Hello Fellow Truth Students,

Does your faith lie in your divinity or the divinity of another? Even if it is Jesus’ divinity, or Buddha’s divinity, it is insufficient. As Jesus said to the woman who reached out to touch the hem of his robe in order to heal, “It is your faith that has healed you, go in peace and heal of your dis-ease.” Jesus said to the blind man who asked Jesus to restore his sight, “Go your way, your faith has made you well.” And immediately, the man received his sight.

It is nice when someone we admire affirms our power and possibility, but it is our faith and the direction of our faith that makes the difference in how we manifest our lives.

Our divinity isn’t our religion. Our divinity is our Oneness with Source. For some of us, it takes steady and frequent concentration to recognize that we are One with Source. If you are having difficulty connecting within, don’t give up, keeping getting back to the words of Truth and deepening your connection until you actually feel connected. Pay attention to how that connection shows up in your thinking, your relationships, your finances, your home and your work life. Notice all of the obvious and subtle ways that your life is shifting as a result of thinking differently. Notice and give thanks.

Your divinity is your Divine Nature. Accept it now and SEE!

Blessings Upon Blessings,
Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,

Is what I’m thinking helping me to know God better?

Is this comment that I am about to make helping me to know God better?

Is this food that I’m about to eat going to help me to know God better?

Is this resentment helping me to know God better?

Is this shopping expedition helping me to know God better?

Is this resistance helping me to know God better?

Is this gossip going to help me to know God better?

Is this complaint going to help me to know God better?

Is this love affair going to help me know God better?

Is this fantasy going to help me to know God better?

Is this writing helping me to know God better?

Is this song that I’m singing helping me to know God better?

Is this prayer helping me to know God better?

In Great Questions and Answers,

Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,

First, let me say how much I appreciate what everyone did to make our annual concert such a success. On Saturday, so many who call Unity Center their spiritual home stepped up to do whatever was needed in order to make everything easy and wonderful for all our guests. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I also appreciate how Spirit works through all of our entertainers and brings out the highest in them. Our afternoon rehearsal went awry and several singers didn’t get to run through their song even once. However, you would never know it. Christina Connors never got a chance to sing her solo during the day, and this was the first time she had ever sung the song in public. I say “Wow!” Scott, Kenneth, and Christina never got to sing the opening trio until show time. Again, I say “Wow!” When you do an event like this, there are so many variables that you can’t plan for. I truly appreciate all of the teams that lived up to their commitments. Diane Bustamante and the Silent auction team-WOW! Christina Connors and the production team-WOW! The Gangemi’s Concession team-WOW! Brad Kimmelman and Geoff Dodge as our backstage team-WOW! Our technical team-WOW! Buckley Ryan and BJ Lawless of BJ Ryan’s/BanC House-WOW! All of our sponsors and donors-WOW! Kenneth Gartman and his music team-WOW! Scott Coulter’s direction-WOW! Alexandra Philippas and me in the office-WOW! All of the performers-WOW! And finally-The Audience-WOW! Obviously it takes a village to put on an event like this. What happened Saturday night wasn’t just the putting on of a show; it was a life-changing moment for a lot of people (me being one of those people.)

Everyone listed here made a difference in everyone else’s life. I ask you to take the time to notice–notice and appreciate it. Notice how you are affected and notice the effect you have in all of the events in your life.

I know that not everyone who reads this attended the concert. However, it is a great example of paying attention to what is going on in your life and appreciating the effects. Your behavior affects your relationship with the grocery store clerk. The grocery store clerk’s behavior has an effect on you. Whether you like the effect or not, appreciate the fact that it does. In this appreciation you will become more conscious of the present moment and how God is active in your life. You will become less objectifying. People will become real to you and you will become real to others.

Take the time and presence of mind to appreciate the fact that wonderful things are taking place in Life. Some of them we are aware of and some of them we aren’t. Appreciate both and then notice the glorious changes taking place in and around you.

In Abundant Appreciation for the Christ in You,
Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,

Are you trying to get to the solution before God does? Do you think your perception about how things ought to be done is clearer than God’s? Have you asked for God’s perception lately? Have you asked for God’s solution recently? Have you sought to know God today?

My understanding is that the solution to all problems is: God. It’s not that God will fix my problem, it’s that with God there is no problem. God doesn’t have problems. My problems, therefore, must all be in my imagination, or my perception.

So, while I don’t have any problems, it would seem that I do have an issue — I’m competing with God for supremacy. I’m trying to tell God that my way is better and more efficient. Here’s the thing about that, God obviously doesn’t care what I think. God is still God. God is still going to be the Reality of Love, while I’m here telling God what love ought to be. God is still going to be God being Wisdom, while I’m here in my frustration telling God what wisdom ought to be. God is still going to be God being Power, while I’m here in my arrogance telling God what power ought to be.

I’m in a competition that I’m never going to win – and for that I can be grateful. In a battle of wits with God, I am an unarmed contestant. I think it is important to remember, God isn’t in a battle – “me” is. God isn’t competing – “me” is. God isn’t worried – “me” is. God isn’t poor – “me” is. God isn’t sick – “me” is. God isn’t angry, upset, confused, frustrated, unhappy, or any of the things God isn’t – “me” is. Actually, I’m not really any of those things that God isn’t. I’m just behaving as if I am.

Let’s all wake up today, this minute, now! Ask Holy Spirit to tell us what to think about God, ourselves, and Holy Spirit. Ask Spirit to tell us what to think about Life, Love, Truth, Wisdom and all that God IS.

When we are convincing ourselves that lack in any form is real, that is the perfect time to ask Spirit what to think about what is going on in front of you. Are we clear here? That is not the time to tell God or Spirit what is going on; it is the time to ask to know the Truth about what is happening.

We are not in competition with God or each other. It’s impossible. Got it? Good!

Blessings,
Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,

Are you the exception to great wealth? Is there anyone you know or think about who you think shouldn’t be rich? On your path to riches, you are going to have to eliminate those thoughts. You cannot hold the thought that you or someone else doesn’t deserve great wealth and then expect to be wealthy.

Let’s not limit wealth to money, but please, let’s go ahead and include it as part of the wealth package. True wealth is about rich thoughts. Rich thoughts include dreams, acceptance and giving. Rich thoughts are all about forgiveness and the elimination of resentments. Rich thoughts are all about the willingness to let everyone be rich. A rich person has no hold-outs. A rich person doesn’t exclude anyone from the worthiness of God’s love. A rich person allows the vision of good about everyone (and I mean everyone) to be in their thoughts. A rich person doesn’t decide how others are to be rich; a rich person simply is willing to know that everyone has the right to be rich.

One of my favorite prayers is, “Thank you, God, that ( ___ ) is prospering now, and thank you, God, that I am prospering now.” It’s important that we include ourselves in the prayer, because one can’t prosper without the other prospering.

I have heard individuals criticize political parties or particular politicians. I have suggested that they pray for that politician’s prosperity. The answer I have received is “No!”. I asked why. The general response is that they fear that the politician will then get what the politician wants. Obviously, the thought being held is that what the politician wants is opposed to what they want. I always let them know that my understanding of prosperity is that a prosperous person knows their True identity and would never seek to gain for selfish means. So if you aren’t willing to affirm the prosperity for someone you fear, as well as yourself, perhaps you are the one who is wanting to gain for selfish means.

True wealth is the state of man’s consciousness. It is remembering that God is our supply. Man is not my source; God IS. I am not another’s source; God IS. Therefore, if I’m not experiencing a wealthy consciousness, I need to look at any and all areas where I might be holding back the Good. Am I withholding love from myself or another? Look into the tiniest crevices of your consciousness and become willing that all thoughts of lack be washed away and prosperity (faith in God as everyone’s Source) be the dominating factor.

It is everyone’s right to be rich. Accept it for yourself and everyone else now.

In Abundant Consciousness of God As Our Source,
Shawn

I recently accepted the privilege of mentoring another minister in the Unity movement. It is a three year commitment and there are suggested guidelines for the mentee, as well as the mentor. From there it is common sense. One would hope that the mentor uses his common sense. I have been blessed with some fantastic mentors, so I do have a clue. In this relationship, I don’t feel it is healthy for me to ask him to do anything that I wouldn’t do. That is the main reason why we mentor others, so that we ourselves may heal; it is always important to remain a beginner.

In the twelve step fellowships it is called sponsorship. I once had a sponsor who was completely frank with me and said, “I hope you stay sober, Shawn, but that isn’t why I’m sponsoring you. I’m sponsoring you so that I will stay sober. When I talk to you, I remember why I got sober in the first place.” So you see, the sponsor isn’t doing any favors for the newcomer. The sponsor is being self serving in the right way, and when we serve in a healthy direction, all are served to the highest order.

Mentoring in business is somewhat different in that (as a rule) it isn’t a matter of life and death, but mentoring in business is still as much for the mentor as it is for the mentee. When one gives assignments to the mentee, it is because the mentor has proven the exercise to be a prospering one. If the mentor knows this, then the mentor is willing to practice this exercise as well.

If you are a beginner at what you want to do, or you are advanced and want to go to the next step, and need to learn how to practice what it is you want to learn, you need to find others who are practicing it with success. There really isn’t such a thing as an “old-timer”. We need mentors–be it, spiritual, emotional, financial, or physical. You will serve that mentor in return by asking intelligent questions, and putting the mentor’s advice into practice. The mentor will be served by being reminded of the basic tools of living well and prospering.

Get the education you need from those who have it to give. Give the education you have to those who ask for it.

Best Blessings,
Shawn

Hello Friends,

It is a tough question for some of us: Is there anything I want that I wouldn’t be willing for anyone and everyone else to have as well?, because that is the Good that you and I are not experiencing. The Good that we withhold from anyone else (and I do mean anyone), is the Good that we have been missing out on…and will continue to miss.

There is a Divine Experience that is available to all, but we are saying “no” to it when we hold onto our complaints, our gripes, our grievances, our fears, our guilt, our disdain and so on…. I believe that you and I are worth the Divine Experience because it is our Divine Inheritance. Hand ”what’s wrong” over to God and ask God to interpret it, then nothing will be wrong, and we won’t gripe against our neighbor. We won’t be waiting for our neighbor to change. We won’t be waiting for the past to change. Instead, we will generously give of all the good we daily receive:

Dear Everybody,
We offer peace so that we may experience peace.
We offer love so that we may experience love.
We offer joy so that we may experience joy.
We offer Truth so that we may experience Truth.
We offer what WE ARE so that we may experience what GOD IS.
We do this gladly and gratefully.
We give thanks now and amen.

And so it is,
Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,

Today we begin the third week of our metaphysical Lent (see the website archives for explanation).

For those who have been participating in our Lenten fast, I’m certain that you are, by now, experiencing the benefits of it in your life. If you are one who complains or criticizes a lot, I’m sure you are noticing it. These observations are the unfolding of your true Self. Your false self is coming to the surface for you to say “goodbye” to it. As these old behaviors are being revealed to you, you are taking advantage of the great opportunity of realizing what you don’t want, and what you actually do want. For every complaint and criticism in which I catch myself, I see just why I needed this spiritual exercise, and how this exercise is clearing away the false and revealing the True.

Give yourself every opportunity offered to you to choose what you do want by noticing when you almost choose what you don’t want. Observe, don’t judge. Accept your/you’re Good now!

Love to All of Us,
Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,
“A Metaphysical Lent”

Today is the beginning of Lent. Lent isn’t an event that I experienced in my childhood, or even early adulthood. I had heard about it, but I didn’t really understand its function. It wasn’t until I came into Unity, and developed a desire to practice the practical teachings of New Thought, that I embraced a concept of the Lenten fast.

That is essentially what Lent is. It is a time of fasting for the forty days leading up to Easter when we recognize the possibility of the resurrection from a life lived in the flesh, to a life lived in Spirit.

Traditionally the Lenten fast has been a deprivation of something in the physical world that one indulges in for the satisfaction of the senses, i.e.: chocolate, cigarettes, alcohol, etc… A metaphysical Lent is a fast of an altogether different sort. It is the fasting from behaviors that do not suit us as the beloved child of God. The three that I traditionally fast from are gossip, criticizing, and complaining. Essentially, I am seeking a spiritual fast from the misuse of my judgment faculty.

Starting today, and going through Easter Sunday, seek to fast from all gossip, criticizing, and complaining. I understand that you are likely to have the thoughts that inspire such behaviors, but that doesn’t mean you have to act on them. None of us has to make our proclamations to the world of what we think is wrong with the world, especially not at the cost of our peace and love. I suggest you think of it in those terms. Ask yourself if voicing your criticism is worth forgetting God and Love. When I assassinate the character of my fellow Son of God, that is exactly what I’m doing. It’s not that God forgets about me, it’s that I close myself off from the full realization of the Good that I AM.

Quite frankly, the grievances I am holding right now aren’t worth the hell that is in my mind when I insist on maintaining them. If I’m not yet ready to let go of my grievances, I can at the very least stop talking about them for the next forty days.

Now, we can’t just “not” do something–that leaves a vacuum and we know what nature thinks about a vacuum. We have to fill that void with something else or we will just collect different negativity to take its place. A metaphysical fast is an opportunity for a very active prayer life. The prayer life ought to go something like this:
• Gently deny that what you are thinking has any reality in God.
• Boldly affirm that Divine Love is manifesting Itself through you and all that you see now.
• I also suggest a lot of praise and thanksgiving (even if you think you don’t mean it). Congratulations on taking this next step into the experience of freedom! Some of you may have done this before. You’re invited to do it again. Some of you may already be free of the habit or even occasional use of gossip, criticism, and/or complaining. If you are one of those people, hold us in Light during this time.

To those of you who decide to embark on this journey with me, I say, “Thank you!” To those of you who aren’t prepared, I say, “I understand, and please don’t attempt to discourage the rest of us.” We can all thank my Radical Manifestation group which asked for this on Monday night. I had no intention of doing this fast this year. I mentioned it, and they chorused, “Let’s do it!!!” It seemed practical and worthwhile, so I agreed. Who am I to turn down so many angels singing to me at the same time? Let these Truth students be your angels too—let’s agree to participate in this glorious fast together!

Abundant Blessings of Freedom,
Shawn

Hello Fellow Truth Students,

If there seems to be anything missing or out of place in your life experience, is there anything you are waiting for in order for that to be corrected? What do you think has to change in the world for you to be happy, joyous, and free?

If you think something in the world has to change in order for you to be happy, joyous and free, then you are seeing yourself and the world incorrectly. The only thing that has to change—ever could change in order for me to be happy, joyous and free—is my thought about the world. This is truly the good news of the day.

For some of us, it may take some heavy prayer and meditation in order to change our thoughts about what we see in the world. It depends on whether or not you want to be happy, joyous and free. It also depends on whether or not you are willing to be wrong about the world and what you see.

However, if you are not currently happy, joyous and free, and you do want to be happy, joyous and free, what are you waiting for? Announce to yourself that you have obviously been wrong about the world and what you thought the world means. Tell yourself that you want to see yourself and the world as it IS, rather than as it isn’t. Tell yourself that God sees the world with love, so you are now willing to see it with love. Remind yourself that you would rather know the Truth, and that there isn’t anything Real to be sacrificed by knowing the Truth. In fact, “Knowing the Truth will set me free.” What a relief!

Blessings,
Shawn