Lessons from the Source

This is the second of two articles presenting passages from the section in Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source called “A Higher Perspective.”  The first talked about the importance of being able to view our experiences in the physical world from the perspective of our spiritual identity. 

The rest of that section, which appears below, has been among the hardest for many people to understand, and it also is the one part of the book that readers have commented about most frequently, saying it is simply beyond their ability to accept or to reconcile with what they see in the world. 

These teachings expand on the concept presented earlier that our good is always present and that there are blessings in everything, even the most horrible situations we can imagine, and they remind us again that our challenge is to be able to accept that that is the case, even if there is no way our human minds will ever be able to understand what those blessings might be.  

The following passages are taken verbatim from the third section of Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days.  

Rejoice in All Things

Rejoice in your good, but rejoice also in what might commonly be perceived as your “bad.” For if you truly believe that your life is unfolding as part of the divine order of the universe, you will know that your good will manifest in a perfect way and with perfect timing. You will rest secure in the knowledge that whatever happens in your life is part of the perfect process of the unfoldment of your good. 

When you see your life on earth from this perspective, the negatives will fade away from your path, for you will know that they cannot influence you.      

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See Everything as a Blessing

It is easy for you to identify and give thanks for the major blessings in your life, and your gratitude for them is very important. But what is harder for you to understand is that everything in your life—every person, every encounter, everything that happens to you, everything that you can see or feel or sense in any way—is a blessing. The challenge here, of course, is in seeing everything as a blessing. Human consciousness finds hatred and anger and pain and despair and illness and all of the other “negatives” of the world to be anything but a blessing.  

It is agonizingly difficult for you to find the blessings in life’s most difficult moments, but it is essential that your faith remind you of the importance of acting as if they were there. Offer thanks for them, even when you have no idea what those blessings might be. Believe that there is a higher truth and another reality where everything is, in fact, working together for good. This is not always a truth that you can fully know, and there will be times when your doubt or sadness or anger or outrage will challenge this truth. So be it. 

The Assurance of a Perfect Outworking

If it is helpful to you, you can compare your travails to those of a movie in which there appears to be no conceivable way for the hero or heroine to find a way out of the difficulties confronting them, yet you know in the back of your mind as you watch the movie that there will, in fact, be a positive ending—that incredible forces will come to play, and all will be well in the end.  

The reality where these incredible forces exist is beyond the world of your everyday life, beyond the world you can presently know, though there will be many times when these two worlds will merge. As you confront your challenges—no matter how difficult—you can and should rest in the assurance that there will be a perfect outworking and that all of these things are happening for a higher purpose that has yet to be revealed to you. While this is difficult to believe in your present life, accept it as if it were true, and you will weather difficult times and be a source of strength for yourself and for others.         

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Nothing Can Happen to You that is Not for Your Highest Good

Nothing can happen to you that is not for your highest good. Make this into an affirmation that works well for you and use it repeatedly. This is a particularly difficult concept to embrace, especially when you are faced with loss or grief or disappointment. But remember that you have chosen this lifetime for its lessons, and you cannot be aware of all of those lessons while you are learning them. Remember also that loss and grief and disappointment are concepts generated by human consciousness out of its lack of understanding of the “big picture.”

We are continuing to explore Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source, which is titled “The Challenges of Earth Life.”  The first section of the chapter explored our dual identity as eternal spiritual beings who are having a simultaneous, yet temporary, experience in the physical world.   

Then the two articles from the second section, called “Illusions,” discussed the challenges we face during our journey on earth when we forget our spiritual identity and convince ourselves that the physical world is our only reality – and, in so doing, become caught up in situations that cause pain and grief and frustration, but that are only illusions.   

The third section of the chapter, called “A Higher Perspective,” also will be divided into two articles.  The writings below encourage us to view our journey in the physical world from the perspective of our spiritual identity, in order to better understand the concept presented in an earlier article that our good is always present and available to us.  The rest of the section, which will be presented in the next article, explores the often difficult-to-comprehend concept that there are blessings in every situation and circumstance in our lives. 

The following passages are taken verbatim from the third section of Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days. 

If you could see yourself from my perspective, you would laugh at the many barriers you have erected to your own good. It is as if you are existing in a sea of goodness, yet you have built a plastic bubble around yourself to keep the good that is all around you from getting to you or from you getting to it. It’s right there, but you can’t reach it. Dissolve the bubble and become one with your good.

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You are so near and yet so far. When you have a higher perspective, you will see and understand clearly that your good, which seems so far away from you, is always close at hand—closer than you could ever imagine. You can reach out and touch it in spirit and bring it into the material world so easily, if only you can believe. It is there at your beck and call. You must accept the reality (and it is the ultimate reality) that you have ultimate and complete power over what happens to you on the physical plane. Reject the illusion of helplessness, of lack, of all of this being out of your control. Through your faith and right action, your good can come to you in an instant and keep multiplying. You control your own destiny. You are part of infinite goodness.                        

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Seeing clearly your good from the perspective of your true identity is your goal in rising above circumstances or situations. As you know, the false reality of the earth life becomes as seemingly real as the magician’s illusions seem to you. Yet, you have not fully centered yourself in who you really are, and those situations and circumstances and beliefs and attitudes that you have created (for you are, in fact, the magician who is creating illusions to fool yourself) can so obscure your view of your true reality that they become for you—at least for the moment—your perceived reality, and you are lost on the path. 

That was a long sentence, wasn’t it? Reread it several times, and you will understand it. 

But how do I rise above my earth consciousness, you ask? This type of “rising above” is purely a mental process. It is one that you can discipline yourself to engage in at any moment. It is really very easy. Meditation is a key, and discipline is another. You must accept the fact that, while fully participating in the mass consciousness, you cannot see your good clearly, and you must truly desire to be able to do so. This desire should evolve easily, for you know that what you can conceive (or see clearly) and truly believe (in faith), you can achieve. 

Seeing, or imaging, your good is a function of your imagination, which is one of your most powerful tools. This is how your dreams and goals and aspirations come about. You allow your consciousness to become more attuned with me, and you are given glimpses of your good. When these glimpses are implanted, your own desire and commitment and faith can bring what you have seen into manifestation in your life in the physical world. 

Have faith, believe in your good, and life your life joyously.  Your good is yours for the claiming.

One of the most powerful illusions we confront as spiritual beings who are experiencing a temporary journey in the physical world is the illusion of time.  The previous article in this series (Do Not be Fooled by Life’s Illusions) explained that many of the struggles we face in life are merely illusions that prevent us from remembering the true nature of our being.  

The writings about illusions in Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source also focus specifically on the illusion of time, which is one that many of us confront on a regular basis.  The concept that time and space are not real is not a new one for most students of spirituality, but the way in which it is explained in these writings might help to shed new light on it.    

The following passages are taken verbatim from the second section of Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days.

The Illusion of Time

Time, as it is perceived in the human consciousness, is a false concept—another illusion that you have allowed to disrupt the calm of your consciousness.     

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Time is Irrelevant

Patience is a virtue, it has been said. This is very true. In fact, it is a necessity if you are to maintain yourself in the flow of your good. Impatience, which is a very common trait of human consciousness, is directly tied to the illusion of time, which also becomes so overwhelmingly important to those absorbed by the physical environment. 

Time has no importance whatsoever. You are living in eternity. Your being is part of mine, and we have always been and will always be. The scope of eternity is impossible for you to understand, for you try to measure it in time. Time implies a beginning and an end, but these do not exist. Just as you heard a scientist trying to describe the dimensions of the universe in terms of light years (which, again, is a human point of reference based on time) and found it completely unfathomable, the concept of eternity is the same. The universe and eternity are one and the same. They are without boundaries—without limits. 

As you progress in consciousness, these terms will begin to be easier to understand. But at the moment, they are beyond your comprehension. If you can accept my word that the concept of time is meaningless (even if you cannot yet fully comprehend it), then it will be easier for you to understand the folly of the concept of impatience. 

Impatience is a Sign that the Human Mind is Trying to Control

Impatience implies that it is important that a certain thing come to pass by a specific time—or before it is too late. “If I don’t get my check by Tuesday, I’ll never be able to get the car fixed.” (Even the word “never” in this illustration is a reference to time.) If, however, you can accept time as an irrelevant factor in your existence, you will not allow the quality of impatience to enter your consciousness. 

Impatience implies that you know and understand, better than I do what the right “timing” of the arrival of your good should be. Think back to the belief that there is only one power and one presence in the universe—God, the good, omnipotent. If you believe this, can you doubt that your good will come to you at the most appropriate time?

Patience, Peace, and Faith

Patience, then, is faith in action. It rejects the concept of time and the artificial “deadlines” that accompany it. It totally accepts the belief that one’s good is his or her entitlement, and that it will arrive in life at the moment that is most appropriate. 

Patience and peace also go hand in hand and reinforce each other. If you draw on the peace that is already within you, patience will be a natural byproduct. The byproducts of impatience are frustration and irritability, but peace will always counteract them. 

This is an important lesson for you at this point in your life. Be at peace and be patient. It is my good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 

Don’t be in a hurry. Do not allow the pressures of the physical world to affect you. Remember that time is a false concept of the physical world and has no bearing whatsoever on your reality. To be rushed or in a hurry means that you are reacting to pressures relating to time, and this is not only unnecessary, but counterproductive, as well.   

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Disruptions Caused by Impatience

Of course, you are living in the physical world, and your daily routine must be dictated to a certain extent by time constraints. There will be times when you are late and feel a need to rush. While this type of hurry is different from the emotion that I want to discuss with you, even it can be detrimental to you. You are very familiar with the feelings that can overcome you when you feel rushed to get somewhere or do something by a certain time. The stress and pressure of the situation prevent your body from functioning peacefully, and your emotions are also affected, making it much more difficult to maintain your attunement with me and the feelings of joy and peace and love that are so essential to it. The emotional turmoil causes a cloud of static to form around you, and your receptivity is decreased. So being in a hurry is disruptive to your daily existence. 

Being in a hurry to achieve the goals you have set for yourself is also a disruptive factor. Rest assured that your good is, in fact, assured. Live with the complete certainty that it will come to you in the physical world in the form and in the manner and at the time that is perfect for the fulfillment of the divine design for your life. In your human consciousness, you are not able to understand the many factors that are part of the process. 

Yours is a test of faith. Accept your unity with the source of all goodness, and you have accepted the goodness itself. Know that the desire for the particular good came from me and that its fulfillment will, as well. Be not concerned at all with the timing. There is no hurry. There is no rush. My timing is perfect, as you will see. Be at peace. Enjoy your day.

One of the greatest challenges for students of spirituality is to be able to remember that we are spiritual beings having an experience in the physical world; and maintaining that perspective in the face of the issues and problems we all encounter during our life’s journey can be especially difficult. 

They are Only Illusions

The idea that life’s struggles, no matter how imposing they might appear to be, are merely illusions is not a new one, but the teachings in Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey explain it in a way that might help to enhance our understanding of the concept and allow us to shift our responses from anger or frustration to patience or even enjoyment. 

One of the most delightful aspects of the lessons in the book is their use of analogies to help clarify concepts that can be hard to comprehend, and the comparisons of life’s illusions to a magic show or a thrill ride at an amusement park are particularly interesting.                                                                   

The following is the second section of Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days.

Life’s False Reality

The disorder that you and every other human experience to one extent or another as part of this life is a false reality. It is created by the conscious mind when it is out of touch with its true essence. These experiences, which cause fear, anger, worry, mistrust, uncertainty, feelings of lack or inadequacy, etc., are only illusions. They are smokescreens that keep you from seeing and experiencing your good.                                       

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Enjoy the Adventure

Enjoy this adventure in the physical world. It is a gift to enjoy—not a struggle to endure. If you can center your consciousness in the truth of your being—in your true reality/identity—you can then see your earth life for what it is. It is an enjoyable diversion, a lesson in truth, a challenge for future growth. See it as such in the context of your true identity and it will be much easier for you to reject the temptation to latch onto the illusions of the world and give them power over you. 

The Ultimate Magic Show

Your view of a magician’s tricks is an appropriate analogy. If you compare your existence in the physical world and your understanding of it in your conscious mind to your true identity in the universe and your new acceptance and understanding of it, then think of a magician’s stage performance as your earth life as seen from your elevated consciousness.  

Persons who are grounded only in human consciousness see a magician perform and are very impressed by what seems to be the astonishing reality of what he is doing. Yet, they know and understand all during the performance that they are witnessing illusions—that, even though what they are seeing seems absolutely real, they are close to allowing the magician to convince them that his illusions are reality. Yet, through it all, there is an overriding understanding that these are simply illusions, and the audience has fun enjoying them. Being there and experiencing them is a diversion. They laugh and applaud and shake their heads in wonder and gladly pay money to enjoy the spectacle. 

The Illusions are Not Real

This is an appropriate way to view your time on earth. You are attending a fantastic magic show—a demonstration of illusions that seem so real you can’t explain them—yet you know and understand and fully accept that they are illusions, and you enjoy them and then return to your true “reality.” 

I hope this will be a helpful perspective. As you shake off the illusions of the world, smile to yourself that they have seemed so real that you have allowed yourself almost to believe them, and then return comfortably to your true identity as a child of God. 

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What if Everything Worked Out Perfectly?

Your job is to accept the reality of divine order and allow it to guide your life. How would you function in your life if you knew that every situation was going to work out perfectly? Your first reaction would be to stop worrying about outcomes or how this person or that situation would affect a specific outcome. You could relax and enjoy the journey, knowing that the perfect outcome was assured. 

See Life as a Thrill Ride

This, of course, is exactly the case. Divine order and your unity with me assure it. Try looking at a specific situation as a thrill ride at an amusement park. The ride might be turbulent and scary, and it might even cause your physical body to become ill, but at the end, your safety would be assured. Once you became assured of your safety, you could ride again and again, and enjoy the thrills each time in the knowledge that they would not last and that you were being protected. 

This is a very appropriate analogy. If you can accept that there is a perfect plan for your life, that there is good in every situation, and that the perfect outcome is assured because you are in divine order, then you can enjoy the turbulence and the surprises, for the uncertainty of it all is only an illusion. 

Have fun with life. It is meant to be enjoyed. Accept the reality that all is well, and peacefully and joyously enjoy the ride.             

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Don’t Forget the Ultimate Reality

Divine order is the ultimate reality which, because it is so perfect, is usually taken for granted to the point that it is obscured in the human mind by the clouds of crisis or tension or anxiety or fear. These, of course, are false concepts created by human consciousness to convince humanity that all is not, in fact, well—that something can or will go wrong. Divine order is always at work in all things. It cannot fail, but it can be ignored.

The idea of our having a dual identity as spiritual beings who also are experiencing a simultaneous, but temporary, adventure in the physical world is central to many spiritual teachings, including those presented in the book, Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey. 

This concept, along with the lessons about our unity with all creation and the constant availability of our good that were presented in earlier articles, are the foundational principles on which most of the other teachings in the book are based. 

The Challenge of Remembering Our True Identity

The spiritual writings presented below explain this dual identity and describe our continuing challenge of maintaining an awareness of our spiritual self while functioning in the physical world.  They remind us that there is no separation between the two worlds, even though the influence of mass consciousness conveys the impression that our physical identity is our only reality. 

The following is the first section of Chapter Two of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days.

The Physical and the Spiritual are One

The physical and the spiritual are one. They are not distinct entities, even though at times the physical aspect of your reality seems to be the entire reality. This is the challenge of this adventure: you must exist on the physical level until your time is up, yet living exclusively on the physical level misses the point. You are a spiritual being. You must remember and realize and accept that this is true, and then enjoy your adventure on the physical plane from the perspective of the spiritual, which is the true source of all of your good. Do not allow yourself to be deceived by the illusions. 

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There is No Separation

The separation of the physical and spiritual worlds seems to you to be complete, yet these worlds are separated only by a wisp of smoke in your consciousness. And that separation is one that you have created as part of the mass consciousness. In truth, there is no separation. You are in both worlds, both realms, simultaneously, yet you know it not. The inner direction that you receive is your consciousness at the spiritual level responding to the good that is always available on that plane. 

Eternally Spiritual, Temporarily Physical

If you can integrate into yourself the reality that you are always on that plane, just as you are temporarily on the physical plane as well, you will understand and accept that your good is always accessible to you. If you see yourself exclusively as a physical creature in a physical world, however, you will remain convinced that you, in conjunction with other persons and conditions to whom you have ascribed power, are responsible for making your good happen. How much more simple it is to simply accept and understand that, as a spiritual being, you can call upon your good and claim it and make it part of you in a process that is as natural as breathing. 

Yes, you have to work to bring your consciousness to that point. But that is the challenge of the physical plane—to be able to overcome its false restrictions and move beyond them and allow your being to flow gently with the current of light and love and peace and happiness.

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A Thin Veil, Rather Than a Great Divide

It is such a thin veil that separates the physical plane from the spiritual, but it seems like such a great divide to you while you are on earth. If you could remove yourself only a small bit from your physical “reality,” you, too, would be amused at your struggles. To observe yourself would be like watching a movie of yourself in a past situation of difficulty during which you had no idea how to proceed. As you view it, you understand in retrospect what the factors were that contributed to your confusion and distress, and you can see how easily it all could have been resolved with a proper perspective and understanding.          

A Familiar Term

The term “Kingdom of God” is familiar to practitioners of most, if not all, of the world’s great religions, but the interpretations of its meaning vary considerably. 

The writings about the kingdom from Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey presented below include the following references to concepts presented in the previous three articles and to the challenge of accepting that which our human minds are not able to understand: 

“…you can realize and live your unity with me, and in so doing, be demonstrating the Kingdom of God on earth.” 

“You are an heir to the Kingdom of God, which is total goodness.”

“The kingdom is at hand…You need only accept it.” 

It also is interesting to note that the kingdom twice is referred to as “the ultimate reality.”  That same term is used later in the book, in a discussion of the illusions of earth life, to define divine order.  

The following is the fourth section of Chapter One of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days. 

The Basic Truth

This is the basic truth we are discussing in these lessons—that you can realize and live your unity with me, and in so doing, be demonstrating the Kingdom of God on earth.

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Defining the Kingdom

“The Kingdom of God is within you.” You have heard this phrase since you were a small child, yet you never really understood it until recently, and your understanding of it still is at a very early stage. Let’s discuss it. 

The Kingdom of God is perfection. It is hope eternal. It is everlasting light and love. The Kingdom of God is, as the name implies, where I reside and rule. It is my will in manifestation. It defies the human definition of time and space. It is, as has been said, where you and I together live and move and have our being. 

The Kingdom of God is the ultimate reality. That which is of the earth is part of the kingdom, for all creation is my work and therefore is part of the kingdom. But while the reality of the kingdom is clear in other dimensions, it is obscured on the earth plane. Because you are, for now, a resident of this human plane, it is obscured from you, and your work while you are here is to pull away the trappings that hide it and to reveal its majesty to your own consciousness. 

“The Kingdom of God is within you,” reveals the basic truth about the dilemma of human existence. The kingdom is at hand. It is right where you are. You have your being in it, just as its being is within you. You need only accept it. But to do so, you must begin to understand it. 

You are Always in the Kingdom

A very simple analogy is to the life-giving properties of air on the earth plane. You cannot see the air, yet you cannot live without it. You live in the midst of it; you require it for the maintenance of your being; and yet you seldom think about it or focus on it—even though it is always there and is necessary for your existence. 

In the same manner, you are always in the kingdom, and the kingdom is always in you, even though you are not consciously aware of it. Once again, we return to the basic concept of your unity with me. As you come to understand it, you also will understand the concept of the kingdom. Doing so requires your detachment from human consciousness to the extent that you can see it and understand it for what it is (even while you continue to live in it) and your total, comfortable acceptance of the true reality of your being.  

For now, know that you are making progress on this journey of understanding. Maintain your commitment to persevere, no matter what the circumstances, and carry on with an attitude of hope and trust and acceptance. Your efforts to make your dreams come true and realize your goals on the earth plane are part of your effort to understand the kingdom and to reside consciously in it, for the kingdom is perfection, and it is the ultimate reality.

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An Heir to the Kingdom

You are an heir to the Kingdom of God, which is total goodness,and you totally deserve it all.  Never doubt this for an instant.  If you grasp nothing else from this lesson, please do not miss this insight.

The Perfection of the Universe

The principle of divine order is described in the writings below from Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey as “the ultimate operating system” of the Universe that keeps things functioning so perfectly that we don’t even need to think about it.  We accept much of the evidence of it unconditionally, even though most of us aren’t able to understand it or explain how or why it works.

Divine Order in Our Lives

There is a sentence in the first article in this series that says “You are an expression of my divinity, where all is in order,” and the lessons on divine order that appear below make the case that our lives also are in divine order.

If we can accept that divine order is at work in the Universe and rely on it without any question or doubt (as we all do), and if we are willing to be open to the concept of our unity with all of creation, even though we can’t comprehend it intellectually, perhaps we have begun to open ourselves to the possibility that our lives are in perfect order, as well.

The following is the third section of Chapter One of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days.

You are in Divine Order

You are in divine order. Always remember this and understand all that it implies. Just as the sun rises each morning, and your bodily systems function without conscious effort, and leaves appear from nowhere in the spring, you are carrying out the divine plan for your life, and your good will unfold for you as it should at the appropriate moment. Relax in your knowledge of this certainty.        

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The Ultimate Operating System

Divine order is the operating principle of the universe. It is what makes everything work together effectively and efficiently—and for good.

“For good” is an interesting phrase that has evolved in the human use of language. How ironic that its use now generally implies “once and for all” or “thank goodness it’s over.” (“Thank goodness” is another phrase of spiritual origin that is used so casually that its meaning is virtually ignored.) Perhaps one can perceive good in the ending of a situation—and, in fact, when a negative situation has ended, it truly is “for good”—but the generally negative connotation of the phrase is unfortunate.

But back to divine order. It is the ultimate operating system that is so perfect and reliable beyond the slightest doubt that conscious attention to it or concern about it is not necessary. The sun will rise each morning. The moon will appear in a specific stage of illumination on a day certain. The seasons will change. Living things will appear where there once was nothing and eventually will vanish from sight again. Your mind controls your bodily functions without requiring the attention of your conscious mind.

Divine Order Will Never Fail You

Know that divine order will never fail you, for it is beyond the scope of human consciousness, and failure is a creation of the mind of man. You are one with me; you are one with the divine order of the universe. There is a divine plan for your stay on earth, and that plan is in divine order. But you must accept it and know that it will never fail. The divine order in your life (and in the lives of all humans) is as real and as dependable as the divine order that you can see and understand in nature. But you must make the decision to accept it and to flow with it. You can choose to ignore its reality and allow the shifting winds of human consciousness to push you and pull you and torment you; or you can refuse to give them power over you, and instead, fully trust and accept the good that is yours.

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The Evidence is All Around You

The divine order in the universe is what keeps the physical world, and the physical body, functioning so miraculously. You can begin to understand, on a superficial level, the order in the universe, for you can see evidence of it all around you in nature, in the human body, and in the solar system. When you see the sunrise, or the waves in the ocean, or the birth of a baby, or the beauty of a spider web, you can understand—at a very basic level—that all is well and in order. The physical reminders of divine order are all around you every day. See them. Think about them. Rejoice in them and give thanks for them. And then understand the larger context of what you are experiencing.

If the evidence of divine order is all around you, and if you can understand and accept that you are a part of the grand scheme of things as much as the spider or the newborn baby, then you will begin to understand and truly believe that your life is, in fact, in divine order.       

When you can come to understand your own divinity and the integral role you play in the universe, you will then be able to understand and accept the truth of the divine order in your life.     

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Accept the Truth of Divine Order

The trees and plants all around you are constantly demonstrating the divine order of the universe. Leaves and flowers and fruit—and the plants themselves—are visible wonders that were not there before, but now are there to be enjoyed. Be aware of them. Learn from them.

You, too, are part of the natural unfoldment of the good of the universe. You are a channel for wisdom and inspiration. And—perhaps most importantly for you to realize now—you, too, are a living example of the goodness of the universe unfolding and manifesting and revealing itself as it should.

Take strength and comfort from what you see and experience in the world around you. Gain peace from it. Allow it to stimulate the joy within you. How much richer will your life be when you can react to the physical world in this way, rather than finding negative energy and allowing it to divert your attention from your true nature and the reason you are here. 

It is a beautiful world, and you are a beautiful part of it.  Rejoice. 

The first section of Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey explained that we are one with the entire Universe and with the Source that created it, and that our challenge while living on earth is to accept that truth and live our lives based on it ― even if we can’t begin to understand it.

There is Goodness in Everything

The second section of the book, which appears below, expands the scope of the challenge by setting forth the concept that there is goodness in every aspect of creation.  It explains that the Source energy, or substance, that is present in everything is “the source of all goodness and all blessings.”

If we can arrive at a point of accepting the basic premise of our unity with the Source and all of its creation (even without being able to understanding it intellectually), it would seem to be a logical conclusion that we also are one with its goodness, and consequently that there is good in every condition and situation.  

The following is the second section of Chapter One of Lessons from the Source. The symbols are used to separate segments that were written on different days.

            We Exist in the Substance We Need

The illustration of the fish in the water has been used many times, but it is always appropriate, because it is perfect. The fish is in the midst of the substance it needs for survival. It exists in that substance. That is all it knows. It moves easily and effortlessly through the substance and is totally accepting of its existence. There is no need even to think about it. Total, complete, unthinking acceptance. This is what you should strive for, because you exist in the substance necessary for your survival just as the fish does. You eventually will reach the point of not even having to consciously stake your claim to your good, for you will realize that you and it are one and inseparable throughout eternity.

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See and Experience Only Goodness

Remember me as the source of all goodness and all blessings. Know that you are one with me, and that you are my expression in the physical world. If you are one with the source of all good, you then must also be one with the good itself. It is already with you and part of you. If you can believe this beyond a mere intellectual understanding and build your faith and your life on earth around it, then you will be able to call forth any righteous desire of your heart.

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My goodness is what you and your world are made of. It is the substance in which you live and move and have your being. It is all there is in reality. Enjoy this truth. Celebrate it. Accept it and believe it unconditionally. If you can arrive at the point in which you see and experience only goodness, you are experiencing the Kingdom of God.

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One Power ― A Power for Good

Always remember that there is only one power, and that power for good is within you and around you and constantly accessible to you. Draw on it. Use it. Seek it out. Rely on it. Love it. Praise it. Be humbled by it. Be exalted by it. It is the reality in which your being exists.

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If you accept as truth that there is only one presence and one power in the universe, and that that is my presence and power for good, then you must accept also that there is good in every situation or condition, no matter how difficult it may be for you to perceive.

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Your good is there for you. It simply has not yet been made manifest in the physical world. Rest secure and remain confident in the knowledge that it will come forth at the perfect time in the overall scheme of things. As long as you hold firmly to this certainty, you will realize your goals.

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You must remember to focus on the good—for that is all there is. Though you might not be able to understand or comprehend it, know with total certainty that there is goodness in every person and thing and situation, for “There is no spot where God is not,” and I am total goodness.   

 Understanding Our Unity

The concept that we all are one with each other, and with the Universe, is far easier for most of us to espouse than to truly understand.  

One of the basic tenets of most spiritual belief systems is that the entire Universe, including our world and each of us, was created by an all-powerful Source that is beyond the ability of our human minds to comprehend completely.

The teachings in Lessons from the Source: A Spiritual Guidebook for Navigating Life’s Journey all have their foundation in that premise, and the first section of the book, which follows, offers an explanation of our relationship with that Source that might be helpful in increasing our understanding.

Unity with the Source of All Creation

The very first excerpt from the lessons in the book, presented below, says that our reason for being here is to understand, to “remember,” that we are at one with the Source and all of its creation, and then to live our lives as an expression of the Source in the world.

In explaining the unity of all things, the lessons describe an energy, or substance, that is present in all of creation, and they set out a central challenge that we all face: accepting and living from that unity, even if our human intellect can’t begin to comprehend it.

The following is the first section of Chapter One of Lessons from the Source.

Your Purpose and Function

This is your true and natural purpose and function in the physical world-to remember and re-learn your unity with me, and then to express that unity through your own joy, peace, love, and goodness. It is simple and natural and direct.

Your True Identity

You are one with the entire universe-its substance, its intelligence, its activity. This means that at your essence is the very essence of the universe. This is who and what you are, and this is true for every human being. You are an expression of my divinity, where all is in order.

Divine Energy

Energy is an interesting topic. You relate to energy primarily in a physical sense-how high your “energy level” is, whether you have enough energy to complete a task, etc. You might also think of energy as something that makes your appliances run or heats your home.

True energy, however, is a field around you and through you. It is my reality in the physical world. It is substance. It is my presence. It is the source of your life. It is my spirit in action in the world. It is in you and around you. It is everywhere present. It is what gives life to the world. In it, you live and move and have your being.

Omnipresence

You might ask why this is important and why you need to know about it. Perhaps you have heard about practicing the presence of God. If you can begin to understand the concept of God energy as a field of energy that is everywhere present, practicing my presence will become easier for you.

Everywhere present. This may be a bit difficult to comprehend. Can you think of anything in the physical world that is always present, without fail? Air is not, for there are vacuums. Lightness or darkness is not. Even gravity is not, for it is possible to experience weightlessness in certain controlled situations.

But my energy, my reality, my being is present everywhere in the universe. It is in everything you can see and in everything you cannot see. It is in every cell of your body, in the air you breathe, in the thoughts of your mind.

This is a big concept, yet it also is of the utmost simplicity. Once you can get beyond the barrier of using the physical world and its “natural phenomena” as your frame of reference, the concept of omnipresence will become something that you will be able to accept as part of your reality-even if you cannot understand it on an intellectual level.

 A Common Unity of Being

As you meditate upon this concept, you will begin to come to a spiritual understanding of the unity of all things. If God energy or substance is present in all things, then all things share a unity of being. If, at your most basic element, you share the same reality as all other humans, then there is a basis for communication and love and understanding between you and any other person. If that common element extends beyond human beings to every aspect of my creation, there is a unity that you cannot now even begin to comprehend. Yet, if you can accept that it is there, you have taken the very first step toward an expansion of your consciousness that will alter your life on the planet in ways that you cannot yet imagine and will allow you to make a quantum leap in your never-ending spiritual growth.

This is enough for you to ponder for now. Read this lesson over again several times and take time during the day to contemplate it and meditate on it. An appropriate affirmation for you might be, “I am one with every aspect of God’s creation.” As you begin to ruminate on these ideas, you will begin to truly practice the presence of God.