Visual Thinking

A fan of Smithsonian Magazine, I read with incredulity the article by Joseph Giovannini, Blowing UP the Art World: The Hirshhorn’s giant balloon is a capital idea—if it floats.

The article discussed a proposal to add a big blue balloon to the Hirshhorn Museum. You have to see the picture to get the idea of just how big this balloon is. In my eyes, it’s ridiculous, but I have to agree with Giovannini when he wrote, the approach will cause “people to think rather than just look.”

How often do we “look” at things and think we are thinking?

How often do we repeat words and think we are thinking?

Whether our body, our mind, or our church is manifesting disease and death, it is a call for thinkers to think. Something far-out-there should not be shunned away or ignored. Christ Jesus was far-out-there. He stepped away from the authorized dogma and the self-deluded “thinkers” of that time.

We read in 21^st Century Science and Health, “If humanity would properly guard human mind, the posterity of evils which aggravate it would be cleared out. We must begin with the human mind and empty out its negativity and self-delusion, or negativity and self-delusion will never cease.”

An update on the balloon, as of June 2013, the Smithsonian decided not to move forward with plans for the Hirshhorn’s Seasonal Inflatable Structure, known as the Bubble. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture, made the announcement citing financial uncertainties as the reason for the decision.

Effective thinking is practical and wise. It incorporates the world today.

 

 

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New Assignment

Action advice from Peter Drucker, original business thinker: Do not continue to do in your new assignment what made you successful in the old one. When you enter a new assignment, as “What new things should I be doing in my new assignment to be effective?” The Daily Drucker

Discovering Balance

“The Board wants to sell more electricity, however we want to teach conservation also,” said a Board member of a rural electric cooperative in upstate New York. When listening to his statement I could only shake my head in agreement. The common conundrum of finding a balance between too little and too much is so thin in many aspects of daily life. I ask myself, How do I heat my home without exploiting the environment? How much time do I spend with my husband to keep our marriage strong yet not become dependent on one another? How do I purchase an item without becoming a consumer for clutter? How do I eat healthy without making food the major topic of thought and conversation?

I’ve spent years wobbling to keep balanced. Not only did I seek a balance within family, making sure I loved everyone equally yet uniquely, but I also worked hard to have balance between family, religion, economy, and my social life.

Every day, I’d weigh my options. If I needed to let go of something because it was throwing me off kilter, I would let go. The letting go only felt weird for a short period of time, for example, when I deleted my account on Facebook. But, my mind was better able to focus on a new direction in life without compromising my attention to health and wellbeing. And, I can always rejoin Facebook.

But one day, I realized there was a better approach to finding a balance in life. Living a balanced life is not so arduous. As I simply nurture spiritual attributes, balance inevitably comes about. I don’t necessarily have to hunt and peck for a balance in my relationships, body weight, or economic situation if I am honestly increasing in my practice of trustworthiness, spiritual courage, receptivity, and so on.

As I am receptive to Life, Truth, and Love, balance is a natural consequence.

I still balance my checkbook and know what a balanced diet is however I see these actions are the result of an attitude that puts its weight on the side of Truth. In all truthfulness, I do know when to help a neighbor, when to stop eating or buying things, when to exercise, and when to be quiet, the trick is following through on the honesty.

Ironically, being imbalanced produces a hyped up attitude—addictive to human beings. They feel alive when everything in life is disturbed, unfair, or unbalanced. But the day comes when balance is searched for. And, it can be discovered as in place, the key is Life, Truth, and Love. Spirituality may appear boring or obscure at first but that is only because imbalance was accepted as normal for so long. But, a balanced, stable, steady family, economy, and purpose are alive and well—open to entrance.

Billions of Socks

Did you know that one company, Datang Hosiery Group, in China, makes a third of all the socks sold in the world? (Peter Hessler, Country Driving)

Let’s see…I own about 7 pairs of socks plus I have at least 3 single socks hanging around in the laundry room.

There are almost 7 billion people in the world. That could add up to 49 billion pairs of socks and 21 billion single socks.

So, of this total, Datang Hosiery produced over 16 billion pairs of socks and 7 billion single socks (although I think the singles use to have a mate).

It is silly to underestimate the power of one.

“For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (Duet. 34:12, NIV)

“And this was [John the Baptist’s] message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.” (Mark 1:7, NIV)

From 21^st Century Science and Health, “Having one God, one Mind, unfolds the power that heals the sick.

“A limited mind manifests all sorts of anomalies, and causes the mind-in-matter theory to be seen as conflictive. No one has found temporal mind, life, or love sufficient to satisfy the demands of human lack and anguish. Our desires and aspirations ache to be fulfilled and a reward is felt when we stop limiting infinite Mind to finite resources. Infinite Mind can’t lose its character as inexhaustible Love, eternal Life, omnipotent Truth.”

 

 

Invest in the Spirituality of Sufferers

Inspired by the words of spiritual leaders, I become sensitive to the plight of sufferers who are prevented from developing their spiritual power to heal or be healed less intrusively. Their undeveloped talent is a regrettable loss to society. The task to liberate sufferers requires better organization and knowledge of a more scientific healing.

Spiritual Science, like physical sciences, is nothing more or less than a tool for breaking down complex problems into simpler parts that can be analyzed a step at a time. For instance, the general belief that we suffer for our sins is being broken down and a spiritual education is providing people with the power to stop serving pain.

During the scientific research, some sufferers have been found not to be sinners at all. And, once the sinner stops sinning, then the suffering should stop. These realizations can bring relief.

Another complicated, yet backward ideology connected to suffering is that suffering is pious, or good for the soul. However, sufferers are so busy suffering that they are not much benefit to society. Discovering their spiritual strength, sufferers can catapult out of that unscientific ideology.

We can invest in the spirituality of others, even sufferers. We can get mental and moral capital to grow each day and find there is no limit to the advancement made in painless progress. Human beings can’t get out of suffering, but when it does come, we can see it for what it is, an ever-changing unit, that we can exercise control over, instead of letting it control us.

From 21^st Century Science and Health, “Religious and medical systems treat physical pains and pleasures as if they are normal, but Jesus rebuked the suffering from any such cause or effect. The epoch approaches when true religion will be built on the truth of being understood. However, people are slow to understand truth because they are obsessed with fashion, pride, and opinion. The fixation of materiality makes us tired because it goes against our higher nature. At some point, we will pierce through the fleeting and false and learn how Spirit, the great architect, has created men and women in Science.”

 

 

Respect is Alive

People can be entertaining, notable, or ridiculous, but the people who act on their faith are the ones who get our respect. I’m not talking about the kind of faith that stubbornly tries to prove a human ideology and I’m not talking about the kind of respect that culminates in discrimination or idolization. It is the action of a faith in and a respect for a universal shared Intelligence that gets our humble respect.

In 1890, Harland Sanders was born. After working at minimal paying jobs for 55 years, a financially broke Sanders, on faith, takes his special fried chicken on the road. After 5 more years, his intense hard work pays off and Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise becomes worldwide.

Bonnie Pruett Wurzbacher, rose to her position of senior vice president at Coca-Cola when she had very few peers or role models among women. Wurzbacher appealed to her faith in a God who is not a respecter of persons and found mentors in Christian men, coming to the conclusion that in any vocation we can glorify God.

Often, it is the unsuspecting layman, the housewife, the farmer, the soldier or other humble, common people who demonstrate great faith in God. Faith in God is a far cry from faith in money, status-quo, a book, a religion, hierarchal directives, the economy, or a job. We must never lose sight that the universal spiritual Intelligence has a simple plan which is no respecter of persons, and doesn’t require any special credentials to believe it.

Respect also goes to people who know when to move on even at the climax of their job well done. Donald Hodel, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, announced his retirement 22 months after assuming his post. Hodel was acutely aware that his successor, Jim Daly, was prepared to do the job.

When we respect the bravery and good-intent of people who truly are making in a dent in the hardened human egotism, we feel self-respect.

From 21^st Century Science and Health, “Faith, if only belief, is like a motor piston shifting between nothing and something, having no fixity. Faith, advanced to spiritual understanding, is the evidence gained from Spirit, which rebukes mistaken mindsets of every kind and establishes the claims of God.”

The Spirit that Watches our Back

Yesterday, Pete told me a story worth repeating. Not so much because we need to hear stories like this during this financial crunch, but because “the way” the story was told was poignant, done with respect.

Before Pete began his story, he was somber—no bragging, no thinking he deserved something special, but courteous to what he calls, “The Spirit that watches our back.”

Here’s the story: A while back, their family car was totaled and the insurance company gave them $4000. Pete stared at the check and wondered, do they use the money to buy a reliable used car or do they use the money to pay off the unpaid bills and then drive the clunker car parked in the back of the house?

The clunker car is not very well suited for their family of 4, but because it felt better to follow the intuition that led them pay off the bills, they quietly paid their bills and pulled out the car that did get them around even though with a lot of moaning and clacking.

Then a check for $1500 was given to Pete for work he had previously done. The same day, a friend from another state called and told him about a 1999 reliable car they had for sell. Pete asked how much the car cost. $1500 was the answer. So, they bought it.

Good things are happening and it is important to share the reasons for our hope because it helps to get rid of despair and complacency. The economy does not have the upper hand. Spirit has infinite resources of wisdom, ingenuity, humility, even health, that can be tapped into and experienced.

From I Peter 3:14, “give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Time and Money Spent on Mind in Training

As a reader of Smithsonian magazine, I come across curious information that can either intrigue or waggle me. For example, the February 2011 edition contains a blurb on Body Parts, stating that, as direct descendants of Homo erectus, we have a coccyx (tailbone, for those of us who use common slang). Anyway, I had to laugh, because ever since I’ve been a kid, I was painfully aware that my tailbone is too long for today’s widespread activity of sitting.

Flip a few more pages in the magazine and the article Survival Training, Ferret Style begs for attention. Yes, since 1981, bookoo dollars, time, and thought have been spent on capturing the once rare black-footed ferret, breeding them, training them to hone their killer instinct, and reintroducing them to the wild. All of us who feel the pinch of a poor economy will be happy to know that about 2,600 ferrets have been released in eight states.

Okay, okay, shake the cynicism, because it is important not to let cynicism mold character, but let’s compare this unqualified example of ferret “training” to real life, taking the training concept and using it to our spiritual advantage.

For example, the following statement from 21^st Century Science and Health is a tremendous help when raising children. “Children trained to eat poorly, want things, or always want someone to talk to, will be irritable and needy in later years. Parents shouldn’t complain about something they themselves brought about.” If computer games and TV are being used as babysitters, never mind the scenes are artificial and often aggressive, there is no surprise children are being trained in a certain direction. So, sit back, reflect, ask, Why not spend time, thought, and money to train in a positive direction?

Bear in mind, this “training” concept is inadequate. Some ferrets don’t catch on and can’t survive the wild. But, consider just how much of our behavior and expectations are “trained.”

So, buck the trend.

How?

Identify with divine Mind, a complete, useful, happy, healthy Mind, as opposed to the human temporal mind which is lonely, arrogant, and vulnerable. Ironically, the human mind is so rutted into the habit of training and being trained that it thinks it can train divine Mind to be humanlike, grant a wish, or gloss over wrongdoing. Won’t fly.

The human mind must yield to our spiritual nature, which naturally knows the right thing to do at the right time without a training session. Those epiphany moments have occurred to most of us at some time in life when we’ve glimpsed a complete divine Mind. Those moments can become more frequent and stronger as we know divine Mind and our spirituality is identified and shared.

Our spirituality recognizes divine Mind. That is why so many people are on a spiritual path.

Here are a few more statements from 21^st Century Science and Health to help positively work our way out of the training mode.

• “If our hopes and inclinations are spiritual, they come from enlightenment, not from trained thinking, and they produce the fruits of the Spirit.”

• Remember, although we have been trained to believe otherwise, it is not the body, nerves, or organs, but human mind, which reports food as undigested or problematic. The human mind’s report is a pseudo-mental testimony and can be destroyed only by the better results of Mind’s opposite evidence.”

• “To our trained thinking, the human person seems to be substance, but this sense of substance involves error and therefore is divisible, temporal.”

• “The so-called laws of health are simply laws that the human mind was trained to believe.”

• “So also faith, cooperating with the trained thinking that time and medication produce a healing effect, will relieve fear and change the experience of disease to an experience of health. Even a blind faith removes bodily ailments for a season. Hypnotism changes one problem into new and more difficult forms of problems. The Science of Mind must come to the rescue and work a radical cure, and we then understand the process. The great fact remains that evil is not mind. Evil has no power, no intelligence, for God is good, and therefore good is limitless, is All.”

• “In the late 20^th century, society began using the words person or people as a gender-neutral alternative to man. Person is defined as a human being, or individual. One train of thought goes from human being to a physical mortal being. Another train of thought, keeping in the metaphysical track, goes from human being to humane being to spiritual being. A human being is of the species Homo sapiens (Lat. Sapiens, to be wise, rational). The term human is identified with the word humane, indicating a humane person. Some Bible versions, in the first chapter of Genesis, say God created “human beings,” not meaning self-centered egotistical mortals, but a humane person. “A person is defined by philosophers as a being who is in possession of a range of psychological capacities that are regarded as both necessary and sufficient to fulfill the requirements of personhood. These are, in general, that it is capable of reasoning, that it is self-conscious, and that is has an identity that persists through time.” The humanity of human beings is valid. Reader, keep in mind, that human terminology and definitions change, but we have the capacity to reason correctly, adjust, and identify with the spiritual meaning. For example, referring back to Genesis chapter one, we could contemplate this interpretation: So Mind created consciousness in his own image, reflecting Mind, he created them male and female.”

Spiritual Identity Theft

“Chaotic and contradictory beliefs commit identity theft, giving matter the identity of Mind.” 21^st Century Science and Health, 3^rd edition, page 202.

 Identity Theft is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal information and uses them for their own personal gain. Identity Theft can be a nightmare, therefore people take measures to keep their privacy; however, while we take measures to protect ourselves, we must be careful not to become isolated, because isolation and loneliness will steal the identity of all-present Mind and cause us to spend too much time on the defense.

Don’t be intimidated by beliefs. Fearlessly stick to what you know is true, God’s identity is one, is good, and is manifest as Us. Don’t give human authoritarianism, time, idleness, or vanity the identity of God. 

What are some of the ways identity theft occurs?

• The belief of good and evil impersonates spiritual being to further human mortals as God’s child.
• The beliefs of sickness and depression steal the identity of Life, God, to give themselves an appearance of life.
• The belief of inferiority or superiority imitates the allness and oneness of God to exact a human status-quo.
• The beliefs of infatuation or hate mimics all-present Love to advocate self-loving agendas.

Think about it: beliefs work subtly and can easily take us on a downward spiraling ride unless we stand protected by manifesting Godlike wisdom.

Ironically, an effective prevention measure can be traced back to the 10 Commandments when Moses felt as though God promulgated, You shall not take my name in vain. (Exodus 20) Ultimately, we can’t steal God’s identity and use it for our own personal gain or agendas.

Protect your privacy smartly, in other words don’t keep your knowledge of God private, but preserve spiritual knowledge by sharing it forward.

Finances and Children: Parenting IV

Raising children to become financially savvy increases advantages.

The day after they were born, our children received money from relatives.I opened a bank account for each child. At about four years of age, they were getting an inkling of what money was about so they helped put newly received money into their account.

In order to set an example ourselves, my husband and I made great effort to be financially responsible. We paid all our bills on time and rarely used the credit card if we couldn’t pay the entire amount off at the end of the month.

When we donated to charities, we found the children also loved to contribute.

We gave them paying jobs around the house when they were about nine years old. They were happily impressed to see how their paychecks increased their bank account considerably. Their work-ethic was recognized by other people, who hired them when they were fourteen years old.

As licensed foster parents, we applied the same principles to all the children who came to stay with us. When they moved on they took with them a bank account book and learned skills.

We are also cheap.

We cook our own meals instead of eat out. We share clothes. We drive used, paid for vehicles. We stay at hostels when traveling. We re-use kleenex when we don’t have a washable hanky handy. Craigslist is our shopping mall. I don’t even own, therefore make monthy payments on, a cell-phone. We haven’t paid a TV, cable bill for over twenty years (no TV reception started that savings fad, but it served us well  because there was no arguing about TV shows and the girls earned high grades).

All this cheapness pays off. Sometimes it put a dent in our ego. However, the day comes when we can purchase something really fantastic.

For example, when the oldest daughter turned sixteen she had the funds to purchase her dream car, a 69 Chevy Camaro. She drove it until she went to college and then her sister drove it.

One lesson I did learn, however, while teaching financial lessons, is that I needed to have the right attitude. At one point I was thinking I had  superior ability to be cheap. But, a superior attitude, by default, accepts an inferior attitude. So, instead of thinking I have a smart, or dumb, brain, I pray to open my consciousness to the all-wise God. I can still be cheap, but I never begrudge paying higher prices for something worthwhile.

Camaro by the Columbia River

“Experience should be the school of virtue.” —Science and Health

In other words, experience should not be the school of confusion and lack.