that we have affirmed a truth of our being, of the presence of God born into our awareness in a whole new way.

I was reminded of this recently when talking to a man who was telling me about his dog. He said, “We have a wonderful little dog in our family, but he does some stupid things. He likes chocolate, and chocolate is poison to dogs. A few weeks ago somebody brought a chocolate cake over. They had put it on the

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 Our thoughts and words are very powerful and go to make up our world reality. Here are some quotes from powerful thinkers to support that idea:

“With our thoughts we make our world” - Gautama the Buddha.

“God’s greatest gift to man is the power of thought, through which he can incorporate into his consciousness the mind of God.” – Charles Fillmore, Keep a True Lent.

“Energy follows thought.” - Annie Besant, Thought Power: Its Control and Culture (1903/1979).

“We become what we behold.” - William Blake.

“Man is a thinking being. The very word ‘man’ comes from an ancient Sanskrit word which literally means ‘to think.’ Through thinking, man has the possibility of knowing God and expressing the wisdom of Divine Mind.” – Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within You.

“Man creates his own disharmony”- Hazrat Inyayat Khan.

Let’s have a closer look at some of the words we use and some of the nuances and deeper meanings of them.

When you state something to someone, their first response may be “yes but.” This is their way of negating the opinion or idea that you have expressed. Listen to yourself as you speak. Do you use this phrase? It blocks good communication.

Instead, you can acknowledge what the other person says and state your own opinion by using “yes and.” This will improve the energy of the communication. It acknowledges the person’s point of view as valid for them and secondly it keeps the flow of the conversation in place.

We use disempowering words much of the time. For instance “got to,” “have to” and “must” usually denote a feeling of no choice. Again, listen to your own self talk and the speech of others to get a sense of what is going on at an inner level.

The word “should” is a good one to be aware of, as there is usually some feeling of guilt behind it. Do you ever find yourself saying, “I should go and do so and so”? In back of this is the idea that if I do not I will feel bad.

Then there’s “never,” “forever” and “always.” These come under the heading of gross generalizations. The first thing that can be stated is they are generally “never” true all the time. For example: “She always gets that look on her face when I come home late” and “You never buy me anything nice any more.” These statements reflect the perception of the person generalizing, not the reality of the matter. Again, use awareness with regard to what is going on in any given communication situation.

The word “try” is another interesting little word. You may have seen a demonstration of this when someone is asked to try to pick up a pen. You do not “try” to do something. You either do it or you do not. Another example would be if you ask someone to do something for you and they reply that they “will try” to do whatever it is you have asked. You can be pretty sure with that sort of comeback your request will not be honored.

Watch what words and phrases you use. You will be surprised and delighted at what a difference changing your words can have on your communication with others and your life in general. This really can be quite transformational.

Go ahead and have some fun playing with words. And watch your thoughts behind those words – they are filled with power!

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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“Spiritual Solutions” is produced by The Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for thirty-seven years, and is offered free of charge to anyone who wants to receive it. To be on my newsletter mailing list and have access to other articles, please go to Spiritual Solutions.

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In this economic climate it’s important to stay focused on God as our source, and this article by Alan Cohen reminds us of that in a wonderful way.

The Divine Payroll – By Alan Cohen

One of my seminar students was a man of great faith that he built through overcoming longtime alcoholism. When Dan came out on the other side of his addiction, he embodied a remarkable blend of strength and sensitivity.

“Sometimes I feel embarrassed,” Dan told me privately. “I spend most of my time sponsoring people trying to beat their addictions. I’m on the phone and at meetings constantly. I love it and my people are doing very well.”

“Then what’s the problem?” I had to ask.

“My income comes from car sales – I used to be in the business. Now I buy and sell cars on a small scale from my home. I turn around a couple of cars a week, which provides me with enough income to spend the rest of my time supporting people. I feel guilty because I work for just a few hours a week. Shouldn’t I have a real job?”

I laughed and told Dan, “You have the realest job in the world. You are helping people improve the quality of their lives. You are on the Divine Payroll.”

If you stay true to your purpose of healing, no matter what form it takes, universal sustenance will keep you on the payroll. Your income may derive from your healing work or it may come through another door. It doesn’t matter. The deal is: you heal, life supports you.

For an inspiring demonstration of this principle, watch the film Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. This touching documentary chronicles the life of Mark Bittner, a gentle soul who nurtured a flock of wild parrots in San Francisco for over 25 years. Bittner spent most of his time feeding, nursing, and caring for this large flock, and did not do any other “work” for two and a half decades. Yet, because people recognized his devotion, he was given free rent, meals, and whatever else he needed. Bittner was on the Divine Payroll.

One of my coaching clients is a radio announcer who hosted a highly successful all-night show. He had a marvelous undercover ministry, sending positive messages through words and music to people awake during the night – folks who felt too troubled to sleep, graveyard shift workers in prisons and mental institutions, and creative spirits. Yet there grew a parting of ways between him and his producers, who were more interested in adhering to a commercial radio formula. Finally his show was cancelled and he was out of radio work for an extended time.

One of the gifts of this period was his opportunity to use the time for spiritual growth and inner healing, which he did quite successfully. As time went on, he became concerned about sustaining himself in the absence of his former income. Then one day during a coaching session he casually mentioned to me that he had received a large check as an inheritance from the passing of a distant relative.

“Why didn’t you tell me this in capital letters and an exclamation point?” I asked him. “Can you see that you are on the Divine Payroll.?” Indeed he was.

Some people formalize their contract with God, which you may wish to do as well. Charles and Myrtle Fillmore founded the uplifting Unity Church movement back in 1889. Like many spiritual leaders, the Fillmore’s began with a leap of faith. To formalize this, the couple literally wrote a contact with God, stating that their part would be to carry out their ministry with love and integrity, and practice the principles to the best of their ability. God’s part would be to sustain them in finance, health, and peace of mind. They signed the contract and lived by it. Well, more than a century later Unity continues to thrive and grow, and has helped many millions of people improve their lives. The Fillmore’s kept their end of the deal, and God kept God’s.

The same contract is available to you if you choose to exercise it. Whether you identify your source as God, Spirit, life, love, or universal sustenance matters less than that you recognize a loving intelligence that provides for you. You may record your contract on paper or in your heart. The truth works if you work it.

Do not try to dictate or force the avenue through which your paycheck comes. Spirit has ingenious ways to pay your due salary. It may come directly from your clients or in a roundabout way. A friend of mine wanted to live near the ocean, and a friend of hers bought a million-dollar home on a Maui beach and asked her to be caretaker of it when he was not there – which is nearly all the time. If you translate the value of living in that home to dollars, the number is huge.

You, too, will be sustained if you are true to your trade. Just remember the formula: You heal, life supports you. It’s a done deal.

 
About the Author:

Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, includig the best-selling The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and the award-winning A Deep Breath of Life. Alan offers Living Prosperously, a home-study course in creating greater abundance, and the life-transforming Mastery Training in Maui. For information on these programs and a free catalog of Alan’s books, tapes, and seminars, phone 800-568-3079, visit www.alancohen.com, email info@alancohen.com, or write P.O. Box 835, Haiku, HI 96708.

Copyright © 2006 Alan Cohen. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Spiritual Solutions” is produced by Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for thirty-seven years, and is offered free of charge to anyone who wants to receive it. To be on my newsletter mailing list and have access to other articles, please go to Spiritual Solutions.

To subscribe to weekday inspirational quotes, go to Rich Words.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

The other day I got to thinking about Bobby, a friend I knew when I was just a boy. His parents were of modest means and they lived in a tiny stone row house in a little village just a few miles from where I lived.

Several years ago on a visit back to England, my mother happened to mention that Bobby Kitchener, this same young red-headed friend I had known, had become a minister. I remember my astonishment that our lives had taken similar paths, albeit in different countries.

Our lives may take many turns, and the world is full of people who have stopped in their tracks, turned about and become quite different persons. So now you probably want to know, “How can I, an ordinary person, turn about and lead a more satisfactory life?”

Sometimes just a little thing can bring us to a standstill, and it causes us to call upon all the resources of our being to lift us out of the pit of failure and despair.

To be driven into a corner, out of which there seems no escape, is often the turning point. “I’ll find a way,” the person thinks, “I’ll not be beaten. There’s nothing to lose, so I’ll try something new. Perhaps I’ll even turn about and win.” So this person who was living in the shadows finds himself on the road to achievement, and he becomes a different person. He is now courageous rather than fearful; he has turned around.

Provision has been made for our turning around, if only we would recognize that it is possible. But if things are not like we would want them to be then we must turn our efforts in a new direction. Don’t talk about the things in your life that you don’t want, or about the things you want to accomplish – the negative doubts of your listeners may add to your concerns.

Do not draw back when a new experience confronts you. The new experience may be your call to a changed life. Those who cling to safe, old, familiar things will never know the thrill of new adventure.

If you want to turn about and start a new life, you must let go of anger and resentment or wailing over the past. Forget the things that are behind and go forward to the things you most desire. Bring excitement and imagination to whatever you do and new doors will open for you.

Yours, in love and confidence,

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham 

Here’s a thought-provoking blog post from Karl at www.karlblog.com

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The world is an interesting place.

All around we find people trying to change us. Make us different. Turn us into something that we’re not.

William Shakespeare said it best.

He wrote that God has given us a face, and we make ourselves another.

But here’s the great parody of life.

Only you truly know who you are - and only you can decide to do it authentically.

Judy Garland said: “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”

So, at least for today, heed my advice.

Don’t be the poet. Be the poem.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Originality, they say, is a by-product of sincerity.

And so if you can truly open yourself up to being yourself today, to truly claiming your own personality… then wonderful things might just happen.

Quite simply?

Be yourself.

And remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

Don’t take my word for it . . .

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You are invited to join the next group of authors from around the world in a 90-day journey to write and self-publish your own Messenger Mini-Book.

On Wednesday, October 15, at 9 pm EST, Robert Evans will be on a conference line to talk about the program and answer any questions you may have. (This call was changed from 12 noon to 9 pm EST. It will also be recorded if you would rather listen to it later.) No need to register – here’s the information you need to join the call:

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www.authorin90days.com

Life is exciting! 

There’s just so much you can achieve.

Yet in the desire to attain success, impatience can set in.

If you let impatience rule, then you start looking for ways to speed towards the outcome and in doing so neglect the vital foundations that you need to get there.

Often, it pays to be ’slow but sure’ rather than ‘fast and rash.’

After all, giant oaks rise slowly from tiny acorns. It takes years of patience for a tree to grow. There are no short-cuts for the oak … no quick growing formula. It all takes time and nourishment.

As that acorn takes root, pushes through the soil and grows up under the light, it begins to establish its foundations in order to be strong and tall.

Its only goal is to become a great oak tree and it becomes just that in its own time.

So, first things first … focus on your roots or foundations.

Sai Baba said…

“A house must be built on solid foundations if it is to last. The same principle applies to man, otherwise he too will sink back into the soft ground and becomes swallowed up by the world of illusion.”

Whether you wish to succeed in business, sport, science, the arts or simply as being the best person you could possibly be, make sure your foundations are strong.

These solid foundations will carry you so much further through life. You’ll be able to depend upon them. 

Concentrate on what needs to be done.

Don’t cheat because you’ll only be cheating yourself.

Stay focused, work productively, prioritize what needs to be accomplished and just do it!

Remember, all things have their time.

So, like the oak, grow firm roots and success will follow.

(Thanks to Karl Moore, of www.KarlBlog.com for another great article)

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

From the Fourth Conversation of Brother Lawrence in his book The Practice of the Presence of God, we learned some valuable lessons we can apply in our own spiritual practice, as follows: Let go everything which does not lead to God.

 Recognize God as being immediately present by having a continual conversation with God, with freedom and simplicity, and with praise and love for His infinite goodness.

Seek God’s help in knowing His will when things are not clear, or for your acting rightly when you see things clearly, and to pray for God’s grace with complete confidence.

Don’t do things to try to please others, but do all things purely for the love of God.

Put your whole trust in God, surrender completely to Him.

All things are possible to the one who believes; they are less difficult to the one who hopes; they are more easy to the one who loves; and still more easy to the one who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues. (This is powerful!)

Don’t be too concerned about troubles, temptations, oppositions and contradictions. Bear with them, and know that these things can be highly advantageous to us, making us more dependent upon divine grace - the outpouring of God’s love.

Filled with a sense of God’s immediate presence, do your work as well as possible. Afterwards examine if you did it well and if so, give thanks to God; and if not, ask pardon and set your mind right again as you continue to exercise the presence of God as if you had never deviated from it.

Let your example be a stronger inducement for others to adopt a spiritual life than any arguments for it.

Now we turn to the Letters of Brother Lawrence. Here is the First Letter;

Since you desire so earnestly that I should communicate to you the method by which I arrived at that habitual sense of God’s presence, which our Lord, of His mercy, has been pleased to vouchsafe to me, I must tell you that it is with great difficulty that I am prevailed on by your importunities; and now I do it only upon the terms that you show my letter to nobody.

If I knew that you would let it be seen, all the desire that I have for your advancement would not be able to determine me to do it. The account I can give you is:

Having found in many books different methods of going to God, and diverse practices of the spiritual life, I thought this would serve rather to puzzle me than facilitate what I sought after, which was nothing but how to become wholly God’s.

This made me resolve to give the all for the all; so after having given myself wholly to God, that He might take away my sin, I renounced, for the love of Him, everything that was not He, and I began to live as if there as none but He and I in the world.

Sometimes I considered myself before Him as a poor criminal at the feet of his judge; at other times I behold Him in my heart as my Father, as my God. I worshiped Him the oftenest that I could, keeping my mind in His holy presence, and recalling it as often as I found it wandered from Him.

I found no small pain in this exercise, and yet I continued it, notwithstanding all the difficulties that occurred, without troubling or disquieting myself when my mind had wandered involuntarily. I made this my business as much all the day long as at the appointed times of prayer; for at all times, every hour, every minute, even in the height of my business, I drove away from my mind everything that was capable of interrupting my thought of God.

Such has been my common practice ever since I entered in religion; and though I have done it very imperfectly, yet I have found great advantages by it. These, I well know, are to be imputed to the mere mercy and goodness of God, because we can do nothing without Him, and I still less than any.

But when we are faithful to keep ourselves in His holy presence, and set Him always before us, this not only hinders our offending Him and doing anything that may displease Him, at least willfully, but it also begets in us a holy freedom, and, if I may so speak, a familiarity with God, wherewith we ask, and that successfully, the graces we stand in need of.

In fine, by often repeating these acts, they become habitual, and the presence of God rendered as it were natural to us. Give Him thanks, if you please, with me, for His great goodness toward me, which I can never sufficiently admire, for the many favors He has done to so miserable a sinner as I am. May all things praise Him. Amen.

I am, in our Lord,

Yours, etc.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words

I have been asked how a person can donate to “Spiritual Solutions.” Just go to Send a Love Offering and it will take you to a form you can use for your donation. Thank you - I am very grateful for your generosity!

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Last week we considered the Preface and the First Conversation in the little book The Practice of the Presence of God - The Best Rule of a Holy Life, by Brother Lawrence. 

The essence of what was covered is as follows: 

We learned the importance of establishing ourselves in a ongoing sense of God’s presence, of continually conversing with God, and of feeding and nourishing our souls with high notions of God, practices which bring feelings of great joy into our everday experience. In other words, we are to praise God and give thanks to God in an ongoing basis, in order to develop a continuing sense of God’s presence in our life through an ever-deepening feeling of gratitude.

And we are to do this without being overly concerned about others “sins” or misdeeds, praying for them but simply leaving that all in God’s hands.

Encouraged to quicken, or enliven, our faith, we are to “give ourselves up to God” in both temporal and spiritual things. As we are faithful in times of “dryness or insensibilities or irksomeness in prayer” we will find that these can be times of spiritual advancement.

Even when we cannot feel God’s presence, we are to continue in our faith in God, in our praise and gratitude toward God for all the blessings in our life.

As we are attentive to our passions in both spiritual and material things, God will give light and direction to those who truly desire to serve God’s highest purpose for our lives.

This week, we turn to the “Second Conversation.”

SECOND CONVERSATION

That he had always been governed by love, without selfish views; and that having resolved to make the love of God the end of all his actions, he had found reasons to be well satisfied with his method. That he was pleased when he could take up a straw from the ground for the love of God, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even His gifts.

That he had been long troubled in mind from a certain belief that he should be damned; that all men in the world could not have persuaded him to the contrary; but that he had thus reasoned with himself about it: I engaged in a religious life only for the love of God, and I have endeavored to act only for Him; whatever becomes of me, whether I be lost or saved, I will always continue to act purely for the love of God. I shall have this good at least, that till death I shall have done all that is in me to love Him.

That this trouble of mind had lasted four years, during which time he had suffered much; but that at last he had seen that this trouble arose from want of faith, and that since then he had passed his life in perfect liberty and continual joy. That he had placed his sins betwixt him and God, as it were, to tell Him that he did not deserve His favors, but that God still continued to bestow them in abundance.

That in order to form a habit of conversing with God continually, and referring all we do to Him, we must at first apply to Him with some diligence; but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.

That he expected, after the pleasant days God had given him, that he should have his turn of pain and suffering; but that he was not uneasy about it, knowing very well that as he could do nothing of himself, God would not fail to give him strength to bear it.

That when an occasion of practicing some virtue offered, he addressed himself to God, saying, “Lord, I cannot do this unless Thou enablest me;” and that then he received strength more than sufficient.

That when he had failed in his duty, he only confessed to his fault, saying to God, “I shall never do otherwise if you leave me to myself; it is You who must hinder my falling, and mend what is amiss.” That after this he gave himself no further uneasiness about it.

That we ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speaking to Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our affairs, just as they happen. That God never failed to grant it, as he had often experienced.

That he had lately been sent into Burgundy, to buy the provision of wine for the society, which was a very unwelcome task for him, because he had no turn for business, and because he was lame and could not go about the boat but by rolling himself over the casks. That, however, he gave himself no uneasiness about it, nor about the purchase of the wine. That he said to God, It was His business he was about, and that he afterward found it very well performed. That he had been sent into Auvergne, the year before, upon the same account; that he could not tell how the matter passed, but that it proved very well.

So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had naturally a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for the love of God, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well, he had found everything easy, during fifteen years that he had been employed there.

That he was very well pleased with the post he was now in; but that he was as ready to quit that as the former, since he was always pleasing himself in every condition by doing little things for the love of God.

That with him the set times of prayer were not different from other times; that he retired to pray, according to the directions of his superior, but that he did not want such retirement, nor ask for it, because his greatest business did not divert him from God.

That as he knew his obligation to love God in all things, and as he endeavored so to do, he had no need of a director to advise him, but that he needed much a confessor to absolve him. That he was very sensible of his faults, but not discouraged by them; that he confessed them to God, but did not plead against Him to excuse them. When he had so done, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love and adoration.

That in his trouble of mind he had consulted nobody, but knowing only by the light of faith that God was present, he contented himself with directing all his actins to Him, i.e., doing them with a desire to please Him, let what would come of it.

That useless thoughts spoil all; that the mischief began there; but that we ought to reject them as soon as we perceived their impertinence to the matter in hand, or our salvation, and return to our communion with God.

That at the beginning he had often passed his time appointed for prayer in rejectng wandering thoughts and falling back into them. That he could never regulate his devotion by certain methods as some do. That, nevertheless, at first he had meditated for some time, but afterward that went off, in a manner he could give no account of.

That all bodily mortifications and other exercises are useless, except as they serve to arrive at the union with God by love; that he had well considered this, and found it the shortest way to go straight to Him  by a continual exercise of love and doing all things for His sake.

That we ought to make a great difference between the acts of the understanding and those of the will; that the first were comparatively of little value, and the others, all. That our only business was to love and delight ourselves in God.

That all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the love of God, could not efface a single sin. That we ought, without anxiety, to expect the pardon of our sins from the blood of Jesus Christ, only endeavoring to love Him with all our hearts. That God seemed to have granted the greatest favors to the greatest sinners, as more signal monuments of His mercy.

That the greatest pains or pleasures of this world were not to be compated with what he had experienced of both kinds in a spiritual state; so that he was careful for nothing and feared nothing, desiring only one thing of God, viz., that he might not offend Him.

That he had no scruples; for, said he, when I fail in my duty, I readily acknowledge it, saying, I am used to do so; I shall never do otherwise if I am left to myself. If I fail not, then I give God thanks, acknowledging that the strength comes from Him.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words

I have been asked how a person can donate to “Spiritual Solutions.” Just go to Send a Love Offering and it will take you to a form you can use for your donation. Thank you - I am very grateful for your generosity!
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 Enjoy this great story and its powerful message, by my friend Alan Cohen:

Fritz Kreisler was a skilled and devoted violinist who had a lifelong dream to own a Stradivarius. For many years Fritz worked hard to earn enough money to buy the coveted instrument. Finally he took his life savings to New York City’s music district and searched many stores. After numerous inquiries, he found a shop with a Stradivarius for sale. The shopkeeper went to the back of the store, removed the violin from under lock and key, and showed it to Fritz.

    Fritz’s eyes lit up and his heart began to pound as he held the delicate instrument to his neck and began to play. Heavenly tones sang forth, and Fritz knew this was indeed the instrument he had dreamed of. When he asked the owner the price, Fritz was shocked to learn it was twice the amount he had saved.

    “Can we work out a payment plan?” asked Fritz hopefully.

    “Sorry, we don’t do that,” answered the shopkeeper.

    “Then will you hold the violin for me until I can borrow more money to purchase it?”    

    “I’m afraid I cannot do that, either, sir. “If someone comes in and offers the asking price, I will have to sell it to that customer.”

    Fritz went home and scurried to gather together more money from friends and investors. He made slow progress, but within a month he found people to help him. Eagerly he returned to the music store and told the owner he was now able to make the purchase.

    “You’re just a little late,” the shopkeeper explained. “A few days ago a wealthy collector came in and purchased the Stradivarius.”

    Fritz was crestfallen. He had come so close to having his heart’s desire! On his way out of the store, an idea occurred to him. He turned and asked the shopkeeper, “Would you give me the name of that collector? I will contact him directly and ask if he would sell to me.”

    The shopkeeper gave Fritz the information and he made an appointment to go see the owner. “It has been my lifelong dream to own this instrument,” Fritz told the fellow. “Would you consider selling it to me? I think I can get some more money to purchase it from you at a profit.”

    The owner shook his head and answered, “I’d like to help you out, but I know the value of this violin. It is the jewel of my collection. I intend to keep it as an heirloom.”

    “I understand,” answered Fritz. “Perhaps, then, you would let me play the violin for just a minute of two. It would mean a lot to me, and I will keep the memory for a lifetime.”

    The collector consented and handed Fritz the violin. Joyfully Fritz took up the bow and, knowing he would never play this violin again, made the instrument sing with absolute passion. After a few minutes he returned the violin to its owner, thanked the man, and made his way to the door.

    As Fritz had his hand on the doorknob, the owner called him back. “Don’t go,” he told him. “You made such beautiful music. I bought this violin simply as a collector’s item. You will bring more happiness and beauty to the world with it than I will. The violin belongs to you. Here, please take it.”

    Society’s rules of ownership are superseded by a profound spiritual principle called The Right of Consciousness. You own what you own not by money or force, but by your love for it and your spiritual connection to it. If something is deeply imbedded in your soul, it belongs to you. It comes to you and adheres to you by your appreciation and right use of it. While it appears that external rules govern who owns what, the prevailing law is the Right of Consciousness.

    You cannot get what you have not earned by right of consciousness. If you are trying to attract a mate, job, or living situation, you must be equal to it in your thoughts and feelings. You must love it, know you deserve it, and hold a vision for healthy, joyful use of it. Then and only then will it come to you, and without struggle or strain. You don’t have to fight for it; you just have to be one with it.

    When your consciousness is ripe for the object of your heart’s desire, it will come naturally. It will not require a miracle or quantum leap. It will be in the flow as your logical next step. And no one will be able to take it from you. Jealousy is a form of insecurity, and represents ignorance of the principle of Right Consciousness. If you are matched with something you truly deserve by your unity with it, it is yours by universal law, and no one can interfere.

    A Course in Miracles tells us, “You are under no laws but God’s.” Behind all the rules people create, eternal principles are operating flawlessly. Justice is always being accomplished by the power of intention. Found yourself in spiritual law, and everything you want and deserve will come to you and stay with you by virtue of love.

(Thanks, Alan, for a great story. Here’s Alan Cohen’s website: www.alancohen.com )

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

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