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Keep a True Lent, by Charles Fillmore, [1953], at sacred-texts.com
CHRISTIAN metaphysicians have discovered that man can greatly accelerate the formation of the Christ Mind in himself by using affirmations that identify him with the Christ. These affirmations often are so far beyond the present attainment of the novice as to seem ridiculous, but when it is understood that the statements are grouped about an ideal to be attained, they seem fair and reasonable.
When one understands the power of words spoken in spiritual consciousness the results are in fulfillment of divine law.
The affirmation of any good statement of Truth puts us in conscious contact with the Christ Mind and quickens and releases the light and energy stored up in the subconscious mind; then the process of redemption begins.
Should we pray in words that imply faith in a sure answer to our prayer, or should we ask meekly, leaving the answer to the will of God? This proposition confronts most of us at various times. Our mind wavers between the two attitudes, and the answer is always weakened by the wavering whether we realize it or not.
Whichever way we decide to pray, we quote Scripture to fortify our position and usually find
enough to satisfy us that we are right. The majority of the prayers of Jesus are affirmations, according to English translations, which are not always in harmony with the original text. For example, the great Lord's Prayer, which we so universally use, in the original is a series of affirmations. The translators had no conception of the majesty of the Son of God, and they twisted His prayers of decrees into a supplication for help. When we realize that we are the outlet of a mind that seeks an adequate expression, we shall cease our begging prayers and elevate our thoughts and words to the high standard set by the Master.
God created man to express Him in the manifest world, and we fall short in our mission when we fail to measure up to our divine authority. Jesus, the Son, affirmed, "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth." When He prayed things happened, and He expected His followers to do likewise. We are asked why our prayers do not always bring things to pass, as His did. The usual answer is that we have not developed faith or assurance equal to that of Jesus. But how shall we go about developing this Christ faith? We have asked for the faith of Jesus and even declared it in His name, yet it does not abide with us continually. Why?
The answer is that we have not realized and appropriated our princely heritage. We have not trained our mind away from the negative race beliefs but have allowed it to fall into the popular
channels of thought, thereby attaching ourselves even more firmly to human impotency. Here is a point of which every Christ initiate should be made aware, namely that the Christ baptism gives us a very decided mind expansion and infuses into our thoughts and words a power that we did not before possess: "His word was with authority."
Jesus taught His followers to assert the affirmative in thought and word. We do not know the exact words He used in His statements, but judging by the English into which they have been translated from the Greek, Jesus was very positive in His assertion of the power of spiritual man, and especially of those who follow His teaching. He taught and demonstrated that the word can be used to build or to destroy. The destructive power was illustrated in the fruitless fig tree. It was in this connection that He laid down the laws through which we can bring forth whatever we desire. What could be stronger in this respect than the following statement? "All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
The universal life current is subject to the word of man. This current flows into and through man's body from above as Spirit through the sympathetic nerves and from below through the motor nerves as life energy. In Genesis the flow of this current is symbolically described as "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" and "the tree of life."
Jesus said, "Ye are from beneath; I am from
above." In our present race consciousness we affirm and identify ourselves with the objective consciousness or tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By acquiring the ability consciously to go within and affirm our unity and power in Spirit we can gain control of the tree of life current and live forever. Certain occult schools teach the power of the will to lay hold of the tree of life current and increase its flow to hundreds of years. But if the objective consciousness is not redeemed from its thoughts of evil, no permanent good will be attained. Adam was put out of the Garden of Eden because of the possibility that he might eat of the tree of life and live forever in his ignorance and sin. The regeneration taught by Jesus and carried out in each soul by the Spirit of truth is the only safe and sure way to eternal life.
The greatest need of the human family is thought control. Here is a great truth. However, thought control is weak if the mastery of the two currents that animate the body is ignored. Jesus' words were filled with power because He had mastery of the lower life current through His realization of the Spirit from above. He said, "The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life." He gripped the current from above and united it with the one from below, producing a supermind voltage. The most potent point of contact of these two currents in the body is in the larynx, the music box of the mind. The voice can be made strong and
vibrant by one's centering the attention at the nerve complex in the larynx and affirming, "All power is given unto me! All power is given unto me!" This not only gives power to the voice but also changes the negative waters of life into positive elements of energy. This process was illustrated when Jesus turned the water into wine at Cana in Galilee. This early miracle in His experience took place in His body, forming part of the regeneration. The name Cana means "place of reeds" and Galilee means "rolling energy" or momentum, indicating what takes place in the larynx when words are spoken. When the words are spoken with spirit, not only conditions without are changed but the watery cells of the body are transformed from sluggish action to "wine" or a state of high positive activity. If thoughts of a destructive character dominate, the body suffers and eventually disintegrates. Thus we are judged by our words.
We who have studied the mind know from our experience that the ills of humanity all have their root in thought and the failure of man to express his thoughts in harmony with Principle.
Thought control is imperative, and there is urgent need of teachers on both the mental and spiritual plane of consciousness if the race is to go forward in development. To this end there needs to be more co-operation between the two planes of consciousness, because they complement each other. Religion becomes practical and effective in everyday
life when it incorporates psychology as part of its litany. Without religion psychology is weak in its fundamentals, and without psychology religion fails to give proper attention to the outlet of its ideals. The fact is that religion, comprehended in its fullness, includes psychology. Jesus was a profound psychologist.
The fact is that religion cannot be effectively taught in its scientific aspect without application of the higher attributes of the mind. Paul teaches this most effectively, and none other comes anywhere near him in this respect. He says, "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." He refers repeatedly to the Mind of Christ as the model for all Christians. In Hebrews we are told, "I will put my laws into their mind."
Comparing our mind with that of Jesus, we find many points in which we can improve ourselves in thought and word. We may assert that we believe, but do we prove it in our mental deportment? Every Unity reader may become a disciple and reap the benefits promised by Jesus if he will assume the mental attitude of a Christian and practice the power of words.