Week 24: Thoughts on Commencement

Approaching commencement of the Master Key experience, I wanted to document and reflect on what I perceive as my major take-aways. As Mark points out, commencement is not an end, but rather a beginning! I’ve learned so much, and still have much to process, but this week the silence and the “sits” have revealed several things. In fact, it was no coincidence that they were perfectly presented and well-timed this week in Chapter 24 of the Master Key.

The Truth shall make you free. The absolute truth is that the “I” is perfect and complete; the real “I” is spiritual and can therefore never be less than perfect; it can never have any lack, limitation, or disease.” (24-18)

I have been given a gift; the power and ability to think. All mind is one mind and all conditions are thought creations and therefore entirely mental. The Universal Mind is the totality of all mind which is in existence. (24-26) Every form of concentration, forming Mental Images, Argument, and Autosuggestion are all simply methods by which you are enabled to realize the Truth. (24-12)

I can train my mind to think correctly (truthfully). To train the mind to see Truth only is to express true conditions only, our ability to do this will be an indication as to the progress we are making. (24-17) If you see only the incomplete, the imperfect, the relative, the limited, these conditions will manifest in your life: but, if you train your mind to see and realize the spiritual ego, the “I” which is forever perfect and complete, harmonious; wholesome, and healthful conditions only will be manifested. (24-24)

I am spirit; I am creative; I am a channel of Spiritual benefits to myself and others.  Now, the only activity which the spirit possesses is the power to think. Therefore, thought must be creative, because spirit is creative. This creative power is impersonal and your ability to think is your ability to control it and make use of it for the benefit of yourself and others. (24-29)

I possess the Master Key. When the truth of this statement is realized, understood, and appreciated, you will have come into possession of the Master Key, but remember that only those who are wise enough to understand, broad enough to weigh the evidence, firm enough to follow their own judgment, and strong enough to make the sacrifice exacted, may enter and partake. (24-30)

And lastly, Truth manifests in action. Truth is not the result of logical training or of experimentation, or even of observation; it is the product of a developed consciousness. Your life and your actions and your influence in the world will depend upon the degree of truth which you are enabled to perceive, for the truth will not manifest in creeds, but in conduct. (24-19)

I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy. I always keep my promises.

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Week 23: Silence is Golden

We’ve all heard the phrase “Silence is golden” – well, I agree, but in this case the gold was “nuggets.” I today completed a silence exercise of 48 hours and in this post wanted to share some of the nuggets that were revealed to me.

First was the experience of a calm start to each day. Mornings free from the instant barrage of television news, e-mail, texts, or Facebook posts from overnight were liberating. Instead, I sat beside the window, a mug of hot coffee in hand, and intently watched the day come alive, naturally and in order. We’ve come to learn that the last hour of the day is golden, but you can have a golden hour in the morning as well, if you choose!

For most of the 48 hours, I decided to simply sit and be relaxed, trying not to focus on anything in particular. I just let my mind be taken wherever it was to be led. In effect, I was meditating and praying (considered by many people to be one in the same). I began to sense my mind in connection with the Infinite Mind. I then thought of what we are concentrating on this week in Part 23 of the Master Keys, the fact that I am not a body with a spirit, but rather a spirit with a body. A spirit connected to the Spirit. That thought brought to mind a passage I read recently by Sir James Jeans, a British mathematician, astronomer, and physicist: “When we view ourselves in space and time, our consciousnesses are obviously the separate individuals of a particle picture (bodies), but when we pass beyond time and space, they may perhaps form ingredients of a single continuous stream of life. As it is with light and electricity, so it may be with life; the phenomena may be individuals carrying on separate existences in space and time (bodies), while in the deeper reality beyond space and time we may all be members (spirits) of one body (Spirit).” (The parenthetical edits are mine.)

Later in the silence, my thoughts were directed to the Law of Least Effort and the new cards we recently made – particularly with regard to Acceptance. Accepting people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur – that one is where I struggle. Then I thought again about prayer and how I pray. Do I pray with an attitude of “acceptance” or an attitude of “here’s my order for how I want things to be?” On reflection, it’s more often the latter! Again, I felt myself directed to a passage on prayer I had found several weeks ago. The writer was talking about how we should be careful with prayers that try to “fix things” but instead consider adopting an approach such as “Thy will be done” or “May the best outcome prevail.”

In times calling for prayer, I’ve often heard well-intentioned ministers or lay people say, “Folks we’ve got to pray hard over situation, etc.” I feel I’ve been shown to apply the Law of Least Effort to my prayers, and let “thy will be done and the best outcome prevail.” My praying harder and with more desperation doesn’t affect the omnipotence of God one way or another.  The actor Albert Brooks understood this perfectly as he said, “If I were gonna rewrite the Bible, I would say the main prayer to God would be: Dear God, I’m fine. I don’t need anything. Amen. And then He might start answering. But nothing comes to you when you’re desperate it just doesn’t work that way. So if you’re going…”I need a hit, I need a hit…you’re never gonna get it.”

Yes, silence is golden. And I’ll be back for more.

Week 22-A: The Certain Way

During this “off-week” in the Master Keys Experience, we received a presentation of Wallace D. Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich. I had read this work several years ago and was quite impressed with the teachings. But, since participating in the MKE, when I revisit a presentation, or book such as this, I find I’m reading and understanding it in a whole new dimension! I’m elated at how the messages are reinforcing and validating all that I’m learning in the Master Keys.

Wattles speaks of getting rich as a science. By this he means getting rich can be accomplished with scientific exactitude, if pursued in The Certain Way. What is The Certain Way?

• Form a clear and definite mental picture of what you want.
• Hold this mental image continually in your thoughts.
• Hold it with a fixed purpose to get what you want and the unwavering faith that you will receive what you want.
• Do every day all that can be done that day, taking care to do each act in a successful manner.
• Continually express deep feelings of gratitude.
• Impart to everyone the impression of increase, giving them a use value in excess of the cash value they receive.

And after reflecting on this a bit, I began seeing parallels to an excerpt from Think and Grow Rich that we’ve been reading daily for months now — the Blueprint Builder!  I could hear the following BPB phrases clearly echoed in The Certain Way.

“the dominating thoughts of my mind eventually reproduce themselves”

“the object of my Definite Major Purpose in life”

“demand of myself persistent, continuous action”

“any desire I persistently hold in my mind”

“will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it”

“clearly written down my DMP in life”

“I engage in no transaction which does not benefits all whom if affects”

“a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success”

“I induce others to serve me because of my willingness to serve others”

“I repeat it aloud once a day with full faith”

“I succeed by attracting to myself the forces I will to use and the cooperation of other people”

It’s exciting to see these parallels and understand that while the verbiage may differ, the core message is enduring truth.

Week 22: Act Before You Think

Started Scroll VI of The Greatest Salesman this week.

“Today I will be master of my emotions.”

To the outside observer, I’m often described as one who is “level-headed” or “even-keeled” or “emotionally steady” – but I know what’s occurring day-to-day, sometimes moment-to-moment, on the inside! I’m up and down, all over the place, but it’s ok. We all are. The Scroll reminds me that I am a part of nature. And all of nature is a circle of moods. Like the birds, the sun, the flowers, and the seasons, I too will find my moods rising and falling. It’s only natural.

How then do I master these emotions, these fluctuations, so that my day is happy and my actions are productive? “For unless my mood is right the day will be a failure.”

I just have to think, right? We’ve all heard the old adage, “Think before you act.” We have a thought, express it in word, and then follows the action. That’s the creative process.

But, in the case of mastering emotions, the scroll gave me this secret of the ages:

“Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts.”

 Actions to control thoughts – act before you think? That’s seems a bit counter to the old adage, but now I see! When I’m experiencing thoughts or emotions that are non-serving and unproductive, I can change them. But in this case, I act before I think (or continue thinking on the non-serving emotion). In other words, rather than trying to think my way back to happy and productive emotions, I should act!

In that case, with slight modification to the examples in The Greatest Salesman:

I will act with singing, if I think depressing thoughts.

I will act with laughter, if I think sad thoughts.

I will act by doubling my efforts, if I think I’m ill.

I will act by plunging ahead, if I think I’m afraid.

I will act by raising my voice, if I think thoughts of uncertainty.

I will act on my goals, if I think thoughts of insignificance and unworthiness.

The Law of Substitution in full force and effect!

Week 21: Forgive and Forget

I have battled feelings of guilt over a variety of things – usually acts of omission, not doing what I know I should do, promised myself I would do, sometimes letting others down, etc. In response, I’ll typically judge and beat myself up with a twisted sort of self-condescending “you deserve it” attitude. Boy, does that ever shrink the comfort zone!

So, while pondering our question again this week, it came to me that when I have guilt feelings, instead of condemning myself and descending into the abyss of unworthiness, I will simply forgive me! I’ll suspend the judgment and lighten up. Whatever it I did, or failed to do, it cannot be changed (yesterday is gone, says Scroll V!) but right here, right now, I can choose to accept and forgive myself and resolve to do things differently next time. That’s a much more positive response, and positivity and acceptance increase my comfort zone. But greater still, when I can forgive myself, I have massively increased my capacity to be more accepting, more forgiving and less judgmental of others — and that really pushes the comfort zone out to new horizons!

Over time, the person I intend to become will experience less and less feelings of guilt and/or unworthiness. This will come by forming better mental habits, and being accountable to the ultimate accountability partner – myself – the Guy in the Glass. In the meantime, if faced with guilt, what would the person I intend to become do next? He’ll choose to substitute those old, conditioned, reactionary responses of condemnation and judgment for acceptance and forgiveness – and the zone of comfort with himself and humanity enlarges!

And, isn’t it beautiful how always the Law of Growth is at play?

When our focus is forgive, we receive and grow in acceptance and forgiveness, and we forget and diminish our feelings of guilt and unworthiness.

Week 20: Accept – Grow and Expand

For this week and the next, we are to mastermind about how we can use fear, hurt feelings, anger, guilt and/or unworthiness to expand our comfort zone.

It didn’t take long for me to encounter one of the emotions – anger. Without going into unnecessary details, suffice it to say I’ve been experiencing periodic feelings of anger over an extended family situation. It has been a long-term, challenging, and emotional set of circumstances that I initially met with frustration and disappointment. But over time, I’ve allowed it to manifest as resentment and outright anger. So, there it is! Now, how am I going to use this?

Following last Sunday’s webinar, I decided on an approach. To any situation evoking one of these feelings, I will respond with this prayer:

“Dear God, I surrender this situation to you. May it be used for your purposes. I ask only that my heart be open to give love and receive love. May all the results unfold according to your will. Amen.”

After praying that prayer and sitting in silence, I realized saying “I surrender” was another way of saying “I will stop resisting” and simply be accepting of the situation and the emotion. This enabled me to be the observer and only then recognize the opportunity I had to learn something. I recalled that “great secret of life” we learned in Scroll IV of the Greatest Salesman …”all my problems, discouragements, heartaches are, in truth, great opportunities in disguise.” What then am I not seeing?

Then it came — the expansion! In the place of anger, for the first time I experienced feelings of compassion and acceptance toward this family situation. I felt lighter, relieved, and calm. Nothing about the facts of the situation had changed, and there are still many issues to be resolved. But what has changed is my enlarged perspective and response to it.

If I resist, I wither and contract.

If I accept, I grow and expand.

 

Week 19: Focus!

Again, I find that I struggled with consistency during this “off week” of no webinar.  This tells me I still have some growth to experience in my habits of mental exercise.  Yeah, life threw a bit more at me the past two weeks, and one thing that was a real curve ball!  But, that is life – not an excuse to forgo the exercises.  Remembering what Mark has said, I thought “If I don’t have time to do the exercises, progressions, reading, etc., right now, when will I ever have the time?

A highlight this week for me was the video Mark posted from his and Davene’s visit with their island neighbors Richard and Kimmy Brook.  Richard basically interviews Mark in an outstanding exchange that I highly recommend to anyone reading this post.   Click the link below to view:

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Fq5xM&m=3XRUsi.LDz5YxbJ&b=9Lg6Bc8ajpdXXUI3V8XwCA

The biggest thing I took away from the video related back to my consistency challenges of the past week.  It was FOCUS.  I had allowed my focus to shift from the exercises to other things – things that were important, but not so much that they should have kept me from being laser focused and performing the exercises.

I haven’t come this far to go off the rails now!   I will focus and I am determined to stay the course!  As Mark likes to quote from the Karate Kid movie, “Focus Daniel-san!!”