I know this sounds really, really dramatic, but in fighting cancer (they gave me 15% chance survival rate-soft tissue/muscle cancer Leiomyosarcoma), the fight led me to where I am pursuing a spiritual path-working I never would have considered before. Religious Science. Science of Mind. If you've never heard of Emma Curtis Hopkins or Ernest Holmes, and if you are curious as to the science behind positive thinking and prayer, these are the people who started it. Actually it was Emma Curtis Hopkins who taught Ernest Holmes. She has been labeled the Teacher of teachers because her students went on to form Unity and Religious Science (Holmes) and so many others dealing with the same discipline of mind/religious sciences.
I am taking a class based on a workbook called 'Unveiling the Power Within You' (Edited by modern writer Ruth Miller). This workbook will blow your mind. Miller incorporates the teachings of Hopkins from both her "Scientific Mental Practice" text as well as the text "High Mysticism" and HM's practice book "Resume'".
I'm only 3 classes into this study and already, after the first two lessons, I can see where my 'thoughts' have erred over the years and how in order to truly heal my 'soul' as well as my 'body' I need to shift belief.
Hopkins once worked with Mary Baker Eddy, but could not wrap her mind (to use modern vernacular) around some of Eddy's beliefs, and so broke off to form her own philosophy based on 'Christian Science'. Some will get turned off by Hopkins' association with Eddy, but please note: Hopkins disagreed with some of Eddy's teachings and therefore was able to free up many of them to be more in line with the teachings of the Christ.
I am 'starting' to understand why 'matter' is believed to not be real. This teaching in particular is hard to swallow for many people, but there is a scientific reasoning behind it. I'm not well-versed in it enough to dive too deeply into it here, but suffice it to say that our perception, interpretation, of what we see can and does affect our lives.
According to Hopkins there is no evil. We went over this teaching last night in class and I walked away extremely hopeful that the teaching is correct.
God=Love
God=Truth
God=Substance
God=All Good
God=Omnipresence (everywhere)
If God is ALL Good (there can be found no iniquity or evil within Him) and if he is EVERYWHERE, then there is no place where God isn't, and if God is EVERYWHERE and He is all Love, Truth and Good, then there is no place where evil can reside. The 'idea' of evil is the belief of man that there is 'lack of Good' in our lives. Notice I said, 'belief'...not fact.
This is a thought process that metaphorically blew my mind. I have more to say on this subject especially regarding my so-called 'illness', but will have to put it off until later after work. I am doing this in the morning and need to get ready for work now. But, I leave you with the above to think about for the day (or evening, depending on when you are reading this).
I know it's a lot to digest, but the logic behind the belief that God is EVERYWHERE and that He is ALL Good...it does beg the question; Then is there really evil? Or is the 'idea' of evil simply created in order to sustain our fears that we have 'lack of Good' in our lives?
Doesn't even the possibility of 'no evil' make you want to investigate this further? It does for me. Think about it...'evil' is 'present' because people desire 'Good' to be in their lives, so they step over everyone else to obtain it, because they 'believe' it is lacking in their lives. But, if they shifted their thoughts to believe that God is ALL Good and that He is EVERYWHERE, and that He is our Good, our Supply, our Health, our Joy, our LIFE, then the 'idea' of evil will disappear.
I know this all sounds wayyyyy out there and I'm still struggling with it myself, but it is enough to push me forward to investigate and question further. And I'm ok with that. My belief and where it is going may not be yours and I will never impose such on you. Please do me the same courtesy. These 'spiritual path-working' posts are meant for those who 'may' wish to investigate the same things, not for those who do not.
Thank you.
Myristica
