“We Are Co-creators With God!” September 12, 2010
When there is something you truly wish for, do not stand passively hoping that something may happen to make your wish come true; go out and make that wish come true. There is great power in prayer, but that power is only released when we listen for guidance and then take the action that that guidance tells us to take. We are co-creators with God, not helpless pawns of fate. Remember that God works for us by working through us. As Ernest Holmes taught, there is a power for good in the universe and we can use it. In fact, we must use it if we are going to experience all of the potential good that is available to us. Just wishing will not make it so. It is up to us to take whatever steps that inner voice directs us to take—not someday but this day. The only time we have in which to take action is in the eternal now. Procrastination only prevents from fulfilling our dreams. So let’s set our intention each day to ask to know what we need to do that day, and then do it and watch our lives transform as our deepest wishes come true.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Now Is the Time for Positive Action!” September 5, 2010
“No person can enrich his own spiritual life without enriching the whole world thereby.” Christian Larson in THE PATHWAY OF ROSES
The most valuable time spent is the time spent in reading books or listening to CDs by the great spiritual teachers, communing with like-minded people, and in prayer and meditation. Since we are all interconnected on the spiritual or soul level, as we spend time in raising our own consciousness, it must follow that the entire race consciousness is raised. We are at a critical point in human history. Everywhere we see the ever-faster growth of technology. Wonderful things are being invented every day, things which can either raise the level of living for the entire world or bring about the destruction of the planet. Unless the level of consciousness is raised at the same speed as technological advances, we may soon arrive at a time of extreme crisis wherein the entire balance of civilization must tilt one way or the other. Now, more than ever, it is so important that every individual is aware of his or her responsibility to ensure the right outcome. Now is the time for positive action, and we, having chosen the spiritual path, are the ones who bear the responsibility for creating a world that works for everyone.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Living in Delight and Joy!” August 29, 2010
Ernest Holmes said, “…. we are born to be happy, to be abundantly supplied with every good thing, to have fun in living, to consciously unite with the Divine Power that is around and within us, and to grow and expand forever.”
It was on this deeply held principle that Dr. Holmes founded the Science of Mind Institute, which was the foundation for what became the Church of Religious Science now mainly known as Centers for Spiritual Living. What a beautiful belief system from which to operate as we change our idea from believing that suffering and lack and limitation are the basic facts of life, to one of understanding that we are here for a purpose and that purpose is good. We then begin to live the life we were created to live. Included in the above statement was the phrase “to have fun in living.” Dr. Holmes also often stated that Religious Science is a religion of joy. Life was never meant to be a dark and gloomy experience….it was meant to be filled with light and the sheer joy of being alive. In spite of any temporary “bumps in the road” our path is meant to be one on which we experience the sheer delight which comes with knowing the truth about who we are and why we are here.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Sparkle and Shine from Within!” August 22, 2010
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within.”
These words of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross remind us that it is not our outer persona that reveals the truth of who we really are, but who we are inside. Sometimes the outer persona is a carefully constructed façade built to create an impression, while the inner being is shallow and self-serving. When our inner being is a true reflection of the attributes of Spirit, attributes such as love, peace, joy, and wisdom, we exude an inner glow that is not always discerned by the outer vision. However, it is clearly visible to the inner eye. Sometimes it is the individual sitting quietly on the sidelines that we find we are somehow attracted to. To the outer eye they may seem unremarkable, but to the “third” eye of the Soul, their inner light is like a magnet drawing us to them. Like the stained-glass window, their true beauty is revealed by the light within.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Sharing the Light; Spreading the Light!” August 15, 2010
In Matthew 5:14 & 15 Jesus said, “You are indeed the light of the world; a city built upon a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, so that it gives light to all who are in the house.”
All the great mystics have spoken of the light which exists within each of us. However, how often do we hide this light from others? Indeed, how often do we somehow even conceal it from ourselves? Many people live in ignorance of the truth of who and what they really are, and, as a result, never achieve the greatness which lies within them. How often have we, by failing to reveal to others our light, and sharing with them the source of it, helped to keep them from becoming aware of their own light?
We have a great teaching that we could share with others. Sharing this teaching allows them to become aware of the light within and become all that they have the potential to be as they learn to lift the bushel that has hidden that light from themselves and others.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Being the Full Expression of Life” August 8, 2010
Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself to others. There is a tendency on the part of parents and other authority figures such as teachers, employers and even peers to tell us that we are deficient in some way compared to others. It is true that there may be others who are more talented, more capable in some area or other than we are, but so what? This does not mean that we are inferior beings. Each of us was created with particular abilities or talents to share with the world, and no one is less valuable than anyone else. We are each unique, individualized expressions of the One Life with a role to play in the overall scheme of things. It is up to each of us to recognize what that role is and to play it to the best of our ability without ever comparing ourselves to another who may seem to us to have a more important role, or, for that matter, a lesser one. Just as every thread in a tapestry, every note in a musical composition, ever bolt in a machine, or a nail in a structure is necessary to the functioning of the whole, so are you an essential part in the full expression of Life right here and right now!
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Living a Life of Joy & Optimism!” August 1, 2010
It has been said that the single most significant decision we make on a day to day basis is our choice of attitude. The world we see is the result of what we have chosen to see. Just as the pessimist sees the glass as half empty and the optimist sees it as half full, so does our attitude color how we perceive people and events. One person sees calamity everywhere and sure enough, that is his experience. Another looks around with a positive attitude, confident that everything is working out for the best and experiences life as good. Some people seem to have been born with the talent to live a life of joy and optimism; others seem not to have had that auspicious a beginning. However, anyone can cultivate a new way of being, a being in which he or she can see with the eyes of Spirit and live each day in total faith that life is indeed good and very good.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Open Minds See the Open Door!” July 25, 2010
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the door that has opened for us. “These words of Helen Keller remind us again about the futility of keeping our mind set on the past. Nothing is permanent in this world as we live in the constant flux of change. Whether it is a relationship, a career or other condition, we live in a world that is always changing. Clinging to anything is a sure way to live in a state of unhappiness. When any door does close, we need to look around for the door that is opening. Sometimes we may not see the door at first; perhaps it has only opened a crack and is not immediately visible, but rest assured that the Universe always provides another door. If we do not see it, it is only because we are not opening our eyes, or because we are still keeping our eyes focused on the closed door.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“When Appreciation Appreciates” July 18, 2010
The first step in achieving prosperity is learning to appreciate what you already have. One way to ensure discontent is to constantly dwell on the things you don’t have instead of taking time to be truly grateful for what you do have. As a society we have been indoctrinated with the idea of lack of certain things being the cause of all our problems. Madison Avenue is constantly preaching the doctrine: “just buy this product and you will be happier, more beautiful, more successful,” etc. The whole consumer industry is based on the concept that we never have enough. No wonder we have become perennially dissatisfied and fail to notice all that we do have. It cannot be stated too often that what we appreciate appreciates. Take time each day to construct a gratitude list. There may be times when it is difficult to find much to be thankful for, but with time and practice the list will grow as each day we come into greater realization of all the gifts we have been given, starting with the very gift of life. This is an abundant universe and as we grow in consciousness so does our supply.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Choosing the Pathway of Growth” July 11, 2010
As human beings presented with choices, we often find ourselves floundering in indecision. What will happen if I choose this path; what if I choose this other? As a result we may vacillate between paths, perhaps ending up so fearful of making a mistake that we make no choice at all. We watch others who, upon reaching a fork in the road, stride confidently down the path of their choice without a backward glance. We watch with wonder, asking ourselves how they can be so confident, so free of fear of making a mistake. The truth is that there are no mistakes, only different consequences. Any movement forward carries us further along our path of growth. In the long run, many of the times that we believe that we have made a mistake, berating ourselves for it, the passage of time will demonstrate that it was a good choice after all. The only real mistake is to make no decision at all.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
