"Begin anywhere."

Spiritual resource to share: fresh starts

"Begin anywhere." This is one of two quotes that hangs around my office. Its only two words are attributed to John Cage, American composer and philosopher. It is a constant reminder that we are able to change thought, break through a lull, reverse directions at any time. We have that authority to start anew - right now.

Starting anew - right now.  What hope!  This newness and freshness can mark the beginning of our new year.  It can mark the beginning of our new week.  It can even happen in the littlest moments of the day.  A total turn around.  A fresh start.

After having a very bleary morning where interruptions threatened any advancement on a number of projects, I felt the day could have turned out totally unproductive. But these two little words "begin anywhere" provided enough of a jolt to encourage me to stop this fuzzy accommodation of blah to totally reverse direction. I literally closed the door on my little interruptions, forgave my wandering morning, and gave myself permission to have a great day! I jumped into one project at a time and completed what needed to be done.

This same principle of fresh starts that can turn our day around, can also turn our lives around. This principle can be seen in the remarkable lives of such people as Buckminster Fuller whose life took a 180 degree turn and continues to be a marvel, and to our own everyday lives. Mary Baker Eddy, another individual whose life proved this principle of fresh starts offers these words, written over a hundred years ago:

The purpose and motive to live aright can be gained now. This point won, you have started as you should. You have begun at the numeration-table of Christian Science, and nothing but wrong intention can hinder your advancement. Working and praying with true motives, your Father will open the way. "Who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth?"

Begin anywhere. Whatever your background, your history, or your prospects, you can begin - right now - to claim your inheritance as a child of God. All that is good, pure, true and fulfilling is at hand!  A happy new year?  Yes!  And a happy new week, a happy new day, and a string of happy new moments.

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

step by step

Spiritual resource to share: guest blogger - Leslie Larsen

Step by step will those who trust Him find that
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

There are 67 stairs out of this cave back into the world we are used to. That’s 67 steps out of the darkness and into the sunlight once again.

Metaphorically speaking, this cave of darkness could represent so many things. The phrase “one step closer” and “light at the end of the tunnel” seem somehow appropriate. For me, it symbolizes growth. Every challenge life presents allows you one more step towards the light. Every challenge means climbing another stair, whether with exuberance or exhaustion, the end goal of the light will not come any closer without conquering that stair, along with all of the others. Sometimes, a daunting task, sometimes a menial snap of the fingers.

But also notice, with every step, there is more light, more air, more to see and appreciate. It is not only about the task of the stairs, not only about the destination of getting to the light and wide open spaces, but also to appreciate the sights on the way there. What lesson is complete without the beauty of the journey? Things are laying there to be learned while you’re figuring out your challenge, neat little rewards of learning to supplement each step with something you would not have seen had you not come this far.

An interesting thought on the passageways of caves.

By Leslie Larsen

S&H 513:6
Advancing spiritual steps in the teeming universe of Mind

lead on to spiritual spheres and exalted beings. 

To material sense, this divine universe is dim and distant,

gray in the sombre hues of twilight;

but anon the veil is lifted, and the scene shifts into light.

considering Mary

Spiritual resource to share: humility and receptivity

Infinite possibilities by Misha

In this cornucopia of inspiration about Christmas flooding in over the internet, this one article, Mary's humble Christmas prayer asks the questions: what did Mary hear in prayer? What was she doing or thinking to receive so profound a message?

(from the article) "The words she heard from the angel Gabriel may have meant nothing without Mary’s precious humility and receptivity to the divine message that would change human experience forever."  

Understanding God's omnipresence and understanding that God is constantly communicating to us ( think of it as a continual stream), it makes sense that we are always capable of listening to and connecting to those right ideas that will bring out whatever glorifies God. Whatever glorifies God fills us with meaning and hope and joy! This is all very good!

This made me think about what it takes to listen. Two things: humility and receptivity

Humility – that genius of Christian Science – takes ego out of the equation. It is meekness, free of false pride; being unpretentious. To humble something is to cause a transformation. Humility reminds me of that place you can go to in prayer when the outward experience is aggressive, confusing, attacking or demeaning. You can lower yourself into that secret hiding place, take yourself out of the target's range and be quiet. In that stillness, the only voice that can be heard is Love, God. God's messages of light and love transform us.

Receptivity – goes hand in hand with willingness, readiness to receive; openness. Our receptivity is as focused on what we know of God as we are focused when we are tuning into a radio program.

God's tender love, infinite goodness, and intelligent care brings out all kinds of surprising solutions for us. How wonderful then to go into this holiday season knowing that we can tune in to the right responses we need for any situation. God is speaking to us, sharing those messages. It is our humility and receptivity that is picking up on these messages and showing us the way to be a blessing in the wide array of family situations, to be a blessing in our churches and communities, to bring the Christ light to our friends and acquaintances.

There is no end to the good in store and no end to the good we can do and the good we can be.